I am an eclectic pagan myself. I incorporate deities from different pantheons primarily egyptian practices, native american practices, norse practices, greek practices and irish gaelic practices and animism. I feel it allows me to gain the full benefits of everything that the metaphysical world encompases and with me working with crystal healing and magic having all of those different deities gods and godesses really brings alot of power to my manifestation practices. I dont even refer to gods and godesses as such i call them the divine ones cuz i like to to adresses all the higher powers that i believe in while praying meditating and setting intentions with my crystals. Thank u for sharing this. Now i dont feel as bad about having more then one pagan path
@@petrapuljas2306 they coexist. because they're all real divine beings, and the differences are just different ways we know them through... For example, I follow Hinduism/Vedic Paganism. Indra(the God of Thunder) is the same as Thor(Germanic God of Thunder) and Perkūnas(Baltic God of Thunder) The Gods are similar, but different people know them differently. so you can choose to worship a god in a different way however it suits you.
@@petrapuljas2306 They're the same god seen through different perspectives. From my POV ofcourse... There are different opinions on this. But to me, it makes more sense to say that the gods are same, but we know them differently. These differences could be shaped by Geography/Lifestyle/evolution of language groups..
Very helpful, thank you. I've been Christian for many years but my interest in herbs, natural health etc has seen a number of people identify me as a witch, and I've always felt some pull to that identity. At this stage I'd describe myself as Christo-pagan, emphasis on the 'Christo' and with prayers in place of spell work, but have accepted that I'm currently in an unfinished time of significant change so am focusing on forming my 'Pagan' identity and interrogating my Christian aspect in light of this
if you haven't already, might I recommend checking out Chaotic Witch Aunt? They're an Irish American folk practitioner who I believe is also christian.
This is very helpful. I been trying to discover my pagan path for a few years. I am more into animism than anything else. when I walk into a forest I feel a alot of spirits around me and when elements blend together my soul heals greatly. So I am more animism. But thank you for the video, I have to rewatch it again to pick up more what you said. Once again thanks for the video and keep on being connected to life.
Thank you for this video! Newly leaving Christianity and Catholicism to follow my heart again! There are so many levels to witchcraft and it feels so complicated. I just love healing with herbs, everything nature and I want to understand all of the pagan holidays and moon/sun cycles.
You're incredibly easy to listen to! This video really helped clarify some things for me and it definitely doesn't hurt that you're great at explaining things.
Illuminati said to bring all your illegal drugs and place them on the counter of your local police station for the freemason witch orgy there tonight do it right now Satans orders Avelina said right away.
I feel like I took nature for granted until I moved to a big city where vegetation is few and far in between. After living here for a few years, I've been longing to be surrounded by nature again. Anytime I have the opportunity to be around it, I feel such a connection now. I have never really been a spiritual person for most of my life, but after experiencing such a cut-off, I definitely feel it now
I recommend the book, “Paganism - An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions”, by Joyce & River Higginbotham. In my opinion, it does an amazing job in covering this mass umbrella term of Paganism. Let’s face it, trying to define it is quite a complicated. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did. -Eugene
So I've been in and out of pursuing a greater understanding of my spirituality for most of my life. I was able to find Drawing Down the Moon online and I'm reading it just eyes wide. I've never considered magic, religion, and other views described in the book until now and I feel like it's sort of blowing my mind. Thank you so much for making this video and recommending this book!
Thank you for uploading this video, it will really help with finding a label for myself. I'm having issues with accepting a label because I feel like I'm constantly being judged by others, but I hope to overcome these feelings in the future
You're welcome! And if you never find a label for yourself, that's okay too. It can be hard to find a specific box that fits and it can certainly change over time. Just do what works for you.
@@BewitchingBemused also! I know this isnt pertaining to the video but i have to ask, im obsessed with your red lipstick. What brand is it?? Also, more in line with the video in your personal opinion do you think there is anything behind an affinity for a specific culture when it comes to cultivating your path and beliefs? I grew up christian so im inclined towards monotheism, but i also feel very connected to Gaia. More to the point, i have always been fascinated by the irish culture as a whole and while i dont feel like im necessarily inclined towards druidry, i am very inclined to add aspects of the irish culture into my "vibe" and the types of rituals im more likely to do. Just curious on your thoughts :) thanks!
Here's the lipstick! I love this color and it's really long lasting too. www.realher.com/products/i-am-adaptable-matte-liquid-lipstick I believe in using whatever works for you. That's a big reason why I'm so ecclectic, because I'm drawn to so many different cultures, beliefs, and practices. And with some, I believe in some areas but not others. For example, I was initially intrigued by the Runes because my ancestry is Norwegian and I still feel an affinity toward them and have read the Eddas, but I've also always been way more drawn to Egyptian mythology than any other, ever since I was a kid. And then my actual spellwork practice, the origins of many of my go-to spells, are all over the place haha I believe your instincts will draw you toward the path that will work best for you, and it doesn't just have to be one specific path. The wonderful thing about Paganism is that there is no dogma, you make your own rule book, and there are no right or wrong way to do things. Even if some of your beliefs seem contradictory in nature, as long as they make sense to you, that's all that matters.
I've been a lot of different types of Pagans (Wiccan, Celtic, Asatrú, Eclectic, etc). But, around college, I finally found out about SubGenius, and stayed within that framework. I've been a Chaos Mage/Chaote about as long as I've been Pagan, and needed a DIY Path that let me do my own thing, while providing some stability, without making me feel like a twelve year-old. SubGenius has Short Duration Personal Saviors, where I could worship Dionyssus one day, David Bowie the next day, and Myself every Wednesday (or all three and more at once). 🙂 I consider SubGenius a Chaos Religion, because it's easy to incorporate Chaos Magick, and do my own thing. Other Chaos Religions include Discordianism, Thelema, and Lovecraft/Cthulhu Mythos.
Thank you so much for sharing this because I have never heard of SubGenius but the concept you described sounds fascinating. I will definitely be doing further research.
