Ah, finally! Someone who can actually speak on this topic from an academic level. I am intrigued by this, but most of what I am finding is not clear at all. Thank you for putting your presentation up on RUclips, and a few sources to start some further research.
Tidy Eye I'm aware that Pagans don't recognise Satan and I said so in the presentation. The reason I mentioned Satanic Witches was to distinguish them from Pagan Witches; the most common misconception is that Paganism and Satanism are one and the same. I didn't have time to further explain things, since the presentation was limited to ten minutes.
This was a good lecture Jenny. I am African and we have our own deities even though organized religion is pretty much widespread I still respect my ancestral spiritual roots. There are Gods and Goddesses, Priests and Priestesses, Medicine men/ women, and Spiritualists within each tribe. Most of the batik symbols and designs on ethnic fabrics are tied to cultural deity symbolisms, proverbs and cultural beliefs ranging from tribe to tribe, and are invoked during marriage, birth and death ceremonies...It will always be a part of our culture, ethnicity and tribal fiber because it is a greater part of us and we shouldn't be disgusted with it but rather embrace it. I believe the African will be much respected if he or she embraces African culture in its entirety rather than portraying something we are not.
Thank you for your comments. Halloween is derived from the Catholic feast of All Hallows, Hallows'even(een) being a linguistic derivation of that. The Celtic festival of Samhain is not about worshipping the dead, but rather about venerating and remembering lost loved ones. I understand that Seventh-day Adventists hold specific beliefs about memorialising the dead, but wanted to explain that it is not viewed as "odd and sick" to honour the dead in such a way in other cultural/religious contexts.
As many people are probably aware, Google+ has taken over RUclips and the format and settings have been changed. I can no longer respond to comments that were posted before the changeover. So, if you have asked me a question on here and I haven't replied: it's because I can't reply! There's no Reply button for those older comments. I'm not ignoring you! I will try to respond to questions on people's channels or on Google+ :-)
I've only recently started learning about this area...it's all so interesting! I was just reading today about the Temple of Soloman and the formation of the Freemasons as a secret society. I know the Greater and Lesser Key of Soloman are medieval grimoires but I've never read anything about them or what they contain...but I will!
I am an open-minded Christian, and whilst I have learned a lot from my pagan flatmate and reading, this presentation taught me some additional things as well. The god of my Irish ancestors (Ui Gadhra / O'Gara) was Lugh. Thank you for sharing it.
Ms.Butler,I loved your lecture! I have just started studying(New and Old) Paganism and I think you gave me a guideline for me to continue the Pagan path! Thank you very much! Greetings from Brazil!
Hi. Thanks for your comment! In Wagner's operas, "Nibelungen" refers to a race of dwarves. There are two interpretations of the Germanic/Norse myths connected to this name, one is that it refers to the lineage of the Burgundians, a royal family and the other is that it refers to a type of dwarf.
You look nervous at the beginning and you totally shouldn't be because this is so wonderful and you sound incredibly intelligent delivering it. Amazing video.
I have done research into popular Catholic traditions, such as pattern days. I've also looked at the relationship between contemporary Paganism and the so-called "pagan" elements of popular Catholicism. The syncretic nature of Irish religious traditions is something I will focus on in future projects. It is very interesting.
GypsyKing0021 You asked whether Pagans have practices that are similar to those of evangelical Christians. The answer is no in terms of seeking converts, as Pagans tend not to proselytise. Paganism is an umbrella term for many different spiritual traditions and even within those distinct traditions (such as Wicca, Druidry etc.) there is a range of beliefs and practices. In general, Pagans tend to accept that other people who self-identify as Pagan believe things that are at variance with their own belief-system, i.e. it is considered acceptable in the Pagan community for two Pagans to believe quite different things. It is more that there are shared characteristics across the Pagan traditions/paths. Also, Paganism (and the various traditions that come under this general category) is not a dogmatic religion and there is no sacred text that is comparable to the Bible/Qur'an/Torah so it is rather different in relation to followers of other religions that set out to persuade people to follow those same beliefs or creeds.
Thanks for your comment! I posted the video in May 2012. It was well received at the Doctoral Showcase...but I didn't win! (It was a competition). As for what inspired me to do the research, it was a combination of different things. I love nature, mythology, philosophy and I was drawn toward the supernatural as a child and to religious beliefs later on. Studying folklore helped in finding a way to draw all of those interests together into one research project. Thanks! :)
The Pagan studies site seems to be down. : /. We definitely need more like you. As a Celtic Reconstructionist Pagan it's very important to us to be as historically accurate as possible. We use Archaeology, Anthropology, etc. to help us with that and researchers such as yourself. Nicely done.
Absolutely brilliantly elegant and precisely well done to better our understanding and comprehension of Paganism and how it was and is viewed/practiced and the many different aspects and various meanings/symbols/beliefs and I must say you have the best voice I am likely to ever hear
Thanks for your comment. I had no input into how the presentation was recorded. It was meant to be an overview - it was actually for a competition in which I only had approx. ten minutes to present the whole research project to a general audience and aimed at people who don't know much if anything about Paganism. Thanks :)
splashenful You said: "Actually, ALL non-Abrahamic religions are pagan. Buddhism is a pagan religion. Taoism is a pagan religion." One definition of a "pagan" is a person who holds religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions, or more narrowly, it is defined as someone who is not a follower of an Abrahamic faith. Another definition of paganism would include all indigenous/native/traditional religions. I am using a specific definition of Pagan to mean a self-identified follower of a type of nature-based spirituality and I'm referring to the modern-day movement or "neo-paganism".
