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hearthstone6. Beliefs - The power of prayer/reciprocity
I am a strong believer in "a gift for a gift." I think it's a much-misunderstood principle. There is, certainly, a contractual aspect to it (the Romans, I think, made this aspect into an art form)--but there is a contractual aspect to marriage and I don't see anyone (well, not many of them) lining up to object to that. Because we know there's so much more to it. As there is so much more to reciprocity. The exchange of gifts between friends is in great part symbolic. It's a concrete representation of the growing bond between the two. You don't give your friends presents in order to get something from them, you do it because you love them and want to share something with them.
I am also a strong believer in building a relationship with deity--that relationship is a greater gift than any other blessing they may grant. Gifts and offerings can be a part of this, but so is prayer, and meditation, and work done for the gods--time spent, effort spent.
1. Beliefs – Why Paganism?
2. Beliefs – Cosmology
3. Beliefs – Deities
4. Beliefs – Birth, death and rebirth
5. Beliefs – Magic, spellcraft, mysticism etc
6. Beliefs – The power of prayer/reciprocity
7. Beliefs – Patronage and other deeper relationships
8. Beliefs – Holidays
9. Deity Gender
10. Patrons
11. Pantheon – For these posts, pick a deity or speak of elements of the
patheon, such as tribes or nature spirits, etc.
12. Pantheon –
13. Pantheon –
14. Pantheon –
15. Pantheon (anti) – On finding a pantheon.
16. The meaning of terms like “earth-based” and what they mean to this path
17. My ways of worship
18. Community
19. Paganism and my family/friends
20. Paganism and my relationship
21. Other paths I’ve explored
22. Paganism and major life events
23. Ethics
24. Personal aesthetics with magic and ritual
25. Priest? Clergy? One or both? Neither?
26. Any “secular” pastimes with religious significance, and why
27. How your faith has helped you in difficult times
28. One misconception about Paganism you’d like to clear up
29. The future of Paganism
30. Places of spiritual significance
I am a strong believer in "a gift for a gift." I think it's a much-misunderstood principle. There is, certainly, a contractual aspect to it (the Romans, I think, made this aspect into an art form)--but there is a contractual aspect to marriage and I don't see anyone (well, not many of them) lining up to object to that. Because we know there's so much more to it. As there is so much more to reciprocity. The exchange of gifts between friends is in great part symbolic. It's a concrete representation of the growing bond between the two. You don't give your friends presents in order to get something from them, you do it because you love them and want to share something with them.
I am also a strong believer in building a relationship with deity--that relationship is a greater gift than any other blessing they may grant. Gifts and offerings can be a part of this, but so is prayer, and meditation, and work done for the gods--time spent, effort spent.
1. Beliefs – Why Paganism?
2. Beliefs – Cosmology
3. Beliefs – Deities
4. Beliefs – Birth, death and rebirth
5. Beliefs – Magic, spellcraft, mysticism etc
6. Beliefs – The power of prayer/reciprocity
7. Beliefs – Patronage and other deeper relationships
8. Beliefs – Holidays
9. Deity Gender
10. Patrons
11. Pantheon – For these posts, pick a deity or speak of elements of the
patheon, such as tribes or nature spirits, etc.
12. Pantheon –
13. Pantheon –
14. Pantheon –
15. Pantheon (anti) – On finding a pantheon.
16. The meaning of terms like “earth-based” and what they mean to this path
17. My ways of worship
18. Community
19. Paganism and my family/friends
20. Paganism and my relationship
21. Other paths I’ve explored
22. Paganism and major life events
23. Ethics
24. Personal aesthetics with magic and ritual
25. Priest? Clergy? One or both? Neither?
26. Any “secular” pastimes with religious significance, and why
27. How your faith has helped you in difficult times
28. One misconception about Paganism you’d like to clear up
29. The future of Paganism
30. Places of spiritual significance
