Neo pagan ceremonies are rituals and celebrations conducted by individuals or groups who identify as neo pagans and follow modern interpretations of ancient pagan beliefs and practices. These ceremonies often draw inspiration from various ancient pagan traditions, such as those of the Celts, Norse, and Greeks, and incorporate elements of nature worship, goddess worship, and magic. One of the key aspects of neo pagan ceremonies is the reverence for nature. Neo pagans view nature as sacred and see themselves as interconnected with the natural world. Many ceremonies take place outdoors, in natural settings such as forests, mountains, or by bodies of water. These natural elements are considered to be imbued with spiritual power and are believed to provide a direct connection to the divine.
While less than half the UK population identified as Christian in the 2022 census, 74,000 people declared they were pagan, an increase of 17,000 since 2011. And that might well be a significant underreporting. When the pre-eminent scholar of British paganism professor Ronald Hutton investigated in the 1990s, he came up with 110,000 – much higher than the contemporary census total. “Most of the pagans with whom I’ve kept in touch do not enter themselves on the census,” he also notes.
Wicca s teach self-discipline, personal responsibility, kinship with the planted and all living beings, open-mindedness and the virtues of diversity. It s a joyful celebration and a collective coming-together, with a decent amount of mead, which is an essential component, says Kristin Devey, who runs events at Butser.
These natural elements are considered to be imbued with spiritual power and are believed to provide a direct connection to the divine. Neo pagan ceremonies often revolve around the cycles of the seasons, with each season marking important milestones in the spiritual calendar. These ceremonies celebrate the equinoxes and solstices, as well as other significant dates, such as Beltane and Samhain.
New Religious Movements: The Current Landscape (September 2013): Home
All religions are anchored in time and place. Christianity began as a Jewish sect. For the Chinese, Buddhism was once an exotic import. The modern world, however, has seen a remarkable increase in the number of new religions, as well as the introduction of established faiths into societies in which they were previously little known or practiced. This essay gathers the latest books on “new religious movements” (NRMs), which many define as movements emerging in the last couple of hundred years that differ from and are peripheral to long-established religions. NRMs serve as a testament to the continuing vibrancy of humanity’s impulse to seek the spiritual. The recent boom in religion, unfortunately, has been accompanied by misunderstanding, sensationalism, and, at times, persecution, as is evident in the debasement and frequent misuse of the word “cult” to describe new or unfamiliar religions. “Cult” has become a pejorative term associated with brainwashing, authoritarianism, heresy, and physical and emotional abuse. Some use the word to scare people, to maintain the political/cultural status quo, or to sell books and magazines employing polemical rhetoric against outsider religions. Beginning in the last half of the twentieth century, religious studies scholars—indeed most reputable religion scholars of all stripes—have preferred the phrase “new religious movements” to identify recently born, alternative religions. This essay will focus on NRMs and, to some extent, their antecedents and related entities such as conspiracy theories. This essay also treats religions newly imported to a specific geographic area, in particular North America, as new religious movements.
As a rapidly maturing interdisciplinary academic field, religious studies has done much to improve the quality of discourse surrounding NRMs, providing a much-needed counterpoint to the voluminous amount of exploitative literature that has littered news racks and bookshelves since the 1960s. This continuing trend of responsible scholarship is heartening. Many religions once overlooked or subjected to polemical attacks or true-crime-style tabloid treatment now receive sensitive examinations from legitimate sociological, historical, theological, and psychological perspectives. The existing literature related to NRMs is vast, with much gold and even more dross. To serve researchers and librarians in this rapidly developing area, this essay brings together the best books on NRMs published for the first time, or presented as new editions, from 2002 to the present (with one exception). As previously mentioned, NRMs are considered here as comprising new religions (including novel derivations of existing religions); and recently imported established religions, with an emphasis on North America and the Caribbean. The essay begins with three sections titled “General Reference Works,” “Overviews of NRMs,” and “Anti-Cult Movements.” The sections that follow are organized by the religious traditions from which specific NRMs originated or derived their inspiration. These categories, while not comprehensive, address a variety of religious outlooks: “Asian Traditions,” “African Diasporic Traditions,” “Neopagan Traditions,” “Abrahamic Traditions,” and “Western Esoteric and New Age Movements.” The final category before the conclusion is “Quasi-Religious Beliefs,” which focuses on those primarily secular groups that possess religious elements. Potentially, NRMs may fall into more than one of these categories, but this essay attempts to identify the most representative category for each described work.
