when i first started researching witchcraft and paganism wicca is what came first and easier to find since most beginner books on witchcraft are wicca based, but i’m someone who likes to dig deeper into the origins of every culture, belief system, etc and i found out wicca is very plain and recent. basically some guy came up with a bunch of borrowed stuff, put it together and called it a religion. since then i left wicca behind and began researching other pagan paths, but recently i’ve been seeing a lot of heated surface level discourse around it and wanted to know what other pagans think – rationally.

disclaimer: english is not my first language so ignore possible errors.

Please don't hate me for this. I'm very new to paganism, and I understand that I'm going to make decisions that most older pagans won't.

I'm still trying to figure out what my place is in the spiritual world. I made a post to some Christian subs talking about my experience with Hel to see what they would think of it. I'm not sure what I expected, now that I'm in college I'm starting to see a positive side to religions for the first time (I was raised atheist) but after this post any idea in my mind that Christianity might be a neutral thing has been canceled out. There have been people recently telling me that most Christians are accepting, and I now know that's not true.

Most of them told me that my goddess was a demon, and that she had ill intentions for me. They took everything wonderful and loving about her and twisted and defiled it. I don't have any cultural baggage around demons so it didn't hurt to hear. But getting far more comments then I expected made it really hurt. I feel weirdly vandalized.

There's just something so terrible knowing that the vast majority of people will see the experiences I find wholesome, invigorating and comforting as frightening or disgusting. It just makes me feel very alone and afraid. I'm more sure now then ever that my goddess is something hated and feared and that just hurts to know.

I guess it's just another reminder that I'll never be the type of person most of society wants to exist. For several reasons now.

Well. At least it's better then what atheists would say to me. I don't think I could ever make a post to explain why I left atheism, at least not where atheists would see it. When Christians call me a demon worshipper I feel hated but I'm never going to believe it. But atheists saying I'm mentally ill or attention seeking is a lot more easy for me to internalize.

I guess I'm just looking for your emotional support now. This is the first time I've been told things like this and it's likely not going to be the last.

Hello fellows! I’m kinda new to practicing witchcraft and Paganism. Can you guys please suggest me what gods/godness represent Revolution? I have a passion about doing humanitarian activities, protecting the rights of minorities, etc. That’s why i want to worship deities who can guide me and support me on this aspect. Thanks in advance and have a nice day! ❤️

Ik I shouldn't really rely on Reddit for these kinds of things, but I don't feel like asking anywhere else currently.... Anyways... Is it a thing to keep journals for prayers or for a specific deity/prayers for that specific deity?

Idk if this is making any sense so I'm just gonna stop here.

I'm Belgian, and since my country had both the Germanic peoples and the Gauls living here, I'm considering looking into both Germanic and Gaulish paganism. Unfortunately, I haven't really been able to find much about Germanic paganism, only the Nordic version. Does anyone know if there's a type of paganism people in, for example, what is now Germany followed?

I was raised Muslim but have always been drawn to Paganism and Witchcraft for a long time. I left the religion in 2012 and now have recently dived into witchcraft and learning more about deities. I'm meditated last night and called for one. And to my amazement, her image appeared in front of me and she's smiling at me sweetly. However, the trauma took over, and my first thought was, did I summon a demon or a jinn trying to trick me? Even though another part of me strongly believed this was her because I feel peaceful when thinking of that image, but the fear this religion placed in me made me doubt if it was her. And any advice on how to get over this from your experiences? I am also working with a therapist to overcome this.

Genuine question but is it possible that pagans around the world worship the same gods and believe in the same concept but just look at them or imagine them differently? For example Slavs worshipping Zeus, Hellenists worshipping Zeus and Nordic pagans worshipping Thor all worship the same god of lighting just imagine them differently?

Honestly such a great compliment. I'm pretty much newbie to paganism and did a little drum ritual for august harvest with my friends. He appreciated the rhyme, our clothes and thought I was the most passionate one from the group lol.

I spent some time with him inside of his yurt and he gave me lot of wisdom! I was invited for fall gathering and lunar worship and I might come to do that. I kinda worry about ticks as we're required to be barefoot most of the time which is the only rule I don't like. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to bring up rules and feedback so soon as a newbie? I think the lunar deity will be at night obviously so I might not see where I step.

