If you talk to other Pagans about magick, one of the first things they’re going to drill into your head is that free will exists, and it’s wrong to mess with it. The vast majority of Pagans believe that using magick to alter someone’s free will is incredibly wrong and…
A cult is defined as: “A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.” While some may consider Paganism to be a cult, it is not. Of course, it’s a…
This ties in to my earlier post “Paganism is Expensive.” In an increasingly materialistic and narcissistic world, people want to show off everything, and everything becomes a competition to have or be the “best.” It’s sad that some Pagans have fallen into this trap, but there’s no fact in the…
Ah, the fluffy bunny myth of Paganism! Since the 90’s people have had this idea that Pagans are a bunch of tree-hugging, crystal-waving weirdos who are happy all the time, bringing white light to the world. I hate to break it to you, but magick isn’t white (or black) and…
This is another hot-button topic, but one worth addressing. In the last handful of years I’ve seen more and more people claiming that they are hereditary witches, and acting like the pagan community needs to bow down to their superiority. It’s pretty ugly, and largely false. The simple fact is,…
An unfortunate misconception fostered by those new to Paganism is that you have to do everything the way someone else before you did it. They believe that there are “right” and “wrong” ways of believing and practicing, and they fear the consequences of non-conformity. Luckily for them, this is miles…
This myth is pretty old, but there are still some people who believe it. It was once believed that only women could be witches, as men were missing some mystical aspect that would make it possible. History proves that to be untrue. There have been magickal practitioners of both genders…
This myth falls right alongside the idea that big rituals are better or more powerful than simpler practices. A lot of folks out there think that in order for a spell to work, it has to be long, involved, and probably rhymes. Like many other things on this list, this…
To my knowledge, this belief has only been getting pushed in the last handful of years. The thought is that you can only worship gods if you are from the same ethnic background. For example, some believe that it would be wrong for a Spanish person to worship Egyptian gods,…
Contrary to what you may have heard, there is no secret Pagan bible. There is no hidden book that we all follow, that you can gain access to if you become one of us. It just doesn’t exist. I’m not sure if it’s because folks have the idea that any…
I can’t count the number of articles and quizzes I have seen lately that claim you can absolutely tell if you’re a witch by a certain set of physical signs. I hate to say it, but this is utter nonsense. There are no physical signs that determine that you absolutely…
This is a matter of some debate in Pagan circles. Some hold very tightly to the belief that the bigger the ritual is, the more powerful the magick will be. Unfortunately for them, there’s no real proof of this belief. Let me clarify… Magick is all about energy and intent.…
Similar to the belief that you need a coven or a year-and-a-day of training, many have the idea that in order to become a “true” Pagan, they need to have a teacher and receive training. In truth, you don’t need another person to guide you on your path, though it…
This idea can make it very difficult for newcomers to Paganism to find their way. Pretty much everyone you talk to has an idea of the “right” way to practice magick. Through practice or teaching, each of us comes to a belief of what works and what doesn’t, what rules…