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

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

To go slightly further into the dangerous territory of describing beliefs, we can include animism -the belief that all life, animate or inanimate, has a spirit or soul.  Pagans have a deep reverence for the earth and every creature that inhabits the earth, believing that the divine resides in all things.  Many believe in multiple gods and goddesses (polytheist) but since Paganism is such an individualistic religion, you’ll find polytheists (many), monotheists (one) and even atheists (none)!

Even if the variety of beliefs within Paganism is manifold, one thing that you can be sure of is that they are NOT devil worshippers.  Abby Willowroot says it beautifully, when answering the question of are Pagans devil worshippers?  “Most Devil worshipping groups are not Pagan, because they are centered on a Judeo-Christian supernatural being, namely Satan. These devil worshippers are a sect of Christianity, even though Christianity does not want to claim them.”

The Occult is also different from Paganism, although Pagans and members of any other religion can deal with the Occult.  Wikipedia defines “The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine, hidden, secret), referring to “knowledge of the hidden”.   But for many people involved with the occult, they are simply studying a deeper spiritual reality than that which we can see with our human powers of reason and the physical sciences with which we measure and quantify things.

How Do I Become A Pagan?

When a person comes to the conclusion that the things they have always believed in now need a name different from that which their family or their community has given, they may want to somehow “become” a Pagan.  Here the dilema begins.

Paganism is a very individual and personal journey of spiritual discovery and Pagans generally do not seek converts, nor do they feel a duty to share or guide the novice “into the faith” as many conventional religions do.  Finding a path to like-minded people can be difficult and will be different for each locality in which you may live.  The agreed starting point is to first gain knowledge. 

Find out if you are truly in sympathy with Pagan beliefs, are you committed to living in harmony with the Earth and caring for and honoring all of her creatures?  Will you strengthen your understanding of your role in the whole scheme of things, no longer taking for granted all that the Earth offers you?  By reading the books and periodicals available and looking at websites that explain Pagan beliefs, you can explore your own beliefs so you really understand what they are and discover why you want to follow the Pagan path. 

It is important you clarify things for yourself before trying to join a group.  Once you have answered these questions, you need to explore the various groups within Paganism to determine which group – Wicca, Druidry, Shamanism, Witchcraft, Asatru, Heathenry, Hedgewitchcraft, even Hinduism, among so many others – you wish to attach yourself to. 
Once you have looked into your own heart, gained greater knowledge of yourself and found your connection with the natural world around you, you can look to join others. 

In America, to find a group of like-minded people talk to people in new age or pagan bookstores, check their bulletin boards. Many books and periodicals give information on how you can find contacts in your area. Check out online groups, but be wary – there are many unsavory characters out there.  Alternatively an updated guide to pagan groups  is now available by mail-order from the Circle Network, based in Wisconsin.

If you are in Great Britain, some of these and other ways can led to you finding like-minded people.  Look for “moots” – these are advertised, regular gatherings usually held in pubs or perhaps the organizers’ homes.  There is usually a contact number, so phone the organizer before the event and get enough information before hand so you know what to expect.
You can also check out egoups on Yahoo, other web-based forums, Pagan conferences or camps and ritual that are open to the public and of course, contacts obtainable through the Pagan Federation and other reputable Pagan organizations.

However I do suggest a certain modicum of caution – although pubs and the web are public places, you must trust your intuition; don’t share more than you are comfortable revealing.  Please keep in mind not everyone is honest.

Although it may be frustrating, don’t be in too big a hurry to find a group or even a spiritual teacher.  Many Pagans will follow a solitary path to greater enlightenment, perhaps for a lifetime.  It can even be said that a time of studying on your own is far better because you will find what works for you without the potential confusion or pressure others’ beliefs may provide.  Knowing your own beliefs and the basics of rituals will show any group you may wish to join, that you are willing to learn and serious.  It is also a good idea to have explored what you want from the group you join.  Will you be able or willing to meet their expectations, etc.?

You may find that because Pagans are still so much in the minority, your spiritual path will continue to be a solitary one because there aren’t any folk living near you to physically guide or share Pagan rituals with.  In such a case, or as an adjunct to your own growth, joining organizations such as the British Pagan Federation or the Reformed Druids of North America, the Order of Bards or the Rowan Tree Church, among others, could be the best way to enlarge your training or contact opportunities.

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.

I have included, to the best of my knowledge, bits of lore with them,as well as special months from the runic calendar that have been gleaned from other sites and content.

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 Rituals – Druidic Festivals – Pagan Festivals and Rites of Ceremony

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.

The moon and its phases play an important part in Pagan rituals. In fact the moon has a different name in each month of the year.  What follows are names used by pagan people, including American Indians, to help them keep track of the seasons.

Please keep in mind, there are many traditions that use other names for the moon and some use the same names but for different months.

January – Storm Moon – Wolf Moon
The storms rage and the wolves howls hungrily in the cold of January.

February – Storm Moon – Full Snow Moon
The heaviest snows usually fall during February and as a result, in more primitive times, hunting was extremely difficult.

March – Seed Moon – Crow  Moon
This month heralded the sowing season and the start of the new growing year.  The end of winter is heralded by cry of the crows filling the air.

