Monday, March 31, 2014

I blame James Grimswolf for this. Deep thoughts on what I want out of tradition

So in a conversation James got me to thunking.  What do I want out of group or a community.  It doesn't help that the Kenny Klein thing has gotten us all talking about ethics and think of the children.  So I'm in deep thought mode.

Keep in mind, while writing this, I am comparing and contrasting stuff I've experienced and seen. I'm comparing and contrasting solitary Wicca, Wiccan covens, some group work I've done, Kindreds and churches.  These are my feelings.

Well, I'm an American.  I'm not really all that into Wicca hierarchy nor Chieftains.  Have those that know what they are doing, be nominally in charge.  But I do think that everyone should have a say, that is in the group.  Lets vote and do it Republican style(the Roman term not the political party term).

The whole lets go and be what the ancients were, leaves me with the not so warm and fuzzy feelings.  I'm a modern person and with that, comes some benefits.  I don't want to copy what the ancients did.  I want to learn from them, use what is good and put in a box(the stuff I don't find good, but others may later) the other stuff.  I want us to appreciate our moderness.  I don't know about anyone else but air conditioning is fricken nice.

I think that Group work is just as important as Solo work.  I think a community or a tradition should be able to accommodate both.  We don't need to do Pagan Catholism.  We need to see what works for us and do that.  Small stuff is just as important as Pomp and Circumstance.

One of the reasons, I found I wasn't ever going to be BTW Wiccan, was meeting the Goddess was like having High Tea with the Queen.  There wasn't the small familiarity of family from my previous encounters. The rituals weren't adaptable. I was trying to do a simple Garden blessing and all I could hear was Pomp and Circumstance music in the back of my head.  I wanted the small waltzes of Beethoven, or the soft music of Lorena McKennit.

I am not Wiccan, because the religion didn't feel as real or rich to me as I need.  It felt contrived.  It felt too immersed in New Agey concepts and too mixed.  So for me, I need something that has the richness and primalness of Ye olden days.  I need the Gods to be equal to.  No male God is the consort of the Goddess thing.  I need the Gods to be thought of as real, not as Pantheistic concepts.  So the community can't be so overly diverse that we end up being another UU CUUPs thing.

I need the community to be involved in interfaith and intrafaith stuff.  Why, because there are things that all the religions can do that need doing.  Homeless shelters, food banks, helping those in prison etc etc etc etc.

While we are at it... The community can't be I hate Jesus and God.  It's time to grow up and put that crap aside.  We are becoming an adult religion, and with that comes like acting like an adult and working with people you don't agree with.  So conflict resolution skills are going to be imp.

Friday, March 28, 2014

God Grammar pun

uh, a singular God... it's "one Áss, many Aesir" (although technically Aesir should be spelled Æsir...). I don't know how to explain that, it's just the singular form of Æsir...?Myriad Hallaug Lokadís 



Had to share, because there is a Lokean joke/pun in there.


Context
This came out of the conversation of some Heathens say "technically" Loki isn't a God but a Jotun.  Because Jotuns aren't Gods???  Ymir isn't a God?  Meh anyway.  I was wondering does that count the Vanir too?  But apparently Vanir are considered Gods. This sentence was a clarification of the Vanir answer.  It was too funny not to share.

Think on it.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

A very thought provoking post

http://www.witchesandpagans.com/Theosis/practice-what-you-preach.html

I  have run into this hypocrisy time and time again.  I have mostly run into it because I dare to be a Republican when many Pagans are very liberal.  I really don't understand the virulence.  If you don't like it, don't be it.  Simple.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Another shiny

http://saltyourbones.wordpress.com/2014/03/21/f-is-for-feeding-the-dead/

Interesting.

Submission and supplication to my Gods

James asked me to write or give my take on Submission to the Gods.  I originally took it to mean, about Faith and doing what they want.    I had previously wrote a bit here:  http://paininthebum.blogspot.com/2013/12/trust.html
http://paininthebum.blogspot.com/2013/11/things-i-have-to-do-and-am-being-poked.html
http://paininthebum.blogspot.com/2013/12/basic-respect-for-gods.html
http://paininthebum.blogspot.com/2014/01/trust-2.html

I remember talking about Asherah vs the Caananite Queen.  I talked about Kitchen witchery vs Gardnerian Wicca and seeing the same Goddess and how I felt and why.  I can't find those posts at the moment.

However, James meant literally supplicating yourself to the Gods.  So I'm going to write what I think on that and why I don't find it applicable to me.

I'm going to start with the culture I grew up in.  I'm first and foremost an American.  I was taught Americans do not bow or bend their knees to anyone.  It doesn't have anything to do with Arrogance, but we are the children of people who fought for their independence.  Bending your knee, to royalty is disrespectful to our founders and ourselves.  We don't recognize class, caste, or nobility, because anyone can be anything they wish to be.  Your actions make you noble, not your birth.

