Sacred Snakes & Lizard Brain or What Helps You Hope?

I have always felt that laughter in the face of reality is probably the finest sound there is and will last until the day when the game is called on account of darkness. In this world, a good time to laugh is any time you can.

- Linda Ellerbee

I was doing a bit of research on why it is that we seem to remember the bad things in our lives better than we remember the good stuff, and discovering in the process that older people actually do a better job of regulating positive emotions and memories, which greatly aids their mental health. So, there is some hope for achieving my goal of a Pagan version of the Buddha mind. More on that another time.

Anyway, I'm out there surfing, trying to avoid the litter as best I can, and I find Alecto's Blog. She may well be be one of the most emotionally honest bloggers I've encountered and she writes like a gonzo dream. (Please let her be kidding about the squirrels).

Here is an excerpt from her post titled Attack of the Lizard Brain:

My old brain, that ancient lizard thing sitting silent on its rock, tongue flicking out to taste the air, claws scrapping slowly across damp granite as movement is slow and deliberate right up until it's not and then that beast moves like lightening and I am left damp and quivering, wondering what the devil just happened...

My old brain is convinced that if someone I consider an authority figure (and apparently that might be anybody with a halfway righteous tone of writing or voice) tells me that something is so, why then it is. And that I, the small field mouse standing exposed shaking her little mousey fist into the sky as the chicken hawk swoops in for the crunchings, am completely and perpetually wrong and bad and most assuredly going to be punished within an inch of my life or for sure my life and my deepest fear is that I will go down sniveling like some beaten thing left out soggy and fitful in the rain.

So. It's feedback. That's all. They are only words and thoughts and feelings and I do not have to choose from those places. And I note that sometimes in the talking or writing or acknowledging that the palpitations begin to subside.

*************

This is the line I love: They are only words and thoughts and feelings and I do not have to choose from those places.

That's our place of empowerment, knowing we have a choice. Acting, not reacting. Doing more than just surviving. This requires perspective. As an old teacher of mine put it, We must realize that things are not the way there are, things are the way we are.

and if you don't believe me, go and see A Mighty Heart.

Hope; practical, real, solid hope, even in the worst of times, is the topic of discussion for the Spiral Steps on-line meeting this week. Here is the topic intro (1):

It's easy to focus on what's bad. That is how our lizard brain works. And that is also how the evening news gets our attention. If it bleeds, it leads. And now for a word from our sponsor....

Some of the people who promote this world view just want to sell us stuff. Some of them want us to live in fear, because it's much more easy to control us that way. But that's not how the world really is. And we can't live happily or usefully in fear - our power lies in hope.

Every day, people do things that are kind, useful and good. If we look for that, we will see it. And maybe it will inspire us.

I'm not suggesting a Pollyannaish approach to life. I'm suggesting we use our recovery practice to secure a realistic sense of perspective. So, in that vein:

What helps us feel hopeful?

On a personal level?
On a family level?
On a community level?
On a global level?
On a spiritual or philosophical level?
Or, in some other way that feeds our precious spirit and reminds us that life is full of possibilities.

********

Notice the very Pagan snake at the top of this post. The snake has been associated with the Goddess from earliest times. In my tradition, Snake stands for wisdom, transmutation, creation, and rebirth. And snakes eat lizards for breakfast.

As Linda Ellerbee says, everywhere in the world that you see terrible things happening, you also see good people trying to help.

Here's to hope, and the power behind it.

Sia

(1) The topic note is posted with permission. The posts are, of course, private, annonymous and only open to members of that support group.

Art: Snaked from Wren Walker over at Wren's Nest. Artist unknown

Spirit Bird

This little being is a Refous Hummingbird.

I see one through my kitchen window most mornings. They love the brightly colorful fuchsias in the hanging pots out on our deck. When I walk outside I find them dancing through the hummingbird plants in our garden and they like to dart, shimmering and thrumming, through the mist of my garden hose when I water my plants.

Hummingbird World notes that the hummingbird is a common totem animal and points out that the bird has a powerful religious and spiritual significance in many cultures.

