How can i start practicing paganism

This level of commitment was neither expected nor asked of me when I was starting out. My first book The Path of Paganism is essentially a guide to walking this path.

It covers Spiritual Practice in detail, at both the beginning and intermediate levels. Will You Be My Teacher? Essential Questions For Beginners. Some Pagan traditions are only taught one-on-one, face-to-face. But those traditions are very few.

For others, a personal teacher is certainly nice to have, but it is not required. I engaged a paid spiritual director for about four months when I felt stuck. And I had a personal mentor as I trained for another tradition. Other than that, though, my training and education has been self-directed, with a lot of help from my Pagan friends and co-religionists.

You need to become a teacher when someone shows up looking to learn something you know very well. It depends. I was teaching Introduction to Paganism after four years of serious practice and three years of group work. Your timeline will be different. Just make sure you teach only what you know, not what you think you know.

Before Christianity and before Buddhism, there were the many religions of our ancestors. They were for the most part based in animism and polytheism, with a deep respect for ancestors and for the land. A few of those religions continue uninterrupted to this day, primarily in Africa. The ancestral religions of most of Europe and the Near East were wiped out by Christianity and Islam. We cannot simply pick up where they left off.

Too much time has passed, too much has been lost, and the world around us has changed immensely. We must create a Paganism — many Paganisms — for our time and place. We hold a deep reverence for nature and the earth. Pagans tend to be earth conscious. Some Pagans believe in a multiplicity of Gods and Goddesses. Apply market research to generate audience insights.

Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Patti Wigington. Paganism Expert. Patti Wigington is a pagan author, educator, and licensed clergy. Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter. Updated January 16, Cite this Article Format. Wigington, Patti. Getting Started as a Pagan or Wiccan. Starting a Pagan or Wiccan Group or Coven. Celebrating Litha, the Summer Solstice.

Your Privacy Rights. I feel like I learned a ton and gained a greater perspective on this religion! Such an easy reas. I completely devoured it in one day and I have never been able to do such a thing. I don't really know what it was but I felt so at peace whilst reading it. I'm just now starting my spiritual journey and I couldn't be happier with where I began.

If you're someone that has always struggled with the mainstream idea of religion and spirituality, this might be the book for you. Loved it. One of the problems with books about a religion as broad as Paganism is that authors can sometimes take a stance that their way is the 'correct' way, and alternative traditions are only included as a passing afterthought. I'm incredibly pleased to see that this book takes quite the opposite approach.

Unless you follow Althaea Sebastiani on social media, you would find it difficult to discern which of these traditions is her own, which is exactly as it should be - as a result, this book is an obj One of the problems with books about a religion as broad as Paganism is that authors can sometimes take a stance that their way is the 'correct' way, and alternative traditions are only included as a passing afterthought. Unless you follow Althaea Sebastiani on social media, you would find it difficult to discern which of these traditions is her own, which is exactly as it should be - as a result, this book is an objective, balanced view of a religion that can sometimes seem confusing in its complexity.

Sebastiani breaks down each of the major areas, such as celebrations and holidays, magick, spiritual traditions, and Deities, to give the best primer on the subject that I've read for a very long time. Her emphasis that Paganism is a religion that allows you to choose for yourself is a welcome one, especially given some of the problems around gatekeeping that have been visible online recently.

Your religion is, and should be, between you and the Gods. This book is a welcome reminder that intention and values are just as, if not more, important. Whether you're a beginner looking to get started, or a seasoned Pagan curious about other traditions, you'll find a wealth of information in this book. Put simply, if you want a wise mentor to guide you along the first steps of your new Pagan path, choose Sebastiani and you won't go far wrong. Excellent must-read! I wish this book existed when I started out on this path almost a decade ago!

And even the more advanced practitioners among us will find value in this book, as did I. With great respect for the many traditions within Paganism, the author sets out a clear image of a hitherto often vaguely described concept. This is not your typical book, where you have to buy X and say Y in Excellent must-read! This is not your typical book, where you have to buy X and say Y in order to achieve Z, nor does it pretend to be.

Rather, this book gives you a clear understanding of the many things Paganism entails, what you can do if you wish and why, all with great emphasis on personal practice and personal responsibility. It provides a solid foundation and understanding, of off which you can than expand your practice further as you see fit.

At the end of the book there are some very helpful questions to guide you in the search of finding your direction within the Pagan movement. Besides providing a clear, working understanding of this term, I love the that the author emphasizes that magick is far more than just spell work.

I highly recommend Paganism for Beginners and I sincerely hope that the author continues writing more books! It was easy to read and understand which is also a plus. And it will definitely be a book a refer back to throughout my Pagan path. And I really appreciate that aspect of the way her book is written. This book is a wonderful source for beginners to paganism, or for anyone who is just curious. I've been a pagan for 32 years, but I still enjoyed reading this book. It's a great refresher with lots of info.

My favorite parts are the sections on dieties and the wheel of the year. May 27, Gabrielle rated it really liked it Shelves: e-books , nonfic-reference , read-in I have been doing some research on my own prior to finding this book but I still learned a lot. They way it was written made it so easy to get through. I loved the format of the book as well. I received a complimentary copy. I found this to be super enlightening into the practice and feel it might be just what you need if you are into learning about this topic.

The book includes great information. A very easy read without feeling like its dumbed down. This is short and succinct, a good intro for the curious. It covers many different practices and viewpoints with great care. Never did it feel like she was speaking from the perspective of one path or condemning another. I'm still trying to figure out my path, and while I felt like I didn't learn a lot from this book, there were many moments where her clarification and experience felt like a warm and gentle hug, comforting and encouraging me A very easy read without feeling like its dumbed down.

I'm still trying to figure out my path, and while I felt like I didn't learn a lot from this book, there were many moments where her clarification and experience felt like a warm and gentle hug, comforting and encouraging me to explore what feels right and to keep my needs and morals in sight. Really, a lovely, positive, and encouraging book I'd suggest to any curious beginner. Oct 15, Jessica Gillen added it. Paganism for Beginners is well-researched and thorough, but also succinct.

Althaea Sebastiani covers a wide range of topics -- the history of modern paganism, the legal status of paganism in various countries, the overarching values and beliefs of the pagan community, as well as the common material and conceptual tools utilized by pagans. In each, she deftly cuts to the point without losing nuance in her explanations, and recommends resources for further research.

Sebastiani does a great job of s Paganism for Beginners is well-researched and thorough, but also succinct. Sebastiani does a great job of showing how crucial personal responsibility and freedom of choice are to paganism, from relationships with deities to ritual methods, and underscores the point that these values also apply to how pagans treat others.

Her explanations are not only thorough but compassionate and affirming.