Learners Inherit the Earth

In times of change learners inherit the earth
while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped
to work in a world that no longer exists.

- Eric Hoffer

Over the course of my life I've met many learned and intelligent people in a wide variety of fields. Out of all these very few were truly wise. (1) With that in mind, I'm posting this Wikipedia excerpt on Eric Hoffer and learning in honor of Pagan Values Month.

One abiding Pagan value is learning. It's a good value but only if one extends it beyond mere book learning and only if we are committed to learning and questioning what it is we think we know over the course of our lifetime. Pagans, as a group, have always valued learning. At the same time, we have also been willing to question received wisdom. Learners sit right in the center of that paradox, laughing and sharing the joke.

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time

- T.S. Eliot

Many of us are now facing the challenge of re-training. Others are challenged by life itself to look deep inside and learn more about ourselves. We have been asked to confront the lessons we received from our family of origin, our path and our culture in order to better understand our personal choices. We are asked, as I have noted before, to bravely face our Shadow Sides and to become actors in this life, not re-actors.

Between the conception
and the creation
Between the emotion
And the response
Lies the Shadow

- T.S. Eliot

Eric Hoffer's writing on learning, work, self esteem and values are deeply relevant to earthwise foks as we question our own wisdom, tolerance and emotional intelligence, both as individuals and within our groups. (2) His ideas are particularly useful to those of us who seek to find meaning in our daily livess.

Hoffer was among the first to recognize the central importance of self-esteem to psychological well-being. While most recent writers focus on the benefits of a positive self-esteem, Hoffer focused on the consequences of a lack of self-esteem. Concerned about the rise of totalitarian governments, especially those of Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin, he tried to find the roots of these "madhouses" in human psychology. He postulated that fanaticism and self-righteousness are rooted in self-hatred, self-doubt, and insecurity. As he describes in The True Believer, he believed a passionate obsession with the outside world or with the private lives of other people is merely a craven attempt to compensate for a lack of meaning in one's own life.

The mass movements discussed in The True Believer include religious mass movements as well as political, including extensive discussions of Islam and Christianity. They also include seemingly benign mass movements which are neither political nor religious. A core principle in the book is Hoffer's insight that mass movements are interchangeable; he notes fanatical Nazis later becoming fanatical Communists, fanatical Communists later becoming fanatical anti-Communists, and Saul, persecutor of Christians, becoming Paul, a fanatical Christian himself. For the true believer the substance of the mass movement isn't so important as that he or she is part of that movement. Hoffer furthermore suggests that it is possible to head off the rise of an undesirable mass movement by substituting a benign mass movement, which will give those prone to joining movements an outlet for their insecurities.

Hoffer's work was original, staking out new ground largely ignored by dominant academic trends of his time. In particular, Hoffer's work was completely non-Freudian, at a time when almost all American psychology was confined to the Freudian paradigm. Many argue Hoffer's lack of a formal University education contributed to his independent thought, with his book remaining an insightful classic today.

Inchworm, inchworm
Measuring the marigolds
You and your arithmetic
You'll probably go far

Inchworm, inchworm
Measuring the marigolds
Why don't you stop and see
How beautiful they are

- lyrics, Mark Rew

Here's to the Learners among us.

Sia

Related Articles:

The Bard and the Poser

Neo-Pagans and Self Actualization

Scared Snakes & Lizard Brain OR What Helps You Hope?

Recommended Reading:

Raising Self-Relient Children in a Self Indulgent World by H. Stephen Glenn


Endnotes:

(1) By that I mean, very few were that mix of intelligence, perceptiveness, diligence, understanding, ethics, shrewdness, courage, experience, self awareness, intuition, learning, ethics, sense of humor, pragmatism, perspective and compassion that I associate with wisdom and fewer still had found a balance between the needs of body, mind and spirit. For the record, I include my self in the list of those striving for but not yet attaining wisdom.

(2) Here, for example, is food for thought from Hoffer on the subject of transition and extended adolescence in American culture:

Hoffer's insights into the consequences of a lack of self-esteem also informed his later writings...In Hoffer's view, rapid change is not a positive thing for a society, and too rapid change can cause a regression in maturity for those who were brought up in a very different society than what that society has become. He noted that in the 1960s America had many young adults still living in extended adolescence.