A website called Art from Tribe contains some stunning images of animals and birds created by modern artists. These images are made in the style of the Northwest tribes, also known as Haida art. Here the hummingbird symbolizes love, beauty, and friendship. It is also believed to be a spirit messenger. (1)

The site also says that the hummingbird is:

...a literal messenger of joy, this beautiful tiny bird...represents friendship, playfulness, and is a symbol of good luck in Northwest Coastal Native art. It is a positive sign to see Sah Sen (hummingbird) prior to a major event such a hunting or traveling to another village. Hummingbird's ability to hover back and fourth at great speeds is believed to be a skill for guiding the people; if they fall behind Hummingbird can easily back up to keep pace.

Ted Andrews, author of Animal Speak, writes that

Hummingbirds inspire us to protect the environment and to preserve old traditions that are in danger of being lost.

Operation Rubythroat uses the power of kids, science and hummingbirds to spread a message of cooperation and understanding between cultures. Nice.

The Spanish saw them for the first time when they landed in North America. They called them Joyas voladoras or flying jewels. Jamie Sams writes that

...the hummingbird teaches us to laugh and enjoy the creation, to appreciate the magic of being alive, and the truth of beauty.

A Mayan legend says that the Hummingbird is the sun in disguise. Who am I to argue?

The sunlight speaks. And it's voice is a bird:

It glitters half-guessed half seen half-heard

Above the flower bed. Over the lawn ...

A flashing dip and it is gone.

And all it lends to the eye is this --

A sunbeam giving the air a kiss.

Blessed Solstice to you and yours,

Sia

Poem: The Hummingbird by Harry Kemp

Off the Shelf:

Children

The Hummingbirds' Gift by Stefan Czernecki and Timothy Rhodes

Illustrated by Stefan Czernecki, with straw weavings by Juliana Reyes de Silva and Juan Hilario Silva. Endpapers feature flat straw weavings of animals, mermaids, and dancing human skeletons hand-woven by Mexicans of Tarascan Indian descent. The story, which tells of the origin of these traditional weavings, is set in a Mexican village and illustrated both with bright paintings and with the woven figures. The story begins during a severe drought in the village of Tzintzuntzan, the Tarascan Indian word that means "the place of the hummingbirds." A farmer and his wife watch their crops dry up and fear for the lives of the beautiful hummingbirds who frequent their garden.

Adults

Animal Speak by Ted Andrews

Other Council Fires Were Here Before Ours by Jamie Sams

Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams

End Notes:

1. They certainly love to fly around me when I meditate. I try to listen to hummingbird, especially when She appears to me at odd times or places.

There are a number of sites on the web that talk about hummingbird's message and medicine. My advice is to take these not as dogma, but as a guide. After all, it's your messenger, and your message - it's up to you to figure it out.

Every culture that has hummingbirds also has wonderful stories and myths about them. I also suggest that you read the myths from many cultures but if you are looking for messages or personal wisdom, I recommend that you pay particular attention to the bird myths from your own heritage and from the area where you currently live.

Hummingbird Lesson Plans:

Hummingbird Science Lesson Plan for Teachers - Grades 3 - 6

Hummingbird Facts & Notes About Their Important Place In Our Ecosystem:

Hummingbird Facts

More Hummingbird Facts

Gaia's Guardians

Gaia's Guardians

Gaia's Guardians is a loose confederation of professionals and volunteers who work on projects that benefit Mother Earth and her creatures. This is an inter-faith effort & people from all belief systems (or none) are welcome.

They just opened up a new Yahoo networking board for their colleagues here.

Please note: This is a networking group for those who are already actively engaged in this sort of work. If you are new to community service, and wish to get involved, either visit Volunteer Match or write to Full Circle at info@fullcircleevents.org and we'll try our best to hook you up with local efforts you can support. Once you are involved you are very welcome to revisit the group and apply for membership.

A note about the Gaia's Guardian Award and the kind of work that Gaia's Guardians do is listed at the bottom of this post.

