Pagan Old-Timer Rant
I have a pet peeve. Okay, more than one, but one I want to write about today.
Today's rant was inspired by an email on a pagan email list. The writer stated that she was High Priestess for her coven and wanted to know how to do a Handfasting/Binding (she used the terms interchangeably), what to wear to such an event, where to have it, etc.
I had two immediate thoughts:
"You're a High Priestess and you don't already know these things? Don't know that a Handfasting and a Binding are two very seperate things? What kind of training did you have? Or did you simply read a book/ watch a movie/ "were born to it" and declare yourself such?"
"Excuse me, with the wealth of information available in books and online, why haven't you done your own research?"
I posted a very short response that was along these lines and signed myself off as a crotchety crone.
For my non-pagan friends, it would be the equivalent of your Christian Pastor or Jewish Rabbi going to their congregations and stating, "I need to perform a wedding/casting out. I need to know the right order of service (and do you know of a good one already written), what to wear, where to have the ceremony?" I can't imagine that happening. But, then, most Christian/Jewish clergy are paid positions with a clear and defined educational path to the position.
This isn't so in the pagan paths. Pagan clergy are unpaid and self-determined in their education.
Back to today's pet peeve. I am fed up with the entire pagan subculture of self-declared and undereducated pagan "clergy" or "leaders" who avoid proper education at all costs. There is education available. There are even pagan seminaries now. But no, they seem to want it all handed to them on a silver platter, the knowledge, the titles, and the respect.
They avoid declaring a single path, and use the "eclectic" label as an excuse to never seriously study one identifiable path (which is an affront to those who have dedicated to the study of more than one path over the course of their lives and identify as "eclectic" as an open acknowledgment that their path is a personal one that falls with the overlap of two or more identifiable paths).
If these pagan clergy are challenged on their titles, their education, rather than taking a hard look at themselves and *why* they are being questioned, they claim they are being attacked, persecuted or flamed. Worse, instead of going head-to-head with their challengers, they blame the entire pagan community for their censure. In short, they behave like children who've been caught red-handed in a lie. Genuine pagan clergy understand where the question is coming from and are more than happy to share what/where and with who they have studied.
And then there are the excuses for lacking a credible educational foundation for their spiritual titles. I've heard most of these either as an instructor or on the email forums:
"I can't study because I have a learning disability - can't you just tell me?" Umm. No. If you truly can't read, find the book on tape. Do *something* that informs me as your instructor that you are serious about learning.
"I had a dream/vision that I was a (insert label here) in a past life. So I already know everything I need to know." That was then, this is now. In the now, you have to earn it all over again.
"I was born to this path. I've always known it. My (insert name of dead relative) taught me everything I need to know." Okay. Then why are you asking for instruction/ information/ help? Don't you already "know it all"? Maybe you should teach me. My mom was a supreme yodeler and my dad was a lumberjack. Doesn't mean I can yodel or cut wood.
None of the paths I have personally studied offered "CLEP" for lifelong learning. It's not that life experiences/ awareness/ of the Divine isn't valued, but it isn't a substitute for studying the basic tenents of specific path belief, historic origin of the path (ex. Wicca is NOT an ancient path. It dates to about 1950. Knowing how it came about doesn't make it any less valid. Claming what isn't true just makes the claimant sound uninformed), learning the basic forms of worship and rituals, and in some cases, learning the language of the original path. Independent/ solitary study is honored - after questioning, exams and the like determine the actual depth of that study.
And harder for some to grasp, the education is driven by the student, not the teacher. You want it? You have to ask for it, work for it, keep it moving by your own progression. Beware of the teacher seeking students. Look for the teacher that students seek.
BUT DO THE WORK before claiming titles and putting yourself out there with a pagan label. I'm tired of you making the rest of us look bad.