Beginning the Pagan Path

This is an informative and personal article dedicated to all those who wish to know some good tips and tricks to begin the lifestyle and practices as any pagan, from celtic to wiccan.

The life of a pagan holds an infinite amount of mystery, spirituality,, and of course, magick. You may or may not know this, but "Paganism" is somewhat of an umbrella term, used to describe all of the "smaller religions," mainly the occult, that are not one of what is considered a main religion such as Christianity or Buddhism. Although Paganism may have many branches, such as Druidry, Thelema or Wicca/Witchcraft, I have noticed that each one has the same (or very similar) fundamental beliefs and practices in which they use to guide them on their personal path of spiritual enlightenment.

For anybody who wishes to begin their spiritual journey as a pagan, it is very important to know and to remember that no matter what you learn from your cult, the pagan life is not set in stone; it is your own personal journey. The different cults may have guidelines in which to help you on your spiritual path, as well as ways to practice their types of magick, however the beauty of paganism is that it is open to those who wish to explore more than one version of paganism, and does not pressure or confine you to one cult. For instance, if you follow the practices of Thelema, yet your style of spell-casting is Druidry or Wicca, you will not be judged nor will you be kicked out of Thelema, as it is not a religion that you are pressured to follow as a group, moreso that you are encouraged to pave your own path of beliefs and magick. This is helpful through the fact that many of the pagan beliefs hold similar life values and fundamental beliefs for practice.

Out of all of the pagan beliefs, I have seen that there is one major similarity; the respect for the earth and all that lives on it. As a pagan, one of the biggest keys to practicing magick is to recognize the power of the forces of nature, the universe, and to respect that which is beyond our capability to currently understand. It is important for those who begin their life as a practitioner of the pagan beliefs is that they are not in control of the universe, that the human spirit is not the center of the universe, but that it is connected to the universe and all of its elements. 

The importance of being connected to the elements is best shown by the Wicca pentagram, the five pointed star with the top pointing north, and although the top point does represent the human spirit, the points while rotating clockwise represent water, fire, earth and finally air. When one uses the pentagram for part of their ritual, it is very common for the practitioner to - once drawing the pentagram - connect each point in a circle which represents the connection and the need for unity between the five - including their spirit - elements. (For more information about the pentagram, its meaning as well as some quick tips of how to draw a pentagram for your own spiritual endeavors, look at this website "Pentagram and Pentacle Defined for Beginning Wiccan" right here: https://exemplore.com/wicca-witchcraft/Wicca-for-Beginners-What-is-a-Pentagram-or-Pentacle). 

Another fundamental belief that many cults share in is that one of the biggest laws of the universe is that there is, and must always be, balance, and whatever you put into the universe, be it a healing spell or a hex, the intentions behind it will be returned to you by the universe, and thus the balance is maintained. This is a fact that a lot of beginning practitioner of paganism or magick forget or aren't taught, that the power of karma is real, and whatever you do, be it an action during your everyday life or releasing an incantation into the universe towards somebody, the karma of those actions will be returned to you by the universe either through positive or negative events of any and all sizes. As a result, every beginner of the occult should be aware that the forces of nature and the powers of the universe, will make sure that what one gives, they will receive in order to keep the world in a balance.

No matter what order of paganism you are in, there are a few practices that all beginners should know about, as well as how to execute them. If you choose to have a teacher, all good teachers will tell you that it is important to know these fundamental steps, which are finding your soul (where your magick is coming from) and finding your center, best accomplished through meditation. Both finding your center and finding the location of your soul are of equal importance, so bear in mind that it doesn't matter which one you as a beginner find first. As long as you find and practice to master these two steps, you will have what may be arguably two of the most difficult steps in practical spell-casting complete. Of course, these two first steps of practice have different tactics in which they may be accomplished, due to the possibility that one step may be harder or more confusing than the other to achieve.

The reason why finding your center is so important, is because when you do wish to execute a spell, you must be free from distractions, from the outside world as well as your mind. When you find your center, you are able to put your full focus into the spell or incantation you are working to conjure. The most straight forward way of doing this is by sitting, or laying down, in a comfortable position in which you are closest to the ground whilst breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. However, a common struggle from many beginners is the ability to clear one's mind for meditation in the first place, as well as maintaining that clear mind throughout their meditation period. A tactic that I have used (and still use on occasion), is what was taught to me as a thought explosion. Here are the steps to complete it:

Thought Explosion

1. Get into a comfortable sitting position, either with your feet planted on the ground, or your legs crossed. An alternative position is to lay down flat on your back, with your legs still straight, and arms bent comfortably either by your sides or over your chest or stomach.

