After Yesterday....

I can't go into detail here, because there's too much risk of people seeing this that I don't know (I am not certain of Networked Blogs' security). So, I will only ask....yesterday's entry on prayer was too pertinent, too relevant, to what is happening in my life right now. If you believe that Deity is immanent, personal, relevant, as well as transcendent and omnipotent....what do you do when you give your whole heart to the Work, and the answer is "no"?

Maybe my horoscope from yesterday is something I should have looked at to BEGIN the day, not to end it: "You may not be sure what to think today, Virgo. Mental confusion could be the day's theme for you, but don't let it get you down. Realize that it's just one of those days when none of the pieces fit right. The truth is that they do fit somewhere, just not now. Lay low and wait for this phase to pass. Things will pick up soon as the fog lifts and you can see clearly again."

Yeah. What THEY said....

Pagans And Prayer

Prayer is a concept with which many Pagans have some trouble. The commonly-held attitude amongst members of mainstream religions about prayer is that it is a means of petitioning, praising, and thanking God, and many Pagans do not believe in an exoteric Deity from whom come blessings. Most Pagans’ attitudes about the Universe fail to consciously contain a concept of a Being “out there” who hears and answers, or refuses to answer, prayers. Therefore it is sometimes surprising to those of Pagan persuasions to find out that indeed they DO pray, and to examine closely what that prayer consists of.

Prayer in the form of communication with Deity is probably the most common type of prayer found amongst Pagans, whether or not they use the term “prayer”, or even the term “Deity,” for that matter. Despite the fact that most Pagans have a diversity of belief about the nature of Deity, we are all aware on some level that there IS a difference between “The Goddess” and “the Goddess Within”, for example. As a former teacher of mine pointed out to me, “Yes, ‘Thou Art Goddess,’ but you didn’t make the sun come up this morning, and I KNOW those mountains were there before you moved to Utah.” Most of us do not believe ourselves to be the final authority on the entire Universe, and whether we call it Goddess and God, Spirit, energy, the One, or many another name, most of us find, or postulate, or hope, that the Unseen Force of Existence is one which is personal and benevolent. Whether or not we feel that we have a parent-child relationship, or see ourselves more as Seekers, Scientists or Shamans, we feel a need to ask the questions and contemplate the vastness of the many possible answers. That questioning, or meditation, or contemplation, or ecstasy, or focus, or wish, is akin to what members of other religions term “prayer.”

One Pagan’s perspective on prayer was rendered thus, in an article on Witchvox in 2000:

What is prayer? Webster's dictionary says "1)a) (1) an address (as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought (2) a set order of words used in praying b) an earnest request or wish. 2) the act or practice of praying to God or a god"

My understanding of prayer fits this definition and goes beyond it. There is that wonderful moment when a breathtaking vista of undiscovered beauty opens before you on a hike, when thoughts of praise and thanks fly out to the Goddess even before I am conscious of doing so. There is the discipline of focusing my mind and spirit as I write new rituals for our coven, silently seeking guidance as I work. Then there is the not so silent prayer for patience as I negotiate rush hour traffic. And the sharing of energy as the coven raises power in ritual and celebration. As you can see, for me, there are many types of prayer, many moments of prayerfulness, ranging from serious to humor-filled, all of them a means of connecting with the God and the Goddess in my daily life.

Connection seems to be the most significant element in what this woman refers to as prayer. It may not be obvious at first glance how the focus of such a prayer differs from that of many in mainstream religions, but another source states this more directly:

Do I pray? No, I do not feel that I pray. Prayer is a plea in my opinion, and my Gods to not need me to plea, beg or whine. They just need me to talk to Them. So I talk with my Gods daily. I do not take the role of supplicant, I take the role of what I am, a child talking to a very patient Parent.

Prayer is overrated. At some point, someone decided that in order to speak with a god, it was necessary to bend your knee in supplication (either physically or mentally) and make a plea to that god. This was supposed to be the only way that you could get your god to listen. Then it was labeled as prayer, and it only worked if you showed the proper amount of respect while doing it.

