Candle

When giving birth, the Pagan couple should keep a candle lit beside the bed while in labor. It is said to allow for the direction of the light that is about to be reached. This is a very powerful symbol because it shows that the children are the light. This is an extremely common concept among different cultures. They are innocent, and in many cases considered a miracle. Many different cultures use fire as a symbol. It can represent life, destruction, energy, and remembrance. Candles are lit around the world to mourn, to pray, and to start a new life. In a Christian wedding ceremony, two candles light another to symbolize the connection between two people. A candle is also lit during a Christian baptism ceremony. In the Pagan birthing process, the candle seems to represent the idea that the light is the energy that is being brought into the world. Through all the pain and the waiting, there is something good that will result. The candle is used to remember.

There is memory work being put into play here. Through this candle, the forgotten is the pain experienced through the process of giving birth. The remembered is in the light that has arrived from this trial. Nine months have passed while the anticipation of the baby was experienced. The candle works to be a memory work, because in looking at the candle, the couple and its child can look back and remember the experiences of the pregnancy. This could potentially relate to a photo album that is used in the childhood of many children. Albums serve as a memory work in the same way that the candle does. It captures the happiness in ones life and forgets the hurt that was overcome to get there.

Konick, Lisa. "Welcome Your Baby: Pagan Traditions." Belief Net. Digitaria, 2000. Web. 1 Apr 2010. .

ARTHEN, SUE CUREWITZ. "Rites of Passage." Celebration of Birth. Fire Heart, n.d. Web. 6 May 2010. .

Washing of the Feet

During the middle pregnancy of a Pagan woman, one of the traditions to a good delivery is to plan a Blessing Way. A blessing way is in an interesting ceremony in which the pregnant woman gathers with her close friends on the night of a full moon. During this ceremony, the women brush her hair and wash her feet. The pregnant woman’s feet are washed with specific herbs such as calendula symbolic for a strong heart, rosemary symbolizing remembrance, and lavender symbolizing endurance. After her feet are washed, she is presented with a candle to use during the birth process. When the ceremony concludes, the women enjoy a feast with symbolic foods such as seeds, eggs, and roots. These actions symbolize the purification of a woman before she gives birth. Her feet are washed and her hair is brushed to symbolize the cleansing of her past life and her preparation for her new life. The candle symbolizes the new life that will be lit through her pregnancy.

To me, this tradition seems relatable to a woman’s baby shower. It is a celebration of the life that is about to be brought to life. Women gather to talk and prepare the pregnant woman for her coming offspring. At showers, there are gifts given and food is shared. It is a very common norm to have a party that welcomes the birth of another member of an extended family. There are also other religious ceremonies across the world, which take part in the washing of the feet. It symbolizes the washing away of past mistakes. It relieves a person of the bad they have done in their life. In this case, it seems to wash the past away from the mother so that they can start a new life as a parent. This information was gained through a website explaining how to welcome a pagan child into the world. Looking at this ceremony, it should be clear to see that pregnancy is a celebration through many different cultures and thus the party should be understood by almost anyone.

Konick, Lisa. "Welcome Your Baby: Pagan Traditions." Belief Net. Digitaria, 2000. Web. 1 Apr 2010. .

ARTHEN, SUE CUREWITZ. "Rites of Passage." Celebration of Birth. Fire Heart, n.d. Web. 6 May 2010. .

The Adding to the Altar

Continuing through the process of birthing a child, I shall move onto what it labeled as “Middle Pregnancy”. The child has been conceived and is being nurtured by the Pagan mother who is awaiting its arrival. One of the Pagan practices during this time is to add seeds, eggs, or a growing plant to the altar. This is symbolic of the idea that the baby is growing. From what I conclude, the seeds represent the ability of the child to grow. No one knows what the child will look like, or behave like, but any fetus has the potential to become something beautiful, much like a seed. The egg seems to symbolize the connection to other animals that are procreating. The egg is a universal representation of something that is growing. It progresses with time, and must be handled with care until one day it releases itself into its natural state. The growing plant represents the idea that the child is growing. With care, the plant will live to be a striving organism that can one day sustain itself if put into nature.

