Allport And Solitary Practice

Today, I was going over my notes that I wrote when I was reading the book The Individual and His Religion(by Gordon Allport) and came across his ideas regarding religion as a solitary endeavor even within the context of a religious community. I found myself thinking about how this could fit in with the Pagan identity of being largely a solitary practice.

Allport talks about how religion is very personal and and is up to the individual to come to their own religious reality. He is not saying that each person can "make up their own religion." Instead, the idea he is trying to get across is that we each experience religious sentiment in our own unique way. We do not experience our personal sense of religion and our personal sense of faith in the same way as the person sitting next to us. There is not a standard form.

One of my thoughts that I wrote down at the time I read the book says "there doesn't seem to be any one way that everyone will experience religiosity - people have different ways of expressing similar concepts." In the book, Allport says that there is "no common point of origin" of religious experience (p. 6). This makes religion a very personal form of expression.

This has given me a new perspective regarding what it means for one to be a solitary Pagan as well as why there seem to be so many systems of belief within Paganism (that everyone seems to believe something different). While a lot of Pagans say they prefer practicing their beliefs on their own, could it be due to there being no common way to express those beliefs? Being that they are expressing forms of reconstructionist religions, Pagans tend to emphasize their personal experiences by expressing them in ways that are intuitive to them. In other words, it makes it hard to form a solid community around several different forms of expression.

Although I tend to favor having a religious community, I found myself thinking "well, if religion is a solitary or personal endeavor, why is there religious community at all?" While there is definitely more to it than what I will say here, I like to think of a community as a place that inspires personal growth. We often find inspiration in the communities or groups that we are active in. A community is also a place/group that we can go to for support and help. But even within religious community, I am learning that we ultimately have to have an active roll in our own personal religious expression and sentiment.

__________________________

Reference:

Allport, G. (1951) The individual and his religion. New York: Macmillan Company.

Pagan Blogs 4.18.07

Here are a few of my favorite blog posts from the last week or so:

I recently ran across a new Heathen blog, The Northern Path, that has so far concentrated on news relating to Heathenry in Sweden. This news includes an article regarding the Swedish Government's recognition of a Heathen group as a religious organization.

Speaking of Heathens, one that has been MIA for awhile has resurfaced after some recent health issues. Welcome back, Bernulf!

Kay, from Songs of Unforgetting, recently discovered the concept of Interdependent Origination while reading about Buddhism.

Both Jaspenelle and Jason posted about the shooting at VA Tech, while Chas talks about the shootings from the perspective of a professor. I have not posted these past couple of days as I have been contacting those I know who either go to the school or work there to make sure they (and their families) are okay. Thank the gods, they are.

Jeff at Druid Journal, has been talking about how to determine the meaning of your name. While I've read the article, I haven't worked through my name yet. I plan to print out the article and work on it during my trip.

Paul at Evoking the Goddess mentioned that Blackthorn is currently blooming in his area of the UK and says that he is looking forward to the Hawthorn. I can hardly wait to see it myself when I make the journey to England next week.

Stonehenge: A Monument To What?

"Stonehenge is a monument to the failure of religion. Whatever or whoever was worshiped here for two thousand years failed."

and

"Faith is only as strong as its believers."

and

"Where do you find yourself in the midst of such dramatic times?"

These quotes/questions come from a book, The Spiritual Traveler, that I am reading while getting ready for my trip to Europe. These quotes jumped out at me as I have not thought of Stonehenge to be a "monument to failure." How can something like Stonehenge be considered a failure? Just the size of the stones alone are a testament to the resolve that these people had. It took them years to plan it, bring the stones from the distance they came from, and to erect the stones in a way that they were aligned with the sun (or moon) on a certain day at a particular time. To me, all of this taken together makes it seem as if it is a testament to their success.

But that is not what the authors are talking about. They are saying because this particular group seemingly abandoned their space of worship, they failed. More to the point, their god(s) failed. I find it interesting that the authors posed their statements in this way.

While I was reading this particular section regarding Stonehenge, I was reminded of the book Catspaw, by Joan D. Vinge. In this book, there is a scene where a group of University students go to a planet that has been abandoned to study various artifacts that have been left behind. The main character, Cat, comes to the conclusion that the main artifact (The Monument) is actually a monument to death. Using this idea as a comparison, the authors of the guidebook are seemingly saying it was the death of a religion that surrounded Stonehenge. The difference between the book Catspaw and the guidebook is that with Catspaw, you get the impression that even though the original inhabitants are gone, the monument is a testament to their success of getting their message across (even though they are no longer around).

I think we need to look at it in way that helps us to realize that things do change. It could be that the people came to a different understanding and no longer needed to use Stonehenge as a religious monument (if that is what it was). But do we really know what happened? No. We can only make assumptions based on what we do know.

