The Essence of Faith

One of the Nine Noble Virtues is Fidelity, sometimes called Loyalty. This entails not only fidelity to our loved ones and kin, but to our Gods as well.

A binding force of fidelity is love. Yes, many of us can say we love our parents, our children, our Pagan brothers and sisters - but how many of us truly love our Gods and show them that love ?

One may ask - but how do I show a God love ? The two main ways are by our actions and our devotions. As Pagans, we reflect our faith in our daily lives and like Christians and people of other faiths, we are judged. Now there may be some out there who say "I don't care what others think of me !". There has been a fierice independence instilled in modern Paganism that propagates the myth that we'er responsible only to those who matter in our lives. Your actions "ARE" a direct reflection of your love for the Gods - for it is by you that "They" will be judged by others. If you care nothing for the feelings of others or if you live a lifestyle that endangers your health, observers will believe that this is the kind of lifestyle that our Gods condone. If this doesn't turn off would - be adherents, it will attract those of like - mind, further adding, to coin a Christian term, a bad witness for our faith.

No, our faith does not require us to be ultra - pious but we should strive to adhere to tenets of our faith. Much of these tenets sums up actions for ones actions and mindfulness of the impact of those actions.

Living our faith is the doorway to devotion. We can further show devotion by communicating with our Gods through prayer and meditation. Talking to our Gods creates a two - way relationship instead of a one sided, distant one in which the adherent envisions his or her Gods looking down on them from far away. One should feel their Gods with them always - that "They" are right there with them, not far away. If you are not feeling this way, a connection to your Gods, you should take a serious look at your faith and consult with a Pagan Elder for advice and counseling.

Another aspect of devotion that is often overlooked is the act of sacrifice. Surely in elder times , our Pagan ancestors made elaborate sacrifices of treasure or animals. In our day and age, sacrifice does not require something so extravagant. Our Gods evolve just as our culture does. The simple act of lighting a candle, singing thanks in a Gods honour, a bonfire with like minded kin. Plant a garden with the Gods in mind, even potted plants in an apartment are appreciated. It's what is in your heart that counts. Donate to a shelter in Their honour - the act of sacrificing something of value. You can even make a blood sacrifice in Their honour by donating blood yourself. What a great gift, to me no sacrifice at all, an honour to give of my own life force. In ancient times we sacrificed "to" the Gods, and that still holds true, but we have evolved our perception of the world around us has evolved, I believe the Gods evolve, grow with us. Like a parent adjusts the way they rear their children as they mature and become more conscious of the world around them. You don't handle a 10 yr. old like a 2 yr. old and so on, you adjust to the maturity of the child. Truly I do not believe our Gods expect us to waste, throw away gold to bogs and blood to the ground, when with today's knowledge both gold and blood can help humanity at large in their name and honour.

Being Pagan can be very difficult. We don't typically have the support base that other mainstream religions have. When difficult times come upon us, this is the time that our faith may grow weak. This is one of the reasons living such guides as the Nine Noble Virtues and the Wiccan Rede are so important. These guides help to strengthen us for times of crisis - when there may be no one else around but ourselves and our Gods.

We should also study the examples that the stories of our Gods have left us. In Odinn, we can see a supreme God of sacrifice and perseverance - One who endured pain and hardship to grow even stronger. In the Morrigan, we can see the three aspects of woman - in Maiden , Mother, Crone and how she can magickally transform from one to the other at will. Such an example offers wisdom to the young and playfulness for the old. Cernunnos can define our love and care for wild places, the flora and fauna that live there. While Thor can place importance on physical health and the order in our lives.

Whether your identification is with Norse Dieties, Celtic Dieties or a blend of them both, our Gods are alive and are with us. We encourage you to study the old stories, do your research and facilitate a close relationship with one or more of these Gods.

Blessings, Liam of Ravenscry