Paganism

The first thing that really got my attention is how much I do not know about Paganism. I think I have a lot of interest finding even more about Paganism even after taking this course. I was really interested in how Pagans worship different gods and goddesses. The first thing that really worked for me was meditating. Meditating really got me relaxed. I was unable to concentrate long enough to do the entire meditation that was suggested but was able to adapt some meditation techniques that really worked for me.

The next thing that really interested me is Section 2 and 3 of Lesson #5 about Summerland and Winterland and how some Pagans believe that the go to this paradise (Summerland) until they are reborn and that others believe in Winterland which is where the dead go. I really liked the reincarnation philosophy in Paganism as well with other religions and how it is linked to karma. Another thing that got my attention was the amount of holidays that Pagans celebrate. I know that some of them are minor holidays and others are major holidays and that some are general and some are deity specific. A lot of these holidays I had never heard of before but I am glad I got to be exposed to them.

Due to living with my parents and grandmother, I was unable to set up a permanent altar to practice a lot of the rituals used in this course. I had to set an altar each time but was worth the effort. One of the things was that I was unable to get a lot of the tools that were listed because of a really tight budget but I worked with what I found around the house which worked for me. The effect of the music had a big part in my ritual. The music really helped me relax and helped me to practice the visualization technique. I was fascinated by how different trees where viewed and how they were used. Of the trees listed, I liked what was said about Beech, Oak, and Pines. I will have to try to get some things made out of these woods when money is available or if I can find some that has been discarded. I was fascinated by how different trees where viewed and how they were used. Of the trees listed, I liked what was said about Beech, Oak, and Pines. I will have to try to get some things made out of these woods when money is available or if I can find some that has been discarded.

Some of the things I had trouble with were the grounding and centering after meditating and the manipulation of energy. I also had a hard time finding a quiet place to do my ritual and I was lacking some items to complete what I wanted at my altar. Unfortunately, my neighbors are noisy along with my family which caused some distraction during my ritual that I am still tinkering with. I had to deal without having any herbs and things like the chalice. I know of a metaphysical store in town that I will have to go to. I had trouble grasping some of the symbolism in Paganism but will continue to try to understand it.

This was a real awesome course for me to take. It really opened my mind up to trying new things and trying to find what works for me and what does not. I will have to do more exploration of Paganism

By Rev. Michael Barth

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.