***** My comment was a response to splashenful who was referring to a particular interpretation of the word "paganism". The root word is paganus but there are various different understandings and connotations of the word in modern parlance apart from this literal meaning of "country dweller".
***** No, there are different interpretations of what "pagan" means in popular usage (as opposed to the specific academic definition of (neo)Pagan I am using in my study to mean the modern religious movement). I was distinguishing the area of my research from these other associations that the word has in different contexts. splashenful was pointing toward one meaning that the word can have, i.e. someone who follows religious beliefs that are not part of the Abrahamic faiths.
***** I do understand what you're saying. My research is ethnographic, so I am primarily interested in personal spiritual expression and shared worldview in new religious movements. I'm also interested in connections that people make to the past and the kind of cultural resources they utilise, but I am not an historian and my research doesn't involve tracing specific traditions back through time. So, in this sense I am not comparing ancient religion to modern Paganism beyond the inspirations they find in the practices of ancient times and their beliefs about the past. Perhaps some of the resistance from Pagans to this kind of conversation comes from the tendency for Pagans to view the New Age as distinct from their own community and thus Pagans mostly dislike being lumped in with the New Age Movement(s). Generally, Pagans view the New Age as "fluffy bunny" in relation to the magical practices and "white-light" influences from Christianity into the New Age scene. The Rounwytha tradition sounds interesting - I hadn't heard of it before. I read a blog post about it (admittedly, very quickly) and it states that there are no named deities, ‘spirits’ or demons; there are no spells, conjurations or spoken charms or curses; no ‘secret scripts’ and no ‘secret teachings' or indeed any writings; there are no ritual or Occult or ‘wiccan’ or ‘satanist’ elements at all; there is no calendar, as calendars are usually understood, and thus no set dates/times for festivities or commemorations; there are no oaths made, no pledges written or said; there is no organization, no dogma, no codification of beliefs, no leader(s), no hierarchy, and no stages or grades of ‘attainment’. In this regard, I don't see how it could be defined (for the purposes of ethnographic research) as a specific religious tradition/worldview, and it's hard to see what a folklorist's research could focus on if there are no charms, cures, festival celebrations, or rituals, but it seems interesting nonetheless. I'll read a bit more about it when I get a chance.
I understand what you mean and I do explain the differences between traditions in other presentations, papers etc. It was just the time limit with this particular presentation (10 minutes) since it was a competition, and so it was difficult to summarize my whole research project within such a small amount of time!
MrJuggernautishere Thanks for your comment. I have read about the connections between Ireland and India and between ancient Druidry and Hinduism--Interesting stuff!
Thank you! :) I was researching the topic for my PhD in Folklore & Ethnology. My main areas of interest are magical practices, supernatural beings and afterlife beliefs.
***** You asked why it is that the only celtic mythology books that are sold in bookstores are based on Arthurian or Irish material and not Breton material. My guess is that it's due to tourism and the marketing of such books to people who associate Celtic myth with Ireland and Britain rather than France, Portugal and other Celtic regions. The popular ideas about Celtic peoples can be rather different to studies of the historic peoples who spoke a Celtic language. I would also like to learn more about the myths and legends from Brittany, the Iberian Peninsula etc. but there don't seem to be books available (at least not in English).
My family lives in Bretagne and my grandparents' first language was Breton. Yet a lot of the culture was lost over years of Christian and French influence. There is the tale of Ankou that I have heard and seen, but I also cannot find any other material or sources of ancient Breton culture. It saddens me.
Kat Harnois Yes, it is sad that this information is not available to general audiences--there are likely lots of people like us who would like to learn more. I haven't heard the tale of Ankou.
Kat Harnois My Mother and her side of the family are from Bretagne, and it's a side of my heritage, on a mythological front, that I am finding it difficult to look into as there's such a dearth of books on that part of Celtic mythology.
There are a lot of misconceptions about Paganism, so it is understandable that people have different views or perceptions of what it's about. Hope the essay went well. Thanks so much for watching my video and commenting :-)
Brilliant talk. As a modern pagan and bard of Celtic ancestry (from the Cruithne people of Leinster on my mother's side and Welsh on my father's) I loved this. Blessings to you.
Hi Jacob. The research was for my PhD in Folklore & Ethnology. We don't have an Anthropology department at my university (in fact there is only one Anthropology department in Ireland), but what I studied is similar to cultural anthropology.
sud0s Thank you for your comment. My research so far has been on Irish Paganism, but I am interested in Paganism elsewhere, including Germanic and Slavic traditions.
Wow! As a Pagan with a love for Anthropology and a B.A. in Sociology I must say that it's about time that there is more scholarly work being done on the community in a respectful, non-condescending manner. Bravo Jenny Butler, Bravo!
Thank you Jenny, that was a great presentation. I am amazed at how far Witchcraft/Paganism has come in the twenty plus years since I self dedicated. I visited your lovely country this past summer and truly felt the vibrations of the great ones. Blessed be to you and best wishes on your continued research.
Great presentation...your voice I could listen to all day. Great information..thanks for all your research and energy. And how lovely that you actually reply to people on here.
