The Dark Path.

[ArKane]

Anyone else here follow it? [sarcasm] KNow of it? It isn't a widely knew branch of Paganism, few books have been written about the subject. Perhaps the most widely known author on the subject is Jogh J Coughlin for his "Out of the Shadows: An Exploration into Dark Paganism"

WanningMoon (http://www.waningmoon.com/darkpagan/)

Also Konstantinos for his Nocturnal Witchcraft: Magick After Dark.

So anyone else follow the Dark Path or is it just me here on my lonesome?

[Shanti]

Personally, how could I understand the light and the power of the light side if I didnt explore the dark? Is dark bad? No. Is dark forbidden? Not by me. You can have bad in the light as well as dark and visa versa. The two need each other. I wouldnt be complete as a person if I didnt explore all realms, would I? Plus I feel you need to explore the inbetweens to.

[fireswimmer]

Personally, how could I understand the light and the power of the light side if I didnt explore the dark? Is dark bad? No. Is dark forbidden? Not by me. You can have bad in the light as well as dark and visa versa. The two need each other. I wouldnt be complete as a person if I didnt explore all realms, would I? Plus I feel you need to explore the inbetweens to.

That is so eloquently put. Thank you for the beauty of your words. I agree with you!

Fireswimmer

[Morr]

i am a daughter of The Morrigan, who is by all means a Dark Goddess. So I'm very familiar with the path. But I'm not bound to strictly this path. I work with both light & dark.

[Nitefalle]

The further along this path I travel, the more truly neutral I become, using either aspect when I need to, as the situation demands. Nothing is black or white, almost all things fall in the varying greys of in between.

~N~

[Felidae]

Anyone else here follow it? [sarcasm] KNow of it? It isn't a widely knew branch of Paganism, few books have been written about the subject. Perhaps the most widely known author on the subject is Jogh J Coughlin for his "Out of the Shadows: An Exploration into Dark Paganism"

WanningMoon (http://www.waningmoon.com/darkpagan/)

Also Konstantinos for his Nocturnal Witchcraft: Magick After Dark.

So anyone else follow the Dark Path or is it just me here on my lonesome?
:p

No, your not on your ownsome - Coughlin is fast becoming my favorite author!

I felt like: "Finally, someone that won't make me feel BAD about myself!!!

[Mab]

Good responses here. Dark/Light..........can't have one without the other. A favorite quote of mine: "Nothing is either good or bad but thinking makes it so." (I believe it's Shakespear, but I'd have to check my reference card at home). You really can't have light, or claim to be light, if you haven't or don't know the dark.

So......while I'm stil finding my path, no you're not alone.

[dracul13]

in darkness everything grows in light is absence :smoke:

[Lady Andais]

i am a daughter of The Morrigan, who is by all means a Dark Goddess. So I'm very familiar with the path. But I'm not bound to strictly this path. I work with both light & dark.

Hello I'm fairly new but was curious how you came to The Morrigan. I am also a follower of her.

Now onto the original question...I have always been drawn to the night. I agree with all who have said that you can't have light with out the dark and the other way around. But personally for some reason the night calls to me. I do most of my major rituals at night just because i love the energy of the night. Just the rambles of a noob.

[xblue420x]

But personally for some reason the night calls to me. I do most of my major rituals at night just because i love the energy of the night.
I'm a total night owl. There was a time in my life I thought I was actually nocturnal...If by some miracle of the goddesses I woke up before dusk I had to barricade the windows cuz the light was too bright lol I'm not that bad anymore..After I went back to school I got used to the sun and its blinding light but I still can't fall asleep untill sometime between 3and6am.

Like everyone else has mentioned, you can't have one without the other and a balance of the two is ideal. I am alot more drawn to the darker paths, gods and goddesses though. I'm a big moon person-love working with the moon and the deities that relate with it. I've always been connected to hecate and lillith..medusa too(who isnt really a goddess but if she was i think shed be a night/dark goddess) I havent read konstatinos' books(bought 2 of them but needed the money so i had to return them) but I've haerd alot of iffy things about him so now I'm just waitin to find them in the library. But even before I found paganism I was really drawn to the dark 'occult' type things(mostly fantastical stuff like vampires and warewolves and all that jazz) and I'm eager to learn more so if anyone wants to offer to teach me some stuff PM me and I'll hang on your every word:floating:

[midnightreflections]

I'm a night person as well


But I seem to define dark as being something different to what other have said here lol Maybe sometime when I've got time I'll have to describe what I see as dark. Or for that matter does anyone else want to describe what it means to them?

