Here is another one of my dogs, Ben. He is a bit older than Barney and the two are great friends. He too is Welsh, allegedly bi-lingual but all he's actually interested in is the language of Love. According to Ben he was put on the planet for one purpose only - to love and be loved. He has the softest coat I have ever known on an adult dog, and he spends a lot of time standing on a chair so he can put his head on my shoulder and one arm on my waist. He also sings a lot.

Ben is a dear little boy, not as tall or heavily built as Barney and he gets a bit bullied by the others who sometimes think he's a bit wet. But as he tells them, 'All you need is love....'

Just as the year moves in seasons, so our lives seem to move in cycles and tides. Sometimes we find ourselves passionately interested in something, then leave that and move on to something else, only to return to the original interest a few years later.

It’s a lot like that with paganism (and probably other beliefs too, but I’m just writing about what I know from personal experience.) You may be really keen on the idea for a few months or even years, then it will move out of focus and other things may become more important in your life. Then suddenly paganism seems to move back into view again.

I think these cycles are good for us although some people will tell you to fight against them because it helps you stay focused. I don’t agree – find a good path in life is all about keeping a sensible balance. Too much reality and our lives become spiritually bereft. Too much spirituality and we risk losing touch with the world around us.

This is probably the reason why I’ve never been keen on the idea of going and looking for converts. The best conversions are self motivated, where we begin by seeking and end (hopefully) by finding. Some people will tell you that pagans never go looking for converts – well, maybe in an ideal world that’s true, but some certainly do. Basically it’s all about power, about making others believe what you want them to.

There’s a big difference between sharing and converting. Here on this blog I like to share what I’ve experienced and I like to discuss these things with like minded (and some not-so-like minded!) souls. But I’m just not interested in trying to persuade anyone that my way is better than someone else’s. In my view a spiritual pathway is a bit like a map – leave it hanging around and maybe someone else can use it.

Seeking the Green by Tylluan Penry, published soon by Capall Bann. For more info - watch this space!