Is our paganism in danger of becoming psychotherapy? Is our paganism in
danger of becoming just as dogmatic as the orthodox religions we shy
away from? I think it is!
For the past year I have attended workshops/groups where Seers, Pagans, Druids, Witches and Shamans have all been speaking about a great sense of change; an undercurrent that seems to have given the symptoms of the recession, greater awareness of climatic change and social change too. We could all be forgiven for thinking this is rather apocalyptic, end of the world coming, 2012 not long around the corner. However, it seems that is about us flowing with the tide of change, in all that we are and do.
This has affected my spirituality profoundly and taken me to the bare bones of my spiritual expression. Something that is new to paganism in twenty first century is that people often now choose to be priest/shamans/seers/healers. In traditional societies this was often the result of some trauma, disease, some brake down in the physical or mental state of the individual. Today we seek to find the expression of a more natural, free and unorthodox spirituality, fuelled by the importance of a need to deepen our relationship to the natural world. There is nothing wrong with this, yet we can also slip into the wrong focus, as our paganism becomes nothing more than escapism. Also we crave to understand the tradition within which we work deeply and find answers in the books from the local “New Age Shoppe”, websites and often clutch a host of titles and qualifications of proficiency within those traditions. I think we are in danger of losing the pivotal notion of paganism; that nature is our teacher and guide, that we find true inspiration from the natural world, our land, that we allow our paganism to evolve and flow with the tides of moon, sun, seasons and stars. While much of the structure and ritual of Paganism provides the new seeker some clarity and sense of confidence that ‘I am doing it right’ it can sometimes hold us and limit us in the wild soul expression that our paganism so craves to be.
Much of this change has been hard for the wilder
community to accept, as old age concepts are challenged and the very
notion of Tradition is readdressed. For me, I have been seen, in my
public work as a Druid Priest for the past 20 years, and suddenly now
the process of braking down the preconceptions and ‘ways of working’
within Druidry has led people to wonder who or what I am. I am no longer
able to offer the same style of teaching, the same level of support, the
impetus to lead/facilitate. Suddenly it seems that I have changed, loved
and supported by those who find similar inspiration. Loathed and even
offered sympathy by those who hold on to what was. Yet for me the
freedom is deliciously wonderful, and challenging at the same time; the
process of being soul naked and true, to dance beneath the dark Yew on a
full moon and the ecstasy of sweet dark inspiration. I am wild soul, on
my wild land; I find a common expression through Druidry yet am I a
priest? Who knows I wait till the community adjusts to the wild insanity
of my new yet familiar journey. I don’t seek to heal myself through my
paganism, healing may simply be a by-product of my spiritual practice, I
don’t seek to become a better person or more enlightened, in fact I
think you soon realise you become “endarkened” celebrating the mystery
rather than the knowledge of why. We don’t need to call the quarters, we
don’t need to know what we are doing, we just need the intent and focus
and open to the flow that is nature and our sacred relationship we form
there. Who knows you may find me as the wild Merlin naked with nothing
more than a pig and apple in my grove……
Rob Wilson /|\
26 October 2009