Thank you! I hope to turn my thesis (dissertation) into a book in the near future. I submitted my thesis and I'm waiting to do my Viva Examination - I need to do that before I can be awarded the PhD.
orangedac You asked whether Hinduism stems from Paganism or vice versa. Some people would define all indigenous, native and non-monotheistic religions as "pagan". However, I am defining neo-paganism as a modern-day nature-based religion that takes inspiration from ancient religions. So, in terms of my research, Hinduism is a separate religion to Paganism (which, depending on the context of the use of the word "Pagan" isn't strictly a religion but an umbrella term for various kinds of paths or religious denominations).
aswesome presentation :) It is great to see more scholarly work being done about the modern pagan religion. I have a question though, you talked mainly about Wicca and Druidry; would you be covering any other pagan movements such as the reconstructionists? Paths like Asatru and celtic reconstructionist paths, such as Irish reconstructionism which is my path.
Hi Jenny, I'm from Cork, living in Belfast and love your video on Irish Pagans. It was very interesting but way too short. I am a member of a local group here. Would have loved to be part of the research. Must have been a fantastic experience. Thanks for sharing it :-) Elma O'Callaghan
Hi Elma. Thanks so much for your comment! The video was short because the presentation was for a competition in which each presenter only had a ten-minute slot to give an overview of their doctoral research project. I also have a radio interview about Paganism on my channel which is about 30 minutes long, and I hope to put some more videos on this topic up soon. It was a fantastic experience to do the field research and take part in different rituals and festival celebrations and to meet so many interesting people :-)
An awesome presentation, being pagan I want to thank you for trying to show others the truth about our religion and understanding is the first step to acceptance thank you and blessed be.
***** You asked me about the labrys. It is a double-headed axe originally from Crete and is one of the oldest symbols of Greek civilisation. The symbol accompanies depictions of goddesses, perhaps because of its association with stories about creation. Since the 1970s, it has been used as a feminist symbol to represent women's strength. This is why it is found as a pendant in Goddess-religion.
Silver Wolf Thanks so much for your comments! The presentation I did here was for a competition in which we had to present our thesis topic in ten minutes...so I didn't have time to go into things in very much depth.
herkles1 Thanks for your comment! You asked if I will be covering Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism. I haven't encountered any groups or solitary practitioners in Ireland who self-identify as Celtic Reconstructionist. There isn't enough information about ancient Irish religion in the sense of specific beliefs and practices to reconstruct it per se. Many Irish Pagan traditions are informed by what can be known about the beliefs and practices of pre-Christian Ireland. Modern Druidry takes inspiration from this heritage and certain parts of the practices would be based on older forms. There is also Celtic Wicca, which incorporates myths, sacred places and symbolism from the Celtic regions of the world.
I just saw your other question herkles1...There are other Pagan traditions/paths in Ireland apart from Wicca and Druidry. There is Heathenism and other forms of Germanic Paganism, Nordic traditions like Ásatrú and Odinism. Also, there's Shamanism and the various practices that might come under the category "shamanistic". To be found here in Ireland too are various forms of Goddess-religion and feminist Witchcraft. In my research, I focused on Wicca and other forms of Pagan Witchcraft, Druidry and also the beliefs and practices of people who identify simply as "Pagan" or "earth-based spiritualist". Otherwise, the project would have become too unwieldy. I am interested in all forms of Paganism though!
María Martínez Ruiz It can be used synonymously, but some people would define Heathenism as a specific tradition in itself. Some would distinguish between Germanic Paganism in Germany or the UK, for example, and Nordic Paganism in Norway or Sweden. Technically it is all "Germanic" in terms of language and geographical locations in northern and western Europe. For Ásatrú, the ancient religion of the Norse, there is more historical evidence than in other contexts since it continued to be practiced for a longer time-period in Iceland and so this is often differentiated from other forms of neo-paganism (where there is not so much historical evidence to base revivalist or reconstructionist traditions on).
Jenny Butler Yes, I know Asatru has several gods and wicca (as far as I know) use to focus on two. It would be great to find good information in Spanish.
María Martínez Ruiz Some Wiccans focus their veneration on the God and Goddess or Lord and Lady, respectively, but most Wiccans I have interviewed venerate many different gods and goddesses. I think the main difference in terms of divinity is the pantheons i.e. Wiccans in Ireland would more likely venerate the deities associated with this land, so that would be the Celtic ones. I hope you can find some information in Spanish.
Don't take it personally! LOL I don't moderate the comments in order and I kind of let my social media slide when I'm busy ... so then I look and there are about a hundred comments that have built up! :-)
Thank You! I am an eclectic solitary Practicing Druid, and find your presentation to be very informative. I will be sharing it across all of my social media. Bright Blessings
***** Eclectic is a combination of many different individual elements of styles, themes, mediums or inspirations pooled from many sources. I take aspects from other branches of Paganism, and build off a Druid foundation.
***** Religion is a PERSONAL journey. So you thought of my chosen faith doesn't matter. My Path Isn't Written Down To Tell Me How To Believe. It's My Path! So who are you to tell me I am wrong? No, Druids didn't write anything down, and yet they did (Ogham). That doesn't mean there isn't documentation. History is recorded by the conqueror. The Romans recorded what they observed. Julius Caesar was one of them. As to Human Sacrifice, Yes they did. There is Human Sacrifice through out the Bible. You don't see Priests, Ministers, or other clergy scarifying Humans or other living things. Once Again; It's My Path!
***** I have been studying under a Druid Priest since 97'. I have read multiple sources on the subject. I can differentiate from reliable sources and those that are just someones personal thoughts and opinions. In the end it all comes down to what I believe. Which brings up a question. Why do you care what Myself or others believe? You have NO influence over me.
