Daily threshold greeting
A one-minute habit that marks the day.
- Step outdoors or to a window.
- Note the weather, the light and one living thing.
- Say a short greeting aloud, in your own words.
An umbrella of many paths
Paganism
Paganism covers religions that honour nature, many gods, or both. Some are revivals of ancient practice and some are modern creations. They differ a lot, so start with the one whose sources interest you.
What the word means
'Pagan' began as a Latin word for country-dweller, later used by Christians for those who kept older religion. Today people use it for themselves, and the umbrella includes Wicca, Druidry, Heathenry (Norse and Germanic), Hellenism (Greek), Kemetism (Egyptian) and many others. Some of these, such as Hellenism and Heathenry, work from surviving ancient texts. Wicca dates from the 1950s. Be wary of anyone claiming an unbroken prehistoric lineage.
Common threads are reverence for the natural world, honouring deities or spirits, seasonal ritual, and an ethic of reciprocity: you give offerings and attention, and receive meaning.
The Wheel of the Year
Many modern pagans mark eight festivals, four solstices and equinoxes and four cross-quarter days between them. The names mix Celtic and Germanic sources, and the cycle itself was assembled in the 20th century. The dates below are for the Northern Hemisphere; south of the equator, swap them by six months.
Next festival: Yule, 21 December 2026 (approximate for equinoxes and solstices).
Samhain
Cross-quarter. The dead are remembered; the dark half of the year begins.
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Yule
Winter solstice. The longest night, and the return of the light.
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Imbolc
Cross-quarter. First stirrings of spring, associated with Brigid.
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Ostara
Spring equinox. Day and night balance.
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Beltane
Cross-quarter. Fertility and fire, the start of summer.
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Litha
Summer solstice. The longest day.
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Lughnasadh
Cross-quarter. First harvest, grain and games.
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Mabon
Autumn equinox. Second harvest and thanksgiving.
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Paths
Each path has its own sources, history and practices. Read the cautions on each page before borrowing anything.
Hellenism
Modern worship of the ancient Greek gods.
Druidry
A modern nature spirituality inspired by the ancient Celtic druids.
Heathenry
Reviving the pre-Christian religion of the Germanic and Norse peoples.
Kemetism
Reconstructing the religion of ancient Egypt.
Wicca
A modern initiatory witchcraft religion founded in 20th-century England.
Celtic Reconstructionism
A research-based approach to the religions of the Celtic-speaking peoples.
Rodnovery
The modern revival of Slavic native religion.
Animism
Respect for the living world as a community of persons.
Go deeper
Where to begin
A gentle starting guide for newcomers: read first, start small, find people carefully.
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Ethics and cautions
Common values, cultural borrowing, how to judge sources and claims, and finding communities safely.
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Glossary
Plain-English meanings for the terms you will meet, from altar to Wheel of the Year.
Read more
General practices
Simple seasonal altar
A small shelf or windowsill that follows the Wheel.
- Choose a cloth and one candle.
- Add things you found locally: a seed head, a leaf, a stone.
- Change the items at each festival.
- Return natural items to the ground when you are done.
Offering and thanks
A reciprocal act towards your local place.
- Pick up litter from one spot, or pour out water at the base of a tree.
- Name what you are thanking.
- Leave nothing that does not belong there.
Practising with care
Learn the cultural origin of any practice you borrow, and leave closed traditions, such as some Indigenous ceremonies, to the people they belong to. Prefer your own local plants, weather and landscape over imported symbols. A short daily act of attention beats an elaborate ritual done once.