Food for Contemplation
I haven't had much time to post, but have been browsing as regularly as possible. A couple of posts caught my attention recently. I was discussing some them briefly with friends over beer and wine in the back garden, and promised to post links to them here...
Freedom and Power by
yezida
"Freedom is a two-edged sword of which one edge is liberty and the other responsibility, on which both edges are exceedingly sharp; and which is not easily handled by the casual, cowardly or treacherous hands. - Jack Parsons [ ...] Parsons is speaking both of personal and social freedom. Both of these are based on power. Without power, there is neither liberty nor responsibility. [...]"
Fundamentalist Rant by
loveandpower
"Seems no matter where I go these days, "open minded" pagans, witches, leftists and hippies are busy espousing their particular world view and making not-so-nice judgements about others who do not agree or practice their value system. [...] if I don't live with three partners/lovers/spouses who tie me up in the dungeon and force feed me vegan cupcakes baked in a solar powered oven while letting my blood or raising welts on my skin . . . does that mean I am less spiritually evolved than you?"
I Feel Oh So Pretty by Deborah Oak
"[...] been thinking a lot lately about narcissism and how my spiritual traditions seem to exacerbate and sometimes even create it. Reclaiming is a fertile ground for extroverted narcissistic tendencies to blossom, what with easy access to being in the center of the circle, a focus on empowerment within a climate of no accountability [...] Is it possible to create spiritual community where healthy narcissism is encouraged, but not the disorder?"
Rooted in Experience on The Wild Hunt (guested by Cat Chapin-Bishop)
"Let me make a pitch for one of my favorite Pagan causes: being rooted in experience. [...] why is nearly everything we write in the form of a recipe book? Why so little in the way of lived experience? For a religion of direct, personal gnosis, we have remarkably little writing about what happens when we set out to practice rather than preach."
Community Vision on The Wild Hunt (guested by Thorn Coyle)
"[...] Why are we so worried about jockeying for position, and fighting over scraps? My answer: because, as communities, we are afraid of autonomous power. We seek to uphold the status quo. Her unique expression may rock the carefully balanced boat. His deep study is seen to take away from what the group needs in the moment. Anything different becomes a threat. [...] Community does not mean we all do the same thing. Community is not about who gets the biggest role in ritual. [...]"