Some Discordians consider SubGenius to be an offshoot of Discordianism (like Christianity being an offshoot of Judaism). Personally, I see SubGenius as more organized than Discordianism, as it has a more fleshed out Foundational Mythos than Discordianism. But, I also know SubGenius who are Discordian, too, and vice-versa. To each their own. 🙂
"Drawing Down the Moon" was always sugested along with "Triumph of the Moon" when I was a baby witch. I read both of them at the time but its been like 12 years since then. Also! I love your shirt. I love In This Moment
I am just starting my pagan journey in midlife after decades of being an atheist, but growing disillusioned with the hyper rationalism and mechanistic materialism underpinning much of that movement. Personally, I'm attracted to Hellenistic practice, perhaps due to my getting a degree in philosophy when I was younger and reading a lot of Greek writers. I also find relevance in the Norse pantheon, particularly Thor, and have always believed in reincarnation, having also read extensively on Eastern philosophy / religion (perhaps also motivating my distance from atheism). So my approach is eclectic, to say the least!
At the beginning of the video I was like, being a pagan doesn't mean you're a witch, it's not the same thing, BUT I'm glad I continued watching the video. Very well made video, finally someone who really does understand this topic/religion! Good job! 👏🏻😌You earned my subscribe ❤️ (slavic pagan here 🙋🏻♀️)
I love seeing other pagans in the comment section. I am a firm believer that not only are there multiple gods, but multiple pantheons that exist within this world. Personally, I think no one is wrong. I’m a Hellenic polytheist, but you are just as right as I am.
Thank you for this amazing video,i just started on this subject and I'm very excited to see how it goes and also thank you heather for suggesting this video so we can all be informed 💕💕💕💕😊😊😊😊
When you mentioned asking yourself questions about what higher beings/powers you believe in the best way I could describe it in my head was basically the movie soul lol
It’s weird because in my mind most of anything someone believes in can be true. Animism, witchcraft, the God and Goddess, Nordic religions, Christian religion, etc… It’s a feeling of both the terrifying unknown and complete wonderment of what could be. I lean towards The God and Goddess of Wiccan religion, Mother Gaia as a Goddess, the plants and animals having a souls, the idea of magick in all living things around us, magick and soul in the elements, magick in all things we do if we keep ourselves aware and do things with intention, the magick in belief, etc… I’m going to ask myself the questions you posed in this video to try and figure these things out for myself.
I'm currently christian but something is drawing me to paganism. I've always felt different from my family in beliefs. So I'm trying to find my path, I need to know what I'm talking about and what I'm doing before I openly practice because my family will have words with me. I feel like I might have skills in herbs and "spiritual communication" (if that's what you call it, idk) but I'm thinking over going down that path. As well as I'm leaning towards, Norse or Celtic religion. 😊
Same but I’m now pagan witch I was formerly Catholic. I’m Filipino American most Filipinos are either Christian or Catholic. I sometimes feel different because my religious views change not because I chose something. I didn’t choose Paganism. Paganism caught my attention it drew me in especially witchcraft as well. I’m more interested in Greek and Egyptian religion.
I just think there's a god/gods and that all religions are here to guides us in our lives, also I want to protect the animals and nature (I feel like god IS nature) Still I find the pagan paths beautiful so I find myself reading about greek and norse mythology and listening to folk music
This is so exciting! If been looking into paganism for the last days and I feel really drawn to it. Do you have any more book recs for all the terms and paths ? Thank you sm and bless you!
This one doesn't get too specific as far as listing different paths, but The Path of Paganism by John Beckett is by far one of the best books I've found and it really helps you discover what your own path looks like so you can then look into matching traditions. I did a book review of it if you want to know more. You'll find it under the book reviews playlist. Hope that helps!
This video was really great. You’re really good at explaining things. I just had a question. So I’m feeling drawn to two Norse Gods and one Greek one and I’m open to looking into witchcraft in the future. While I’ve decided I want to take things from both Norse and Keltic Paganism as I feel such a pull to both, anyway, would that fall under the term Eclectic Paganism? I ask mainly because I’m unsure and I’d like to be able to put a name to my beliefs that aptly describes them if it ever comes up.
It can, yes. The term eclectic Paganism is pretty broad. For some it means utilizing aspects from multiple religions, for others it's working with deities from different pantheons. I use it as a way to describe myself as a Pagan that pulls from multiple different Pagan paths and magical traditions. If it feels right for you in your own brand of Paganism, that would definitely apply!
something of note, some people take the term “animism” as offensive because it was often used to describe non christians as animalistic and primitive in comparison to the “superior” alternative
Bewitched,Since I'm 1/4 Russian & Witchcraft is a part of my heritage ....So I' m going to walk the Karelian ( East Slavic & Russian) Path with Wicca Moon Magic DJ Conway is a book that's similar to Drawing Down The Moon
Just so you know Aphrodite was originally the goddess Astarte, the Phoenicians introduced her to the Greeks and she took on a life of her own. The Greeks also worshipped Egyptian gods, particularly the goddess is:s (sorry censoring bc of the name connection and RUclips). So eclectic paganism has a historical precedent
Thank you to you and Heather. I am really learning a lot from your channel! You have reassured me that I can be electic in my spirituality. It really fits in with how I feel. I believe in reuncarnation, I dont know if there is a god and I feel a great affinity with Nature. Like you I feel ok that I dont know.
I like your distinction at the beginning between Magickal Practice and Pagan Faith. I am a Kaos Mage, but am Northern Trad Animist Heathen who follows the standard Celtic/ Wicca Feast Calendar. If that makes me a Universalist, so be it. Heck, i study Mazdaism, Hermetica, and Neoplatonism...even Gnostic Christianity. When asked, i simply say Folk Heathen. Never belonged to any Coven or Magickal Order...but i always try to make offerings to the Woodland Spirits where i live.
