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Section
Three
Pagan Ritual and Religious Practice
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Mystical Agnostic, and 2) The Poly-Pantheism
of the Neo-Pagan. In part two, the laws of the Pagan
will be defined, as we look at The Wiccan Rede, the
Three-Fold Law, and the power of the Will. Part three
will cover the rituals of Paganism, as we look at the
Sabbats, myths, the corresponding elements, and the
symbols of Paganism. Lastly, the organization of Pagan
religion in America will be assessed, as we look at
gathering styles, and leadership.
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PART 1 -
PAGAN THEOLOGY
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The theology of the Pagan has already
been defined in the section on relativity. There are
very few issues of faith on which there is agreement
in American Neo-Paganism. Olwen Fferyllt had made the
assertion that "there is no universal pagan theology."
I have seen that her assertion is true in respect to
a definition for God, or the unseen spiritual realm.
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THE MYSTICAL AGNOSTIC
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All views on God are accepted within
the Pagan culture (just as long as it is not viewed
as an absolute for all people), and this necessitates
that absolute statements can not be made concerning
the nature of God. Because this is true, many Pagans
are what I have called "mystical agnostics."
Under the classic definition of agnostic, one who believes
that it is impossible to understand God, the Neo-Pagan
fits this definition very well. Yet, at the same time,
the Pagan will assert that experiencing God is possible,
and that mystical events are a part of one's spiritual
life.
This places the Neo-Pagan in a unique position of declaring
that God can be experienced, but at the same time not
known. Some of the Pagans I have spoken with liked this
term "mystical agnostic."
One Pagan woman remaked rather exitedly, "Oh, I'm going
to use that one. I like that."
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THE POLY-PANTHEIST
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The Polytheist teaches that there are many Gods, and/or
Goddesses. The Pantheist teaches that God is all. The
Pagan generally accepts the view, that the many myths
of the many Gods and Goddesses of history, are all a
picture of the God or Goddess, or of the force of Nature,
sometimes called "Gaia." This places many Pagans in
a category which even Margot Adler was forced to conclude
was a mix of Polytheism and Pantheism.
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PART 2 - THE LAWS OF THE PAGAN
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Since laws such as the 10 commandments are not a part
of Pagan religion, these laws must be understood as
unchangeable dynamics of nature, such as the law of
gravity. They are not moral laws, but natural-spiritual
laws.
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THE WICCAN REDE
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The "Wiccan Rede," is a statement of practice which
dictates the parameters for living among those who practice
the craft. It goes like this:
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Bide the wiccan rede ye must
in perfect love and perfect trust
Lest in self defense it be
ever mind the rule of three
eight words the wiccan rede fulfill
An it harm none, do what ye will
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This then is the basic rule of Wicca:
"An it harm none, do what ye will." The Pagan community
understands this to be an enormous task of personal
responsibility. To live as one desires, yet always act
in accordance with the rule that whatever you do, it
should in no way be harmful to another person (to many
Wiccans, this would include themselves, the animal kingdom,
and the earth, as well) is a large task, and it is not
dissimilar to the "Golden Rule," in Christianity; "Do
unto others as you would have them do unto you," or
the second great commandment, to love others as you
love yourself. This is most a respectable ethical position.
Jesus certainly would respond favorably toward that
position, as it stands.
Yet, the concepts of relativity, and anarchy play discordant
harmonies to The Rede in the Pagan conscience, and the
actual fulfillment of this rule at all times becomes
an impossibility for the Pagan to accomplish.
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THE THREE-FOLD LAW
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The "rule of three" as listed in the
above Rede, is a statement similar to that of the Christian
concept of sowing and reaping. This is called the Three-fold
Law. The rule of three basically states that whatever
you do, for good or evil, will come back upon you in
three fold return, and in like kind.