I am a German(and other heinz 57 blood) American.  My mom would let me know that isn't copacetic. Nothing I've read in the culture would support this.

I am a military brat.  While officers are given acknowledgement of their rank, and it's hierarchal, you earn your respect.  Our military culture is different than many of the worlds.  Low ranking NCO's can make decisions in war, that in other military culture would be seen as anathema.

My personality is such that I don't do well with kneeling and submitting.  This is one of the reasons I found my way to Paganism.  I wrote about it some here: http://paininthebum.blogspot.com/2013/10/values.html

My gods would laugh if I started doing that.  Loki would take my temperature, point out I'm his daughter not a sexual submissive and/or fall off of furniture laughing his ass off.  It may even be in that order. Cernunnos would probably cock an eyebrow at me.  Morrigan would teach me the hard way, why that is wrong.  The lady would gently try to teach me that isn't respecting myself, nor is it required, desired.  Pan would be more like the Morrigan.  I also don't have that relationship with Yahweh, I think he'd check to make sure I wasn't possessed first.

I am to grow.  I am to learn.   I am not to stay a child, I am to try to be an adult(I'm not talking human adult, I'm talking bigger long term plan for my soul).  Acting submissive isn't applicable in that long term goal.



Friday, March 21, 2014

ooooh shiny posts

http://fluidmorality.wordpress.com/2014/03/21/ebb-and-flow/#comment-748

Hey John Halstead you may find this interesting.  Grimswolf when you get a chance to breath I think you'd like it too

It resonates with me, because this was me until I got my head out of my ass.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

History, tradition and responsibility one puts on ones own shoulders.

http://witchesandpagans.com/EasyBlog/terms-of-engagement.html#.UyZBRa7HII8.email  This post is very dramatic.  Full of pomp and circumstance.

You are not fighting for me(I'm a wolf).  You are fighting for your own ego and view of what you want. You don't get to talk for or fight for the collective community, many of which you have managed to piss off.  Dire wolves came before the old man btw, they were before humans, so you can't be fighting for the collective howl of them.  Egregious poetic license there.

First off can we go back to reality land.  Lone wolves aren't always lone due to disease.  When it's time to start their own, they wander away from their pack to find others, to make their own family. http://www.runningwiththewolves.org/Behavior1.htmhttp://www.animalplanet.com/mammals/lone-wolf.htm

It makes perfect sense, for someone, who is coming into their own leadership, would strike off on their own. It is perfectly healthy and hale, to do so.   Mayhaps before commenting on others, one should look to themselves.

It says something about the security of someone, that the first line is, lone wolves are diseased or mentally unstable.  It also says something that, they have to use someone else's snide comment but can't make their own. Then to say, after starting that piece the way you did, that you aren't trying to silence the "lone wolves" is rather lame.  Btw, you aren't the Alpha, you are to insecure for that role.


The whole "tradition" thing smacks more of ego, than actual truth.  Don't look behind the man in the curtain. Listen to the booming voice instead.  Yeah no.

The Germanic tradition wasn't sundered 2000 years ago.  Ok Charlemagne did behead the heads of German chieftains who wouldn't accept Christ, but that wasn't the sundering.  Hell the vikings, and Anglo Saxons were quite a pain in the ass for a while.  In fact it wasn't Christianity that stopped the Vikings but their own success.  Oh and btw, common tactic then was to convert the chiefs, so the others would become Christian.  It wasn't all that violent.  You would think someone who was a recon would know this.http://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/en/the-sea-stallion-past-and-present/the-viking-age-society/christianity-comes-to-denmark/#.UyaLbk3Uwd4    http://natmus.dk/en/historical-knowledge/denmark/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad/the-viking-age/religion-magic-death-and-rituals/christianity-comes-to-denmark/

Traditions weren't sundered, they changed.  That is the nature of life.  Change happens.

Also, when Pagans became Pagans(of whatever stripe), they didn't come into living traditions.  Hell we haven't really gotten to anything resembling tradition, let alone a living one.  We are still figuring out the Gods and our connection.  Outside of BTW Wicca, and a few other lineaged traditions, traditions really haven't come into being.

Hell I'm not entirely sure that tradition is all that it is cracked up to be.  First know how to work on your own, before working with others.  Learn to trust yourself before you can trust others.

It is also very Germanic, to go against the grain and sunder useless tradition.  You want a historical example, MARTIN LUTHER.  How about another, my mom is German.  Yeah, the whole listen to authority was there, but she also made damn sure her daughters could think for themselves.  With the whole listen to authority came the stand up and fight for your beliefs.  Be an independent person.  It is well within the German mentality to decide screw this shit, I'm doing x, because your way doesn't work well.  Know the culture before talking out of your ass.