For The Smallest Among Us:

Have you ever rescued a baby bird or a baby squirrel. If so, you know how amazing that experience can be. Check out this video of Loki, a baby White Crowned Sparrow rescued at the Wild Heart Ranch.

Here is a brief overview of the rehabilitation process at a wildlife rescue shelter, complete with some very cute pictures.

And this is a useful article on coexisting with our wild neighbors.

When Helping Hurts

Remember, if you find a wild animal or bird on the ground, it may not need to be rescued! Most bird species spend about 10 days on the ground, learning to hop and fly, while Mom and Dad come to feed them. Many wild mammals like rabbits and deer leave their little ones alone for days at a time while they look for food. Even that lost looking baby seal may have a mom hovering nearby but out of sight. Or maybe the animal really does need help. If you have questions, ask the experts; call your local shelter or wildlife group for advice.

Wildlife Rehabilitation Information Directory

Here is a web directory of those groups in the U.S. who do wildlife rescue. It also has very helpful tips and some wonderful stories and pictures.

"One Cat Just Leads To Another" - Earnest Hemmingway (who had quite a few)

It's kitten season folks. Your local shelter and the various rescue groups are no doubt inundated with beasties, and will need volunteers, foster parents and supplies. Why not get together with your group and make them a goody basket? All these places have Wish Lists. Call them or go on-line and find out what they need. Trust me, you can never have too many paper towels, and after the recent pet food scare recall, a lot of these places are in need of food.

And don't forget,there are lots of older cats and cats with special needs that need good homes, too.

Before There Were Malls...

I've just finished reading Hacate's evocative essay titled Sense of Place. and it got me to thinking. I wonder how many of us began on this path because a place we knew and loved as children was ruined by greedy, mindless over-development? I grew up in the San Fernando Valley. Back then, it was best known for it's fertile farmland and horse ranches. Cougar and bobcats roamed the rolling hills and we road our bikes through dirt paths dotted with poppies and wild sage. By the time I was 10, the fields we had played in and trees we had climbed were destroyed to make way for shopping malls and concrete heavy suburbs. By the time I was a teenager the wild cats, hawks and deer were gone from the hills, and houses sat cheek by jowl in their place. The small family farms where we bought our fruits, vegetables and sweet corn were gone. The open spaces and small creeks we knew and loved had disappeared. All that was natural was paved over to make way for housing enclaves called names like Deer Hallow and Mountain View.

The Valley is now known for it's shopping malls. It is also the center of the porn industry. The 100 acre park, where we had all learn to climb rocks as kids and where I met my first oak trees, became littered with graffiti, broken glass and the occasional dead body. Ah, progress.

Like many of us, I thought and lived like an eco-feminist long before I heard the term. I can date my heart's path from the day I went with my friends to climb the trees in an open field near our house, only to find a bulldozer had cut them down the day before.

These days I belong to groups that protect wild spaces and open lands *as well as* those who advocate for lower income housing, sensible mass transit, green building, and limited growth.
The beauty of nature is for everyone. We cannot put our open space behind gates and reserve them for the privileged few. But neither can we allow our National Parks to be so trammeled and over crowed that our desire to enjoy it damages the place itself. What we need is common sense, vision and balance, like that shown by the people of Sonoma County, CA who willingly add 2 cents on to their sales tax specifically to purchase and protect small farms, and open space. Let us also praise the 10,000 Friends of Oregon who are working to preserve our heritage for future generation in Oregon and elsewhere.

The mending of the world is nigh. Wouldn't you like to be a part of that? Visit Volunteer Match and find out what you can do to help. Make a difference. It doesn't take a lot of time. It just needs a bit of heart.

Sia

The Gaia's Guardian Award

This award is given to a person or group for "Outstanding work benefiting Mama Gaia and her creatures". These people inspire the rest of us by their courage, caring and compassionate action. You do not have to be Pagan to win this award - what counts are good deeds and a noble heart.

