Archive for the ‘Paganism’ Category

THE GODDESSES

The goddess is an important part of everyday life to paganism. The goddess protects, heals and assists in all facets of life.

Aphrodite: Goddess of love, passionate and caring, she aids in drawing love to you
Aradia:child of Diana, the huntress, protectoress of Pagans
Arianhod:Kelt:Goddess of the night skies, stars and past lives. .
Astarte:Grecian, fertility Goddess
Astraea:Greek: Goddess of Justice.
Bast:Protectoress and Goddess of cats, she aids in travel.
Brigid: Keltic: She is a warrior Goddess protectoress of children
Cerridwen: Welsh, Moon Goddess, Goddess of the full harvest.
Diana, Goddess of the moon, the huntress, mother to pagans
Fides:Roman, Goddess of faithfulness.
Freyja: Norse: Moon Goddess, she commands the female warriors known as the Valkyries.
Fortuna:Roman, Goddess of Fortune or good luck.
Holda:Norse One of Three Goddesses of the underworld.
Hel: The second of Three Goddesses of the Norse underworld.
Hera: Grecian: Goddess of the mating and handfasting. Hera is wise and strong but has a jealous side as well.
Isis:Egyptian:Goddess of the earth and of married love.
Kali: Indian: Goddess of Creation and Destruction. Mate to Shiva, she protects women
Morgan :Kelt: Goddess of the Water and all magicks. She was lover to Merlin
Nemetona-Goddess of the oak groves,or the nemeton, usually depicted with a ram and a staff.
Norns: Keltic: Three sisters of Fate or Wyrd, they weave together the past, present and future. .
Venus:Goddess of Love.

THE GODS

No less important than the Goddesses,
the Gods are the male counterbalance that are found in all of nature. One was not neglected in favor of the other.

Adonis: Mate to Aphrodite. God of the flora
Cernunnos: Keltic: The horned god, god of the forests, consort of the Lady
Eros: Grecian: God of passionate love .
Frey, Mate to Freyja, God of earth and nature.
Heimdall:Norse, son of Odin, God of light.
Loki, Norse, God of tricks , discord and playful wickness.
Lugh: Celtic god of the sun.
Odin: Norse: Odin hung on the Tree, Yggdrasil to obtain the second sight, which was given to him in the form of the runes. He speaks through the Raven, and the wolf.
Osiris, Egyptian God of the Sun.
Pan: God of nature and the forests, he is also the God of laughter and practical jokes.
Poseidon: God of the Waters.
Shiva:Mate to Kali, god of the endless circle of birth and death.
Tan Hill: Celtic, Fire God.
THOR:” Norse: God of the skies, thunder, his hammer protects the common man

 

 

Pagan Deities – List Of Pagan Gods And Goddesses

There are many festivals of the different pagan religions. Each faith has their own. Not all Pagans are Wiccan. Druidism, Norse, Kemet Orthodox are just a few of the pagan religions.
I have given but a sampler, it not meant, by any means to be seen as complete.
I have included, to the best of my knowledge, bits of lore with them, as well as special months from the runic calendar which have been gleaned from other pagan reference materials over the years..

Festivals of January

Jan 13-Celtic Feast of Brewing
*Jan.21-Celtic Tree month of Luis, Agnes Day, a time of divination by fire
Jan.25-Disting: Feast of Distir, celebrates the old Norse guardian Goddess
*Jan.31-Imbolc Eve, or Brigatia, Sacred to the Valkyries, and the Nords, who sit by the well or Urd under the tree Yggdrasil and decide the fates of Gods and men

Festivals of February

*Feb.4- Imbolc:Fire festival between yule and the vernal equinox, also Brigantias day, Celtic goddess of the seasons
Feb.4- Celtic King Frost Day
Feb.9- Feast of Apollo, god of the sun
Feb.12-Runic half month of Sigel celebrating good over darkness
Feb 14-Feast of Vali, Feast of Juno Februa, goddess of love. On this night, if you decorate your pillow with 5 bay leaves you will see your love in your dreams

Festivals of March

*Mar.2- Sacred to Ceadda, Celtic God of springs and healing waters, he is symbolized by the Crann Bethadh, the tree of life, on this day the behavior of birds is considered prophetic.
Mar.4- Feast of Rhiannon Of Celtic origin
Mar.8- Welsh, Witches Day
Mar.14-Half month of Beorc begins, Goddess of Birch trees and rebirth.
*Mar.19-Celtic: Nemetona, Goddess of the Sacred Grove is revered today.
Mar.21- Ostara, celebrating the increasing light of the sun, the altar is decorated with spring flora .
Mar.25-Druidic Festival: Alban Eiler:meaning light of the earth.
Mar.26-Mabon ap Modron, Celt deity of youth.