Oh and btw, someone making a critique about how you act, is not a battle cry.  This isn't about compromise but how to act like an adult.  Quit throwing a tantrum like a petulant two year old.  No one is being mean to you, and he most definitely isn't picking on you.  It says a lot, that you can't handle being disagreed with.  It says a lot, that your response to an honest and thought provoking critique is this piece, where you can't even right out and say who it is and the issue, you have to couch it in passive aggressive terms.  Grow the eff up already, and quit playing the victim.


Please read James Grimswolf piece

http://grimswolf.wordpress.com/2014/03/16/why-the-wolf-howls-alone/

It is pretty inspiring and thought provoking.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Thoughts on how to make the community better

The community I am talking about is the greater Pagan community.  I am not talking about just the Polytheistic, or the Wiccan, or the New Agey Paganish ones.  The community I am referring to, includes all of those.

First of all, I would put theology aside for a moment.  I would focus on healthy communication.  I would focus on negating the unhealthy ideals garnered from liberal politics.  I would focus on, learning boundaries vs being a reactionary.

Humans, all of us have issues.  However, in certain segments of Paganism, as well as in liberal politics, I have found, to be some unhealthy things.  If you don't know how to communicate in an uber diplomatic way, you are a meany pooh pooh head.  Agreeing to disagree is not an option.  Conflict resolution is not something that is taught or done.  Taking things way to personally is way to common.  Tolerance is equated with acceptance and approval.  Basically a lot of childish stuff.

I would say, in order to make things better, we focus on growing up more.  Focus on healthy communication, from communication texts.  Focus on some healthy psychology, from psychology texts and less on shiny magic stuff.  I think we as a community should do some growing up.  It would help with the intrareligious issues.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Ponderings about Columbia, and Rosie the Riveter.

I'm half asleep as I write this.  So who knows what or how this is going to come out of my head.  You have been warned....

John Halstead blog, that he linked on Google plus(Devotional practice with the world at it's center) and the comments on google plus, got me to pondering about Columbia.  She is America's Patron Goddess.  It also helps that I am running Scion, and Columbia is one of the Gods in it.  You can read about Columbias history here:http://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/liberty/origins.html

I was pondering last night, that I do feel that Rosie and Columbia do qualify for Deity status.  I am more comfy with them as gods then I am of Aines Otherfaith, or the Pop culture stuff.  Columbia has a history(very recent as compared to other Gods) and granted she's seen more of an inspiration then full on devotional, but there is a definite presence.

Rosie also has a presence.  A bad ass, go ahead and try to mess with me one.  She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to get it.  She was forged in war.  She's less ethereal and mental than Columbia is, and more earthy, passionate and lusty.  Though I guess Columbia was also forged in war.  I guess it's her Greek ancestry that makes her feel so distant.

Now I know it can be argued that these are thought forms.  But I think there is more to it.  There is more oomph to these, then just art and the meaningful feelings that come with it.

Dunno, would I consider these two Gods, Yes.  I also feel there is more authenticity to them being Gods then the other arguments I've heard in pop culture Paganism debate.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Ponderings

Reading Talking to the Spirits, chapter 4, on Legends, Lore and Living Faith, made me start reminiscing, about what doesn't work for me and why.  It made me remember my foray into Gardnerian Wicca(never took the 1st degree initiation).  A lot of that has to do, with what is important to me, culturally.

Side note, it has been my experience, if you like Deborah Lipp over Scott Cunningham, you will find BTW Wicca more to your liking.  If like me, you find Scott Cunninghams techniques a joy to work with, go to kitchen witchery and folk magic, and his way(reading Triumph of the moons first, no need to unlearn bad history).

Anyway... I digress.  Gardnerian Wicca, was to formalized for me.  The rituals, when the Goddess came down, felt like taking High tea with the Queen.  It wasn't the same close, familial relationship I felt to her, even though she was the same Goddess that had spoken to me in my dreams.  That felt wrong to me in my intuition.(btw, this is what Cunningham means by do what feels right, he's talking about an intuition check)

It is also why I am not particularly interested in Tess Dawson way of doing things.  Athirat, is treated more like a Queen.  You take off shoes, and put on ritual apparel.  It's very formal.  Asherah, who may or may not be the same Goddess, feels different.  More Jewish Mother/Grandmother to me.

Culturally, I don't feel drawn to the hierarchal way, because I am American.  I was taught Americans don't bow down to Royalty.  We are what the Statue of Liberty says

Inscription on the Statue of Liberty"

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

It is Anathema to me, to bow my head, and think others are superior to me.  My culture and upbringing teaches different.  I honor and respect the sacrifices that many veterans have made to enable me that freedom.  So I can't, to me, go back to the feudal thought process, or encourage the whole royalty thing.  
I also know that, many of the clerics of history, were born to upper classes, politically it was in their best interest, to keep it that way.  I find our government, despite it's many issues, to be a better way.  To bow my head, is to acknowledge, or put myself in that hierarchal state.
Finally, I'm a Lokean.  He's my Daddy.  I don't believe he bowed his head, nor does he think he's above anyone or anything else, why should I?