The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum

Nature’s relationship with different pagan religions
Note – I am not trying to imply that all pagan religions should be nature or earth centered in this thread. I want to understand how different people see nature with respect to their practices and beliefs. The introduction below is just how I see my relationship to nature.

Many pagan religions see themselves as nature-worshiping religions including the pagan federation but not all pagans agree.  Reverence for nature is probably the most important practice in my pagan religion whatever it may be called which has been influenced by English and Welsh folklore I learned growing up along with Native American teachings from the northeastern region. I recently discovered writings from my ancestors preserved in our families old bibles (which were in storage) handed down through the family from before the 1700’s. These writings had personal beliefs about nature and the importance of respect to animals and trees. Finally my introduction into paganism in the 1970's was with people who indicated that reverence for nature and the belief in the goddess as well as the god were important to paganism.

Evidence for the importance of nature in pre-Christian paganism that I have found is very diverse. The celebrations are associated with natural events specifically the celestial motions. These are all connected with natural cycles including the human body to harvest celebrations and convey a reverence towards nature. Shamanistic activity, which is implied in the myths and folklore of the Celtic and Germanic people, is traditionally associated with contacting spirits of nature. There is a rich folklore of shape shifting and transformations including stories that people and or god can change into animal form as well as communicating with animals or animal communicating to humans. Sacred areas were in nature such as groves, springs, bodies of water and trees in particular were symbolic in Celtic and Germanic myth and belief.
 
I began looking for others interested in paganism that I became aware that there were very different views on the importance of nature with respect to different pagan religions. I have given some personal views on the relationship of paganism to my pagan religion but I would like to know how other pagan religions view nature with respect to their practices and or beliefs.

Hellenic Paganism is a fairly urban religion. There are deities a a few festivals associated with nature, but the Hellenic Paganism is not based on the worship of the Earth or of nature.

 
I am not as farmiliar with Hellenic paganism but that makes sense. Urbanization would distance you from contact with nature with a feeling of less dependence on it. That is what I think is interesting about the Romantic movement where there was a feeling  too much of a separation from nature in England's cities. It was this time were we see an interest in the revival of pagan ideas in the free masons and the literature of the time. Although there is no evidence they were trying to recreate a pagan religion for themselves it is clear the idea of paganism had caught their attention. In the 1950s 1960s we see another renewed interest in nature with an ecology culture surfacing at the same time of the beginning of modern paganism.

On of the things that connected paganism with nature was the image that paganism was a nature centered religion. Wiccan faiths tend to be earth centered religions. It is only recently were some of the pagan religions have distanced themselves from the image of an earth/nature centered religion. At least that's what I have found from what I have learned.

It is worth noting that this does not distinguish pagan religions from other religions in any way, and that includes Christianity.

If you wonder why we don't hear about Catholic planting-blessing ceremonies, which do in fact exist and are important in their communities, the answer has a lot more to do with "We aren't Catholic farmers" than "Christianity does not pay attention to natural cycles."

 
I believe there is a difference between how pagans who have a nature/earth - centered practice see nature than Christians. That does not mean some Christians do not respect nature because I know many that do but there is still a difference in their relationship to nature.

It is only recently were some of the pagan religions have distanced themselves from the image of an earth/nature centered religion.

That has more to do with the fact that these "other" pagan religions are completely different religions. They didn't distance themselves, they're just highlighting the already-existing differences.  And they have good reasons to do so.

Brina

I want to understand how different people see nature with respect to their practices and beliefs.

I don't talk about "nature" as I find the concept problematic. As you mentioned yourself, our modern view of 'nature' is post-Romantic and influenced by a Victorian 'nature vs. culture' dichotomy that I'm really not sure about. There are various ways of thinking about 'nature', but the concept is always socially constructed.

As a result, I try to think about the land, especially the land I live in (and I mean the surrounding area more than the entire country), rather than some vague notion of 'nature' that is rarely defined. I have a land- and place-based spirituality. I also consider myself an urban druid of sorts - the land I connect with most strongly is the city, and the life within it. Specifically, the signs and endurance of plant, animal and other wildlife in urban life, including on the margins of it.

Hellenic Paganism is a fairly urban religion. There are deities a a few festivals associated with nature, but the Hellenic Paganism is not based on the worship of the Earth or of nature.

That's very true. Its why I'd be some crazy farmer on the outskirts of civilization running naked with my wife and children dancing ecstatically if I were suddenly transported back to about 200 B.C. and stranded there

Hail Dionysos!

The idea of the difference in the degree of urbanization as a possible reason for this difference in the degree with which natures importance with a religion interesting.

I'll have to side with Naomi J on this that your use of "nature" is giving me problems. I find urban areas just as much "nature" as rural areas-they're different environments, is all. I don't see any difference between praying to a god of a woodland path and a god of an elevated train.

And even though I must buy my food from a store now that winter's come, through my contact with Oxfam America I know the impact buying fresh fruit out of season can have on a third world country, so I'm even more aware of the interconnectedness of "nature" now.

I can see your point but I was using nature in contrast with human endeavor which is of course still nature. There is probably a better term for this distinction but my point was that as societies became more urbanized the create more structures that isolate them from the rest of the natural world. I was suggesting that this may have an impact on the importance of nature in their religion thus nature meaning the world other than created by man played a more important role in Celtic religion than Greek or Roman for Instance. I personally also think that when some people become so separated form the rest of the natural world that nature can return as an important aspect of their beliefs.

 
So where's the line then? Is a dog - a natural animal, crossbred and domesticated by humans - natural? How about farmland? Milk? If a city isn't natural... is an ant hill? a bird's nest?

Honestly, I can see where a lot of people seem to pretend that they're disconnected from the natural world, but we aren't, it's just pretend. And frankly, angsting about it like you're doing right now doesn't do anything but confirm the concept that separation from nature is something that is somehow meaningfully possible.

--Chabas