Welcome and many greetings, friends! This is my Sacred Wood. In the wood, I disscuss my personal path of spirituality (pantheistic Paganism) and provide you with some resources. I hope that this helps guide you to refining or rediscovering your own path. Or perhaps you will just go away with a clearer idea of Earth-based religions. However you are affected by your journey through the Wood, I would love to hear about it! Please visit and sign the Dreambook to record your experiences and thoughts. On the updates page you will learn what new features are to be found here. On to the story.......

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-How I found the path-

The wind whips violently around me. My hair flies on the breeze but I ignore it. The candles placed in a circle on the ground flicker but stay lit. They cast only a faint glow onto the surrounding grasses. All around the hill on which I stand the woods stand like silent sentinels. I soon forget the chill wind that creeps into my bones.Then, I feel it. An undescribably warm, loving feeling. From the circle I have cast, I feel white light flood around me. This must be what people speak of as the Goddess hugging you.

“Oh great mother, known by many names
and in many guises.
Asarte, Diana, Hecate, Inanna

I ask that you recognize me now as a pupil,
for I desire to know
your great love and joy.”

You may ask, how did I discover this was what I needed? Like most who come to this point, I have always believed in and followed the basic ideas of Paganism. I simply never knew that they had a name. I thought I was alone in what I believed. No one I had yet met seemed to believe the same as I did, or hold the same things high. My greatest desire was avoid harming others physically or emotionally, while others seemed to enjoy it.

My discovery of the actual practice and ritual of this religion began through a book. It was an ordinary book, read by thousands of people across the country. But for me, it seemed to have a special meaning. “The Mists of Avalon” by Marion Zimmer Bradley is a work of historical fiction. The characters in it seemed familiar. It was as if, for the first time, I understood someone. Someone thought the same things as me. The priestesses of the island of Avalon consumed my thoughts and my effort to learn more about them was soon rewarded.

Once I knew that I was not alone in my beliefs, I knew there was nothing else I could be. Nothing held over me that magical bond as the ancient Goddess worship did. Still, I felt it my responsibility to learn of all the religions. I believe everyone should do so in order to make a correct and educated decision. They should all find what is right for them. My studies centered on Paganism, a modern day embodiment of this ancient group. I soon learned of its ceremonies and rituals. Its sabbats were strangely familiar, all having been copied and twisted into Christian holidays. The more I learned, the more I felt that this was what I was meant to be. Finally a religion based on what I held highest. A religion on the natural balance of the earth and its inhabitants, on the ancient three-fold law, also known as karma. After studying all of these things for nearly two years, I felt ready to initiate myself. My initiation ceremony was a very personal dedication of my life. It was a rebirth under the goddess, and so I chose a new name as well.

Paganism is not only my religion, but my way of life. It affects everything I do, allowing me to always feel more in tune. I am a very giving and caring person now- even more than I used to be. While I know this path isn’t for everyone, it has certainly changed my life. Knowing that I am not alone, and that their are others like me also helps. Whenever I feel out of place or alone, I simply think of all the brothers and sisters I have met. It feels as though the Goddess is hugging me, always.

Some of the beautiful graphics you see come from the following Pagan graphic providers. I thank the Goddess for their many talents and generosity.

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