Introduction to Pagan ism By Rt. Rev. First Priest Martin Zeo Kratz
The Concise Oxford Dictionary, Sixth Edition, 1976:
Pa 'gan n. & a. Heathen; unenlightened or irreligious (person), hence ~DOM, ~ISM (2), ns., ~ISH a., ~IZE (3) vt & I [ME , f. L pagan us civilian ( pagus country district; see ~AN); sense heathen in Christian L (Tertullian Augustine)]
us, which literally means 'country dweller', he who lived in the low lands or country. 異教一詞來源於拉丁詞異教徒我們,這字面意思是'鄉下人',他誰住在低地或國家。 這個詞最初是用來區分上層富有的人(市民俗)和一般人(鄉下人),誰仍然老神崇拜的pagus。
Pagus手段產地。
異教主義是一個自然的精神路徑或信仰體系。 的信念系統可以追溯到老神在歐洲,非洲,埃及和亞洲,北美和南美以及宇宙論古代部落。 復興古代宗教性質的目的,是為了製造混亂,通過了解,從本質。 這是最通常被稱為新異教主義。
異教徒擰嘗試自己熟知的潮汐性質和影響的內在的自我。 與自然的協調是通過崇敬的太陽和月球階段,這是公認的在每個賽季轉折點。 在正常的英語,我們熟知自己的8季節性變化,最常見的已知所有異教徒的對象是作為Sabbats。 該Sabbats標誌著季節的變化,神學和生活。 通過了解Sabbats你就會明白,所有的生活變化,不可避免地,通過與轉折的一年(或車輪的一年,我們稱之為)。 該Sabbats還告訴我們的故事,神聖的情侶。 它作為一本傳記的神聖夫婦從中確定了所有生命。 最引人注目的故事迪瓦恩夫婦當然是' 後裔的女神'是發生在開始第二次收穫或馬邦,高峰期在第三豐收,Samhain,最後所有的冬季。
該Sabbats分為兩個不同的群體。 大Sabbats和小Sabbats。 每個小組由4 Sabbats。
這四個大Sabbats,這是農曆(女神)為本,是:
收穫節- 2月2日
Samhain - 4月30日
聖燭- 8月2日
Beltaine - 11月1日
四個小Sabbats,這是太陽(神)為本,是:
馬邦- 3月20日
尤爾- 6月21日
奧斯塔雷- 9月21日
Litha - 12月21日
*注:在較小的日期可能會更改Sabbats一天由於差異的實際天文事件和我們的日曆。
當明白這點,那麼很容易理解的事實,即所有異教徒 s的女祭司和神父的性質。 大自然本身就是我們的精神領袖和我們的神聖的書。 我們只有很少強調教條和禮儀。 現在可以理解為什麼我們的崇拜主要是發生在開放的自然空間。
據認為,所有的生命已經並將發展。 作為異教 S我們沒有花很多時間對概念的演變。 這是一些重要的知道我們來自何方,但它是更為重要的知道我們去的地方。 然而,要理解以下的異教主義已經發展並極有可能繼續在未來的演變。 我們已經進化和適應更高的要求。 一個明顯的例子這將是一個素食主義者。 有些素食者,如果問他們為什麼不吃肉,會說這是對他們的信仰。 對他們來說這是一個不同的方式理解“你們傷害的無”法。但如果你看看他們脫穎而出的父親,可以保證他們來自吃肉。 古人需要尋找能夠得到糧食。 今天,我們了解到,演變和大自然為我們提供了許多不同的方式,我們不需要有狩獵動物的食物。 此外,當然是因為我們有便利店。
實踐異教主義可以是一個非常孤獨的體驗,您是唯一人類的影響有關係,你建立與神,通過自己的形式的個人崇拜。 你還可以參加一個小型非正式工作組並保持孤獨,學習更多的人或其他原因而定。 當然,你也可以選擇加入一個有組織的科文,神社,寺廟或教堂,在那裡你是一個更大的一部分機構,人民崇拜的上帝組中的格式。 這也將讓您選擇一個更大的更有組織的研究方法,您可以實現不同程度的,甚至神職人員。 其中的每一種都有其優點和缺點。 個人應堅持實踐的類型,適合他/她的需要。
*注:一些神社,寺廟,教堂允許個人仍然是一個孤獨的醫生在加入。 因此,加入只會學習的目的。
