New Age vs. Neo-Paganism

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This week’s question from the Pagan Perspective YouTube channel is about the differences between “New Age” and “Neo-Paganism”.

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Topic for the Week of 8/5: “I’d love to hear your thoughts on the New Age community! I know that Neopagans get lumped in with that community a lot, so I’d love to hear your thoughts on what makes you different and where you think the line is drawn between the two communities, but also what you share in common.”

I want to precursor my response to this one with a bit of a disclaimer. You’re going to find that there’s avast array of different opinions on this particular topic. These are my personal opinions.

Ok, so here we go…

To me, the term “New Age” is an umbrella term that deals with what is very popularly called “Woo“. New Age is essentially ALL the Woo.

That is to say it deals with crystals, tarot, sacred geometry, astrology, light work, energy work, etc. Pretty much a massive conglomeration of “alternative” thought.

I sort of see this in the perspective of a library or a bookstore. When you walk into a library or a bookstore, all the “Woo” is gathered together in a section called “New Age”.

Neo-Paganism is an umbrella term as well, but deals specifically with religion. It doesn’t have to include a deity to be a religion, but it does involve faith, belief, and often also worship.

In the library or bookstore analogy, Neo-Paganism would be a shelf included within the New Age section.

Many New Age things are incorporated INTO Neo-Paganism beliefs and practices, and so understandably there is a hint of blurring between the two. I think that creates a bit of confusion, but I don’t think that blurring is necessarily a bad thing, as it creates an interest and understanding within the larger community of a religious choice that would otherwise be far more of a mysterious secret.

And we all know how uncomfortable society is with what they don’t and/or can’t understand.

 

Not a Waste

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes and ten seconds, and focused entirely upon the breath and the reasons why the breath is so often the focus of meditation practices.

It was very relaxing, and a topic that I’ve never really considered before. I’ve always followed the breath because the breath is how I was taught as a child to to ground myself, and from a very young age I’ve been doing this naturally when I cry. (I have a habit of holding my breath for extended periods when I get really worked up). Later in life it has become how I deal with pain an anxiety (also both in the grounding arena).

This is called Pranayama, which means to control the breath.

In yoga, this practice is used to center your focus upon the present moment. The breath is the epitome of one’s present. It does not exist in the past, nor in the future. Only in the now. So by focusing upon the breath, you focus not just upon yourself and your inner energy, but also upon -this- moment.

This makes the breath very useful in mindfulness and meditation practices, as it assists the mind in staying present instead of wandering off into musings, memories, or daydreams.

Today’s card is the Eight of Pentacles, which is a representation of manifestation, hard work, purpose, determination, and accomplishment in the area of finances, resources, and the physical world.

In the guidebook of today’s deck, the Beaver is then described with the key words of dedication, drive, guidance, success, integrity, and community.

The Eight of Pentacles and diligent beaver have appeared in today’s draw to remind me that even on the days I’m not sitting at my work table, I’m still working.   Today was a driving day, as all Tuesdays and Fridays are.  Sometimes, these days feel like a complete waste of time because I’m not physically working with my hands.

Today’s draw is a reminder that that isn’t true.  The driving days are just as important to my business, and I’m not working any less just because I don’t have tools in my hands.  It’s not a waste of time, it’s just a different aspect of running a business and without it?  There would be no business, and no success.

Deck Used: Animism Tarot

 

Just One Step is Still Progress

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Today’s meditation was 10 minutes and 38 seconds, and focused on how small steps are still progress on the path of one’s journey.  This goes really well with my draw for the day, as you will see below.

Essentially, the meditation was a mindfulness exercise where you acknowledge the small steps that you are taking or have taken, rather than discounting them as not enough.  This is an issue that I deal with a lot, as I am my own worst critic and I have a habit of pushing myself past my limits to get things done.

It is a good reminder, though, that sometimes it’s okay to take things slow.  With the new project I’m working on for the business, this is a good reminder.  Especially considering I’m struggling with the chemical imbalance caused by having missed my meds for a few days last week.

Today’s draw is the Page of Pentacles, which in this deck is titled as “Education”. The Page of Pentacles is a representation of a receptive omega energy, personality , or person in the area of resources, finances, manifestations, and the physical plane. It indicates the beginning of a new cycle upon a path that you already tread.

As mentioned above, this is an apt card for today.  I’ve been running my business for nearly ten years now, so it is a path I have very much been on for a while.  And yet, this new project that I’m working on currently is a “new cycle” of a sort.  It is a new manifestation brought from the realm of ideas into the physical world.

The Page of Pentacles is also here to remind me that this is a learning process, and learning takes time.  So, in other words, don’t push myself so hard I run myself ragged, and don’t be too hard on myself during the learning process.  I’ll get there… it’ll just take some effort and a little time.

Deck Used: Visions of Life Tarot

 

Just Wait

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and focused on vulnerability, and how when we share our vulnerabilities it can help us in accepting our situation and working through our emotions.

The guided meditation provided suggestions on how to open yourself more to others, and allow them in.  Although, I found a bit of amusement in the “sharing candidly” with others thing.  For someone like myself that has issues with socializing, it’s already very difficult to tell where the line is between socially acceptable and/or appropriate for certain situations, and what’s not.   That kind of encouragement, to someone like myself, could turn out pretty horribly wrong.