But having said all that (whilst really saying nothing of note) I wouldn't say I am light, dark or balanced. But to explain what I mean I'd have to explain what they mean to me lmao

Well this has been a near meaningless ramble by me hasn't it lol

[RavenMoonshadow]

the is no light and there is no dark, there is positive and negetive forces nothing more, when every I do "wrok" i honor both sides because with out one the other can not be, I just chose not to harm anyone, but I am also not afraid to defend my self either. the energies you use are just energy in your control what you do with it is your choice, I would rather just help heal someone, then hurt them thats me though

[charmedkisses1]

What is the dark path? I'm new :floating:

[charmedkisses1]

the is no light and there is no dark, there is positive and negetive forces nothing more

So you mean good and bad? Universally good is light and bad is dark, so now I'm confused :rolleyes:

[ArKane]

Nothing is black or white, almost all things fall in the varying greys of in between.


Truer words have never been spoken. I myself do not work with the light but whatever floats your boat.

I've always wanted to say that.

[Caffiend]

I have similar views to most who've replied. I do tend to lean towards the night. Always have. I'm pretty much a night owl and do most rituals, etc at night. To me, there's not really black or white, good or evil. I think the varying shades of grey quote is indeed the most accurate description for me. I just prefer the night more.

[luna rising]

I went to the Wanning Moon site and poked around a bit, but I am still a little unsure of the fundamentals of this path. I really would like to learn -- so could someone share with me? I would like to learn a little more before I spend money on a book I don't know a whole lot about (I'm not cheap, just poor :))

[Felidae]

I went to the Wanning Moon site and poked around a bit, but I am still a little unsure of the fundamentals of this path. I really would like to learn -- so could someone share with me? I would like to learn a little more before I spend money on a book I don't know a whole lot about (I'm not cheap, just poor :))
Well, first off, Coughlin's book touches on a lot more than just Paganism. I learned a great deal about various "dark" lifestyles that I had many misconceptions about, as do a lot of Pagans. This alone makes it well worth the purchase price in my opinion, as I love anyone that can open my mind and teach me a few things!

Though I call this my path of choice, part of me is also tempted to say that it's a backlash reaction to the proliferation of fluff and candy Wicca that is so widespread today. It was wonderful to realize that someone else noticed that The Rede is very, ummm, WASPish, if one takes it to the extremes that you see so often.

My take is that it's more of a realist's path and an attempt to urge Pagans to be more... Pagan.

Of course I'm probably just pointing out the things that struck a chord with me. :)

BTW: it was weird to find out that you had not read it. From the tone of some of your past posts I had always assumed you had (To clarify straight away, this is a compliment).

[Mab]

Now onto the original question...I have always been drawn to the night. I agree with all who have said that you can't have light with out the dark and the other way around. But personally for some reason the night calls to me. I do most of my major rituals at night just because i love the energy of the night. Just the rambles of a noob.


I do, too. I always feel energy best at night. Some nights the air itself seems charged.

[Felidae]

Also, John J. Coughlin wrote the cover article on Witchvox this week:

http://www.witchvox.com/

[Brynn]

I have read several of Coughlin's essays and basically all of waning moon,and I'm going to get the book when get some money. I have found his point of view to be most interesting, I'm not sure if I agree with it yet, but I'm one who seeks knowlegde of all kinds. If you are really interested in the path may I suggest joining the darkpagan forum on yahoo. The forum itself is a companion to the book so it helps if you've read it.

[Rain Gnosis]

So you mean good and bad? Universally good is light and bad is dark, so now I'm confused :rolleyes:

Uh, no. Is black bad? Is night bad? Yes, *some* people connect the ideas of light with good and bad with dark, but it's not necessarily always so.

[luna rising]

BTW: it was weird to find out that you had not read it. From the tone of some of your past posts I had always assumed you had (To clarify straight away, this is a compliment).

Definitely taken as a compliment :)

[Psyche Ague]

I consider myself on the Silver Path - based in darkness and secret, but shimmering with the light side of the Deity Herself.