Can I label myself a pagan if I work with freyja, worship poseidon, believe that everything and everyone has a spirit and soul? I also believe in God's and goddesses and I love nature and have a connection to nature
Same nooo details!!!!! I have been asking myself that for a very long time what is my purpose I have been talking to the universe about those doing card reading and so forth and I cannot get an answer
I don't know what I am but I relate to spiritualism, sadly, it died out (no pun intended) and even though I don't know much about spiritualism, people faked hauntings back in the day, and the rest is history, but I do believe in 1 God and ghosts, but I don't vibe with Christianity or any organized religion......so I dunno. I'm also kinda agnostic too but I'm leaning on something spiritual being out there.
That is pretty much how I started out, but on my path I ended up going completely agnostic. Are you also a magical practitioner? Because Braucherei of the Pennsylvania Dutch might interest you. (It's also called Powwowing, but I avoid the use of that term since it's Native American.) They were Christians and often used excerpts from the Bible in their folk magic and for healing.
@@BewitchingBemused I used to be a theistic satanist but I had issues relating to other theistic satanists because although devil worship is rare, most of the theistic satanists I met over the years believed that Satan was God, I didn't believe this, I was duotheistic, and believed in God vs the devil, I eventually went darker as my mental health worsened and got into Ahriman vs Ahura Mazda from Zoroastrianism, I also ended up worshipping the void too, I don't know, I theorized I might have some mental illness but speaking to many doctors over the years and I don't seem to fit the criteria for any thought disorder, so I guess I'm just different and weird. I don't believe I'm depressed, I don't suffer depression, I do suffer from negativity though and other dark thoughts and feelings. I don't relate to the common mental disorders, but I don't wanna ramble about that. I just don't relate to any group of beliefs and I feel like I'm in some kind of black and white world where I either have to be religious or atheist, but I can't, because I'm not convinced in religion or atheism.
I'm interested in this stuff but almost every video on the subject seems like an endless stream of qualifications, like all they do is qualify everything they say, to no end which leaves me with sort of nothing....
I'm a bit of an existentialist and I also hold pretty close onto Marxist materialism. I believe that the universe and the world is completely unexplainable and unprovable beyond our own senses, and the only thing that truly exists is material as it's the only thing we can interact with on a mutual basis and understand beyond our own shared abstractions. And this interaction with the material world is what shapes society and social relations which in turn largely shape is as people. I'm interested in paganism because as an existentialist I believe whatever brings you value and fulfillment is just as valid as anyone else's as long as it doesn't degrade it, it may not be good but it's valid to them. And I think this is a good way of exploring what brings myself value.
Hmmmm.....my beliefs center around Reincarnation, I love Brian Weiss and Michael Newton. But I also feel so at home in Nature, like I feel this amazing Life Force Energy when I'm in the forest, or the ocean, as I live in South Florida. Not particularly keen on the idea of magic(at the moment) as it sounds like Christian prayer. With that being said, does what I believe sound pagan? I know there is no formal doctrine, but it feels good to me to have correct beliefs and thoughts. Blessings!❤
I know there are dozens upon dozens of definitions for Paganism out there, but in my mind, all you need is to feel a deep affinity with nature and a connection to the term "Pagan." So yes, I think it does sound pagan! And there are plenty of Pagans that don't practice magic at all, so if that isn't a part of your spirituality, then so be it. Your spirituality is still absolutely valid.
An interesting question, because I was heavily involved in church stuff for most of my life, but see "focusing on His creation and through that, appreciating the Creator" more valid than watching a man made ceremony in a concrete building, under man made lights, trying to help people get through one more week of their lives ... so I've come to the point of understanding that although I'm not musically trained, I have been used by the universe to channel beauty through music. In years gone by, I've put feathers at the end of my guitar. The videos for my songs were all nature based. The song names were all pagan names, without realising paganism was a thing. I recently bought incense sticks, because it helps me connect with something more than myself . Personally I'm coming to a point where I can easily adapt my belief in a Creator, and act in a pagan way. To me "pagan way" somehow means "losing all the manmade religious add ons". For this reason I wouldn't pray to any object, or diety, as some pagans seem to do, but I would welcome myself becoming more enthralled with stone, fire, water, light, wood, smells, foods in an almost ritualistic and worshipful manner. I think I'm beginning my own path...at long last. My music comes from the same place the earth and the universe comes from, and that makes me fulfilled.
Kemtic and Roman belong to us. Egyptians should choose Their old Gods or Roman Gods as Egypt was part of the Roman empire. To make it easy, identify with your roots and what you belong to. Hinduism is universal those days though.
you should probably not take the gods out of their original context, it’s disrespectful to the religions and cultures they come from. it’s okay to add your own twist but you should acknowledge the entire religion they come from, including the mythology, ethos, ethics and history. you can do non traditional things, but maybe try incorporating other parts of the religion into your path too. like if you worship Egyptian gods, practice ancestor worship or learn when their festival days are or what their ancient epitaphs are.
It is the base of paganism: you can add or delete what ever you want, at the same time you couldn't in religion with one all powerful god, he's like a father, you can't change of (biological) father, but in paganism gods are friends and you can create, add or reject or delete friends, the only rule is to respect them, you can have as much as you like of those divine friends in paganism by creating or borrow from other, so enjoy! ;) BUT respect them, gods are VERY beyond being
@@Yonialimi Thank you! I just wanted to create a three God religion that share elements with Hinduism and Wicca mixed with Catholic rituals like the Rosary!
Hey I was wondering I've meet lots of wicaians and all of them are girls but I'm a guy and almost all of them tell me I can't be a pagen if I'm a guy so I was wondering what your opinion is.
Anyone of any gender can be Pagan or Wiccan if they feel called to either of those spiritualities! The Wiccans you've met are terribly misinformed. Don't let them hold you back, you're more than welcome to Paganism!
