Go Plant A Seed

T. Thorn Coyle says:

[M]ost of us are not on board with the project of deep self-transformation, and those of us who are just haven't been at it long enough. Where are our deep polythealogians, grappling with issues of soul development, or what we really believe or experience about our Gods? Where are our practitioners who have practiced so diligently [that] we know [that] they are masters because they radiate kick ass centeredness and wisdom rather than just raw power?

How many Pagan or Magickal Elders do you know whom you just want to stand near because they give off some energy you wish to learn from? For myself, I can think of three, but that is all. And I've met a lot of people in my travels. I've had people tell me they were Elders because they'd been around for quite awhile, but one glance showed their lives and energy fields were in rather a mess. Nice people, and on their path, I'm sure, but not people [with whom] I would wish to study . . . .

Most Witches I know don't even have much interest in talking about their practice and development, nor do they have much sophistication in mapping their inner states and thinking about how that fits in with their theology. Ceremonialists are better in at least having theory around their practice, so I end up talking with them more often than not, when I'm working through a knotty piece of practice bumping up against theory. [Cudos to Thorn if she can actually talk with a ceremonialist. I sure as hell haven't ever been able to do so.] Or I talk with a Buddhist friend who's been practicing for 30 years and really gets my project.

Here are two other examples I'm thinking of: I saw an ad[] today for a book that was supposed to be "beyond Wicca 101". What was the subject matter? Was it about learning spiritual integration and how to celebrate the [E]arth and body while developing all the parts of self and soul? Was it an examination of non-duality as it intersects with polytheism? No. It was on "counter-spells". Now, I know that some of the dearth of the books I've described is due to the shyness of the publishing world, because they don't understand us well enough yet. But I would hazard to guess that some of the smaller esoteric houses would publish something on the topics I proposed. The second example is a big conference I'm speaking at soon. I and an acquaintance [Thorn, if you want to be serious, speak seriously. "An aquaintance and I"] proposed a panel on "Pagans and Contemplation". I thought the conference would snap it up because it was a new topic and we had made sure to get several "big names" from various traditions on the panel. Nope. It was rejected.

My point is, we still have a long way to go. I do see inroads being made, but I also see many of us stuck in a prolonged adolescence of spirit. That adolescence has its fun aspects, which I can appreciate, believe you me! I like dancing around a Maypole as much as the next person. But I also think it is time for us to grow up. I think we are ready. In all our diversity, we can have room for Maypole dancing, mead drinking, and deep soul exploration.

For me, this is the unique beauty of our religious forms: we don't need to give up the joys of the body and the dance of the seasons in order to develop our minds, hearts[,] and souls. That is something strong we have to offer the world today.

And I respect that.

And I agree with her.

But.

This has nothing to do with why Kornfield doesn't "take Wiccans seriously." The answer to that question lies in patriarchy. Pure and simple. Really, Thorn, how many xians or jews or buddhists do you know who meet the exacting standards that you apply? Why would you imagine that Kornfield applies those same standards? You're a smart writer; don't confuse topics this way.

In response to Thorn's larger point, I have to say: Look, Wicca always was, and likely always will be, a religion for the common person, for the person who finds a bit of divinity in getting drunk and laid on Beltane, who finds a bit of mystery and meaning in the Turning of the Wheel, who plants some seeds and goes, "Whoooa!". And I adore it for that; that's a huge part of what attracted me to Wicca. But let's not kid ourselves that Wicca is very different from Hinduism or the Baptists or the Catholics in this regard.

Thorn, and a few others, will want to go further, to find more. And that's cool, as well. Wicca needs to develop, just as catholicism did, a serious theaology and a serious method of deep spiritual practice (Oh, hell, I'm a hedge witch. Go plant a seed; spend a generation or four thinking about that; then come back and see me. I'll give you another seed. That's really serious and has the potential to change our planet and feed the embodied souls left alive on her.) I've never found the ceremonialists to have anything to say except for the names of various "spirits" but YMMV.

But let's not confuse politics with the need for thealogy. Our opponents surely don't.

Photo found here.