As many of you know, we have just returned from a series of trips to various Pagan Pride Days and other meetings and festivals around the nation. Instead of writing numerous letters to each individual person or group that hosted us, we want such parties to be widely known and acknowledged for their generosity. We have deliberately not mentioned surnames; it's not our place to out anybody who feels they can't afford to be outed. Please, every reader, know our boundless gratitude. Face reality:
Together we are changing the face of this nation.
Here is some of what happened.
1. Cindy and T.J. in Erie arranged for us to attend the Erie PPD and to visit the Unitarian-Universalist fellowship for a presentation. Here we must also thank Diana and Rich and all the four-legged beings who opened their dwelling, for their hospitality and for the comfortable bed.
2. We move to the Mountain Mabon Mysteries near Stanardsville VA. Our thanks to Deb for inviting us and for all her effort in our behalf, despite the imminent arrival of Evan; to wonderful Catt for feeding and looking after us. We are getting old, after all, and do need a certain amount of logistical support to get around. Indeed, everyone on site was kind beyond the demands of politesse. What a variety of skills they demonstrated.
3. On southward to Little Rock AR and meetings with pagans from the area, at El Paso Community Center, and then a wonderfully successful presentation at the Unitarian-Universalist fellowship of Little Rock. Our choreographer here was the Egyptologist and our warm hostess Fran, and we slept at Krystina's residence. We owe both these good people, and their associates, a great debt.
4. We spent a couple of pleasant days down in Hot Springs with David and Bryen and Pa Don, and got a chance to meet (too briefly) Tii and Ra and their front-door greeter. Then it was on to Conway for another really wonderful session with the departments of Religious Studies and Philosophy, and the heads of both departments, at University of Central Arkansas. They told us that no speaker earlier had had such a numerous attendance; somebody figured that about 85 people came in. Then it was on to a potluck meet-and-greet supper with Werfriends at the home of Beth and Stephen (or Steven? sorry), organized principally by Uni.
Many of the people we met had really never had a chance to see for themselves what pagan/Wiccan fangs and hairy palms actually look like. We were as open as we knew how to be, in the hope that any reflexive adrenalin would be calmed down and stabilized.
Throughout all this caper we owe thanks to Krystina for giving us her own bed and space in her dwelling despite her busy schedule; also to Bryen and David for transportation and bed.
4. Then it was northward to Fayetteville and Springdale AR (near the foot of the great Walmart shrine in Bentonville) and to Debra, who hosted us for a week while Gavin had the flu for the first part and she herself had flu the second part. Debra, Cody, Mitch, assorted schnauzers, and a Maine Coon cat all played their roles in keeping us stable. We gave a presentation at Passages book store, did a book signing at Hastings, and presented at the Pagan Pride Day in Fayetteville.
5. The trip northward into Missouri brought us up to our old friends of Greenleaf Coven, a coven led by Pat and HP Bill for more years than they or we can remember. They held a Witches' Ball together with what we call the Samhain Seminar : a series of talks of which all were not just highly enjoyable but also thoroughly informative. Praise to the scholarship that enriched us. A self-effacing lady with a French name shyly got introduced and then left. After her departure someone told us she had left us a mind-bending gift appropriate to the Craft and to the season of the year : mead, a beautiful wooden bowl, and tea towels. Come on, Lady. We can't have reticent, indeed furtive, behavior of this nature. Next time our paths cross, let us thank you properly! Fair is fair.
Again, Pat hosted us to a room at the very comfortable Lamplighter Inn in Springfield.
6. So we're home once more, after nearly three weeks on the road. Three weeks is a l o n g time. Gavin seems to have recovered, whereas Yvonne is now fighting a bronchial manifestation of some kind. But as she says, a few days in her own matrix, with her own washing machine and her own bed, should fix her up, especially if we can summon the resolve to do our customary self-directed aquarobics.
We have mentioned many generous people. Numerous others worked more behind the scenes so that we were less aware of their efforts. This is not by any means to disregard them. All we can say is, thank you all enormously. We hugely enjoyed your company and the exchange of ideas, and one of these years we'll do some of it again.
So beware. We walk among you and you know us not.