[morrigan]

Anyone else here follow it? [sarcasm] KNow of it? It isn't a widely knew branch of Paganism, few books have been written about the subject. Perhaps the most widely known author on the subject is Jogh J Coughlin for his "Out of the Shadows: An Exploration into Dark Paganism"

WanningMoon (http://www.waningmoon.com/darkpagan/)

Also Konstantinos for his Nocturnal Witchcraft: Magick After Dark.

So anyone else follow the Dark Path or is it just me here on my lonesome?
I havent yet read konstantinos book nocturnal witchcraft but his books vampires the occult truth and the gothic grimoire are fantastic.. I intend on getting summoning spirits.. the art of magical evokation and nocturnal witchcraft;magic after dark i just have to find a place that has them in stock. the dark path is by no means evil something that has always drawn me even though i have been exporing everything :) Blesed be ~Morrigan~

[Naillosotarrain]

Light cannot coexist without dark. So therefore one such as myself is forced to know about this darker path.

[triple_D]

there is no light side there is no dark side its all in the way you percive things socity has warped our image of reality along with good and evil. there is no inbetween only your own perspective

[BC_Druid]

I, too, am a child of the dark. The night always called to me and made me feel more alive than any time during the day. Figured I'd throw in my two cents as well.

[fay]

heya everyone!
i was wondering if someone could explain to me exactly what a dark pagan is? what do you believe? what makes you different from other pagans? i dont understand and i was hoping someone could enlighten me.
thanks
blessed be

[Caffiend]

I consider myself on the Silver Path - based in darkness and secret, but shimmering with the light side of the Deity Herself.
Now, I like how you describe that. Sounds just like me! Cool!

[scaerie faerie]

Uh, no. Is black bad? Is night bad? Yes, *some* people connect the ideas of light with good and bad with dark, but it's not necessarily always so.

Agreed - associating darkness with evil leads into some iffy areas, I think.

[9-2-2]

I never took much to Konstantino's "Nocturnal Witchcraft." It seemed like he was peddling the Gothic Sub-Culture, which made me return it to the bookshelf at Borders. The LHP is your best bet.

Here is but a beginning...
http://www.chaosmatrix.org

[aluokaloo]

definitely not alone

[Lara]

dark,light,black,white...i think it all comes from the same source.You can't have one without another-Like two different sides of the same coin.

[Desdemona]

Anyone else here follow it? [sarcasm] KNow of it? It isn't a widely knew branch of Paganism, few books have been written about the subject. Perhaps the most widely known author on the subject is Jogh J Coughlin for his "Out of the Shadows: An Exploration into Dark Paganism"

WanningMoon (http://www.waningmoon.com/darkpagan/)

Also Konstantinos for his Nocturnal Witchcraft: Magick After Dark.

So anyone else follow the Dark Path or is it just me here on my lonesome?
He is my favorite essayist on Witch Vox! I am dying to get his book, I have it on my amazon.com wish list, hehe.

Great subject, Arkane!

[ArKane]

I realise that Konstantinos may not appeal to all but I think the reason why I like his books is because I can relate to everything mentinoed in them.

Now if only I can get my hands on a copy for myself.

[LadyTrinity]

I don't practice neither white nor dark magick. Its all in between to me.
:drinking:

[danielle]

Anyone else here follow it? [sarcasm] KNow of it? It isn't a widely knew branch of Paganism, few books have been written about the subject. Perhaps the most widely known author on the subject is Jogh J Coughlin for his "Out of the Shadows: An Exploration into Dark Paganism"

WanningMoon (http://www.waningmoon.com/darkpagan/)

Also Konstantinos for his Nocturnal Witchcraft: Magick After Dark.

So anyone else follow the Dark Path or is it just me here on my lonesome?
When I first started leaning toward paganism and reading up on it. I discovered Out of The Shadows and have followed a 'dark' path since. Merely because it's the path I most relate to.

It's fairly contreversial and its often misinterpreted. But to me thats part of it. Its your own interpretation of it that makes it your path. I like that about dark paganism. It can be almost anything you want, because its about you.

Does that make sense?

[Koyote Song]

I bought the book but haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I should be done with it by the end of the month. I do have some preconcieved notions though...just recording them here so i can see how they may have changed after reading the book.

Good/Evil - It's all about entent...being selfish or selfless.

Dark/Light - More about subject topics that are socially accaptable...e.i. Death and dieing/working with spirits (wether you call them totems, angels, demons, or familiars) would be examples of possible Dark.