This will be something that I will be keeping in mind as I visit Stonehenge (and Avebury) myself.

Book of Shadows

In a forum that I frequent (even if I don't post often), a thread came up asking people about their Book of Shadows. As I love hearing about what everybody has in their BOS, I though it would interesting to go through mine again, to remember what information I have collected over the years and how I have organized that information.

While I don't call my collection a "BOS", I do have a three ring notebook that I keep (or several, really). One part has articles, new articles, information from websites and blogs that have been printed out (I go through a lot of ink and paper!). Another part is a notebook in which I write down my thoughts about anything that pop up at anytime during the day (It used to be a regular old notebook, but recently I have switched to Moleskine journals). A third part of the three ring binder includes papers and articles that I have written myself regarding what what works for me, my beliefs, ethics, etc.

This is a system that I started when I was about 15, so as I said above, I have several of these three ring binders. I have one from early on that has many things printed out from The Riders of the Crystal Wind BOS, which is a collection of articles written by people who frequented the old BBS systems back in the day. I have a couple more that include other things that were printed out on the web from when I was younger.

I have one that includes information about gods; "dictionaries," pages of myths, list of various pantheons, list of what gods are connected to (such as these gods are the gods of war; these are the gods of charity; etc.)

I have another one that includes only information regarding Heathenry (or Asatru) as that is what I have been interested in recently.

Most people see a BOS as a place to store their collection of spells, poetry, and stories, amongst other information. As I'm not into spell work and I admittedly dislike poetry (I do try to like it, I just can't seem to get past it), my collection contained in my books includes articles written on concepts, ideas, ethics, history and much more.

Someday, I may organize it into something that is more cohesive and "permanent" but for now, this system works for me.

So, I ask you, what is your Book of Shadows like? What information do you have in it? How do you organize it?

Paganism With Homework

I've seen the phrase "paganism with homework" when referring to learning about Heathenry. I am beginning to understand why as there is so much information available.

As there is so much to read about, sort through, find references for, and learn a whole new vocabulary on top of everything else that it is much like taking a class on the religion and mythos of Heathenry - home study version. And because it is the home study version, it is hard to know where to begin, what to do with all the incoming information and how to sort through it and keep it straight. (I've been trying to keep a notebook, but it is already pretty thick with the pages that I have printed off from the internet as well as the notes that I have been taking as I read.)

While I started with looking up information on Odin and few other gods, I have recently been delving into the books that contain much of information that is known about the gods. The Poetic Edda (translated by Hollander) is where I have started. I will soon be starting in The Prose Edda followed by a book on Norse Mythology. This should give me a good base; a good starting point. But as I don't know a lot of the terminology, I've had to do a lot of learning as I go. (Internet browser open so that I can type in a word or phrase that isn't explained or write it down in my notebook and look it up later.)

I find it interesting that while not much information of pagan religions have survived the arrival of Christianity, the Norse myths did. I guess it all has to do with timing really, as I have read that the northern countries were more difficult to reach and therefore it wasn't until later that the Germanic people were influenced by Christianity.* Surprisingly, it was Christianity that brought with it the ability to write down the stories of their people that had been passed down orally throughout the ages.*

I'm kinda liking the fact that Heathenry is considered "Paganism with homework."


*Hollander, L.M. (2004). The poetic edda. University of Texas Press: Austin.

Heathen Gods: Odin

I was given some advice by a friend regarding the beginning of learning about a new religion, in this case Heathenry. He told me to start with the Gods. So, that is what I am doing. And who better to start with than the God that is said to be the main God of Heathen religions? Today, I start with some of my notes that I have taken down as I have found information about Odin.

What Is Odin The God Of?

Odin is considered to be the chief God of the Æsir clan.

Although the most likely realm attributed to Odin is that of war, battle, and death, he is also the God of wisdom. He is considered to be the patron of poets, writers and thinkers. He also has been known to use magic, both rune and seidhr magic. Seidhr magic was typically used by women and for that reason Odin was driven out of Asgard for a while. Odin was the God who gained to the knowledge of Runes for the Æsir and used that power to resurrect himself.

He is the God that is most concerned with human affairs and watched the human race from his high seat.

He is said to be the shaper of Wyrd.

What Does He Look Like?

Most say that Odin appears as an older man with a long beard. He is most likely to be depicted as wearing a dark blue cloak and is carrying his spear, gungnir, which he uses as a walking staff. He is missing an eye after sacrificing it to gain wisdom at the well of Mimir. His eye is said to remain at the bottom of the well.

No one seems to know which eye is the one that has been sacrificed as there are depictions of him missing either eye.

He is also known for his ability to take on other shapes.

Odin’s Connections With The Other Gods

Frigg – Frigg is Odin’s first wife and helps him to look over the world.