Its actually very refreshing to see a sober, analytical take on this subject. Most other videos present it all with a kind of dramatic, gothy style to it and it feels more style than substance. Thanks for that.
I very much appreciate you taking time out of your life to study Paganism and share the info you collected in a scholarly fashion! It really helps clear things up for those who don't know anything about us. A question for you. What is your spiritual path?
Thanks for your comment! I am interested in many different religions, but particularly the study of nature-religions and indigenous religions around the world.
What do you mean when you say "this goes beyond ethnographic research"? For Pagans, magic is variously defined as energy that emanates from the earth/nature itself ("Earth energy"), from the mind (a psychic power) or as a divine power (from a deity/spirits/fairies depending on the practitioner's beliefs).
Thanks for saying so! :) Because my research is ethnographic in nature, I collect information on what people believe about magick and the rituals they do in the practice of magick. The investigation into the actual workings of magick (as a yet-unknown energy/substance in the philosophical sense) would come under the "hard sciences", as you said Quantum Physics etc. and also from the perspective of Parapsychology. I am interested in reading about these topics but it wouldn't be my area.
Jenny your videos are very nice, thank you for uploading. I am requesting you to also look in to Hindu philosophy. This is may useful for your greater understanding of spirituality.
Thank you very much, If you start to know about Hindu philosophy you will be able to understand each and everything in this universe....wish you all the best for your future endeavours. plz. watch a new movie from India en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baahubali:_The_Beginning
Druidry and Wicca are the most prevalent neo-pagan traditions in the Irish context, so that's why I focus on those as well as people who self-identify as 'Pagan' (rather than aligning themselves with a specific path/tradition). I agree that neo-paganism is distinct from New Age, but there is also an overlap when it comes to certain beliefs and practices.
I am glad that someone out there is open enough to actually talk of the difference and show people that there is more to it than just black and white so to speak. I thank you Jenny Butler for you Informative video, and for understanding what it was you talked about. Not many these day do.
... There are also modern Christian Druids, since historically the Celtic world was Christianised and it is said that the Druids converted to Christianity.
As I am watching this I am very proud of you to share this on such a level. This is what is needed to teach what the tip of the iceberg is with Paganism. I am a Nordic pagan with also a fondness for Strega, which is the Italian version of witchery to sum it up in a word. I even have a metal project with paganism ideals in mind. I am such a fan of all ethic cultures so this video is bringing joy, so for this I thank you heart and soul...
Lovelife090994 There has been some academic research done on contemporary Paganism in America, for example Sabina Magliocco's book 'Witching Culture' and Sarah Pike's 'New Age and Neo-Pagan Religions in America'. In Ireland, Paganism doesn't have as high a public profile as it does in the US, which means that not so many people understand what it is and there are many misconceptions.
![GEEK TIMË [OFFICIAL AUDIO]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ry-6RvkH880/mqdefault.jpg)
Ah, finally! Someone who can actually speak on this topic from an academic level. I am intrigued by this, but most of what I am finding is not clear at all. Thank you for putting your presentation up on RUclips, and a few sources to start some further research.
Thanks for your comment, Kelly Newell!
Tidy Eye I'm aware that Pagans don't recognise Satan and I said so in the presentation. The reason I mentioned Satanic Witches was to distinguish them from Pagan Witches; the most common misconception is that Paganism and Satanism are one and the same. I didn't have time to further explain things, since the presentation was limited to ten minutes.
This was a good lecture Jenny. I am African and we have our own deities even though organized religion is pretty much widespread I still respect my ancestral spiritual roots. There are Gods and Goddesses, Priests and Priestesses, Medicine men/ women, and Spiritualists within each tribe. Most of the batik symbols and designs on ethnic fabrics are tied to cultural deity symbolisms, proverbs and cultural beliefs ranging from tribe to tribe, and are invoked during marriage, birth and death ceremonies...It will always be a part of our culture, ethnicity and tribal fiber because it is a greater part of us and we shouldn't be disgusted with it but rather embrace it. I believe the African will be much respected if he or she embraces African culture in its entirety rather than portraying something we are not.
Thanks for giving we pagans a fair shake!
I really do appreciate it
Thanks for watching! :-)
I love this video direct to the point and free of all the rubbish.
Donald Hardy Thank you! :-)
The speaker is so pretty!
Thank you for your comments. Halloween is derived from the Catholic feast of All Hallows, Hallows'even(een) being a linguistic derivation of that. The Celtic festival of Samhain is not about worshipping the dead, but rather about venerating and remembering lost loved ones. I understand that Seventh-day Adventists hold specific beliefs about memorialising the dead, but wanted to explain that it is not viewed as "odd and sick" to honour the dead in such a way in other cultural/religious contexts.
*blessings for Mother Earth*
As many people are probably aware, Google+ has taken over RUclips and the format and settings have been changed. I can no longer respond to comments that were posted before the changeover. So, if you have asked me a question on here and I haven't replied: it's because I can't reply! There's no Reply button for those older comments. I'm not ignoring you! I will try to respond to questions on people's channels or on Google+ :-)
I have listened to this video a few times now and get something new out of it each time. Truly appreciate this researcher
Glad you like the video! :-)
I've only recently started learning about this area...it's all so interesting! I was just reading today about the Temple of Soloman and the formation of the Freemasons as a secret society.
I know the Greater and Lesser Key of Soloman are medieval grimoires but I've never read anything about them or what they contain...but I will!
