A Season of Reflection-s
One of the pages I read had a guest post this morning that caught my eye. I frequently only skim this particular blog because it often is a bit more political and reactionary than I have the stomach for in the morning (when I usually read LJ), and often is about people I have no reference to, especially since my connection to the larger community that is the focus of the blog has attenuated to a large extent.
But while skimming this morning I saw that the guest poster is someone I knew. When I first connected to the larger Pagan community one of the first persons I met was Cat Chapin-Bishop. I met her through a mutual friend, and briefly became part of a circle where she was one of the leaders. And then we (a group of us) left that circle. There were some of the issues that she addresses in the guest post, but when all is said an done, I think we all parted ways amicably. Still, when I think back to that time the only person there I think of with unalloyed pleasure is Cat.
I find it interesting that she has embraced Quakerism. The first Quaker I ever knew was Mrs. Smith, whose husband was a Methodist minister. She, both through the example of her life and my friendships with her children, informed many of my ideas of that spiritual path. My friend Deborah, who is an observant Jew, also participates in the Quaker community. At some point I will need to do some thinking about Quakerism, and women I know who have embraced it, and the apparent non-exclusivity of spirituality it seems to allow.
I think I see a perfect 40 day window to do some hard thinking about this.
But while skimming this morning I saw that the guest poster is someone I knew. When I first connected to the larger Pagan community one of the first persons I met was Cat Chapin-Bishop. I met her through a mutual friend, and briefly became part of a circle where she was one of the leaders. And then we (a group of us) left that circle. There were some of the issues that she addresses in the guest post, but when all is said an done, I think we all parted ways amicably. Still, when I think back to that time the only person there I think of with unalloyed pleasure is Cat.
I find it interesting that she has embraced Quakerism. The first Quaker I ever knew was Mrs. Smith, whose husband was a Methodist minister. She, both through the example of her life and my friendships with her children, informed many of my ideas of that spiritual path. My friend Deborah, who is an observant Jew, also participates in the Quaker community. At some point I will need to do some thinking about Quakerism, and women I know who have embraced it, and the apparent non-exclusivity of spirituality it seems to allow.
I think I see a perfect 40 day window to do some hard thinking about this.