I show my respect by actually talking to my Gods. They are the original Mother and Father, we are their children. I do not expect my children to speak to me in pleading tones in order for me to answer and assist them, so I do not think the Lady and Lord expect that from us, their children, either. So talk to your Gods, make it known that you have not forgotten them, you love them, and they will do the same for you.

To connection, this writer adds mutual respect and a feeling of intimacy and entitlement, almost an egalitarian relationship. This idea is not as alien to Pagans as it may seem to members of other religions, as many Pagans hold to an idea that the Gods are created by those who remember and respect and worship them, so there is a mutual need there.

Most Pagans refer to what Christians think of as prayer as “sending energy.” They have within the concept that there is an Energy in the Universe that responds to their connecting with it, in ways often beyond the power of spoken or written language to convey. They may call this Energy Goddess, God, or Spirit…but they do communicate with, respect and sometimes attempt to interact directly with this Energy. Most Pagans also consider that the Christian custom of petitioning, thanking or praising God is as much an attempt to manipulate Energy as is what a Pagan does, only by a different name. Incidentally, the whole idea of prayer, even the word, has the same implication of giving responsibility over to Deity for what happens to one, whereas the Pagan idea of manipulating Energy seems to imply more personal responsibility for the results. Perhaps this is one reason why most Pagans pursue the concept of, and action of, prayer, whilst disavowing the name thereof.

Occasions of Prayer

Most Pagans do not think of what they do as intercession, but as cooperation, with Deity. For this reason, “praying for” someone is probably far more rare in a Pagan’s life than it is in that of a Christian. Part of the reason for this is the belief on the part of many Pagans that we “choose” our experiences in this lifetime, and that someone may be experiencing illness or hardship by their own pre-life choice, to enable them to grow in some specific way. Some one outside the experience would consider it unethical to interfere with that. Another part of the feeling of not “praying for” people has to do with the kinds of ideas expressed below:

To me “bad prayer” is when the intent is to change or fix the person being prayed for. When fundamentalists tell me they will pray for my soul, it feels like an attack on my soul. These kinds of prayers aren't honoring me as a human being, they are not offered in love (at least not in what I consider a reasonable definition of love). They are manipulative and controlling. I relate prayer like this to casting a spell without someone's consent. Trying to force an individual to behave differently. This kind of prayer is often used as a threat - "I will pray that you find the light and be saved from the torments of hell to which you are surely headed." My translation - "I want you to abandon your uniqueness and connection with the divine because it does not match mine and I feel it is a threat to my world and therefore evil, not just different. If you don't change you will suffer" also can be translated as "I'll have my god beat up your god!" This is the type of prayer that makes Pagans reluctant to use the word prayer. This is the kind of prayer I could do without.

And yet, we DO pray, even if we do not call it that. At every ritual we “call” or “invoke” the Elemental Beings or Guardians, the Lord and Lady, and sometimes other non-corporeal beings. At least in the Medieval sense (as in “I pray you” or “prithee”) we are then praying, no matter what we call it. When we send energy for healing or for spellcraft, we are praying, even if the prayer is directed at the Universe, our Selves, or has no designated object. When we sing or chant in praise of the Beauty of Life, we pray. When we touch for healing, and call upon Spirit to bless, we pray. When we say “So Mote It Be” as a Pagan form of “Amen!”, we pray. Whether we dance in active ecstasy or silently fall into contemplative or oracular trance…yes, we pray.

First Admission....

...in a way. To those who read this who know what that term means, it's kind of a stretch...the "admission" I am looking for is to see what my CovenKith think of the Work that has just been done. I will keep you posted...

Compass...

This has been a most amazing confluence of events. I have taken some of the deep lore of my 1734 Stream, and had it shown to me, by accidentally stumbling upon a drawing in an old BOS, that it fits beautifully with some newer, but equally deep, lore of my current Coven and Trad. They are melding beautifully to create a brand-new Witche's Compass for purposes of Working. I wish I could show and share the whole thing, but I can't. But suffice it to say I am bowing in gratitude and gasping in amazement as this new Work seems to be "doing itself". I can't help but think I have Help. You know who you Are. Thank you.

