Not sure if Paganism is the right path for me

[broomstick]

Hi all,

I'm 16 years old, and have been interested in Paganism/Wicca for a while, but never really commited to it. I come from a very Christian home, and consider myself to be a pretty good kid. I never get into much trouble, A-B student, etc. I think a major reason I have never really gotten into it is simply because I am constantly busy and it tends to distract me at times. Also, another reason is because, though I know this religion is not devil worship,  and hocus pocus evil like the Christian world has made it out to be, I am just afraid of coming out about it to friends and others because of misconceptions. To be honest, I'm not too sure what I believe in. I mean, I'm not all that sure I believe in the typically idea of a God. I do believe there is some type of spirit world, and while I don't consider spirits Gods, I consider them to be higher energies, which I guess you could classify as a God. I just do not really believe in individual Gods with names, such as the many Gods/Goddesses of Paganism. Like I said though, I do believe in a spirit world which I believe one can interact with to influence their lives ever so slightly. I believe that witchcraft can work. I don't really know what you would call me. I enjoy nature and the earth itself, and am greatful that it produces everything we see around us, such as plants and other things. I do admit, I am a science geek, so I believe in the Big Bang Theory, Evolution, etc. I don't really know if this is the right path for me, but I continue to feel drawn to it for some reason. It just feels right, I don't know. What do you think? Is Paganism for me? While I know it all comes down to my personal choice, I would like your honest thoughts and opinions. Lastly, if it is the right path for me, what type of Pagan am I? Thanks!

[RandallS]

I don't really know if this is the right path for me, but I continue to feel drawn to it for some reason. It just feels right, I don't know. What do you think? Is Paganism for me? While I know it all comes down to my personal choice, I would like your honest thoughts and opinions.

If you aren't sure, then wait until you are. There's no rush. It's not like if you don't decide if you are Pagan (and which Pagan religion you are) right now something bad will happen.

[yewberry]

I'm 16 years old, and have been interested in Paganism/Wicca for a while, but never really commited to it. I come from a very Christian home, and consider myself to be a pretty good kid. I never get into much trouble, A-B student, etc. I think a major reason I have never really gotten into it is simply because I am constantly busy and it tends to distract me at times. Also, another reason is because, though I know this religion is not devil worship,  and hocus pocus evil like the Christian world has made it out to be, I am just afraid of coming out about it to friends and others because of misconceptions.

Were I in your situation, I'd probably continue to study and learn about various pagan paths (paganism isn't a religion, but a number of them, often largely unrelated--the Cauldron's Pagan Primer discusses several of them).

I don't see much of a point to "coming out" when you're not yet even sure what you believe, and when you live with parents who have decided to raise you as a Christian.  You live under their roof, and should abide (within reason) by their expectations on the matter of your spiritual education.  There will be plenty of time to explore beyond reading when you're out on your own.

Brina

[tihana]

What do you think? Is Paganism for me? While I know it all comes down to my personal choice, I would like your honest thoughts and opinions. Lastly, if it is the right path for me, what type of Pagan am I? Thanks!

 
I was pretty much in the same position you're in when I was that age, even younger. It took me about 10 bloody years to find something that just... fit. People use the cliche of the last piece of the puzzle coming together and let me tell you, that's what it felt like: like a shift in my body. But that took ten years. Ten years of questioning my determination and philosophy, of investigating different paths. And honestly it takes a long time for many people. It's all horribly discouraging, but through all the doubt and frustration, I always came back. I always felt the calling to further investigate a pagan path.

I wish there was an easy answer but there's not. And honestly, there's more variations to paths than there are stars in the sky. Religion really is what you make of it. Nothing wrong with mixing and matching to fit your needs.

[bluewave193]

Hi all,

I'm 16 years old, and have been interested in Paganism/Wicca for a while, but never really commited to it. I come from a very Christian home, and consider myself to be a pretty good kid. I never get into much trouble, A-B student, etc. I think a major reason I have never really gotten into it is simply because I am constantly busy and it tends to distract me at times. Also, another reason is because, though I know this religion is not devil worship,  and hocus pocus evil like the Christian world has made it out to be, I am just afraid of coming out about it to friends and others because of misconceptions. To be honest, I'm not too sure what I believe in. I mean, I'm not all that sure I believe in the typically idea of a God. I do believe there is some type of spirit world, and while I don't consider spirits Gods, I consider them to be higher energies, which I guess you could classify as a God. I just do not really believe in individual Gods with names, such as the many Gods/Goddesses of Paganism. Like I said though, I do believe in a spirit world which I believe one can interact with to influence their lives ever so slightly. I believe that witchcraft can work. I don't really know what you would call me. I enjoy nature and the earth itself, and am greatful that it produces everything we see around us, such as plants and other things. I do admit, I am a science geek, so I believe in the Big Bang Theory, Evolution, etc. I don't really know if this is the right path for me, but I continue to feel drawn to it for some reason. It just feels right, I don't know. What do you think? Is Paganism for me? While I know it all comes down to my personal choice, I would like your honest thoughts and opinions. Lastly, if it is the right path for me, what type of Pagan am I? Thanks!

 
You and I are in a similar boat.

First: It's ok not to have an official title for your beliefs. I don't. If you needed asked what religion I am/have I would probably say pagan for simplicities sake. (by the way, sorry if my grammar/spelling is WAY off. I'm really tired right now). Basically, I believe that there is energy throughout everything. Whatever you want to call that title (God, spirits ect) is up to you. That energy is amplified through us when we do things we love/are around people we love (one major way for me to connect to this energy is through music (I play oboe)). I also meditate, and open my chakras, and talk to my plants and fish.

