r/paganism

im just curious to see what people think since ive heard some of both ends

kinda curious, how many of each there are here

so that's why i asked

I’d like to ask those who worship gods of Mesoamerican Paganism a question: How do you perform pre-ritual purification in your practices? No matter how much I search through the sources available to me, I can't find anything. I would appreciate some help.

Besides the obvious (different gods) what sets Heathenry apart from Irish paganism? Or Hellenism apart from Kemeticism?

Specifically for Heathenry and Irish paganism, are there different core values? Different world views? What *makes* somebody Heathen or an Irish reconstructionist besides just worshipping Germanic or Irish gods??

So, some disclaimers before my rant/question.
1: I haven't found an answer for my question specifically
2: I'm still new to paganism

So, I've been agnostic for years now only because something has always felt wrong about atheism personally as I believe there is more than just the world and all, but I cannot find anything that has felt 'right' to me, y'know?

Well, my boyfriend is pagan and it's given me much insight regarding paganism, specifically Hellenic and Norse, and I developed some interest into Norse paganism, but it never seemed like what was calling to me. Though, it has been the closest religion to do so.

Well within the past months I had doubted a lot of it, but began to play with the idea, "creating" the idea that there is a god over what I do at my workplace, and began to treat it as such and I noticed when I 'gave offerings' to it, my workday went smoother, but if I showed anger towards it, nothing went right. So, I felt like there was truth to paganism and began researching more, once again, nothing felt right.

I looked into Germanic paganism, and it should be mentioned for any nerds into this (like me) that I had made a Germanic based constructed language which led me to wonder that if I made my own branch of Germanic paganism, through my con-lang, and made it, not by what I wanted, but what felt true, if I could believe it. I've began writing and it has almost begun to feel like I'm not the one writing it but something more is writing through me. I can't brainstorm any ideas for the "stories" of the gods in it except for how it should be laid out, but I write and then I read it and am shocked by what I have wrote, I don't know really what is going on and am seeking advice on this, some of the gods within this don't even exist in other sectors of Germanic paganism yet I can now feel a presence from them like they have always existed.

(And just a fun fact to throw in, I've even been able to trace back my pure paternal side to Freyr from Norse paganism?)

I guess what I'm asking might be, if it is possible to create a true branch of a pagan religion that has existed for millennia, or if I'm just going crazy, or maybe I'm mistaking it for another branch already existing?

Please help, it will be very much appreciated :,)

I had an interesting dream the other night, basically saying work with Venus and after process of elimination and a few tarot readings myself I discovered that the dream I had was referring to the planet Venus. I have taken a long break from spirit work so I honestly don’t know anything about working with a planet. What are your experiences working with this planet?

Hi all!! As I was closing up at my work, I noticed the sound of a bell three distinct times, all in different places. It was the sound of a small bell, sort of like the one that chimes when you enter a store. Once, in the back of the store (where I was alone), I heard it clear as day in my left ear, as if it had been rung right next to my head. I absolutely interpret it as a spiritual sign.

I’m wondering what it may be implying though. I think the movie Hereditary got into my head (the demonic force in that movie is heralded by the sound of a bell ringing) so I am just a tad worried it could be the sign of a malicious entity or a bad omen.

For background, I have been practicing various forms of paganism for the past 8 years, and I worship the goddesses Freyja and Artemis. I have never worked with bells in my practice and do not have one on my altar. I have never in my life experienced a sign this clear and intentional, so I am curious to see if anyone has any insight, or if they’ve experienced something similar. Thank you for all of your help!!

So I’ve struggled with my religious identity for a long time due to religious OCD kind of ruining certain aspects of religion/spirituality for me. I love tarot and astrology and crystals they’ve been my staples through all of my religious escapades over the last 6 years. I cannot do deity worship it just doesn’t work for me in a Christian, Hindu, Buddhist or Pagan way. I just don’t fully believe in the divine contacting us that personally. I’ve made altars, I’ve been to church I’ve been to temple I’ve begged anything to show me a sign it was there and I’ve never received an answer. That seems like a huge part of paganism though and I’m not sure I can consider myself a pagan/witch not believing in divine sources connecting with us. Now I’ve come to terms I’m probably pantheist/animist but I feel like in all those stories of old gods and new they interacted with people but now in this age they do not and it makes me wonder if they were ever there. This is more of a “does anyone else feel Similar or struggle with this” post because most posts I see on this and the witch sub are deities and spells which are two things I struggle with the most.

I am just curious...I was told I can't be pagan because I'm only 1/2 European, and pagan gods don't represent people like me. Is this true, or just some racist crap someone made up? My heart aligns with paganism, and I feel connected to my native American ancestors, and European ones, as well as some pagan gods. My whole house is decorated in pagan decor, and that is just where my heart is, but I am not white enough to be pagan to some people. Hearing stuff like this makes me feel like I can't be part of any pagan community, and I really want to bond with people and meet other pagans.

Hi yall Im a fairly new Pagan, and I have a qeustion i hope someone can help with. I had a Spirit guide reading by a family member that does them for a liveing and she was told that my spirit guides said to "Use my Celtic lore to better myself" and that a part of that was to build a altar so my qeustion is how do i start and what is the best way to build one with things that my guides/deitys want on it?

