On-line Pagan Conference,
16th March, 2000.When I was contacted recently and asked to contribute to this online discussion, I really didn't have any idea what that contribution would be.
Having given it considerable thought I've come to the conclusion that an honest reiteration of my own personal experience of the magic of the living godhead in all it's many forms and my own feelings with regard to the spiritual journey that has thus-far informed me is the best thing that I can offer.
The varied collective that is grouped under the heading "Pagan" or "earth-based spirituality", encompassing as it does such a variety of ideals and ideas can leave one confused as to just what is meant by "Pagan" and "Earth-based Spirituality". What I offer here is my own feelings and views on this matter, presented not as an invite for others to 'follow' or as a criticism of other paths, but as (I hope) a fearless and truthful appraisal of my beliefs and practices.
We humans have an inborn, innate talent that bridges the realms of mundane and ultramundane. Our capacity for art and imagination that readily transports us from the world of day-to-day reality into the multiverse of spiritual worlds. That through art and craft we can view and move through the alternative vistas of potential Being weaving our path in and out of these potentials in what can be a fearful journey or a transport of delight.
This it seems to me is the living foundation for all our spiritual endeavours.In the last hundred years or so there has been a gradual flowering of esoteric learning and in recent years alternative spirituality has become a great force offering, I believe, a wonderful potential for change. There have been in the past and continue to be people who are considered as 'teachers', and by the number of books published under the banner of alternative spirituality one doesn't have to look far to find a map or a path to follow. Quite frankly I believe much of these teachings, their methods and rituals, to be totally irrelevant as they do no more than reiterate the paths followed by the writers.
In my own life I've been fortunate enough to have had personal experience of some of these teachers, and while I have no desire to belittle their accomplishments I do consider that slavishly following their rituals and teachings is, spiritually speaking, a retrograde step.
And so, to ritual:
For myself such ritual as I practice comes intuitively and is I feel the gift of the moment.
I find so many people feel the need to practise rituals written years ago by others (as it were from The Book). I'm sure we all have personal experience of it... with at it's worst the priest/ess and congregation reading the ritual direct from whatever book is at hand.Rather than opening oneself and allowing the deep magic to come through there is the tendency to follow a shallow and empty performance of rituals performed and written down by others. Whilst this can lead to interesting dramatic performances, I cannot see it as having deep spiritual meaning. (In fact in many cases the organized religions do this so much better than 'we' do with their years of experience!).
We have, collectively I believe, quite a problem with symbols. In that we come to view the symbols as an end in themselves rather than representations.
This is not to say that ritual is unnecessary or 'wrong', or even that borrowing from the ritual form used by others does not have value, but rather that making the ritual an end in itself is sterile and pointless.
It's possible that my own practices would for many be considered simplistic. Nevertheless I canšt help feeling that the expression of ones love-for and awe-for the living spirit of nature is best-expressed in simple and sincere ways.
As an earth-witch I work mostly alone. In my daily observances I always work out-of-doors. I always work naked, and always begin my circling by emptying my psyche and dropping all my shields that I might be filled with such spirit as is there. And that this, guiding my intuition, leads the Dance that presents my daily ritual.
I personally believe that it is very important that this communication within oneself and with the spirit world takes a foremost place in all such endeavours.
Out in the world at large the picture of the pagan priest/ess dripping with silver jewelry and tongue-tripping titles is sadly all-too-real. I wonder here how many of you have considered the cost to Nature of all the silver .. each ounce of silver represents tons of lead-zinc polluted tailings piled poison waste despoiling the face of the mother. In the representation of fire, we all too often use paraffin wax candles. These, a by-product of the petrochemical industry, when there are natural and sustainable alternatives. Animal fat, vegetable oils and beeswax, all of which serve perfectly well.
It seems to me that so much of the symbolism has become empty (if in fact it ever had any content) That the need for symbolic accoutrements clouds the reality which is that all the symbols even at their best can but poorly represent what is found in nature.
As Pagans, surely much of what we are about is affirming that we are Part-of nature, not as is often the case, apart-from nature. We donšt believe ourselves (as do the book religions) to be the Lords-of and Over nature, but rather as a sharing functioning member of this living growing partnership. I believe that to be pagan it is necessary to be at least aware of onešs relationship to nature. For without this all the ritual in the world is a total waste of time.
So, speaking as a Pagan, I speak of and for nature. I strive to be ecologically aware. To love and honour the collective planetary being that is Nature. To find my god/desses within that same nature, and to perceive myself very much as a Part of that living being. This pagan spirituality is, I believe, our only hope for providing a viable life for our great-grandchildren. Without that we take up our rightful part then it is possible that the planetary Being is doomed. And that we, our disrespect and our abuses, are the engine that drives that destruction.
I find it very disheartening to see how much rubbish is published in the name of pagan spirituality. -
The sad and pathetic power games played out by the wannabees of a new priestly caste. Surely after 2000 years of organized religion we have reached the point we can collectively say 'enough is enough' and each of us individually reach out without fear into the waiting arms of the loving mother that is our earth-being. And the gentle-teaching father that is the fertilizing fire to the collective genius that is the living godhead of earthbased spirituality.
Castle Pook,
16th of March, 2000.
bio:
To give an idea of just where I'm coming from, I offer a short bio and history of my experience.
Born 1947 in the Isle Of Mann, I spent much of my youth on the sea cliffs near my home, finding there my first understandings of the spiritual power of nature. At 14, I came in contact with Gerald Gardner, who over the next 3 years enlarged upon my spiritual experience. When his museum at the Witches Mill, Castletown came into the possession of Monique Wilson, I was already somewhat of a 'fixture',
In 1968, returning to the island with Del, ( life-partner), we moved in to one of the apartments in the mill and for winter and early spring worked there as 'winter curators'.. cleaning and sorting the collection.
The acrimonious collapse of the Wilsonšs magical circle and the sale of the mill left me with a distaste for the power games of collective spirituality.
In early 73 we left the IoM and went 'travelling'. All over the British isles, living always near sites of great mystic power growing into our spirituality.
In the 70's and early 80's as part of the Free Festival Movement I was one of those celebrants who held midsummer ritual and celebration in the stones at Stonehenge.
From the latter 70's into the 90's we were completely horsedrawn, travelling the by-ways of Britain, and later Ireland, with a wagon.
Always seeking out hidden places of power. Always looking to grow in the mystery.
Since 1995, we have been 'settled' here at Castle Pook where, on 13 acres of semi-wild (well-wooded) meadow, we have been building a centre for earth based spirituality and communicating with the spiritus loci.
Since 95, we have held a presence on the Internet in the form of the Pagan Ireland website.
As essayist, celebrant, speaker and practitioner of magical craft the work continues.