Blessed be those who remain true to their considered path.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Tradition versus Reality
A certain piece of tradition is believed to be older than the sutras. It dictates the directions that many use in casting Circle(s).
Once we had the pleasure of participating in a circle held outside Bateman's Bay on the east coast of Australia. We had thought we were well above the high-tide mark, there on the ocean sand, and were patting ourselves on the back for putting Fire in the North--but when we called the traditional Air in the East, a rogue wave came in and simply wiped the circle out. Okay. We didn't think too much about it, but simply did it all again. Another rogue wave wiped out that second circle. Hmm.
It came to us that possibly we hadn't gotten the directions right. Since we were in Australia and had already cleverly relocated North and South, we decided simply to rotate the whole circle (the circle to which we northerners were accustomed) clockwise 180 degrees.
That put Earth in the South, Air in the West, Fire in the North, and Water in the East--where the ocean was.
We had a very successful circle.
Back in the US, we began to discuss with others what should realistically be represented in each direction in the real world. The first and most obvious point was that we were standing on the Earth--so why imagine that North represented it? In India with the Himalayas at the north, it might make sense; but on the flat plains of Kansas or Missouri it surely did not.
Then we thought about East, the direction of new beginnings, symbolized every single day by the "rising"* of the sun to begin another day. Science tells us that all life began in the primordial oceans; so new beginnings should be associated with water and with such concepts as amniotic fluid or, back even further, with seminal fluid. Fire in the South, the direction of the sun at noon, seemed reasonable--except that some might argue that we are casting the circle at midnight ... We broke our pick thinking about this one, and left Fire in the South.
In North America the winds come from the West. Watch any broadcast from the Weather Channel. Therefore quite simply it seemed that Air in the West was a natural pairing.
That left us with North. Since we had already called Earth as Down/Below, we had several choices. They ranged from Wisdom or Intelligence through Ice. Finally we settled on Time; for without Time, none of this work or even ourselves would exist. As a sixth direction to complement Earth, we decided that Spirit should be Up.
These correlations fit our own group. If you live on the west coast with the ocean to the west, or you live south of one of the Great Lakes--or, for that matter, if you live on the gulf coast--where would it be best to put Water? There is an old admonition that the Witch should work her tasks in tune with the environment of her habitation. Many abrahamic religions follow tradition without question, whatever the cost to their integrity or the compromise of their common sense ... It's all too easy to see the effects of that mindset.
So what say you? Do you prefer the tradition or the real world? Which works for you and your group?
Blessed be those who question. Gavin and Yvonne
- - - - - - - - -
* If we draw back to get an overview, of course, the sun does not rise. The earth sinks.
Once we had the pleasure of participating in a circle held outside Bateman's Bay on the east coast of Australia. We had thought we were well above the high-tide mark, there on the ocean sand, and were patting ourselves on the back for putting Fire in the North--but when we called the traditional Air in the East, a rogue wave came in and simply wiped the circle out. Okay. We didn't think too much about it, but simply did it all again. Another rogue wave wiped out that second circle. Hmm.
It came to us that possibly we hadn't gotten the directions right. Since we were in Australia and had already cleverly relocated North and South, we decided simply to rotate the whole circle (the circle to which we northerners were accustomed) clockwise 180 degrees.
That put Earth in the South, Air in the West, Fire in the North, and Water in the East--where the ocean was.
We had a very successful circle.
Back in the US, we began to discuss with others what should realistically be represented in each direction in the real world. The first and most obvious point was that we were standing on the Earth--so why imagine that North represented it? In India with the Himalayas at the north, it might make sense; but on the flat plains of Kansas or Missouri it surely did not.
Then we thought about East, the direction of new beginnings, symbolized every single day by the "rising"* of the sun to begin another day. Science tells us that all life began in the primordial oceans; so new beginnings should be associated with water and with such concepts as amniotic fluid or, back even further, with seminal fluid. Fire in the South, the direction of the sun at noon, seemed reasonable--except that some might argue that we are casting the circle at midnight ... We broke our pick thinking about this one, and left Fire in the South.
In North America the winds come from the West. Watch any broadcast from the Weather Channel. Therefore quite simply it seemed that Air in the West was a natural pairing.