一個真正重要因素異教主義是,無論如何,我們不要福音,因為這種事情貶低奧秘的工藝。 因此,我們不強迫任何人相信,我們這樣做,甚至連我們自己的孩子。 我們理解並尊重這一事實,每個人都有他/她自己的心路歷程,他們必須遵守的,我們不應干涉這條道路。 所有的路徑將導致神。 我們的孩子都提出了知識的異教徒之謎,但還應該教給其他宗教,這個世界所提供的,然後當孩子已經長大,做出一個明智的決定走什麼道路,家長應支持孩子不管。 當然,我們希望我們的孩子跟隨我們的腳步,但應該認識到,路徑或'方法'的工程一個人不一定在今後的工作人員。
這便攜手與實踐的宗教寬容。 s, we only ask for the same respect and tolerance from practitioners of other religions.作為一個異教徒你應該明白,(如上所述),每個人都有他/她自己的路,或走的方式,並應得到尊重和容忍我們作為異教秒,我們只要求同樣的尊重和容忍的醫生,其他宗教。
作為異教 S我們是開放的宗教理念,孤獨的經驗和遇到的自由心態。 我們不法官或取笑彼此的經驗,不管如何'愚蠢的'或'虛幻',他們可能看起來是。 經驗和遇到的,我曾在我的生活,但同樣真實的比別人。 但是這並不意味著一切都沒有,我們做的是深奧的性質。 不是每分鐘的日常必然有一個'大'的含義。 我們都不同,我們的生活是不同的,這是一個巨大的因素,要記住,當遇到一個異教徒的人。 請記住,我們生活在一個世俗的世界,即使我們是神的一部分,我們還只是人類。 關鍵是然後達到平衡身體和精神。
不過,有一個潛在因素把我們聯繫到一起,在第三。 當你把所有的宗教在世界上把他們彼此相鄰,那將是一件事,他們所有人的共同點。 在印地文稱之為'羯磨'。 基督徒說,'你會收穫你播種什麼'。 在異教主義,我們稱之為'三的規則'。
“永遠銘記規則三,
3倍你givest回報你。
這個教訓,你必須學習好,
你只得到什麼你斯特賺取“
這並不一定意味著無論你做什麼回來給您3倍。 例如:如果你偷一個蘋果,這並不意味著在三個不同場合蘋果將偷你。 可是,我的3倍的效果你做了什麼或派出會發生在你身上。 這三個也不應被看作是一個文字,3次和3姆絲好不好,而是一種強調的事實是,會發生什麼你會大於你做了什麼或發出。 業,我們也呼籲它,絕不應被視為一種懲罰或獎勵的東西你已經做了或發出。 它應被看作是人生的一課。 業,除了本身的性質,是最好的老師所有。 最重要的教訓是羯磨教導我們的教訓是行動和反應,原因和影響。 有些基督徒所說的那樣,承諾和執行,因此,看到它的東西從他們的神。
現代巫術或理學巫術 ,因為它被調用時,闡述了點噶瑪信奉巫術瑞德在那裡說:“ 一個沒有傷害你們,因為你們做的。”這些嚴格的代碼允許崇拜者的為所欲為和在同時,告誡他們做任何事情,包括施害自己。
在她的書“, 挑起一Magick釜 ”SilverRavenWolf說:
“這是我的朋友基礎的工藝:每個人可以自由地作出選擇,他或她將改善其環境,家庭,事業和靈性。 人民工藝還有權刪除東西從自己的生命而妨礙其增長或會危害自己的福祉。 從本質上講,所有的女巫地控制自己的生活,並為自己的行為負責。“
因此,我們不承認罪孽中間,而是負起責任為自己的行動。 這只能是,如果我們實行自我控制,如果這是完成的很清楚,為什麼我們沒有任何的誡命。
和所有上述理由,我們不相信概念的原罪,基督教魔鬼。 任何地方以任何異教徒的循環,你聽到有人說,魔鬼讓他們做一些事。 你只有你自己的行為負責。 魔鬼是一個基督教的概念。 他是敵人,基督教的上帝,並已無關異教主義。
最終,我們相信,人類有更多的好,在他們比不好,如果我們能夠只注重良好,我們將會採取的前幾個步驟重建亞特蘭蒂斯。 雖然我們相信,在人類的終極良好,我們並不是盲目的,也不否認惡劣,人類具有的一些。 這個壞的個人是我稱之為'魔鬼'這個世界。
雖然作為一個異教徒 ,我們相信在電力輪迴,我們不讓它我們目前的生活。 我們不詳細闡述巨大的解釋或系統的運作了。 如前所述,我們的去向的重要性遠遠超過我們來自何方。 唯一真正的焦點只是我們都有一個共同的立場或靈魂的安息之地,我們稱之為'Summerlands'(這是一個凱爾特詞,意思是'安息之地')。 但由於異教主義就是這樣一個人的信念你當然可以名字的靈魂安息之地任何你喜歡,只要你知道你在說什麼。 我個人稱之為阿瓦隆。
