seeking wisdom, beauty and truth
Every people group that currently exists has an indigenous religion. Every race that has ever existed has had its own indigenous religion. Here, the concept of indigenous refers to what is inherent in a particular culture, not confined to specific cultures or geographic locations. A people is defined by its organic culture, which emerges from within and is expressed by the people themselves, rather than being shaped predominantly by geography.
There is no difference between organic culture and paganism. The idea of religion as something separate from heritage and culture did not exist before Christianity. Naturally, religion is as much a part of the totality of culture as language. Furthermore, every culture really expresses the same philosophy behind its unique cultural expression. This philosophy is what we are attempting to define here: the organic philosophy, which is the philosophy of paganism.
The word religion is often understood to mean something like "to bind," but this is a meaning that the word took on after the introduction of Christianity. The original meaning of the word religion is more akin to "to gather again" or "to speak together again." This is because pagan religion is the way that the community expresses its relationship with the metaphysical and celebrates divinity in and around everything. The community would gather together and perform rituals to celebrate this reality, and that is what religion was and should be—not a system of belief or a creed, not an institution, but an organic body expressing its cultural understanding of our divine reality.
This understanding is not lost to us in modernity but is hidden due to the suppression of the organic nation via institutionalism. However, it is completely possible to follow the pagan path on an individual basis or at the family level. Paganism is a family religion that holds the family as the highest good. All institutional religion stems from the Abrahamic tradition, which does not recognize the family as the highest good but rather some other institutional power, such as a church, as the highest. It is of utmost importance to follow one's spiritual path as a family and ideally as an organic community, not as part of an institutional religious organization. Following an organic spiritual path is practicing paganism.
The deepest problem with the Abrahamic religions is the separation they create between the spiritual world and the material world. This idea of separation has also given birth to modern materialist and atheist movements. In reality, there is no divide between the material and the spiritual, between the divine and the mundane. The divine is in everything, around everything, and is everything. We need to gather again in our own lives, in our families, and in our organic communities, celebrating the divine in everything. This does not mean perfectly replicating the celebrations of the past, but taking inspiration from them and being influenced by them.
We do not need to create new organizations or institutions to practice paganism. We need simply to live in communion with nature and recognize our connection with metaphysical reality. We need to build our families and create a healthy environment within them, where each member feels supported and embraced, and where each member can learn important values. The center of religious life, and indeed social life in general, is the family.
By embracing our indigenous religions and organic cultures, we reconnect with the natural, living essence of our heritage. This holistic approach allows us to cultivate a sense of belonging and purpose, ultimately leading to more meaningful and enriched lives. In doing so, we not only empower ourselves but also contribute to the creation of vibrant, resilient communities that reflect the interconnectedness and harmony of the natural world.