Balder – Odin and Frigg’s son.

Hod – Odin’s blind son who represented darkness.

Thor – Odin’s son by the Goddess Jord.

Loki – A giant that is often sited as Odin’s blood brother. He is also the mother of Odin’s eight-legged horse, Sleipnir.

Common Stories of Odin

Sacrificing his eye, he throws it into the well of Mimir to be able to take a drink to gain wisdom.

To gain the knowledge of Runes, he hangs himself from a tree for nine days and nights and pierces his side with his own spear.

What Else Is He Known For?

He is known as the leader of the Wild Hunt.

Giving poets the mead of inspiration.

The slaying of the giant, Ymir, to form Midgard.

Updated 3/3/07 at 6:40pm to reflect corrections as told to me by Bernulf of Expanding Inward.

Invested Authority

Another part of the quote that I want to talk about from the book, Pagan Theology, is “the authority that is invested in them.” When scholars and well-known people within Paganism dedicate their time to help grow the body of knowledge, it helps to provide a base of information to better understanding of Paganism. These people are investing their status as an authority and allowing themselves to become an example of what the Pagan religions represent. By example, they become almost a type of public Pagan Ambassador.

I would think that a major part of each religion’s validation has to do with the body of writing that is produced by its followers over many, many years. Ideas are produced, discussed, and expanded upon. Some of those ideas become more popular than others, and some ideas fall flat before getting very far. Over all, the speed at which Paganism has become a suitable choice within the religious landscape has been very quick when compared to the history of other religions. I would say that one reason why this has happened is technology. We can not deny that the internet has helped with the popularity of Paganism. (Not that the internet is the only technological advance that has helped. It is merely one example.)

Because of the technology, as well as the education system, we have today, it will not take as long to acquire a significant amount of “valid” religious writings within different Pagan denominations. The time that is invested in producing these writings will effect the future of Paganism.

* This post is a continuation of the previous post on the Authority To Validate and was written before all the comments.

Authority To Validate

In the beginning of the book, Pagan Theology, I noticed this line: “If religions are to be seen as unfolding maps of greater degrees of complexity, they can still be only as valid as the authority that is invested in them,” (pg. 3 ). It got me wondering about who has the ability or the authority to "validate" a religion, either from within the religion or from those on the sidelines.

Within Paganism, who has the authority to help it be viewed as being “valid?” A few people that came to mind at first included authors, professors, and reporters/journalists. But why is it that these people have authority? Just looking at the list, I would guess that their level of education has something to do with their ability to influence the public as an “authority.”

Another thing is that most people in these types of careers is that they are in the public eye. As they are well-known, they are able influence public opinion regarding Paganism. That they are in the public eye also opens up the possibility for new opportunities. One example of this is Margot Adler's career as a journalist with NPR opened up the opportunity to research and write her book “Drawing Down the Moon.”

But what about being validated from outside of Paganism? I know that many people say that there is no need to have validation from others because it is what they believe. While I would agree, I also think that there are some event that wouldn't be happening if there was that sense of validation. Events like the denial of Patrick Stewart's headstone and the various court cases that have been brought to public attention are some things that come to mind. How these events play out will have an effect on how the general public views Paganism and to what extent they view it as a valid religious expression.

On the other hand, there is much that can invalidate religions as well. Those in positions of authority have the ability to, sometimes with only a few sentences, do damage to the reputation of someone else's belief. And it doesn't help when people within the religion question their own religious scholarship as Brandy William pointed out at the Seattle Pagan Scholars Position of Studies Tea in 1997.

So, how do we bring about religious validation within both the Pagan community and the larger society? Is this even important given the argument that the only person that needs to valid your beliefs is yourself? Or is there more to this issue?

Reading

Now that I have a little more time to pursue my goal of reading books other than texts, I have been able to start a few of the books on my list. These books have influenced the posts that I will be making over the few days.

So far, I have started reading:

Pagan Theology by Michael York
Toward a Psychology of Being by Abraham Maslow

Ordered and waiting on my bookshelf are:

Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice by Catherine Bell
The Triumph of the Moon by Ronald Hutton

And of course, being the bookworm that I am, I have added a few more psychology books to the list that I am currently reading as well. They are:

The Individual and His Religion by Gordon Allport
Religions, Values, and Peak Experiences by Abraham Maslow

Her Hidden Children

I just recently finished the book, Her Hidden Children, by Chas Clifton. While it was an excellent book, one particular chapter (chapter two) really intrigued me with it's mention of the three different categories of "nature religion" - cosmic, gaian, and embodied nature.

From my notes about the three categories:

The comic nature category includes heavenly bodies, astrology, ritual magic, tarot, and other forms of divination. From my understanding, this category is taken to be more about Witchcraft than being a religious movement.