Previous Award Winners

The California Bat Conservation Fund

The Wildlife Center of Silcon Valley

Deborah Noel: Service Dog Trainer & Spokesperson for People with Disabilities

Officer Christine Franco, Investigator (Animal Cruelty & Neglect) Silicon Valley Humane Society

In previous years, the Gaia's Guardian Award was given out at the Witche's Ball, a costume ball, charity event and fundraiser hosted annually by Full Circle. At that time, it was given to heros and heroines in California. The award is now given out nationally. The 2005 recipient was United Animal Nations for their work benefiting animals left abandoned, starving, and hurt after Hurricane Katrina. In 2006 The Gaia's Guardian Award was given posthumously to Carol Chapman, tireless advocate and Cat Rescue Mamma extraordinaire.

Some of the Work Done by Gaia's Guardians

* Companion animal rescue: fostering, adoptions, shelter work, etc.

* Wildlife rescue, rehabilitation & release.

* Habitate restoration & native plant education.

* Creating art, websites, blogs and/or writings on natural themes in order to awaken others to the beauty and power of nature.

* Working to teach children about nature and the web of life.

* Working to support the preservation of open space, forests and wild lands.

* Offering educational workshops, hikes, birding walks, and other events related to these issues.

* Involvement with water issues such as river clean up, coastal protection, water wise gardening, etc.

* Grass Roots organizing, fundraising & networking for various Earthwise & ecological causes.

* Involvement in organic & sustainable farming. Teaching kids about same.

* Working to establishment and support green spaces, parks and hiking trails.

* Actively encouraging our local governments to use native plants and trees in neighborhoods & public spaces.

* Raising awareness about recycling and wise use issues.

* Working with service animals and/or rescue animals.

* Working to aid abused animals and animals caught in disasters.

* Working for community which is both economically and environmentally sustainable and socially just.

Wizzards!

Off the Shelf:

The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
This is the first book published in the famous Discworld series, and the first of the "Rincewind books" within that series.

Little Miss Sunshine (DVD)

Sia's Post

Yvonne Aburrow
Lovely.

Check out a Live Journal post by Yvonne Aburrow a while back titled Things We'd Like To See. I quite agree. Yes, indeed. That would be most helpful. Add a dragon that attacks spam (I want rending! I want fire!) and I'm in.

For those of you who don't know her, she is the author of several books on myth, magic, animals and trees.

Speaking of Wizards:

Rincewind, one of my favorite Wizzards (and you know he's a Wizzard cause it says so on his hat) is about to appear on film. Terry Pratchett's book The Color of Magic will be brought to the screen by Sky One. Their rendition of Hogfather got good reviews, so we hope that this production will be as good. (They are throwing more money at this production, but we all know what that did to Pirates II and III. (1) Alas, this presentation of The Color of Magic, like Hogfather before it, will only appear on British TV. American fans will have to watch the DVD's.

David Jason will appear as Rincewind. Most of the actors appearing in these productions are, naturally, from the UK, however; it is rumored that Steve Carrell might play the character of Twoflower, a hapless tourist.

Mr. Carroll is best known for his work on television in The Daily Show and The Office, as well as for his movie roles in The Forty Year Old Virgin and Little Miss Sunshine. At this point, the rumor is unconfirmed and may well be little more than wishful thinking on the part of U.S. fans. Personally, while I love Steve Carrell (in particular, I admire his darkly funny and very sensitive portrayal of the suicidally depressed Proust scholar in Little Miss Sunshine), I would prefer to see an Asian actor playing a part of an Chinese character.

For more on this issue read Hollywood Yellowface, an article at the Bright Lights Film Journal webpage.

Sia

(1) and once again the cry goes up to the heavens from Pirate fans, "With all that money yer spend'n, why don't ja hire a writer!? Arrrggggh!

Happily, in the case of the Discworld series, they have one of the better ones.

Art: Rincewind with Quantum Butterfly by the amazing Mr. Paul Kidby. Check out his website for Discworld images and t-shirts.

