(no subject)
The Nature of our Way
by Scott Cunningham, Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner, 1988
“As often as possible, hold the rites in forests, by the seashore, on deserted mountaintops or near tranquil lakes. If this is impossible, a garden or some chamber shall suffice, if it is readied with fumes or flowers.
Seek out wisdom in books, rare manuscripts and cryptic poems if you will, but seek it out also in simple stones and fragile herbs and in cries of wild birds. Listen to the whisperings of the wind and the roar of water if you would discover magic, for it is here that the old secrets are preserved. Books contain words; Trees contain energies and wisdom books never dreamt of.
Ever remember that the Old Ways are constantly revealing themselves. Therefore be as the river willow that bends and sways with the wind. That which remains changeless shall outlive its spirit but that which evolves and grows will shine for centuries.
There can be no monopoly on wisdom. Therefore share what you will of our ways with others who seek them, but hide mystic lore from the eyes of those who would destroy, for to do otherwise increases their destruction.
Mock not the rituals or spells of another, for who can say yours are greater in power or wisdom?
Ensure that your actions are honorable, for all that you do shall return to you three fold, good or bane.
Be wary of one who would dominate you, who would control and manipulate your workings and reverences. True reverence for the Goddess and God occurs within. Look with Suspicion on anyone who would twist worship from for their own gain and glory, but welcome those priestesses and priests who are suffused with Love.
Honor all living things, for we are of the bird, the fish, the bee. Destroy not life save it be to preserve you own.
And this is the nature of our way.”
About a week ago, Ishilta, one of the editors of the Pagan E-zine Manggagaway contacted me via IM. An Ateneo journalism student was compiling a report on Wicca and Wiccans in Manila at present and Ishilta was wondering if I'd be interested in taking part in the interview. to cut a long story short I said I would have to see the interview questions first, so I okayed giving out my email. After looking over the questions and deciding that this might be a good idea, I submitted my response.
I meant to post about this last week, but I decided that barring work and life getting in the way, it would be much better for me to mull over the article and everything that went in it.
I'm not very vocal about being Wiccan these days. It's become a fairly private thing over the last year or so. I admit, for a time, I set my cards away, put them aside since I had to reevaluate certain things.
For those of you who know what it means: I'm taking a-year-and-a-day. I feel rusty, so it comes in spurts. So yes, one day I'm going to have to really sit down and get started on it. I've put it off long enough.
I've felt the need to reevaluate why I call myself Wiccan and why I practice the craft. Why I believe what I do and my motives behind the reasons. I've already entertained the idea that I might have to let it go, but then I can't say that without checking myself, so I'm not rushing into anything just yet.
So I've decided that I'd be solitary for awhile, not that I haven't more or less been a solitary practitioner for as long as I have.
I'm rambling.
Anyway, I'd review the report, but there's not much for me to say except that it's very well-done, and that I (like many of those who have read through the report) appreciate that it sheds light into a topic that's not commonly discussed. The Philippines, as one of the other respondents mentioned in the article, despite being 'progressive' in some aspects, has yet to become a country that is open to the idea of unorganized religions/spiritualities. I'd say it's a cultural thing, but then it simply comes off as an excuse. Better to say that people are still afraid of the perception of the 'witch', nevermind that we have, as many have in other places, adopted 'wicca' as it holds less negative connotations.
To those of you interested in reading the article, just hop over to: http://wiccatoday.blogspot.com/ It's a good read, I guarantee that. Informative and concise in dealing with it's topic.
And just because I know there will be some who will ask why my name's not coming up: look for Melina. That's the name I go by.