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Subscribe to this list via RSS Blog posts tagged in polytheism

Posted by on in Paths Blogs
Another Ancestor Q&A

...When honoring the dead makes your skin crawl

 

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  • Virginia Carper
    Virginia Carper says #
    I agree. There are Ancestors who are willing to help you with the toxic ones. I had to go back a few generations to find Them. Onc

Posted by on in Paths Blogs
A Day in the Life

 

Sannion has written a delightful post at http://thehouseofvines.com/2013/06/09/what-does-a-sannion-do/ about an average day in his devotional life. I know that I always find it interesting to know what my colleagues and friends do for their Gods, and how they both order and balance the demands of devotion but until reading this, it hadn't occurred to me to write anything about my own average devotional day (though I have occasionally been asked what I do).  Well, I"m going to do that now, stealing an idea from Sannion (whom I hope will not mind too much!). There is of course, one caveat to all of this (as Sannion also points out in his post): what i write here is what I do. It may not be what those of you reading are called to do. The thing here is to ask yourselves how you can deepen and better *your* practices. If this helps, then I'm glad. If not, let me know what you're doing devotionally--it might inspire me and others reading this. 

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  • Betty Prat
    Betty Prat says #
    I read Sannion's and enjoyed it very much. I am so glad you added to it. It's good to know and hear how others "walk their talk" d

Posted by on in Paths Blogs
Deity Centered Polytheism

 

I just returned from a creative retreat where I spent the better part of the week blade-smithing and oil painting and I intended to move on to issues other than the current 'pop culture vs. devotional polytheist' Pagan debate. Upon returning, however, I found this brilliant post: http://www.witchesandpagans.com/Pagan-Paths-Blogs/gods-of-consequence.html by Anomalous Thracian, and realized that I wasn't done yet. In light of some of the comments there, I think that perhaps I need to articulate where I'm writing from a little more clearly. Because one thing that's getting lost (purposely, I think) in this debate is that what it really comes down to is those whose practices are devotionally centered on the Holy Powers (Gods and ancestors) and those for whom the human experience, human emotions, human society,  the human mind. and most of all human comfort is centric. I actually think that this is the heart of many of the misunderstandings that we're seeing. We're not speaking as one community. We will never speak as one community so long as devotion to the Gods is being marginalized. We will never speak as one community so long as devotional polytheists are expected to accept a certain homogenization of our beliefs, predicated on acceptance of attitudes and practices that to those of us who prioritize the Gods are objectionable. We're not speaking from the same place. We're not even speaking the same devotional language. Instead, we're each fighting to wrest the roots of our various traditions from out of the other's hands. 

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  • Marie Dees
    Marie Dees says #
    One of my teachers in my spiritual path was Hindu. I remember that he had a great devotion to the goddess Durga. Devotion is recog
  • Betty Prat
    Betty Prat says #
    I support you and agree with you 100%. These people are just causing dissension because they have nothing better than to slander g
  • Galina Krasskova
    Galina Krasskova says #
    Byron, thank you. That means a lot right now. thank you. and looking forward to chatting with you next Wed on the show.
  • Byron Ballard
    Byron Ballard says #
    Yes, me, too. I will give thought to this month of silence but doubt that I, since I'm traveling so much, will participate. But pe
  • Byron Ballard
    Byron Ballard says #
    Because it is planting season--at last!--here in the southern highlands, I have missed much of this ongoing pissing contest betwee
We Don't Need No Stinkin' Theories

(or The Fundamentals of Polytheism: Principle #1)

Today i was reading a good article by John Halstead summing up various perspectives in the recent heroes vs. superheroes community wide debate. Now I don't agree with much of Halstead's theories mind you, and completely disagree in every possible way with the very idea of "Jungian Neo-Paganism",  but he's a thoughtful and engaged writer and I respect his willingness and ability to delve *critically* into an idea or controversy, which he did in this article. I was particularly taken with his idea that behind much of the polytheistic response here  is resistance to the de-sacralizing of our traditions and that is absolutely correct. We are fighting to keep the Gods and the numinous, the Powers, and mystery in contemporary traditions of the sacred and it's an uphill battle. 