The Pagan hopes to use this rule in his/her favor. By
doing that which is good, good is believed to be guaranteed
in future returns. This is a motivation for good deeds,
and at the same time, it is a fearful thing. Comparable
to the Christian God of mercy, Who offers forgiveness
through repentance, the Pagan Three-fold Law appears
unchangeably cruel in the face of human weaknesses and
imperfections.
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THE POWER OF THE WILL
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Earlier I quoted Aleister Crowley's definition
of magic as, "the Science and Art of causing change
to occur in conformity to Will."
In discussion with Olwen Fferyllt we touched upon this
topic:
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"One of the things we haven't gotten into is the
importance of WILL. In magick will is the sine qua
non...this is where Aleister Crowley enters as the
master (if you can sort out the drek). He did know
whereof he spoke on this. It's not just about free
will. It's about FREEING the will and USING it."
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Starhawk also speaks of the power of the will, and relates
it to everyday living. She asserts that one can not
effectively "wield magical power" unless they also "have
enough personal power to keep commitments" in their
daily lives.8
To the Pagan who understands this concept, it would
seem that personal responsibility would be a high priority.
Yet, manipulation through magical power has a seductive
side, which draws many people into the darker side of
the Craft, not among whom the least is Aleister Crowley
himself.
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PART 3 - THE RITUALS OF THE PAGAN
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In this section, we will look at
three important topics in the practices of Witchcraft.
These three things are the Sabbats (or holy days),
the myths, and "corresponding elements" of magic
ritual.
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SABBATS OF THE PAGAN
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Most Pagan traditions within the United
States celebrate some (though rarely all) of the eight
Pagan sabbats which have been recognized. These include:
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Candlemas/Oimelc - February 1st
or 2nd
Beltane - May 1st
Lammas/Lughnasad - August 1st
Samhain - October 31st
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These appear to be the four primary, or greater sabbats.
Besides these are also included the equinoxes and solstices:
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Winter Solstice - December 23rd
Spring Equinox - March 20th
Summer Solstice - June 21st
Fall Equinox - September 23rd
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Although the particular times Neo-Pagans
gather varies from group to group, and person to person,
these eight sabbats are the basic holidays in Paganism.
Besides these times, there are what has been called
esbats. These are gatherings around the full moon, the
new moon, just for the heck of it, or perhaps weekly
organized meetings put on by a coven.
Margot Adler outlines the four greater sabbats in her
book Drawing Down the Moon. "The greater sabbats are:
Samhain (Halloween or November Eve), the Celtic New
Year, the day when the walls between the worlds were
said to be the thinnest and when contact with one's
ancestors took place; Oimelc (Feb. 1), the winter purification
festival, the time of the beginning of spring movement;
Beltane (May 1), the great fertility festival, the marriage
of God and Goddess; Lughnasadh (August 1) the festival
of first fruits and, in some traditions, the time of
the fight between the bull and the stag god for the
Lady, or the death of the sacred King."9
These sabbats represent a cyclical view of time, and
a belief system which offers repeated opportunities
of growth through reincarnation. As the wheel of the
sabbats turns, the Pagan celebrates conception, birth,
growth, decay, death, and rebirth, and sees these as
representative of their own existence.
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MYTHS OF THE PAGAN
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Each of the sabbats have a mythological basis behind
them. This myth forms the meaning behind the gathering,
and the ritual which occurs during the celebration.
These myths are usually formed around stories of the
goddess of fertility, and the god of the hunt. At other
times they may be centered in agricultural events such
as planting, and harvesting.
For most Neo-Pagans, the myths of gods and goddesses
are all pictures of life stories which act as a guide
for living, or perhaps they are all different pictures
which lead one to a fuller understanding of the ultimate
God and Goddess. Pan, Dionysus, Osiris, Dumuzi, Janicot,
Hou, and sometimes even Satan: These are names for the
Horned God of the pagan tradition. He is the Hunter;
the masculine force of nature. Isis, Astarte, Diana,
Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Innana, Aphrodite, and Brigid
are just a few names for the "Great Mother," the female
force of nature, which in the symbolism of Witchcraft
is the source, and the greater power of the universe.
