In my post on Pagan Embarrassment, I refer to blog posts by Drew Jacobs and John Halstead. And WOW! Have their posts sparked a lot of responses, of which mine was just one of many. John Halstead has collected a number of them in his post The Many Shades of Pagan Embarrassment, which I’m still working my way through, but something struck me as so vitality important I had to share it with you guys immediately.
I apologize for any form of elitism I may have engaged in during my previous post. I tried to express that in the past, I have been very elitist – it’s a very human trait and one that I have certainly been guilty of. That was the past, though and now, I have a very different viewpoint.
While some forms of Paganism do not agree with me (just as some foods are not my favorite) and are not good fits for me, that does not make them any less valid. Please be aware that I encourage all of your explorations in both Paganism and Spirituality. More than the beliefs that you have, I feel that the exploration and journey are most important. This is where we do the greatest part of our learning and where we have the most of our experiences. And, more than a set of dogma or rigid beliefs, your spirituality should be an ongoing experience that you have every single day, with no two days being the same. Our experiences are cumulative and build upon each other, and that is such a beautiful growth experience to have. Whatever points you pass through on your journey are valuable and wondrous places to be and that is what is truly important.
I have my own beliefs and I have made quite the journey. But my journey is not for everyone and even if we two should disagree does not mean that one of us must be wrong. To be completely fair, and I think I mentioned it before, I have not been participating in public Pagan events for the last few years – not only for lack of opportunity, but also for lack of desire. To me, my spirituality is an inward, solo journey – such is often the way of the shaman, that their path be one journeyed alone. My community participation most often occurs in discussions such as these, or in conversations on the back patio at 3am in the morning, and they are as valuable to me as any group ritual or ceremony that I may be part of.
But that may not be true for you and you should, if you get the chance, at least explore your options. Check out the solo journey, but also see what the public experience is like. You will never know what suits you best without trying, without exploring, and without stretching yourself. Each experience you have builds on to your knowledge-base. That is not to say to be reckless, but simply not to dismiss things outright. It is okay not to know, it is okay to be disinterested, but before disparaging something, at least have the experience of it to refer to.
Being part of the Pagan community here online I have the chance to read about the most magical experiences that people have – both in solitary and group practice and I am so thankful to them for sharing those experiences. I am so thankful for my own experiences, even the ones that didn’t suit me.
Be ever the student, be ever the explorer. Stretch your boundaries and, in doing so, stretch your Crow wings and fly the many fields of wonder, my friends.
Nathara
