Words Words Words. . . Are More Than That

[qos]

Yesterday I attended a women's circle meeting for the first time. (I've sat in more than a few women's circles over the years, of course. This was my first meeting with this group

Comments

[sharpchick]

I think the "take it slow and introduce other perspectives" approach is a good one, at least until you are able to get your bearings (and a better global view) about the group.

Do you know if they pass the leadership torch around? If they do, your next encounter could be with a woman who is firmly grounded, and further along in her own personal development.

[qos]

My impression is that there is a leadership team each year.

And actually, the two women who are the primary leaders are mature, educated, sophisticated women with what seems to be a lot of wisdom. They just don't have particular sophistication in the area of Goddess theology.

What I probably should have made more clear in this post is that the actual *work* and discussion was more in-depth and challenging than the parts I did share. These women seem to have been doing a lot of meaningful work together, despite my low opinion of the matrix they've chosen.

[heron61]

I've reached a point in my spiritual life where I start to choke when I see deities reduced to archetypes. It's even worse when deities are mis-assigned to archetypes. Inanna and Ishtar are many powerful things, but they are not Mothers!

Dear gods yes.

A combination of how heavily (and stereotypically) gendered most Wicca (and to a larger extent neopaganism) is and how careless/fluffy most of it is, is why I have little contact with the pagan community anymore.

I'm vastly happier in the otherkin community, because the fluffies are vividly obvious, and the people who aren't are doing fascinatingly idiosyncratic and powerful work.

Also (and perhaps most importantly) the tolerance for people who are differently gendered, multiple, or otherwise well outside mainstream boundaries is vastly higher - the fact that many neopagans react to magical and personal oddities outside of their experience or paradigm as either too weird or threatening makes me both sad & annoyed.

[rravencroft]

"overly sweet and painfully non-grounded approach to women's spirituality"

GEorge Carlin identified the issue when he said that our society is "pussifing americans." (Present company forgive language)

Our ancesterial warrior nature is being pacified through social economics, propagated public education, hypnotic media, etc.etc.etc.

I grew up in a masonic tradition so I was not subjected to peace love turn the other cheek Christian morals. The modern day wicca movement, however fine for those treading the paths in the begining stages of human development and elphame consciousness/culture, began with these same Christian ideas and I have founf are throughly ignorant. I also am both sad & annoyed or should I say dissappointed and frothed that the ways of our ancesterial elders has been mostly ignored and watered down by those that have lead and propagated the wiccan and fluffy new ager movements.

However, I also agree with the tolerance seed thought the group aproach. :-)

[qos]

I strongly object to the term "pussifying" -- and not simply because its coarseness has no place in this kind of conversation

[oakmouse]

You go. *cheers*

Also, OP knowledge of Masonic teachings EPIC FAIL.

[rravencroft]

The masonic teachings where not the Epic Fail for the true mason will study the Ancient Mysteries as this is the bases of the masonic path, nor will they except any religon at face value