For Pagans?

Question

Just wondering how many traditionalists and Non-Traditionalists are out there, and maybe some of your views on things.

Answer 1

Non-traditionalist.

But, I have been exposed to many traditional Elders and learned to have quite a respect for the formal training of many.

Answer 2

Not sure what you mean by traditionalists, maybe Wiccans? I consider myself an eclectic practitioner of Paganism, although I studied and initiated into two different Wiccan traditions. The difference is that there can be specific myth cycles, deities, and rituals within a tradition, but an "eclectic" learns a lot about many traditions and cultures, and blends many different things together to create a really personally meaningful spiritual experience. I believe my good Wiccan training was a wonderful foundation that enabled me to build a framework within which I could explore for further spiritual meaning. :)

Answer 3

I came to paganism through reading and self-discovery. I practice alone and in concordance with the cycles of the sun, the moon, and the seasons. For me, the entire process has been very personal, so I guess I would call myself a "non-traditionalist."

Answer 4

Being born of The Lore doesn't mean you must stay with its studies throughout your life. I made that choice in each step of my studies. I find the usage of traditional in this contemporary time rather twisted away from my usage.

Examples: There are traditional ways is prepare a Herbal drink. There are traditional ways to make and use a dowsing rod.

If your thoughts are of Witchcraft....there was no such thing in the English vocabulary until about 1600. So, I suppose someone could claim a family tradition of Witchcraft that goes back 4 centuries. The Crafts themselves go back to the dawn of humankind.

Answer 5

I never know how to answer this. Apparently there's a whole taxonomy out there that I never knew about until after I gave up on the whole pagan thing. Part of being a solitary, I guess. Is there a convenient Ishkur's style guide to Pagan affiliations?

The only view that I really have on this is that people can be really snotty about who is and is not a Wiccan or a Pagan or whatever the hell. I think of it more like the queer community, where self-identification is king. You know?

Answer 6

I'm not sure how to answer this. My guess is that I would be considered a bit traditional. I follow a Celtic Reconstructionist path.

Can you detail a bit what you mean by Traditional and Non-Traditional?

Edited to add:
You also asked about our views---
I'm a hard polytheist; my deities are mostly Gaulish. I also honor local land and water deities and my ancestors. Giving offerings is a large part of my practice. I believe in reincarnation and the existence of an upper, middle and lower world. I see my deities as a mixture of what we consider positive and negative (rather than exclusively one or the other).

Answer 7

i was raised being wiccan...mainly for the reason that my mom and aunt are witches, my aunt being one of the well known witches out there. i wouldnt say that im a traditionalist...i like to incorporate my own beliefs with the ones that i've been taught.

Answer 8

Whatever any of that stuff is. I'm an energy person, plain and simple. Don't need fancy tites or designations to do what I do.

Answer 9

I'm up there with you...

I was raised in the Black Forest tradition, but found myself to be more of an eclectic in my young adult and adult years.

Answer 10

I'm probably what you would call non-traditional but only because I use modern methods as well as traditional in my craft.