蒲甘的人已了解到,生活中一切事物都是由能源。 整個宇宙,一切都可以,不能只看到的是所有能源。 即使是最堅實的石頭是由數百萬,數十億原子,會不斷地軌道對方。 這是一部分古訓的“如上所述,使下面的”。 我們生活在一個太陽系中有許多行星圍繞太陽,但一切在這個太陽系是又一個宇宙,因為細胞互相環繞。 宏觀和微觀。 該行星的軌道繞太陽是宇宙的每一個地球是一個縮影。
在秘傳的生活方式,我們已經學會了如何'操縱'這些能源細胞,使他們的工作,完成使命。 通過改變我們的國家,我們的意識,從而開始執行magick。
科學家發現,當你進入恍惚狀態您不再利用腦電波的測試版。 有一個轉變的自覺性和您然後使用您的theta和三角洲的腦電波,這是與睡眠。 最好的方法來描述這種心態就是這樣,你覺得當你剛剛醒來。 你是清醒的,但還是睡著了。 學名這種心態稱為hypnogogic狀態。 這也是在這種狀態下的心,你將最終把你的想法。 托馬斯爵士埃迪森發明燈泡處於這種狀態。
在處理magick應該記住'三規則',如果你只是其中一部分信奉巫術運動'的信奉巫術言談'。
也不要忘記,真正的magick既不是黑非白。 它既是因為大自然是兩者,都愛和殘酷在同一時間。 唯一的好壞是心臟內的醫生。 同樣重要的是要小心你的要求在執行magick,因為你將會得到你所要求的。 要具體。
蒲甘 s是偉大的工人儀式。 應該指出的是,儀式是不是擺脫對我們這個世界。 我們使用的儀式來慶祝我們的世界和我們的生活,並協調與月球和太陽階段。 我們華麗的禮儀和我們的生活因使用四個方向/元素。
東-空氣
北-消防
西-水
南-地球
然後還有就是灣元素,它是在我們所有的,精神或乙醚。
The elements carry characteristics that we use and need in our daily lives. Sometimes you hear someone saying that they are more of an earth person than a water person, for example. This only means, that person can relate to the characteristics of earth, better than the characteristics of water.
Within the realm of magick, the four directions are still accepted as categories of our world, while the fifth element cannot be perceived by normal physical senses, it is placed in the center of the circle and is represented by the practitioner.
These five elements represent the five points of our pentacle that most Pagan s wear as a symbol that represents that – matter and spirit, are not separate entities, but are interlaced and on equal footing.
In his book “The Meaning of Witchcraft” Dr. Gerald Gardner says:
“The foundation of magical beliefs, of which witchcraft is a form, is that unseen Powers exist and that by performing the right sort of ritual these Powers can be contacted and either forced or persuaded to assist one in some way. People believed this in the Stone Age, and they believe it, consciously or not, today. It is now well-known that most superstition is in fact broken-down ritual.”