That left us with North. Since we had already called Earth as Down/Below, we had several choices. They ranged from Wisdom or Intelligence through Ice. Finally we settled on Time; for without Time, none of this work or even ourselves would exist. As a sixth direction to complement Earth, we decided that Spirit should be Up.
These correlations fit our own group. If you live on the west coast with the ocean to the west, or you live south of one of the Great Lakes--or, for that matter, if you live on the gulf coast--where would it be best to put Water? There is an old admonition that the Witch should work her tasks in tune with the environment of her habitation. Many abrahamic religions follow tradition without question, whatever the cost to their integrity or the compromise of their common sense ... It's all too easy to see the effects of that mindset.
So what say you? Do you prefer the tradition or the real world? Which works for you and your group?
Blessed be those who question. Gavin and Yvonne
- - - - - - - - -
* If we draw back to get an overview, of course, the sun does not rise. The earth sinks.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Sexual Freedom, or, If you don't like it, you can't have any
The nature of spirit may be understood by a glance at its opposite, matter.
As the essence of matter is gravity, on the other hand we may affirm
that the essence of spirit is freedom. -- Georg Hegel (1770 - 1831)
Starting in the late 19th century, people all over the world began to search for a new religious freedom. They looked to nature, to the classical early cultures, and to the Orient for clues with which to form a new religious path. From that movement arose many of the great philosophers in the history of Wicca. This was the time loosely called the Enlightenment.
In the 20th century, whether it be Gardner in the New Forest, or Victor Anderson on the west coast of the United States, or Bertrand Russell, all were seeking freedom.
In the 1950s those early underground trickles became a flood--especially for the ladies, when the high-dose Pill was approved in 1957. Suddenly there was no penalty to having intimate relations with whom you liked. And we all took advantage of it.
It was the time of Hair on stage. The Canadian National Ballet permormed nude. In England the Lord Chamberlain even allowed nude figures actually to move on stage. Such breakthroughs were the mood of the time. Sexual encounters were free in a way that has now been lost. There was no hidden agenda. If a couple wanted to do it, they did, not expecting anything more than a pleasant interlude with smiles all round. Pantyhose replaced stockings and garter belts, making mini-skirts possible. Tight trousers of knit fabric left little to the imagination. Groups of consenting adults participated in open marriages. We often joke with some of the ladies whom we knew back then that it's a wonder the heads of their beds didn't collapse, given the number of notches carved on them. So you think basketball players and rap stars make out a lot? You missed it.
The coming of AIDS put a blanket on all that activity. The moralistic abrahamic faiths milked the hell out of that fact--not daring to acknowledge their envy. The "sin" of free sex was now linked with a horrible disease or death.
We miss the bad old days. People were much kinder and friendlier, and crime rates were lower, than today. People were too busy. Relations between covens were excellent. Of course we had our wrangles, but they were on serious matters of liturgy and content and optimum techniques for gaining enlightenment. We didn't scrabble in the garbage for ad hominem attacks on other members of the community. "Live and let live" was the general lens through which we viewed the world. One specific book publisher thought to benefit by breaking the atmosphere of friendship through "putting the Frosts on trial". It never came off, though; instead that meeting developed a saying " "I have the one and only true path -- for me!" Would that we could live by it today!
Somewhere in that dim and distant past of free-wheeling creativity Yvonne came up with an acronym for guidelines in sexual relations in that mindset : The word is DUPED.
No D isease
Not U nder contract as in a monogamous marriage
No unwanted P regnancy
No E xpectation of commitment
No implication of emotional D ebt
Neither party should be DUPED.
Additionally, we need to point out that the control paradigm--the eternal trinity--of the abrahamic faiths is
guilt, shame, and fear.
The sooner you can get past the idea that copulation is a sin and think of it more as a loving sacrament, the quicker you will be able to say "Up yours" when some moralistic churchman self-appointed guardian of the public virtue (virtue according to the terms he's been taught) says "You're immoral."
Optional is not mandatory, Reverend. Surely good, valid real-world morality (that is, ethics) teaches that kindness to each other is a first principle. Surely people would be better off to hear "If it harm none" than "Aha! Gotcha now!" Think of the charming film Chocolat.
