The Complete Idiot's Guide to Paganism

by McColman, Carl

• ISBN13: 9780028642666
• ISBN10: 002864266X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-04-01
• Publisher: PENGUIN

Summary

Yours"re no idiot, of course. But finding the perfect expression of your spirituality can prove long and challenging. You might already be attracted to paganism, but considering the variety of traditions and paths that fall in this category, yours"ll need a spiritual guide. Seek no further! Whether yours"re interested in following the pagan path or just curious to know more, The Complete Idiotrs"s Guidereg; to Paganism will enlighten you on this fascinating array of nature-based beliefs and practices. In this Complete Idiotrs"s Guidereg;, yours"ll learn about: The basic principles of shamanism, druidism, Wicca, and more. How to deepen your connection to the Goddess, the God, and nature. The fundamentals of meditation, magic, divination, and spiritual healing. Tips on incorporating pagan rituals into your modern lifestyle.

Author Biography

CARL McCOLMAN is a freelance writer and spiritual teacher based in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the author of several books including The Well-Read Witch and The Aspiring Mystic. A practitioner of nature spirituality for more than a decade, he is the co-founder and former leader of a druid grove and currently is the co-leader of an interfaith pagan meditation circle.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Pagan Basics	1	(84)
Welcome to the Pagan Path	3	(12)
All-Natural Ingredients	15	(14)
Please Don't Squeeze the Shaman!	29	(14)
Wicked Good!	43	(14)
The Philosophical Pagans: Druids and Other Revivalist Groups	57	(16)
Other Pieces of the Pagan Puzzle	73	(12)
Part 2: How to Think Like a Pagan	85	(80)
This World, That World, and the Otherworld	87	(12)
Getting to Know the Goddess	99	(12)
All About the God	111	(14)
A Field Guide to the Spirit World	125	(14)
Elementary, My Dear Pagan!	139	(14)
Going in Circles	153	(12)
Part 3: Ritual	165	(58)
The Wheel of the Year	167	(12)
Tools for Ritual	179	(16)
A Basic Ritual	195	(14)
Rites of Passage	209	(14)
Part 4: Magic	223	(58)
Meditation: Welcome to Magical Boot Camp!	225	(14)
Magic, or Flexing Your Spiritual Muscles	239	(14)
Divination and Omens: Listening for the Divine Whisper	253	(14)
The Pagan as Healer: From Medicine Men to Reiki Masters	267	(14)
Part 5: Living the Pagan Life	281	(69)
Pagan Ethics: How to Behave Like an Earthkeeper	283	(14)
Groups, Groves, and Gatherings	297	(14)
Harry Potter and Beyond: Paganism in Popular Culture	311	(14)
Everyday Paganism	325	(25)
Appendixes
A Recommended Reading	339	(6)
B Resources	345	(5)
Index	350