I am an open-minded Christian, and whilst I have learned a lot from my pagan flatmate and reading, this presentation taught me some additional things as well. The god of my Irish ancestors (Ui Gadhra / O'Gara) was Lugh. Thank you for sharing it.
Ms.Butler,I loved your lecture! I have just started studying(New and Old) Paganism and I think you gave me a guideline for me to continue the Pagan path! Thank you very much! Greetings from Brazil!
+marcellosodre1 Thanks for watching! What aspect of Paganism are you studying? Greetings from Ireland!
Could listen to you all day!
Thank you! 🌞
Hi. Thanks for your comment! In Wagner's operas, "Nibelungen" refers to a race of dwarves. There are two interpretations of the Germanic/Norse myths connected to this name, one is that it refers to the lineage of the Burgundians, a royal family and the other is that it refers to a type of dwarf.
You look nervous at the beginning and you totally shouldn't be because this is so wonderful and you sound incredibly intelligent delivering it. Amazing video.
I have done research into popular Catholic traditions, such as pattern days. I've also looked at the relationship between contemporary Paganism and the so-called "pagan" elements of popular Catholicism.
The syncretic nature of Irish religious traditions is something I will focus on in future projects. It is very interesting.
Thanks so much for your nice comment! :)
GypsyKing0021 You asked whether Pagans have practices that are similar to those of evangelical Christians. The answer is no in terms of seeking converts, as Pagans tend not to proselytise. Paganism is an umbrella term for many different spiritual traditions and even within those distinct traditions (such as Wicca, Druidry etc.) there is a range of beliefs and practices. In general, Pagans tend to accept that other people who self-identify as Pagan believe things that are at variance with their own belief-system, i.e. it is considered acceptable in the Pagan community for two Pagans to believe quite different things. It is more that there are shared characteristics across the Pagan traditions/paths. Also, Paganism (and the various traditions that come under this general category) is not a dogmatic religion and there is no sacred text that is comparable to the Bible/Qur'an/Torah so it is rather different in relation to followers of other religions that set out to persuade people to follow those same beliefs or creeds.
Thanks for the info. Much appreciated! Good luck to you and your endeavors!
GypsyKing0021
Thanks!
Good for you Lass! Nice presentation.
Thank you Shawn! 🌞
Thanks for your comment! I posted the video in May 2012. It was well received at the Doctoral Showcase...but I didn't win! (It was a competition).
As for what inspired me to do the research, it was a combination of different things. I love nature, mythology, philosophy and I was drawn toward the supernatural as a child and to religious beliefs later on. Studying folklore helped in finding a way to draw all of those interests together into one research project.
Thanks! :)
As a folklorist, I have to point out that fairytales (generally) were originally intended for an audience of adults ;)
The Pagan studies site seems to be down. : /. We definitely need more like you. As a Celtic Reconstructionist Pagan it's very important to us to be as historically accurate as possible. We use Archaeology, Anthropology, etc. to help us with that and researchers such as yourself. Nicely done.
I gave this presentation in 2011 and I think the site stopped being active a while back. Thanks for your comment!
Thanks Jenny. Just wonderful information.
Thank you Camille! 🌞
Absolutely brilliantly elegant and precisely well done to better our understanding and comprehension of Paganism and how it was and is viewed/practiced and the many different aspects and various meanings/symbols/beliefs and I must say you have the best voice I am likely to ever hear
Thank you for your kind words!
Thanks for your comment. I had no input into how the presentation was recorded.
It was meant to be an overview - it was actually for a competition in which I only had approx. ten minutes to present the whole research project to a general audience and aimed at people who don't know much if anything about Paganism.
Thanks :)
Thanks so much for your kind comment! :)
splashenful You said: "Actually, ALL non-Abrahamic religions are pagan. Buddhism is a pagan religion. Taoism is a pagan religion." One definition of a "pagan" is a person who holds religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions, or more narrowly, it is defined as someone who is not a follower of an Abrahamic faith. Another definition of paganism would include all indigenous/native/traditional religions. I am using a specific definition of Pagan to mean a self-identified follower of a type of nature-based spirituality and I'm referring to the modern-day movement or "neo-paganism".
***** My comment was a response to splashenful who was referring to a particular interpretation of the word "paganism". The root word is paganus but there are various different understandings and connotations of the word in modern parlance apart from this literal meaning of "country dweller".
Jenny Butler Paganism isn't coming near country dweller like you are saying.
Fass Strokaa I'm not sure what you mean by your comment.
***** No, there are different interpretations of what "pagan" means in popular usage (as opposed to the specific academic definition of (neo)Pagan I am using in my study to mean the modern religious movement). I was distinguishing the area of my research from these other associations that the word has in different contexts. splashenful was pointing toward one meaning that the word can have, i.e. someone who follows religious beliefs that are not part of the Abrahamic faiths.
***** I do understand what you're saying. My research is ethnographic, so I am primarily interested in personal spiritual expression and shared worldview in new religious movements. I'm also interested in connections that people make to the past and the kind of cultural resources they utilise, but I am not an historian and my research doesn't involve tracing specific traditions back through time. So, in this sense I am not comparing ancient religion to modern Paganism beyond the inspirations they find in the practices of ancient times and their beliefs about the past.
Perhaps some of the resistance from Pagans to this kind of conversation comes from the tendency for Pagans to view the New Age as distinct from their own community and thus Pagans mostly dislike being lumped in with the New Age Movement(s). Generally, Pagans view the New Age as "fluffy bunny" in relation to the magical practices and "white-light" influences from Christianity into the New Age scene.