You want to pass laws that make it illegal to (fill in the blank) ? Such an act would incorporate your religious belief and inflict what you've been taught into my behavior.* Hey! I'm a taxpayer too. You can tattle to your god and feel all righteous, but don't try to claim the moral high ground. Restriction is not freedom. Just get your nose out of my crotch and let me quietly go my way.
- - - - - - - - -
* Examples: same-sex marriage; stem-cell research, abortion, assisted death
As the essence of matter is gravity, on the other hand we may affirm
that the essence of spirit is freedom. -- Georg Hegel (1770 - 1831)
Starting in the late 19th century, people all over the world began to search for a new religious freedom. They looked to nature, to the classical early cultures, and to the Orient for clues with which to form a new religious path. From that movement arose many of the great philosophers in the history of Wicca. This was the time loosely called the Enlightenment.
In the 20th century, whether it be Gardner in the New Forest, or Victor Anderson on the west coast of the United States, or Bertrand Russell, all were seeking freedom.
In the 1950s those early underground trickles became a flood--especially for the ladies, when the high-dose Pill was approved in 1957. Suddenly there was no penalty to having intimate relations with whom you liked. And we all took advantage of it.
It was the time of Hair on stage. The Canadian National Ballet permormed nude. In England the Lord Chamberlain even allowed nude figures actually to move on stage. Such breakthroughs were the mood of the time. Sexual encounters were free in a way that has now been lost. There was no hidden agenda. If a couple wanted to do it, they did, not expecting anything more than a pleasant interlude with smiles all round. Pantyhose replaced stockings and garter belts, making mini-skirts possible. Tight trousers of knit fabric left little to the imagination. Groups of consenting adults participated in open marriages. We often joke with some of the ladies whom we knew back then that it's a wonder the heads of their beds didn't collapse, given the number of notches carved on them. So you think basketball players and rap stars make out a lot? You missed it.
The coming of AIDS put a blanket on all that activity. The moralistic abrahamic faiths milked the hell out of that fact--not daring to acknowledge their envy. The "sin" of free sex was now linked with a horrible disease or death.
We miss the bad old days. People were much kinder and friendlier, and crime rates were lower, than today. People were too busy. Relations between covens were excellent. Of course we had our wrangles, but they were on serious matters of liturgy and content and optimum techniques for gaining enlightenment. We didn't scrabble in the garbage for ad hominem attacks on other members of the community. "Live and let live" was the general lens through which we viewed the world. One specific book publisher thought to benefit by breaking the atmosphere of friendship through "putting the Frosts on trial". It never came off, though; instead that meeting developed a saying " "I have the one and only true path -- for me!" Would that we could live by it today!
Somewhere in that dim and distant past of free-wheeling creativity Yvonne came up with an acronym for guidelines in sexual relations in that mindset : The word is DUPED.
No D isease
Not U nder contract as in a monogamous marriage
No unwanted P regnancy
No E xpectation of commitment
No implication of emotional D ebt
Neither party should be DUPED.
Additionally, we need to point out that the control paradigm--the eternal trinity--of the abrahamic faiths is
guilt, shame, and fear.
The sooner you can get past the idea that copulation is a sin and think of it more as a loving sacrament, the quicker you will be able to say "Up yours" when some moralistic churchman self-appointed guardian of the public virtue (virtue according to the terms he's been taught) says "You're immoral."
Optional is not mandatory, Reverend. Surely good, valid real-world morality (that is, ethics) teaches that kindness to each other is a first principle. Surely people would be better off to hear "If it harm none" than "Aha! Gotcha now!" Think of the charming film Chocolat.
You want to pass laws that make it illegal to (fill in the blank) ? Such an act would incorporate your religious belief and inflict what you've been taught into my behavior.* Hey! I'm a taxpayer too. You can tattle to your god and feel all righteous, but don't try to claim the moral high ground. Restriction is not freedom. Just get your nose out of my crotch and let me quietly go my way.
- - - - - - - - -
* Examples: same-sex marriage; stem-cell research, abortion, assisted death
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Hot News
We're back--for a short time--after spending Mabon at the site called Heavenly Acres near Stanardsville VA. What a great celebration. The leader of the festival, Deb Striker, even though eight months pregnant, had a great organization and everything went off in real time rather than in eastern pagan time. Praise to every individual who supported her and helped to make this such an enriching experience.
