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Oct. 4th, 2014 11:33 pmPlugging away at the whole priestessing thing, and not being everywhere successful, but my circle yet lives and that's really the important thing for the moment.
Part of the problem is that (to use the Myers-Briggs shorthand, despite my placing somewhat less trust in its validity than in straight-up astrology) most of the local Pagan community is made of ESFPs and ENFPs, which means they're not interested in actually thinking about their theology, for the most part. They choose their paths based on gut feelings, or make up their own as they go with no perceived need for research. Most of the exceptions have lucked into feeling called to the Celtic or Norse paths, which, while they actually have problems with the paucity of primary documents worse even than mine, at least have a whole bunch of fellow-travelers to hold fellowship with.
I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't making it up as I went along, too, but since I'm at least paying lip service to a particular set of ancient cultures with at least a reasonable amount of documentation, I have a great many issues to pay attention to that the vast majority of the local community would give no more than a dismissive shrug. For example, since all of the Syrio-Mesopotamian cultures were monarchies, their theologies are also hierarchical and pro-monarchy. It's difficult to envision what a pro-democratic or even anarchic version of that theology would look like, but for me, it's required. (I should note that the three big monotheistic religions also have the same problem, for what it's worth, and don't even have the tradition of the "council of the gods" to work with, although they do have the benefit of explicitly stating that all souls are equal before their deity and that kings and emperors don't get special privileges in the afterlife.) There are similar issues with male supremacy, ethnocentrism, and heterocentrism. Wiccaform theology at least has some of these issues fingered from the very beginning, but working those into a historical polytheism is - difficult.
Anyway, I'm doing a public ritual for Samhain on November 1, and figuring out how to balance the Syrio-Mesopotamian influence with what folks who have never been to a ritual with more than three people are likely to be ready for is an interesting challenge. Good thing I have most of a month to thing about it.
Part of the problem is that (to use the Myers-Briggs shorthand, despite my placing somewhat less trust in its validity than in straight-up astrology) most of the local Pagan community is made of ESFPs and ENFPs, which means they're not interested in actually thinking about their theology, for the most part. They choose their paths based on gut feelings, or make up their own as they go with no perceived need for research. Most of the exceptions have lucked into feeling called to the Celtic or Norse paths, which, while they actually have problems with the paucity of primary documents worse even than mine, at least have a whole bunch of fellow-travelers to hold fellowship with.
I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't making it up as I went along, too, but since I'm at least paying lip service to a particular set of ancient cultures with at least a reasonable amount of documentation, I have a great many issues to pay attention to that the vast majority of the local community would give no more than a dismissive shrug. For example, since all of the Syrio-Mesopotamian cultures were monarchies, their theologies are also hierarchical and pro-monarchy. It's difficult to envision what a pro-democratic or even anarchic version of that theology would look like, but for me, it's required. (I should note that the three big monotheistic religions also have the same problem, for what it's worth, and don't even have the tradition of the "council of the gods" to work with, although they do have the benefit of explicitly stating that all souls are equal before their deity and that kings and emperors don't get special privileges in the afterlife.) There are similar issues with male supremacy, ethnocentrism, and heterocentrism. Wiccaform theology at least has some of these issues fingered from the very beginning, but working those into a historical polytheism is - difficult.
Anyway, I'm doing a public ritual for Samhain on November 1, and figuring out how to balance the Syrio-Mesopotamian influence with what folks who have never been to a ritual with more than three people are likely to be ready for is an interesting challenge. Good thing I have most of a month to thing about it.
