Why Are We Still Celebrating Pagan Festivals?

[VioletFlame]

@Rilles For Pagans, Samhain is "The Witches New Year". We honor the dead and respect Death as a natural, authentic part of Life's journey. Samhain symbolizes a time of ridding the old, and inviting in the new. Releasing, unveiling and transitioning. Embracing the inner-scary within you, perhaps becoming a temporary pyromaniac and cautiously burning things we no longer need.

Also working with the shadow and self-reflection is cathartic around this time. Connecting with nature and collecting seasonal symbols is another great ritual to experiment with. Making autumn art out of foliage, acorns, etc.

It is also a time for recognizing the masks we wear and finding ways to remove them. Removing your mask on Samhain is perhaps one of the most powerful moments and it is about facing our vulnerability and what we most fear. Facing what is beneath the mask. Some may embellish their masks or wear intricately designed masks to make themselves look more real or to fulfill their disguise. Some in which they have chosen to wear, some in which they are not even aware.

Christmas for Pagans (Yule, Winter Solstice--people were celebrating this way before Christmas). Rather than following the Western tradition of celebrating gimmicks and goods, feasts and glitter, it is more centered on the joy of the inner-child (the rebirth of the sun) and expressing deep gratitude (and recognizing that we should be practicing this all year round, and not just on a "holiday" out of lame obligation.)

We focus on joy and blessings and giving offerings. And we focus on exchanging sincere, loving communication and emotional/spiritual connection rather than just tossing gifts and lamenting over our expenses. And rather than not realizing our light-hearted deception due to the beast of enchantment and forceful advertisement.

Christmas traditions in the West don't even bother to associate their candles and mistletoe's with paganism, it is completely ignorant and lacking the true spirit and concept of it all. It is deceit and delusion wrapped in a riddle. Materialism is clearly the new religion.

It's so cool to know you are aware of the true value of these traditions and that they should not be ignored.

Edited December 10, 2018 by VioletFlame

[VioletFlame]

@RachQuel  You have every right to celebrate it as you wish and you should be celebrating it as you wish.

If it's really bothersome to you then they should recognize this and care enough to let you be. It's wonderful to find the quiet, this world is too noisy. This holiday could use some silence. And it should be about putting others first, and about unconditional love and acceptance, there should be no control.

Just be you, babygirl. If they can't accept your own personal values and accept you for who you are, then that's a problem they must investigate themselves.