Variants of Paganism

Within the British traditions, one is likely to find
variations of Pagan beliefs, largely differentiated by
deity forms.  The main groupings are as follows:

A  Neo-Pagans - Eclectic, largely unstructured groups and
   individuals who do not adhere to any specific pantheon.
B  Norse & Saxon - Those who worship the Germanic pantheon,
   including Odin (Woden), Freya, Thor etc..  Sometimes
   known as Odinists(1&2)
C  Druids - A revival of what was undoubtedly the pre-
   Christian priesthood of these isles as reported by the
   Romans.
D  Celtic - Those who worship the Celtic pantheon of
   Ireland, Wales and Scotland, including such deities as
   Lugh or Llew, Bride, Bridget, etc..

To be a Pagan therefore is to hold and believe in the
sacredness of all things, to revere and respect all life
and to cherish one s family and friends.  What better
principles for a teacher, social worker or parent?

Notes
1  In Iceland, the Aesir (Odinic) faith has been reinstated (it was the
   only state religion until the year 1000) as a state recognized
   religion.  If you are married by a Godi (priest), the marriage is
   legally binding in the same way as Church of England (Anglican)
   marriages in the UK (i.e., no civil registration is required ).
2  The days of the week are named after the Norse Gods and Goddesses they
   are sacred to:- Sun, Moon, Tiwaz, Woden, Thor, Freya and Sater.

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The Pagan Year

In celebrating Paganism as a religion, Pagans observe a seasonal cycle
of festivals which follow the progress of life throughout the year.
The emphasis is on the cyclic nature of life, i.e., birth, growth,
harvest & having young, death and re-birth.  There are eight major
festivals in the year, all of which pre-date Christianity by many
millenia and all but one of which have been adopted by Christianity.
These are described below.

SAMHAIN - 31ST OCTOBER (pronounced "sow-in"), also known by its Christian
name of Hallowe en or All Hallows Eve, is the Pagan New Year.  In
both Pagan and Christian forms it is a festival of the dead when
one remembers those who have gone before.  In Latin countries,
especially Latin-America, the "feast of the dead" side to the
festival is a major Christian event; in Mexico families go out and
picnic on the graves of their loved ones, the whole event has a
carnival atmosphere mixing joy and sorrow.  Here in the UK, the
bonfire and celebratory part slipped a week to become Guy Fawkes
night and the remembrance part a further week after the Wars to
become Remembrance Day but the sentiments are the same though as
those of the Pagan festival.  Traditionally this was the time when
animals were brought down to the low pastures and those animals
which could not be overwintered were slaughtered, salted or smoked.

YULE - 21ST DECEMBER (archaic form GEOLA pronounced "yula") the winter
solstice, the Christian equivalent is Christmas.  Marks the re-
birth of the Sun as the Star Child, the Unconquered Sun - Sol
Invicta.  In Egypt, centuries before the birth of Christ, one sect
of priests would rush out of their temples at midnight on the
solstice and announce "the Sun is born of the Virgin"(1).  The
concept has been heavily borrowed by Christians to mark the birth
of Jesus.  It also marks the turning of the year from dark to light
as the days now get longer.

IMBOLC - 2ND FEBRUARY (also Oimelc) Christian equivalent is Candlemas.
This festival marks the advance of the year away from winter and
the first stirrings of spring as shown by the flowering of
snowdrops and other early flowers, and the first lactations of
ewes.  Traditionally children would be born at this time.  The
Earth is awakening though winter may still have much force left.

EOSTRE - 21ST MARCH, the Spring equinox, Christianized as Easter.  The
day and night are now in balance, winter is finally over, seeds are
sown and the Earth begins to blossom.  Dedicated to the Anglo-Saxon
Fertility Goddess Eostre(2) whose sacred animal is the hare, whose
symbol of fertility is the egg and who is a Lunar Goddess.  Barely
Christianized, (after all, the Crucifixion of Christ has nothing to
do with Easter Eggs or Easter Bunnies(3)) as even the date of this
the most important event in the Christian calendar is based upon
the festival of a Pagan Lunar Goddess, as Easter is still
calculated to be the Sunday following the first full moon after the
Spring equinox.

BELTAIN - 1ST MAY (pronounced "bel-tinna") May Day.  It is interesting
to note that there is no Christian equivalent to Beltain but it has
always been an important folk festival with maypole dancing and
merrymaking.  A major fire festival, it celebrates the "coming of
age" of the Sun and his symbolic mating with the Earth Goddess to
provide the harvest later in the year.  In olden times it was a
very important fertility festival.  The timing was important as
children conceived now would be born at Imbolc and therefore there
would be fresh food and milk available for the lactating mother and
the child would have the summer to develop before going through the
hazards of winter.  This was also the time when the animals were
taken back to the high pastures, and shepherds would be away from
their families for a long time.  Beltain remains a time when
couples, both those just starting on a life together and those of
many years standing, turn to love.

SUMMER SOLSTICE - 21ST JUNE (archaically Litha, but still sometimes used),
Christian equivalent is St John the Baptist s day.  The high point
of the Solar Year, this day celebrates the Sun at his highest
point.  The wheel of the year now turns once more towards the dark
of winter.  The festival is often marked with bonfires and with
symbolic contests of strength between teams or individuals
representing Summer and Winter(4).

LUGHNASADH - 1ST AUGUST (pronounced "loo-nasa") Lugh's Feast(5),
Christianized as Lammas (literally loaf mass).  This marks the
beginning of the harvest, when the first sheaves are cut.

AUTUMN EQUINOX - 21ST SEPTEMBER (archaically Modron) Christian equivalent
is the Harvest Festival.  Marks the end of the harvest, the cutting
of the last sheaf and the final turning of the year from light to
dark.

Notes
(1)    See Frazer s "The Golden Bough"
(2)    Means East or Dawn.  Possibly same as Astarte and Ishtar.
(3)    Hares in fact, rabbits were only introduced to Britain after 1066.
(4)    Games are usually things like tug-of-war or football where the
   whole town or village is involved.
(5)    Lugh is also known as Lug, Lud and by other phonetically similar
   names.  London is named after the God Lugh as are such places as
   Lugate, Ludgate, Ludchurch,  Ludlow,  etc. (all in UK but most
   European countries have similarly named cities and towns).

... Pagan Federation - desdrw@cix.compulink.co.uk