Years ago when I first started to write about the paranormal I had the interesting experience of meeting and talking a very nice woman named Amy. Amy is a articulate bright soft-spoken woman. She lives in the southern part of the United States and her religious or spiritual life is Pagan.
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At the time I knew little about Paganism. I knew it was the spiritual thinking of many in Europe before Christianity. Besides that I knew Halloween is a celebrated time of year for the Pagans. That covered my knowledge of the subject so I decided it was time to find out what I could about Paganism and those who follow it.
It was by chance I heard Amy talking to a group of people on line. I was impressed on how she handled the subject. I was able to contact her and set up a time to spend talking to her one on one.
Amy explained many things to me I never before understood. The first area of my confusion was that Pagans, like Amy, are not always Wicca. Pagans can join in covens, which are groups of 13 (13 being a magical number). Amy, however, does not belong to a group and practices her beliefs as her life style alone and with her family . Not all Pagans belong to a coven or follow a Wicca life style although they do refer to themselves as Pagan Witches.
Paganism goes back to the route of all religion and was one of our first religion before Christianity. Paganism can be traced back to a first religion of the Celts in early Europe. Pagans, like Amy, have a spiritual connection to the earth and the universe. They believe in living life while trying to keep a clear focus at all times. Amy uses this belief system to try to keep in balance with all nature, earth and the universe.
I asked Amy how this works into her daily life. She explained to me that she meditates often as well as using visualization to bring her to the balance and focus she needs to live a balanced life. She explained to me that pagan witches, like her, may use spells differently than the general public thinks they do. Amy told me that as other religious people pray to God for help or an answer, Pagans use spells and rituals. They use these things as a focus or a way to pray to the ultimate power and universe as their way to ask for help or answers. She also explained that using meditation and visualization along with spells and rituals is a way for the Pagan to focus. This is how they work on the balance and confidence needed to stay centered as well as a way to rid themselves of the negativity we all pick up in daily living.
I asked Amy about the differences of white and black or good or bad witches. Amy told me most of that is myth and that magic has no real color. Amy told me that there are those who do use magic for bad or evil purposes, which in her mind is very dangerous for that witch. Amy explained:
“Those who use magic for dark, selfish or evil reasons need to remember the laws of nature. Whatever you send out does in fact come right back to you. If you send out bad energy you get back bad energy. It is a fact that needs to be considered by those who do these things. Get ready as whatever you send out – WILL come back at you!”
Amy told me magic is all intent and you do receive back the intent you send out. I think that is a good piece of advice for everyone to consider in today’s world. We all need to understand the way we treat, act and the deeds we do to others, will show up again at our front door. It best you consider this upon your next intention towards another. I guess it all agrees with the old ‘do unto others’ ideology, or truth.
Pagans believe in mother earth or Gaia, as well as the moon goddess, sun god along with others. They celebrate the seasons, their sabbats and festivals yearly. Amy has an alter set up in her home that she keeps decorated with the seasons festivities. Presently fall is being represented with pumpkins and things that October and the Halloween or Samhain sabbat time of year brings to mind.
October 31st is the Pagan time of Samhain. It is celebrated with barn fires and rituals like the burning of the year’s negativity. This is when the Pagan lists all the negative things that filled their year and take the list to the barn fire and burns it with the intent to burn away and rid them of those negative things.
Amy listed the Pagan times of what we call our holiday times. They are very similar to all the times of year Christians celebrate their holidays. Amy explained that Paganism was here far longer than Christianity. When the church developed they needed to win over the people who were basically all Pagans at the time and did so by copying the Pagan times of celebration as a way to make them feel comfortable in the new founded Christianity. You will find other similar believe systems and base of the Christian faith taken from the first spiritual Pagan groups.
Pagan Sabbats and Festivals
Yule – Dec 21st
Samhain- Oct 31st Halloween
Imbolc-Jan 21st- Feb 2nd
Ostaro vernal equinox- March 21st
Beltane-May 1st
Litha-June 21st
Lughuassadh August 1st
Mabon Sept 21st
Amy told me she comes from a Celtic background, which is where her Pagan belief system stems from. She also told me that although practiced and in the United States this type of spiritual life style is more known and accepted in both England and Canada.
Amy talked to me about the rituals used in Pagan worship as a private time which she does not discuss. It is like praying. It is personal to the individual as to what they are focusing on or needing help dealing with.
I found Amy to be a very nice person who explains her spiritual life and customs clearly and without any form of harm or misuse to others.
After interviewing Amy I spoke to a friend who just finished his interview with a different type of witch. A witch who describes her life style as Wicca and far from the kind connected to earth views of my Pagan friend. I can only report what this one woman who is Pagan by choice told me about her views and life style. I found nothing at all to fear from this woman. I will tell you my friends experience with the Wicca witch were opposite to that of what Amy explained to me.
As Amy told me there are those who use the power of the earth and universe and its magic for dark and ugly purposes. I guess the answer to all of this is that humans have choices to make be it in every day decisions, work, or in family or friend matters.
It is without question the right time in history for us all to reflect on our choices that we make each and every day. Do we lean towards a balance in life and lean towards the good of all things or do we by seduction of our selfish wants reach for the dark more sinister side of things? According to Amy each of our actions are repaid by an equal action brought to our life. I think we all need to think long and hard about not only what we place out in to the world but if we will be happy when that action once again circles around and knocks hard at our own front door!
Apparently the entire key to all of this is to remember with all our intents- once you send them out there, you must be prepared as the universe will make sure they come right back at you! I think that is something we all need to reflect upon.
I wish you all a Happy Halloween and a wonderful holiday season. I think I will take my page of negativity from this past year and write it down on a piece of paper and burn it in my fire pit on October 31st sending them away forever and open my life for a better new year.
I will also spend more time thinking about all my actions and how they will mix with the universe around me. I want only good things for us all and need to focus my thinking and deeds on that being the reaction of my actions.
Happy things ahead to you all.
♥ Copyright © 2013 Chris Holly all Rights Reserved
Chris Holly’s Paranormal World- http://endlessjrny.blogspot.com/
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follow link above to hear radio interview with Amy the Pagan Witch