Merry Meet!

From my greeting you may already know that I follow an Earth-Centered Spirituality. It’s a common greeting among those of us who follow this path.

I am a Pagan. The quick and easy definition: One who does not follow the three major Abrahamic religions. That means I’m not Christian, Muslim, or Jewish. In early Christian times, Pagan meant country dweller. A derogatory name suggesting the person was uneducated and prone to superstitious mumbo jumbo rather than the sanctioned religious tents of Christianity. I’ve become an apostate. A person who has abandoned their religious faith.

At least the faith of my family and friends.

I’m often asked how I could change my religion. The people at the Southern Baptist church I attended with my parents consider me a lost soul. But I have found that by following my heart and what feels right to me, I’ve begun to live a life of joy. I’m not lost. In fact, I’ve never know better where I was going. Not to mention, feeling freer and more in tune with life and spirit than ever before. For me, the Divine is revealed in nature. The Divine gives nature to us to renew our spirits, follow its teachings, and gain insights into our own lives. Nature teaches us that although it can be hard, life is also joyous.

But, for those of us following the Earth-centered path and living in a Christian-dominated society, let’s be honest. It’s hard. Damn hard. To tell or not to tell becomes central to our personal as well as business relationships. Who can we trust? Who will think we’re crazy? Who will be afraid?

Who will hurt me?

Most Pagans know of or have experienced at least one act of discrimination or intolerance. From as subtle as a stare when wearing a religious object to loss of home, children, and jobs. Christians have successfully won custody from their Pagan spouses even when the children are obviously better off with the Pagan parent. Judicial and societal prejudice is not as easily challenged when something out of the ordinary is involved. I’ve experienced this prejudice first hand myself. Few of us remain untouched.

In these posts, we’ll explore ways to approach the people you want to tell about the path you walk, what it means to you, and how to explain your religious choice. We’ll go through some of the myths that Christians believe about Pagans and how to dispel them. We’ll discuss ways to show them the similarities in our faith and theirs. We’ll look at some of the ways you may be able to tell when you shouldn’t say anything as well as few things to decide before you walk into a new situation. Finally, we’ll learn ways to live a life of joy, tolerance, peace, and harmony with all of the spiritual energy around us.

Bright blessings and merry part ‘til merry we meet again!

Asha