Pagans in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Hi Everyone.

My name is Clare Marshall. I'm living in Halifax, and I'm very interested in meeting Pagans here. I hope to start some sort of meet and greet on a regular basis, especially for young people living here.

I've been Pagan for as long as I can remember, and I'm interested in hearing your experiences while travelling the path.

If you're interested, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Thanks,

Clare

I'm jealous! I remember Halifax as a liberty port - my ship pulled in, it was cold, it was wet, it was grey, and the people were the nicest people I had ever met.

I dont know what the community is like up in Halifax, but if you dont have any success here, try witchvox. You might also just google pagan shops or occult shops for the area - they often have bulletin boards for meetings. Heck, being in a civilized country like Canada you might be able to find pagan pub moots! Beer and pagans go together like...well...actually, beer and pagans. And you've got Moosehead! Not the watered down junk we get as an import down here, neither!
Lastly, look into the Pagan Federation - I believe thats its name - its an international pagan group, mostly in Europe, but they might be able to help you out.

-Don

"Better people, better food, and better beer. Why move around the world when Eden was so near?"
-Rush "Territories"

Yeah, Halifax is pretty nice.

I have checked out the pagan community a bit up here. Mostly I've found adults. Although they're all very nice and welcoming, I'm really interested in finding people around my age. I think it's important that people my age (19), or younger realize that it's okay to be pagan, and there's nothing to be ashamed of. That being said, I like talking to everyone.

There is a pagan shop--Little Mysteries--and I love it to death.

I'm not sure about Pagan pubs. But I know a pagan group that meets at the Halifax Alehouse. Heehee.

-Clare
http://www.faeryinkpr...

Well, I have to say I'm impressed by your vision. Your goal is a difficult one - I dont know how things are in Canada, but there are large swaths of the US where it just doesnt pay to be public. Even here in New England, where there is a sizable pagan community, you find yourself being quiet about being pagan.
Now, sure, part of that is a feeling that you shouldnt be waving your banner in other people's faces - we all have stories of bible thumpers comming to our doors trying to get you to go to their chruch or take their literature. I think theres a feeling in the community that we've got to try to stay away from that. But I've been to places like Texas where you're just in the broom closet, period, because you'd get hassled so very much if you werent - people fear for their jobs, or fear they'll loose custody of their kids, or worse.
I think it is harder as a teenager to come to grips with the idea of paganism, since, unless raised in the community, a young pagan probably doesnt have the links that older pagans have access to. Theres also a question of 'am I doing it right?' or 'is anyone else doing this or am I just a freak?'. 'Is this a cult I'm joining? My parents think so, are they right?'
hard stuff to come to grips with when you're also trying to come to grips with the standard teenage stuff 'who am I' 'were am I going' sort of questions.


Oh, and, noting on your website - you review 'young adult' books - I'm assuming then you've read the Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett? (Wee Free Men, Hat Full of Sky, WinterSmith)

The "who I am" struggle I had as a teenager (wait, technically I'm still a teen, hahaa) was the same as my paganism struggle--the two melded together. I guess there are probably a bunch of pagan teens that do question whether they're "doing stuff right" but I don't think I had that problem much. I always figured the path was individual, so, who was someone else to criticize my way of doing things? My parents did question my religious beliefs, but once they realized what I believed and that I was serious, they left me alone about it.

I'm really glad to be a Canadian in the sense that we don't have a Bible belt. I have had some trouble in the past, but I think Canadians pride themselves on being multicultural and accepting of things, whether we actually are or not. Places like Texas that don't accept people's beliefs make me mad--who are they to judge us? Sigh. If only I could change the world, all by myself, in a second.

Actually, no, I haven't read the Tiffany Aching series. I think I do have a Terry Pratchett book waiting to be read...after I read about a bajillion other books, hahaha.

That is certainly dependent on your background. A lot of people who come to paganism come from religious backgrounds, and a lot of them are centered around the idea that other people tell you if you're doing it right. Self-determination, especially in religious thinking, just isnt the way the majority of people in the world do things. Interesting - I was having a similar discussion last night with a friend of mine who was raised in the community. He apparently raised a few eyebrows from pagans when he went the other direction - saying that the male divine that he most associated himself with was St. Michael. Apparently, people were shocked that he would pick a Christian divinity. His point was, well, you raised me to think for myself, so here I go.

As to the Bible Belt - its an interesting artifact of American colonization - and it makes going against the norm very difficult. For instance, both my wife and I have very accepting parents - hers were a little concerned she was joining a cult - mine were puzzled about the whole pagan concept, but eventually they were ok with it. However, she's got fundamentalist cousins, I've got a grandfather whose a Southern Baptist minister, we just dont talk about paganism anywhere near them. Its this fanatical religious bent that America has which really colors what it is to be pagan in America.

Pratchett - he's the clearest voice in modern paganism we have, even though he's not a part of the community. The series I've recommended to you are essentially his thoughts on what witches should be, and popular culture (ours included) thinks they are, and what they should do. Great stuff - thought I cant tell why they're 'young adult' other than the main character is in her teens.
One of the required readings for dedicants in the coven my wife is in is Pratchett's "Hogfather". He has some very deep things to say about the nature of belief - cleverly hidden just under the surface of the comedy of the book.