Festivals of April

Apr.10-Celtic tradition says the sun dances today
*Apr.11-Ystre, or Oestre, The Goddess Ostara’s day, protector of fertility and children, this festival was taken by the Christians as their own, to become Easter.
Apr.22-Sigr Blot, a day to honor Odin
Apr.28-Festival of Floralia, Roman, traditionally a day of sexual license and experimentation.
Apr.29-Runic half month of Lagu, or water begins.
* Apr.30-Walpurgis:Norse:Sacred festival of witches, bonfires of juniper and rosemary are lit , Birch twigs are placed in windows and doorways to protect the home.

Festivals of MAY

*May.1- Beltane, or in the Celtic, Cetsamhain:Celtic festival celebrating the union of the Goddess with the Horned God, a time of mystic union, and great celebration for Wicce and Druidics alike.
*May 24-Festival of the three mother Goddesses, Celtic,Roman Festival of Diana and Artemis, Goddess of the Moon and of the forests, she is sacred to Wicce.
May 30-Sacred to Frigg, consort to Odin

Festivals of JUNE

*June 1-Hamadryads day, honored by placing an offering at an oak tree, the most revered tree of Celts and Druids
June 4 Pagan fest of Whitsunday, celebrating spring and fertility
*June 5 Domnas day, Celt Goddess of stones and coves.
*June 10 Celtic tree month of Duir, honors the oak tree,.
*June 16 Silver Chalice Night/Wicce: Traditional Wicce share a chalice of wine tonight in honor of the God and Goddess//Night of Tears/Egyptian:Isis mourned her murdered husband Osiris on this day by the shedding of her thousands of tears.
*June 20 Midsummers Eve:Cerridwen is celebrated, Goddess of love and fertility, by burning the herb Vervan.
*June 21 Midsummer: Traditionally the longest day of the year, the sun is at its peak, and at the height of its power.
The altar and circle are decorated with summer flowers and herbs.
Bonfires are lit to symbolize the height of the suns glory.
Now is the time to gather herbs and plants, as they will be at their most virile during this time
, Druidic feast of Alban Hefin

Festivals of JULY

July 8 Sacred to the Goddess Sunniva, Goddess of the Sun
*July 15 honors Rowana,the tree goddess, patroness of knowledge of runes.The Rowan is the tree of protection and amulets cut from it this day will be particularly effective/Egyptian God Set, God of darkness is honored this day
July 31 Oidche Lugnasa, in honor of the Celtic Sun God Lugh, patron of Sorcery and poetry.//Also festival of the Norse God Loki, trickster, and his consort, Sigyn

Festivals of AUGUST

*Aug 1 Lammas, festival of the first harvest, Wicce traditionally weave corn husks,make offerings to the Goddess, by burning the weavings of the previous year.//Norse, sacred to Frigg and Odin//Gaelic:Lughnassadh, the games of the Sun God.
*Aug 5 Druidic tree month of Coll, Coll is the hazel tree which embodies wisdom and Druidic practices.It encompasses regeneration and growth through the spirit, and the divination of unseen things.
*Aug 15 Festival of Arianrhod, Celtic Great mother Goddess.
***Aug 17 Marks the Day Odin began to hang upon the tree Yggdrasil to secure the knowledge of the runes .//Roman celebration of Diana

Festivals of SEPTEMBER

**Sept 15 Traditionally the first full moon after thsi date is celebrated as the harvest moon, A time of power for those involved in witchcraft, divination or fertility magick.
**Sept 22 Autumnal Equinox, the time when darkness overtakes light, Druidic festival of Elban Elued, the “light of water” when the sun begins to descend into the ocean of wintertime.
Sept 29 Festival of warrior gods, sacred to Heimdall, son of Odin.

Festivals of OCTOBER

**Oct 18 Celtic, Wicce, Welsh, Druidic: Festival of Cernunnos, also knows as Herne, Atho, Hu Gadern, The Horned God of the forests , is celebrated today.
Oct 24 Feast of the Spirits of the air.Incense is burnt in honor of the slyphs, the spirits of the air.
**Oct 31 Samhain Eve.Marks the end of the last day of light.

