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Introduction
| Religious Centers | Internet Links |
Introduction
The term "pagan" derives from a term given by Christians to peasants; it literally means "of the country." While many of today's Pagans live in cities, it is toward the country, the earth, the cycles of nature, and the place of the human community in the larger natural ecology that their spiritual life is oriented. It is nature that provides the teaching and inspiration for this spirituality. And, of course, it is nature that provides the cycles of the sun, the moon, and the seasons that are observed and celebrated in Pagan communities. This devotion to nature leads many Pagans to environmental activism.
Paganism includes a wide range of practice and belief. Pagans are found in such places as chapters of an officially sanctioned independant affiliate of the Unitarian-Universalist Association, private homes, public rituals and meetings of other organizations. Some engage in practices such as Tarot card readings which are often labeled as "occult." The word "occult" refers to that which is mysterious or hidden. Pagan rituals and worship circles may include song, dance, meditation, trance work, drumming, spiritual requests, giving thanks, and feasting. Gatherings range from large outdoor celebrations to small private rituals in backyards or living rooms.
Leaders in the Boston area estimate that there are over 6,000 Pagans here from more than a dozen Pagan traditions, including Wiccans, Druids, Dianic Witches, and eclectic Pagans. As in many faiths, Pagans have sects, denominations or traditions. While some Pagan groups, such as the Women's Lodge, have a strong feminist orientation and are largely circles of women, others are comprised of both women and men, such as the EarthSpirit Community and the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans. There are festivals, circles of worship and ceremony, study groups, and bookstores. Some groups draw inspiration from a particular area of the ancient world. An example would be of the Lyceum of Venus of Healing in Ayer, which looks specifically to the ancient traditions of Egypt.
Many groups have strong social and political commitments and are involved in AIDS activism or religious and civil liberties issues. EarthSpirit is a regular participant in the Boston Interfaith Clergy breakfast meetings. Its annual Rites of Spring celebration around Memorial Day each year draws together a great variety of people for workshops and drumming, affinity groups and healing circles, the maypole and the circle dance, feasting, and celebration. EarthSpirit members write, "As we return year after year, reconnecting with old friends, and welcoming newcomers, we till a common ground in which new directions for Paganism and Nature Spirituality can take root and grow."