60s & Further

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Paganism
Are you a Pagan?

The term pagan is from Latin paganus,
an adjective originally meaning "rural", "rustic" or "of the country."
As a noun, paganus was used to mean "country dweller, villager."
In colloquial use, it would mean much the same as calling someone a 'bumpkin' or a 'hillbilly'.
Paganus was almost exclusively a derogatory term.
(It is from this derivation of "villager" which we have the word "villain",
which the expanding Christians called the Pagans of Northern Europe/Scandinavia).
From its earliest beginnings, Christianity spread much more quickly in major urban areas
(like Antioch, Alexandria, Corinth, Rome) than in the countryside
(in fact, the early church was almost entirely urban),
and soon the word for "country dweller" became synonymous with
someone who was "not a Christian," giving rise to the modern meaning of "pagan."

In large part, this may have had to do with the conservative nature of rural people,
who were more resistant to the new ideas of Christianity than those who lived in major urban centers.

Pagan began as a derogatory term for the rural peoples holding to conservative beliefs
and through evolved colloqialism to pre-Christian/ non-Christian beliefs
specifically held in the face of the new and predominantly urban Christianized Roman society.

In a temporal twist of faith, the rural peoples of our western culture continue to hold
the conservative traditional values (as advocated by the bible belt or red state)
but these rural conservatives now face off against the post-religious secularized urban areas of the United States.

While the term pagan is now firmly entrenched with the concept of pre-Christian shamanism
rather than as "a rural person holding to conservative traditional beliefs and values",
the rural conservative Christians of the 21st century could be argued
as mirroring the same cultural traits as the pagans of the first and second millenia.

It has more recently (from the 19th century) been used admiringly
by those who believe monotheistic religions to be confining or colourless.
Pagan also comes from the hebrew word paganini - which means "person who lives in the forest".

"Pagan" came to be equated with a popular,
Christianized sense of "epicurean" to signify a person who is
sensual, materialistic, self-indulgent, unconcerned with the future
and uninterested in sophisticated religion, like, well--a HIPPIE!!!

Pagan and Occult Bookstores

Directory of Alternative Medicine

Art of Jonathan Earl Bowser
The Goddess Art of Jonathan Bowser.
Dreamscapes of the Mythological Kingdom, images of the Goddess, Beauty, and the Mysteries of Nature.
A breathtaking site.

Avalonia
Avalonia contains a range of articles and listings pertaining to Paganism,
Wicca & Witchcraft in the UK. Free Lessons, Events Listings and lots more!

Blavatsky Net-Theosophy
This site focuses on Madame Blavatsky and her teaching.

Please visit our Theosophy Bookstore

Colorado Pagans
Caliana's Wiccan Web.
Simply a beautiful and well researched sight.
Information, links, study, sabbats, poltical witchcraft and much more!
Very lovely!

Dion Fortune
The works of Fortune are highly recommended
for the beginning magician with Christian tendencies.
Her works are extremely interesting and worth exploring.

Earthfolk
Earthfolk is a portal for those who are searching for a way to move beyond
Judaeo-Islamic-Christian-Mormon Biblical mythos-which is a Warrior Mythos.
Beyond lies the Earthfolk mythos. A beautiful site embracing Sacred Sexuality.

Hippie Goddess
Celebrating the Sensual and the Natural.
A beautiful site of very 'real' Earth Mamma's- Dreadlocked, Barefooted,
Pagan and Hippie chicks. Real Beauty-Natural and Sexy.

GoddessHeart
An amazing site of photography and poetry.
A must see-highly recommended, or visit GoddessHeart Guest Gallery here at 60s.
Honoring the 'Sacred Feminine.'

I Am A Witch
An incredible site and extremely well designed.
This site features a monthly column, tools, articles, cool magicks, beautiful photos and more!

Isaac Bonewits
Isaac's homepage.
A journey into a cybernetic grove and virtual stone circle.

Laurie Cabot
"The Official Witch of Salem"
Founder of the WLPA-The Witches league for Public Awareness.
Author, lecturer and teacher.

LILA
LILA is a Vedic term meaning 'Cosmic Play',
an attitude that regards the manifest universe as arising
from the joyous love play and creative adventures of the Divine.

Witchcraft NET
Hopes to help people meet their own religious, spiritual and moral needs
by providing information, inspiration, community, stimulation and products.
An incredible resource.
Located in Derry, New Hampshire and providing us with an enormous database
of information on Paganism, Metaphysics and Witchcraft.