As for working with Day or Night...I feel the energy of both. I will say there is a perceived difference between the two...don't know why. I do have a few opinions but not much to base them on. I find myself working mainly at Night...it's more comfortable and feels more private and works well with lifes schedule. Day time rituals are mainly with groups or on nature treks.

I'm not Goth. But the study of a 'Dark Side' seems to complete the study of self. I beleive one should contemplate and understand thier darker feelings (fear, hate, what's makes you angry and aggressive) to be complete...

[Kaija]

I'm definately more on the darker side.. I have not read Coughlin's book (it's on my BookCrossing Wishlist.. but.. *shrug* nobody has it!) but I loved Konstantinos' books.. I'm trying to read them all.. My path was nocturnal to begin with, but my identifying with his books helped flesh it out more..

At first I was shunned by most local pagans/wiccans etc.. because I was darker, but I started a meeting with others and even though most of the ones who show are Christian Witches I am accepted.. It's a good feeling..

[Ladyvi]

to one that includes the darker side to her practice as having the duality of positive and negative energies in her workings understands the darkness. do fully follow it.. just as much as i follow any path strictly which is none. i follow a very loose rede of sorts as i study several paths faiths religions and belief systems. does that make me evil?.. no . actually fairly neutral. there isnt a name for my path and paganism or eclectic doesnt exactly fit either.

[*raven*]

I've always wondered about the darker side to paganism so I'm damn glad I found this thread. I didn't think I'd find a path that fit my beliefs quite so much and it's nice to know there's something that doesn't make me feel guilty about some of my beliefs.
Anyways, Blessings to u all
Raven xxx

[Wolffang]

I went to his website...and I am very aware of dark paganism aswell and do follow it(and some people do mistake it as the more evil side) I was planning to get his book soon though for a long time but have to wait until the bookstore get more of it,but it's very confortable for me to know that there is a darker path in paganism....

[triple_D]

Personally I dont belive in a dark or light path it all amunts to what you belive, if you belive that the "dark" path is "evil" then dont follow it. I guess you could say that I follow both paths, it depends on what kind of day I'm having. Also my Idea of good and evil are different then some others.

[Toby Stimpson]

This is a subject rarely talked about in my area...although it really should be more often. I think some people may see 'a dark path' as being evil, or wrong. I can see there are none on here who have voiced that concern, but there are still many out there. I wonder, do any of you enlighten others with your practices or hide them away? I'm a devoted student of Kali, and I don't hide it that often in my life. Generally, people are very open minded, but sdo not really understand what I talk about when I say 'dark Goddess' or 'negetive teachings'. How do you find others react? Namaste

Tobias

[Cathubodva]

im sorry, but what is exactly a Dark Pagan?

A person that does ritual work at night? That works with Deities commonly perceived has "Dark Ones"? A Goth thats actually a Pagan and its just too alergic to light?

Cose, in my perspective, all of these situations are covered by Paganism...there is not a distinction in "light" or "dark. Both forces are viewed as equals, and needed for balance and learning of the natural forces around us...and yes, everyone has the ability to choose if he's gonna celebrate at night or during the day...So, the aspects covered by wanningmoon are kind of redundant when it comes to Paganism. Blood is many times used in ritual as an offering, nights are special, the dark forces of nature are respected and worked with...i see no new thing is dark paganism, really.

[Lady Jade]

I follow Azrael's Path, I guess that makes me neutral if not dark

[LittleRhiannon]

It's light in the day, and dark in the night, and at this point in my life I can say that I'm very much a part of both worlds. I'm awake for bits of both and don't think I could avoid one or the other.

I'm not sure how exactly dark gods are defined either. There are some most don't think twice about, most of them associated with death or fate, but that doesn't always work out right.

For example, Manannan Mac Lir rules over several underworld realms where dead people live, but I don't think I would ever really consider him a dark god.

[VelvetBlade]

No one has yet defined Dark Paganism? I was always led to believe that Dark Paganism and Nocturnal Paganism were one and the same. And in that, it would mean, one who chooses to practice at night.

In that definition, I am definately a Dark Pagan. Night workings hold much more power for me than workings by day. I feel more energized and charged at night and have a great affinity for the lunar phases. That would also tie in to my attraction to the ocean and the tides as well.

