I have started reading Raven Grimassi's book "Spirit of the Witch". There is a passage in the book that I wanted to share with all of you.

"The following story is fictional, but the truth it conveys is real and viable. Many centuries ago there lived a woman who was a great spiritual teacher. She drew many seekers to the teachings she revealed, and around her formed a group of devoted disciples. After many years of study the disciples left and journeyed to other lands to spread the teachings they had learned.

The years went by and one day the disciples returned and sought out their old teacher. Once they found her, the disciples posed a question to the master. "We have," their spokesperson remarked, "traveled to many lands, and discovered many different teachings that are unlike the ways that you have taught us." The master calmly nodded in acknowledgement, and the disciple continued, "Therefore we are confused, so can you tell us which is the true religion?" The master looked up with a patient smile and replied, "All of the religions of the world are like individual pearls. Each of them formed around a different grain of sand, in different waters, under different conditions." Then the master looked directly at the spokesperson and spoke softly, saying, "But, if you ask me which is the true pearl, I will tell you that none of them are the one true pearl. Instead, the truth is the thread that runs through, holding them together as a necklace, that is the one truth you seek."

This story illustrates an important truth. When I first taught Witchcraft as a religion many years ago, I began a series of classes with what I called "The View of the Crystal." I placed a very large, oddly shaped piece of crystal on the floor. Then I had the students sit in a circle around the crystal. Next I asked each student to describe what he or she saw in front of their eyes. Naturally each person described the crystal somewhat differently, because the visual perspective of each individual was different, according to his or her position in relationship to the crystal.

Some people described the crystal as being sharp and jagged. Other individuals described the crystal as smooth and polished, covered with beautiful facets. Still other men and women depicted the crystal differently from even those descriptions. So, who was right and who was wrong? What did the crystal actually look like?

In a short time it became clear to every one that each person was correct in his or her perception of the crystal, but that each individual's "truth" was only a small part of a much larger whole that existed beyond the single view of any one individual. It was also conceded that the "truth" of one person did not negate the truth of another. Everyone simply had his or her personal view and experience of the crystal. In the end we spoke a great deal about the fact that the only way for us all to know the whole truth about the crystal was for each person to integrate the perspectives shared by all of the others.

We joked around for a while about how odd it would be if everyone in the room were to argue that their view of the crystal was the only true view. We talked about how angry an individual might get about his or her personal view being dismissed entirely by some or all of the other people. It all seemed so clear and simple in that small room with the crystal centered between us, but sadly we knew that in the real world people have hated and killed each other over their personal view of the crystal for thousands of years, and many still do today."

I found that simple passage from his book to hold so much truth to it. Even in paganism the different traditions get so focused on their view of the crystal. Once you become so focused on your view of the crystal and ignore the whole of it you start explaining yourself in how you are different, how your view is better and the only view, instead of focusing on how similar your views are and what is the same in your views.

We each have a different perspective on the crystal, if we all had the same view life would be very boring but I feel that we all have enough common ground that we should be able to come together as a whole with shared similarities and expand our own knowledge by leaning and educating ourselves together rather than alone.

In Love and Light,

Bill