Time....
Sometimes, it shocks me when I realize how long in this Incarnation I've been on my Path. It seems like yesterday that I found a Sybil Leek book in a used bookstore and realized THAT'S WHAT I THINK!!!!! Not as big of a shock as the weight I've gained since the same time period though;>.
Things change. Back then there was what today is mostly called British Traditionalist Wicca and Pagans. The Pagans weren't non-lineage Wiccans either. And my Spiritual Life was FILLED with Ritual....and Tools.
4 decades later, the alt-religion world has changed. BTW is a Minority and Pagans, for the most part are those that use Wiccan methodology. And Me? Rites are short with minimal Tools. I'm more likely to Interact Deity to Human than Pantheon to Human or even more General God/dess to Human. Definitely a Pantheist today;>!
Not that my Altar isn't cluttered as always;>! Truth is, I've not used most Tools in decades. Just don't have close friends on the Path to give them to. Besides, they pretty;>! Take Yule. All I used was a mug(a nice one from my great-aunt's estate though;>), a bottle of hard cider and Incense sticks(the good kind!). Truthfully, I spend at least the same amt of time if not more with Those the Rite is for than I did back in my "Bells & Smells" days; all the schlepping of materials, the setting up, the using them THEN the breaking down and cleaning up. Not that they WEREN'T needed then. It takes YRS of doing something to get to the point you can do the same thing "freestyle" and have the same Effect on Spiritual, Mental AND Physical Realms.
So Remember, some of us "Old Farts" aren't just Lazy(though we've certainly been through enough to be TIRED;>), it's just the Experience that has Freed us to CHOSE because even though we may not NEED all the "geegaws" they're still Fun and Pretty;>!
Cheers,
Pat
Things change. Back then there was what today is mostly called British Traditionalist Wicca and Pagans. The Pagans weren't non-lineage Wiccans either. And my Spiritual Life was FILLED with Ritual....and Tools.
4 decades later, the alt-religion world has changed. BTW is a Minority and Pagans, for the most part are those that use Wiccan methodology. And Me? Rites are short with minimal Tools. I'm more likely to Interact Deity to Human than Pantheon to Human or even more General God/dess to Human. Definitely a Pantheist today;>!
Not that my Altar isn't cluttered as always;>! Truth is, I've not used most Tools in decades. Just don't have close friends on the Path to give them to. Besides, they pretty;>! Take Yule. All I used was a mug(a nice one from my great-aunt's estate though;>), a bottle of hard cider and Incense sticks(the good kind!). Truthfully, I spend at least the same amt of time if not more with Those the Rite is for than I did back in my "Bells & Smells" days; all the schlepping of materials, the setting up, the using them THEN the breaking down and cleaning up. Not that they WEREN'T needed then. It takes YRS of doing something to get to the point you can do the same thing "freestyle" and have the same Effect on Spiritual, Mental AND Physical Realms.
So Remember, some of us "Old Farts" aren't just Lazy(though we've certainly been through enough to be TIRED;>), it's just the Experience that has Freed us to CHOSE because even though we may not NEED all the "geegaws" they're still Fun and Pretty;>!
Cheers,
Pat