Paganism in general is hard to define. It means different things to different people. Paganism covers such diverse groups and religions as Wicca, Shamanism, Druidism, and to some extent Vooduon. There is also an element of paganism in many eastern religions such as Taoism, some elements of Buddhism, and Tantra. In general all pagans have a common set of ideals and standards:- They tend to place their faith in natural forces, rather than some external god figure. Whenever they worship gods, these gods are seen as symbolic representations of natural forces. (e.g. The Wiccan 'Horned God' is symbolic of masculine human nature, The ancient Egyptian god 'Ra' symbolized the sun). They have a respect for nature and consider themselves as part of the natural universe, rather than set aside from it. The extent of this varies from religion to religion. In primitive cultures this was expressed as a fear of the natural forces under which they had no control. They have a respect for the physical world and as a rule do not see it as something non - spiritual or distracting. This is true of many religions, and the main contrasting factor between paganism and Christianity. To a Christian this world is sinful and wicked. Heaven provides an escape from this world. Many pagan Religions also believe in an afterlife, but this afterlife is merely another place, or state of existence - they do not deny the validity of this existence.

In general they do not believe in 'good' and 'evil' as absolutes. It is true that in some pagan religions some gods are considered more 'evil' than others, but what makes these ancient religions interesting is the human-like personalities of the gods. The Greek god 'Zeus' was considered a kind god, but when he was angered he became almost like a spoilt child with his tantrums. The Norse god 'Loki' could have been considered 'evil' in nature. But when Loki saw the damage done to Valhalla after stealing Thor's hammer, he apologised and sought to return it. There are also two popular misconceptions :- Not all pagans believe in reincarnation. Many of the ancient pagan religions believed in an afterlife, much the way that Christians's do. The Druids are often quoted as having believed in reincarnation, but there is no evidence that this is the case. As a general rule it has been found that ancient eastern religions believed in reincarnation, whereas ancient western religions believed in an afterlife. Modern witchcraft is based only loosely on Druidism, and it in fact borrows ideas from both eastern and western philosophy. Wiccan's in general tend to believe in reincarnation - The Norse, Celts and Druids did not. Some pagans do seek to 'convert' their followers. Again the idea of allowing each individual to find their own path is unique to modern witchcraft only. In every case of every religion I have come across, where the religion is more than several hundred years old, there has been the idea that their beliefs are right, and that everyone else is wrong. I find this amusing, especially since when you look at religions in general they all seem to describe the same ideas and events.

Witchcraft As A Religion Witchcraft is a form of paganism that has developed out of ideas and practices that originated when mankind first evolved the capacity for intelligent thought. It is based loosely on many deferent pagan religions, including ancient Greek and Roman, Norse and Celtic, as well as having eastern religious influences. The basic concept of witchcraft is that human behavior is a mirror of fundamental laws of nature. In nature there is a continuous cycle of birth, death and rebirth occurring. By observing these cycles in nature one can obtain a better understanding of oneself. The human psyche can be considered to have a masculine and a feminine side and these are symbolized in witchcraft by the God and Goddess. Some books would tell you that witchcraft is feminine in nature, with the major deity of the religion being a female Goddess. In some forms of witchcraft there is indeed a tendency toward worship of the Goddess alone (Dionysian witchcraft being a very apt example of this), but in it's original form witchcraft is about worship of the masculine and feminine as equal and complimentary forces. For this reason it is sad that many mainstream books on the subject tend to deal with the Goddess in great detail and yet do not give as much attention to the God. The cycles of nature can be reflected in the story of the God and Goddess and how their lives affect each other. The sabbats and festivals of the wiccan religion are celebrations of the story of the God and the Goddess as a mirror image of the seasons and the changing face of the world. In general witches tend to believe in reincarnation. This follows the concept of the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Just as there are many forms of Christianity, there are also many forms of witchcraft. Typically, however, all flavors of the witchcraft religion follow the same system of belief. To really understand how Witchcraft works, you have both study and allow yourself to experience.  You need to be able to form your own opinions about how things work, and forge your own Path.  Here you will find a suggested reading list of high quality books.  You should read everything you can get your hands on, but take it all with a grain of salt.  Just because it's been published doesn't mean it's accurate, true, or correct! Reading, learning, and researching is a very important part of the Modern Tradition, and to all paths of Witchcraft, but taking time to experience is invaluable.   Doing Witchcraft is like riding a bicycle...you can't have someone tell you how it's done really, you have to get on the bike to find out.    And don't be afraid to actually experiment, just remember to use common sense!  If you don't understand what something means, by all means---don't say it in the circle!  Just take it one step at a time, and one day you'll look back and be amazed how far you have come.  I suggest taking a few moments are reading these short articles: the Witch's Mind, Roots, & Stones, The Witch's Mind The way you perceive the world around you has a lot to do with how your life-path will travel. The Witch should always been skeptical in nature, possessing an open but critical mind. Having an open mind is truly a wonderful thing, but not if it's so open your brains (and dignity) fall straight out. Gather as much information as you can, listen to everything, use the scientific method, and then make decisions about how things are. As Witches, we search for the connections between all things and strive for balance. This means being considerate and courteous, understanding and diplomatic. You will be silent at times, vocal at others, naturally knowing what time is best for each. There is no need to show off your talents and draw attention to yourself. Someone who strives for attention will get it, and eventually it will lead to undesirable attention from potentially dangerous persons. It is also important to realize that all paths lead to the same source, so respect all paths, even if you don't agree with them. Stand up for your beliefs, but don't belittle others for their views. Always be confident and respect your body mentally and physically, for it is your temple. Your mind and will are powerful tools, and combined with a relatively healthy body, can bring about incredible change, and really, this is all you need to "do" magick. Help make us #No.1 Vote for this website.