Ancient Pagan ism was regarded as a dead tradition since it was so violently suppressed by the then Christian (Roman Catholic) Church in the 4 th century. Pagan ism has since been underground, but surfaced in the early 1950's. This was the start of the Neo- Pagan movement. Many people now celebrate the old Sabbats, give praise to the Earth and worship the Goddess and the God. But there is so much more to Pagan ism than “nature worship”.
Together with the worship of the old Gods, ancient Pagan ism taught the perennial spiritual philosophy of the spiritual Oneness. Although the world compromises many different things, actually all is one. The ultimate Oneness is beyond the power of our intellect, but we can experience it.
To understand the ultimate Oneness, one must first look at the different forms of Pagan understanding and belief of Divinity.
“It is because the one transcends all descriptions that you can form no conception of it, yet it is always present to those with strength to touch it” — Plotinus -
Some Pagan s are Pantheistic. This means that they follow a multitude of Goddesses and Gods (ie the different pantheons of the different cultures such as Greece), while others follow their understanding of Divinity through one Great Spirit. And some Pagan s seek religious understanding through experiencing the Divine as a couple. (ie Mother Goddess and Father God, would be the general terms). Most of us Pagan s believe to understand the Divine as a couple. Now, the Divine couple is two different sides to the Ultimate Oneness. Essentially there is only one Divine being, to all religions. That is why all Goddesses are one Goddess and all Gods are one God and Both are One. As Pagan s we divide the One into two different parts, Masculine and Feminine, Male and Female, God and Goddess. This is to create a better understanding of the Ultimate Oneness. The Christians also do this with their God the Father, Jesus the son and the Holy Spirit. So too as a Pagan s do we have separate entities that form the ultimate Oneness. It is just easier to understand it in this way. The Human mind can only comprehend something to which it can relate in some or other way and therefore we also have Patron Goddesses and Gods. In showing us one of their many faces, the Gods introduce themselves to us in a way that we will understand. Therefore you will always have something in common with your Patron Gods.
As humans we rely on our physical senses to survive in this existence and as a way of comparing concepts of an unseen spiritual nature, in other words we really find it difficult to lock into an idea or concept that we cannot see, touch, taste, feel or hear. Even the visions of the highly evolved humans are experienced, for instance a Christian will go to Church and come back and tell you how they felt the Holy Spirit move, or a Buddhist will tell you how at one he/ she feels after meditation or a yoga practitioner will tell you how centred or grounded they feel after a yoga session, we all equate experience with reality, we need to experience divinity in some way in order to feel “connected” if you will. It is the only way in which we can begin to understand and assimilate spiritual experiences. Let alone share them with others. So, to assist humans who seldom or never activated their visualization processes, the ancient spiritual leaders devised concrete visual symbols to aid in the worship of the Divine. The first symbols were paintings on the walls of sacred caves and little clay Mammoth ivory figures such as the Venus of Willendorf, which dates back to about 25 000 BCE. The initiate of ancient beliefs warned their followers that an image was not a reality; they spoke of images as visual symbols of subjective ideas. The images of these “Goddesses” were not intended as items to be worshipped, but as a visual aid of the various aspects of the Deity that was truly being worshipped. For instance on my altar I have a visual aid of Shiva, I DO NOT pray to this image, I do not offer worship to this symbol of the God that I love and worship, it only acts as a trigger to my subconscious, it assists me to personalize my Deity.
“There are two sides to this tale. On the one hand the many unite to become the Oneness and on the other hand the Oneness divides to become many. Things constantly shift between being united by love and divided by strife” — Empedocles –
Pagan s revere both masculine and feminine equally although the Neo- Pagan movement of today often just lends itself towards the Goddess side of the religion. The reason for doing so would be in an attempt to 'correct' previous imbalances of the dominating male God. Although this can and has taken us to the other extreme, it gives a base for the feminist movement. Because women were so badly 'branded' by the one male God and His so called righteous male followers, they now fall to the other extreme of only Goddess worship and once again the balance is lost.
We therefore see the Divine duality in an eastern concept of Yin and Yang. The Divine dance of Polarity and not duality.