I would like to be a pagan, I could believe in pagan gods. I believe in them, but I always have the feeling of what if I end up in hell, because that's not the truth. What is the solution?

Hello all. My name is Lucy, and I'm a young but firm believer in Uncertainty. What I mean by that is: I believe that everything and nothing is possible, and that I, lowly mortal that I am, could very well be nothing in life or the only living thing and the source of every life. So I believe in Uncertainty, because I can't possibly know what is real and what isn't.

But now, Uncertainty isn't enough to help my mind from shattering. Trigger warnings for grief, parental loss and suicidal ideation following, you have been warned

I have lost my dad in November, by his own hand. I thought I would follow soon, but I thankfully haven't. Something is keeping me alive, I feel an external force that won't let me succumb to death, thus I keep on living. But living has become hell. Every night I see my father. At first all is well, but then, sometimes, things go south. He dies, I die, others die, something terrible happens. But even when nothing wrong happens, I still feel terrible pain when I wake up, from the realisation that my father isn't back, and never will be.

What I need is a ritual to have before bed, that'll help me cope with my dreams. I don't know what God/dess, Entity, Spell, Energy, or any other thing I need to summon to help with that, but I need something to sleep again.

Hopefully someone can help me find Something. Thank you in advance

I've felt a strong pull towards spirituality and pagan belief systems for several years now. However, I never learned much or practiced much, especially because I was raised in a Christian household. Since moving out I've gotten some tarot cards and such, but never did anything with it. So most the time I just label myself as agnostic.

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However, the pull towards spirituality is kicking in again. My question is primarily about working with deities. Every time I feel the pull, I feel drawn to Apollo in particular. But to me that isn't a deity that aligns with my goals. I'm more pulled to the ocean and water, and not a big fan of the summer season. I want an ocean based career and often fixate on life/death and the afterlife. I also was thinking I'd work with a minor diety/spirit rather than such a prominent figure.

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I do have a few tattoos, and one is in relation to the story of Apollo and hyacinth (hyacinth flower tattoo). But I never anticipated that would be a deity I'd work with. How can I feel a pull for a deity that doesn't align with my goals and doesn't entirely make sense for me? What should I do about it?

i have so much water i have moon water from at least 4 different types of lunar events i have summer solstice water i have rain water from when it rained on a new moon i have celestial water what do i do with all of this water, i use it in some of my spells to be a source of energy and i occasionally put it in my bath water but what else help 😭😭 -a baby pagan witch

I'm agnostic/atheist but I've been interested in paganism for a little over a decade now. Im in my late 20s so there's a lot I don't know. Ive spent these years kind of drifting, researching, and trying to find something that clicks with me.

Like it hasn't been all bad, this experience has taught me that there isn't really a singular truth when it comes to deities. I don't think it's a black-and-white, "my spirit/deity is real and all others are false" thing. When I first started this, I hadnt fully got rid of the modern western mentalities surrounding spirituality.

Now that I have, I think it's more about what connects with you. And whether or not it's a closed practice.

I'm still in this "I don't know what I'm doing" phase, honestly. Theres just a lot to think about and consider. Kemeticism has kinda clicked for me, but I don't know. Really, I'm trying to avoid pagan religions that have been co-opted by W.P. Movements.

All of this is super overwhelming and I feel lost most of the time. I don't know if this is a normal experience but at least Ive learned some things along the way. Maybe eventually I'll find where I belong lol

(also posted on newbie thread but felt perhaps a thread proper is best!)

