| There are almost as many denominations to
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| | the pentacle. Pagans use this symbol much
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| Paganism as there are to Christianity.
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| | like Christians use a cross or crucifix.
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| Within Paganism, there are a large
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| | Unfortunately, this symbol is also one of
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| variety of beliefs, dieties, and
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| | the most misunderstood! What the pentacle
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| concepts. However, we (much like
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| | symbolizes to pagans is the four elements
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| Christianity) have certain core values
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| | of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, and the
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| and beliefs that are central to paganism.
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| | point at the top symbolizes Spirit, which
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| Some of our core beliefs include:
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| | is in everything around us. The circle
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| Respect For Nature
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| | around the 5 pointed star represents
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| A Belief in Harming None (including both
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| | unity. While the pentacle HAS been used
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| yourself and others!)
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| | in Satanism, Satanists use the pentacle
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| Belief in Deity or Deities (differs
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| | with the point facing DOWN. Pagans never
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| depending on denomination)
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| | use the pentacle in this manner...the
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| Mutual Respect for All Life
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| | point is always up! (See more information
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| A Belief in "Magick"
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| | about this in the What we are NOT
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| While some pagans believe in only one
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| | section.
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| Goddess, and one God, others may believe
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| | Pagans generally celebrate 8 "sabbats""
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| in ONLY a Goddess, or ONLY a God, or MANY
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| | (or holidays!) a year. These are covered
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| different Gods and Goddesses. Also, some
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| | more extenstively in our Holidays
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| pagan paths are more centered on working
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| | section. We also celebrate 12 "esbats" a
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| "Magick" (the ability to make things
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| | year as well. An esbat is a celebration
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| happen using willpower and nature) than
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| | of the moon, usually when full. We
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| others. Generally speaking, pagans of all
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| | celebrate the moon, because it is a
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| denominations are kind, caring
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| | symbol of the Goddess, and it carries her
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| individuals that believe that it is wrong
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| | power with it.
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| to harm any living creature (including
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| | Pagans also have "alters", but these are
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| plants!). We believe in the law of
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| | not evil, archaic things. These are
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| three...which tells us that whatever
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| | usually a simple table or stand where we
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| actions we do to others, will be brought
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| | place our important magickal items, such
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| back upon us threefold. So if we do
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| | as incense, a chalice (which represents
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| something bad to someone else, it will
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| | the goddess), an Athame (dagger) which
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| come back to us three times as bad.
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| | symbolizes the god, salt to represent
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| Pagans are very earth-concious, and live
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| | earth, incense to represent air, water,
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| in harmony with nature. They see nature
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| | and a candle to represent fire. There may
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| as a living being, and want to treat her
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| | also be other items that a pagan may
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| with kindness and respect. Pagans also
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| | place on their alter to help them with
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| come from all walks of life...there are
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| | their rituals.
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| rich pagans, poor pagans, black pagans,
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| | Pagans do "rituals" at major sabbats,
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| white pagans, indian pagans, old pagans,
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| | esbats, or sometimes for other reasons
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| young pagans...you get the idea! In fact
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| | such as handfastings (pagan marriages),
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| you have probably met many pagans on the
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| | wiccanings (pagan baptising!), or other
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| street and didn't know they were pagan!
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| | special occasions. Ritual usually only
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| Most pagans do not actively show their
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| | involves casting a circle, calling upon
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| religion, for fear of being outcast or
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| | the diety, calling upon the 4 elements,
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| ridiculed by friends or family. Some
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| | and carrying out the ritual itself (such
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| pagans even lose their jobs, or worse,
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| | as thanking the diety for the harvest,
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| just by admitting that they are pagan.
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| | etc). Now, mind you, rituals and ways of
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| Pagans (including Wiccans, which is a
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| | doing ritual vary greatly between
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| denomination of Paganism) sometimes also
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| | denominations and individual pagans.
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| refer to themselves at "witches". This
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| | Some pagans do belong to a "coven", which
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| can really intimidate or scare
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| | is a group of pagans who worship the same
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| Christians, as they imagine witches as
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| | diety, and have the same purpose and
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| being evil or cruel as history portrays
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| | mindset in doing magick. Although some
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| them. This is absolutely not true, and is
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| | pagans belong to covens, the majority of
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| only a stereotype. Many Wiccans are
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| | pagans are solitary, which means they
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| reclaiming the word 'witch' as a word of
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| | work alone.
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| power, believing that this word has been
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| | These are the basics of what paganism is.
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| unfairly maligned. There are people who
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| | Obviously I cannot cover every topic on
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| use the term 'witch' who follow a
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| | paganism without writing an entire book,
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| spiritual/religious/ethical path, but who
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| | but I hope that this article helps you to
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| are not specifically Wiccan.
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| | understand the truth of paganism.
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| The most common symbol for paganism is
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