We ourselves did seven presentations and workshops. Word must have gotten around : successive workshops were attended by more and more people. We owe special thank-yous : Catt, for feeding and looking after us so well; Deb's husband John for building the stage on which we enjoyed teaching Argentine tango and then watching such events as the fashion show and the dancers and bands.
We confidently expect this festival to grow, especially since it is one of the least expensive three-day observances in the nation. The site is aptly named : beautiful second-growth forest, with facilities here and there, and showers and toilets that actually worked. About 4 o'clock one morning Yvonne heard an owl rehearsing its riffs; and squirrels and other furred ones abound.
Now to other business. Tomorrow we expect to put one of our more thought-provoking essays on this site. Meantime here is some more scheduling news.
09 26 NRUUF's Nature Spirituality Alliance Day at the Southern Appalachian Folklife Center,
just a spit and a holler from West Virginia's Pipestem State Park in Summers County off Highway 20. 9 a.m. until sunset, for a donation at the gate.
10 9/10/11 Little Rock Arkansas arkansaspaganpride.thestoremore.com
10 17 Fayetteville Arkansas Heart of the Ozarks Pagan Pride Day
Northshore Pavilion 10:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Lake Fayetteville Road, Fayetteville AR 72702
information@heartoftheozarksppd.com
10 24/25/26 Springfield Missouri Greenleaf Coven's 31st Samhain Seminar
3 p.m. Friday through the weekend : speakers, readers, vendors, drumming on site
http://www.myspace.com/greenleafcoven
Lamplighter Inn reservations@lamplightersouth.com
[mention Frosts or ORPA (Ozarks Regional Pagan Alliance) or Greenleaf]
1772 S Glenstone 417) 882-1113
We'll see you at one of these events. If you are a newby to the Craft, or if you just want to see the weirdos at play, or if the itch of curiosity just won't be quieted, drop in and see what it's all about. Yes, we're deviant, but not necessarily dangerous. And anyhow, you've seen normal (shudder). How will you ever know unless you see for yourself? In-person conversation is so infinitely more satisfactory than brief, hasty questions on the web.
Blessed be those who hold out for first-hand experiences. Gavin and Yvonne
We ourselves did seven presentations and workshops. Word must have gotten around : successive workshops were attended by more and more people. We owe special thank-yous : Catt, for feeding and looking after us so well; Deb's husband John for building the stage on which we enjoyed teaching Argentine tango and then watching such events as the fashion show and the dancers and bands.
We confidently expect this festival to grow, especially since it is one of the least expensive three-day observances in the nation. The site is aptly named : beautiful second-growth forest, with facilities here and there, and showers and toilets that actually worked. About 4 o'clock one morning Yvonne heard an owl rehearsing its riffs; and squirrels and other furred ones abound.
Now to other business. Tomorrow we expect to put one of our more thought-provoking essays on this site. Meantime here is some more scheduling news.
09 26 NRUUF's Nature Spirituality Alliance Day at the Southern Appalachian Folklife Center,
just a spit and a holler from West Virginia's Pipestem State Park in Summers County off Highway 20. 9 a.m. until sunset, for a donation at the gate.
10 9/10/11 Little Rock Arkansas arkansaspaganpride.thestoremore.com
10 17 Fayetteville Arkansas Heart of the Ozarks Pagan Pride Day
Northshore Pavilion 10:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Lake Fayetteville Road, Fayetteville AR 72702
information@heartoftheozarksppd.com
10 24/25/26 Springfield Missouri Greenleaf Coven's 31st Samhain Seminar
3 p.m. Friday through the weekend : speakers, readers, vendors, drumming on site
http://www.myspace.com/greenleafcoven
Lamplighter Inn reservations@lamplightersouth.com
[mention Frosts or ORPA (Ozarks Regional Pagan Alliance) or Greenleaf]
1772 S Glenstone 417) 882-1113
We'll see you at one of these events. If you are a newby to the Craft, or if you just want to see the weirdos at play, or if the itch of curiosity just won't be quieted, drop in and see what it's all about. Yes, we're deviant, but not necessarily dangerous. And anyhow, you've seen normal (shudder). How will you ever know unless you see for yourself? In-person conversation is so infinitely more satisfactory than brief, hasty questions on the web.
