Pagans and Paganism

A pagan is a person who believes that everything and everyone has a spirit or a soul. Sometimes called Animism, this is a belief that all Pagan religions share. Rocks, rivers, trees, bushes, animals, and the land itself are seen as possessing their own unique spirits by those who follow a Pagan way of life.

There are hundreds of Pagan religions throughout the world. Some of the more well known ones are: Druidism, Wicca, Asatru, Shamanism, Native American Traditions, and Hinduism. There are so many more. All are equally valid and beautiful.

Pagans are not Devil-worshippers, for it is impossible to worship a being one does not believe in. And Pagans do not believe in the Christian version of the Devil. Most of the Devil-worshipping groups out there are subsets of Christianity, as they focus on a Judeo-Christian view of spirituality.

Most Pagans believe in the sacred divine feminine, a Goddess, if you will. The first deities humans worshipped were goddesses, as the female is the source of all life. The Goddess may be worshipped in a variety of forms, depending on the tradition.

To be a Pagan, one needs only to love nature, and to see in everything an individual spirit. Pagans try to live in harmony with the earth, and to raise their children to do the same. In the end, the decision to be Pagan is highly personal, and no one can make you a Pagan, or prevent you from being one.

What is Earth Magick?

So, as I was adding some courses in the Earth & Nature Magick section, one of my younger students asked me a simple question: What is Earth Magick?

Earth is a powerful element. It represents stability and the physical body. It is often considered to be representative of the Goddess Herself. The Earth sustains us, and without Her, we would perish. The Earth contains all the wisdom, strength, and prosperity that is present in each of it. It is from Her all things come, and to Her all things return. It is the very heart of life.

Earth magick is all magick that comes from the earth. It includes the use and manipulation of the energy inherent in the earth, which is quite substantial, but earth magick is certainly not limited to this. The use of stones and herbs, which were once a part of the earth, is considered earth magick. The creation of amulets and talismans, which are normally made of natural substances, is earth magick. Even the simple act of grounding is earth magick.