The gaian nature category includes anything to do with the planet earth (i.e. - trees, bodies of water, etc). This aspect of "nature religion" grew out of environmental consciousness, personal relationship with nature, nature as having a life of its own, the earth as deity, and natural cycles.

The embodied nature category includes the person in both the body and the mind, sex as a sacrament, and the invocation of and possession by the Gods.

I found this chapter interesting due to how it was able to answer some of my questions that I had written about in September regarding Paganism as nature religion. Clifton points out that there are three different categories that can be used to define the term "nature religion" and it helped to clarify some of my questions. I had thought of "nature religion" in the sense of the second category, gaian, but not the other two.

I also liked the chapter (Chapter 4) about Wicca and popular culture. It was interesting to find out how different media such as books, magazines, and TV shows have influenced the way the people have written about Wicca and Witchcraft and how it came into the cultural radar.

Overall, the book was well-written, easy to get into (I should have been studying for my finals, but couldn't put the book down!), and very informative. I would really recommend picking up this book.

Abracadabra!

How important are the words that you use while in ritual? magic? everyday life? Aleister Crowley seemed to think that words are very important. Important enough to change the spelling of the word "abracadabra" to "abrahadabra." I was reading up on Aleister Crowley and noticed a word that he had "created" and thought it would be interesting to learn a little more about it.

Of course, I noticed the spelling right away, thinking that it was a mistake. I soon realized that it was not a mistake and looked into this a little further. My first question was why the change in the spelling of the word? According to About.com, "Crowley "corrected" the spelling to Abrahadabra, in order to achieve a particular gematric value."

So what is the history behind the word abracadabra? We have all heard it being in the use of stage magicians when they are trying to create that moment of suspense by using it as an incantation. However, the use of this word goes back to ancient times when it was used as a cure for fever and inflammations according to the Wikipedia article. There are many possible origins of the words as outlined by the above article.

Then what is the history behind the word abrahadabra? The Wikipedia article on abrahadabra mentions the story about how Crowley came up with it. And here is more information on the word Abrahadabra that I found interesting.

In any case, it seems that the spelling, and the words themselves, are important.

Books To Read

As of an couple of hours ago, I finished my last college class - until I go to grad school, that is. Not the finals, mind you, as those are next week. But when I got home, I started wondering what I am going to do for the next year and a half or so. Get a "real" job obviously. But there needs to be something more to keep me busy.

No more assigned reading that needs to finished by a certain time means that there will be more free time to read what I am interested in learning. I had heard of people taking on things like "50 books a year challenge." So I decided to set up my own reading challenge. No number has been decided on yet and may I just decide to read as much as I have time for, instead. On the other hand, it is nice to have a goal.

Some books that I would like to read over the next year or so are listed below in no particular order. Feel free to suggest books (in any genre!) that you have enjoyed.

Pagan/Religion

The Apple Branch by Alexei Kondratiev
A World Full of Gods by John Michael Greer
Pagan Theology by Michael York
The Mist-Filled Path by Frank MacEowen
Way of Four by Deborah Lipp
NeuroTheology: Brain, Science, Spirituality, Religious Experience
Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice by Catherine Bell
The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure by Victor Turner
Stations of the Sun by Ronald Hutton
The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles by Ronald Hutton
The Triumph of the Moon by Ronald Hutton
Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe By H.R. Ellis Davidson


Minnesota's Natural Landscape

What's Doin' The Bloomin'?
Minnesota's Natural Heritage
Minnesota's Geology
Minnesota Underfoot
Prairie Skies: The Minnesota Weather Book
Minnesota Weather Almanac


Psychology

A Way of Being by Carl Rogers
Toward a Psychology of Being by Abraham Maslow

Ethical Relativism

(The first post of this series can be found here: For What Reasons?)

While reading a book of opposing viewpoints on the subject of Religion in America, I noticed that there were two essays regarding Wicca in the military. The author of the first essay, Robert L. Maginnis, mentioned his reasons of why Wiccans shouldn’t be allowed in the military. While that was the main point of the article, he also presented the idea that Wicca holds an ethically relativist viewpoint of the world. He used this point to illustrate that Wicca should not be allowed legal status because it weakens our “military readiness.”

