Pagans, I need your help!?

Question

Hey, my name is Dania. I have a couple of pagan-based question.

1. What is the point of rituals?

2. What do you do your rituals on?

3. Any good pagan info sights?

4. Good pagan music?

Answer 1

1. The point of ritual is to continue the energy current that has been passed on through the Tradition. It is used to help one commune with the deities or spirits and to distract you from the outside world and focus on your intent. In other words it helps you focus upon the thing being done.

2. I don't do rituals but most ritualists do their rituals in sacred space upon a sacred altar, it's not always that way, but it can be and is mostly done in those places.

3. I would suggest:

www.thewica.co.uk

www.wica.timerift.com

www.geraldgardner.com

www.doreenvaliente.com

4. I would suggest Tina Malia, Loreena McKennitt, and Kate West and the Hearth of Hecate.

Answer 2

Okay, here is my take on these.  Realize you will get about as many different answers as you have pagans answering as we all have different ideas about how to do things.

1.  The point of rituals are many.  First off is that rituals honor the gods.  There are rituals for the moon phases, where you honor the moon which is a symbol for the Great Goddess.  Then there are the seasonal celebrations where you honor the seasons and, if you wish, the various deities associated with those seasons, then the cross quarter days and the deities evoked by them.  There can also be rituals to mark certain times in our lives like First Blood for a girl, puberty rights for boys, motherhood, birthing, marriage, parting, funerals, etc.

2.  Not real sure what you mean by this question.  If you mean what I think I pretty much answered this in #1 also.

3.  Check out www.witchvox.com - it is a central site for pagan groups both live and on the internet all over the US and maybe even the world.  They have links to many sites regarding paganism and probably even links to pagan music recordings.

4.  I don't know of any pagan bands, per se.  Almost anything can be good pagan music unless it is obviously Christian hymn based.  Many pagans like Enya and Moreena McKenna's music.  I know of a band called Golden Bough that has some really good pagan music on their recordings, even though they are not pagan.  I know there are others and, again, witchvox and probably lead you to them.

Answer 3

1. I presume by Pagan you mean Wicca and NeoWicca ( noting that there are many other Pagan religions ).

However in general rituals are meant to put one in alignment with the Gods.

One of the most well known theories as to why this is so comes in fact from the 4th century AD from the writings of a philosopher called Sallustius. In it he says ( about 1700 years ago )

XV. Why we give worship to the Gods when they need nothing.

This solves the question about offerings and other rites performed to the Gods. The divine itself is without needs, and the worship is done solely for our own benefit. The providence of the Gods reaches everywhere and needs only some congruity for its reception. All congruity comes about by representation and likeness; for which reason the temples are made in representation of heaven, the altar of earth, the images of life (that is why they are made like living things), the prayers of the element of though, the mystic letters of the unspeakable celestial forces, the herbs and stones of matter, and the offering of the irrational life in us.

From all these things the Gods gain nothing; what gain could there be to God? It is we who gain some communion with them.

2. Errr.. anything that we designate to be a holy place and an altar

3. Oh quite a few:-

(a) http://wicca.timerift.net/

(b) www.witchvox.com

(c) www.mind-n-magick.com

(4) www.ecauldron.com

(5) Wildhunt blog

4. No idea

Answer 4

From a heathen perspective:

1.  To give the gods the honor they are worthy of.  To fulfill our obligations based upon reciprocity.

2.  Honor the gods.  Honor our family.  Honor the wights.

3.  Depends upon what you're looking for.

4.  Tyr

Answer 5

The point of most rituals it to get in tune with the time of the month or time of the year and to come together and commune.

In our tradition, we re-enact many of the Egyptian tales of the Gods on the Sabbats. The moons we do are private.

Most Pagan sites I know of are bunk.

Sadly, there is no good Pagan music

Answer 6

Hi Dania,

The most common ritual is the daily offering, which

is done to show love and respect for the Goddess...

if done properly, She will appear to her followers and

spend a few moments with them. This is a feeling

beyond all description.

Other rituals are done for the usual reasons such

as to celebrate the Solstice, weddings, marriages,

funerals... sometimes, a special ritual must be done

to deal with a type of suituation that I'd really rather

not mention here.

I do recommend the website for my Temple, if you

don't mind all the history... but the religion is 8000

years old, so there's a story there to tell...

http://www.cybele2.com

Finally, about music... here are some suggestions...

it's all very etherial New-Age, with lovely female vocals,

ancient cultural sounds, and Pagan-based concepts

and lyrics.

If you go to CD Baby, you can listen to the first 2

minutes of each track before you decide to buy, so

there will be no suprises.

