A Pagan, by nature, is a Dynamist. That is, we hold that all events within the Universe contain spirit. This spirit, in turn, grants some level of consciousness to that event. The more complex the event, the more complex the consciousness. So, a Water molecule will have a more complex awareness than a hydrogen atom. The Entire Ocean will, then, be more conscious than a drop of water.

Humanity is a Complex event, so our consciousness is rather quite complex. In much the same way that a more complex computer can become more aware of itself, so we are more aware of ourselves.

The Universe — or multiverse — is the most complex event of which we are aware. So! It may follow that the Universe would have the most evolved level of Consciousness of all. That consciousness is what many call God.

The problem is that our minds are entirely too small to comprehend the Universe as a whole. We have a fair understanding of our corner of it, and can deduce what the rest must be like. We have a fair understanding of ourselves, and make deduction about God from that. We filter God down to our level, Giving Her rolls and parts to play. And She is clever. She can play as many roles as we can through at Her. So, whatever name, color, character we want, that is what we will find in Her. And She plays these rolls, not so much to entertain us (though I expect She would have fun doing so), just to take us out of the darkness of our ignorance, and into enlightenment. There are some who suggest that She learns something by doing this.

Are my filters of God better than yours? No! I would be hard pressed to say so. Better yet, let us listen to each other’s stories. Then, we may refine our perspectives to a better view. (See Contemplations on God for a more comprehensive review on this subject.)

There is an old joke. (This in not the one where you put thirteen Pagans into a bathhouse and get a self cleaning coven … no). If you have thirteen Pagans in one place and ask them what they believe, you will get fifteen answers, and no one will know where that fifteenth came from.

All Pagans are Dynamists. Some are Deists, and others are Theists. Some are monists, believing in a single source for all Gods. Some have no particular idea about what they might apply the Label God. Others are polytheists. The Craft is a pragmatic sort of religion. Whatever works will serve.

This is a difficult one to answer. Many define Prayer differently than others. We may define prayer simply as, “To ask, entreat.” Yet, many Pagans are disgruntled Christians (with good reasons), and would rather avoid terms that remind them of that Culture of Faith.

To some Pagans, prayer and worship imply first a separation and then a hierarchy. We are part of the Universe. So, we participate in the forces of nature. Our awareness allows us a greater ability to cultivate and shape our environment. Yet, we are still subject to her forces. The Universe is not safe. Nature esteems humanity like so many straw gods, glorious today, ashes tomorrow. We are fragile, and begging will only make us feel less than we really are.

For the most part, Pagans look upon our relationship with nature, not as god/creature, rather as parent/child. A child will learn from her or his parents, cuddle, and even share gifts, or ask for favors. We view our parents as we need to, finding in God just what we need.

Consider this, for a moment. If we are part of the Universe, then we are also part of the Divine. If I talk to myself, I call that “meditation” or “thinking.” Maybe, talking to God is the same sort of thing.

The power derived from a sacrifice is not from the death or dying of the victim. Rather, it is from the victim’s struggle to live. A Witch prefers to tap into the living forces of the Universe directly, and often feels tainted by the attempt to steal another’s. Because we must perform a sacrifice without regrets, a Witch is not likely to sacrifice anything she or he cannot afford to give of themselves.