Defining Ethical Relativism

Before I get any further into the content of the essay, let’s take a look at what the term “ethical relativism” is defined as. I typed each word in at Merriam-Webster.com and found the following:

ethic

• the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation
• a set of moral principles : a theory or system of moral values
• a guiding philosophy

ethical

• involving or expressing moral approval or disapproval
• of or relating to ethics
• conforming to accepted standards of conduct

relativism

• a theory that knowledge is relative to the limited nature of the mind and the conditions of knowing
• a view that ethical truths depend on the individuals and groups holding them

Using the above definitions, ethical relativism could be said to mean “conforming to a set of conduct, morals and/or philosophy in which views depend on the individuals and groups holding them.” While this may be this denotation, there seems to be more to what Mr. Maginnis is implying. So what was Mr. Maginnis’ connotation? After I typed in the individual words, I typed in the whole phrase. While they did not have a definition for that exact phrase, another expression of interest popped up:

higgledy-piggledy

• in a confused, disordered, or random manner

Ah! Now this definition seems to fit more with how Maginnis’ presented his viewpoint. He used the term ethical relativism to cover up that he really sees Wicca as a religion that is random and has no order, no set beliefs, or no morals. That is just not true and it is something that I talked about in the third post of the misconception series back in July.

Maginnis uses a quote from the Covenant of the Goddess (“What is good for one may be evil for another and vice versa”) as an example of forms of relativism in Wicca, and takes it somewhat out of context. He is using this line to “prove” that Wiccans believe they do not have to worry about whether the actions they are taking are right or wrong. Heck, he is trying to imply that Wiccans do not have a sense of what is right or wrong at all because morals are not taught within their religion. What is implied by the CoG is that the ability to determine what is right and wrong has to do with the context of the people involved as well as having to take the situation into account.

More Viewpoints Regarding Ethical Relativism

A site regarding Christian apologetics talks about ethical relativism:

One advantage of ethical relativism is that it allows for a wide variety of cultures and practices. It also allows people to adapt ethically as the culture, knowledge, and technology change in society. This is good and a valid form of relativism.

The disadvantage of ethical relativism is that truth, right and wrong, and justice are all relative. Just because the group of people thinks that something is right does not make so.

If it is true that just thinking something is right, or wrong for that matter, does not make it so, then why are some religions "okay" and other are not? Just because someone thinks that this is so, does not make it so, huh, Maginnis? I need not point out that we could use that logic on your view of Wicca as well.

An article on Religious Tolerance also makes a great point regarding people’s difference in beliefs with this statement:

Some people believe that wives should be submissive to their husbands and that equal power sharing in marriage is forbidden; others believe the opposite. Some believe that an early abortion is the least unethical action for a woman in some circumstances; others believe that abortion involves the murder of a human being. The list goes on endlessly.

People are always going to disagree on how to approach different ethical and moral issues because there is no 'black or white.'

While there is definitely more that I could talk about in regards to this issue, I will instead point out some links that have talked about the two essays in the book Religion in America and some other information regarding ethical relativism.

The online version of the Robert Maginnis essay that I read. (The version I read was an edited version, the online version is the full version. Scroll down to “Brewing Up Trouble: Wicca and the U.S. Military.”)

Chad Anctil - The counter-viewpoint in the book. "A Veteran Witch Speaks Out"

Religious Tolerance – Wiccans and Military Readiness

Chas Clifton – Fort Hood’s Wiccans and the Problem of Pacifism

Witches Voice

For What Reasons?

(Part one of a series)

With the recent focus on the case of Nevada National Guard Sgt. Patrick Stewart, and the law suit against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for first amendment rights, I have often wondered about the exact reasons of why some people in our government have expressed opposition to the practice of Paganism on military bases. Yes, I know that a lot of it has to do with people wanting to deny Wicca legal religious status, but what are the arguments that they use to uphold their point of view?

In an essay in the book Religion in America, Robert L. Maginnis states a few problems with Pagans serving in the military. He says that Wicca undermines

“....military values, adherence to norms, willingness to kill, and recruitment and retention among the majority who hold a generally theistic worldview and regard witchcraft as an abomination.”

How does Wicca do all this? He goes on to say,

“Wicca represents a direct affront to Christian and Jewish teaching.”

He never really expands on this statement. Here are the reasons that Robert Maginnis argues that Wiccans shouldn’t be allowed:

Military Values

So what are these so called military values? According to Maginnis, three of the values include military discipline, order and readiness. I don’t see how being Wiccan could have a negative effect on those three things. For that matter, I don’t see how being Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, etc could have a positive effect on those three things.

Adherence To Norms

What norms are we talking about here? Just because those of the Wiccan faith do not hold the same beliefs that Christians do, please do not automatically assume that Wiccan don’t adhere to any sociatal norms. Wiccans hold jobs, have families, take vacations and participate in PTAs meetings and politics. By implying that Wiccans don't follow society's norms, Maginnis is really trying to say that Wiccans are not normal.

Well, what is normal? Going from a psychological perspective, there is such a huge range in what is considered normal. Everyone has some behavior or habits that others look upon as a little strange. But those habits are not enough to say that those people don't follow sociatal norms.