That said, I did understand what the meditation was trying to say.  They were trying to encourage opening up to be more genuine and allow an opening for others to become less “peripheral” in one’s life.   And, I’m thinking that there -is- some sort of balance that most people learn where this is concerned.  For me, it has always been easier to just hold myself apart, I think.

Today’s card is the 18th card in the Major Arcana, which is the Moon card.  Like all Major Arcana cards, this card deals with a spectrum of one’s experience on their path rather than just a single aspect of the human experience.

The Moon card is a representation of the “murky” times in life (among other things), and that is what I feel the representation is to me.   Going through these last few days where I am feeling the effects of having missed my meds, there is a lot of “murky” in my life right now.  A lot of confusion and distortion, self doubts and self consciousness, and just an all around struggle to keep myself on an even keel.

In the guide for today’s deck, there is a description of the white hare that speaks of confusion and how things may not be as they seem.  It speaks of the hare’s contemplation on whether it wants to dive into this world of the unknown, and about choosing one’s reality.

That is the message that the Moon card brings to me today.  It speaks of patience.  Of waiting.  The moon may be up and the world full of shadows at the moment, but the sunrise will come eventually and things will go back to an even keel once again.

Deck Used: Animism Tarot

 

Self Care Saturday (on Sunday)

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Week two of accountability on my Self Care Saturday spread in order to foster the motivation to write it down instead of just reading the spread, taking a picture, and moving on.

As mentioned before, these readings are (not usually) bearing in on any one thing or event in my life, as the question used is asking for a more general outlook.  This is a self care exercise, and not meant as a predictive reading.

The question is… What do I need to focus on in the week ahead?

Body – Temperance – I need to keep an eye on what I’m doing to my body this week and take care to practice balance and moderation with both my physical activity and what I’m using as fuel.  Don’t hurt myself by pushing too hard.

Mind – Two of Rods & Ace of Cups – There are some decisions that I need to make concerning what direction I want to take my creativity for the week.  The new project that I’m considering will bring me joy, but I need to be careful not to overload myself. (In other words, make a choice on what to focus on instead of putting all my fish on to fry at once.)

Emotions – Three of Pentacles – This is the 2nd time that this card has appeared in a reading for me in the past two days, and both times it has appeared in the position of the heart/emotions.  This is all about learning some new skills and flexing my creative “muscles” while putting in the work to manifest my idea into reality.  This ties directly into the new project idea mentioned above.

Inner Spark – King of Pentacles – Very clear here. Grab the reins, Be the Boss. Do It.

Moving Away From – Stripping Illusions & Grounding – It’s time to strip away my second guessing and self doubt.  Stop holding myself back and pushing down the ideas that have been brewing.

Heading Towards – Growth & Psychic Development – Although the question for this reading didn’t direct me towards the project that I was considering, it appears that’s the direction that it went in anyway.  It’s time to grow, move forward, and follow where my intuition is leading me.

Decks Used: Anna K Tarot, Shamanic Healing Oracle

 

Broaching Paganism With Others

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This week’s question from the Pagan Perspective YouTube channel is about discussing your practice with others, or to be exact, how to approach others with the topic of one’s pagan practice.

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Topic for the Week of 7/29:  How do I approach the topic of my practice with someone new, while dating, or with children?

I don’t normally broach the subject, as I don’t really feel the need to shout from the rooftops what my belief system is.  But, I am happy to honestly answer questions in a relaxed demeanor when they arise.  While answering questions, though, I usually will try to avoid “trigger words” such as witch, pagan, spell casting, magick, etc.   These words will often close down a conversation with someone that is not familiar with these faiths and practices.

This is not so much to force acceptance from them, but rather because I would like to teach them that perhaps any negative preconceived notions they might have about these labels could be wrong.

Instead, I usually explain that I follow an earth-based religion where I connect to the earth, the elements, and the energy that makes up us and all that is around us.  I may explain some of my practices from this angle as well, if they have more questions.  But, I usually will refrain from using the “labels” until -they- bring up these labels, either by naming some to seek the right one or by asking what the correct terms would be.

This approach will, of course, also depend on if I feel my personal safety would be at risk or not, as there are people out there that… will reject non-mainstream beliefs with violence.  Fortunately, I live in an area of the country (and the world) where that is not so common place.

For children, it is much the same.  I feel it is more important to communicate a connection and respect for the earth than to put a label upon myself.  I’ve found that when it comes to this discussion, children are often less likely to need labels on a whole and more interested in the “meat” of a topic instead.

As for dating.  It never really mattered until meeting you. With those that I was with before, it was just about sex.  Those partners didn’t need to know about that part of my life, or really any part of my life.  I wasn’t looking to connect on any substantial level back then.

I am pretty sure when the topic eventually came up with you, though, that I explained it to you much as I outlined it above.  We have been together for over eleven years now, and just this year I have finally begun sharing more of my path with you beyond the basics I’d explained so long ago, and I have found this sharing to be a wonderful experience.