Witchcraft is a practice, paganism is a religion. They can go hand in hand, but sometimes they don’t. For example: alot of Christian’s don’t practice witchcraft, but some do
For me I know that I believe in a god or gods and the Greek stand out to me because they are flawed rather then the Christian god who’s supposed to be perfect I also believe in ghosts and demons
Why do you have to pick any path I have been pagan all my life and I have incorporated what works for my spiritual path not focusing on any spiritual dogmas in fact I avoid any path that has a negative history
Well babe im not mad at you but i think you are wrong as i think buddhism teach meditation and i think for any practice of witchcraft its very important to know this knowledged because it awakes your subconciousness and their are many forms of meditation. If you go to thailand you will open your mind and you will know that they are related with something quite similar to witchcraft practice(thais like rituals and know about occult stuff).I did not know that witches are not all pagans,really? where you get that?very weird ehh......as you might know witches in the past comes from pagan root and polytheistic believes. I personally believes polytheistic believe its a form of knowledge to know different aspects of human life and different roles in the ´planet earth. I visited thailand 2018 and also i visted Iceland i do not have a preference in the pagan way or heathen way but i think i like norse vikings and i think they have a very good heathen pagan organization in Iceland called Asatrufelagio and the history of those vikings how they never forget their pagan roots makes the country a very interested place to visited again. So what are your preference?
Your definition of Pagan was given to you by Christians. Not other pagans. The old Pagan didn't have gods. They communed with nature. Not unlike Buddhist, but without temples. The spiritual aspect was brought about through ritual and MEDITATION. Polytheism is a Christian term. Which ironic since they all seem to ignore the UNKNOWN GOD in the bible proving there are two.
Im literally pagan myself and even i know this is bunk. There are pagan religions centered around this idea but you cant speak for all pagan traditions.
Sounds to me like you’re a perennialist. You’re not thinking about how absurd what you’re saying is. All of these different views are ways of viewing reality itself, and they’re mutually exclusive as they have different views of metaphysics. Contradictions are nothing more than nonsense. So the only coherent position for you to take is something like there is one truth underlying all pagan religions that each individual religion has its own expression of. The question then becomes what criteria do you have for demarcating which beliefs in the many religions are true and which are false?
hey! firstly, thanks for this video, it really helped me a lot. ever since i was a child i believed in reincarnation cycle and that was it. i didn't see myself fitting into any of the abrahamic religions as i didn't believe in heaven and hell, and i also don't believe in the christian god or the islamic god. i believe that we are part of the nature and the creator, that everything is alive, breathing and has a soul. i see nature as sacred and believe that gaia/mother nature is its source. that part is certain, i believe in magick but i want to stay close to nature as possible as i can so i don't want to participate in it. i believe that we can connect with the deity/deities through rituals so i'm really open to doing that. the thing is, i don't necessarily believe in mythological stories, i feel like the deities are real but the stories are exaggerations. the purpose of them is to make us understand our earthly mistakes through stories. ( i believe that the thing they call heaven and hell is on earth, our souls chose to come here to experience and when the cycle ends we return back to where we are originally from -to gaia-, because all souls are part of her) i also think that since some mythologies share common deities, they were just named differently but the deity was the same one so we can call them by whatever name we want. i celebrate the sabbats, try to live according to my beliefs. what i wanted to ask is, since ancient pagans believed in nature and there is polytheism in neo-paganism and i participate in both, what should i call myself? i'm really confused about the mythological part of my beliefs. i really do believe in deities but also, gaia is the main goddess i believe in, she is everything. so it feels like i'm underestimating the deities and seeing them as lower. i don't know where to place them in my head.
I am an eclectic pagan myself. I incorporate deities from different pantheons primarily egyptian practices, native american practices, norse practices, greek practices and irish gaelic practices and animism. I feel it allows me to gain the full benefits of everything that the metaphysical world encompases and with me working with crystal healing and magic having all of those different deities gods and godesses really brings alot of power to my manifestation practices. I dont even refer to gods and godesses as such i call them the divine ones cuz i like to to adresses all the higher powers that i believe in while praying meditating and setting intentions with my crystals. Thank u for sharing this. Now i dont feel as bad about having more then one pagan path
I'm really new to paganism so I don't know a lot yet. Can you explain how the deities from different pantheons and mythologies coexist?
I too am drawn to the Egyptian gods mainly horos and anubis
@@petrapuljas2306 they coexist. because they're all real divine beings, and the differences are just different ways we know them through... For example, I follow Hinduism/Vedic Paganism. Indra(the God of Thunder) is the same as Thor(Germanic God of Thunder) and Perkūnas(Baltic God of Thunder)
The Gods are similar, but different people know them differently. so you can choose to worship a god in a different way however it suits you.
@@slavman1945 so are Indra and Thor, for example, just two faces of the same god or are they two gods who represent the same/similar things?
@@petrapuljas2306 They're the same god seen through different perspectives. From my POV ofcourse... There are different opinions on this. But to me, it makes more sense to say that the gods are same, but we know them differently. These differences could be shaped by Geography/Lifestyle/evolution of language groups..
Very helpful, thank you. I've been Christian for many years but my interest in herbs, natural health etc has seen a number of people identify me as a witch, and I've always felt some pull to that identity.
At this stage I'd describe myself as Christo-pagan, emphasis on the 'Christo' and with prayers in place of spell work, but have accepted that I'm currently in an unfinished time of significant change so am focusing on forming my 'Pagan' identity and interrogating my Christian aspect in light of this
if you haven't already, might I recommend checking out Chaotic Witch Aunt? They're an Irish American folk practitioner who I believe is also christian.
@@MusicLassyI thought they were Italian American?
This is very helpful.
I been trying to discover my pagan path for a few years.
I am more into animism than anything else.
when I walk into a forest I feel a alot of spirits around me and when elements blend together my soul heals greatly.
So I am more animism. But thank you for the video, I have to rewatch it again to pick up more what you said. Once again thanks for the video and keep on being connected to life.
I'm glad I could help! I have actually begun doing more research into nature spirits lately because I know exactly what you mean.
JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH IS LORD.. BE BAPTIZED IN HIS NAME AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL. AND YOU WILL BE SAVED.
Get outta here if you have nothing nice to say :/
Thank you for this video! Newly leaving Christianity and Catholicism to follow my heart again! There are so many levels to witchcraft and it feels so complicated. I just love healing with herbs, everything nature and I want to understand all of the pagan holidays and moon/sun cycles.
