I’m not sure. I don’t believe in the supernatural. But I do want to celebrate the delicate balance of life on this planet. I think the wheel of the year and 8 Sabbats make sense to me. Many of them are already celebrated very near the date anyway (Halloween, Christmas, . I don’t believe in deities as conscious beings, but I acknowledge the ancient traditions of respecting a personified version of a natural force. Sun, water, biology, earth, air, and moon are the mains elements I would acknowledge. I don’t pray to them and hope for an answer - I respect the role that each of them play in our continued existence on this planet. We exist at the mercy of these elements. A way of expressing gratitude when otherwise they may be taken for granted. A thought exercise that is useful for my own mental health. Kind of like karma - I don’t literally believe that good and bad actions will balance out; I think life is better when you try to lift up those around you.

So, when I close my eyes and feel the warmth of the sun for a moment, it’s as close to praying as I will get. Thankful that solar flares haven’t ended us yet. When I plunge into an icy lake or ocean, it’s as close to praying as I will get. The cold water completely overwhelms the senses and for that moment, I feel I am cold water. And I love water. I will love water even during floods. When I am atop a mountain, I am praying to the earth - thankful that we have not been ended by super volcanos or earthquakes. Similar acknowledgements can be made for wind/air and life/health.

I’m content calling myself an atheist, but that doesn’t say anything, it says not something else. My reasons for wanting a religion are the legal protections that come along with it, and the recruiting power. It could be a tool to convert religious people - instead of feeling exiled from their church community, that they may feel welcomed into a larger community. I don’t mean recruitment like door to door, I mean naturally, somebody looking for guidance or meaning in life without god would find it. The truth of it is self-evident.