In this series of posts, I will be presenting some of my novel gnosis, that is, my religious insights gained via writing fiction. Most of these come from my unpublished behemoth Some Say Fire, in which I retold the entire corpus of heathen mythology, with original work inserted interstitially, like in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Some of my novel gnosis comes from my Time Yarns Universe, which has both published and unpublished works in it.
I've spent a large part of the past two years writing a novel. It's not my first one, and it won't be my last one. But it's the first one that has brought up an interesting question: can modern fiction also be sacred literature?
The novel, titled The Last Priestess of Malia, is set in ancient Crete - so it's historical fiction. Here's the summary of the story:
While I usually spend my time in more distant history, I have found myself lately digging into early twentieth century pagan writings like Sylvia Townsend Warner's Lolly Willows (which I wrote about here: Nettles & Mugwort) and just recently Mary Webb's classic Precious Bane. While often connected to Thomas Hardy due to both the time period and geography they share, Webb has a much more inspiring view of nature and a generous view toward her fellow humans.
Telling the story of Prue Sarn, Webb explores many of the traditions the writer knew well from her childhood, practices that included everything from sin eating to mummers at Christmas. And she offers one of the most beautiful pieces of transcendent writing about the power of nature in Prue's moment of enlightenment. She has hid herself in the attic of their old farm house, not long after the death of her father, because her brother made her realise that her 'bane' was a terrible thing. She was born with a cleft palate, known then as a 'harelip' because it was believed, a hare spooked by the devil had crossed her pregnant mother's path, cursing her.
She stepped out onto the glistening waters, hovering just above the surface seemingly weightless to any who may have observed. Once again, she breathed deeply into the radiant core of her bodies drawing up the energy of the waters and allowing them to move through her. Light emanated from her now expanded form and layer upon layer of her bodies moved undulating in response to the echoing she was calling them to.......
The following is a story I wrote almost five years ago and posted to my first blog, The Magickal Pen. I love to read the works of Dion Fortune, and especially am intrigued by her use of fiction as a tome of teaching the mysteries. She is not the only author who makes use of this vehicle for studies and so, as one who seeks inspiration from many sources, I thought I would give it a try.
I have waited until what I believed to be the right moment to share it again and to a broader audience and now seems to "it". There are so many things at this point in time that are pulling us in many directions and the footing and foundations that we may have worked so carefully at being the staples of our spiritual diets may be shifting and uneasy. So, we need to find new ways of engaging our learning and be open and receptive to all that can serve as lessons along our chosen paths. Maybe all that is needed to renew and shore up those foundations is a foray into a world of creation and fiction that might turn a key to a new awakening within. You be the judge....
Recently I had a friend ask me what it was like to write with Loki. I've been mentally chewing on this for a bit, simply because I don't know if I can describe it as a process - I've had people ask me for years "where do you get the ideas from?" and my answer is that I have no idea; they just show up.
Loki, as His shell character, just showed up. I didn't spend any time making a character worksheet for Him. I didn't have to ask Him any of His likes, dislikes, fears, desires, or strengths; I just knew them. I knew Him, and that knowing was so completely natural that I didn't even question it.
Love this. Those of us who love Loki and work with "them" as partner in creativity just have to let it be whatever it is.
Additional information
Free PaganSquare Access
Recent Blog Comments
Steven Posch
Your good will is a light to us all, Janet. Thanks.
If I were a political cartoonist, today's cartoon should show an elephant mounting a donkey.
Gods ...
Iris Soleil De Lis
You missed April Fools Day by quite a margin here. At least I assume this is a joke, because the title is exactly opposite the content that follows. T...
Steven Posch
Poppy Seed or Walnut Filling
Beat 3 egg whites until stiff. (Use yolks in dough.) Mix whole egg with 1/2 cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 pound gr...
Anthony Gresham
I looked up potica on Google. There are a fair number of recipes out there but I don't see any with poppy seeds and apricots. Could you get your fri...