Paganism: A Beginners Guide to Paganism

by Sarah Owen

Interest in Paganism is steadily increasing and, while rooted in ancient tradition, it is a living religious movement. With its reverence for all creation, it reflects our current concern for the planet. This introductory guide • what Paganism is • the different Pagan paths • what Pagans do • how to live as a Pagan Paganism is one of the fastest growing spiritual movements in the West today. Pagans are those who worship the ancient pre-Christian Gods of our ancestors and of our lands. Originally, the word 'Pagan' was applied to those who worshipped the Gods of the pagus, which in Latin means 'locality'. Pagan was also used in another sense by Christians - to mean 'country dweller'. 'Heathen', of German origin, is also used by those who worship the Northern European Gods. Heathen means the someone of the heath who worships the Gods of the land. 'Paganism' is not a word that our ancestors would have used and it is seen by some as derogatory. Outside Europe, Pagans often reject it as an example of Western colonialism denigrating their traditional beliefs. In West Africa, the followers of indigenous spirituality refer to their beliefs as African Traditional Religion. In the West, the terms Native Spirituality, Celtic Spirituality, European Traditional Religion, the Elder Faith and the Old Religion are also used to describe the Pagan religions. Pagans have a variety of beliefs, but at their core are three which many would 1) The Divine has made itself manifest through many Deities in different places and at different times. No one Deity can express the totality of the Divine. This can be called polytheism - the Gods are many. 2) The Divine is present in Nature and in each one of us. This can be called pantheism - the Divine is everywhere. 3) Goddess and The Divine is represented as both female (Goddess) and male (God) while understanding that It is beyond the limitations of gender. 4) A fourth principle that some Pagans would share is called the Pagan 'If it harms none, do what you will.'

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Paganism, Wicca, Spirituality

124 pages, Paperback

First published November 25, 2014

About the author

Sarah Owen has been a health journalist for UK newspapers and glossy magazines, such as Psychologies and Cosmopolitan, for fourteen years.

Reviews

[Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's no secret I haven't exactly been a big fan of religion ever since I left the Mormon church as soon as I left for college at 18. Five years later, I'm still trying to reconcile the bitterness I feel for Christianity while also trying to come to terms with my own spirituality that I feel inside me. So I thought, why not start with the world's oldest religion?

This book is a great intro to the Pagan religion & lifestyle and manages to dispel lots of myths perpetuated by Christianity and it's attempts to demonize a peaceful and harmless religion throughout the course of history, purely because the church saw them as a threat to it's own members. I did get a little lost in all the myths and descriptions of various Gods (some of it sounded like all the BS in the Bible), but I love the idea of a Divine goddess far more than the idea of God being a man (spoiler alert: men suck).

I'm going to be looking more into Paganism. It's fascinating. And this book was the perfect place to start!

[Rayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous introduction to a subject I have been curious about for a while now. Paganism makes more sense in many ways than modern religion.
The main reason I could not give it 5 stars is that it is riddled with typos and spelling mistakes. Clearly a “self published” book which was never edited or even proofread and I did find that annoying. But the information seems sound.

[Andrea Krause · Rating 4 out of 5]

Efficient summary text

This book is a very good summary of Paganism. Brief and succinct, easy to read. Would recommend as a primer to the subject.

[Kasmira · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a simple examination of the varieties of pagan faith, this book is fine. However, it had the overwhelming sense of utter condemnation for other religions, especially those of the monotheistic variety. While I empathize, being from a very negative Christian background, it isn't necessary to dedicate that much time to disdaining them in an introductory book to paganism.

[Lina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice book full of great quotes worth saving. Paganism is such a peaceful religion. They believe that if a person is pagan - they will find their way. They'd rather a person do their own research instead of going from door to door or preaching to everyone they meet. Also paganism is very open to all different religions and do not put any religion down. It's great.
Very informative about the types of paganism and different gods which I wasn't too interested in to be honest as I find these myths and god stories a bit silly. I think I will be reading more about godless paganism. This book has great basics.

[Erica Rosemary · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first chapter but struggled after that. While I don't disagree with the contents at all, I really didn't enjoy the delivery. The tone overall was sanctimonious and self-righteous, which in itself is hypocritical given the very nature of Paganism and the ideas discussed.

I'm personally exploring Paganism for guidance with my own spirituality but the author's personal feelings pervaded the text, and for me this detracted from the value of the information presented.

I read this 'free' via my Kindle Unlimited subscription, so no loss on my part, but I would advise against this one if it really is your first introduction to Paganism and you're looking for impartial guidance on your own spiritual path. I think the authors tone could potentially be off-putting and there are better places to start.
(Recommendations to come - I have some alternative introductory guides to explore that seem more promising so far.)

Also riddled with typos and grammatical errors which added to the overall unprofessional tone.

[Cathy Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've read about Paganism

A great book for those who are new to or on the path of discovering Paganism. The common principles and differences between various forms of Paganism are discussed, symbolism and deities, as well as the main Pagan festivals. I feel this book has greatly helped me to connect the pieces that I have already discovered and given me more to ponder.

[Marisa Bicknell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Starter Read

I really enjoyed this as a quick and easy to read introduction to paganism. The author includes enough history and information without making it confusing or overwhelming.

[Rajiv Chopra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would say that this book is okay. It does delve a bit into the topic of paganism and gives you a basic introduction. If that is what you are looking for, then the book will meet your needs.

If you want an introduction that just goes that bit deeper, then this wont be the book for you

[Boyce Antrim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for beginners!

I enjoyed this book very much and I would recommend it to anyone that wants a starting point into Paganism!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction into Paganism - really paves the way for further exploration into the religion.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could sum this up by saying rambling, feminist rants and man hating.

[Danielle Crowley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction to paganism.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great way to learn the basics!

This book is a great way to learn what the fundamentals are in paganism. Not too in depth but just enough to get a person started.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tons of information, very interesting.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative


Good place too start learning about different aspects of pagan religions. Good references for further reading. Would re commend to others