Festivals of NOVEMBER

**Nov 1 Samhain, the joining of summer to winter, the word Samhain comes from the Celtic words Isam Fuini, meaning summers end.Cailleach, the Celt Goddess is to strike the earth with a hammer, rendering it cold and hard until Imbolc.The breach between the living and dead is small at this time of year and the spirits may walk more freely to speak to the living. Bonfires are traditionally lit this eve to usher in all souls day.
Nov 7 Night of Hecate, Queen and patroness of the witches
Nov 22 Festival of Artemis, and Ydilar, Norse god of archery

Festivals of DECEMBER

Dec.11 Sacred day to Arianrhod, Celtic Moon Goddess
Dec 18 Celt Goddess EPONA is honored, Goddess of horses.
Dec.21 Yule: the celebration of death and rebirth, winter plants are used to decorate the altar and circle.
Dec 27 Norse Goddess Freyja is honored on this day. Freyja is a lover of felines.
Dec 31 Traditional new Years Day

 

 

Pagan Holidays and Festivals – Druidism – Wiccan – Norse – Kemet Orthodox

While not strictly Wiccan, the Nordic Rede was written by another branch of Pagans, the Norse, who believed in a very similar structure as todays Pagan, Wiccan, and Druid. Their Rede is interesting, as well as beautiful.

The Nordic Rede.

In all that you do, consider what befall your own, your children and your people.
All that which you do will return to you, sooner or later, for good or for ill.
Thus strive always to do good , or at least strive always to be just.
Be honest with yourself, and with others.
Humankind has the spark of divinity within it.
Protect and nurture that spark.
Give your word sparingly, and adhere to it like iron.
In the world, your first trust and responsibility should be to your own people.
Yet, be kind and proper to others whenever possible
. What you have, hold firmly.
Speak to others only those words which you have personally verified.
Be honest with others, and expect honesty in return, always.
The fury of the moment plays havoc with the truth;
to keep one’s head is difficult, yet virtuous.
Know which battles should be fought, and which battles should be avoided.
Know when to break off or avoid a conflict.
There are times when the minions of chaos are simply too strong or fate unavoidable.
When you gain power, use it wisely and use it well.
Courage and honor endure forever.
Their echoes remain when the mountains have crumbled to dust.
Pledge friendship and your services to those who are worthy.
Strengthen others of your people and they will strengthen you.
Love and care for your family always,
and have the fierceness of a wolf in their protection.
Honor yourself, have pride in yourself, do your best and forgive yourself when you must.
Try always, without losing your sense of self,
to be above reproach in the eyes of the world.
Those of our people should always attempt to settle any differences
among themselves quietly and peaceably
The laws of the land should be obeyed whenever possible and within reason,
for in the main they have been chosen with wisdom.
Have pride in yourself, your family and your folk.
They are your promise for tomorrow.
Do not neglect your mate and children
Every one of our people should work according to the best that they can do,
no matter how small or how great. We are all in this world together, thus we must always help each other along.
We advance individually and collectively only by living in harmony with the natural order of the world.
The seeking of wisdom is a high virtue.
Love of truth, honor, courage and loyalty are the hallmarks of the noble soul.
Be prepared for whatever the future brings.
Life with all its joys, struggles and ambiguities is to be embraced

 

 

Nordic Rede – The Norse Pagans – Similar To Pagan – Wiccan – Druid

There are as many explanations of Paganism as there are Pagans but one good description I’ve found is from the Ohio Chapter Pagan Unity Campaign.  They say that “Paganism may be loosely defined as any of a group of positive, life-affirming, earth-honoring faiths usually based in ancient beliefs.” Read the rest of this entry »

A Sampling of Pagan Festivals and Rites of Ceremony

THE FESTIVALS

There are many festivals of the different pagan religions. Some are holdovers of what people believe were the originals. While its’ not possible to know for certain, we can learn some small things from those rituals that were steeped in antiquity and involving great beauty.
This is merely a sampler, not meant by any means to be seen as complete. Read the rest of this entry »

Even from a scientific standpoint, no one would be foolish enough to say the moon does not affect us.  It is generally accepted that the gravitational pull of the Moon affects the waters of the Earth, with the highest tides occurring at the new and full Moon; the tides are at their least dramatic at the quarter Moon. 

Despite the fact that man has landed on the moon’s surface, the moon continues to hold us fascinated.  Its mysteries and magic are deeply imbedded in myth, folklore and the rituals and beliefs of Pagans. Read the rest of this entry »

Rituals are performed in each of the phases of the moon – the full moon, the dark or new moon, the waning and waxing moon.

The Full Moon – The moon is full when it forms a perfectly round sphere and its light shines brightly in the night sky.  The full moon actually spans a period of roughly three days before and three days after.  Some say, this is the perfect time for transformation and fertility spells, for purging spells that will release those things that may be inhibiting spiritual growth.  The full moon represents the Goddess as Mother. Read the rest of this entry »

According to the British Pagan Federation, the definition of Paganism is “a polytheistic or pantheistic nature-worshipping religion”.   Put simply, Pagans believe in many deities (gods and goddesses) and that “God is all and all is God.”   This precludes God being a specific “personality” and includes everything in the universe being of God – in essence God and the Universe are the same thing. Read the rest of this entry »