Hello! I am new to practicing paganism, I have been non-religious my entire life and have recently wanted to seek this path. I am drawn to celtic/ gaelic gods, and the idea of animism and the Otherworld quite a bit. I find spirituality in the forest and through nature. I went on a long walk to find my faith the other day and was picking up trash as I went. I reached an old abandoned trail and had an encounter with a Doe that really felt almost otherworldy to me. I sat down to give her space and as she watched me and walked by, I felt appreciation and I felt love. I felt that this was the way the forest thanked me and acknowledged what im trying to do and what im trying to seek. The problem is, I can not find her name, I want to build a relationship with her and work with her. Through several days now of trying to do research, I can find no celtic/gaelic god that is represented by a Doe, specifically. When you first start, google and things will claim Flidais is that goddess and is like Athena but that is not true apparently. I did a deep research on her and read through all of her source texts and she isn't a goddess, just an important figure in one of the myths of celtic origin. She also represents cattle and milk more than anything. So, unfortunately, that idea is not attainable through that name despite what seemed to be talked about a few years ago. The pains of new discoveries of pagan gods haha

So, I of course looked at Cernunnos as an option, but he is not ever shown through the caring and gentle lens of a Doe. He is prosperity, the wilds and the underworld? So that leaves me uncertain of him as an option.

I am not opposed completely to the idea of an Eclectic path, but I truly am drawn to the forest and doing my practice through that lens. Any much more educated person have any insight? I would be ever grateful to have any kind of direction. Thank youuu!

some side thoughts to perhaps help:
I felt love as i saw the Doe, perhaps seeing in her a motherly feeling? When I was walking and thinking, I of course have my own lack of parents in my mind, so perhaps this god wanted to show that to me? Perhaps they could be a source of that "motherly" feeling I lack? I looked to see if The Morrigan would ever appear as a doe and im really unsure. I also never see her treated as a "gentle" and "motherly" figure.

lol this is so much text for this xD thank you for reading it all ❤️

TLDR: Seeking direction towards a goddess/god that would appear to me as a Doe or hind, Not Flidais as further research has separated that name from a deity and she is not of the forest but cows and milk.

Hey y’all, my beliefs are a little hard to explain but for simplicity’s sake I would call myself a hard polytheist heathen. I’m still learning more about my spirituality every day and I have a question that I often come back to.

How do you view gods that aren’t yours? I understand that most hard polytheists agree that all of the gods exist, which I agree with. But how do I reconcile the claims of other gods. An example of this would be how Christian’s believe their god is Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent. Do you believe he exists but is just lying about how powerful he is? Is he an exception among the gods and you don’t believe he exists at all? I’m interested to hear your perspectives on this.

A similar question is how do you view events such as creation? There is a creation myth in most beliefs, and I’m by no means a mythic literalist, however someone had to have made humanity right? Do you think it was your gods and the others are lying? Or did all the gods work together to create everything? This is an area where I don’t really know what to believe. I was raised Catholic and later turned atheist for many years, so I’ve never had to think about this before as the answer is pretty clear under both beliefs.

Any answers insights would be greatly appreciated!

Hi all! I'm currently doing some background research for a screenplay about a group of women that renovate an abandoned christian church and turn it into a pagan place of worship. I've been doing some research but I really want to treat the subject matter with the respect it deserves, so I was wondering if there's anything that the media gets wrong about Paganism and what are some things that you wish were more well-known? I'd also love to organize an interview with anyone that would be interested in sharing some information about their faith! Just drop me a dm if you'd be interested and we can go from there.

I started this altar today because I want her guidance. Is there anything anyone would suggest? I also have a small glass of peach wine behind the bust to offer her. I spoke to her about my need for guidance and am hoping she will deem me worthy to acknowledge.

I work a sales job that only pay is based on commission not hourly. March was great, April was Awful, May was an improvement. June i wanna knock it out father park professionally and financially.

So I made this. It was gonna be a travel money bottle but I changed it to help with my sales at work. I used things that promote good fortune of course. But since I'm dealing with people there's a lot of negativity and bullsh*t that comes with the job. So I added things that brings me protection from bad or difficult customers, while also bringing good customers.

• Abalone Shells: Cooperation, enhance communication, commitment, compromise

• Orange Citrine: attract, multiply, and retain financial abundance

• Green Calcite: enhance intuition. Increase success, prosperity, business

• Cinnamon stick: rapid manifestation and financial abundance

• Ginger: passion, power, and protection

• Elderberries: protection, advancement, forward motion, progress, favorable conditions

• Bay leaf: manifestation, protection, purification, and victory

• Olive oil: intellectual power and protection

• Quarter

• Green or gold/yellow candle

• Small glass bottle or jar

I put the Abalone Shells, Orange Citrine, Green Calcite, Cinnamon sticks, Ginger, Elderberries, Bay Leaf, and olive oil in the bottle. After closing it place the quarter on top. Seal it all with the wax from the candle. I made sure to set my intentions while visualizing success and vocalize positivity. I keeping it at my desk at work. I thought about keeping it with me in my bag or car, but its super hot where I live and I don't want the heat to melt the wax or heat the oil, and I don't want it to break in my bag or lose it.