For Celtic:

Loreena McKennitt, both The Visit and Ancient Muse

are her best disks. (But Loreena is actually a mix

of Celtic and Eastern sounds.)

Kate Price, the Isle of Dreaming. (It's dynamite). Better

voice than Loreena and more Celtic sounding.

Aine Minogue, Celtic Pilgrimage. Features Gallic

language songs. I can't understand a word of it, but

it's terrific.

For Egyptian:

Ani Williams, Shemah - The Calling. Ani comes

from northern Arizona, plays Celtic harp, but the

sound is pure ancient Egypt, in a smooth new-age

way.

For Middle Eastern:

Stellamara, The Seven Valleys - This one is one

of my favorites. Great ancient Middle Eastern flavor

without any excessive percussion. Lovely vocals.

For Aegean Sea area (Greece/Turkey):

James Gray, Ancient Journey. Majestic beyond words.

You're sailing with the ancient Greeks to the island of

Samos. No vocals.

Paul Avgerinos, Words Touch. This will put you in the

realm of the gods for sure. No vocals.

Best wishes,

Jean

Answer 7

1) To bring us closer to our faith by doing a devotional.  Setting time aside from our usual life, to do something INTENTIONAL for our Gods.

2) What do I do them on?  A table .... ?  Not sure i understand the question, fully.

3) PLENTY!  Truth be told, i'd start with wikipedia, as it lists the various pagan religions.  I myself can suggest goggling up Asatru, Celtic Reconstructionalist / Druidry, Theod, Hellenic / Hellenism, Kemetic, and Nova Roma.

4) PLENTY, but alas I can only suggest the ones I listen to, which are all Asatru (And each member has a hammer swinging around his neck)

And you can look their videos on youtube ^^  Each band is different from the next, so if you don't like one, try the other:

korpiklaani (folk metal, swedish I believe)

Tyr (Folk metal, Faroese!!!)

Fintroll (Strange folk/polka metal, finnish)

Einherjer (Viking metal, Swedish)

Hedningarna (.... very hard to describe.  Closer to traditional folk music)

And also i may add you may want to check out Therion too, as their music can fit nearly any pagan situation, and have songs on EVERYTHING out there. (Symphonic Metal, the original and best!)  

Answer 8

1. many reasons, such as healing, cleansing, or connecting with the goddess.

2. I would first cast a circle, like place the elements around it and making a place  to peace to practice magic,

for example, pouring water around the circle, then sprinkle dirt and maybe a few lit candles.

3. "church and school of wicca"

http://www.wicca.org/cmf1.html

4.

Loreena  Mckennitt

Answer 9

Rituals are done to remind us of the presents of the god and goddess in our lives and to set our minds to do either worship or in the case of Wiccans, spellcraft.

Rituals are best done outside, but for when this isn't possible, many have alters set up in their homes.  I'm sure if you google wiccan alters, you will find a good bit of info on them.

I prefer to take information on websites with a grain of salt.  If you are willing to go to the library, I recommend the works of Scott Cunningham or Ann Murphy Hiscock.

Music I can't really help you with.  I love my religion, but you can't take my heavy metal out of the CD player!

As a side note, you have the same name as the Roman version of my patron deity (Artemis).  Just thought I'd point that out.

Answer 10

Rituals are not confined to paganism. Christians have rituals (the Eucharist, baptism, etc) Rituals are the reenactment of myth, lore, and beliefs. Most religions, if not all have rituals.

That depends on the holy tide and purpose of the gathering

I like paganspath.com for a general overview of beliefs

Answer 11

1- Rituals are performed for many reasons. Most are used as a method of honoring the gods and celebrating holidays. However, there are many other reasons for a ritual to be done: marriage, childbirth, rites of passage, etc.

2- There is no specific place in which to perform a ritual. It can be anywhere. Inside, outside, or in great-granny's kitchen. Most Pagans have some sort of sacred space in which they perform their rituals. Where this space is located is up to the individual Pagan.

3- Try http://www.wtichvox.com/ and http://www.wicca.timerift.net/

4- I can't really help you with this one. However, witchvox has a section where you can look up some Pagan bands. Just search around the site until you find something that tickles your fancy.

Answer 12

to thank nature and use it for empowerment better the self

astral travel,magic,and other stuff

i cant really say since am a luciferian,dont know what you are into

dark funeral,satanic warmaster,burzum,emperor,xibalba,bathory...  

Answer 13

1. Depends, They can be for power, thanks, ect.

2. Table/Astal temple

3. Not sure

4.Dimmu Borgir