21st Century Pagans

Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, Create the Future
(Full Circle Motto)

To hear some people tell it, Pagans are all a bunch of purple clad, self indulgent, sexually irresponsible loonies blindly pledging our loyalty to a bunch of gas bag gurus in exchange for a spell kit and a pentacle. It makes me mad, I tells ya, to see our splendid people portrayed as animal abusers, eco-Nazi's, man haters, wimps, racists or Native American Wanna Be’s. Some days, there is nothing for it but to sing the angry song.

Another cliche claims that we’re Luddites and techno-phobes. Now folks, I lived and worked in Silicon Valley for many years, and I know this for certain: If all the Pagan Web Builders, System Administrators, Programmers, Engineers, Tech Writers, and Tech Support Specialists suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth, then all the Pagan Entertainers, Scientists, Librarians, Nurses, Business Owners, Attorneys, Secretaries, Teachers, Administrators, and Cops are going to have a real hard time of it at work the next day.

Some of the more harmless clichés are funny. If you want a good laugh, I’d recommend the Field Guide to the Modern Pagan, which is a classic.

Yes, these clichés are funny, at least to those of us with a sense of humor, but how true are they, overall? I spend a lot of my time working in and with the Pagan community. In the course of meeting other Pagans, reading their emails and talking to them at events and conventions, I’ve gotten a pretty good picture of these folks. In the last 13 years, I’ve seen an interesting group of people emerge from the broom closet. I like to call these people 21st Century Pagans. Take a look at this profile and tell me if this new model fits some of the Pagans you know.

Pagans with Lives

When I look at the people on our Member List (1) I notice that the majority work in the dominant culture, even if they have ties to various, alternative cultures. A good of these folks have day jobs, mortgages and children. They are called by turns, Ordinary Pagans, Stealth Pagans and/or Undercover Pagans because they walk easily between the mundane and magical worlds. As you can tell from these terms, unless you meet them at a gathering you probably would not know they are Pagan.

We need a secret handshake. I'm working on that.

Cat Slaves & Gaia's Guardians

Many Pagans have pets (all kinds and often more then one) or wish they could have one where they live now. Many Pagans are involved in animal rescue of some kind or we support groups that do this work.

Due to superstition and fear mongering in this country, there are people out there who will wonder why we're adopting that black kitten or puppy from our local shelter. (2) As a result, most of those people we refer to as Gaia's Guardians are careful to share their Paganism only with people they really trust.

Life Long Learners

The last time we took a poll, we discovered that roughly three fourths of our members have college degrees (or they are working on one). The rest of us tend to be self-educated on a wide variety of subjects.

As a group, these Modern Pagans love to read and we are passionate about music and the arts. While their reading subjects vary greatly, many can rival the experts when it comes to knowledge about their subject(s) of choice.

Subcultures Galore

I personally get a kick out of the fact that so many Pagans love Science Fiction and Fantasy. In fact, Pagans make up a significant part of the audience for the books, movies and TV programs in these genres. I go Science Fiction Conventions, Fantasy Conventions and Renaissance Faires whenever I can and I can't take ten steps at one of those things without running into another Pagan. Is this a coincidence? I don’t think so. I think that Pagans value the vivid blend of imagination, science and history found in this genre. And we like to dress up and party. Nothing wrong with that.

Crafty Pagans

21st Century Pagans, like their ancestors, love to create and do so within a wide variety of art forms, such as writing, music, crafts, teaching, gardening, sewing, cooking, ritual design, mask making, gardening, and dance, just to name a few. Many of us also work in the newer mediums of software design, web graphics, web weaving and video.

Most of these folks use their skills to make the world a better, more interesting place. The only difference is that some of them create in more traditional ways, others use ones and zeros.

Pagan Grown Ups

A while back, Snakemoon coined the phrase Ordinary Pagans to describe those of us who have a healthy and useful set of life skills. Contrary to the AlwaysPoor Pagan cliche, most Pagans pay their bills and handle our money responsibly, thank you very much. The Flaky Pagan cliche is also getting old. Those of us who are OP's find the phrase “Pagan Time” (and all that it implies) to be insulting. We are, as a rule, very busy people. We know how to meet a deadline, pace a project or arrive on time for an event. We like things to start when the organizers say they are going to start. Don’t waste our time, don’t come unprepared, don’t make excuses and don’t try and pass the blame if something goes wrong. We don't pull that kind of lazy, ill prepared crap where we live, and we have little patience for it in Circle. On the other hand, we also know that stuff happens. Let us know what you need and we’ll be the first ones there to lend a hand.