She may also be known as "Gaia," or Mother Nature.
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THE CORRISPONDING ELEMENTS OF MAGIC RITUAL
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According to Pagan thought, all things
in creation are linked together, as though being a part
of the one whole. This pantheism leads to the assumption
that the "elemental powers of creation and being" can
be brought together to work as that one force, which
they are assumed to be.
Below is a table of corresponding elements, supplied
by Olwen Fferyllt. It shows how elements of creation,
which have some degree of similarity, are used within
ritual to create the power to influence the unseen realm,
and events on earth.
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EAST
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SOUTH
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WEST
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NORTH
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AIR
THOUGHT
BIRD
HEARING
DAWN
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FIRE
WILL
LION
SIGHT
NOON
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WATER
EMOTION
FISH
TASTE
DUSK
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EARTH
SENSATION
BULL
SMELL! TOUCH
MIDNIGHT
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THE SYMBOLS OF PAGANISM
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The two symbols which we will briefly
touch upon are the circle, and the quarters.
The power of the circle was discussed in the section
dealing with the Pagan view of space. The circle is
the ultimate symbol of power in Paganism. It is viewed
as a pressure cooker which intensifies the energy of
the ritual performed within it, and sometimes also as
a fence of protection to keep out negative, and unwanted
forces. Pagan group ritual begins with the drawing of
the circle (by walking, or literally drawing), in order
to create sacred space.
When attending the ritual celebration of Lammas, I watched
the circle of about 25 Pagans "call in the quarters."
This consisted of calling to the four directions (called
quarters) of the map East, South, West, and North; and
with each direction being called out, the high priest
and priestess would dance around the circle in a dance
which would mimic something corresponding to the direction
being called. The participants in the circle also danced
in like manner. Calling in the East they danced like
eagles, calling in the South they danced like snakes,
calling in the West they danced as water, and for the
North they danced like bears. The purpose of this ritual
was to ask for the powers found in the four directions
of the earth to take up residence in the circle. The
symbolism of the quarters relates directly to the corresponding
elements of creation which are used in spell casting,
and Pagan ritual.
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GOD AND CREATION:
A MERE MACHINE?
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Since Pagans are generally view God as
an impersonal force, or fall into the category of mystical
agnostics, their relationship with the unseen forces
of creation tend to be mechanical. The use of ritual
is for the purpose of creating change. Even if this
change is positive, it is still the treatment of God
and creation as machines. If you push the right buttons,
you will get the right results.
Rather than viewing God as someone to develop a personal
relationship with, instead, Nature (the force of creation)
is seen as a power which can learned to be manipulated.
The above statements are blunt, but are the extended
assumptions of belief in an impersonal God, who is merely
the force of creation. On the other hand, Christianity
is an organic model, God is understood to be personal,
and desiring intimacy. Manipulating the God of Christianity
is seen as an extremely foolish, and empty attempt.
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HUG A TREE
AS A FORM OF WORSHIP?
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Since the Witch believes that all nature is sacred,
and that the divine is found everywhere, it is no small
wonder that Pagans are at the heart of the most forceful
factions of the environmental movement. Aggressive care
is taken to love "Mother Nature."
The deification of Nature is an absolute necessity of
the Pagan lifestyle. Without this as a cornerstone of
the Pagan belief system, the experience of rituals,
sabbats, and magick would be invalidated. There must
be a means of clear communication from this natural
realm to the invisible realm. The deified Nature becomes
that means. If nature becomes secularized, its power
to correspond to the invisible realm diminishes. Only
a Nature which is one with God has the power to influence
the unseen realm to the degree declared in Witchcraft
today. |
PART 4 -
ORGANIZATION OF PAGAN RELIGION
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THE GATHERINGS
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There are three primary ways in which
American Neo-Pagans gather: 1) Not at all. Many people
work as solitaries and gain their insights from books,
and periodic teachings which are offered on the subject,
2) In covens or circles. The small group has supposedly
been the normative expression of Witchcraft for centuries,
and continues to be today. Covens are traditionally
no more than 13 members, but this is not standardized
in Paganism by any means. 3) In large festival gatherings.
