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I
see a path amongst swaying grasses and bobbing bluebell
heads where the sunshine sparkles more brilliantly
than in any dream or vision, dancing through the
whispering leaves and cascading along a myriad of
patterned trunks enrobed in mosses and lychen. The
flowing stream murmurs stories of the clouds and
shimmers with light and dark mysteries. The shadows
are rich and deep, seeming to sink into worlds yet
unknown and playfully enticing the imagination to
follow. The colours here are so vibrant no artist
could desire for a more bejewelled pallet, and the
voices of Nature are so enchanting no composer could
ever truly describe with man-made instruments alone. But before you kick off your shoes and dance amongst the flowers sit down awhile against this tree : the trunk is broad and firm and the canopy of branches shield you from the heat of the sun. Feel the support of the tree against your back, close your eyes and allow yourself to feel... feel the roots sinking down into the ground, just as the branches reach up into the sky...take your time and under the shelter of your tree ask yourselves the following questions.... What does 'Pagan' mean to you? What are your current belief factors concerning the Divine? Do you worship any Gods / Goddesses? and if so do you view Gods and Goddesses as living external entities sat around waiting for us to make contact? or do you consider the Divine to be all around us? part of us? that we are the God and Goddess? Are
you drawn to any particular folklores / traditions
/ mythologies? Do
you believe that Gaia is a living entity that we
are all part of? How do you view your role in society / the universe? Can you look around and feel what lies beneath all the artificial packaging of today's society? How do you feel when you immerse yourself in Natural surroundings? What do you sense? what do you see? what do you hear? what do you feel? what do you smell? Are you aware of the continuous cycle and necessity of Life and Death? Do you respect and appreciate life in all its forms? These are but a handful of questions you need to ask yourself when setting out on your path - there are no 'right' or 'wrong' answers, only answers that are true to you. Chances are you've probably been walking along your very own Pagan path for some time without realising it. The more questions you ask of yourself, the more you will learn about yourself - and the more you will learn about your path. Get out and experience your surroundings - whether you're an urban or country dweller you will find plenty to observe and experience to increase your awareness and understanding of yourself and your part in the world around you. A Pagan Path is unique to everyone who walks it and no two paths are identical - just as everyone is an individual, every path is individual, and there is no map except the one we carve for ourselves. We choose what scenery we view, what tastes we experience, what dreams we enact. No one book can tell you how to think, feel, act or see. There are no rules imposed by strangers - we are in control of our own actions and must take responsibility for every step we make. Does this mean that we do not have rules? of course not! but they are our own rules, our own choices, our own ripples... So now that you've asked yourself these questions kick off your shoes and dance in the flowers. Discover your path with all your senses - just don't stop asking questions. All paths are lifelong learning experiences - the more we immerse ourselves in learning and discovering, the richer our paths will be. Wherever your path leads and whatever form it takes, may your journey be a blessed one.
Related
Articles : Sacred Spaces An article by Blackhawk - "As the sun breaks over the horizon on a crisp midsummer morning, light exploding upon the land and casting into sharp relief the age-old standing stones which form the ancient monument of Stonehenge, we are reminded of the history and the power of that specific location...." Read More A Garden Shed for a Temple An article by Gillie Whitewolf - "It would be wonderful to have my own sacred little space situated in the lap of Nature - perhaps approached along a barely visible path amid an array of wild flowers and rambling brambles......" Read More 21st Century Pagan... An article by Blackhawk - "We live in an age of rapidly-increasing industrialisation; technology is evolving second by second, infiltrating the daily lives of almost every single human being on the planet..." Read More Visualising Visualisation - an article by Gillie Whitewolf - exercises for learning and improving your visualisation skills. Read Young & Pagan - an article by Ash - "For many people today, the stereotypical image of a pagan is usually a crone, living in a cottage in the countryside, with a voluptuous dress and a walking stick, picking wild herbs in a her garden..." Read More
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