Actions Count

Most of us have been around for a while. We know that difference between a Doer and a Talker, and a Bard and a Poser. We respect Doers and Bards, and we don’t like to waste our time on Talkers and Posers.

Got Books?

As the name implies, 21st Century Pagans are very comfortable living in the new century, even while they engage in age-old rituals, learn archaic skills, listen to early music or practice ancient crafts. As I said, a lot of them work in the field of technology or use computers on a daily basis. Like many other intelligent people, they are fascinated by science, biology, anthropology, history and ecology. Many of them follow the adventures of the Space Program and they send their kids to learning centers such as NASA’s Space Camp. We’ll have a Pagan astronaut one of these days. I’m looking forward to that.

Family First

Many of our people are homemakers, parents, or caregivers to children and/or elderly relatives. They find the respect and support they deserve in the Pagan community, where family and tribe are honored.

There was a time there when most Pagan events looked like a Single’s Bar With Trees. That is changing. These days, we see gatherings that more closely resemble a true Pagan Village.

It’s important to note that when these people talk about "family", they don’t limit their definition a cultural phenomena known as the “nuclear family”. Their definition of clan and family is both broader and deeper then that and includes any group of people who provide nurture, support and care for one another.

Speaking of Pagan families, I think it’s important to note that, for the most part, our Pagan Dads and Mom’s do a great job raising kids with values in a culture obsessed with money, work and possessions. What they tell us they need now is a way to meet other Pagan parents so that they can arrange for things like childcare, play days, family-friendly Circles or home schooling. Many of them are interested in forming Spiral Scout troops. Websites like the Witches Voice and groups like Full Circle are helping these folks find one another and our Pagan village continues to grow. Take another look at their kids when they reach adulthood. I think you’ll like what you see.

Who Do You Think Invented the Golden Rule?

The Pagans I know believe that manners, courtesy and civility are important. They do what they can to make their corner of the world a cleaner, better and fairer place to be. They also know how to share. The majority of our attendees bring food to a gathering and they help clean up afterwards. Those with a bit more are happy to share with those who have a bit less, as long as we know that no one is trying to take advantage of our good will.

There Is Beauty In Diversity...and the Sex Is Better, Too

The Pagan community that currently exists is a fascinating mix of the single and the legally married as well as folks who are bonded to each other in other (and equally legitimate) ways. I work with Pagans who are gay, straight, and bi-sexual as well as Pagans from all walks of life and in every age category. Pagans as a group come in all sizes and shapes and they are not about to let the dominant culture tell them how to look, what it means to be “male” or “female”, how to feel about themselves or what’s important in their lives. Maybe that’s one reason the media doesn’t really like us. As Pagans, we’re hard to pin down, we don’t fit into the categories the advertisers can relate to and we’re a difficult market for outsiders to understand.

A "Show Me" State of Being

As citizens, we’re equally complex. Some of the Pagans I work with are politically active and some of them are not. As a group, though, they do one thing in common … they’re ornery. Pagan folk tend to ask the difficult questions and they expect to get some intelligent answers. They have a passionate interest in issues that involve education, the environment, freedom of religion, privacy, self-expression, censorship issues, civil rights and truth-in-history. They tend to have opinions on these issues and they express those opinions in the way they vote, shop and live. A great many of them voted in the last Presidential election. I predict that a great many more will vote in the next one.

Mythstakes Were Made

21st Century Pagans do quite a lot of interfaith work. They are respectful towards and can work well with any other religious faith that isn’t trying to burn either books or them. We are aware of our history and we know that 9 million women were not, in fact, burned as witches. We also know that more then one sect did the burning and that men were persecuted, as well. We prefer real history to propaganda and we expect Pagan historians and writers to follow the same high standards for scholarship that apply to non-Pagans working in the same fields.

