The real answers to identity could probably be found in some old, dusty, boring, history book that deals with pre-Christian Europe. Even better, pick up a book on archaeology, a book of traditional stories, and an atlas. It's amazing what you can learn about your ancestors that way. It just takes a little effort on your part.
Don't cheapen somebody else's beliefs by thinking you are learning how to be like them by reading a how-to ritual book that you picked up in the New Age section of your bookstore. Most of those cultures are still desperately trying to rebuild on their own and don't need anybody taking a free ride on their beliefs. Unless you are willing to do the work involved in dedicating yourself to a belief system, don't pretend to be something you’re not.
Human culture does not grow like a bacterial culture for yoghurt. It takes more than a couple of weeks in a sealed container for it to mature. We in the west are spoiled in that we can pick and choose from a variety of cultures that we want to sample and decide whether we like it or not. Do we ever stop to think how this type of grazing could be insulting to the people's beliefs we are toying with? Instead of looking away for answers, why not look inward and ask some questions. Ask yourself, “Why am I dissatisfied and what am I looking for?”
Be your own personal cultural archaeologist. Dig and sift through the past of your race and see what you can find there. Look for the answers to your questions within yourself. We of European descent have no reason to blame anyone but ourselves for cultural and spiritual woes. It’s a simple matter of doing something about it ourselves for a change instead of looking for an easy answer elsewhere.
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