2. Close your eyes and begin to focus on your breathing. Whenever you breathe in through the nose, visualize all of your distracting thoughts, in any form, coming together into a bright ball. Allow any and all thoughts that you have show themselves to you one last time before entering the ball. Do not stop this process until there is nothing left but the ball in the center of your mind, and everything around it being blackness.

3. Once ready to release your thoughts, inhale once more through the nose. However, when you exhale, visualize that one breath hitting the ball of thoughts like a missile, causing the ball of thoughts to explode into millions upon millions of tiny shards flying into the air and disappearing into nothingness.

Ideally, you would only need to use this "Thought Explosion" only once, however do not feel discouraged if this doesn't work the first time. Just continue to practice the Thought Explosion until you feel like your thoughts are completely gone, and all that is left is you and your breathing.

Similarly, the importance of finding your soul gives you a good indication on what style of spell-casting you may be dominant at. Remember that although there are many types of spells, such as attraction spells, healing spells, and protection spells, there are two main sides to magick; the light side (also known as right hand or white magick) and the dark side (also known as left hand or black magick). There are two main different places where your center is; one is where your heart is, and the other is at the back of your neck, right below the back of your hair line. 

If the location of your center is by your heart, it means that you are dominant in the peaceful magick practices such as protection, finding balance, and healing, which is also known as right hand or "white" magick. In other words, you use your heart, emotions, and your care for humanity to lead you in your path as a pagan. On the other hand, if the location of your center is at the back of your neck, it means that you are dominant in the more aggressive magick practices such as influencing or manipulative other people's behaviors, hexing and giving bad karma a little push towards a person for one reason or another, which is also known as left hand or "black magick." In other words, you use logic, facts, and past experiences to determine how your magickal powers will be executed, be it for your own gain or justice.

Before I go any further, I must point out that there is nothing wrong with being a right hand or a left hand, nor is there anything wrong with exploring the opposite hand of magick that which is not your dominant. Magick is not all good, nor is it all bad. One must find the balance between the two in order to live and work peacefully between the two, even if you lean more towards your dominant hand of magick. Of course, it is very important to read and learn as much as you can about both sides of magick so you have an understanding and respect for both sides of magick, and remember that whatever intentions you have while your magick is practiced will be returned to you from the forces of the universe.

Although finding where your primary source of magick will first come from can be somewhat easier than finding your center, there are some who struggle with this practice, so the practice that I was given was very helpful which I will call the "Magick Sensory Exercise." Here are the steps to complete this exercise:

Magick Sensory

1. Get into a comfortable sitting position, ideally with your feet planted on the ground shoulder width apart, or sitting in a cross-legged position. (Note: cross-legged doesn't mean you have to lift your feet onto the opposite knees, they just need to be criss-crossed).

2. While breathing in through your nose, and out through your mouth, focus on your breathing, and clear your mind, preparing it for meditation.

3. Once your body is peaceful and your mind is cleared, focus on the warmth of your body that doesn't need to be there. Visualize either a wave or surge of energy flowing through your body. As that is happening, search through your body and find the spot that is the warmest, either by your heart or on the back of your neck, close to your head.

4. If you are not sure where it is coming from, hover your subdominant hand (or the colder hand) over your heart, then over the back of your neck. Alternate between the two, and compare the heat signature you receive from your subdominant hand. The one that is warmer is the dominant side of magick.

Please be aware that the center of your energy, or the focal point of your magick, is subject to switch back and forth over time, however the first time you find where your energy originates, it tends to be where your biggest and best use of magick is. It may be confusing, and it may change overtime, but do not despair if you have trouble finding it in the beginning, for even the most advanced pagans had setbacks. 

So, in conclusion, whether you decide to choose the path of a Wiccan, a Druid, or even a Satanist, remember that the universe is a beautiful thing that deserves respect, and that with enough practice and a willingness to to learn and to be ever open-minded to new ideas, the Pagan lifestyle is your choice to make, and a spiritual journey filled with mystery, spirituality, and of course, magick.

Author's Note

This article is a mix of things I've been taught by word of mouth from my various teachers, as well as personal experiences and my own spin on the beginning steps of living as a pagan.