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| Most American Pagans practice a blend of different traditions, the most
popular of which are Celtic, Greco-Roman, Native American, ancient Egyptian,
and Norse.
Asatrú
("Faith in the Æsir") Norse Pagan tradition emphasizing courage, honor,
hospitality, liberty, industriousness, loyalty, honesty, and individuality.
Ásatrúers celebrate 8 Blóts ("Blót"means "blessing"):
Dísfest: 31 Jan., Ostara: 21 Mar., May Eve: 30 April, Midsummer: 21
June, Freysfest: 31 July, Fallfest: 23 Sept., Winter Night: 31 Oct., and
Yule: 21 Dec. Local groups are called Hearths, Kindreds, or Steadings. There
are at least 800 Ásatrúers in North America. Guilds promote
skills and fellowship, and little emphasis is placed on magic or
meditation.
Church of All Worlds
Formally chartered in 1968 by Oberon (previously Tim/Otter) Zell. Inspired
by Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. Centered in Ukiah, CA with
"nests" (local groups) around the world. CAW has had a long, evolving history
and is focused on evolving a "network of information, mythology and experience
that provides a context and stimulus for re-awakening Gaea, and re-uniting
her children through tribal community dedicated to responsible stewardship
and evolving consciousness." Meets weekly to promote celebration and honoring
of all life. Sees Earth as living, divine organism (see "Gaia Hypothesis").
Rituals follow the round of seasons and the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
Celebration of Goddess and God. Nine circles of training. Publishes Green
Egg, one the most popular Pagan journals.
Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, Inc.
Independent affiliate of the Unitarian Universalist Association and a nonprofit
organization. At the UUA's General Assembly in 1995 the association adopted
a new source of spiritual inspiration, affirming the contributions of
earthcentered spirituality in Unitarian Universalism. The amendment,
which was the first change to Unitarian bylaws in a decade, was written by
members of CUUPS, the UU Women's Federation, The Seventh Principle Project
and the UU Network for Indigenous Affairs. CUUPS' statement of purpose, adopted
in 1987, calls for networking among all religious groups, development of
thea/ological materials based on nature-centered spirituality, and more creative
use of the arts in UU ritual and celebration. As CUUPS brochures point out,
the UU church is the first mainstream religious body to welcome Pagans since
the Burning Times. CUUPS offers membership benefits and publishes a newsletter,
Pagan NUUS, available to all.
Discordianism
Evolved in the 1960s as the (tongue in cheek?) honoring of the Chaos principle,
embodied by the Greek goddess Eris (Roman Discordia). Discordians observe
the Law of Eristic Esca-lation: Imposition of Order = Escalation of Chaos.
Therefore, let us honor computer crashes, traffic jams, and late-night
television, as they are manifestations of the Goddess. We have discovered
that Discordianism appeals to a certain sense of humor ‹ either you
have it, or you don't. Discordians do not honor Chaos in some nefarious way
‹ they merely follow their anti-establishment proclivities and do things
like declare themselves pope and then excommunicate each other. Many Dis-cordians
are affiliated in some way with the Church of the Sub-Genius. According to
the Illuminatus! trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea, Discordians
are in an archetypal battle with the Bavarian Illuminati. Discordians are
the good guys, of course. Among the "rules" of Discordianism (which all
Discordians are encouraged to break) is a prohibition against the eating
of hot dog buns except on Friday, when eating them is compulsory. All bowling
alleys are sacred to Discordians (as this was where one of the founders had
a vision) and are to be defended to the death from desecration. Read the
book.
Druidism (Celtic)
The Druids were the priestly, judicial, and (sometimes/perhaps) bardic class
of the ancient Celts. "Druid" probably comes from the Greek Drus (oak) and
the Indo-European wid (knower). The history of the Druids is very complex,
since they left virtually no written records and because Celtic civilizations
stretched over such large distances and times. What is known is that the
training for the priesthood seems to have lasted 19-20 years, was an entirely
oral tradition, and appears to have been open to women, though maybe not
in all places at all times. Much of our information on the Druids comes from
the writings of Caesar, hardly an unbiased source. The Druids did not build
Stonehenge (it was built in three phases from 3500 to 1100 BCE and the Celts
did not arrive in Britain until circa 400 BCE), though they may have used
it and other Neolithic ritual places and tools.