...He sees these puberty rites as essential for self-esteem, and notes that mass movements and juvenile mindsets tend to go together to the point that anyone, no matter what age, who joins a mass movement immediately begins to exhibit juvenile behavior. He further notes that the reason working class Americans did not by and large join in the 1960s protest movements and subcultures was they had entry into meaningful labor as an effective rite of passage out of adolescence, while both the very poor on welfare and the affluent are, in his words "prevented from having a share in the world's work and of proving their manhood by doing a man's work and getting a man's pay" (sic) and thus remained in a state of extended adolescence, lacking in necessary self-esteem, and prone to joining mass movements as a form of compensation. Hoffer suggested that this need for meaningful work as a rite of passage into adulthood could be fulfilled with a 2-year civilian national service program (not unlike the earlier programs during the Depression such as the Civilian Conservation Corps), in which all young adults would do two years of work in fields such as construction or natural resources work. He writes: "The routinization of the passage from boyhood to manhood would contribute to the solution of many of our pressing problems. I cannot think of any other undertaking that would dovetail so many of our present difficulties into opportunities for growth."

Pagan Values: Cherish Mamma Gaia and Clean Up Your Mess

People not clear on the concept.

Sadly,

Sia

Related Articles:


Stonehenges Pagans aren't a patch on the past
One journalist thinks the Stonehenge crowd have got it wrong.

Pagans litter Stonehenge
Oh, really? Just how many of the litter bugs were Pagans or Druids, pray? How many were heedless ravers, drug wasted wannabes and obnoxious tourists?

Record crowds at Stonehenge

Pagan Party Goers and Naked Bicycle Riders
Celebrating solstice in the Pacific Northwest

A Sense of Place:
Added 6/23
...and some people get it. Hecate is one of those. Here is an excerpt but do read the whole thing.

Paganism is, at least IMHO, a religion of place. It's wonderful to love Mamma Gaia and the entire planet, but the daily practice of Paganism is hugely involved, I think, in the business of being in deeper and deeper relationship with one's own particular landbase/watershed/genius loci. It's largely about becoming familiar with, listening to, doing right by, and helping to turn the wheel in concert with the particular spirits of your particular place. And that's something that I think that American Pagans, especially, haven't yet done or learned how to do, which may partly explain our longing for (insert your spot here) Stonehenge, Avebury, Bridget's Well, the Caves in Lascaux, Crete, the Parthenon, ancient Egypt, etc.

Fighting Fair

In honor of Pagan Values Month, I'm going to re-post an article I wrote in 2007 titled Fighting Fair. I have also added in additional material from a excellent website on Pagan Bullying. I hope you find this useful. SV

*****

Most of us would prefer never to fight with our friends and loved ones and many of us will go to great lengths to avoid any kind of conflict. But conflict is inevitable, and anger, if used correctly, is a gift.

I don't care how spiritual you are, you are going to have some anger. It's a human thing. Disagreements are bound to occur between people (no matter how well meaning or well matched) who interact for X amount of time. Whether we live with them, work with them, raise our kids with them, or share time with them in Circle, we are eventually going to be in conflict with the other people in our lives over something. The problem isn't that we fight. The problem is that we do it so badly. The problem is that we don't fight fair. And for most of us, fighting fair is not something we learned at home.

The Little Things

People who share the same religious, political and ethical values will still fight, they'll just fight over how each squeezes the toothpaste tube or who's turn it is to clean the cat box. These fights may seem trivial to outsiders, but they can be the thing that turns loving people into The Bickersons; folks who constantly snipe at one another over the same things over and over again because they never resolve the core issues.

Identifying Core Issues

Anger, can be helpful. It is usually our best clue that some part of our self is in danger or that our boundaries are being pushed in ways we aren't comfortable with. It can also alert us to unrealistic expectations in the relationship (ours and other people's), as well as control issues or codependency. Refusing to acknowledge our anger does not make the problem go away. In fact, it can make things worse.

Anger is Energy

It might help us to think of anger in the same way as we think of the four elements. Anger is like earth, fire, water or air in that it is real and very powerful. Anger has it's own laws and properties and it has to be understood in order for us to use it's inherent energy most effectively. If being a Pagan means that we try to live our lives as fully as we can then dealing with anger and learning to fight fair can be seen as an important part of our spiritual path.

The Ground Rules:

Some important Ground Rules for fighting fair are listed at the end of this post, along with some useful links. Most of us were not taught how to do this, so do your homework, and don't expect do this perfectly the first time, or even the fifth.

Practice Helps

If you are worried that you might become too upset when you decide to tell someone that you are angry with them, try practicing with a friend first. This is called roleplaying, and it can be very effective.

The Dangers of Unspoken Anger

We all have anger. If we can't express that anger in healthy ways tend to build up resentments over time. When people build up too many unspoken resentments, they may eventually come to a point where talking about the problem can no longer heal it.

