Converting to Paganism; a Journey Home

Most followers of a Pagan religion are not born into or raised following a Pagan path. There are varied reasons as to why one chooses to follow a Pagan religion, just as there are varied

traditions and practices within Pagan religion. Among these various traditions and practices there are commonly shared beliefs such as respecting all life, the honoring of male and female energies, a Father God and a Mother Goddess and that all things within the universe are interconnected. Pagan religions also share an ethic of self responsibility in doing as you choose, so long as it brings no harm to anyone or anything.Among the first hand accounts of a group of practicing Pagans of varied levels and years of experience, the majority were raised within the teachings of main world religions such as, Catholic, Baptist, Christian and Protestant religions.

One first hand account is that of someone that could be said to have been born into Paganism, Daphne B, a 49 year old, who feels she is not Wiccan nor technically a Witch, but more Episcopagan,considering herself as a nature based but starry eyed mystical type stated, “ I come from a long line of traditional wise woman healers and herbalists from Appalachia.My ancestry are mixed from the British Isles, France, Germany, Shawnee and Cherokee, my personal motto pretty much sums up my attitude,,hold all sacred”

All at some point questioned the beliefs and practices of these main world religions due to a

feeling that their own beliefs and ideas did not agree with those of main world religions, Shara H, a Wiccan since her early teenage years stated, “ Christianity in general, started not to feel right” Denice Gold, a 64 year old who was raised in a Baptist household and is currently a coven

member, High Priestess and Wicca teacher stated, “I always wondered how we can all be sinners, everyone of us? How can a baby be born a sinner.”3 Jamie S, a 26 year old , baptized Catholic and raised in a Christian household, stated, “Why, if God is loving, are we supposed to fear him and why does a god that wants us to love one another tell us to wage wars. No one had an answer I could agree with.”Jamie is currently a practicing solitary Witch of two years and soon to be student of Beginning Wicca 101 at The Pagan On line Campus, a reputable on line metaphysical educational facility which has been said to have a dedicated, knowledgeable staff of instructors,most favorably noted for his easy going humor that makes learning enjoyable is the facilities Wicca class instructor.

Timothy.M.Redfern,also known as Tigerdancer de Cannibius a 46 year old, who was first

exposed to Wicca ten years ago and is currently a solitary practitioner of Wicca for less than a

year, stated, “I was raised fundamentalist Christian and had every intention of going into the

ministry...at age sixteen I adopted a hippie lifestyle. I have found that the hippie philosophies I

learned 25 and 30 years ago fit hand in glove with the beliefs and precepts of Wicca.”

Lacking satisfactory answers, those who questioned the differences of their own belief and

feelings of what made sense in comparison with the teachings of main world religions, searched for their own answers. FP, also known as Lady Bleu, stated, “I started looking more into the aspect of the Holy Spirit that had been taught to me, not mich was found other than “it” was all around us and in everything.” Lisa C, a 44 year old student of Wicca and tarot, stated, “I felt the need to learn and develop myself spiritually.”

Many of those who found Pagan religion in their search for answers to define their spirituality felt that Paganism gave a name to an unidentified spiritual calling within them. R.T, also known as Morgainne DragonMoon, a 51 year old practicing Celtic Eceltic Wiccan for twelve years ,who has attained third degree rank of High Priestess/Elder, stated, “I had been reading cards and working with pendulums since my early teens, I read up on Occult subjects, dreamed dreams, and saw visions; but I did not think there was anyone else quite like me out there.” FP, also known as Lady Blue, stated, “The more I studied and learned the more I realized this was what had been missing in my life, I embrace the Goddess in a way that I now know has always been inside me, I just did not know what is was that I was feeling.”A 33 year old known only as Ravenhawk Shadowfeather, who is a teacher and Elder Priestess of the coven Hoof and Horn Dragonsway,Stated, “I heard the call of the ancients when I was very young.” Krish H, also known as Turtle, a 58 year old member of an Eclectic Pagan circle, who has been officially a practicing Pagan Witch for fifteen years, stated, “One day, as I like to say, the Goddess smacked me upside the head and said “look over here child” so I looked and found there were people who believed as I was coming to believe.” Those who found Pagan religion and define themselves as Pagan, regardless of the Pagan tradition they practice, did not decide one day to convert from a main world religion to a Pagan religion. The Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary defines the word convert, in part, as “Someone who changes their beliefs or habits” and as “to cause something to change in form, character or opinion.” In this context to claim that any of the first hand accounts that are the sources of this paper, are people who converted to Paganism, is unfitting.

Most describe their embracing of a Pagan religion as a feeling of coming home. Jamie S, stated, “When I began studying Paganism and Wicca, it truly did feel like I was coming home.”Mary S, a 35 year old Eclectic solitary Wiccan who has been practicing for five years,stated,“like many Pagans before me, I have always been attracted to Paganism, even before I knew it existed as a religion.” Dough H, a 57 year old Wiccan practicing for about eight years, who while searching for answers regarding his spirituality, found a book called “A Witches Bible” and stated, “...everything