I am looking for an Asatru priest to officiant our marriage ceremony. I am in the Palm Springs, CA area. we have been searching without much luck. Does anyone know of one or how I can go about finding one?

basically just title. so far ive been working with Lady Minerva and Lord Mars since They are both warriors so idk I made that connection (lmk if im wrong in thinking that though). would there be any others that you folks might recommend? if it helps, I lean more towards roman, hellenic, and kemetic deities but tbh im open to anything

I find nature worship so calming in my pagan path, but Buddhist meditation and other practices also pull me. Can I combine the two?

Okay, so, I am thinking that a dragon is watching me. My reasons being is that I'm slowly getting back into my dragon hyperfixation and that I saw I garter snake a few days ago. While yes, garter snakes are common, but personally, I haven't seen a snake in my area in years. I'm genuinely lost and I need help.

Both the books Drawing Down The Moon by Margot Adler and The Spiral Dance by Starhawk are beloved by many pagans. They're some of the most well known books on pagan topics. If someone says they want to learn about paganism (either interested in possibly practicing a pagan religion or just learning about it from a "what do they do?" lense), Drawing Down The Moon is mostly, if not always, recommended. If someone says they want to read a book relating to earth based paganism, eco activism, and/or feminism in paganism, The Spiral Dance is commonly recommended. Both books seem to still be in print.

So I live in Arizona state, USA, and I want to support local/small businesses. I don't want to order online or buy from stores like Barnes & Noble. I was looking for a copy of DDTM, and eventually bought it online. I'm still looking for a copy of TSD.

Here's where I'm confused. I went to 4 different metaphysical shops in my state. None of them had a copy of either. One store even claimed to be a bookstore (but only about 30% of their stock was books). One store even seemed to be a store run by a family who clearly knows their shit and isn't trying to just make a quick buck from gullible folks. I also called a few other metaphysical shops to ask if they had a copy of TSD. None had it. Sedona Arizona is a town known for lots of new-age, hippy, metaphysical, etc. shops, events, and folks. One place was a spiritual bookstore that seemed to have all sorts of religious books. Even they didn't have it. It didn't even seem like any of these shops had any in stock at one point in time and sold out.

Okay, fine, I'll have to buy a copy of TSD online and I'll just have it shipped to someone else's house so my parents don't see. No problem. But I'm still confused and frustrated. I just want to physically go to a store and buy local.

Does anyone have a thought as to why these shops don't have these books?

You may see this in several groups, but I’m really in need of some advice and help. I have this dream of becoming a writer, and I wrote something unique — a dark fantasy story — and it has gained a small but loyal group of readers on a reading app called Wattpad. There are no more than 30 of them, though. And I appreciate every single one of them, but there’s nothing wrong with wanting more.
I have a very strong connection with Lilith and Santa Muerte. I serve both of them at separate altars, and everything has been fine. But lately I’ve been feeling completely drained and exhausted because I promote my book day and night, yet getting recognition is incredibly difficult. I have very big ambitions, but I feel like my hands are tied and I genuinely don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do now.
A literary agency signed me, and they’re currently sending my manuscripts to publishing houses, but nothing has come from it so far. I’ve done rituals for success, recognition, and so on… but nothing. And yet, in my dreams, spiritually speaking, I keep having dreams about achieving great success and other things that, if I told people about them, they’d probably call me selfish or worse.
I even dream that sometimes — and it feels almost like visions — I sign six-figure contracts for my book.
What I’m really coming here to ask for is the wisdom and advice of those who know more than I do. What would you do in a situation like this, when nothing has changed for over a year?
It’s genuinely frustrating. I don’t know what else to do. I’ve already tried everything spiritually: baths, rituals… I even paid a witch for a success ritual, only to find out they were a scammer. So yeah, hahaha.
I just hope no one makes fun of the way I’m venting, and honestly, any advice — or even just a few simple words you’d like to share — would mean a lot to me.
Sending you all a hug.

So I don’t really know how to put this but I’m so eclectic I’m almost chaotic. Earlier this month, I had this random enlightenment cycle in my head about how God was the energy around us and the Earth itself, meaning it’s embedded into each atom of existence and nature of the universe we live in. “God made Earth and creation”, so I argued that earth was god. It’s a concept we as humans used to understand things around us before we fully comprehended it. We are god and god is us, we make our own reality. Which was already in line with my understanding of quantum mechanics and manifestation. Then I realized that falls under Satanism. Atheist Satanism to be clear. Only issue with that is that I was worshipping Hellenic deities right before this. Now my belief system is clashing with itself in a way it never did. I still love Aphrodite and Apollon and all they’ve done for me but I’ve never been one for worshipping anyway. It was almost practiced. And I know they’d never make me stay especially if my path seems to be somewhere else. I even spoke to my ancestors and they were saying I’m aligned now, something they said I wasn’t before. I’m just a stickler for comfortable things, even though I know that spiritual journeys aren’t always going to be love and light. You’re meant to be confused sometimes, doesn’t mean I’ll be inclined to keep going. It also conflicts with my idea of deity work with my ancestral practice that was severed in my lineage (Orishas & Obeah)

Hii so I recently told a friend I am now a devotee of Mother La Santa Muerte, but the next day she got sick. What does that mean...