The Rounwytha tradition sounds interesting - I hadn't heard of it before. I read a blog post about it (admittedly, very quickly) and it states that there are no named deities, ‘spirits’ or demons; there are no spells, conjurations or spoken charms or curses; no ‘secret scripts’ and no ‘secret teachings' or indeed any writings; there are no ritual or Occult or ‘wiccan’ or ‘satanist’ elements at all; there is no calendar, as calendars are usually understood, and thus no set dates/times for festivities or commemorations; there are no oaths made, no pledges written or said; there is no organization, no dogma, no codification of beliefs, no leader(s), no hierarchy, and no stages or grades of ‘attainment’. In this regard, I don't see how it could be defined (for the purposes of ethnographic research) as a specific religious tradition/worldview, and it's hard to see what a folklorist's research could focus on if there are no charms, cures, festival celebrations, or rituals, but it seems interesting nonetheless. I'll read a bit more about it when I get a chance.
I understand what you mean and I do explain the differences between traditions in other presentations, papers etc. It was just the time limit with this particular presentation (10 minutes) since it was a competition, and so it was difficult to summarize my whole research project within such a small amount of time!
Thanks so much for saying so!
MrJuggernautishere Thanks for your comment. I have read about the connections between Ireland and India and between ancient Druidry and Hinduism--Interesting stuff!
Thanks very much, Alice! That's cool that you used this clip during one of your classes!
Thank you! :) I was researching the topic for my PhD in Folklore & Ethnology. My main areas of interest are magical practices, supernatural beings and afterlife beliefs.
***** You asked why it is that the only celtic mythology books that are sold in bookstores are based on Arthurian or Irish material and not Breton material. My guess is that it's due to tourism and the marketing of such books to people who associate Celtic myth with Ireland and Britain rather than France, Portugal and other Celtic regions. The popular ideas about Celtic peoples can be rather different to studies of the historic peoples who spoke a Celtic language.
I would also like to learn more about the myths and legends from Brittany, the Iberian Peninsula etc. but there don't seem to be books available (at least not in English).
I hope you find some book in English, you could try to find editions in both languages.
María Martínez Ruiz I hope to find some books in English or bilingual ones.
My family lives in Bretagne and my grandparents' first language was Breton. Yet a lot of the culture was lost over years of Christian and French influence. There is the tale of Ankou that I have heard and seen, but I also cannot find any other material or sources of ancient Breton culture. It saddens me.
Kat Harnois
Yes, it is sad that this information is not available to general audiences--there are likely lots of people like us who would like to learn more. I haven't heard the tale of Ankou.
Kat Harnois My Mother and her side of the family are from Bretagne, and it's a side of my heritage, on a mythological front, that I am finding it difficult to look into as there's such a dearth of books on that part of Celtic mythology.
There are a lot of misconceptions about Paganism, so it is understandable that people have different views or perceptions of what it's about. Hope the essay went well. Thanks so much for watching my video and commenting :-)
Thank you for your kind comment! :-)
Brilliant talk. As a modern pagan and bard of Celtic ancestry (from the Cruithne people of Leinster on my mother's side and Welsh on my father's) I loved this. Blessings to you.
Thank you for your comment! :-)
Hi Jacob. The research was for my PhD in Folklore & Ethnology. We don't have an Anthropology department at my university (in fact there is only one Anthropology department in Ireland), but what I studied is similar to cultural anthropology.
sud0s Thank you for your comment. My research so far has been on Irish Paganism, but I am interested in Paganism elsewhere, including Germanic and Slavic traditions.
Wow! As a Pagan with a love for Anthropology and a B.A. in Sociology I must say that it's about time that there is more scholarly work being done on the community in a respectful, non-condescending manner. Bravo Jenny Butler, Bravo!
She's a great teacher, currently doing a course with Dr. Jenny, you would be hanging on her every word. ❤️🇮🇪
Thanks so much Sinéad! 🌞
Thanks for your comment - that's very kind of you to say! :)
Hi Gianni! Thanks for your comment!
There are some Irish Pagan metal bands and this is an area that I would like to include in future research.
Thanks so much for your kind words!
cannibalisticrequiem Thank you for your comment! :-) I'm glad you found my video insightful!
Thank you Jenny, that was a great presentation. I am amazed at how far Witchcraft/Paganism has come in the twenty plus years since I self dedicated. I visited your lovely country this past summer and truly felt the vibrations of the great ones. Blessed be to you and best wishes on your continued research.
I know this is an old video but I really enjoyed this :) thank you for posting!
Crystallos R Thank you for watching! :-)
Hi Rob! Thanks so much for the nice comment! :)
Yay! This is WONDERFUL research! So happy to see a wonderful, wise scholarly approach to our Sacred traditions. Blessed be!
Hi Dan! Thanks so much for the nice comment! :)
Wonderful presentation!-- I enjoyed this tremendously.
Thank you! :-)
Thank you! I will post more videos as soon as I can make them!
Great presentation...your voice I could listen to all day. Great information..thanks for all your research and energy. And how lovely that you actually reply to people on here.
Aaron Cox Thanks so much for your kind words! :-)
Of course!! :-)
Hi Adrian! Thanks so much for your comment! I hope to upload some more presentations in the future.
Thank you! I hope to turn my thesis (dissertation) into a book in the near future. I submitted my thesis and I'm waiting to do my Viva Examination - I need to do that before I can be awarded the PhD.