Something I Like To Revisit From Time To Time

The question is what do you believe? About the purpose of life, about the nature of the gods, about your relationship to them, about what it means to be a Witch....just for a start.

(This question was asked at a panel discussion in which I was a participant, in 2003. I have been re-copying some old BOS and other materials, and ran into this again. I remind myself to look at things like this periodically, so here is a recounting of my responses at the time. I am not sure, now, that I would change any of it.)

OK….several things all at once, not all of them mutually intelligible or coherent. So I will start this out as a brainstorming, and hope it coalesces into prose somewhere along the way…..

I believe that each individual consciousness is unique, irreplaceable, never to be repeated, and that each life in the Universe, both life that is self-aware and life that is not, exists to fulfill a specific and unique purpose. The purpose of Lives is not interchangeable one with another. No one’s Life, or the deeds of their conscious human life, or the result of their non-self-aware biological or non-biological existence, can ever stand in for, or substitute for, or replace, the purpose or resonance or meaning of any other Life.

I believe that it is the purpose of successive human lives to find out the ultimate purpose of the Being’s Life, and to perform or become that thing. I believe that the Lives we are given, no matter how many times a single consciousness inhabits successive human bodies, are way-stations offering learning and growth opportunities to the Consciousness so that It may grow ever closer to the purpose for which It exists.

I believe that the Being can apprehend its Purpose while incarnate, and that once it discovers the Purpose for which it exists, the remainder of Life is ideally focussed on attaining that Purpose. I believe that the Purpose of any Incarnate Being has a focus that is both Personal (for the Self) Interpersonal (for other people), Intrapersonal (for the Entire Race of Living Beings) and Impersonal (for the Universe)

I believe that a Being which has achieved the Purpose of all its lives ceases to incarnate, and becomes a part of the Body of the Universe (of which the Body of Gaia, the Earth Biosphere, is one component, but only one) and is thus available as a resource to other Beings attempting to realize their own Ultimate Purpose. I believe that the things we call The Gods are Beings who have achieved their Ultimate Purpose and have become discarnate consciousnesses who are accessible to humans and other forms of Life as resources in our own journey to our Ultimate Purpose. I also believe that beings such as the Sidhe, Devae, Elves and Gnomes and the like, Dragonkin, and other non-earth based life forms such as “aliens” are similar Beings to what we call the Gods, except that their own Journey to Purpose was not taken in a body that resided on the Earth I now inhabit, but that originated in some other Realm of Living Beings.

I believe that the Gaian Consciousness, the Essential Realm of Earth and Stars, NEEDS the Life upon it, each being thereof, whether human or not, to realize Its Own ultimate purpose, and that for every Being who does not succeed in that Quest, the Being of Gaia is diminished. I also, however, believe that it is impossible NOT to finally succeed in that Quest if one is willing to learn, grow, evolve, and get one’s Ego out of the way. For some people, it does take many lifetimes. And some people opt out of the journey of their own Will, being unwilling to participate in a life-affirming existence, and being killers of the life force by deeds of hatred, waste, destruction, violence, and other life-denying behaviors. Such Beings do not contribute their own Essence to the ultimate well-being of the Gaian Mind, and the sum of existence is forever diminished by the loss of their potential.

I believe the Soul is the Life Force, and that the Human Soul is capable of far transcending the boundaries of living in a flesh casket. However, I do believe that the physical realm of life, including food and sex and color and laughter and music and sharing and reproduction and creation and all the rest of it, is Holy, and that some people’s Ultimate Purpose is to contribute to the knowledge of the World in these realms.

I believe the Soul has personality and consciousness, and that Spirit has consciousness, but not personality. I believe the Soul remembers lifetimes other than the current one, since the Ultimate Purpose of any living being might take more learning than can be compassed in a single lifetime. I believe that a Soul that has fully realized its ultimate purpose joins with Spirit, and has consciousness of ALL other Beings on the planet or in the Realm it inhabits, not only the racial and individual and familial memories of its current or prior consciousness.