Blessed be those who hold out for first-hand experiences. Gavin and Yvonne
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Our Immediate Future
Again, we're back from visiting friends out of town, for a day at home to catch up on laundry and e-mail. We've just been to Erie PA for their Pagan Pride Day, a mind-blowing event. The spirit there and the sense of community were a joy to experience.
The trip was arranged by Reverend Badger and Cindy, to whom many thanks--more than we can express. We stayed in the home of Diana and Rich, to whom even more thanks. Their various cats and two dogs were kind enough not to complain even when we wore their fur thin.
While we were in the neighborhood, on the Friday we took the opportunity to lunch with Frank and Darlene Barney at Brushwood. Darlene was her usual feisty self, much to our pleasure; and Frank seemed stronger than when we had seen him in summer. Maybe it was the lower population density. Sending energy to Frank would be much appreciated--certainly by us Frosts. We confirmed our invitation to Sirius Rising next July; so you troops be there; you hear? See
camp@brushwood.com.
At the Pagan Pride Day we gave three presentations. The one that seemed most popular was "99 Ways Good Witches Go Bad", based on our book "Good Witches Fly Smoothly". We offered some of our books for sale; interestingly, no one bought a "Good Witch's Bible" (the update of "The Witch's Bible"); so maybe nobody is interested any longer in what it really says ... as contrasted to what the web says it says, or maybe wants it to have said.
On the Sunday we had the great pleasure of giving a presentation at the Erie Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship after their annual Blending Water service. That service occurs at this time of year, when people returning from vacation and travel bring with them a little water from memorable places. Glastonbury was well represented, as were Northern Ireland and many other sites.
Our plans for the immediate future? They include the festival in Springfield MO, now set for October 30 at the
Lamplighter Inn (417) 882-1113 reservations@lamplightersouth.com
172 S. Glenstone Springfield
For reservations, mention
ORPA (Ozarks Regional Pagan Alliance) or
Greenleaf
Anyhow, off we lurch. Until next time, blessed be all. Keep fresh batteries in your b**ls**t detector. Gavin and Yvonne
The trip was arranged by Reverend Badger and Cindy, to whom many thanks--more than we can express. We stayed in the home of Diana and Rich, to whom even more thanks. Their various cats and two dogs were kind enough not to complain even when we wore their fur thin.
While we were in the neighborhood, on the Friday we took the opportunity to lunch with Frank and Darlene Barney at Brushwood. Darlene was her usual feisty self, much to our pleasure; and Frank seemed stronger than when we had seen him in summer. Maybe it was the lower population density. Sending energy to Frank would be much appreciated--certainly by us Frosts. We confirmed our invitation to Sirius Rising next July; so you troops be there; you hear? See
camp@brushwood.com.
At the Pagan Pride Day we gave three presentations. The one that seemed most popular was "99 Ways Good Witches Go Bad", based on our book "Good Witches Fly Smoothly". We offered some of our books for sale; interestingly, no one bought a "Good Witch's Bible" (the update of "The Witch's Bible"); so maybe nobody is interested any longer in what it really says ... as contrasted to what the web says it says, or maybe wants it to have said.
On the Sunday we had the great pleasure of giving a presentation at the Erie Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship after their annual Blending Water service. That service occurs at this time of year, when people returning from vacation and travel bring with them a little water from memorable places. Glastonbury was well represented, as were Northern Ireland and many other sites.
Our plans for the immediate future? They include the festival in Springfield MO, now set for October 30 at the
Lamplighter Inn (417) 882-1113 reservations@lamplightersouth.com
172 S. Glenstone Springfield
For reservations, mention
ORPA (Ozarks Regional Pagan Alliance) or
Greenleaf
Anyhow, off we lurch. Until next time, blessed be all. Keep fresh batteries in your b**ls**t detector. Gavin and Yvonne
Monday, September 7, 2009
Syncretic Monotheism
One of the things that the pagan/Wiccan community seems to find disturbing about the School of Wicca (among so many other things) is the School's espousing the paradigm of a monotheistic, unknowable Ultimate Deity. Of course most of the community cannot be expected to be familiar with the fine esoteric distinctions essential to scholastic anthropology and philosophy; these are specialist fields.