April – Hare Moon – Egg Moon
In Roman times, the hare was associated with fertility and spring time.  The egg is the symbol of re-birth, as still seen in Easter traditions, plenty returns to the earth.

May – Dyad Moon – Milk or Flower Moon
The constellation of Caster and Pollux are the pair referred to by this Latin word.  It is the time of planting, flowers in bloom and abundance.

June – Mead Moon – Strawberry Moon
The meadows or meads were mown for hay during June and part of July.  Strawberries are a welcome treat available during June.

July – Wort Moon – Thunder Moon
During this month wort (wyrt) plants gathered and dried to be used for medicines and food.   Thunderstorms roared during this time of year.

August – Barley Moon – Red Moon
As a symbol of the harvest, the virgin goddess of rebirth, Persephone carries a sheaf of barley.  As corn and grain grow, the moon often wears a reddish hue during August.

September – Blood Moon – Harvest Moon
The slaughter of domestic animals for winter provision marks this moon.  This is when the crops are harvested and this moon is always closest to the Equinox.

October – Snow Moon – Hunter’s Moon
The fist snows fly when the sun is at its lowest.  The cleared fields made it easier to catch the animals that had been fattened for winter and feasts were laid on.

November – Oak Moon – Frost Moon
The Rowan, most noble and sacred tree, withstands the storms of winter.  Before everything is frozen, animals were trapped and caught in the anticipation of winter.

December – Wolf Moon – Long Night Moon
The “night of the year” is represented by the nocturnal and feared wolf.  During the long winter nights the moon is resting, opposite the sun, low in the sky.

For information about the phases of the moon and rituals, see the article entitled At Each Of The Phases Of The 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.

The New (or Dark) Moon – This moon is hidden as it is directly between the Earth and the Sun. During this phase of the moon, some say, rituals are held that involve new beginnings, birth, re-birth and new undertakings.  It is a time for the shadow self – looking within, meditating and introspection.

The Waxing Moon -  Because this moon grows larger from right to left, it is sometimes called the right hand moon, resembling the crescent curve of the thumb and index finger on the right hand.  This phase of the moon, lasting about 14 days, some say, is the time for rituals that draw things to you, bringing you growth, positive change, harmony, peace, protection, healing and love.  The Waxing Moon represents the Goddess as Maiden.

The Waning Moon – This moon decreases in size from right to left and is sometimes called the left hand moon because of the  resemblance of the crescent curve of the thumb and index finger on the left hand.  This phase also lasts 14 days and as some say, it is the time for banishing negativity and disease, breaking bad habits, dissolving destructive addictions and relationships and using one’s deep intuition to learn what must be banished from our lives.  The Waning Moon represents the Goddess as Crone.

The term Paganism is actually an umbrella under which many traditions live.  It is an ancient religion that venerates nature, believes that everything in the Universe is interconnected and part of the Devine and that this interconnectedness extends beyond the boundaries of space and time.

It is a religion but without a centralized, organized church or body, with a great variety of beliefs and practices but without any standardized dogma.  Pagans, like many of us, seek answers to life’s great questions – what is the meaning of our lives, is there life after death, is there a God, and what is our place within the greater universe?

Pagans do not generally try to convert anyone.  Rather than being converted, Pagans decide to call themselves that because what they already believe fits in terms of their view of the world, the way they live and their spirituality.

For most Pagans, their spirituality is a very personal path, walked either alone or with a small group of like-minded individuals.  Paganism believes that we are born with all the skills and tools required to live an ethical and spiritual life without, as many other religions profess, the need to overcome the flaws humanity brings with it at birth, be it original sin or the ego or desire or whatever else one might call it.  They do not believe that humanity is spiritually doomed unless purified and “saved”.

Because Pagans place so much value on the earth as their mother, their religion is often called earth-centered. They celebrate seasonal festivals based on the Wheel of Life and the cycles of the moon.  Because of their deep connectedness with the Universe, Pagans celebrate belonging to the natural world by adjusting their lives to the cycles of the earth, sun, moon and the stars.  In line with this reverence for the natural world, they express themselves by living environmentally ethical lives and many participate in actions to save the eco-systems of the planet.
 
Through the ages, Pagan came to mean someone who had not yet converted, or refused, to convert to Christianity and its meaning extended to those who did not belong to one of the established religions or someone who was irreligious or anti-religious.  Pagans are neither without religion nor against religion, instead they are a distinct religion – different from others but a religion nevertheless;  even the American courts recognized Wicca as an official religion in the case of Dettmer v. Landon (1986). 

Another misconception is that Pagans worship the devil.  While acknowledging life can be difficult and sometimes cruel, Pagans do not believe in evil or the devil, they believe instead in the need to seek ways to end conflict and personal responsibility for one’s beliefs and ethics.

The more we know about Pagans, the less likely we are to fear or denigrate them.  In fact there may be much to embrace.

“With its respect for plurality, the refusal to judge other ways of life as wrong simply because they are different from one’s own, with its veneration of a natural (and supernatural) world from which Westerners in the age of technology have become increasingly isolated, and with its respect for women and the feminine principle as embodied in the many goddesses of the various pantheons, Paganism has much to offer people of European background today.” – the British Pagan Federation.