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About Paganism / Witchcraft

I realised in a recent conversation that I do not have anything about Paganism/Witchcraft as an introduction that is readily accessible:   this page is my attempt to rectify that. 

I will add to this over time. 

As a starting point, here are a few key links, including some giving background about me: 

 

And following are some introductory notes I have used from time to time. 

 

Paganism - a brief introduction  

Paganism is often described as an earth-based religion – which means reverence for the Earth, Nature, and the seasons - and that is the aspect of Paganism I am most strongly focused on. 

However, Paganism is a broad umbrella, and not everyone shares that focus. In getting an understanding of that variety, what I have found most useful is a “classification”, proposed by John Beckett in 2014 in “The Four Centres of Paganism”   https://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbeckett/2014/05/the-four-centers-of-paganism.html ,   which proposes four major groups, which are:  

  • earth-centred;  
  • self- centred (including those seeking personal growth: my training as a Priestess was that we live in order to experience life, and thus should embrace it and seek beneficial experiences, and generally seek to be ‘all that we can be’ – which also leads to widespread [but not universal] inclusivity, including of LGBTIQA+ people);  
  • Deity- centred, which includes those who revere the Goddess, the God and Goddess (often referred to as Lord and Lady or the Lady and Her Consort), and polytheists, who are subdivided into two further categories:
    - those who see the Deities as archetypes (termed ‘soft polytheists), and
    - those who see the Deities as being as real as the Christian God (termed ‘hard polytheists’); and  
  • Activist-based (i.e., making the world a better place, including environmental and socially progressive activism).  

 

This system was brilliantly reorganised in “The Four Centres of Paganism Reimagined”   https://worldtreeheritage.wordpress.com/2021/01/24/the-four-centers-of-paganism-reimagined/     

For some of the other options, see   “The Three Pagan Centres”   http://www.patheos.com/blogs/allergicpagan/the-three-centers-of-paganism/   &   “The Three (or more?) “Centres” of Paganism”   http://www.patheos.com/blogs/allergicpagan/2012/05/23/the-three-or-more-centers-of-paganism/   (2012)      and   “The Three Centres of Paganism”   https://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbeckett/2013/06/the-three-centers-of-paganism.html   (2013)   and   “Ancestors”   https://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbeckett/2012/10/ancestors.html   (2012)      

Another excellent outline is   “Every Major Pagan Path Explained”   https://symbolsage.com/every-major-pagan-path-explained/   which classifies Paganism from the point of view of practices and worldviews      

There are also named or identified paths within Paganism, such as Wicca, Gardnerian, Druidism, animism, pantheism, etc , and there is also an argument that Paganism is just a politically acceptable term for Witchcraft, but I consider that a simplification - albeit with a significant amount of truth. 

In my case, the named path I am most familiar with, having been a member of it in the past (and becoming an initiated Priestess) and subsequently rejoining, is Wicca. To illustrate the difference between Wicca and Christianity, one analogy that is often used is:  

  • the Christian Deity is the potter that made the world, and then put it aside, whereas, to a Pagan, the world is the cloak that the Goddess (i.e., the female creative Deity) puts on in order that we may know Her.   

 

The rites and rituals of modern Paganism generally focus on celebrating the seasons and the phases of the Moon, but there are also specific rituals for socially progressive / political outcomes,. Including an attempted “psychic” binding on former US president Trump. That ritual was somewhat controversial within Paganism, as some adhere strongly to the view that one should never do harm, as stated in the ‘Wiccan Rede’. (The most commonly quoted form of the ‘Wiccan Rede’ comes from a long poem, and is: “An’ it harms none, do as ye wilt.”) In my case, I was a social and politically progressive activist for many years before I became a Pagan. (I was also strongly committed to personal growth [e.g., see here and here], which is also often a key part of many of these paths.)  