A Witch is a Being who is fully conscious that it has a journey to Ultimate Purpose to complete, and who makes use of the tools of the Will and the Intuition and the Unseen Realm to work on perfecting itself. Indeed, it might be enough to say that I believe a Witch to be a Being who is Fully Conscious. This is the reason I believe a Witch is both Born and Made, because I believe there are many unevolved souls who come to Incarnation at the very beginning of their Journey to Purpose, and such Beings cannot possess the accumulation of the Knowledge of Lifetimes that will make them Witches, even if in this life they read and study and know about the Arte.

Knowing about the Arte is not Knowing the Arte, and it takes many lifetimes to arrive at that point.

I believe that is all I wish to say on this topic at this time, since some of my ideas are still evolving or resolving themselves. I am going to promise myself and you the luxury of revisiting this essay in the future and make what changes seem good to me then.

Four Dragons....

The initiatory rite took place on the evening of the Dark Moon of Birch, 2011. The working area was a compass, and the Wraiths were invited (and everyone came!). The Work was a remembrance, a beginning, and a creation, all in one. Much to think about concerning the Stream, and how the Spirits I accessed fit therein. Again thinking about the mutability of the Stang, and wondering if some changes need to be made to the one I am using to make it more particularly Ours. Names came into play here, and I found some quasi-directional attributions of which I had been previously unaware. I was joined in Work by kith at a distance, whose presence was felt and whose energy was most welcomed. My prevalent impression looking back at this rite is one of excitement that the things I did not expect seemed to simply present themselves to me, in such a way as to say..."You waited long enough...let's get started!" There are Folk out there who want to be met with, recognized, and acknowledged. And there is a huge layer of gnosis that is simply waiting to be unwrapped. I'm already looking forward to the next time..

A Good Day To Begin....

No, it isn't the first of January. I actually considered re-dating this post, but I am glad I didn't, because next year I would be confused and think I had done something I did not do. But here it is the third of January, and I am able to blog about the last three days, and feel as if my time has been well-spent.

On New Year's Day, an old tradition took its fifteenth year of presence in my life. Yes, Brie and I have been together for fifteen New Year's Celebrations. We have a tradition that we don't turn on the phone, we don't go anywhere, or have any company, either on New Year's Eve or on New Year's Day. It's our time. We drink some...I chose to get quietly tipsy this year, and thoroughly enjoyed it....we look at tv, we relax together, we toast the New Year together, and we simply spend New Year's Day looking back at the past year and forward at the year to come, and enjoying our life together. I wouldn't have wanted anything different.

On Sunday, the 2nd, we attended "Spackle Sunday" and had our hands in the creation...literally....of the new Salt Lake City Pagan Community Center, Crone's Hollow. I am so excited about this project that you might find more than one blog post about it. You wouldn't have believed the marvelously positive community energy that was evident at this event, or the way people hung out afterwards, ate pizza, chatted, drank coffee, played chess, and gave me a real view of what true community might be going to be like. We get to do it again next weekend, in a different fashion. I am terribly excited about this...

And then there was today...yes, I did hurt my back when I helped with the floor-spackling. Bending over from the waist to do work situated on the floor is not a really healthy position for me to hold for more than an hour. But I did, and I am glad I got to help. But today...OWIE!! My back's been in spasms all day long...so the plan to go down to the City Library for John McHugh's lecture didn't take place....driving the car, at night, in pain, in 12 degree weather..? No. But it didn't stop me from one of my New Years' "plans" (my FB entry will tell you why I am not saying "resolutions"), to clean my office and completely re-do my altar. I did that, and each and every piece on it has purpose, placement, and provenance. I will be doing my personal Work there, every day. Personal daily practice has kind of fallen off my radar, but it is back. Flamekeeping, too. And Dark and Full Moon work, personal work....but that's for tomorrow....

And that is why this post belongs here. Because I am inaugurating, tomorrow, my 1734 Tradition, the Four Dragons Clan, and beginning my own development of the Wraith of 1734 which was entrusted to me by Joe. My rite, my format and my resonances will be all in line with 1734. If I get to incorporate this into WiseCraft through the DRD, all the better. But even if I don't get to...it is my Trad, and I am going to enlarge it.

More tomorrow about how that goes, and what is part of it...