Pagan Pantheism: How To Create A Fulfilling Spiritual Practice
Pantheism is often seen as just a philosophy without any accompanying spiritual practices.
I’ve definitely seen the attitude of, ‘Pantheism is just a philosophy! There are no practices!!!!’ taken in many pantheist based forums.
While that’s fulfilling for some people, most people need some form of ritual and you know, actual stuff to do.
Wanting a fulfilling spiritual practice? The NERVE!
What is Pantheism?
Pantheism is a spiritual philosophy that views everything in the cosmos as god.
The word ‘pantheism’ comes from pan meaning ‘all’ and the Greek theos meaning ‘god’.
Pantheism is a philosophical view of the world that is steeped in some of humanities greatest thinkers.
From the pantheist leaning Stoic philosophy of Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE), to the Italian philosopher Giordano Bruno (1548-1600 CE), to the Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677 CE).
Pantheism today is still a popular lens through which to view the world.
How to Create a Pantheistic Spiritual Practice
If you’re reading this blog post then I’m assuming you’re a pantheist and are looking to actually create some spiritual practices around your beliefs.
Pantheist based spiritual practices can help you to feel more connected to nature and the universe.
As well as offering spiritual comfort and fulfilment.
Below you’ll find a random assortment of suggested practices for pantheist leaning people.
1. How to Celebrate the Seasons as a Pantheist
An easy way to acknowledge the sacredness of nature is to observe the seasonal changes.
The easiest way to do this is to celebrate the solstices and equinoxes.
The dates for these festivals change slightly every year.
So, be sure to google when they fall in the year you’re pottering about in.
Seasonal Festival Ideas
Going for a walk outside and observing the changes in nature.
Cooking a meal with foods specific to that season.
Performing a seasonal tarot spread.
Performing a ritual.
Journalling about the season.
Having a sacred bath with seasonally appropriate flowers and oils.
I’ve written detailed blog posts about how to celebrate each seasonal festival.
I’ve linked to them above and at the end of this blog post.
2. How to Live Seasonally as a Pantheist
If nature is god then living seasonally is probably one of the best things you can do to connect with the divinity of the universe.
Try to eat seasonally.
In autumn utilise the abundance of fresh rosy apples and bake pies and crumbles.
In summer you can stain your fingers with sweet ripe strawberries and sip on fresh homemade lemonade.
Get outside all year round and experience what all of the seasons have to offer.
You can keep a nature journal, take photographs or simple observe nature mindfully.
Seasonal Living Ideas
Spring: grow your own food, decluttering, spring cleaning.
Summer: barbeques, outdoor swimming, strawberry or sunflower picking.
Autumn: pumpkin or apple picking, pumpkin tart, bonfire night.
Winter: stargaze, ice skating, reading winter themed books, light a fire.
Or maybe you’re hardcore (insane) and go camping every winter to enjoy the clear, starry winter skies.
3. How to Create a Pantheist Altar
The Household Gods (1880) by John William Waterhouse
Create a temporary altar dedicated to your pantheist spiritual practice.
You can put whatever you want on this!
If you have a particular aesthetic, like you’re completely obsessed with pink and gold.
Then feel free to have your pantheistic altar reflect that.
The suggestions I’m going to make here are going to skew towards the more natural, hippy granloa eating side of things.
But you do you!
Pantheist Altar Ideas
Images of aspects of nature or the cosmos
Offering bowl
Incense and an incense burner
Candles
Crystals
Fresh flowers or a potted plant
Literally anything that feels sacred
To use your altar, simply light the candles and incense.
Then spend some time contemplating the divinity of the universe, meditate, journal, pull a tarot card, or say a prayer.
4. How to Pray as a Pantheist
Prayer usually consists of one of three things:
Prayers of requests for aid.
Prayers of thanks for divine aid.
Prayers of praise and devotion.
For the pantheist, the only type of prayer you’re going to engage in is number three.
Prayers of poetic praise and devotion.
Prayer becomes an outlet to express your love for the sacredness of the universe.
You can choose to compose your own prayers or read ones from antiquity. Think about specific parts of nature that fill you with feelings of awe.
For example, a person who loves summer and the sun could say a prayer every morning and perform a special ritual every summer solstice.
I’m going to recommend the Orphic hymns which are beautiful ancient Greek prayers to the gods.
The old fashioned translation that’s available in the public domain addresses a lot of the deities as ‘Night’ or ‘Stars’ or ‘Sun’.
You can easily adapt these prayers to suit a more pantheistic worldview.
I’ve included a prayer to the Seasons and the Sun here.
I’ve edited them to remove any mention of the gods.
What you’re left with is a much more pantheistic prayer that addresses a specific part of nature.
A Prayer to the Seasons
Seasons bright, Justice, blessed peace, and lawful right. Vernal and grassy, vivid, holy powers. Whose balmy breath exhales in lovely flowers.
All-coloured seasons, rich increase your care, Circling, for ever flourishing and fair: Invested with a veil of shining dew.
A flowery veil delightful to the view: Propitious come, and on our incense shine; Give earth a blameless store of fruits to bear, And make a novel mystic’s life your care.
A Prayer to the Sun
Golden Sun, whose eternal eye. With broad survey, illumines the sky. Self-born, unwearied in diffusing light, and to all eyes the mirror of delight.
Leaping coursers, beaming light from far: Agile and vigorous, venerable Sun, Fiery and bright around the heavens you run.
Source of existence, pure and fiery bright I thank you for your illuminating light.
5. How to Connect to the Sun and Moon as a Pantheist
The sun and moon have filled people with awe for thousands of years.
The sun is very important to the survival of everyone on this planet.
As a pantheist you may wish to connect with these two cosmic aspects of the expansive, divine universe.
Here are some simple ideas to connect with the energy of the sun and moon.
Sun
Visualise the sun during meditation.
Create sun water.
Meditate with sunstone crystal.
Have a sun bath with solar themed plants and oils.
Celebrate the sun’s seasonal cycle.
Moon
Visualise the moon during meditation.
Create moon water.
Meditate with moonstone crystal.
Have a moon bath with lunar themed plants and oils.
Live according to the lunar phases.
6. Pantheist Tarot and Oracle Decks
Tarot and oracle cards are great for self-reflection and journalling.
Plus, they’re fun to use!
There are many great nature focused pantheistic style decks out there.
If you’re new to reading oracle cards, you can check out my book for beginners.