In Greece, above an ancient temple at Delphi, are words inscribed “Know thy self”. To many, this is probably the essence of Pagan ism. Ancient philosophers encouraged you to transcend your mortal identity and find your true self. When you have accomplished that, you will discover that your eternal and immortal essence is the one soul of the universe – the Mind of God.
Many people believe that pagan philosophers were dry intellectuals, that is however far from the truth. Ancient philosophers could be compared to modern day Hindu Gurus. Pythagoras for one will always be remembered as a brilliant mathematician, but he was also a very charismatic sage, who dressed in long white flowing robes and wore a coronet on his head. He was believed to have performed countless of miracles, which includes raising someone from the dead. He apparently knew all of his past lives as well as the past lives of his followers. He could hear the essential harmony of the cosmos and called it the music of the spheres. He was the first man to call himself a philosopher and a lover of wisdom, together with the likes of Empedocles, Socrates, Plato, Leonardo DaVince, Walt Disney and many others.
The great minds of the ancients were inspired by the mystical expression of the Pagan Spirit. In these ancient times the Pagan religions were also referred to as the Mysteries. The ancients held the mysteries to the very foundation of their culture. Zosimos (a Greek historian) wrote, that without the mysteries, life for the Greeks would be unlivable, for the sacred mysteries held the human race together.
These sacred teachings of the mysteries were divided into two different groups; the Mystae and the Epoptae.
The Scholars of the Mystae were the ordinary country or common folk, who practiced simple forms of magick and the mysteries. These scholars were also not initiated by a Priestess or Priest of the mysteries, because traveling to the city for the sole purpose of initiation was just not heard of. Thus self-initiations and family Covens were born. To these scholars the myths of the Divine were merely stories to entertain or to tell children at bedtime.
The scholars of the Epoptae were the initiated followers of the mysteries who understood that the myths, which were told as stories, contained profound spirituals teachings. These teachings were understood as great allegories. They were the 'more' educated scholars who came from the city and who would be the future High Priestesses and High Priests.
Therefore the meanings of the words: Mystae and Epoptae.
Mystae, which is the root word for mystery and mysticism means 'eyes closed'.
Epoptae, the scholars of the 'Inner Mysteries', means 'to have seen'.
After the Roman Invasion, the 'simple people' of the country who practiced earth magick lived in peace alongside the 'sophisticated' city people who had their pantheistic beliefs. They lived side by side in perfect harmony and both were considered as Pagan s. Until the Roman Emperor Constantine on the year 325AD in collaboration with the church restructured the bible for political gain. He saw a way in which he could control the world and thus the Christian Bible, as we know it was created to control people and steer them away from the mysteries.
Today a great amount of terms will be found under the ' Pagan Tree', which affects on the individuals understanding and experience of the Divine from within and without. Terms such as Wicca, Shamanism, Druidism, Asatru, Voodoo ect.
Gardner said that the meaning of it all lies in the deepest levels of the human mind, in the collective unconscious and in the earliest developments of human society.
In conclusion: Pagan ism (to me) is not just a religion or belief system alone, but a way of life.
Being a Wiccan, Scott Cuningham called it 'Living Wicca'.
參考文獻:
1. To Stir a Magick Cauldron – A Witches Guide to Casting and Conjuring
SilverRavenWolf
2。 Dancing Under a African Moon – Pagan ism and Wicca in South Africa
Donna Darkwolf Vos
3。 Spiritual Traditions – Essential Teachings to Transform Your Life
Timothy Freke
4。 The Pagan Family – Handing the Old Ways Down
Ceiswir Serith
5。 Namaste Volume 2 November/December 1999 – Pagan ism
Donna Darkwolf Vos
6。 Through Time Into Healing – How Past Live Regression Therapy can Heal Mind Body and Soul
Dr. Brian Weiss
7。 The Jesus Mysteries – Was the Original Jesus a Pagan God
Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy
8。 The Meaning of Witchcraft
Dr. Gerald Gardner
9。 1 st Degree Course – An Introduction to Pagan ism and Wicca
Martin Zeo Kratz
Copyright © 2008 First Priest Martin Kratz. 保留所有權利
First Priest Rt.Rev Martin Zeo Kratz
Notrenlim Phoenix Tradition
Notrenlim Temple
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