Avoiding conflict may seem easier in the long run, but people often find that they come away from broken relationships with regrets that can haunt them for years afterward. Some people learn nothing from past relationships and they tend to make the same emotional mistakes over and over again. Not learning from our mistakes and repeating them constantly can be it's own kind of hell. In fact, it's the only kind of hell that I, as a Pagan, believe in.

Unspoken anger can also lead us to drink too much, eat unhealthy food, work to excess, worry ourselves sick or spend too much money. All these unhealthy behaviors are a way of masking and avoiding our problems and they only make the situation worse. The anger we feel towards ourselves or the resentments we feel towards others but don't express can often turn inward and develop into depression. Depression can keep us locked in place and keep us from making the changes we need to make in our lives. Therefore, learning how to express our anger and using it to fight fair can be very liberating, as well as deeply healing.

That Perfect Couple, Isn't

Ironically, partners who never fight are at most risk for eventual separation.

The author's of Good and Mad put it this way:

It's important to remember that conflict in a relationship actually demonstrates that partners care and that they trust each other enough to face those conflicts. Successful conflict builds trust that leads to true intimacy and love.

When I teach workshops on Women and anger, I make a point of saying that "if I care about our relationship, I am willing to be in conflict with you. If I don't, I'll walk away." Never saying "I'm angry" isn't love, it's denial.

What If It's Not Safe to Express Our Anger?

We can't always tell someone, like a boss, say, that we are angry with them. In that case, we might want to tell someone else just what is bothering us. Or we might want to journal about this or do a ritual that helps us to speak and then release this anger.

Dealing with bosses is tricky. You might want to pick up some books about setting appropriate boundaries in the workplace, and dealing with difficult people. (One such is listed below).

We have a saying in Spiral Steps about anger, " If you don't pass it back, you pass it on. "

So do whatever you need to do to release your anger so it doesn't make you sick, and also, so that you don't pass it on to people who don't deserve it.

A Different Mirror

Anger can also help us understand some of our own issues and character defects more fully. Have you ever noticed how people who have our very same character flaws enrage us? It's like looking into a mirror and it can make us very uncomfortable. Seen in this way, anger can be viewed as a difficult gift, as well as a source of great personal insight.

Anger Junkies (AKA Rageaholics)

Some people will seek out conflict with others as a way to release pent up energy around issues they can't or won't acknowledge, issues that have nothing to do with the "reason" for the fight in question but which serve as a outlet for their aggression, and may even bring them closer to unconscious or hidden goals.

Partners and groups do this a lot. So do countries.

Are you or is someone you know a rageaholic? If so, here is some information on the mind of the rageaholic.

Pagan Bullies:

There are always going to be bullies in the world. This excellent site titled Pagan Bullies offers a great deal of useful advice on how to spot a bully in your circle or group and how to deal with bullies, bullying and denial on the part of others about such dysfunctional behavior. (1)

Do You Want To Know a Secret?

It's this: The universe will set things up so that you can practice fighting fair on people who don't matter all that much to you in the greater scheme of things. If we learn how to express our anger towards these people in ways that are respectful, effective and healthy, then we have a much easier time of it when we have to set a boundary with a loved one, a friend, or the boss. I give you fair warning: If we skip these initial lessons because we are too afraid even to try, then we will find that the lessons we are sent as we travel further down the road much, much harder to deal with. Therefore, I have found it helps to take a moment and let that rude salesperson know how I feel (calmly, firmly and politely). Then I silently bless them for giving me the opportunity to practice fighting fair. (Of course, I also take the time to compliment people when they do a good job. That kind of thing has to go both ways to be truly fair.)

They're Driving Me Crazy

We sometimes wonder how our partner, lover, boss or best friend, ever got to be so %$@! difficult. (And for the record, they are wondering the same thing about us.) For those who have these questions I would recommend a book titled “John Bradshaw on The Family. Bradshaw focuses on the dynamics of the family and he explains how the dysfunctional rules and attitudes we learned while growing up can continue to haunt us into adulthood if they are not addressed. He offers practical solutions to help people move from unconscious, dysfunctional behavior to happier, more conscious ways of being. This book has been out for some time, but it has just been updated and re-released. It is a “must read” for anyone attempting to move beyond the lessons they learned growing up in a dysfunctional family or for that matter, in a dysfunctional culture. It comes in both cassette and book form.

It's A Learned Skill, And It Takes Practice To Do It Well

Like any other skill, learning how to fight fair and learning how to express your anger in healthy ways gets better with practice. So hang in there. You'll be glad you did, and so will your loved ones.