You're incredibly easy to listen to! This video really helped clarify some things for me and it definitely doesn't hurt that you're great at explaining things.
Aw, thank you! I'm so glad it was helpful!
Illuminati said to bring all your illegal drugs and place them on the counter of your local police station for the freemason witch orgy there tonight do it right now Satans orders Avelina said right away.
I feel like I took nature for granted until I moved to a big city where vegetation is few and far in between. After living here for a few years, I've been longing to be surrounded by nature again. Anytime I have the opportunity to be around it, I feel such a connection now. I have never really been a spiritual person for most of my life, but after experiencing such a cut-off, I definitely feel it now
I recommend the book,
“Paganism - An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions”, by Joyce & River Higginbotham.
In my opinion, it does an amazing job in covering this mass umbrella term of Paganism. Let’s face it, trying to define it is quite a complicated. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.
-Eugene
I'll check it out, thanks for the recommendation!
@@BewitchingBemused I found it rather enlightening. I don’t think you will be disappointed.
Happy reading!
-Eugene
I just bought that book today and I'm so glad I did!
My favorite book!
I basically came up with my own "religion" (though it wasn't a religion since I'm the only one who believed in it) when I was 14!!!!!
So I've been in and out of pursuing a greater understanding of my spirituality for most of my life. I was able to find Drawing Down the Moon online and I'm reading it just eyes wide. I've never considered magic, religion, and other views described in the book until now and I feel like it's sort of blowing my mind. Thank you so much for making this video and recommending this book!
Thank you for uploading this video, it will really help with finding a label for myself. I'm having issues with accepting a label because I feel like I'm constantly being judged by others, but I hope to overcome these feelings in the future
You're welcome! And if you never find a label for yourself, that's okay too. It can be hard to find a specific box that fits and it can certainly change over time. Just do what works for you.
Came for the smile, stayed for the music. Fun video. Thanks
Blessed be to all
Yay! I got really excited when i got the notification this morning :p
Thank you! You do a great job of explaining things :)
You're welcome! I'm still working on scripting the other one but it will probably be out sometime next month 😊
@@BewitchingBemused also! I know this isnt pertaining to the video but i have to ask, im obsessed with your red lipstick. What brand is it??
Also, more in line with the video in your personal opinion do you think there is anything behind an affinity for a specific culture when it comes to cultivating your path and beliefs?
I grew up christian so im inclined towards monotheism, but i also feel very connected to Gaia. More to the point, i have always been fascinated by the irish culture as a whole and while i dont feel like im necessarily inclined towards druidry, i am very inclined to add aspects of the irish culture into my "vibe" and the types of rituals im more likely to do. Just curious on your thoughts :) thanks!
Here's the lipstick! I love this color and it's really long lasting too. www.realher.com/products/i-am-adaptable-matte-liquid-lipstick
I believe in using whatever works for you. That's a big reason why I'm so ecclectic, because I'm drawn to so many different cultures, beliefs, and practices. And with some, I believe in some areas but not others. For example, I was initially intrigued by the Runes because my ancestry is Norwegian and I still feel an affinity toward them and have read the Eddas, but I've also always been way more drawn to Egyptian mythology than any other, ever since I was a kid. And then my actual spellwork practice, the origins of many of my go-to spells, are all over the place haha I believe your instincts will draw you toward the path that will work best for you, and it doesn't just have to be one specific path. The wonderful thing about Paganism is that there is no dogma, you make your own rule book, and there are no right or wrong way to do things. Even if some of your beliefs seem contradictory in nature, as long as they make sense to you, that's all that matters.
I've been a lot of different types of Pagans (Wiccan, Celtic, Asatrú, Eclectic, etc).
But, around college, I finally found out about SubGenius, and stayed within that framework.
I've been a Chaos Mage/Chaote about as long as I've been Pagan, and needed a DIY Path that let me do my own thing, while providing some stability, without making me feel like a twelve year-old.
SubGenius has Short Duration Personal Saviors, where I could worship Dionyssus one day, David Bowie the next day, and Myself every Wednesday (or all three and more at once). 🙂
I consider SubGenius a Chaos Religion, because it's easy to incorporate Chaos Magick, and do my own thing. Other Chaos Religions include Discordianism, Thelema, and Lovecraft/Cthulhu Mythos.
Thank you so much for sharing this because I have never heard of SubGenius but the concept you described sounds fascinating. I will definitely be doing further research.
Some Discordians consider SubGenius to be an offshoot of Discordianism (like Christianity being an offshoot of Judaism).
Personally, I see SubGenius as more organized than Discordianism, as it has a more fleshed out Foundational Mythos than Discordianism.
But, I also know SubGenius who are Discordian, too, and vice-versa.
To each their own. 🙂
Wow thanks I've been a witch for a year now and this video is the first one to help me decide that i'm also a eclectic pagan. Blessed be 😁🧙♂️🙏
"Drawing Down the Moon" was always sugested along with "Triumph of the Moon" when I was a baby witch. I read both of them at the time but its been like 12 years since then.
Also! I love your shirt. I love In This Moment
I am just starting my pagan journey in midlife after decades of being an atheist, but growing disillusioned with the hyper rationalism and mechanistic materialism underpinning much of that movement. Personally, I'm attracted to Hellenistic practice, perhaps due to my getting a degree in philosophy when I was younger and reading a lot of Greek writers. I also find relevance in the Norse pantheon, particularly Thor, and have always believed in reincarnation, having also read extensively on Eastern philosophy / religion (perhaps also motivating my distance from atheism). So my approach is eclectic, to say the least!
At the beginning of the video I was like, being a pagan doesn't mean you're a witch, it's not the same thing, BUT I'm glad I continued watching the video. Very well made video, finally someone who really does understand this topic/religion! Good job! 👏🏻😌You earned my subscribe ❤️ (slavic pagan here 🙋🏻♀️)
I love seeing other pagans in the comment section. I am a firm believer that not only are there multiple gods, but multiple pantheons that exist within this world. Personally, I think no one is wrong. I’m a Hellenic polytheist, but you are just as right as I am.