(On practices, most of the magickal and ritual practices used by Pagans today trace back to the ancient Greeks [Socrates, Plato and Aristotle were, in effect, Pagan philosophers, something the Canadian-born and Pagan philosopher Brendan Myers has written about] via the religion of ‘Hermeticism’, and possibly, according to authors such as Mitch Horowitz, ancient Egypt. I’ve not seen much that I would attribute to the ancient Romans [there is some], but they were definitely Pagans in the modern sense of the word – which is ironic, as the word is derived from the Roman term of contempt for a ‘country dweller’: pagani.)   

There are also problems within Pagan groups/religions, as there within every group/religion. In addition to the normal interpersonal conflicts, one is coming to terms with the changes that inevitably happen to all faiths over time – for instance, in much the same way that most Christians don’t follow most of Leviticus literally, the idea of sacrifice is reinterpreted by most Pagans in a way that avoids the taking of life (in fact, many Pagans are vegetarian or vegan to honour non-human life).   

There have also been disputes as to who is / isn’t covered by the term Paganism.   

Incidentally, one of the put downs thrown at Pagans by the Christians was that we were seen (still are, probably, to some) as idol worshippers. That it is not the case, any more than a Christian genuflecting to a Crucifix is: symbols and allegories are known to be such by most Pagans, but the reverence for this world is real. The accusation of being ‘idol worshippers’ came from the Old Testament and was carried on by Christians of the Dark Age/Middle Age era. Similarly, Pagans do not worship Satan, as Satan is part of Christian beliefs and is not recognised in Paganism.   

In terms of problems experienced by Pagans, that can include:  

  • Not being recognised on forms – for instance, some hospital forms used to change “Pagan” to “no religion”. At least some now include Pagan, but inconsistently change it to “Paganism”, not recognising that under such an approach “Catholic” should be described as “Catholicism”. Pastoral care in such places seems to be a “one size fits all” approach, which (in my experience) fundamentally doesn’t apply when one’s faith is based on reverence for the planet rather than a Deity (i.e., the first group listed above);  
  • Failure to understand that Pagans will usually have home Altars that are as sacred to us as the Christian’s Altar in a Church is (this is a potential problem during rental inspections and police searches);  
  • False claims – e.g., that we “worship” the Christian concept of “Satan”, or that we are extreme hedonists;  
  • Indirect biases such as local Councils setting attendance requirements that act against unpaid clergy (which is why I am not a member of Darebin Council’s interfaith group - I was told I was not taking matters seriously unless I stopped work early and travelled to their meetings);  
  • Magnifying problems: for instance, Australian Paganism was tainted by a child abuser who is now – fortunately - in jail, which has been used, in my experience, to raise concerns about all Pagans – which would be the equivalent of accusing all Christians of being child abusers because of a few Priests who were;  
  • Failure to recognise Pagan celebrations (I know one company was working on developing a system where employees can swap public holidays based on Christian celebrations for their own religious festivals – which would also be of benefit to other religions, such as Islam and Hinduism);  
  • Failure to recognise Pagan events such as handfastings (I understand official celebrants have to go through a course under the Attorney-General’s jurisdiction, but there appears to be a certain amount of automatic acceptance if one has been qualified under a mainstream religion that is not extended to minority religions) or acceptance into Pagan forms of ministry.  

 

On the latter, as mentioned I was initiated as a Priestess in a Wiccan Tradition, and was First Elder of another Wiccan tradition (which I actually wound up over administrative concerns I had). I still occasionally use the title “Rev”, but only where it is directly relevant (e.g., discussing theology).   

My work as a Priestess included facilitating the creation of the Hope, Peace, Love and Prosperity Spell copied in below.   

For more personal information on this, I did an interview on the community TV programme “Harmony in Diversity” (URL http://harmonyindiversity.net/), which can be seen at:  

(Each part is fairly long – a little over 20 minutes.)   

