16/11/2025
What is a real heathen?
Today the word pagan is often used loosely. It is seen worn as a standard by some New Age followers or by those who seek to distinguish themselves from dominant monotheistic religions. Yet, behind this modern claim lies a much richer, complex and ancient reality.
So what is a real heathen?
Les origines du mot « païen »
The term pagan comes from the Latin paganus, which originally meant "villager" or "countryside". In ancient times, this word did not have a negative religious connotation. With the rise of Christianity, it became synonymous with “non-Christian,” referring to those who practiced traditional worships in their regions. Thus, a pagan was, in the beginning, simply someone attached to the ancient spiritual traditions of his people.
The early heathens: diversity and depth
Contrary to a popular idea, paganism is not limited to Celtic druids or Gaulan rites. Ancient pagans were present in every culture before the advent of great monotheistic religions.
Ancient Egypt: Egyptians worshiped a complex pantheon of gods and goddesses connected to nature, life and death.
Mesopotamia: Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians had very structured local cults, often centered on the cycles of nature and the stars.
Greece and Rome: The Greeks and Romans had gods representing natural and human forces, with public and private rituals deeply rooted in society.
Celtic and Germanic Europe: the Celts, Germans and Scandinavians had rich shamanic and cosmogonic traditions, far from the simplified image we often have today.
What is common between all these practices? An intimate relationship with nature, the cosmos, and the cycles of human life. The ancient pagans lived in harmony with the world, recognizing the sacredness of every element, every season, every natural phenomenon.
Paganism today: a word galvauded?
The contemporary pagan renewal, especially under the influence of the New Age, has popularized certain practices and symbols – full moon rituals, divination, eclectic spirituality – but often without connection with historical traditions. Many proclaim themselves heathens without knowing the real history of the peoples they speak of.
Being a true heathen today is not just about adopting an aesthetic or ritual: it's about understanding and respecting the cultural and spiritual roots of these practices. It is a path of knowledge, observation, and connection with nature and the Sacred.
Beyond the celtic cliche
Many incorrectly associate paganism only with the Celts, but this is a reducing view. Paganism encompasses a multiplicity of cultures, traditions and cosmogonies. It is universal in essence, because it touches all ancient societies before the domination of monotheistic religions.
The true pagan is not the one who claims the title out of fashion, but the one who seeks to understand and live in harmony with ancient traditions and nature. He recognizes the diversity of cultures, honors natural cycles, and finds in the history of ancient peoples a rich and deep spiritual thread.
Being a pagan is, therefore, an inner commitment, a quest for meaning and connection with the world, and not just a label or a fashion look.
Le secret des druides
I am so happy to share with you an absolute favorite of mine: "Savage Daughter", originally written by Karen Kahan/Wyndreth Berginsdottir.Thank you to Panos...
