• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Favorite Pagan ritual for Non-Pagans

Trey of Diamonds

Trey of Diamonds

Well-Known Member
Do any of you Non-Pagans out there have a favorite pagan ritual that you do? When we move to a new house we first bring a loaf of bread, shaker of salt and a bottle of wine to leave on the counter while we move in. Also, we light a sage bundle to cleanse the house.

For the Pagans, do you have a favorite ritual that you would like to share with non-Pagans?

What do you think of mixing religions such as this? As a UU we do it all the time. I'm a Unitarian Christian and my wife is a Transcendentalist with a smidgen of Neo-Pagan for flavor.
 
Draka

Draka

Wonder Woman
Well, I wouldn't say this is necessarily a Pagan tradition, but it is a tradition of my own as a Pagan.

On the seasonal solstices and equinoxes, or rather a few days before them, I decorate my house for the season. I have different tablecloths (and altar cloths) that reflect different aspects of nature corresponding to the seasons. I put out decorations around the house. Put up flowers, artificial for the dining table or livingroom so they are a constant, and regularly bring fresh into the house. My front door decoration may also change with the season, from Sun God Eyes, to vine wreaths around my Welcome pentacle. Little bunnies around the house during spring, bits of ivy in the winter, autumn leaves and gourds during the fall, and so on. I feel it brings a bit of the outside, a bit of the season, inside. To feel connected to the earth and the changing of the seasons even when inside my house.
 
Penumbra

Penumbra

Veteran Member
Premium Member
I don't do any pagan rituals that I'm aware of. Maybe there are some I'm not aware of.

When I was a kid I used to decorate trees for Christmas. From what I understand, that has pagan roots. I haven't done that in many years, though, but I do really like how some decorated trees look.
 
Trey of Diamonds

Trey of Diamonds

Well-Known Member
Penumbra said:
I don't do any pagan rituals that I'm aware of. Maybe there are some I'm not aware of.

When I was a kid I used to decorate trees for Christmas. From what I understand, that has pagan roots. I haven't done that in many years, though, but I do really like how some decorated trees look.
Click to expand...

Christmas is loaded with pagan rituals. I laugh to myself everytime my family serves a Christmas ham.
 
Draka

Draka

Wonder Woman
We make our own tree decorations for Yule. The only things on the tree that are not handmade are candy canes and a couple store bought decorations which have the names of my first two daughters on them, and of course, the lights. All our decorations are made from various things, like paper, yarn, baking clay and paint, and so on. That's made me think, I wonder what we'll add this year.
 
Somerled32

Somerled32

Traveler~ 2B1ASK1
I place a horse shoe I found in the mountains above an exterior door when we move into a new place. I also place garlic above the main entrance to deter intruders (but my wife doesn't know I do that, so, shhhhh.)
A personal ritual I practice, that is not necessarily pagan but it's for good luck, has me knocking on the roof of the car when passing through an intersection when the light is yellow. (I've also met a few other people who do the same thing)
 
G

Gaura Priya

IRL
I still will light a candle and incense for a departed person, like many Filipinos and Mexicans are apt to do.

I also miss casting a circle and calling upon the four directions to create a sacred space. :p "Cast the circle thrice about to keep all evil spirits out."
 
Breathe

Breathe

Hostis humani generis
I light candles in memory, but for me it's any excuse to burn a candle
Burn sage when I move in somewhere, as well as pouring salt by the door
Whenever I buy a new mirror, I dab it in five places with oil (corners & centre)
I write prayers on paper and burn them - I don't know why, I just do. I'm not even sure if it's a Pagan thing or if I'm just obsessed with fire

That's all I can think of off-hand
 
Kathryn

Kathryn

It was on fire when I laid down on it.
I love the whole evergreen thing at Christmas. I note the summer and winter solstice - often by lighting a candle and meditating. Here in the US, we don't celebrate May Day with maypoles, but if we did, I'd definitely dance around a Maypole. I love the nod we give fertility during Easter.

Oh, and I really like Tiu's Day and Woden's Day and Thor's Day and Freya's Day and Saturn's Day.
 
ChristineES

ChristineES

Tiggerism
Premium Member
I hate to sound ignorant, but is decorating a Christmas tree derived from any pagan rituals? If so, then that is the one I like best. I probably do a lot of other things and are ignorant of their origins.
I think I should do a more extensive study on various Pagan religions. Ignorance is curable. ;)
 
Draka

Draka

Wonder Woman
ChristineES said:
I hate to sound ignorant, but is decorating a Christmas tree derived from any pagan rituals? If so, then that is the one I like best. I probably do a lot of other things and are ignorant of their origins.
I think I should do a more extensive study on various Pagan religions. Ignorance is curable. ;)
Click to expand...

Yeah, the whole tree lighting thing is derived from Pagan traditions. I mean, if you think about it, what does decorating a tree have to do with Jesus? :p Kind of like what does coloring eggs have to do with him either? ;) There are a lot of things which have been incorporated into Christian holidays which were picked up from Pagan holidays.
 
Reverend Rick

Reverend Rick

Frubal Whore
Premium Member
Draka said:
Yeah, the whole tree lighting thing is derived from Pagan traditions. I mean, if you think about it, what does decorating a tree have to do with Jesus? :p Kind of like what does coloring eggs have to do with him either? ;) There are a lot of things which have been incorporated into Christian holidays which were picked up from Pagan holidays.
Click to expand...

If I might add, Pagans where bringing trees into the house and balancing eggs around the equinoxes way before Jesus was ever born.

Christians sort of ripped off the Pagan holidays. Does anyone actually believe Jesus was born on December 25TH ? The 21st is the winter solstice however and the days start getting longer. Pagans celebrate the birth on the sun god.

The spring equinox is a time where you can balance an egg. It is not a coincidence that Easter is celebrated then as well. Especially when you bring the Easter bunny and eggs into the celebration.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top