- Neopaganism in Mexico
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Neopaganism in Mexico is a movement independent from other New Age movements. It has its own origin, history, and unique character. Similarities between Neopaganism and New Age exist, but are not essential and have nothing to do with their origins.
Neopaganism is a current within the field of the new religiosity; it aims to resurrect an old religion or tradition. It arrived in Mexico due to various factors, including movies, the Internet, social problems, discomfort with their current religion, lack of nationality, occultism, and more. Mexico has always been a country rich in culture. The rites and traditions of the indigenous groups have survived until modern times, and have come to the attention of those in the New age movement who are interested in these ancient customs.
Differences between New Age and Neopaganism
The New Age groups were interested in the indigenous traditions, customs, and rites because they involved mysticism and they often involved the use of hallucinogens. Neopaganism, on the other hand, is the revival of those customs, and aims to restore the ancient traditions that were once practiced by the native indigenous groups of Mexico, and in the rest of the world. Both New Age and Neopaganism involve the use of mysticism and rites, but they differ in purpose.
New Age groups aim to study and incorporate these rites and customs in modern life, using mysticism and ancient lore to solve modern problems. Meanwhile, Neopaganism aims to restore these traditions and recreate how the rites and customs were held in the past. The purpose is not just to study mysticism or hold rites, but to take their entire worldview and live as they did in the past. It is not necessary to live in the wilderness, or to hunt and harvest as their ancestors did; the idea is to see the world as they did.
Foreign traditions
Many Neopagan paths are followed in Mexico, which did not derive from the indigenous people there. Some of these include:
- Druidism, which is connected to the Celtic religion
- Wicca
- Shamanism, which is connected to living religions in America and Siberia
- Nordic and Germanic groups
- Satanism
- Romuva and Dievturība, from Lithuania and Latvia, which come from the old Baltic religion
The reason there are different Neopagan groups in Mexico that aren't involved with the ancient American traditions is that there are people born in Mexico whose ancestors are from other parts of the world, and they aim to restore the traditions of their ancestors. People's desire to know who they are and where they came from is often the main reason that they research these old traditions.
Neopaganism is more than an alternative religion, or an effort to reconstruct an old custom. It is a path of self-discovery, and the search for wisdom that comes from the ancestors. Neopagans aim to reconstruct and restore the traditions of these old tribes.
The predominant Germanic group of Mexico is called "La Hermandad Odinista del Sagrado Fuego", which means Odinist Brotherhood of the Sacred Fire. It is based on the values, traditions, and rites of the ancient tribes of Northern Europe.
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