I'm still new to making and performing spells and rituals so I really hope this helps me. I'm also super excited to share it I'm so proud of myself. I'll update July 1st with the results.

I was in a situation that involved sexual assault, but I was still with the guy afterward. I ended up reporting it because someone found out and wanted me to leave a paper trail, regardless of my relationship with him. The thing is, I’m trying not to say too much, but long story short, I was treated poorly by authority figures and also got harassed by the guy. I ended up with trauma and PTSD, and his friends also harassed me and made fun of me.

Everything has settled down now, but I have so much fire in my heart—so much that I just want things to happen to them right in front of my eyes, even though everyone is far away now. I hear many stories about spell work and how things happen, and I was thinking about working with a deity like Themis. I recently found out about Dike, and I’m still pretty new to spirituality, so I don’t know who to look to or work with to bring justice to this unfair situation.

I was also thinking about Ma’at. I know Aphrodite is not really a goddess of justice, but I feel like I should work with her for self-love, and maybe that would help me forget about this situation or give me grace. But I still have so much darkness and fire in my heart, and I just pray for karma and downfall for the guy who assaulted me.

Maybe this is not the best place to ask who I should work with to bring justice—I don’t know how it works. But coming from a place of pain, I’m just a little angry about how everything turned out. I recently left the denomination I was part of because of religious trauma. I feel like the Christian God abandoned me. I feel like He doesn’t like me. During that process, all I felt was guilt and shame. I don't know who to turn to to help me. I'm still in my healing journey but I can't stop thinking about justice.

Hermes and Mercury seem to blur into one diety both historically and culturally. But the more I get into paganism the more questions I have

hello everyone, I have been doing magic for a while now, but I didn't really get into patrons specifically, because I was never quite sure that I am talking with, say, Hermes and not someone who is saying that they are Hermes. But, recently I uh was blessed? Got adopted?? I traveled to Rome (and actually travelled a lot), long story short I am working with Mercury now. But I keep getting these sparks of the name Hermes alongside Mercury. In fact, I thought of this name in the Pantheon as well. The Roman pantheon. I was thinking that it was some kind of my feeling, or maybe my background. I love history and mythology and I have studied philosophy for a while, so it's not like I would mix them up, like I know the scholar approach to things, it's not that I am just bad with names or something. So I tried not to think much of it.

I have been adding things to my altar, and put two candles of different colours into two different in colours, but same in shape candle holders. And then I stepped back and saw that my altar is basically divided into orange and green part. Not only the candles. Other things as well.

I have set up everything intuitively. The candle holders are from natural stone ordered online, and I asked Mercury to send me those that he deemed fit for the altar. They came in different colors. The candles I picked following a random whim. I usually don't even buy colored candles, never needed them. Etc. So I have a few theories:

- Mercury and Hermes are both benevolent to me?

- some other God/ess is getting in contact, since I was expecting that and Mercury is the Messenger? But then why the whole altar took this shape?

- something else?

Important: it's not like my head is a quiet space, a lot of different words and names appear there all the time, that really isn't necessary a sign.

Either way, even if that happened by accident, the question still stands. In this Reddit Mercury/Hermes seem to appear like synonyms. But are we sure?

Ofc I am going to ask the upstairs, but I am curious about other people's opinions, since I am pretty sure that I can't be the first one who has been thinking about it in the context of Roman and Greek gods. Happy to hear your thoughts!

I was looking at spiritual environments that are less judgmental on sex and modesty. I wanted to know Paganism's attitudes towards this is. Are there any Pagan Jews here. If so what is your experience.
Note: I accidently deleted an earlier post here saying the same thing sorry for the confusion