Finally someone who does there research, I will continue to watch!!!
orangedac You asked whether Hinduism stems from Paganism or vice versa. Some people would define all indigenous, native and non-monotheistic religions as "pagan". However, I am defining neo-paganism as a modern-day nature-based religion that takes inspiration from ancient religions. So, in terms of my research, Hinduism is a separate religion to Paganism (which, depending on the context of the use of the word "Pagan" isn't strictly a religion but an umbrella term for various kinds of paths or religious denominations).
aswesome presentation :) It is great to see more scholarly work being done about the modern pagan religion.
I have a question though, you talked mainly about Wicca and Druidry; would you be covering any other pagan movements such as the reconstructionists? Paths like Asatru and celtic reconstructionist paths, such as Irish reconstructionism which is my path.
Thanks so much for your kind comment! :-)
Thank you for your comment!
Hi Michael! Thank you! Yes, many of my research participants are solitary practitioners.
Hi Jenny, I'm from Cork, living in Belfast and love your video on Irish Pagans. It was very interesting but way too short. I am a member of a local group here. Would have loved to be part of the research. Must have been a fantastic experience. Thanks for sharing it :-)
Elma O'Callaghan
Hi Elma. Thanks so much for your comment! The video was short because the presentation was for a competition in which each presenter only had a ten-minute slot to give an overview of their doctoral research project. I also have a radio interview about Paganism on my channel which is about 30 minutes long, and I hope to put some more videos on this topic up soon. It was a fantastic experience to do the field research and take part in different rituals and festival celebrations and to meet so many interesting people :-)
An awesome presentation, being pagan I want to thank you for trying to show others the truth about our religion and understanding is the first step to acceptance thank you and blessed be.
I was just looking about different religion and stumbled on your video.
I found it interesting.. Good work
Ehtesham Iqbal Thank you for your comment. I'm glad you found my video interesting.
Thank you for that, Id listen to you all day long. My grandmother knew a lot about this and its about time I found out more
***** You asked me about the labrys. It is a double-headed axe originally from Crete and is one of the oldest symbols of Greek civilisation. The symbol accompanies depictions of goddesses, perhaps because of its association with stories about creation. Since the 1970s, it has been used as a feminist symbol to represent women's strength. This is why it is found as a pendant in Goddess-religion.
Thank you for the nice comment! I'm currently preparing my thesis for publication in book form :)
Thanks! :)
I'm also interested in historical witchcraft.
Hi. Thanks for your comment! I will be uploading some more things soon relating to my research on Paganism.
Jaques de Beaufort Thank you for your nice comment! :-)
Silver Wolf Thanks so much for your comments! The presentation I did here was for a competition in which we had to present our thesis topic in ten minutes...so I didn't have time to go into things in very much depth.
Excellent Intelligent and acedemic work which i found very interesting and informative thank you very much for the work you put into this presentation
Thank you!
Thanks for the nice comment Jason!
herkles1 Thanks for your comment! You asked if I will be covering Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism. I haven't encountered any groups or solitary practitioners in Ireland who self-identify as Celtic Reconstructionist. There isn't enough information about ancient Irish religion in the sense of specific beliefs and practices to reconstruct it per se. Many Irish Pagan traditions are informed by what can be known about the beliefs and practices of pre-Christian Ireland. Modern Druidry takes inspiration from this heritage and certain parts of the practices would be based on older forms. There is also Celtic Wicca, which incorporates myths, sacred places and symbolism from the Celtic regions of the world.
I just saw your other question herkles1...There are other Pagan traditions/paths in Ireland apart from Wicca and Druidry. There is Heathenism and other forms of Germanic Paganism, Nordic traditions like Ásatrú and Odinism. Also, there's Shamanism and the various practices that might come under the category "shamanistic". To be found here in Ireland too are various forms of Goddess-religion and feminist Witchcraft.
In my research, I focused on Wicca and other forms of Pagan Witchcraft, Druidry and also the beliefs and practices of people who identify simply as "Pagan" or "earth-based spiritualist". Otherwise, the project would have become too unwieldy. I am interested in all forms of Paganism though!
Jenny Butler Isn't heathenism a synonym of Ásatrú o Odinism?
María Martínez Ruiz
It can be used synonymously, but some people would define Heathenism as a specific tradition in itself. Some would distinguish between Germanic Paganism in Germany or the UK, for example, and Nordic Paganism in Norway or Sweden. Technically it is all "Germanic" in terms of language and geographical locations in northern and western Europe. For Ásatrú, the ancient religion of the Norse, there is more historical evidence than in other contexts since it continued to be practiced for a longer time-period in Iceland and so this is often differentiated from other forms of neo-paganism (where there is not so much historical evidence to base revivalist or reconstructionist traditions on).
Jenny Butler Yes, I know Asatru has several gods and wicca (as far as I know) use to focus on two. It would be great to find good information in Spanish.
María Martínez Ruiz
Some Wiccans focus their veneration on the God and Goddess or Lord and Lady, respectively, but most Wiccans I have interviewed venerate many different gods and goddesses. I think the main difference in terms of divinity is the pantheons i.e. Wiccans in Ireland would more likely venerate the deities associated with this land, so that would be the Celtic ones.
I hope you can find some information in Spanish.
I wish the audio had been better, I had to seriously turn up my speakers, but the content was spot on! Thank you Jenny and I hope to see more!
Don't take it personally! LOL I don't moderate the comments in order and I kind of let my social media slide when I'm busy ... so then I look and there are about a hundred comments that have built up! :-)
Thank you for the nice comment! :)
Thank you so much for this, Jenny
+Elizabeta de Lacanne Thanks for watching! :-)
Thank you! The presentation was to summarise my PhD research on Irish Paganism. I have been doing fieldwork on the topic since 2002.