Festivals have become a normative expression of Pagan
life. These festivals happen fairly often throughout
the year. Although the average Pagan may attend only
a few of the larger ceremonies, symposiums, and weekend
retreats each year, these have become a great source
of inspiration.
Selena Fox, editor of the Circle Network News (currently
one of the most highly respected Pagan publications)
figures that there are well over 100 festival gatherings
each year, ranging in size from fifty to one thousand
participants. There are over 300 Pagan newsletters currently
being published, and along with this, there are internet
resources ranging from articles to online rituals with
hundreds of participants. 10
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THE LEADERSHIP
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The grid of leadership presented below will give us
a picture of the style of leadership found in Paganism
today.
The top two leadership styles (shaman and priest) represent
leaders who go to God on behalf of the people. The shaman
pursues the ecstatic religious experience as a model
for the people to see, and as a warrior in the spiritual
realm. The priest takes the concerns of the people to
God.
The bottom two styles (prophet and teacher) represent
those who bring the word of God to people. The prophet
does so in ecstatic style, like the shaman, and the
teacher brings the message in common expression.
The leaders to the right of the grid represent those
who communicate in non-ecstatic terms, and the those
to left represent ecstatic expressions of leadership.
The work of most Pagan leaders is clearly more shamanic.
The Pagan leader, as a Shaman seeks to experience the
ecstatic, and to lead others into that same experience.
They lead by inspiration, yet do not communicate a clear
message from God to the people. The focus of their leadership
is directed at giving others freedom within the ritual
to communicate to God themselves - otherwise, allowing
them to become their own Shamans.
Although the Pagan view of God is mystical agnostic
(God not clearly defined, and not able to be defined),
they yet seek to relate to God, and model that to other
people. Through myth, pagan history, and teaching the
corresponding elements of magic, Pagan leaders often
take on the role of the Teacher, as well as Shaman.
This places them in a peculiar location on the grid
of Practitioners.
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LIKE MOTHER, LIKE SON?
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Leadership in Pagan circles is generally
understood to be matriarchal. This is not true for all
traditions of Witchcraft, particularly not the Druidic
based traditions, yet it is a major force in Paganism
today.
The myth of creation, which was given in the section
on sensuality, clearly shows this basic tenet of Witchcraft.
Life and creation springs forth from the Goddess, and
is ruled by feminine power. This is the emphasis of
Wicca, and although it may not be the core of every
Neo-Pagan system, it is the predominant thinking in
Witchcraft today. The patriarchal system is seen as
overbearing, and counterproductive to life. At times
it is even considered evil, and the source of the ills
of societies around the world.
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NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY, SHAMAN YOU
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Leadership sometimes goes astray in Paganism. Certainly,
Christianity has had its headline stories of such behavior
Disassociation from the community of Paganism is one
of the penalties for those who consistently behave in
an improper manner. Certain Witches I am familiar with
have been rejected within the larger community of The
Craft.
Harmful behavior toward others, the practice of black
arts, practice of The Craft for gain only, or intolerance
toward the belief systems of another are the primary
reasons for rejection by the larger Neo-Pagan community.
I am personally aware of Pagan leaders who have been
ostracized by the Pagan community, and am intimately
familiar with tensions in the greater Pagan community
which threaten to further divide American Neo-Paganism.
Territorialism, greed, and violence have at times risen
to surface, and Pagan culture is struggling with these
tensions, and hoping to rise above them.
These breakdowns in leadership have created a void,
which causes people to search just a little deeper for
solid answers to the problems, which shake up their
personal world. |
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