Cultural and regional differences also has a huge impact on what is considered normal. The norms that I am familiar with and follow in Minnesota are not always followed in, say, Mississippi, let alone in another country. Yet, we don't go around saying that people are not normal because they are from a different region or country.

Willingness To Kill

For this point, Maginnis uses the Wiccan Rede to demonstrate that Wiccans will not be able to participate in combat. Yet, earlier in the article he mentions that there were 2228 Buddhists in the military services in 1998. They, too, hold a pacifist point of view but Maginnis doesn’t seem to have much of a problem with including Buddhists in the military services.

Maginnis uses this argument to say that Wiccans will not be "ready" to fight when they are called to action. However, as he is mentioning the Wiccan Rede, Maginnis fails to mention that one of Christianity's own commandments is "thou shall not kill." Wouldn't that also effect the readiness of the military (using his own argument)?

Recruitment and Retention Problems

By this, I am guessing that Maginnis thinks that our Christian military personnel will leave in droves. If this argument was true, wouldn’t there currently be more Pagans than Christians in the military? Based on the numbers that were stated in Maginnis’ own article, I would have to say that the recruitment and retention of personnel of the Christian faith seems to be just fine.

In the counter-essay, the author, Chad Anctil, states that his experience as a Wiccan on base was very different. He never hid his religion and was allowed to practice it undisturbed. Only three people in his six year military career ever had a problem. It doesn't sound like people were leaving the military in regards to Anctil's relgious beliefs.

Next Post: Ethical Relativism

Witchcraft Today And Pagan Priesthood

You may have noticed that my currently reading section of my sidebar hasn't changed all that much since I put it up a couple of months ago. Well, there is a reason for that. When I last posted about the book Witchcraft Today by Gerald Gardner, I had left off at chapter 4. I just couldn't get myself to finish Chapter 5 and 6, which were about the history of the Little People (or what most people refer to as "fairies"), which to me seems out of place.

When was I finally able to get through the chapters, I realized that there were many interesting ideas presented. Here are some of the highlights from chapter 6:

• Mention of Aphrodite worship that appeared to be suppressed in the 12th century.
• How the nobility would travel to "nocturnal revelries or sabbats" and how this might have been the start of the legend of The Wild Hunt.
• Mention of the Priest/ess-hood and the taking of tests and oaths
• Certain groups, such as the Horse Whisperers in Ireland, which may have help perpetuate the idea of Witches' familiars.
• The legend of Robin Hood (more detail to come in a later post)
• The idea that several Popes in the past have practiced the magic of witches or sorcerers.

The mention of the Priest/ess-hood interested me the most. Gardner mentions that while many people would attend the gatherings and religious ceremonies, not everyone was part of the clergy. While the passage doesn't go into detail, it mentions the taking of tests and oaths for a person to become initiated as a Priest or Priestess. This seems to be contrary to what we see today, where most people involved in modern-day Wicca claim to be a Priest or Priestess.

Once again, I turn to the web to find out what people are saying. This article from Witches' Voice has one women recalling her experience of becoming a Wiccan priestess, yet deciding to make it 'legal' by sending in for a mail-order ordination. The author, Weyland Smith, says:

In a religion without established seminaries, that's often how it's done.

But that is not always how it done. Years ago, when I was going to a UU church regularly, I happened to meet a women who went through formal religious training (She has a PhD in religious studies), even though it was not expressly Pagan-based. I remember a comment she made that expressed how she was the only Pagan in ALL of her classes. This goes to show that while there may be no established seminaries for the training of the Pagan priesthood, there are other options.

There is one problem that I can think of in regards of going through the long process of schooling. After formal training is complete, there really is no place to go from there in terms of jobs within a Pagan setting as we have no established organizations or churches that would be able to support full time clergy. It ends up being one of those "the chicken or the egg" type situations - in this case, which one should come first?

If we try to establish an organization or church, we could run into problems as we wouldn't have the appropriately-trained leadership base. As such, the church wouldn't last very long. Leadership in a religious sense is more than just being being a leader. Yes, some of the best ministers/pastors I've known have the natural-born ability of leadership, but it is their knowledge of religious theory, history and the ability to counsel their congregations that have earned my respect.

On the other hand, if we can't support our leadership, we will have trouble attracting anybody to take the route of formal training. Who is going to go through the schooling if they won't be able to pay back any debt that was accrued during their time in study? I don't think I would be able to do so.

Wiccan Practices In Witchcraft Today

Chapter 4 in the Gardner’s Witchcraft Today talks about the practices of a Witch. Here are some of the ones mentioned:

1. A circle to keep energy in
2. The practice of silence and secrecy
3. Family groups as covens
4. Held rites indoors
5. The keeping of a book of traditions
6. The great sabbats

I am not going to go over each point individually like I did with the beliefs because the reasons for the different practices seem to be all intertwined. For example, Gardner implies that the reason for the practice of silence, family groups as covens and indoor rites were a direct result from persecution of Witches. Within his discussion of the great sabbats, where “a thousand or more” people attended, he mentions that the members had to find a new way to raise energy. He believes that the use of circles to keep energy in (Gardner uses the word power) was a local invention in Europe (p 48) due to the lack of participants as the persecution progressed.