If there is postulated an Ultimate Deity beyond being "known" by the left-brain intelligence, that instead is something beyond "Nothingness" and is indescribable, one that can be comprehended only through the right brain, one that is at an entirely different level, that is beyond our simple comprehension at this stage of our development, then people who believe in such an Ultimate Deity are ipso facto monotheists. They are what is defined as syncretic monotheists. Since the Ultimate Deity is incomprehensible, a deity of any type and any gender, described in any terms, is acceptable to a religion/spiritual path that espouses such a Deity construct.
The monotheism taught by the abrahamic religions is defined as ethnic monotheism with its exclusive "My way or die" mindset. In such a monotheism only one god--a definable god (or goddess, for that matter)--is permissible; nothing else. All other deities are beyond the pale and are labeled evil, illegal, or satanic.
The Church and School of Wicca teaches syncretic inclusive monotheism that allows all types of gods and goddesses to be part of your personal pantheon. These lower-level gods and goddesses are often thought of in anthropomorphic terms and are comprehensible to our finite left-brain minds: They're a lot like us, though maybe more powerful. These are subordinate deities, of course--stone gods, jungian archetypes, devas, elementals, "entities", jujus, thoughtforms, ethnic specialties of every stripe. Call 'em what you will, they are creations of the human mind. In other words, without human attention, they would never have existed and would cease to exist.
We urge you to expand your awareness, to look up the scholarly definitions from original sources, and to understand that the right-brain undefinable idea is just as real, just as valid, as that of the left brain. The two categories are simply in different dimensions.
Now. If we have not insulted you and your beliefs, raise your hand. We'll get to you just as quickly as we can.
Blessed be those who question. Gavin and Yvonne
If there is postulated an Ultimate Deity beyond being "known" by the left-brain intelligence, that instead is something beyond "Nothingness" and is indescribable, one that can be comprehended only through the right brain, one that is at an entirely different level, that is beyond our simple comprehension at this stage of our development, then people who believe in such an Ultimate Deity are ipso facto monotheists. They are what is defined as syncretic monotheists. Since the Ultimate Deity is incomprehensible, a deity of any type and any gender, described in any terms, is acceptable to a religion/spiritual path that espouses such a Deity construct.
The monotheism taught by the abrahamic religions is defined as ethnic monotheism with its exclusive "My way or die" mindset. In such a monotheism only one god--a definable god (or goddess, for that matter)--is permissible; nothing else. All other deities are beyond the pale and are labeled evil, illegal, or satanic.
The Church and School of Wicca teaches syncretic inclusive monotheism that allows all types of gods and goddesses to be part of your personal pantheon. These lower-level gods and goddesses are often thought of in anthropomorphic terms and are comprehensible to our finite left-brain minds: They're a lot like us, though maybe more powerful. These are subordinate deities, of course--stone gods, jungian archetypes, devas, elementals, "entities", jujus, thoughtforms, ethnic specialties of every stripe. Call 'em what you will, they are creations of the human mind. In other words, without human attention, they would never have existed and would cease to exist.
We urge you to expand your awareness, to look up the scholarly definitions from original sources, and to understand that the right-brain undefinable idea is just as real, just as valid, as that of the left brain. The two categories are simply in different dimensions.
Now. If we have not insulted you and your beliefs, raise your hand. We'll get to you just as quickly as we can.
Blessed be those who question. Gavin and Yvonne
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Who Founded Wicca?
Fact Wikipedia, Ronald Hutton ("The Triumph of the Moon"), and many others claim that
St. Gerald Gardner founded Wicca and some claim thta Raymond Buckland brought Wicca to New York.
Fact They are all wrong. Although Gerald Gardner did a great deal to publicize Witchcraft, in only one place in all his writings did he use the word wicca--and he was not referring to a spiritual path or to a religion.
Whee. Let's have a schism.
We well remember the occasion in 1968 CE when the Coven of Boskednan gathered after a circle, each with a glass of Beverage, to discuss whether the thing they were working on should be called Wicce or Wicca. The final agreement was that it should be Wicca (the male form of the noun). Thus in 1968 the Church and School of Wicca was born. The Church earned its Letter of Determination from the IRS on August 31, 1972.
