Comments | smithing_chick: Clarifying the Outsiders

smithing_chick

Clarifying the Outsiders

Oct 22, 2007 23:21

When I was talking about the Outsiders, I was talking about an entirely different issue than what most of you guys responded with. That's OK, because both of them are really good points. But I do want to be clear about what I was trying to say ( Read more... )

outdwellers, adf, religion, rants

Comments 14

qorinda October 23 2007, 05:13:49 UTC

I hear what you are saying about the Outsiders. Being rather new-agey myself, I have run into many. But being Jungian, I am also well aware of the shadow.

As for Outdwellers, I consider them those that are not in harmony with that particular rite for some reason. So in a way, when I am making offerings to the Outdwellers, I am simply saying, "No disruptions, please." It seems to work. :D

smithing_chick October 23 2007, 05:35:56 UTC

I'm aware of the shadow, too- and it plays into a lot of my feelings on the subject. In fact, 99% of the time when I've talked with people who claimed to be under some sort of psychic attack, it was really their own personal issues that were the problem & they were claiming the attack as a way to avoid dealing with them. The key with the shadow is to know it & understand it so you can deal with the issues it causes instead of trying to hide them.

(Side note- there's an interesting character in Charles De Lint's Newford books named Christianne. She's one of the other character's shadow come to life. Instead of being a "bad" person, she's all the things Christie rejected about himself when he was about 7. While he was trying to keep his head down & not be noticed, she's bold & adventurous & very outspoken- not to mention being a "she" instead of a "he". Both characters are adults in the books & Christie's brother Gordie observes at one point that now they're both a lot more alike than either admits to)

dragynphyre October 23 2007, 13:00:50 UTC

I usually say something to the effect of "those whose intentions run counter to the intent of mine need not stay here for the duration of this rite", because sometimes those that are excluded for the purposes of one ritual are actually desired for another.

smithing_chick October 24 2007, 05:35:19 UTC

True. I think P in our group says something about "Those who wish us ill", which seems to work, too. Of course, his whole presentation- being a burly guy with a large sword or spear- tends to come across as "Don't fuck with us". It's quite effective. ;-D

starshine2night October 23 2007, 15:17:08 UTC

Cuddly? Really? I can't quite see it. Were they drunk when they said it??

smithing_chick October 24 2007, 05:10:32 UTC

No, but they all seemed to have seriously pink glasses & be kinda flaky.

starshine2night October 24 2007, 16:02:00 UTC

Those types of people scare me.

(The comment has been removed)

smithing_chick October 24 2007, 05:30:29 UTC

I try to be balanced, as much as I can be. But then, with my life I've had a lot of experience getting used to chaos so it doesn't even remotely freak me out. I've said before that if Eris- Greek Goddess of Discord- wanted to mess me up, She'd give me a steady job with a good income since I'd have no idea what to do with myself then. ;-)

cissa October 23 2007, 19:45:58 UTC

That makes sense- I can see how if one is doing a purely Celtic or Norse rite, the traditional opponents would be good ones to ask to stay away.

When things are more eclectic, though, how does that work? I've been to theoretically Celtic rituals in which others brought in everyone but the kitchen sink! (And no, it wasn't me. :) ) I think things could get more complicated, and possibly iffy, with that.

But hey- I'm not a good choice for participation in such things anyway, I suspect. I tend to be more interested in the edges than the center, anyway- or in how things fail, and fail to fail safely. The cracks. It works OK for me personally in many ways, but does make me a not-so-good choice to be in groups.

smithing_chick October 24 2007, 05:26:13 UTC

Well, I've long been a proponent of *not* mixing pantheons in rites & it's discouraged in ADF as well. So, in theory, eclectic rites should be a rare occurrence. The exception is the "Praise offerings" section, which in most groups are open so that participants may offer praise to whatever Deity they wish. Those deities aren't being specifically invoked to be part of the rite or anything, it's more that the participant is saying what a wonderful Deity they are in public. (Kinda like the "Thanks to St. Jude for prayers answered" things that you see in the classifieds sometimes)

Personally, I think you'd fit in just fine with the group we've got going now, since we're all oddballs & misfits (and quite comfortable with being oddballs & misfits).