Solitary Practitioner: A Look at the Development of My Pagan Beliefs

I've been a practicing pagan for about a decade. While I am not extremely observant, I believe that my preference to live my life as I want and let others do the same is something I willingly reinforce with my pagan spiritual beliefs. I call myself a Celtic Universalist Pagan as this describes my preference for Celtic traditions, my belief that we see different faces of the same divinity and the nontraditional nature of my beliefs.

Christian Foundations

As a child, I was surrounded by family members who discussed religion occasionally. My grandmother gave me a Bible and my family described why they put up a manger at Christmas time. I was allowed to read the Bible on my own and formulate my own opinions about it. Reading and interpreting the holy book on my own made me a very objective and observational reader, especially concerning religious materials.

As a current practicing pagan, I use some old beliefs and traditions that are very similar to Catholicism, mainly because some saints (such as Bridget) are derived from older deities.

Nature and Heritage

I have always enjoyed conducting research on my ancestry and various school projects encouraged me to do so. I learned about the shamanic traditions of American Indian tribes and researched the mysterious Druidic beliefs of pre-Christian Ireland. While I did not incorporate these traditions or beliefs into my practice at a young age, it did readily hold my interest.

Influence From the 1960s

Although I was born in the 1980s, I became a fan of The Beatles and the hippie culture of the 1960s. I quickly found that others involved in that subculture were open to less traditional beliefs and those eschewing organized religion.

Defining Paganism For Myself

Initially, I was more of a technopagan. A technopagan researches pagan beliefs and connects with other pagans using technology such as the Internet. When I went to college, I encountered other pagans online and in person. I learned about the diversity of paganism and discovered my preference for the female divine.

I also learned that some pagans maintained an elitist know-it-all attitude, especially in more established or structured belief systems like Wicca. This led me to realize that all faiths have 'better-than-thou' practitioners.

After researching communities and covens, I decided that I preferred to formulate my own beliefs about the divine. I discovered that while I had my own preferences and ideas, they still held major similarities to other pagan and non-pagan beliefs. I began to agree with the Universalist belief that practitioners of different religions see different faces of the same ultimate divine being.

I do not feel uncomfortable in most churches, synagogues or other places of worship because I am observing and honoring one face of the divine.

Not Loud and Proud

Some pagans are "loud and proud" about their pagan beliefs. Some wear tee shirts and coven gear in public to emphasize this or make online handles to identify themselves as a member of their belief system. As in other religions, some pagans observe holidays casually or rarely. I am one of those individuals. While I am spiritual, I don't feel the need to intensely practice or express my beliefs on every holiday.

I am especially grateful for my right to believe and worship as I choose. I don't usually receive discrimination or teasing because many of the people I encounter in my circles (writers, artists, gamers) are familiar with paganism. I don't go about wearing pentacles or chanting spells and I'm very into my Irish American heritage, so I've actually received more criticism from Protestants who assume I am Catholic.