Hi-diddly-ho, neighbor-ino!

To hear the media tell it, you’d think we’re all huddled together for safety in a gothic ruin just outside of town. (Mind you, that could be fun, but good gothic ruins are in short supply these days.) It is important to note many of us live in standard housing, and many are in relationships with people who are not Pagan themselves. We also have non-Pagan friends. To the media members who like to paint that cult-like picture, I say that this is a belief system and an ethical practice, not the Adams Family. (And, again, could be fun...but I digress) In truth, Pagans, like the Old Gods, exist anywhere you’d care to look.

Both the Problem and the Solution

21st Century Pagans are, by and large, very comfortable living in a multi-cultural milieu. While it is true that most of us are Caucasian that fact is slowly changing over time. Look to see for more Pagan people of color and more professional Pagans coming out of the closet in the next two decades.

What problems there are in the Pagan community, and there are quite a few, are the same sorts of problems you'll find in any community. It's a people thing, not a Pagan-only thing. We're working on it, mostly by enforcing fair boundaries and standards.

We Were Green Before It Was Trendy

Many of our friends and members are involved in various green movements. They also work to preserve open space and volunteer with local wildlife rescue groups. (You'll find more of those Gaia's Guardians, popping up again and again in groups like this).

As a group, Pagans are becoming more and more concerned about issues like over population, global warming, and economic fairness. That concern translates into action in a number of creative, progressive and grass roots efforts.

Earthwise Ethics

21st Century Pagans tell us that their lives are a juggling act as they try to balance their public and private concerns. Pagan ethics are being debated as never before, as are issues of money and power. Pagans tell us that they see no shame in having money because money allows them to have both freedom and security. At the same time, they won’t compromise their values to get it. Some of them choose to work in lower paying or part- time jobs in order to fulfill certain needs, attend classes or to spend more time with their family. Some others choose to focus on their careers.

Moonstone, Cackle & Hawk, Attorneys at Law

Kidding aside, Professional Pagans are every bit as successful as their non-Pagan colleagues. There are more of these people in the Broom Closet because they have more to loose. But you can expect to see more of them coming out of that closet over time.

Whatever our folks do for a living, they work hard for their money and they would like some respect for that fact. Anyone who calls them a ‘sell out” for merely having money is missing the point. Having money isn’t the problem. The trick is to use it wisely, humanely and responsibly. The same, they say, goes for power. Look for this debate to continue as more Pagans from the middle and upper classes step forward and announce their presence.

Blessed Be....and thanks!

21st Century Pagans are constantly faced with a choice between freedom and responsibility, between using power and following an ethical path and between choosing what’s right for themselves and at the same time caring for others and the planet as a whole. A lot of these people could use some more sleep and a few more hours in the day but other than that, they are doing just fine. Most of them tell us that, all things considered, they have a lot to be grateful for.

With A Little Help From Our Friends

That doesn’t mean, however, that everything is perfect. A great many of us have survived dysfunctional families, dysfunctional relationships and/or dysfunctional religions. We’ve all grown up in this crazy, dysfunctional culture and that alone has had its effect. As a result, some of our people are in recovery from alcohol, drug or process addictions. Some of them are grappling with issues of codependency and intimacy. Many of our people have been hurt by sexism, homophobia or some other form of prejudice at some point in their lives. Some suffer from depression or are grieving a loss while others cope with a physical disability or deal with the illness of a loved one. As a result, many Pagans have chosen to use psychotherapy and other forms of emotional healing in concert with their ritual work. As a group they tell me that their spiritual practice compliments and supports their personal growth in ways they never imagined possible. We are just now beginning to see what a powerful, healing combination this can be for us as a people and as a culture. I predict that we’ll see more Pagan therapists, and Pagan-friendly Support Groups as time goes on.

Thou Shalt Not Appear on Reality TV

The reasons people become Pagan differ widely, but as far we can tell, very few adults are Pagan because they thought it was a trendy thing to do. Many of us see our practice as a private matter.

