If you're a Pagan, what practices do you learn or teach?

Question

Oh and do you have any Gods or Goddesses that you worship?
What are their names?

Answer 1

"Pagan" is an umbrella term that at its widest covers any religion that is not one of the "Big Three" (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam).

"NeoPagan" is a narrower term that still covers a wide range of religions, but these ones are generally modern and/or reconstructionist and TEND to be earth-focused and polytheistic.

As far as Wicca goes, here are some decent links and a couple of book recommendations.

A relatively objective (non-Wiccan) set of articles on what Wiccans do and believe:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm

Another useful article:

http://www.religionfacts.com/neopaganism/paths/wicca.htm

A good site by Wiccans:

http://wicca.timerift.net

An explanation of the religion by a Wiccan:

http://www.uri.org/Wicca_Portrait.html

And the US Army Chaplains Handbook excerpt on Wicca:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_usbk.htm

If you're looking to do some reading, I'd recommend "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningham, and "The Triumph of the Moon" by Ronald Hutton. I advise you to stay away from anything by Silver Ravenwolf, for reasons outlined in the following essay:

http://wicca.timerift.net/ravenwolf.shtml

Wiccans honor the God and the Goddess as complementary polarities of Divinity -- each, without the other, is held to be incomplete. What names They are honored by depends on the individual Wiccan or coven; many covens have secret names for Them that only the coven knows. Solitary or eclectic Wiccans are free to honor any Deity that calls to them, although many honor the God and Goddess simply as the Lord and the Lady.

Myself, I'm a soft polytheist -- I believe that all Gods and Goddesses are aspects of one ultimate God and Goddess. (Other Wiccans are hard polytheists, believing that each God and Goddess is a separate entity.) In my personal practice, I primarily honor Brigid and Herne, although I have also worked with the Morrigan, Bast, Isis, and Apollo when the need arises. I try to honor each of Them in Their own terms and not as "fluffy" general concepts.

Answer 2

I am Asatru, but I prefer the word Heathen. Not the insult, its the actual name of the religion. I SO don't teach. I answer questions when I can, but that's about it. That and Asatru doesn't really have "teachers" though I do have a really good friend who functions as just that. We are called the religion with homework for good reason.
Asatru/Heathens follow the Norse/Germanic gods. Those gods include but are by far not limited to Odin, Frigga, Thor, Freyr, Freya, Forestti, Tyr, Sif, and even Loki (though some will argue passionatly on that last one) We also practice ancestor worship. We are also Lore Whores. Hehe

Answer 3

I'm a Heathen. I can teach the runes, some shamanism, Asatru history, some European and British history, the Eddas, and blots (rituals).

I'm constantly learning about the religion, the history and what's being discovered through scholarly research and archaeology.

My deities are the Anglo-Saxon/Nordic pantheons: Odin, Freya, Frigga, Thor, Wayland, Freyr, Ullr, Skaldi.......

I was a practicing pagan for 10 years and taught the basics of general paganism: rituals, magic, divination, history, gods and goddesses.

Answer 4

I'm pretty Eclectic. I mix pantheons. I like my gods wild and earthy. But a scribe like Thoth fits in nicely too. Of goddesses I am drawn to; Sekhmet and Hathor stand out, as do The Morrigan, Hecate and Brigid.
I learn various kitchen witchery techniques and as much about the world around me as I can. I've studied the paranormal with an emphasis on magick, a little language, psychology, philosophy, science, medicine, history, art, etc. It all ties together.

Answer 5

I don't teach and am still learning. I mainly study all the lore of the Norse I can, Runes, shamanic techniques, and other things involving the Norse. I worship the Gods and Goddesses of the Norse pantheon.

Answer 6

We teach many different things to our students. We teach the history of Paganism, Wicca, and Witchcraft. We teach the fundamentals of magick and ethics. We teach knowledge in herbology, astrology, divination, runic writings, etc. We also teacher personal responsibility, karma, reincarnation, and how to work with this earth / universe and not against it.

As for gods and goddesses we teach that all views of divinity are correct for the person viewing them. All ancient gods are just as real and valid as the newer monotheistic gods. Each person is then encouraged to develop a personal relationship with their own idea of divinity, learning first and foremost that that power comes from within themselves.

This barely scrapes the surface of what we learn and what it is I teach my students. It is a very in depth spirituality.