The Search for Peace in Times of Chaos—Volume Infant Baptism or Blessing A preparing ritual before birth is a chance to prepare the family emotionally for the fact that they are welcoming a brand new person into their home and family This ritual c an b e performed a t any time during the pregnancy and is sometimes included as part of a baby shower celebration A traditional Pagan prayer might be: “ Ǥ ሺሻ ሺ ሻ Ǥ ǡ Ǥ ǡ Ǥ ǡ Ǥ” Rituals to celebrate a birth, which often include a naming ceremony, not promise the child to the religion, in the way of a Christian baptism The parents of the child will not make any promises about bringing the child up in a particular faith It is a strong Pagan belief that each individual must follow his or her own path Children are taught to honor their family and friends; to have integrity, honesty and loyalty; to treat the Earth as sacred, and to love and respect all forms of life Other than these basic teachings, children are encouraged to question, and to find their own spiritual path Many Pagan parents will ensure that their children are exposed to the teachings of a number of religions, so that the child receives a wellbalanced spiritual education.16 Initiation, Baptism, or Confirmation Depending on which books you read, you’ve probably heard some mixed messages about the necessity of initiation in the Pagan religion There’s one school of thought that says absolutely you must be initiated Another group says that you can self-initiate, and still another group says that anyone can be involved, and no formal ceremony is required Like many other Pagan issues, it depends on who you ask If you’re interested in Gardnerian or Alexandrian Wicca, then absolutely, yes, you have to be initiated These are both mystery traditions, and their secrets are oath bound, which means that the information is not included in here The rules of these traditions require members to be initiated 11