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Re: Can you explain more???

Posted by Sylvan SilverNight on June 29, 2005, 4:06 pm, in reply to "Can you explain more???"
65.103.3.216

--Previous Message--
: MY sister is a pagan so she says and it seems
: interesting to me but i dont know much about
: it. I am 19 yrs old and wish to find out
: more about pagan and shamnism.I wish to find
: out more about sabbat days and what they
: mean and what litha is.I also want to know
: what it is that pagan and wicca people
: believe in.Can anyone help me learn more or
: tell me where to go to find out more? thank
: you

Wow.
You don't ask small questions, do you? -=smiles=-
I'd be glad to help answer your questions.
Shamanism, from what I understand, is a methodology -an approach- to communing with spirits in a way that was used by native cultures in Africa, Australia, Europe, and North America. In some cases it is related to a specific tribal religion but in other cases is just a process without any theology.
As for a Pagan, that's fairly straight-forward. Paganism is a general category of religions. Just like "Christianity" encompasses "Lutherans," "Baptists," "Catholics," "Mennonites," and "Presbyterians" so does "Paganism" encompass "Wiccans," "Druids," "Santerians," and "Asatru." In general, although there are differences from faith-to-faith, Paganism describes any one of a number of nature-based religions that see the Divine as inherent in the world around us. Usually, Pagan religions are polytheistic and utilize the names of the Gods that were common hundreds or thousands of years ago. Most Pagan faiths, today, are recreation religions, updated to fit our understanding of the world as we live in it, now.
You wanted to know about Wicca, specifically, and there are whole books written about that. There are dozens of sects in the Wiccan religion, just like there are within Christianity. I've met Wiccans of many types: Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Celtic, American Traditional, Dianic, Faerie, and Norse are just a few. Wiccans tend to utilize the non-religious practice of Witchcraft (working with the natural forces of the world to achieve a desired result via magick) but their individual rites and observances will vary from philosophy to philosophy.
A good book on the subject is "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningham.
Litha is another name for the celebration of the Summer Solstice, also called "Midsummer's Eve". It was a week ago. A good definition can be found at: http://www.wicca.com/celtic/akasha/litha.htm .
A large overview of the 8 Sabbats can be found in the essays at: http://www.witchvox.com/_x.html?c=holidays .
I hope this helps; I know it's short. Do you have any follow-up questions?
Yours,
Sylvan

Link: the Witches' Informational Network

Message Thread:

Can you explain more??? - vicki June 24, 2005, 4:19 pm
- Re: Can you explain more??? - Sylvan SilverNight June 29, 2005, 4:06 pm
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--Previous Message-- : : --Previous Message-- : MY sister is a pagan so she says and it : seems : interesting to me but i dont know much about : it. I am 19 yrs old and wish to find out : more about pagan and shamnism.I wish to find : out more about sabbat days and what they : mean and what litha is.I also want to know : what it is that pagan and wicca people : believe in.Can anyone help me learn more or : tell me where to go to find out more? thank : you : : : Wow. : : You don't ask small questions, do you? : -=smiles=- : : I'd be glad to help answer your questions. : : Shamanism, from what I understand, is a : methodology -an approach- to communing with : spirits in a way that was used by native : cultures in Africa, Australia, Europe, and : North America. In some cases it is related : to a specific tribal religion but in other : cases is just a process without any : theology. : : As for a Pagan, that's fairly : straight-forward. Paganism is a general : category of religions. Just like : "Christianity" encompasses : "Lutherans," "Baptists," : "Catholics," : "Mennonites," and : "Presbyterians" so does : "Paganism" encompass : "Wiccans," "Druids," : "Santerians," and : "Asatru." In general, although : there are differences from faith-to-faith, : Paganism describes any one of a number of : nature-based religions that see the Divine : as inherent in the world around us. : Usually, Pagan religions are polytheistic : and utilize the names of the Gods that were : common hundreds or thousands of years ago. : Most Pagan faiths, today, are recreation : religions, updated to fit our understanding : of the world as we live in it, now. : : You wanted to know about Wicca, : specifically, and there are whole books : written about that. There are dozens of : sects in the Wiccan religion, just like : there are within Christianity. I've met : Wiccans of many types: Gardnerian, : Alexandrian, Celtic, American Traditional, : Dianic, Faerie, and Norse are just a few. : Wiccans tend to utilize the non-religious : practice of Witchcraft (working with the : natural forces of the world to achieve a : desired result via magick) but their : individual rites and observances will vary : from philosophy to philosophy. : : A good book on the subject is "Wicca: : A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" : by Scott Cunningham. : : Litha is another name for the celebration of : the Summer Solstice, also called : "Midsummer's Eve". It was a week : ago. A good definition can be found at: : http://www.wicca.com/celtic/akasha/litha.htm : . : : A large overview of the 8 Sabbats can be : found in the essays at: : http://www.witchvox.com/_x.html?c=holidays : . : : I hope this helps; I know it's short. Do : you have any follow-up questions? : : Yours, : Sylvan :

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