About the book
Have you ever been told that “prayer is not a Pagan practice” or that it is “just passive magic” and found that these claims did not sit right with you? Or that you ought to “kill the ego” because that is supposedly part of every spiritual quest, but that did not feel right to you? Have you ever been presented with a spiritual practice or concept and wondered if it was compatible with your Pagan ideals and values? Have you ever asked yourself why there are certain words you just can’t say in Pagan circles? Or have you had a conversation with an adherent of another religion and found it difficult to communicate because they did not understand where you were coming from?
Fascinated by the etymology of words and the history of ideas, Yvonne Aburrow has set out to disentangle Pagan spirituality from ideas that do not serve the needs of Pagans, and to reclaim religious concepts that have been rejected. Just as there are people who assume that religion does not change over the centuries, there are people who assume that the meaning of words does not change. The meaning of words and the concepts they represent do change over time and are shaped by the context in which they are used. Yvonne Aburrow is here with Pagan Roots to illustrate those changes and reclaim religious language and concepts in a way that centres contemporary Pagan practice and belief.
Published by 1000Volt Press, 2025.
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Praise for Pagan Roots
Words have real power, and in Pagan Roots, Yvonne Aburrow invites readers to explore and reclaim the transformative energy behind key spiritual terms. Whether you’re just starting out or have been practicing for years, this book is accessible yet rich with insight. Aburrow dives into the language of spirituality and the divine, offering practical exercises, journal prompts, and ritual ideas to help you integrate these powerful words into your own Pagan practice.
— Dodie Graham McKay,
author of Earth Magic and A Witch’s Ally
Yvonne Aburrow guides you through the first steps of acquiring and developing the language essential to exploring and refining your Pagan spirituality and understanding the unique ways modern Pagan traditions express a connection with the numinous. That process culminates in an examination of certain words that are commonly used in Christian contexts, seeking to reclaim and restore an understanding of them that is more appropriate within a Pagan context. This book is a must-read whether you’re seeking to deepen your Pagan faith or want to understand loved ones who follow such a tradition.
— Jarred the Wyrd-Worker,
Northern Grove
Yvonne Aburrow’s latest book, Pagan Roots: Reclaiming Concepts of the Sacred, is a fascinating read for anyone either involved with, or interested in, contemporary Paganism. It is divided into three parts. Part One provides a detailed overview of where contemporary Paganism has come from, together with an explanation of its main precepts. The second part, Pagan Concepts, gives the distinctly Pagan meanings for many words (e.g., “darkness” and “polarity,” which are “foundational to the worldview of many contemporary Pagans.” The third part, Reclaimed Concepts, examines many words used by other religions and faith traditions (e.g., “grace” and “holy”), and explains how they might be “reclaimed” and applied in a Pagan context. It includes an extensive bibliography, for following up some of the fascinating ideas they present.
— Rev. Sue Woolley,
Unitarian minister.
For Love of Words
Table of contents
- Introduction
- The Pagan Journey
- The Quest for the Authentic Self
- The Pagan Psyche
- Connecting with Nature
- The Old Gods
- Folklore and Mythology
- The Wheel of the Year
- The Cycle of Birth, Life, Death, and Rebirth
- Gender and Sexuality
- The Structures of Pagan Religions
- Pagan Concepts
- Apotheosis
- Darkness
- Embodiment
- Eudaimonia
- Fertility
- Immanence
- Land
- Liminality
- Merry
- Mystery
- Myth
- Nature
- Pagan
- Polarity
- Reciprocity
- Sacred
- Sovereignty
- Spirituality
- Wild
- Wyrd
- Reclaimed Concepts
- Belief
- Charity
- Devil
- Faith
- God, Goddess, Deity
- Grace
- Heresy
- Holy
- Hospitality
- Perfect
- Pilgrimage
- Prayer
- Priesthood
- Pure
- Religion
- Sacraments
- Theology
- Tradition
- Transcendence
- Virtue
- Worship
- Conclusion
- Thanks
- Bibliography
- Further Reading
Pagan Roots is available now
“This book is a must-read whether you’re seeking to deepen your Pagan faith or want to understand loved ones who follow such a tradition.”
— Jarred the Wyrd-Worker