One thing that I find interesting is that he states clearly that “a witch can and does move freely in and out of the circle when she wishes” (p. 47). No mention of “cutting a door” in the circle (as it is called) and nothing about having to recast the circle after reentry.

I personally never understood the “cutting the door” thing. Here’s the reason why. The person or people in the circle are said to have control over how the energy is raised and the purpose it will go to. If they are able to do that, then logically (to me anyway) they should be able to get the energy to “stay” in the circle for the brief time that they leave it. Bluemilk also made a good point in a discussion a couple of weeks ago when she said “One of the first rules of physics is; energy cannot be created nor destroyed; only changed. That's why I don't create superstitious boundaries in my spiritual practice…..” I think that this quote says it all.

Although Gardner doesn’t use the term “Book of Shadows” he does mention that Witches are to keep a book of their traditions and rites. He doesn’t mention what is supposed to be in this book. However, there seems to be one problem with this – most people were not literate in those day. Those that were literate were the nobles, the clergy and the merchants. Although it could be possible that what Gardner claims is true, I would believe it to be unlikely depending on whom he though was involved in the religion.

Wiccan Beliefs in Witchcraft Today

The third chapter of WT mentions the beliefs of the Witches. By no means did Gardner actually list out the beliefs of a Witch but here are the six that I noticed in the short chapter:

1. Reincarnation
2. Initiation
3. Women as leaders
4. The God gave his power over magic to the Goddess
5. The Goddess has an infinity with the moon
6. Goddess as the Great Mother

1. Men were afraid to be born outside of their own tribe (p 42). The God figure in Wicca is thought to be tied to reincarnation. Rites and prayers were directed towards the God to ensure that the individual and their loved ones would return to the world to dwell together (p 40).

2. Initiation rites are a way to ensure membership and to be able to recognize each other. This was done in time of persecution to ensure the protection of the member who were now sworn to secrecy. During times of persecution, it was difficult to join or be initiated into the “cult” (as Gardner called it), but their children were initiated as they could be trusted. Rites of initiation were kept secret, even from the initiate, as this made them more meaningful and more powerful.

3. Women had a leadership role within the religion. Although there are rites that are performed by men in a leadership role, men cannot take over for women. Women however can take the place of a man when the need arises.

4. “The Myth of the Goddess” (pg 41) is offered up as proof that the God gives his power over magic to the Goddess. Gardner says that the myth is the main belief of the religion. He also mentions some similarities that might be noticed between this and myths of other religions such as those of Istar and Siva.

5. and 6. The Goddess is identified with the moon as well as spring, pleasure and feasting (p. 42). She is called The Great Mother.

Gardner doesn't really spend much time explaining each of these beliefs. The above is just what I have pieced together from what he talks about in the chapter. One thing that I have noticed is that while WT is easy to read, Gardner tends to jump around to different subjects very quickly which sometimes makes it difficult to follow his train of thought. I haven't yet decided whether this is just his writing style or if he has another goal in mind.

Another thing that I have noticed is that he mentions something and then says something to the effect of "I can't give any more details because of my oaths." This seems silly to me, kind of akin to why a sororities' "secrets" are kept secret. (A secret handshake, secret words, oath of silence, etc). I guess that knowing that something can't be told to an "outsider" makes that secret just that much more meaningful to the group. In other words, something that draws or brings everyone closer together. While it is difficult to have information seemingly dangled out in front of you like a carrot and then retracted, I understand why it is being done.

Within Gardner's writing, it lends a sense that there is more to the "Witches' cult" then what a curious person will ever know. A sense of mystery. And something that is common knowledge to everyone loses its sense of mystery. This feeling lends itself to the fact that even in times of more religious tolerance, Witches keep silent about their beliefs.

Gardner's Witchcraft Today

I finally got around to buying a copy of Gerald Gardner's book, Witchcraft Today. Since deciding to read it last summer, I had kept an eye out for a used copy of the book but to no avail. I decided it was time to read it anyway, and ended up buying the book online. As I read it, I will be posting what I have learned from the book.

As many of you know, Gardner's book was the first non-fiction book published on the religion of Wicca. There is much controversy regarding the history and the beginnings of the Wiccan religion. One such controversy is the accusation that Gardner and his friend, Aleister Crowley, made up the religion by mixing elements of the Golden Dawn, ceremonial magic, anthropology and mythology.

