Becoming or Discovering?

[LearningMan]

I've heard from some sources that one doesn't become a pagan, they discover their paganism. How valid do you think that statement is? Before I became a pagan, I never would have imagined the existence of any gods or goddesses. So what do you think? Do you "become" a pagan or "discover" your inner pagan?

[SleepingCompass]

Re: Becoming or Discovering?

I've heard from some sources that one doesn't become a pagan, they discover their paganism. How valid do you think that statement is? Before I became a pagan, I never would have imagined the existence of any gods or goddesses. So what do you think? Do you "become" a pagan or "discover" your inner pagan?

I'm not sure...

Thinking back on when I first learned about witchcraft (or paganism in more general terms) and decided it was for me, I do remember it feeling more like discovering something about myself I'd never noticed before rather than becoming something different; but it seems more a matter semantics.

[Näre]

Re: Becoming or Discovering?

I've heard the phrase "then I found Paganism (or Wicca, many people seem to come to Paganism through Wicca) and realised it was something I had always believed in".
But a lot of people outside of Paganism feel a special connection to nature, have spiritual experiences that could be labeled as pagan or practice some kind of magic but not calling it that. I don't think there's some kind of a "Pagan chromosome" (whether that's a physical, mental or spiritual thing) that makes some people born into Pagans and some not. Some people might have personality traits or interets that make them more "prone to Paganism" but I don't believe it's a predestined thing.
Life shapes us, our beliefs and the ways we think about the world and relate to it. I'd say everyone is a potential Pagan; we might take the road that leads us here or the one that makes us Christian/Buddhist/atheist/squirrel, something might happen that changes the way we think about the world... the possibilities are endless.

[neráida]

Re: Becoming or Discovering?

I think it depends. I know a number of people that truly embraced their previous religions when they were part of them, and for some reason left before they found out Paganism existed. I think those people become Pagan. For those of us that always knew we didn't belong, I think many of us discover that what we have always been is Pagan.

[AntonBRaxas]

Re: Becoming or Discovering?

Discovering is educating yourself on something new to you or about you.
Becoming is a willing acceptance and choice to change and alter a belief or practice, whether consciously or unconsciously, about yourself.

[Threshold]

Re: Becoming or Discovering?

For me it was a case of finding out that there was a name for what I believed and practiced and that other people did it too. It was like finding family I didn't know I had!