Before beginning, a summary of the classification of current NRM literature as a whole is appropriate. Considering the multidisciplinary nature of religious studies, works on NRMs—though tending to appear in the Library of Congress Classification BL-BX range and the Dewey Decimal Classification 200s—are dispersed throughout the major library classification schedules. Library collection builders, therefore, should remain attentive to those disciplinary areas typically considered as outside their purview. Furthermore, NRMs are sometimes discussed in books not specifically devoted to new religions and often are included in works discussing broad religious phenomena and beliefs, established religious traditions, and religion from historical and geographical perspectives. This essay includes these broader works when they are considered valuable to NRM researchers. Finally, readers will note that quite a few of the included books are edited collections of essays. The edited collection is a widely used vehicle for scholarly communication concerning NRMs and religious studies in general.
Stephen Bales is assistant professor and humanities and social sciences librarian at Texas A&M University. He may be contacted at [email protected].
Druids Druids were ancient priest in a nature-based religion indigenous to Celtic Britain and other European regions. The actual term Druid means “oak knowledge”. Documented evidence (mostly from the Romans) of the activities of this group go back to the third century B.C.E. Julius Ceasar noted that the Druids in Gaul formed a federation that crossed tribal boundaries (it seems that this same system existed in Britain). The Druids met annually and had great influence over political and social matters for their areas. The Druids were well respected and revered members of their communities. The actual term Druid, does not refer to a cleric or religious person. The actual term refers to an elite class of respected Celtic officiates who were part of a powerful network which was based on common practice and outlook. It has been discovered that Druids performed the same tasks for their communities that a modern day scholar, judge, teacher or clergy member still performs today. The Druids also took part in divination and nature focused worship. There is not definitive Druidic text. The Druidic culture was suppressed by ruling nations and lead to a necessity to keep the practices alive through myths, historical heroic stories and songs. The Druid practices of today still use mythology and heroic stories in their practice. Some of the basic beliefs of the modern-day Druid are:
The rituals performed during these ceremonies typically involve chanting, singing, dancing, and the making of offerings to the deities or spirits being honored. In addition to seasonal ceremonies, neo pagan groups may also hold ceremonies to mark personal milestones, such as births, marriages, or deaths. These ceremonies can be highly individualized, reflecting the unique beliefs and practices of the participants. They may involve the invocation of specific deities or spirits, the performance of rituals or spells, and the use of symbolic objects or talismans. One of the central features of neo pagan ceremonies is the belief in magic and the use of ritual tools and symbols. Many neo pagans practice spellcasting and believe in the power of intention and symbolism to manifest their desires. Ritual tools such as wands, athames (ritual knives), chalices, and pentacles are often used during ceremonies to channel and direct this magical energy. It is important to note that neo pagan ceremonies can vary greatly depending on the specific tradition or belief system followed by the practitioners. Some groups may adhere to a specific set of rituals and ceremonies passed down through generations, while others may create their own unique ceremonies based on personal beliefs and experiences. Ultimately, neo pagan ceremonies serve as a way for individuals and communities to connect with the divine, celebrate the natural world, and explore their own spiritual paths..
Reviews for "Deepening Connection with Nature through Neo Pagan Ceremonies"
1. John - 1 star - I attended a Neo pagan ceremony as a skeptic, hoping to be pleasantly surprised, but unfortunately, it was a total letdown. The whole ceremony felt like a mishmash of strange rituals and obscure symbolism that made no sense to me. It lacked any real depth or meaning, and I felt like I was just watching a bunch of people play make-believe. Overall, it was a bizarre and disorienting experience that left me feeling more confused than enlightened.
2. Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for the Neo pagan ceremony I attended, but I left feeling underwhelmed and disappointed. The whole event seemed disorganized and lacked coherence. The rituals felt forced and contrived, with participants seemingly more focused on their performance than on any genuine spiritual connection. Furthermore, the cultural appropriation evident in some of the practices made me uncomfortable. I was hoping for a deeper connection to nature and a meaningful experience, but sadly, the ceremony fell short of my expectations.
3. Mark - 2 stars - As someone who is open-minded and interested in exploring different spiritual practices, I was excited to attend a Neo pagan ceremony. However, I found the whole event to be rather dull and lacking in substance. The rituals seemed repetitive and monotonous, without any clear purpose or intention. Additionally, there was a lack of guidance or explanation for those who were unfamiliar with the practices, which left me feeling detached and disconnected from the experience. Overall, the ceremony felt more like a performance than a genuine spiritual gathering.