The first step for you, I'd say, is what do you want from your beliefs? Try making a list.

(Again, sorry if this doesn't make much sense, school is rather hectic right now, so not much sleep....)

-Blue

[PlaceboArtist]

I think a major reason I have never really gotten into it is simply because I am constantly busy and it tends to distract me at times. Also, another reason is because, though I know this religion is not devil worship,  and hocus pocus evil like the Christian world has made it out to be, I am just afraid of coming out about it to friends and others because of misconceptions.

You don't have to come out about it straight away, especially if you're not sure about what you believe or your friends won't be accepting.

To be honest, I'm not too sure what I believe in. I mean, I'm not all that sure I believe in the typically idea of a God. I do believe there is some type of spirit world, and while I don't consider spirits Gods, I consider them to be higher energies, which I guess you could classify as a God. I just do not really believe in individual Gods with names, such as the many Gods/Goddesses of Paganism. Like I said though, I do believe in a spirit world which I believe one can interact with to influence their lives ever so slightly. I believe that witchcraft can work. I don't really know what you would call me. I enjoy nature and the earth itself, and am greatful that it produces everything we see around us, such as plants and other things. I do admit, I am a science geek, so I believe in the Big Bang Theory, Evolution, etc.

Paganism describes a whole bunch of paths, some polytheist, some not. What you describe sounds like some kind of pantheism, which means believing that the earth itself and all of nature is divine. So it's not quite the same as believing in the Christian god or any pantheon, but it's still some sort of religious belief.

Depending what you mean by 'spirits', another thing you might be interested in is animism, which is the belief that everything (humans, animals, plants, rocks, waterfalls) has a spirit.

Also, belief in Witchcraft is compatible with any form of belief (or lack of) in (a) god(s) . Ditto science - so don't feel being a Pagan means you have to dump all your scientific beliefs.

 I don't really know if this is the right path for me, but I continue to feel drawn to it for some reason. It just feels right, I don't know. What do you think? Is Paganism for me? While I know it all comes down to my personal choice, I would like your honest thoughts and opinions. Lastly, if it is the right path for me, what type of Pagan am I? Thanks!

I spent some time trying to ignore the draw I felt towards Witchcraft, because I thought it was incompatible with my atheist views, but I investigated and found a religion that suits me - after a long time of being confused about what I believed and what to call myself. To be honest, my religion still doesn't fit any labels vary well. The moral being: don't sweat it, keep looking and learning and you'll find something that fits you.

[Agonistes]

I don't really know if this is the right path for me, but I continue to feel drawn to it for some reason. Lastly, if it is the right path for me, what type of Pagan am I? Thanks!

 
I would say explore it, although you really don't want to upset your parents, especially since you still live with them, that could cause unneeded tension. Just remember, the gods and goddess' will always be here, so there's no rush!

As to what "type" of pagan you are, that's entirely what you enjoy or feel drawn to, or are inevitably led to by no choice of your own (which seems to happen more often than not). I wrote up a long paper about the "labels" we give ourselves in the pagan community, I wouldn't get too caught up in what to call yourself. Sure, it's good to have an umbrella so you can find people with common ground, but all-in-all it's just a label and the time you spend thinking on a label could be spent exploring the paths instead of sitting on the outside of the many paths wondering, "Which road do I take?" Grab a book on mythology if you're worried your parents are going to find the material on witchcraft, and other more-so "occult" related practices associated with paganism. Lots of people like mythology, so it's not really unusual or out of the ordinary to find a book on it.

I hope I helped, if you have any questions on a more-so Greek (Hellenic) based path I could possibly assist you with that, and give you some good reading to go along with that.

Cheers mate, I hope you find what you're looking for.

[Chausette]

I hope I helped, if you have any questions on a more-so Greek (Hellenic) based path I could possibly assist you with that, and give you some good reading to go along with that.

Cheers mate, I hope you find what you're looking for.

I'm not the OP and I hate to derail their thread, but I'm also a Pagan newb and have been interested in a Hellenic path. Can you give me your recommendations?

[Yami_Ranpu]

I'm not the OP and I hate to derail their thread, but I'm also a Pagan newb and have been interested in a Hellenic path. Can you give me your recommendations?

TC has a wonderful hellinic Sig that has information on the path. I would suggest browsing there.

[Ruby~Moon]

I do not really believe in individual Gods with names, such as the many Gods/Goddesses. I believe that witchcraft can work. I don't really know what you would call me. I enjoy nature and the earth itself. I don't really know if this is the right path for me, but I continue to feel drawn to it for some reason. Is Paganism for me?

In your case, I would suggest that you read as many books as you can get your hands on. Paganism is a broad term. Knowledge of the designations, practices and religions, which relate directly to nature, will help you to answer this question for yourself. Whether or not you choose to follow the Goddess, God, or both, is entirely your choice.

If it is Wicca or Witchcraft that you are drawn to, get a feel for the 'fundamentals', if you will, before you decide upon particular beliefs. For example: learn about the magickal elements and correspondences (astral, colour, and the like), develop an awareness of the Pagan holidays, and pursue meditation as a tool for spiritual growth.

Books that may be of interest to you - Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions by River and Joyce Higginbotham; Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland; Access the Power of Your Spiritual Self: Your Source of Inner Guidance and Spiritual Transformation by Elizabeth Prophet. Good luck!