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  • Christine L Berger
    Christine L Berger says #
    Thank you, Tess, very well said. It can be a difficult transition even after years in the craft. As they say: This shit just go
  • Tess Dawson
    Tess Dawson says #
    I think what's needed is a paradigm shift more so than any theory right now. And I think that sometimes a person can mistake belie
  • Christine L Berger
    Christine L Berger says #
    It was worth reading all the comments just for this.
  • Apuleius Platonicus
    Apuleius Platonicus says #
    The claim that mere mortals are incapable of understanding the nature of the Gods is intrinsically nonsensical, because it already
  • Freeman Presson
    Freeman Presson says #
    I'm surprised at this coming from you. I know you are very well-read in the ancient philosophers. So, please tell me, on what subs

Posted by on in Paths Blogs
Questions on Devotion

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to start writing about the basics, the real fundamentals of devotion, spiritual engagement, and polytheism as I see it, live it, and teach it. I've often lamented that I see way too many people coming to me lacking the basic foundation, a foundation that were we living in a polytheistic society, were we living in a community where our indigenous traditions were intact never having been sundered by monotheism, would have been taught by osmosis. We'd have learned by doing. We'd have learned by living in a community where our parents, our grandparents, our leaders, our friends, our neighbors all modeled these ideas and approaches. It would have been reinforced by the community in a way that simply doesn't happen today.

I've often complained about this to colleagues, but it wasn't until a few days ago that my partner said "why don't you write a series on the basics of devotional work as a way of providing something of that foundation. Gods know people have enough questions." Well, I know a good idea when I hear it, hence this post. 

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  • Tess Dawson
    Tess Dawson says #
    Have you thought about covering the differences between shrines and altars?
  • Trine
    Trine says #
    I'd be really interested in a piece on that - from the p.o.v. of several traditions too, if there is a difference.
  • Rebecca Buchanan
    Rebecca Buchanan says #
    Okay, here is a silly/serious question: how important do you think it is to pepper our everyday speech with references to the Gods
  • Galina Krasskova
    Galina Krasskova says #
    You know, i've never really thought about that. For me personally, it's not that important at all (though i did have a christian f
  • Tess Dawson
    Tess Dawson says #
    I've been working on this frequently. Sometimes you'll hear me pop out with a "Sweet Ditanu!" when I'm frustrated. (Ditanu is the
Wyrd Ways Radio Tackles the heroes vs. superheroes debate: Join us

The recent debate about fiction vs. reality, superheroes vs. heroes, and the role of fantasy and fiction in contemporary Paganism has been far more intense and ongoing  than I ever expected it to get. It has, however, brought up many good points, theories, and questions too. I was talking with Sannion  quite recently on this and as a result, we decided to make this the topic of discussion for the next Wyrd Ways Radio show, airing at 10pm this Wednesday (May 29). 

Sannion, who writes both here at Blurring Boundaries and at http://www.thehouseofvines.com, Wyrd Dottir, a Heathen working in the entertainment industry, as well as myself and my co-host Laura Patsouris will be discussing these issues with callers. We're going to open up the lines early and encourage folks to call in, regardless of your position on these issues. I'm looking forward to a very interesting and lively debate. 

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Posted by on in Paths Blogs
In Memoriam for Memorial Day

 

As I write this, it's early Friday afternoon and I'm just back from running errands and I'm about to start preparations for a House ritual tomorrow and my Memorial Day observances Monday.  When I was out and about today, several people wished me 'happy holiday' and you know, we all work hard, and I understand the anticipation of a three day weekend, or an unexpected day off, so I returned the greeting but I couldn't help but think "this isn't  a holiday. It's so much more than that." and I wonder if anyone gives any thought anymore to what Memorial Day is really about. 

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