RESOURCES: The Druids, Peter Berresford Ellis, The Elements of the Celtic
Tradition, Caitlín Matthews; The Elements of the Druid Tradition,
Philip Carr-Gomm; The Sacred Cauldron: Secrets of the Druids, Tadgh
MacCrossan
The Henge of Keltria PO Bx 33284, Coon Rapids MN 55433
EcofeminismCombination of feminism, ecology, and spirituality. Ecofeminists see the oppression of women and the destruction of nature as related phenomena. They believe new power relations must be rediscovered or invented to create an egalitarian rather than dominator culture. They are for the freedom of all, not for the replacement of the domination of women for the domination of men. Ecofeminists understanding of interconnection fosters an awareness of lines of cultural division, whether based on class, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, etc. RESOURCES: works by Starhawk; Reweaving the World. Irene Diamond and Gloria Feman Orenstein, eds. 1990; "Making Feminist Sense of Environmental Issues" in Sojourner. Joni Seager. Feb. 1991; "Why African-Americans Should be Environmentalists" in Earth Island Journal. G. Anthony. Winter 1990; Women and Environment in the Third World. Irene Dankelman and Joan Davidson. 1988
Gaia Hypothesis
Though postulated earlier by others in the scientific community, James Lovelock
has become known as the main proponent of this theory. He wondered why the
Earth's temperature has remained steady enough to create an environment fit
for life, when its temperature "should" have varied more. He theorized (in
1979) that Earth/Gaia is a conscious entity with the mission of evolving
life. If any species gets in the way of that, it is eliminated. RESOURCES: Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth, James Lovelock
Hermetic Order of the Golden DawnOne of the most influential Western occult societies of the late 19th to early 20th century. Founded in the late nineteenth century, though the founders claimed it was an old, secret German occult order. Members included Aleister Crowley, WB Yeats, and Israel Regardie. Initiate training circle, then 10 de-grees to advance through, corresponding to the 10 sephiroth of the Kaballah. During its heyday, the Golden Dawn taught the Key of Solomon, Abra-Melin magic, and Enochian magic. Also incorporated material from the "Egyptian Book of the Dead", William Blake's Prophetic Books and the Chaldean Oracles, Rosicrucianism, theosophy, and Masonry. Instruction was given in astral travel, scrying, alchemy, geomancy, astrology, and tarot. Permutations of the original tradition exist today, but personality conflicts broke up the original group. Offshoots/related groups included Golden Dawn and Stella Matutina.
Kaballah
(also spelled "Qabalah," "Cabala," and various other ways) Hebrew for "collected
teachings."
Native American"Native American" is an adjective that gets attached to many of Pagan practices these days, so we wish to point out a few things to remember about its use. First of all, we tend to think of nations like the Navajo and Hopi when we say "Native American." However, peoples such as the Mayan, Incan, Miami, Mohawk, and Eskimo are all Native American as well. There is no one "Native American" tradition -- there were thousands of nations in existence in the Americas when Columbus tripped over it, all with their particular traditions. Sweat lodges and peace pipes were/are not elements of every tradition. Some Native peoples have complained that Anglos' overgeneralizations are another form of colonization, a denial of the diversity of the Native experience. Secondly, several Native teachers have written to Pagan magazines complaining that Pagans and New Agers come to them asking for knowledge but then high-tail it out of the reservation, being unwilling to deal with the host of problems facing Native people such as alcoholism, unemployment, and extreme poverty. These teachers feel that this is "the last colonization" -- the colonization of the spirit. They do not wish to see their teachings and traditions separated from their culture or from their roots in responsibility to the community. Some Pagans have responded by pledging not to use Native elements in their work or have committed themselves to working for Native causes such as freedom of religion. Other Pagans feel the traditions of modern indigenous peoples are the property of the race as a whole, just as are the teachings of ancient Egyptians, modern Buddhists, or any flavor of Islam. This is a matter of dialogue and individual conscience, in the understanding that we have a special obligation to make sure we hear the concerns of those to whom we owe so much. Lastly, as with Vodoun and other religions, there is significant debate as to whether indigenous traditions are part of the Pagan movement. Some Native Americans do not wish to associate themselves politically with Pagans and others do -- again, there are no hard and fast rules.
