For those folks who want to build your own version of Paganism (or any other -ism, for that matter), you’ll want to decide what types of things to include and exclude. I started with a list of likes and dislikes. For this list, I wasn’t trying to be exhaustive and all-encompassing. Instead, I started with my emotional reaction to things that interested me or that made me say “blech.” I began with the emotional reactions because that is intuition talking. After that, I could add what occurred to me on a more intellectual level. The lists below are my examples and yours will be different.

Likes

Here is a list of concepts and subjects that are pluses for me.

• Inclusivity
• Planets
• Alchemy
• Gods and Goddesses
• Relaxed and flexible rituals
• Community
• Personal connection to the divine
• Open source magic
• Wheel of the Year
• Good research
• Charge of the Goddess

Dislikes

Here is a list of subjects and concepts that would be minuses for me.

• Exclusivity
• Enochian
• Goetia
• Heavy ritual
• Someone else in charge of what I can access spiritually
• Grandmaster and other titles
• Lots of Qabbalah
• Oaths of secrecy
• Somebody else’s expectations
• Responsibility for someone else
• Fake research

My lists are based on my experiences of being a member of various Wiccan and magical groups and my years of being a Wiccan High Priestess and teacher. Your lists will come from your experiences. I want to emphasize that the things on my dislikes list aren’t bad. They just don’t fit my personal style.

Also, you may note that some things on my list of pluses don’t seem to work if I’m building my own version of Paganism. It is hard to include a community when there is only one person doing the rituals and so on. There are two ways of dealing with that particular issue. One is to understand that, if you are doing a ritual where you invite in deities or guides, you are not actually alone. Two, find a community outside of your rituals. There are Pagan social groups and events all across the country. Social connections are important. Conversations with other Pagans can be rewarding, enlightening, and enjoyable. Don’t be afraid to ask people how they do things or what their insights are on a subject.

The key here is to figure out what is important to you. Is the Charge of the Goddess something you love and have to include? Do traditional correspondences of direction and element make no sense where you live? These likes and dislikes will inform the decisions you make related to specific aspects of your religion. Make your lists and have some fun.