So I guess it depends on how you're defining Dark Paganism.

~AW

[Felidae]

im sorry, but what is exactly a Dark Pagan?

A person that does ritual work at night? That works with Deities commonly perceived has "Dark Ones"? A Goth thats actually a Pagan and its just too alergic to light?

Cose, in my perspective, all of these situations are covered by Paganism...there is not a distinction in "light" or "dark. Both forces are viewed as equals, and needed for balance and learning of the natural forces around us...and yes, everyone has the ability to choose if he's gonna celebrate at night or during the day...So, the aspects covered by wanningmoon are kind of redundant when it comes to Paganism. Blood is many times used in ritual as an offering, nights are special, the dark forces of nature are respected and worked with...i see no new thing is dark paganism, really.Perhaps this old thread will help:

http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=48267&page=2&pp=10

[Windsmith]

I'm glad I found this thread; there's a lot of interesting discussion here. Of course there's a dark aspect to Paganism - as well as to life - that we should embrace & honor. And the general comments are right; it doesn't get talked about enough.

However, I'm leery of a path called "dark Paganism." As much as some Pagans focus overly much on what some would call the "happy, fluffy side" of life, there's no denying that such a thing exists, & any path putting the majority of its emphasis on the darker aspect is every bit as unbalanced as those who only see the bright. Just as one cannot appreciate daylight without night, so too darkness loses its impact if there's never light to contrast it. A life that is nothing but reflection is as lopsided as one that is nothing but parties. And life & death are a cycle, each dependent on the other. Someone said earlier in the thread that studying this path has led them to be more balanced, & to them I say, congratulations! That is a blessing which many seek & very few find. Gods know I haven't reached it yet! But it seems likely that there would others following this path who would continue to be drawn more & more to the darker aspects, which draws them more & more out of balance.

Also, the tone of the excerpts in Coughlin's book - which I understand to be "the" resource on Darkside Paganism - worries me. He says,
Since this book is primarily a reaction to the growing trend towards the unhealthy and unbalanced (also known as "fluffy") form of Lightside Paganism, sometimes it may seem to be a bit harsh towards lightside Pagans, but then again, I want this to serve as a wake up call.
I don't care what kind of wake-up call he wants it to serve as; no book that gets its point across by demeaning other people's paths will win points with me. I've tossed aside half a dozen books on Paganism because they spend a score of pages railing about how awful Christianity is & why Paganism is so much better before they even explain what Paganism is, & I'm not even Christian! I'll suffer a Pagan maligning the practices & beliefs of other Pagans even less.

Coughlin also writes,
The problem is that fewer and fewer Pagans are obtaining any sort of formal training and are instead learning from very superficial "Wicca 101" books.
Now, I know a fair number of Pagans, & I haven't met a single one - who truly is Pagan & doesn't just call themselves that for shock or trendiness value - who read a couple "very superficial 'Wicca 101' books" & then quit. If the books were superficial, they wanted to know more, so they went out & found better books, or a teacher, or a local group. And any book on Paganism worth its salt, water, flame, & smoke - any book that isn't superficial - will absolutely include chapters, meditations - whole sections, even - on the "darker" aspects of Paganism. It seems to me that what Coughlin's angry about is not necessarily the increasing number of Lightside Pagans but the unavailability of truly substantive books on Paganism, an issue he should take up with Messrs. Barnes & Noble, not the Lightside Pagans.

The more I think about it, the more the whole idea of calling some things "dark" & some things "light" seems disingenuous. Even if you try not to assign a value judgement to a concept, merely naming it creates artificial separations. If you're a Lightside Pagan, you'll favor "light" things over "dark;" if you're a Darkside Pagan, you'll do the opposite. But who decides which is which, & why one set is better than the other? Is a trance to the realm of Erishkagal "dark" because she is the queen of the dead, & I usually trance in the dark, or is it "light," because it often leads to blindingly bright spiritual revelations? Why does it matter?

If studying Darkside Paganism & calling yourself a follower of this path brings you more into balance, then may the Mysterious Ones bless you on your way. I just ask - as I ask people embarking on any spiritual path - that people think about it, study it from different angles (& sources other than its leading proponent), & be sure of it before they begin their journey. We as Pagans - & simply as human beings - should feel things deeply, but we should always endeavor to think deeply, as well.

Peace, love, & flaming Viking longboats,

-Windsmith