Thank you for this amazing video,i just started on this subject and I'm very excited to see how it goes and also thank you heather for suggesting this video so we can all be informed 💕💕💕💕😊😊😊😊
I’m so excited to start xx
Really interesting video, posing the relevant questions that need to be considered when choosing a path. Very intelligent and lovely person 🤓
When you mentioned asking yourself questions about what higher beings/powers you believe in the best way I could describe it in my head was basically the movie soul lol
Amazing video! Definitely sharing this on my Amino community 👍🏻
Thank you!
It’s weird because in my mind most of anything someone believes in can be true. Animism, witchcraft, the God and Goddess, Nordic religions, Christian religion, etc… It’s a feeling of both the terrifying unknown and complete wonderment of what could be. I lean towards The God and Goddess of Wiccan religion, Mother Gaia as a Goddess, the plants and animals having a souls, the idea of magick in all living things around us, magick and soul in the elements, magick in all things we do if we keep ourselves aware and do things with intention, the magick in belief, etc… I’m going to ask myself the questions you posed in this video to try and figure these things out for myself.
I'm currently christian but something is drawing me to paganism. I've always felt different from my family in beliefs. So I'm trying to find my path, I need to know what I'm talking about and what I'm doing before I openly practice because my family will have words with me.
I feel like I might have skills in herbs and "spiritual communication" (if that's what you call it, idk) but I'm thinking over going down that path. As well as I'm leaning towards, Norse or Celtic religion. 😊
Same but I’m now pagan witch I was formerly Catholic. I’m Filipino American most Filipinos are either Christian or Catholic. I sometimes feel different because my religious views change not because I chose something. I didn’t choose Paganism. Paganism caught my attention it drew me in especially witchcraft as well. I’m more interested in Greek and Egyptian religion.
Same!
I just think there's a god/gods and that all religions are here to guides us in our lives, also I want to protect the animals and nature (I feel like god IS nature)
Still I find the pagan paths beautiful so I find myself reading about greek and norse mythology and listening to folk music
Sounds like Gianism. Worship of Mother Nature I belive
Thank you. Great helpful advice! I'll buy the book! Only issue with the video was that I found the music distracting
Thank you! I've been getting that comment lol The more recent videos definitely have the music turned down. Thank you for the feedback! :)
I’m still just a normal pagan but this video could definitely help me pick a path it’s been awhile since I’ve last seen it
I really enjoyed this video. I celebrated my 1st Winter Solstice. I'm not a polytheist, but I want to embrace my heritage. Thank you for this video.
This is so exciting! If been looking into paganism for the last days and I feel really drawn to it. Do you have any more book recs for all the terms and paths ? Thank you sm and bless you!
This one doesn't get too specific as far as listing different paths, but The Path of Paganism by John Beckett is by far one of the best books I've found and it really helps you discover what your own path looks like so you can then look into matching traditions. I did a book review of it if you want to know more. You'll find it under the book reviews playlist. Hope that helps!
@@BewitchingBemused thank you so much I will definitely look into it!
I love your hair!
This video was really great. You’re really good at explaining things. I just had a question. So I’m feeling drawn to two Norse Gods and one Greek one and I’m open to looking into witchcraft in the future. While I’ve decided I want to take things from both Norse and Keltic Paganism as I feel such a pull to both, anyway, would that fall under the term Eclectic Paganism? I ask mainly because I’m unsure and I’d like to be able to put a name to my beliefs that aptly describes them if it ever comes up.
It can, yes. The term eclectic Paganism is pretty broad. For some it means utilizing aspects from multiple religions, for others it's working with deities from different pantheons. I use it as a way to describe myself as a Pagan that pulls from multiple different Pagan paths and magical traditions. If it feels right for you in your own brand of Paganism, that would definitely apply!
@@BewitchingBemused OK great, thank you for that :-)
Thanks for this video, I did find the background music a little distracting.
Thanks for letting me know, I can start lowering the volume in editing.
Agreed, would prefer to just listen to you and not the music. 😊
This was a lovely video with very nice things to think about. Thank you.
Super super helpful thank you!😃
hi, i love your shirt so much! in this moment is amazing!
I was lucky enough to see them live a few year ago. I love them!
something of note, some people take the term “animism” as offensive because it was often used to describe non christians as animalistic and primitive in comparison to the “superior” alternative
Heathen and pagan is the exact same.
But those are the words we have to work with.
Bewitched,Since I'm 1/4 Russian & Witchcraft is a part of my heritage ....So I' m going to walk the Karelian ( East Slavic & Russian) Path with Wicca
Moon Magic DJ Conway is a book that's similar to Drawing Down The Moon
oh my goodness thank you bc i never knew about eclectic peganism it's what i fit in best so thank you!!!
Really appreciate this!
I have a question. Is it okay to consider myself as pagan and not a witch? Because I don’t want to identify myself as witch.
Absolutely! Not all Pagans practice magic. And even the ones that do, not all identify as witches.
this helped so much thank you
Witchy woman!! 🎵 🎼
Took me a while, until I found my home in Hellenism and Folkish Heathenry.
Just so you know Aphrodite was originally the goddess Astarte, the Phoenicians introduced her to the Greeks and she took on a life of her own. The Greeks also worshipped Egyptian gods, particularly the goddess is:s (sorry censoring bc of the name connection and RUclips). So eclectic paganism has a historical precedent
Thank you to you and Heather. I am really learning a lot from your channel! You have reassured me that I can be electic in my spirituality. It really fits in with how I feel. I believe in reuncarnation, I dont know if there is a god and I feel a great affinity with Nature. Like you I feel ok that I dont know.
I like your distinction at the beginning between Magickal Practice and Pagan Faith. I am a Kaos Mage, but am Northern Trad Animist Heathen who follows the standard Celtic/ Wicca Feast Calendar. If that makes me a Universalist, so be it. Heck, i study Mazdaism, Hermetica, and Neoplatonism...even Gnostic Christianity. When asked, i simply say Folk Heathen. Never belonged to any Coven or Magickal Order...but i always try to make offerings to the Woodland Spirits where i live.
