What is Panentheism?

Aracos - The Hawk of Achill

I am a Panentheist Pagan.
Now there is nothing wrong with being called just a Pagan if that term adequately conveys to others your beliefs, but if you differ from the general and "basic" accepted beliefs of the Pagan community by and large (and let's not pretend that Neo-Paganism doesn't at least attempt to define itself a little bit to distinguish the "us" from "them") and you completely reject the lock-step doctrine and dogma of the Abrahamic religious organisations (no matter how much you may respect the teachings of one of their Prophets) where do you fit?

My brand of Paganism is Panentheism. I am specifically a PanENtheist Pantheist because while I believe that The Universe IS One Deity I also believe that that Deity is Sentient and is probably Immanent beyond just The Universe. Some Force had to exist prior to The Universe in order to think It into Being via the Big Bang. The most ardent Aetheist I know can explain away all of creation back to that fraction of a second just AFTER the First Cause, but none has yet provided me with a more plausible explaination for that First Cause than 'Deity.' Regardless of the question of probable Immanence, every atom in The Universe is made up of the stuff of Deity and is therefore, to me, sacred. (For "Deity" insert your preferred term.."GOD, Goddess, The Force, The Tao, The All, Yaweh, Jehova, Elohim, Allah, The Dagda, etc...)

The churches of the Abrahamic religions give lipservice to the concept of Panentheism and some of their faithful "get it," but for the most part they have continued to carve their Deity concept from their experience, which is male supremacy and top down Authoritarian Theism. Likewise, many Neo-Pagans (specifically Polytheists) have adopted a similar habit of relating to Deity as separate individual beings who exist entirely apart from one another (and from us) in "pantheons" of the various historic cultural traditions. These Polytheists may just be more perceptive than I and such beings may exist, but no such beings have bothered to make themselves known to me and I'm not inclined to call just any being a God/dess just because they may be more 'advanced' than I am. Only my creator deserves my rational homage and thanks for my creation. Still other Neo-Pagans believe in One Source but they feel the need to divide this ALL into "aspects" or Jungian "archetypes" of various Gods and Godesses for different realms of speciality. Even in its common form (Wican Dualism) Neo-Paganism assigns Gender(s) to Deity in the form of The Goddess and Her consort Son, The God. This seems a bit utilitarian tome and I don't believe that such anthropomorphisation is necessary in order to have an honourable relationship with Deity. The Pantheists I've met, whatever their working tradition, for the most part believe that gender is a human challenge. Deity transcends and yet encompases all gender and therefore it is not necessary for the Pantheist to conceive of Deity as either a God or a Goddess (by whatever name.) How do I conceive of Deity? By recognising that Deity is EVERYTHING that we can perceive in this world and the Otherworlds. From the food we eat to the breeze on our cheek, all energy/matter is Divine and should be so respected.

In almost all other aspects my Panentheism can be often indistinguishable from the other paths of Neo-Paganism. Culturally, I celebrate the turning of a modern Wheel of the Year somewhat based on the Quarter days of the Solstices and Equinoxes and the Cross-Quarter days that divide those Quarter days. Panentheists often work The Craft in Covens, Circles or Groves if we are lucky enough to find others who share our way of thinking or as Solitaries when we are not so lucky. Realising that the energies are the same no matter the label, I generally get along quite well in ritual at gatherings of other Neo-Pagans AND in the Catholic or Protestant rituals of my more recent anscestors by just replacing in my mind my understanding of Deity for the Gods/Goddesses that may be invoked.

Most Pantheist folks I've talked to, who have similar beliefs, are much more at ease integrating magick into every day life by celebrating the facests of our mundane lives as a ritual act. Consider that if all energy/matter in The Universe is Divine then any use of that energy/matter should be ritual for which we can be thankful. Simply breaking bread with loved ones or good friends is cause for much celebration and thanks.

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