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

Each player starts with eight random facts/habits or embarrassing things about themselves. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their own eight things and post these rules. At the end of your blog you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged and to read your blog.

1. Born in Ohio but grew up in Los Angeles, CA.

2. I drank two beers this evening and I feel fine...LOL.

3. I love animals too, more than people. They really love you when they love you. No games.

4. I really would love to quit all of my jobs and run away for awhile.

5. On Oct 20 th I will have been in the U.S. Army for 20.

6. When I was 6 or 7 I slept walked to the hallway out side of my door and pee'ed in the halway thinking it was the bathroom                

7. In the same time frame as #6 one evening being fully awake I tried to give my Mom a hair cut... Instead I sliced the sheets up to her bed.

8. My Wife drives me crazy. When she falls asleep on the couch that is where she stayes. I am not putting up with the turmoil.

 

Heather, Tommy Elf, Heggity, Arwen, Cherie, Chenoa, TygrzByte, Draconia, em*

Hey All I just wanted to drop by and let you all know that I have not been able to get on teh internet in forever... Well OK 2 weeks, but still!!! My Internet is back up and rolling, I still do not have a work account but that is not really a bad thing, That just means alot of half days and 4 day weekends...LOL Well I just wanted to pop on here and let you all know I was back up...

 In Love and Light,

Bill

Well I have been home now for 4.5 days and though reunion with my family is actually going ok I see that I am still not comfortable talking to Carroll (My Wife) about my religious beliefs and practices... One of the gifts that I brought back for her was a crystal candle holder that at the top fprmed sort of a 6 pointed star... She asked "is this one of your Wiccan candle holders?" she was just asking in earnest, and she was not being snide or sarcastic at all, she was just asking a honest question. My reply was slightly snippy. I was like "No!, Our symbol is a 5 pointed star."  I said it like I was talking down to her. It took me til today to realize and analize what she meant and how I reacted. I feel like such an ass. Though it has not caused any surface ripples between us, I think I might have scared her off form asking other questions. I did not want to do that at all. I want her to ask questions. I just feel so stupid... I am trying to find the right spot in my house for my alter, I think it is going to have to be in my room and will probably have to change out my little me shelf in our room for my altar. Well I will figure it out...

 Well the boys and I (Carroll is working tonight) are going out to get soem dinner... (We have to go grocery shopping soon, Fells like Mother Hubbard here...LOL)

Love, Blessings and Friendship,

Bill

Well Since my Friend TommyElf put out his podcast on this exact subject it got me pondering this for myself. What is Paganism? In the over all scheme of things no one is exactly right for the whole of the pagan community, but they are exactly right for themselves. I think that, that is what makes us such a wonderful community. We are who we are, each of us individually. We each believe and commune with deity in our own individual way that make us feel good, ad for the most part we accept that and join together in our differences, almost reveling in our differences. This is a community where being different is not a bad thing but admired. I think that is the one reason the Christians, the Muslims and the Jews have a hard time understanding us is the fact that we encourage individualism. We as a whole tell people to not follow a set doctrine, but follow what feels right to you. As TommyElf says, "Every path is valid, an individual path may not be valid to you but we must accept that it is valid for that individual." It has to be.
But still "What is Paganism?" Well probably right off the bat people will say "Well there is Wicca!" True, but we must remember 4 things 'bout that: Yes all Wiccans are Pagans, but not all Pagans are Wiccan, Not all Wiccans consider themselves Witches and not all Witches are Wiccan. There are Druids and Shamans, British Traditional Witches and Eclectics and much more that I don't personally have knowledge of. Wicca in and of itself has a mirad of different traditions within it. All of whom I think need to cope with each other much better. I won't even get into Tolerance between the different Wiccan traditions.
Spirituality is a big part of paganism; at least it is to me. TO be able to have the knowledge of something greater than myself, yet of myself out in the world and also within me is one of the most beautiful feelings in the world. To feel the energy of deity within me, and in the trees, and grass and animals and other humans. To know that and feel that deity is everywhere, and feel its existence I can't begin to describe that feeling. To feel the energy of the Earth and sky coursing through your body, to hold hands in a circle and feel everyone's energy spiraling and joining together, individuals now as one, regardless of our own individual paths, for that moment we are one and deity makes it so.
Witchcraft is also apart of a lot of different pagan paths. However not all pagan paths directly use spells, but they do perform rituals and rights and in effect that is what many of us would call Witchcraft too. I look at rituals as group spells, it is a spell to give praise and honor to deity no matter what aspect you call. As an individual do I use spells? Sparingly. I use my friend Heather's outlook on this "Be Careful what you wish for..."
Deity itself... This in and of itself is a HUGE topic... As the Christians might put it "Who is God?" Well for me Deity is life in an energy form, with both equal male and female aspects. It is easier for us as humans to give a human form to this energy and I fall into those trappings. My chosen Goddess for the female aspect of Deity is Cerridwen (Celtic Welsh Goddess) I do not have a chosen form for the God aspect of Deity I tend to just view him as the Horned God, The hunter and that works for me... When we do our rituals when things go wrong the whole of the circle blames Loki... Maybe I can use him. From what I have heard and read he is a most misunderstood God.
I know have kind of rambled about this topic and not really directly answered the question, but I do not think that the question is meant to be answered directly. We are all individuals, we all may have similar views but we all make our "Faith" our "Spirituality" to fit our self. Paganism is different for each of us. This is part of my path and part of what I believe. Revel in and celebrate our differences, be yourself, and as long as it feels true inside of you do not let anyone tell you, that you are wrong for what you know and feel is true.
In Love and Light,
Bill