Sia

Some Important Ground Rules:

This site lists some excellent ground rules for fighting fair. To my mind, the most important of these is "Use I Messages". Here is an excerpt from that webpage (and I strongly recommend reading the whole thing.)

Remain calm. Try not to overreact to difficult situations. By remaining calm it will be more likely that others will consider your viewpoint.

Express feelings in words, not actions. Telling someone directly and honestly how you feel can be a very powerful form of communication. If you start to feel so angry or upset that you feel you may lose control, take a "time out" and do something to help yourself feel steadier - take a walk, do some deep breathing, pet the cat, play with the dog, do the dishes - whatever works for you.

Be specific about what is bothering you. Vague complaints are hard to work on.

Deal with only one issue at a time. Don't introduce other topics until each is fully discussed. This avoids the "kitchen sink" effect where people throw in all their complaints while not allowing anything to be resolved.

No "hitting below the belt." Attacking areas of personal sensitivity creates an atmosphere of distrust, anger, and vulnerability.

Avoid accusations. Accusations will cause others to defend themselves. Instead, talk about how someone's actions made you feel.

Don't generalize. Avoid words like "never" or "always." Such generalizations are usually inaccurate and will heighten tensions.

Avoid "make believe." Exaggerating or inventing a complaint - or your feelings about it - will prevent the real issues from surfacing. Stick with the facts and your honest feelings.

Don't stockpile. Storing up lots of grievances and hurt feelings over time is counterproductive. It's almost impossible to deal with numerous old problems for which interpretations may differ. Try to deal with problems as they arise.

Avoid clamming up. When one person becomes silent and stops responding to the other, frustration and anger can result. Positive results can only be attained with two-way communication.

Establish common ground rules. You may even want to ask your partner-in-conflict to read and discuss this brochure with you. When parties accept positive common ground rules for managing a conflict, resolution becomes much more likely.

Spiral Steps Support Groups: An On-line meeting where all are welcome

There is a safe place where you can go to work on these issues. It is the on-line Spiral Steps Support Group. This is an anonymous, non-cross talk meeting based on earthwise ethics. This is a non-denominational group, all are welcome; and while it is not Pagan-only, it is very Pagan-friendly and a good many of it's members identify as some flavor of Pagan.

The on-line group has been active since May of 2005. It has an international membership of over 300 people. For more information about the Spiral Steps and Traditions I recommend reading Making A Sea Change: The Spiral Steps Support Groups and visiting the website at www.spiralsteps.org.

Go well, stay well,

Sia

Links:

Tips for Fighting Fair in Relationships

and here are some tips for fighting fair on-line

The Art of Fighting Fair

10 Common Myths About Anger

Off the Shelf:

Fighting Fair by John Bradshaw

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss what Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, et al

Thank You for Being Such a Pain: Spiritual Guidance for Dealing with Difficult People by Mark I Rosen

The Price of Nice by John Bradshaw (audiocassette)

Bradshaw On: The Family by John Bradshaw
This next title will be of great help to anyone leading a Circle, Coven or Group.

Antagonists in the Church: How to Identify and Deal With Destructive Conflict
by Kenneth C. Haugk.

This book is a "must read' for any Pagan Organizer or Circle Leader. While the focus is Christian, the information this book contains is useful to anyone who provides spiritual guidance, training or leadership in our community. I first heard about this book from Isaac Bonwitz and I have found it very useful in my own work.

Good and Mad: Transform Anger Using Mind, Body, Soul and Humor by Jane Middleton-Moz

People Patterns: A Modern Guide to the Four Temperaments by Stephen Montgomery

Do you have conflict with a partner? Ignore the title. I would recommend this book to anyone in a committed relationship.

Now That I'm Married, Why Isn't Everything Perfect?: The 8 Essential Traits of Couples Who Thrive by Susan Page.

To keep things in perspective:

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff in Love (Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Series) by Richard Carlson and Kristin Carlson.


Endnotes:

(1) The author writes:

Most people, when asked why Paganism appeals to them as a spiritual path would cite as part of the reason the tolerance, compassion and acceptance that they found from others in the community. Generally speaking, this would be a fair statement - most Pagans are like this. Unfortunately, as in all religions, there are some who are not as interested in the spiritual aspects as they are in gaining and keeping power over others.

Unfortunately some Pagan communities are infested with bullies who are intent on creating rifts between people so that they gain control of the communities they deal with. The most common way these people achieve this is through the spreading of rumours and lies in an effort to drive targeted people out of the community and make those remaining afraid of sharing the same fate if they take a stand against the bully.

