The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum

Guys, I epitomise novice right now, all I really know is that I'm being pulled away from the atheism that has been my foundation for the last 26 years. This is where I've landed, and this is a path I'd like to explore, but I've found a very elaborate sea of information that I'm struggling to navigate. I mean where does one begin! That's not rhetorical either, if you could share some reliable resources or your own story of beginnings it would be MASSIVELY appreciated.

 
Hi there!

There's tons of info around here - you're right that beginning to explore Paganism can be really overwhelming.

I have a site designed for people interested in religious witchcraft (which is what I do), but it also has some basic explanations of Paganism in general that might be really helpful in helping you get started. The site is at http://gleewood.org/seeking, and the Basics section has a lot of definitions, terms, etc. that people find helpful to know about.

The place that I usually suggest beginning is start paying attention. What things are you drawn toward? Are there places you feel more comfortable or less comfortable? What things make you feel or act like the kind of person you'd like to be, and which make you feel or act in ways you don't like?

When you're reading someone's posts on a forum, which people do you keep wanting to read more from? (That might be because of the content, it might be because of how they say things.) That can give you some ideas on what to look at more (though it could just mean they're interesting writers.)

Are there any commonalities between people or things you're interested in? Pagan paths (especially as you get more specific, like getting into a particular path or tradition) can shape people in similar ways, so if you notice a lot of people from the same path whose stuff you like, that might be worth exploring in more detail.

Do you notice that a particular topic or deity or concept keeps coming up? (especially if it shows up in non-Pagan reading you're doing) That doesn't mean you have to go do that thing right now - but it might be a thing to check into some more.

As you start paying attention, you might also eventually start some very simple practices: breathing practices, paying attention to seasonal and cyclical changes (like the moon).

You might try finding a few objects you find spiritually meaningful and creating a very simple shrine, where you can think about your spiritual work every time you see it. (This doesn't have to be fancy, you don't need to buy anything when you start out, you probably have items already like art or jewelry or photos, and it doesn't need to fit anyone else's idea of what should be on a shrine or altar. That can come later if it makes sense.)

If those things go well, you might then either start looking at specific paths (and doing whatever they suggest as a way to get started), or maybe start learning some fairly common skills useful in many Pagan paths (breathing, centering, grounding, meditation, visualisation - there's more about these in the Practices area of my Seeking site too, if you want a place to start)