What is modern paganism: a Ronald Hutton lecture
The ritual year and modern Paganism
Hello and thanks for being here. If you’re new here I’m Laura, a counsellor, nature therapist, somatic therapist, meditation teacher and space holder. My work is centered around gently guiding people back into relationship with themselves, with their bodies, and with the wider natural world. My work is centred around gently guiding people back into relationship with themselves, with their bodies, and with the more-than-human world around them. Through a blend of counselling psychology, embodiment practices, nature connection, and ritual, my offerings are designed to support deeper alignment with both our inner rhythms and the outer cycles of the natural world. I’m particularly interested in how we can bring spiritual and therapeutic practices into the present moment—making them accessible, grounded, and meaningful in the context of our daily lives.
Today, I wanted to share a resource that I found really interesting: a recent lecture by Ronald Hutton, given for Gresham College.
If you’re unfamiliar with his work, Hutton is a leading historian of British folklore, seasonal ritual and modern Paganism. His research offers a thoughtful and lens on how spiritual traditions in the British Isles have developed over time and how modern practices are often shaped as much by recent history as by ancient roots.
It’s important to understand and explore where contemporary pagan traditions come from. What is their lineage and how much is a modern reconstruction?
I’ve previously shared a post on The Wheel of the Year; a framework used by many contemporary Pagans to mark the turning of the seasons. In that post, you’ll find links to journal prompts and seasonal reflections for each of the eight celebration days. These practices can be a powerful way to reconnect with the land, the elements, and ourselves throughout the year.
As someone who works at the intersection of embodied spirituality and therapeutic practice, I believe it’s essential that we engage with our traditions both experientially and theoretically, with a little dose of healthy critique as needed. It’s one thing to feel a deep connection to ritual and ceremony (and I fully support that) but it’s important to understand where that ritual came from and how it may have been shaped by history, colonialism, cultural shifts, and reinterpretation. What is the lineage of these practices and how much is a modern reconstruction? Where do practices come from and how were they obtained?
This is where Ronald Hutton’s work is so valuable. He approaches these questions not to discredit or diminish contemporary Pagan practices, but to offer a clearer understanding of how they have evolved. For me, this understanding doesn’t take away from the magic, it deepens it.
Many spiritual practices that were once native to these lands, especially those rooted in oral tradition and deep connection to place, have been lost or suppressed over centuries. The rise of Christianity, the centralisation of religious institutions, the displacement of indigenous ways of knowing and the forces of colonialism all played a role in severing people from their ancestral spiritual practices. As a result, much of what we now recognise as modern Paganism is not a direct continuation of unbroken traditions, but rather a revival movement; a weaving together of threads from archaeology, folklore, romanticism, mysticism, and more recent cultural reinterpretations. The Wheel of the Year, for example, while inspired by seasonal cycles and some historical festivals, is largely a modern framework, developed in the 20th century by figures. I talk about this more here.
It’s inspiring that we are finding ways to reconnect, to remember and to root ourselves in meaning. That said, we do need to acknowledge where our practices come from so we can approach them with integrity, humility and awareness.
While some people might think this makes it less meaningful, I think it highlights the beauty of human creativity and our long for connection. It’s inspiring that we are finding ways to reconnect, to remember and to root ourselves in meaning. That said, we do need to acknowledge where our practices come from so we can approach them with integrity, humility and awareness. Especially if we’re offering these practices in community or guiding others through them.
So, if you’re drawn to earth-based spirituality, ritual or the seasonal wheel I encourage you to explore both aspects of the story.
The felt experience of the seasons turning, the inner knowing, the rituals that nourish you
And the historical and cultural context that shaped how those rituals came to be
There is wisdom in both.
If you're curious to dive deeper into these themes, I highly recommend taking some time to watch Hutton’s lecture. Whether you're new to this path or have been walking it for years, there's something powerful about situating your practice within the wider story of how people—past and present—have sought to live in rhythm with the land.
the earth based traditions of the British Isles have been lost over time due to centuries of cultural suppression
The modern Wheel of the Year as we know it today, was popularised in the mid-20th century by figures such as Gerald Gardner and others within the early Wiccan movement. It brings together the solstices, equinoxes, and cross-quarter days into calender of eight celebration days calendar. While this structure is meaningful to many contemporary practitioners it’s not likely that it existed in this form historically.
The festivals within the Wheel draw from a blend of Celtic and Germanic sources. Celebrations like Imbolc, Beltane, and Samhain for example, have roots in the ancient traditions of Celtic nations such as Ireland and Scotland, where oral traditions and cultural memory survived longer in spite of colonisation and religious suppression. While this blending of traditions has created rich and resonant spiritual pathways for many, it also raises important issues for reflection. One of these is the risk of cultural oversimplification or erasure particularly when the unique identities and histories of Celtic and other Indigenous European cultures are absorbed into a more generalised Pagan narrative.
If you’re interested in deepening your understanding of how modern Paganism has emerged and evolved, I highly recommend watching the lecture below by Professor Ronald Hutton, a respected historian specialising in British folklore, Paganism, and ritual. The lecture offers a thoughtful overview of the historical and cultural forces that have shaped the contemporary Pagan landscape as well as insight into what defines modern Pagan spirituality today.
Here are some of my key takeaways from the lecture:
Modern Paganism is a family of nature-based religions inspired by pre-Christian spiritualities
According to the Pagan Federation UK, three core principles often guide modern Pagan paths:
Honouring the Goddess or divine feminine
Revering nature as sacred
Upholding values of personal autonomy, self-realisation, and non-harm
Ritual and ceremony are central for many Pagans, often used as tools for personal transformation, seasonal and spiritual connection.
Many modern Pagans also engage in devotional practices, magic and collaborative relationships with deities, whether those deities are seen as archetypes, ancestors or living spiritual beings.
Paganism is typically eclectic. Many practitioners draw inspiration from a wide range of sources, including Buddhism, Hinduism, feminist spirituality and earth-based Indigenous traditions.
For the most part, Paganism tends to be a tolerant and diverse spiritual path that coexists peacefully with other belief systems. I’d touch on some of the ways that this isn’t necessarily true but I think that needs its own post.
That’s enough from me. I’ll leave you with the lecture below by Professor Ronald Hutton. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. If you’re looking to step into a space that’s gently underpinned by Paganism, check out The Rooted Self Connection Sessions. You can also sign up to my mailing list where I share upcoming offerings, as well as reflections about where we are in the year.
What is modern paganism? A lecture by Ronald Hutton.
