Naturalistic Paganism
Category: experience
A Shinto Experience in New Zealand by Megan Manson
It may seem strange that one of the most profoundly Shinto experiences I’ve had was in New Zealand. The whole trip, from the cave’s entrance to the meditative atmosphere of the glowworm chamber, felt like a pilgrimage to a particularly powerful Shinto shrine. To me, this visit to Te Ana-Au Glowworm Caves demonstrated how universal the concept behind Shinto – the sense of respect and awe we feel in the face of Nature’s wonders – really is, and that the kami themselves truly are to be found everywhere.
Read MoreYou can help every child realize that they are stardust!
For many of us Naturalistic Pagans, the roots of our spirituality can be traced back to when we first realized what a vast, ancient Universe we are part of. Often, that began with Carl Sagan’s Cosmos, or Neil deGrasse-Tyson’s more recent remake of Cosmos. We now have a chance to help bring that magic to more kids who are wondering about it all as well.
Read MoreDNA Testing: Making Ancestor Worship a Science! by Renee Lehnen
When people learn about their DNA, they strengthen their ties to our great big 7 billion member human family. Each and every one of us is the child of sturdy people who survived plagues, war, bad hair days, and myriad calamities. Our ancestors, royal and pauper, had a 100 per cent success rate in the game of life. We face the future with our illustrious, amazing, inherited DNA.
Read More“Is Anyone Else Getting Weird Vibes?”: On Confirmation Bias and Emotional States, by Lupa Greenwolf
It’s okay to want to not feel alone in your thoughts and feelings. But remember that we humans share a lot of common experiences. And it’s natural for us to feel empathy for others in the same situation we’re in: welcome to being a social species of ape. We evolved this connection to each other over millions of years, and we share it with lots of other species, too.
Read MoreVisions, Part 3: The Power of Spiritual Experiences, by Jon Cleland Host (Starstuff, Contemplating)
Spiritual experiences are a powerful and wonderful part of being human – but what do they mean? Do they prove one religious path is right over all the others? What does the evidence show? What happened during my spiritual experience? Here is some discussion of these points, in this video:
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Pagan Coming Out Day – May 2nd
Naturalistic Paganism 