Goddess Worship

Goddess worship is a general description for the veneration of a female Goddess or goddesses.
Many New Age Goddess devotees prefer the term goddess spirituality,
avoiding the term "worship" for a faith that does not
distance the Divine into a remote, hierarchical separation.
Goddess veneration may be also used instead of "worship",
as it can imply respect and intimacy without undue deference.
In such contexts, "spirituality" is often preferred to "religion" because
major organised religions have not typically nurtured goddess worship,
with the notable exception of Hinduism.

Goddess worship can be conservative, supporting male dominance,
state control, and empire building;
or it can be radical, challenging those traditions.
It can support women's authority.
In Western society goddess worship has developed into a distinct culture since the mid-19th century.
Goddess worship is not necessarily feminist, though in Western societies the feminist version is probably the most articulate.

Pagan and Neopagan religions or denominations generally recognise goddess worship as one of their few areas of consensus.
However not all goddess worship is Pagan.

The female deity may be referred to in all inclusive terms,
such as "The Great Goddess" or "Queen of Heaven", or she may be referred to in more specific terms:
Kali, Isis, or Kwan Yin.

Some authors, the most notable of whom is Marija Gimbutas,
believe goddess worship started in prehistoric times.
They believe that artifacts from that period, such as the "Venus of Willendorf",
may be representations of fertility goddesses.
However, it is difficult to prove the role of these artifacts conclusively
as evidence surrounding their place in their society is scanty.
Scholars including Peter Ucko have asserted that the figurines in question
were territorial markers, toys, sex aids, sex education models,
and images of priestesses rather than goddesses.
Such controversy tends, though, to assume that these artifacts were put to specific, single usage.
It is quite possible that the same object served many functions, at different times, or even simultaneously.

Occult & Witchcraft
Check out the Forum HERE. Hosted by 'Queen of the Damned'

The Pagan Library
An extremely valuable resource for Everything Pagan! Blessed Be!

Pagan Paths
Another beautiful resource for Pagan networking.
Listed are Pagan groups worldwide, events calendar, resources and a multitude of links.
Connect and Meet.

Sacred Magick
Library of Esoteric, Occult and Magickal Documents for the Global Community



The Summerlands
A beautiful and lavish site featuring libraries, workshops,
networking, chat room, ancient texts and much, much more.

Teen Witch
A Huge resource for serious teen witches or those that are interested.
Daily calendar, essays, beginner's classes, questions and answers, lots of information and resources.

The Witches' Voice
NeoPagan News/Networking since 1995.
The place to go for news and networking about the Pagan community,
as well as events in society at large of concern to Pagans.
The information is always kept updated and precise.

UK Pagan Links
An internet community for Pagans in the U.K.
See what the Pagan community is doing in the U.K. A huge resource.





Additional Resources
The Children of Artemis
If you are interested in Wicca or Witchcraft the CoA is one of the best organisations to join.
Their online forums often have good discussions, membership gets you into a members only part of the site,
discount on Witchfest events, and copies of Witchcraft & Wicca magazine,
as well as their other members only publications delivered to your home.

Fellowship of Isis
Worldwide organisation dedicated to the feminine divine in all her forms.

The Wicca, Witchcraft & Paganism Community Forum
Highly recommended general discussion forum for those interested in Wicca,
Witchcraft and Paganism around the world. Friendly and informative.

Witchdating.com
is a new way to meet the perfect partner.
This alternative match making web site has been especially designed for Witches, Wiccans,
and anyone interested in alternative spirituality or lifestyles. It is easy to register and simple to use.

Sacred Texts Archive
is the largest freely available archive of full-text books about religion, mythology, folklore and the esoteric on the Internet.
The site is dedicated to religious tolerance and scholarship, and has the largest readership of any similar site on the web.

Occult & Wiccan Magazine's

PanGaia Magazine
Can you imagine a spirituality that honors the sacred in all life;
a future in which ancient ritual and modern science both have a place?

PanGaia is an 80-page quarterly magazine that explores
Pagan and Gaian Earth-based spirituality at home and around the world.
At PanGaia we envision a world in which living in spirit and living on earth support and enrich each other.

Pentacle Magazine
Pentacle Magazine is still the Leading Independent Pagan Magazine in the UK.
With the recent expansions to Europe, and the USA, we're getting better known all round the globe.
You can pick up your copy in one of the 200 + UK Pentacle Stockists, or even treat yourself, or a friend to a Subscription.

Sacred Hoop Magazine
A circle of human wisdom about Shamanism and
Earth Spirituality since 1993.

