Within this area of the Mysts, you will find information on various components within the practices of Paganism.  As I am (and always shall be) a Seeker, there is a variety of works here as I explore various paths and continue to seek out my own.  Please explore freely and with an open mind - there is much to be learned here for Travelers and Seekers alike.

Paganism encompasses beliefs and practices associated with the worship of nature; and may take many forms, including pantheism (belief that the whole of reality is divine), polytheism (belief in many gods), and animism (belief that natural features of the world are invested with divine power).

In its simplest form, Paganism is a religion based on Nature worship and ancient indigenous traditions, with the number of Pagans, particularly in Britain and North American, growing at a considerable rate.

Religions that fall under the Paganism classification include, but are not limited to: Asatru, Druidism, Chaos Magic, Witchcraft, Goddess Worship and other Nature Worshippers.

Historically, the adherents of the three major monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) have applied the term "pagan" to the indigenous religions they encountered in the course of their expansion.  However, most of the misconceptions and prejudices of the "Christian" and general population towards Paganism are based on false information and misrepresentations by media and Christians alike.

True Pagans are NOT cultists or occultists or evil or uncivilized.   In fact, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word pagan comes from the Latin pagus meaning "from the countryside" and from the Latin  paganus meaning "civilian".  The truth be known, it was the "Christians" that gave the initial negative connotation to the word paganism (i.e. anyone who does not follow the Christian religion is godless and somehow involved with Satan - a totally Christian concept).  This coupled with the tabloid mentality of newspapers, magazines and movie makers only serves to fuel the fire of misinformation.

Although the history of Paganism dates back thousands of years, generally what we have here in North America is  known as "Neo Paganism". This integrates combinations of  very old and very new belief's and rituals.  While in Europe you will tend to find a more true Paganism because the people there are more inclined to remain true to the old ways.

Practiced in this context, the three main principles reflecting the basic beliefs of many Pagans is as follows:

	Love for, and Kinship with, Nature as opposed to the more customary attitude of aggression and domination over Nature.  Pagans hold a reverence for the life force and its ever-renewing cycles of life and death.
	The Pagan Ethic of "Do what thou wilt, but harm none".  Paganism is a positive morality, not a listing of thou-shalt-nots.  Each individual is responsible for discovering his/her own true nature and for developing it fully in harmony with the outer world.
	The Concept of Goddess and God are expressions of a Devine reality and provides for an active participation in the cosmic dance of both the female and the male entities, rather than the suppression of either the female or the male.

But enough from me.  Let us begin to explore the various components of this varied and "earthy" religion.

Pagan   /   Wicca    /   Voodoo

Water dowsing, spiritual divining, alternative medicine, chromotherapy, map dowsing for minerals, lost treasures or missing people, stock market dowsing, astrology, finding sex of unborn children, quality control, general querying systems - these are just a few examples of activities in which pendulums and divining rods can be utilized