Ordo Templi OrientisKnown more commonly by its initials OTO. Organized in Germany at the end of the nineteenth century and now established in over twenty countries. It was originally created to concentrate in a single order the knowledge developed by over two dozen esoteric orders. The original OTO utilized sexual magical workings at the higher degree levels and promoted universal brotherhood and liberal social reform. Alister Crowley became head of the OTO in 1923 and rewrote its rituals and teachings in accord with the system known as Thelema. The foundation of this system is Liber Legis, The Book of the Law. Thelema states that the highest will of the individual is one with divine will, hence the familiar phrase "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." Crowley considered the OTO and Thelema to be an ideal combination and the Order continues to espouse Thelemic principles today. The OTO is an initiatory society, as well as a fraternity of Thelemic magicians, but is not a school. Recommendations for study are given, but initiates are expected to learn on their own. The OTO publishes The Equinox and The Oriflame, newsletters available to the public. Extensive information about the OTO is also available on the Internet. RESOURCES: The Equinox, vol III no. 10 (Weiser, 1986, 287 pp.)
SanteríaPracticed in Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, Central South America, Caribbean Islands. Santería's proper name is Yoruva Lucumi and is practiced by people of all races and classes. It was born in Nigeria before Christianity and was exported to the New World by people who were brought as slaves. The person's initiation date becomes their new birthday, which they celebrate with guiros, tambores, food and sweets, and then proceed with edible animal sacrifices. Each Santero or Babalowo is the leader of their own following, or Godchildren (Ahijados). No group or leader has authority over any other group or leader. Mutual respect and understanding exists between all groups. They share in common the same religious ceremonies and Saints which are the same for all groups in Santeria. The Santeros do not work in cemeteries, with the bones of dead people or gun powder, or with evil spirits. The Saints that are received are called Orichas such as Yemaya Olucun, Algalluy, Orichaolo, the Melles, and others. The Saints are born with the water of medicinal and fruit leaves and of animals that can be used as nourishment.The Saints are made of stones and shells and placed within a soup bowl, the color of which corresponds to the Saint. The Saints do not inflict harm on anyone. The God of Santería is called Olofi and the Goddess of Nature is called Oludu Mare. RESOURCES: International Union of Yoruva Religion Rights, Inc., PO Bx 1158, Miami FL 33142
ShamanismThe word "shaman" comes from a Siberian term that includes both genders, but the term "shamanka" is sometimes used by Pagans to denote a female shaman. Shamans are found in indigenous cultures the world over and shamanistic techniques are in widespread use among Pagans. In traditional societies, one becomes a shaman through some form of vision quest or near-death experience, during which the individual is "astrally" torn to pieces and then reassembled. From then on they act as healer and spiritual advisor to the community. Commonly they travel up the World Tree to the spirit realms to gain information or to retrieve lost souls. They also utilize ecstatic dancing, drumming, and natural drugs to alter their state of consciousness.They almost always have totem animals and spirit guides to help. The Russian artist Vassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) was fascinated by shamans in his country and explored the theme extensively in his work with "The Blue Rider." A shaman, in the anthropological sense of the word, is not something a person becomes by reading a book. Pagans utilize many of these techniques; very few Pagans are shamans in the anthropological sense.