Thank you for this information. I'm a Pagen.
Can I label myself a pagan if I work with freyja, worship poseidon, believe that everything and everyone has a spirit and soul? I also believe in God's and goddesses and I love nature and have a connection to nature
Yes, absolutely! "Pagan" is such a flexible term, it applies to so many different types of beliefs. But your description sounds hella Pagan haha
@@BewitchingBemused oh ok thank you very much!
The gods choose me, so I didn't get to choose the path. I am kemetic/Hellenistic/Norse eclectic pagan now.
love your in this moment shirt
The music spoils this video
I’m still having trouble deciding what path I’m currently going down
Very new ti thus thank you 😊 🖤
Same nooo details!!!!! I have been asking myself that for a very long time what is my purpose I have been talking to the universe about those doing card reading and so forth and I cannot get an answer
I love this video…what’s with the jazz music though?
I have a question: if you could list any of pagan religions that are closed practices and which are open ones😊
I don't know what I am but I relate to spiritualism, sadly, it died out (no pun intended) and even though I don't know much about spiritualism, people faked hauntings back in the day, and the rest is history, but I do believe in 1 God and ghosts, but I don't vibe with Christianity or any organized religion......so I dunno. I'm also kinda agnostic too but I'm leaning on something spiritual being out there.
That is pretty much how I started out, but on my path I ended up going completely agnostic. Are you also a magical practitioner? Because Braucherei of the Pennsylvania Dutch might interest you. (It's also called Powwowing, but I avoid the use of that term since it's Native American.) They were Christians and often used excerpts from the Bible in their folk magic and for healing.
@@BewitchingBemused I used to be a theistic satanist but I had issues relating to other theistic satanists because although devil worship is rare, most of the theistic satanists I met over the years believed that Satan was God, I didn't believe this, I was duotheistic, and believed in God vs the devil, I eventually went darker as my mental health worsened and got into Ahriman vs Ahura Mazda from Zoroastrianism, I also ended up worshipping the void too, I don't know, I theorized I might have some mental illness but speaking to many doctors over the years and I don't seem to fit the criteria for any thought disorder, so I guess I'm just different and weird. I don't believe I'm depressed, I don't suffer depression, I do suffer from negativity though and other dark thoughts and feelings. I don't relate to the common mental disorders, but I don't wanna ramble about that. I just don't relate to any group of beliefs and I feel like I'm in some kind of black and white world where I either have to be religious or atheist, but I can't, because I'm not convinced in religion or atheism.
i’m native american and this path is very confusing 😭
All are born on the pagan path, it’s a broad way and includes all outside of saving faith in Christ.
I’ve always felt drawn to the Greek pantheon but Zeus rubs me the wrong way so I’m not sure
I'm interested in this stuff but almost every video on the subject seems like an endless stream of qualifications, like all they do is qualify everything they say, to no end which leaves me with sort of nothing....
I agree❤
I'm a bit of an existentialist and I also hold pretty close onto Marxist materialism. I believe that the universe and the world is completely unexplainable and unprovable beyond our own senses, and the only thing that truly exists is material as it's the only thing we can interact with on a mutual basis and understand beyond our own shared abstractions. And this interaction with the material world is what shapes society and social relations which in turn largely shape is as people. I'm interested in paganism because as an existentialist I believe whatever brings you value and fulfillment is just as valid as anyone else's as long as it doesn't degrade it, it may not be good but it's valid to them. And I think this is a good way of exploring what brings myself value.
The music spoils this I did not watch it all because of the music.
What is the name of the book again? Drawing Down the .....?
Hmmmm.....my beliefs center around Reincarnation, I love Brian Weiss and Michael Newton. But I also feel so at home in Nature, like I feel this amazing Life Force Energy when I'm in the forest, or the ocean, as I live in South Florida. Not particularly keen on the idea of magic(at the moment) as it sounds like Christian prayer. With that being said, does what I believe sound pagan? I know there is no formal doctrine, but it feels good to me to have correct beliefs and thoughts. Blessings!❤
I know there are dozens upon dozens of definitions for Paganism out there, but in my mind, all you need is to feel a deep affinity with nature and a connection to the term "Pagan." So yes, I think it does sound pagan! And there are plenty of Pagans that don't practice magic at all, so if that isn't a part of your spirituality, then so be it. Your spirituality is still absolutely valid.
@@BewitchingBemused Thank you for the reply, and Blessed Be!❤
Àsatrú 💪🏻
Do you have any alternatives on the paths? Because my dad is superstitious and my uncle and that household are christrian
An interesting question, because I was heavily involved in church stuff for most of my life, but see "focusing on His creation and through that, appreciating the Creator" more valid than watching a man made ceremony in a concrete building, under man made lights, trying to help people get through one more week of their lives ... so I've come to the point of understanding that although I'm not musically trained, I have been used by the universe to channel beauty through music. In years gone by, I've put feathers at the end of my guitar. The videos for my songs were all nature based. The song names were all pagan names, without realising paganism was a thing. I recently bought incense sticks, because it helps me connect with something more than myself . Personally I'm coming to a point where I can easily adapt my belief in a Creator, and act in a pagan way. To me "pagan way" somehow means "losing all the manmade religious add ons". For this reason I wouldn't pray to any object, or diety, as some pagans seem to do, but I would welcome myself becoming more enthralled with stone, fire, water, light, wood, smells, foods in an almost ritualistic and worshipful manner. I think I'm beginning my own path...at long last. My music comes from the same place the earth and the universe comes from, and that makes me fulfilled.
Good info
The music did not work.
I am beginning my journey into Scottish Polytheitic. The more I research, the more confused I am.
Kemtic and Roman belong to us. Egyptians should choose Their old Gods or Roman Gods as Egypt was part of the Roman empire. To make it easy, identify with your roots and what you belong to. Hinduism is universal those days though.
you should probably not take the gods out of their original context, it’s disrespectful to the religions and cultures they come from. it’s okay to add your own twist but you should acknowledge the entire religion they come from, including the mythology, ethos, ethics and history. you can do non traditional things, but maybe try incorporating other parts of the religion into your path too. like if you worship Egyptian gods, practice ancestor worship or learn when their festival days are or what their ancient epitaphs are.