Thank You! I am an eclectic solitary Practicing Druid, and find your presentation to be very informative. I will be sharing it across all of my social media.
Bright Blessings
Thanks a lot! :-)
***** Eclectic is a combination of many different individual elements of styles, themes, mediums or inspirations pooled from many sources. I take aspects from other branches of Paganism, and build off a Druid foundation.
***** Religion is a PERSONAL journey. So you thought of my chosen faith doesn't matter. My Path Isn't Written Down To Tell Me How To Believe. It's My Path! So who are you to tell me I am wrong?
No, Druids didn't write anything down, and yet they did (Ogham). That doesn't mean there isn't documentation. History is recorded by the conqueror. The Romans recorded what they observed. Julius Caesar was one of them. As to Human Sacrifice, Yes they did. There is Human Sacrifice through out the Bible. You don't see Priests, Ministers, or other clergy scarifying Humans or other living things.
Once Again; It's My Path!
***** I have been studying under a Druid Priest since 97'. I have read multiple sources on the subject. I can differentiate from reliable sources and those that are just someones personal thoughts and opinions. In the end it all comes down to what I believe. Which brings up a question.
Why do you care what Myself or others believe? You have NO influence over me.
First, Studying and Practicing are totally different. Second, I do now, I didn't always.
Also I'm done with you. Good Bye!
Its actually very refreshing to see a sober, analytical take on this subject. Most other videos present it all with a kind of dramatic, gothy style to it and it feels more style than substance. Thanks for that.
I very much appreciate you taking time out of your life to study Paganism and share the info you collected in a scholarly fashion! It really helps clear things up for those who don't know anything about us. A question for you. What is your spiritual path?
Thanks for your comment! I am interested in many different religions, but particularly the study of nature-religions and indigenous religions around the world.
What a great presentation. Thank you for the clarity and the honest way in which you put your thoughts forward.
Thanks so much for your comment! :-)
What do you mean when you say "this goes beyond ethnographic research"?
For Pagans, magic is variously defined as energy that emanates from the earth/nature itself ("Earth energy"), from the mind (a psychic power) or as a divine power (from a deity/spirits/fairies depending on the practitioner's beliefs).
Thanks for your nice comment! :-)
very nice presentation Jenny, I hope you will post more soon
Thank you! I hope to make some more videos when I get a chance.
Hello Grexan. Thank you for your kind comment. I have been to Salem, MA :-)
Thanks for saying so! :) Because my research is ethnographic in nature, I collect information on what people believe about magick and the rituals they do in the practice of magick. The investigation into the actual workings of magick (as a yet-unknown energy/substance in the philosophical sense) would come under the "hard sciences", as you said Quantum Physics etc. and also from the perspective of Parapsychology. I am interested in reading about these topics but it wouldn't be my area.
Thanks for watching and for your comment! :)
I've never heard that pronunciation of Athame, it's quite lovely.
EiferBrennan Thank you!
Thanks so much for your nice comment, Jason! :-)
Great Speaker Blessed be.
Thanks! :-)
Thanks for watching and I'm glad you liked the video!
Jenny your videos are very nice, thank you for uploading.
I am requesting you to also look in to Hindu philosophy.
This is may useful for your greater understanding of spirituality.
Sai Krishna Gatla Thank you for watching! :-)
I am interested in Hindu philosophy and religious practices, but have a lot to learn about them.
Thank you very much, If you start to know about Hindu philosophy you will be able to understand each and everything in this universe....wish you all the best for your future endeavours.
plz. watch a new movie from India en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baahubali:_The_Beginning
Sai Krishna Gatla Thank you for the good wishes! Thanks also for the link to the movie.
Druidry and Wicca are the most prevalent neo-pagan traditions in the Irish context, so that's why I focus on those as well as people who self-identify as 'Pagan' (rather than aligning themselves with a specific path/tradition). I agree that neo-paganism is distinct from New Age, but there is also an overlap when it comes to certain beliefs and practices.
So interesting.
Murphy Star Thank you!
I am glad that someone out there is open enough to actually talk of the difference and show people that there is more to it than just black and white so to speak. I thank you Jenny Butler for you Informative video, and for understanding what it was you talked about. Not many these day do.
... There are also modern Christian Druids, since historically the Celtic world was Christianised and it is said that the Druids converted to Christianity.
As I am watching this I am very proud of you to share this on such a level. This is what is needed to teach what the tip of the iceberg is with Paganism. I am a Nordic pagan with also a fondness for Strega, which is the Italian version of witchery to sum it up in a word. I even have a metal project with paganism ideals in mind. I am such a fan of all ethic cultures so this video is bringing joy, so for this I thank you heart and soul...
This was amazing and very to the point. Thank you. Blessings to you!
Thank you!
Jenny Butler :) Keep doing what you are doing. So many have misconceptions as facts on Paganism and Irish Pagan culture.
Lovelife090994
:)
Jenny Butler I'm in America by the way... Not much talk on non-Christianity here at all.
Lovelife090994
There has been some academic research done on contemporary Paganism in America, for example Sabina Magliocco's book 'Witching Culture' and Sarah Pike's 'New Age and Neo-Pagan Religions in America'. In Ireland, Paganism doesn't have as high a public profile as it does in the US, which means that not so many people understand what it is and there are many misconceptions.