What is a pagan

Flint · 11-03-2006, 11:01 AM

My wife identifies herself as Pagan. She tells me it has no specific "organizational" meaning. I guess I see it as a loose term that describes people who walk an unconventional path (or rather, a path that was once common-place, but has now been purposefully marginalized by more organized groups with specific agendas...) We had a Pagan hand-fasting ritual, jumping the broom and reading vows. I have to admit, that was an almost uncomfortable level of prescribed ritual for me. I don't want, or need, even the appearance of doing things "because that's the way it's done" as they say. I understand, to be Pagan is nothing specific, you make it your own. But, for me, I don't need to call myself something or do things a certain way. There is a path we try to walk, and we stumble our way towards what we think is right, but to try to describe it by definition or ritual is... well it seems a little disrespectful to me, honestly. It seems disrespectful of the great mystery to pretend to have it pinned down in any way. I want to remain wide open, and fully aware of my smallness and ignorance. Maybe that's what Pagan means... but I don't need to call it anything.

It just is.

11-03-2006, 11:01 AM	#7
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	My wife identifies herself as Pagan. She tells me it has no specific "organizational" meaning. I guess I see it as a loose term that describes people who walk an unconventional path (or rather, a path that was once common-place, but has now been purposefully marginalized by more organized groups with specific agendas...) We had a Pagan hand-fasting ritual, jumping the broom and reading vows. I have to admit, that was an almost uncomfortable level of prescribed ritual for me. I don't want, or need, even the appearance of doing things "because that's the way it's done" as they say. I understand, to be Pagan is nothing specific, you make it your own. But, for me, I don't need to call myself something or do things a certain way. There is a path we try to walk, and we stumble our way towards what we think is right, but to try to describe it by definition or ritual is... well it seems a little disrespectful to me, honestly. It seems disrespectful of the great mystery to pretend to have it pinned down in any way. I want to remain wide open, and fully aware of my smallness and ignorance. Maybe that's what Pagan means... but I don't need to call it anything. It just is. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

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