Hello! Baby Pagan Witch here! Can I create my own Pagan religion for myself? I wanted to ask that question for a while.
It is the base of paganism: you can add or delete what ever you want, at the same time you couldn't in religion with one all powerful god, he's like a father, you can't change of (biological) father, but in paganism gods are friends and you can create, add or reject or delete friends, the only rule is to respect them, you can have as much as you like of those divine friends in paganism by creating or borrow from other, so enjoy! ;) BUT respect them, gods are VERY beyond being
@@Yonialimi Thank you! I just wanted to create a three God religion that share elements with Hinduism and Wicca mixed with Catholic rituals like the Rosary!
Hey I was wondering I've meet lots of wicaians and all of them are girls but I'm a guy and almost all of them tell me I can't be a pagen if I'm a guy so I was wondering what your opinion is.
Anyone of any gender can be Pagan or Wiccan if they feel called to either of those spiritualities! The Wiccans you've met are terribly misinformed. Don't let them hold you back, you're more than welcome to Paganism!
@@BewitchingBemused thank you
So is being a norse pagan inculding being a witch?
Not necessarily, that's up to you.
Witchcraft is a practice, paganism is a religion. They can go hand in hand, but sometimes they don’t. For example: alot of Christian’s don’t practice witchcraft, but some do
Not necessarily at all.
I believe in Mother Nature.
I believe in Reincarnation
I believe in evolution
I believe in the Big Bang theory.
Am i a pagan?
For me I know that I believe in a god or gods and the Greek stand out to me because they are flawed rather then the Christian god who’s supposed to be perfect
I also believe in ghosts and demons
Why do you have to pick any path I have been pagan all my life and I have incorporated what works for my spiritual path not focusing on any spiritual dogmas in fact I avoid any path that has a negative history
There is virtually no Pagan Tradition that did not at one time practice human sacrifice, so good luck, lol!
Well babe im not mad at you but i think you are wrong as i think buddhism teach meditation and i think for any practice of witchcraft its very important to know this knowledged because it awakes your subconciousness and their are many forms of meditation. If you go to thailand you will open your mind and you will know that they are related with something quite similar to witchcraft practice(thais like rituals and know about occult stuff).I did not know that witches are not all pagans,really? where you get that?very weird ehh......as you might know witches in the past comes from pagan root and polytheistic believes. I personally believes polytheistic believe its a form of knowledge to know different aspects of human life and different roles in the ´planet earth. I visited thailand 2018 and also i visted Iceland i do not have a preference in the pagan way or heathen way but i think i like norse vikings and i think they have a very good heathen pagan organization in Iceland called Asatrufelagio and the history of those vikings how they never forget their pagan roots makes the country a very interested place to visited again.
So what are your preference?
Sanatan Dharma is a major religion & Sanatan is Pagon & vice-versa.
Your definition of Pagan was given to you by Christians. Not other pagans. The old Pagan didn't have gods. They communed with nature. Not unlike Buddhist, but without temples. The spiritual aspect was brought about through ritual and MEDITATION. Polytheism is a Christian term. Which ironic since they all seem to ignore the UNKNOWN GOD in the bible proving there are two.
Bruh, the greek pantheon? The Nordic pantheon? The Egyptian pantheon? The Babylonian pantheon? What are you talking about?
Im literally pagan myself and even i know this is bunk. There are pagan religions centered around this idea but you cant speak for all pagan traditions.
@@straps-of-skin A question of substance wouldn't hurt?
@@johnsaltzohuigin6660 bro what are you talking about I wasn’t asking a question I was critiquing your statement.
I believe that the heavens and reincarnation is real and karma lol
I meam, tehcnically paganism by it's origin is just a non-abrahmic religion, so, the spectrum is unreasonably wide
Sounds to me like you’re a perennialist. You’re not thinking about how absurd what you’re saying is. All of these different views are ways of viewing reality itself, and they’re mutually exclusive as they have different views of metaphysics. Contradictions are nothing more than nonsense. So the only coherent position for you to take is something like there is one truth underlying all pagan religions that each individual religion has its own expression of. The question then becomes what criteria do you have for demarcating which beliefs in the many religions are true and which are false?
Eww
Is this a joke
No its not
Why not choose a God that died for you? Or is that too boring, I'm honored to have a God that would do that for me.
JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH IS LORD////BE BAPTIZED IN HIS NAME AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL. AND YOU WILL BE SAVED////
hey! firstly, thanks for this video, it really helped me a lot. ever since i was a child i believed in reincarnation cycle and that was it. i didn't see myself fitting into any of the abrahamic religions as i didn't believe in heaven and hell, and i also don't believe in the christian god or the islamic god. i believe that we are part of the nature and the creator, that everything is alive, breathing and has a soul. i see nature as sacred and believe that gaia/mother nature is its source. that part is certain, i believe in magick but i want to stay close to nature as possible as i can so i don't want to participate in it. i believe that we can connect with the deity/deities through rituals so i'm really open to doing that. the thing is, i don't necessarily believe in mythological stories, i feel like the deities are real but the stories are exaggerations. the purpose of them is to make us understand our earthly mistakes through stories. ( i believe that the thing they call heaven and hell is on earth, our souls chose to come here to experience and when the cycle ends we return back to where we are originally from -to gaia-, because all souls are part of her) i also think that since some mythologies share common deities, they were just named differently but the deity was the same one so we can call them by whatever name we want. i celebrate the sabbats, try to live according to my beliefs. what i wanted to ask is, since ancient pagans believed in nature and there is polytheism in neo-paganism and i participate in both, what should i call myself? i'm really confused about the mythological part of my beliefs. i really do believe in deities but also, gaia is the main goddess i believe in, she is everything. so it feels like i'm underestimating the deities and seeing them as lower. i don't know where to place them in my head.