r/NonTheisticPaganism

Hi, everybody. I've been eyeing this subreddit for awhile, but only yesterday decided to join.

I really really like the idea of a non-theist paganism, but I won't deny that a part of me finds it a bit of a contradiction (my statement is a contradiction within, too)... So, if you feel like sharing it, I would like to know how you overcame this feeling (if you had it in the first place, of course) and/or what non-theist paganism generally means for you.

Also, since the title of this post wasn't meant to be clickbait, what I meant with it was: don't you ever feel like appropriating something that obviously was actually religious? Don't you ever feel like it is disrespectful to make it "mundane"?

I'm Italian and even though my family isn't particularly religious, everything in our culture is soaked in Catholicism. I've made a lot of effort to distance myself from it, to become more rational and skeptical, especially because Catholicism really had an harmful impact on me growing up (I've developed OCD when I was in elementary school, now I'm 29 and still working on it). So, for me is particularly difficult to approach something like this without being afraid of disrespect, even towards gods/deities I would otherwise say I don't actually believe in. It's difficult to explain, especially in a language that isn't mine, but I hope you can understand me anyway.

The reason I'm still thinking about this and not renouncing to any form of spirituality whatsoever is that I'm trying to coming to terms with the fact that I need it. Also, I love culture(s) from this point of view, I love anthropology, folklore, mythology, etc...

Thank you so much to everyone replying. 🫶🏻

Hi! Kinda long post here.

I have felt drawn to the workship of a cat-like archetype since the begining of my journey. I feel a conection to the associations of cats, both traditional and personal. I tend to see the cat as a guide. This is kinda funny but i ask myself often "what would a cat do in this situation?" and it really helps me aling with my true self.

I have never been consistent with any devotional practice, but lately I'm feeling drawn to it. I have become interested in giving offerings routinely for example, but I'm having trouble "shaping" the idea of who or what I am offering to. My belief system is all over the place honestly (still finding my path) but i resonate both with animistic and pantheistic beliefs. It would be okay for me to consider that I workship an unknown syncretic cat spirit type of thing (which is what i have been doing) but it feels like i'm lacking some kind of structure, it feels disconected in a way.

I like the idea of devotion to specific spirits, but I haven't found anything that feels right. I already thought about Bastet, Freya and Hecate, but i came to this sub for a wider scope, because those don't seem to convey what I'm looking for. Also i don't love the idea of gods, i understand them as energies, spirits or archetypes but it doesn't really resonate with me. I would consider a god as a figure if i found a fitting one, tho.

The concept that I associate with cats is a housekeeping spirit, tied to intuition and perception and also boudaries, both in the sense that they are creatures that walk along boundaries, but also in the psychological sense of standing your ground. I feel drawn to the homelyness, the contection with the senses, the attunement to one's desire and feeling and the capacity to act on it freely. Also the thight relationship with witches and witchcraft (i practice it).

I'd like to know if anyone has any idea for me, something that could fit what i'm looking for, whatever shape or form it is.
Thanks for reading and I hope you have a nice day.