StregheríaStreghería (pronounced stray-gay-ree-ah) is an indigenous Italian Witch tradition that can be traced to the 14th century. The growth of Italian Witchcraft began when a peasant girl, Aradia di'Toscana, had a vision along the shores of Lake Nemi in the Alban Hills region of Italy. In this vision, the Goddess Diana commissioned Aradia to return the ancient Pagan arts ("La Vecchia Religione" or "The Old Religion") back to the people from whom the church had stolen their pride and dignity. Aradia then set forth on a mission to teach the lost arts which she herself had learned from her grandmother. She was widely accepted among the peasantry wherever she visited and became known as "La Bella Pelegrina" ("The Beautiful Pilgrim"). Hunted down by the established church, Aradia was forced to leave Italy at sometime during her quest. Her followers continued the work she, "The Holy Strega," had begun; but the movement went underground when the Italian Inquisition began its organized persecution of so-called "witches" in the 16th century. At that point, the faithful divided the teachings into three clans: The Fanarra, The Janarra, and The Tanarra. To each of these Clans was kept the practice of the three components of the art: Earth Magik, Moon Magik, and Star Magik, respectively. It was the hope of the elders that by dividing the teachings, at least one aspect of Streghería would survive the Inquisition. As fate would have it, all three survived, passed down through generations of Italian hereditary witches. Today, Raven Grimassi has been the leader in the resurgence of Streghería. A hereditary Witch himself, Grimassi has sought to re-unite the teachings of the three clans back into one full system. His system, the Aridian Tradition, is a re-assembling of the three divided Clans and a break-away from hereditary blood lineage, attempting to share the knowledge with all who are sincerely interested. While Streghe (Italian plural for "witches") consider themselves cousins to those who practice Wicca, they see themselves as separate and different. Streghe utilize the Roman or Etruscan names for deities in their rituals (Etruscan is preferred in the Aridian Tradition), and celebrate an eight-sabbat Wheel of the Year (called "Treguendas"): La Festa della Ombra (October 31), La Festa dell' Inverno (December 21), La Festa di Lupercus (February 2), L'Equinozio della Primavera (March 21), La Giornata di Tana (May 1), La Festa dell' Estate (June 21), La Festa della Cornucopia (August 1), and L'Equinozio dell' Autunno (September 21). RESOURCES: Ways of the Strega, Raven Grimassi, Llewellyn Publications, 1995; The Wiccan Mysteries, Raven Grimassi, Llewellyn Publications, 1997; Aradia: The Gospel of Witches, Charles Godfrey Leland, Phoenix Publishing. 1990 (reprint); Etruscan Magic and Occult Remedies, Charles Godfrey Leland, University Books, 1963; Folklore By The Fireside: Text and Context of the Tuscan Veglia, Alessandro Falassi, University of Texas Press, 1980.
VodounAlso called "Voodoo" or "Hoodoo." A combination of African religions and Roman Catholicism. Created by blacks brought as slaves to the Americas, especially to the islands of the Caribbean. The Vodoun pantheon contains thousands of gods, called loas. The most important loa in ceremony is Legba, the sun god, syncretized with St. Peter or sometimes Christ. Loas can be kind, wise, violent, sexual, vindictive, generous, or mean. The two main Vodoun rites are Rada and Petro. The former emphasizes the gentler aspect of the loas. Participants wear white and animals sacrificed include chickens, goats, and bulls. Petro rites are more violent and participants wear red. Pigs are sacrificed for Petro loas. Offerings of other food, drink, and money are also made. The priestess ("mambo") and priest ("houngan") serve as healers, diviners, psychologists, and spiritual leaders. They summon loas and help them to depart. Divine possession by loas and the practice of magic are integral to the Vodoun. Loas manifest to protect, punish, prophesy, give council , or cure illness. Magic is used for both "good" and "evil" purposes, though "evil" magic is not encouraged. There is no "and it harm none" provision in Vodoun. Because of misinformation, Vodoun (and Santería, a similar religion) is still a persecuted religion. Defenders point out that believers are frequently poor and animal sacrifice means they at least get something to eat. They also point out that ritual sacrifice is used in Judaism and other religions and is preferable to modern Western slaughterhouses, which have no respect for the animals "processed." There is much debate as to whether Vodoun and similar religions are a part of the Pagan movement -- the subject is included here to provide information. PEN makes no official pronouncement on the issue, though members are free to hold their own opinions.
WiccaTraditions are many and varied. While almost all traditions celebrate the eight seasonal festivals, Marian Green in A Witch Alone suggests adding Twelfth Night (06 Jan.) to the Wheel, for a total of 9 sabbats. Just when you thought you could generalize. . . .
Other traditions include regional/ethnic blendings (Baltic, Greco-Roman, Sumerian, Egyptian, etc.) and political, such as the Radical Fairy gay men's tradition. We are a diverse people. |