In addition, there used to be a national advocacy body (Pagan Awareness Network, website at http://www.paganawareness.net.au/), but their website doesn’t appear to have been active for a few years, although they may have been active on facebook (which I am not on). One group which does appear to have resumed at least online activity is Spheres of Light, in NSW – website at https://spheresoflight.com.au/SOL/.   

 

Hope, Peace, Love and Prosperity Spell (used on the 11th of each month)  

HOPE 

May the winds of hope bloom  

Sweeping away despair & sorrow  

So that life again may grow  

Building a better tomorrow  

May hope clear the air and end  

The darkling clouds of fear & pain  

And bright beginnings send  

That we may dare to dream again  

May what was dark & overcast  

Be now renewed & once more whole  

Freed from all limitations past  

Healed by hope within the soul  

Awake now hope!  

Spread wings & fly!  

Cleanse & liberate my heart!  

All things are possible and I  

On wings of hope shall claim my part. 

 

PEACE  

May the Fires of Peace burn bright  

Giving light when the world is darkest  

Putting hate & bigotry to flight  

And laying prejudice to rest  

May the light of peace melt away  

the encrustation of violence and bitterness which holds sway  

So often in the worlds events  

May peace transmute & tame  

Unruly aggression and arrogance  

Subdue them in humanities name  

To give the future a decent chance  

Thus I say and Thus I pray  

And Thus I will it to come to be  

I pray and work for peace this day  

For all the world, for you, for me!  

 

LOVE CALLING 

May Love like water pour Forth  

Filling my heart and soul  

Flowing out over all the Earth  

And making all things whole  

Love as deep as the ocean  

Clear as the mountain lakes  

Crowning all other emotion  

The Thirst of Humanity slakes  

Love enters & heals the anchoring heart  

And Washes away its pain  

Thus clearing the way for a better start  

To reach out & Love others again  

Fill me oh love, like a cup to the top  

Fill the world as well like a sea  

That I may know love from the world without stop  

And all the world know love from me  

 

PROSPERITY BLESSING 

Prosperity high as the mountains fastness  

Prosperity rich as the fertile ground  

Prosperity deeps as the caverns vastness  

Prosperity wide as the World round  

Prosperity helps heal the hating heart  

Prosperity helps heal fear  

Prosperity fosters the peace-makers art  

Prosperity I call you here!  

Prosperity come make us feel secure  

Prosperity helps us love peace  

Prosperity help us the future ensure  

Prosperity I pray you increase  

Prosperity I call you to manifest now  

Prosperity rumble & shake!  

Prosperity now in my life I allow  

Prosperity like an earthquake!  

 

(The reason that prosperity has been included is partly because Pagans see the world as a place that tends naturally towards abundance – provided we don’t abuse Mother Earth! – and that we should share, rather than have ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’; and partly because of the history of inequality in many wars.)   

 

 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below, and there’s also other options. Also, I am now on SubStack 

Note that I am cutting back on aspects of my posts - see here. 

(Gnwmythr is pronounced new-MYTH-ear)   

Remember: we generally need to be more human being rather than human doing, to mind our Mӕgan, and to acknowledge that all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk & accept that all insistence on the use of “trans” as a descriptor comes with commensurate use of “cis” as a descriptor to prevent “othering” (just as binary gendered [men’s and women’s] sporting teams are either both given the gender descriptor, or neither).
 

#PsychicABetterWorld   and   may all that I do be of value and actively BPM used for and by the nonphysical  BPM  because   #KindnessIsThePoint   

 
Copyright © Kayleen White 2007-2025     NO AI   I do not consent to any machine learning aka Artificial Intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language model, machine learning, chatbot, or other automated analysis, generative process, or replication program to reproduce, mimic, remix, summarise, or otherwise  replicate any part of this post or other posts on this blog via any means. Typo’s may be inserrted deliberately to demonstrate this is not an AI product.     Otherwise, fair and reasonable use is accepted under Creative Commons 4.0 on an Attribution-ShareAlike basis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/