The quarterly magazine which brings you colourful and information packed
articles by leading international writers, teachers and elders.
Shamanic Practice,
story, myths, ritual art, dreaming,
sacred living, dance, drumming, song
healing and well-being
and much more!

For those seeking
a path with heart...

Sage Woman Magazine
Celebrating the Goddess in Every Woman. Beautiful artwork and wonderful articles.
t SageWoman, we believe that you are the Goddess, and we're devoted to celebrating your journey.
With every issue, you'll connect with Goddess-loving women from around the world,
rejoicing in our gifts, sharing our wisdom, reaching out to our sisters.
In our pages, you'll be supported, uplifted, and challenged to envision the Goddess in all women,
especially, in yourself. We invite you to subscribe today and join our circle.

The Magazine of the Children of Artemis
Twice yearly the CoA produces this glossy A5 sized magazine.
The magazine is available from the CoA, either as individual issues or by subscription,
and is also sold in most good pagan and occult shops in the UK.
Sorita & David are both regular contributors, as are Kate West, Fred Lamond
and many other well known authors and teachers.

Pagan Dawn
The magazine of the Pagan Federation.
Produced quarterly, the Pagan Dawn has long been valued for its classified adds and information about the PF.
This A4 format magazine is available on subscription from the PF
and also from most pagan and new age shops in the UK.

Circle Magazine
The magazine of Circle Sanctuary in the US.
It is a quarterly A4 format magazine filled with interesting and useful information and articles,
aimed primarily at the US market, although also widely available here in the UK.
Well worth a subscription, especially if you are looking for something a bit more than 101!

Magical Blend Magazine
NO LONGER BEING PUBLISHED

Traditions Magazine
This is an independent magazine centered on folklore, cultural traditions, and the occult.
The articles feature such topics as archaeology, cosmology, customs, folklore,
hagiography, herbalism, history, magic, mythology, and superstitions.
Their mission is to provide innovative and well researched information regarding Paganism and its many cultural traditions.
They seem to offer an opportunity to explore folk traditions using both scholarship and experience.



Magical & Occult Posters and Art Prints

Occult and Occultism

The word occult comes from the Latin occultus (clandestine, hidden, secret),
referring to the 'knowledge of the secret' or 'knowledge of the hidden'
and often popularly meaning 'knowledge of the supernatural',
as opposed to 'knowledge of the visible' or 'knowledge of the measurable',
usually referred to as science.

The modern term's meaning is often imprecisely translated
and used as a term for 'secret knowledge' or 'hidden knowledge',
in the sense of meaning 'knowledge meant only for certain people'
or 'knowledge that must be kept hidden'.
For most practicing occultists, however, it is simply
the study of a deeper spiritual "reality" that cannot be understood
using pure reason or physical sciences.

The term occult is also used as a label given to a number of organizations or orders,
and the teachings and practices as taught by them.
The name also extends to a large body of literature, and spiritual philosophy.

Occultism, on the other hand, is concerned with the nature of the 'thing-in-itself'.
This is often accomplished through direct perceptual awareness, known as mysticism.

Many occultists, particular those who follow the system of 'chaos magic'
believe that modern quantum physics is confirming the occult position.

In relation to the definition of occultism two things are noted:
firstly the dependence of experimental results on the set up of the experiment itself
(re: the dependence of the answer on the original terms
of the question demonstrating the self-referential cycle).

Secondly the fact that at a fundamental,
sub-atomic level there are no 'things' but only relationships -
a paradox given that relationships are dependent on things to be related -
is said to demonstrate the inherent limitations of the scientific method.

In the language of quantum physics,
taken from the work of David Bohm,
occultism concerns intelf not with the explicate order,
but with the implicate order.

Some religious denominations view the occult as being anything supernatural
which is not done by the power of their faith,
but by the power of an opposing and therefore malevolent entity.
The religions that dictate a malevolent entity exists
often view that rituals outside their standard worship
may be potentially harmful or blasphemous,
although much depends on the outlook of the faith.

Occultism is the study of the inner nature of things,
as opposed to the outer characteristics that are studied by science.
The inability of science and mathematics to penetrate beyond
the relationship between one thing and another in order
to explain the 'inner nature' of the thing itself,
independent of any external causal relationships with other 'things'
is dealt with in some detail by the German philosopher
Arthur Schopenhauer in his treatise entitled
'The World as Will and Representation' in which he designates
this 'inner nature' with the term 'Will'.

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