In the first chapter of the book, entitled Living Witchcraft, Gardner introduces the ideas of how he got involved in Witchcraft and why he has the expertise to impart knowledge of "the cult." He states his roles as an anthropologist and as the director of the Museum of Magic and Witchcraft in England. He also mentions that he had a long-time fascination with magic* and like subjects.

Gardner's explanation of how he got involve in the Witch cult, as he calls it, seems to imply that he joined the group almost by accident. "I found myself in the circle and took the usual oaths of secrecy...." I guess I found his explanation to be a little silly and wished he could have been more forth coming with his reasoning. Still, this chapter did answer several lingering questions I had regarding other things such as why Gardnerians worship naked, the use of the circle in ritual, and the necessity for a partner (as many these days are considered solitary Witches).

Why worship naked? That was one question that no one could seem to answer for me when I asked. A friend of mine told me that she didn't understand that part of the Gardnerian denomination and that was why she didn't belong to a group that was Gardnerian, even though she had been learning that path. She felt that when you go to worship, you should feel at your best, which for her was to be nicely dressed with full make-up.

What I read in the book regarding this issue, however, seems to make sense. Gardner states that this is how Witches release their energy. In other words, clothes will impede that release. He goes on to explain that if your mind believes that something will not work unless you do certain things (in this case, take of your clothes), it will not work. This sounds like a case of using superstitions as your logic, but I can understand his reasoning. The mind and body work together, and if your mind says no, so will your body.

Another question I had was regarding the use of a circle for the worship rituals. The space inside the circle is seen as being between worlds and is the domain of the Gods. I have heard many confusing details of why a circle is necessary, but I found out that it is to seal the energy in with the worshipers until it is ready to be formed to their will. Another thing that I find interesting is that people have said that you have to cut a doorway if you are walking out of the circle and to seal it once you are back in. In the book it just states that if you walk out of the circle you will lose some built up 'power' and to avoid doing so as much as possible.

As for the use of partners, he states "to form [a] battery of wills, male and female intelligences are necessary in couples." I am taking this to mean that to build up the right balance of energy, there needs to be both male and female energy. At the end of the chapter, he states that if you don't have time to learn the practice or have a suitable partner, don't take up Witchcraft. His discussion regarding a suitable partner was amusing, basically seeming to state that anybody that has similar interests and seems like a decent partner will work with only one exception: whatever you do, don't bring you maiden Aunt - even if she is a romantic.


*To those that have a habit of spelling magic with a "k", Gardner does not use the added letter to distinguish between the religious use of magic and stage magic.

Books, Reading and Discussion

In my never-ending quest for Pagan or Pagan-related books, I am always finding interesting websites, books and blogs. Today, my quest started on Amazon while looking for interesting books that I may want to add to my library. Of course, I found several books that I would like to read which were added to my reading list. I posted a list last year of books that I have read or am going to read and I would like to add:

Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice by Catherine Bell
The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure by Victor Turner
Ritual and Religion in the Making of Humanity by Roy Rappaport
Religion Explained: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought by Pascal Boyer
Breaking the Spell : Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniel C. Dennett

Granted, not all these books listed above are very Pagan in nature, but I thought that each one of these could give me a perspective on the subject of religion in general which I could then relate to Paganism.

Another thing that I found is a site regarding a Pagan book club, which is a great idea but doesn't seem to have any activity since last fall. I would love to see the start of a Pagan online book club, but don't know if anybody else would be interested. I think that more discussions about the books that are commonly read in Pagan circles would help to bring on a better understanding of where Paganism is going today.

List of Books about Paganism

Here is a short list of books that I have read, want to read, or feel are of interest to my study of Pagan religions. Some of these books are well known within the realm of Paganism, some are text books that were used in an anthropology class I had years ago, and some are just listed here because I want to remember some books that have been mentioned on websites or in books so that I can read them.

Of course there are more books out there, especially those of fluff that I do not feel have any valuable information in them. I do prefer books that have more of a scholarly feel and those of historical value relating to the subject. If you have any suggestions on books to add to my reading list, please let me know.

I have listed the author, the title, and the year when it was first published (to the best of my knowledge). Many of these books do have updated editions.


Adler, Margot - Drawing Down the Moon; 1979
Campbell, Joseph – The Power of Myth; 1988
Cunningham, Scott - The Truth About Witchcraft Today; 1988
Frazer, Sir James; The Golden Bough; 1890
Gardner, Gerald – Witchcraft Today; 1955
Gardner, Gerald – The Meaning of Witchcraft; 1959
Lehmann, Arthur & James E. Myers – Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion: An Anthropological Study of the Supernatural; 1985
Murray, Margaret – The Witch-Cult in Western Europe; 1921
Starhawk – Spiral Dance; 1979