Since the dawn of time, Paganism has had an atmosphere of mystery clouding over it. People have been intrigued by its various facets and have gone to lengths to question it. Needless to say, human beings have always secluded people who don’t conform to mainstream society. As such, Pagans have always, for the most part, created a community of their own.
But just like people of any beliefs, Pagans also have needs, including romantic ones. Everyone deserves love. Earlier, it was difficult for Pagans to find a wide range of fellow Pagans to choose from for dating purposes. But with the emergence of Pagan dating websites and apps, things have become easier and more convenient than ever before.
This brings us to the dynamics of a Pagan relationship. Although it is no different than any other relationship consisting of people from any other beliefs, there are certain aspects of a Pagan relationship that are extremely interesting. Here are some of them:
1. Handfasting
Source: kilts-n-stuff.com
Paganism in itself is an umbrella term that encompasses many different segments such as Wicca, Celtic, and Asatru, among others. All of them have their own customs, rituals, and traditions.
One such element that exists in Celtic tradition is that of handfasting. Originally started as a ritual that is performed when two people get engaged to each other, it is since then evolved into a marriage ritual.
As its name implies, this custom requires the hands of the couple to be tied together with the help of a knot. The knots are only untied after vows are exchanged between them.
2. Jumping the Broom
Although many Americans confuse this custom as an African-American one, it is indeed part of the Pagan relationship – seen in both Wiccan and Celtic versions. This involves the grooms carrying their brides over the threshold of their homes’ doorway. It signifies entering a new life together as a couple.
The word broom denotes the cleansing of the house and the start of a new life post marriage. It can be interpreted in many different ways but the main idea is the emergence of a new era in a couple’s life.
3. Calling the Quarters
Source: abc.net.au
Connecting with nature is a key aspect of Paganism. So, it is not surprising when two people of Pagan belief get into a relationship, they pay tribute to the nature that has played a direct or indirect role in bringing them together.
Calling the quarters, which is also popularly called “Four Directions”, involves assigning properties to the directions, namely east, west, north, and south. Each of the directions symbolizes a distinct element.
East denotes air which is related to communication, wisdom, intellect, and learning. This is essentially the mental realm. West, on the other hand, symbolizes water, which stands for friendship, emotional support, mutual understanding, and intuition. The west is the emotional realm.
North represents earth. This deals with the physical realm and its associated aspects such as a happy home, fertility, staying down to earth, and good health. On the other end of the spectrum, the south represents fire which is the action realm symbolizing vitality, sensuality, harmony, and creativity.
4. Blessing the Space
Pagans believe in creating a sacred space and although there are different ways to establish this sacred space, the one that most people follow is by conducting a smudging. This means waving smoke around the concerned area. It helps in cleansing the area. More often than none, it is done using sage, although some people also use herb sweetgrass or cedar.
When two people get into a relationship in Paganism, they try and imbibe newness in their lives, and to do that, cleansing the area that they would be residing is essential. So, this ritual of blessing the space plays a vital role in a Pagan relationship.
5. Coven v/s Solitary
Source: larahemp.com
Contrary to popular belief, not every Pagan has to join a coven. So, if you are a non-Pagan and are getting into a relationship with a Pagan, you don’t have to worry that you will be whisked to some cult group.
Many people in the Pagan community practice their beliefs in solitary. And they want to nurture the moments they get with their partner away from the chaos and noise. So, generalizing everyone is not ideal. Everyone is different and their choices and way of paying homage to their belief are different.
This notion of Pagans having a homogenous lifestyle existed because of the lack of diversity within the Pagan community. Earlier, people of Pagan belief had a small pool of potential dates to choose from since the community usually consists of known acquaintances and those in their proximity.
However, the Pagan dating websites have helped in widening the pool and introducing people to a diverse range of people with distinct differences. If you want to take a sneak-peek at some of the most popular Pagan dating websites and apps, click here.
6. Writing Your Own Spells and Rituals
In a Pagan relationship, a lot of value is endowed upon protecting one’s own originality and individuality. Some people would think that just because two Pagans are in a relationship, it means there would be no contention within them because of their identical beliefs. But, you would be surprised to know the subtle differences between the various aspects of Paganism.
As such, those involved in a Pagan relationship always try to have a sense of empathy for each other. They give each other space and respect the differences between them. In the same line of thought, they can customize their own rituals and cast their own spells.
This is a sheer example of how much creativity is present in a Pagan relationship. Instead of bickering due to the differences between them, they make something good out of it and discover creative ways to make their relationship unique.
7. Less Emphasis on Tangibility
Source: theamm.org
Due to the dramatic way Pagans are often portrayed in the media, many people think that Pagans spend a plethora of money on various magical and ritualistic items. But, you would be surprised to know that not every Pagan spends thousands of dollars on candles, wands, herbs, or incense sticks. To put it simply, not everyone can afford to be so fancy.
Of course, having the basic magical and ritualistic tools are nice, but the interesting aspect in a Pagan relationship is beliefs over tangible, physical objects. So, when a Pagan couple wants to perform rituals, it is their intent that counts, not the materialistic items.
So, as you see, from the aforementioned facts that Paganism is full of celebration and more multi-dimensional than most people make it out to be. Sometimes, all we need to do is study other beliefs more before stereotyping them. And knowledge and having a free, open, non-judgmental mind help in doing that.