Putting the plant, egg, or seed on the altar seems to be a wonderful way to remind the couple of what will arrive. It is a delicate being that every day depends on the care of another to help it grow to be strong. This practice is much like a pre-natal vitamin that many women take. It serves as a reminder that the baby must nurtured to be given strength. Although cultures assign different meanings to different places, this place is a location that means the waiting and reminder of the child that will come. This may change the ideas of an individual through the idea that Pagans are not all about spells and incantations. It serves to show that these couples are attempting to welcome their child in a loving way.

Konick, Lisa. "Welcome Your Baby: Pagan Traditions." Belief Net. Digitaria, 2000. Web. 1 Apr 2010. .

ARTHEN, SUE CUREWITZ. "Rites of Passage." Celebration of Birth. Fire Heart, n.d. Web. 6 May 2010. .

Birthing Bands

The first topic that I believe is important to discuss is the conception of life. The first step in maintaining a successful pagan pregnancy is to create an altar with objects that are important to yourself which relate to your family. Objects and pictures from the partners’ childhood are strongly encouraged. This, to me, is relatable to the idea that one plans out a certain time to have intercourse in which they think she is most fertile. This is also similar to the idea that certain foods and exercise help to make women and men more potent, thus helping in the production of a fetus. According to Scltneider, a cultural anthropologist, life is but a stage and people simply participate roles in the play of life. Through this, the Pagan woman is simply playing the role of mother than is common to all people of the world. Reminding oneself of what it meant to be an innocent child through photos and artifacts on an altar can remind someone how precious the gift of child-rearing is.

Praying to an altar can be connected similarly to a Christian woman praying to a crucifix, or a Muslim woman praying to Ala. The idea is to get in touch with a higher being and plea for the gift of life. Conception can be argued as one of the most important stages in pregnancy. Life begins there. Creating an altar could be useful for a woman on any religion. It serves as a reminder of the hope that one has to become a mother. The world should take note to think so intimately about creating life.

Konick, Lisa. "Welcome Your Baby: Pagan Traditions." Belief Net. Digitaria, 2000. Web. 1 Apr 2010. .

ARTHEN, SUE CUREWITZ. "Rites of Passage." Celebration of Birth. Fire Heart, n.d. Web. 6 May 2010. .

Pagan Birthing Rituals

Paganism is a religious belief that focuses on polytheistic worship. The most common branch of paganism is either Wicca or Neo-druidism. Paganism is seen as the modern practice of witchcraft in relation commonly a god and goddess. Many pagans believe in the practice of magic in every day life. However, I plan to study only one branch of the intricate and large religion of paganism. In my blog, I am going to study and discuss the birthing rituals of pagan women.

My interest in this subject derived from one of my first cross-cultural experiences. During my first year in junior high school, I was introduced to many new people. Since I was in the honors program, many of the children were just like me. Some of them did sports, some of them enjoyed music, but everyone was focused on their schoolwork. At that point, I had not been exposed to many different cultures since elementary students do not usually take note to study the different actions of different children. However, when I arrived in junior high, I met a peculiar girl; a girl unlike any I had ever met. She practiced Wicca, which as mentioned before, is a popular branch of Paganism. At first, I judged her. I was unfamiliar with differences among people and therefore I kept my distance from this girl. However, I ended up attended school with her for six years. We were never close friends, but over time I gained a respect for her choice to be different, regardless of the fun that was poked at her. She was called a witch, and people often mocked spells around her. But in the end, nothing drew her away from what she believed in.

I was intrigued by her ability to keep her beliefs; no matter how different they were from everyone else’s. From this, my interest grew. The blog assignment seemed to be the perfect setting to explore this practice and try to understand her perspectives. I decided to specify my interests towards birthing rituals, since most people are familiar with the general practice in our culture. Throughout the blog, I plan to describe the steps that Pagan couples take to arrive at the perfect birth.