Ostara 1998 Newsletter Paganism 101 - Where you at?

(Adapted from a quiz in the Winter edition of Gnosis)

The following quiz might get you thinking about how much you know, and don’t know, about the local area you live in, or frequently visit for sacred work. This quiz first appeared in CoEvolution Quarterly in 1981, and is still relevant today (and any day really). When we think about Paganism, we think about our Earth, we read books, talk to people, meditate, dream, but do we stop and learn the details of our environment, or do we just get a feel for our area, without noticing the little eco-systems at play? This quiz might help to get you thinking about nature in its physical nature, the way that it operates, and hopefully it will give you a greater understanding of where you’re at!

• Trace the water you drink from precipitation to the tap.

• What sort of soil is predominant in your area?

• Name 5 edible plants in your area, and the season(s) they are available.

• How long is the growing season in your area?

• What was the total precipitation in your area last year? Is there more or less this year? Which are your rainy months, and in which months are the winds at play?

• Name 5 birds that live around your area. Which are migratory, and when do they leave and return, and where do they go? Can you recognise them by sight, or by their calls?

• How have humans used your local land throughout history? Do you know of any Aboriginal sites in your area?

• Where does your garbage go after collection each week?

• What species of plants/animals have become extinct in your local area? Do you know what caused this (e.g., development)?

• From which direction do seasonal storms come from in your region? Can you tell a quick shower from set in rain, by the direction the clouds move in?

• Which flowers are the first to bloom in spring in your region?

• What are some of the native trees in your area? Which ones are deciduous and which are evergreen? Can you tell which pods belong which trees?

• How recently was the full moon, and when is the next one?

• If you live near the water, do you know the movement of the tides? Do you know the names of some of the fish that live in your waterways?

• What kind of energy do you mostly use, and where does it come from? Can you trace the production cycle?

• What are the primary sources of pollution in your area?

• What are some of the natural sounds that you hear each day, can you trace what they belong to, and then name that?

I hope that these questions get you thinking in real detail about the land upon which you live. If you have any thoughts, comments or other questions, please get in touch. The next topic for Paganism 101 is: "I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date" (or manners, what are they good for?) If you have any thoughts or comments about what constitutes good or bad manners (as opposed to ethics which will be covered in future columns), please write in and share them with us all.