It used to be that people never talked about politics, religion or sex. Then it seemed that these three things were all that some people could talk about. 21st Century Pagans tend to prefer balance in most things, including how “out” we are and why. Unless we are “Dressed to Express” for a Pagan ritual or holiday, as I said, you often can’t tell by just looking at us that we are Pagan.

It's Not About Command & Control. It's About Connection & Communion

The longer I do this work, the more I see an emphasis on connection. This makes sense in a century where more and more people are drawn to Paganism because of its positive and healing aspects. Most of us are moving towards a deeper, more meaningful spiritual practice and we will be the judge of what speaks to us and what does not. We’d like teachers to guide us in some cases, but we don’t need gurus.

Over two thirds of our members define themselves as Solitaries and rarely work in Circles or attend group events. Some of this is simply personal preference. Some of it is do to the fact that some Pagans have not liked the “feel” of some of the groups they’ve come into contact with. They don’t need or expect perfection in their Circle members but they do want to see healthy and honest interaction within the group. If they don’t get that from a Circle, they leave.

As many of us have seen, groups that engage in dysfunctional behavior tend to break apart over time. We also see that the groups who maintain a positive focus and avoid the so called “Witch Wars” do well. As Anne Hill notes, it's time for us to take our skills and ethics into the wider world. Those Pagans who know how to handle and resolve internal conflict, share power and responsibility amongst their members and give back to the larger community and who cooperate with Pagan and other groups will grow and prosper over time.

Al Gore likes to quote this African proverb:

If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

It's worth remembering. (3)

You Are Not Alone

You may have thought you were alone out there as you walked between worlds. Not so. You’re on the leading edge, I’ll grant you that, but you are what Paganism looks like as we begin the 21st Century. You created this community. You did it by recreating yourselves as the kind of person you always wanted to be. While most of us feel that we’re still a work in progress please take some time this month all the work you’ve done and to acknowledge all the progress that you’ve made.

Go well, stay well,

Sia

Off the Shelf:

Pagans and the Law by Diana Elders

Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca by Kerr Cuhulain

Paganism: An Introduction to Earth Centered Religions by Joyce Higginbotham

Endnotes:

(1) The member list currently stands at 2,132 and counting. Membership is free. To be included in our list of friends and supporters, go here. Please note: Full Circle does not share, give away or sell our mailing list. You can read more about Full Circle at our webpage.

(2) It's because we know that black cats and dogs are hardest to adopt out, and they are often euthanized first whenever a shelter becomes crowded.

(3) My thanks to Rowan Fairgrove, Librarian Bard, for the quote.

Art: Brown Eyed Girl by Rolf Armstrong. What goes around, comes around. This painting dates from 1913, but I could swear that I saw this 20 something girl at Powells Books browsing the Women's Spirituality section, just the other day.

Article with Pagan Soldier in New Witch

Sia's Post:

Pagan Warrior Update:

I've just been informed by the publisher that New Witch Magazine will feature an interview with a Pagan member of the military recently returned from serving in Iraq. This interview will appear in their July 07 issue.

You can find a review of this magazine by Mammawitch here. She writes book reviews for Pagan parents at the Music for the Goddess website.

You can also check out the New Witch blog.

Off the Shelf:

PaganGaia

SageWoman Magazine

New Witch Magazine

Full Disclosure: These magazines are published by Anne Niven & Co. over at BBI Media. Anne is an old pal 'o mine, and my work has appeared in PanGaia.

all good things,

Sia

Help Support Full Circle: Any money made from book sales via the Powell's Books or Amazon links at this blog goes to support non-profit efforts such as the Pagan Voting Project, the Spiral Steps Support Groups, The Gaia's Guardian's Project (which supports those who do companion animal & wildlife rescue and work to protect the environment), and the Earthwise Networking Project (which helps like-minded folks connect to do some good where they live). Thank you so much.

Art: New Witch Magazine: Cover of current issue, featuring Australian singer/ songwriter Wendy Rule.