Many people have contributed to the formation of Wicca.
Gerald Gardner popularized his form of Witchcraft and with the help of Doreen Valiente formed Gardnerian Witchcraft. Later--posthumously--at some time in the mists of history, someone declared that it had now become Gardnerian Wicca.
Raymond Buckland brought Gardnerian Witchcraft to New York in 1964. In 1966 he wrote "Witchcraft the Religion". In 1971 June Johns wrote "King of the Witches"; Stewart Farrar wrote "What Witches Do"; and Leo Martello held a "witch-in" in New York City's Central Park.
Our (Frosts') first use of the word Wicca to identify a spiritual path and a religion was welcomed and embraced by the community, especially the community's feminist side. Raymond Buckland formed Seax Wicca in 1973; in that same year Reclaiming Wicca, a Feri tradition, was born based loosely on the teachings of Victor and Cora Anderson.
It is amusing to see how Wicca has moved back in time. Indeed, one could now easily believe that there was an ancient Roman religion called Wicca and perhaps even one in Catal Huyuk in, say, 14,000 BCE. Of course there may well have been elements of the modern reconstruction in the thoughts of those earlier peoples. Certainly we find glimmers of them in old Tantra and in Jewish mysticism, particularly in the concepts of timelessness and oneness associated with Nirvana and the indescribable, unknowable Ein Sof. And goodness knows, there was a time before Pope Gregory dealt with the calendar, when people timed their festivals by the movement of heavenly bodies, not "on the first day of calendar month X."
We think it behooves self-appointed people who lecture, people who write, people who otherwise discuss this new vibrant spiritual path, to get their facts straight. If they can't be bothered, then their whole set of claims becomes equally suspect.
Historic sources, like the virgin, need to be immaculate.
St. Gerald Gardner founded Wicca and some claim thta Raymond Buckland brought Wicca to New York.
Fact They are all wrong. Although Gerald Gardner did a great deal to publicize Witchcraft, in only one place in all his writings did he use the word wicca--and he was not referring to a spiritual path or to a religion.
Whee. Let's have a schism.
We well remember the occasion in 1968 CE when the Coven of Boskednan gathered after a circle, each with a glass of Beverage, to discuss whether the thing they were working on should be called Wicce or Wicca. The final agreement was that it should be Wicca (the male form of the noun). Thus in 1968 the Church and School of Wicca was born. The Church earned its Letter of Determination from the IRS on August 31, 1972.
Many people have contributed to the formation of Wicca.
Gerald Gardner popularized his form of Witchcraft and with the help of Doreen Valiente formed Gardnerian Witchcraft. Later--posthumously--at some time in the mists of history, someone declared that it had now become Gardnerian Wicca.
Raymond Buckland brought Gardnerian Witchcraft to New York in 1964. In 1966 he wrote "Witchcraft the Religion". In 1971 June Johns wrote "King of the Witches"; Stewart Farrar wrote "What Witches Do"; and Leo Martello held a "witch-in" in New York City's Central Park.
Our (Frosts') first use of the word Wicca to identify a spiritual path and a religion was welcomed and embraced by the community, especially the community's feminist side. Raymond Buckland formed Seax Wicca in 1973; in that same year Reclaiming Wicca, a Feri tradition, was born based loosely on the teachings of Victor and Cora Anderson.
It is amusing to see how Wicca has moved back in time. Indeed, one could now easily believe that there was an ancient Roman religion called Wicca and perhaps even one in Catal Huyuk in, say, 14,000 BCE. Of course there may well have been elements of the modern reconstruction in the thoughts of those earlier peoples. Certainly we find glimmers of them in old Tantra and in Jewish mysticism, particularly in the concepts of timelessness and oneness associated with Nirvana and the indescribable, unknowable Ein Sof. And goodness knows, there was a time before Pope Gregory dealt with the calendar, when people timed their festivals by the movement of heavenly bodies, not "on the first day of calendar month X."
We think it behooves self-appointed people who lecture, people who write, people who otherwise discuss this new vibrant spiritual path, to get their facts straight. If they can't be bothered, then their whole set of claims becomes equally suspect.
Historic sources, like the virgin, need to be immaculate.
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