Public Education

Most people have never been given a plain description of what Pagans believe and do. Our education program supplies one: short, accurate, and written for readers who are not Pagan and do not intend to become so.

Everything in this section is reviewed by practitioners of the traditions described and by our Education Review Committee. We describe; we do not persuade. Where Pagans differ among themselves, we say so.

Start Here

• What Is Paganism?

  The word, the people, the shared ideas, and the wide variety behind a single name. The best first page for most readers.

• What Is Wicca?

  An overview of the best-known Pagan religion: its origins, beliefs, ethics, rituals, and organization.

• Earth-Centered Traditions

  Druidry, Heathenry, reconstructionist polytheism, Goddess spirituality, eclectic practice, and how they relate.

• The Wheel of the Year

  The eight seasonal festivals many Pagans observe, with dates and notes on what observance usually involves.

• Symbols and Their Meanings

  The pentacle, the triple moon, the Awen, the Hammer of Thor, and other symbols you may see worn or displayed.

• Myths and Facts

  Ten persistent misunderstandings about Pagans and Witches, each answered in a paragraph.

• Glossary

  Plain definitions of the terms you are most likely to meet, from altar to Yule.

• Speakers Bureau

  Invite a trained volunteer to speak to your class, staff, congregation, or civic group, free of charge.

How We Write

Our materials follow four rules, set by our founders and unchanged since 2001.

1. Write for the busy reader. A principal, a nurse, or an editor should be able to find what they need in two minutes.
2. Use plain words. Specialized terms are explained the first time they appear and collected in the Glossary.
3. Say "many" when we mean many. Almost nothing is true of all Pagans. We are careful with words such as all, most, many, and some.
4. Never recruit. Pagan religions do not seek converts, and neither do our materials.

A Note on Capital Letters

On this website Pagan, Paganism, Wicca, Wiccan, Witch, Druid, and Heathen are capitalized when they name a religion or a member of one, in the same way that the names of other religions and their members are capitalized. We ask writers and editors to do the same. See A Guide for Journalists for more on usage.

Materials for Your Setting

If you need something you can print and hand to a colleague, see the Plain Facts fact sheets. If you work in a school, a workplace, a newsroom, or a hospital, the audience guides apply the information in this section to the questions that come up in your setting.