Persons who act this way are a great danger to our communities, and not just to individual people. They help to confirm the negative image that mainstream society already has about Paganism, and this is not beneficial in our struggle for religious equality. We need to put our differences aside, stop trying to make ourselves feel superior by bad-mouthing others, and grow up already!

While an incredibly diverse crowd, individual Pagans often have a few things in common: 1) we are usually well educated (or at least well-read) and more aware of history, environmental issues, current events and politics than the average population; 2) most of us are tolerant of differences between people, and able to live and let live; 3) many of us have been emotionally wounded at some point in our lives; and 4) we have almost always left mainstream religions, whether of our own volition or because we felt rejected by them. This wounding and/or religious rejection leaves some of us vulnerable, or at least sensitive to the opinions of others.

Unfortunately it can also make for a predator's paradise because they can choose from plenty of people and be fairly confident that no one in the Community will come to their target's aid. It thus becomes easy for bullies to gain control of the situation and the community, able to drive out those who take a stand against them and manipulate whoever is left over. Gradually those left drift away and join other communities or become solitary. This is how Pagan communities fall apart...

Carol P. Christ on Pagan Values

Today, I would like to offer a quote from Carol P. Christ on Pagan values:

Nurture life. Walk in love and beauty. Trust the knowledge that comes through the body. Speak the truth about conflict, pain, and suffering. Take only what you need. Think about the consequences of your actions for seven generations. Approach the taking of life with great restraint. Practice great generosity. Repair the web

Pagan Values Month:

MetaPagan is following some of the posts on this topic. Their list seems to be limited only to those essays with the words "Pagan values" in the title and they are not searching Live Journal where some interesting posts are found but it's a place to start. Another place to look would be Alltop - Pagan news.

Go well, stay well,

Sia

Posted in honor of Pagan Values Month

Related Articles:

Ethics, Ecology and Gold

Recovering From Our Culture: Why Words Matter

Someone You Should Know: Carol P. Christ

Tit for Tat OR What Would Sekmet Do?

Art: Hera by Susan Seddon Boulet

The arguments we have with ourselves

Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.
~ Anton Chekhov

Dr. Brendan Myers at Northwest Passage has some insightful and very honest things to say about the passing of the Deo's Shadow website and the reaction of some Pagans to the podcasters switch from Paganism to Atheism. The entire post is worth reading. I was struck by his thoughts about the ways in which some in the Pagan community relate to philosophical vs factual knowledge; this is something I've pondered for some time. He writes:

Many pagans are highly knowledgeable about history, archaeology, language, folklore, and the sciences. This I think is undeniable, and indeed praiseworthy. But most of this knowledge is factual knowledge, not philosophical knowledge.

Factual knowledge is welcomed and encouraged in pagan society: indeed people can obtain some prestige in pagan society by being well informed on obscure yet interesting topics. Factual knowledge, however, is not by itself enough to make the pagan community flourish. Factual knowledge of the social order in Iron-age Scotland, for instance, simply does not logically imply knowledge of how we today ought to live. To claim otherwise, as in the argument "The ancient Scots (or whatever culture) did ritual / family life / trade / etc in this way, therefore we should do so too" (or some variation thereof, perhaps with disclaimers and caveats to accomodate the realities of 21st century life) -- is to commit the naturalistic fallacy.

Philosophical knowledge is the knowledge of how to separate the real from the unreal, the right from the wrong, the true from the false, the beautiful from the trite. This kind of knowledge is philosophical when it is a product of sustained systematic reason. This kind of knowledge, however, is often specifically rejected by pagans. This happens when, for instance, pagans claim that reliable knowledge can be obtained primarily (or only) through non-rational means such as magical sight, through "gut intuition", etc. This also happens when someone says that "head knowledge" or "book knowledge" is worthless, and that intellectual reasoning about our problems is "too hard", "too scary", or "missing the point", or even "an obstacle to true spiritual experience".

As a man once said, "Out of the arguments we have with ourselves come poetry" and in the best poetry we find truth. I would argue for emotional truth, for poetic truth, as a Pagan value. That said, I would never live a life based simply on what I thought my ancestors I did. I will not deny facts in favor of fantasy. That, too, is a Pagan value. I may be inspired by my heritage, I may be guided by those who went before and use their example to find my own way, but I do not need to copy them slavishly, even supposing I could.

Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance.
~ Carl Sandburg

I have found the Pagan path intellectually and spirituality fulfilling because I have been willing to question my assumptions and beliefs from day one. For me, these questions are important for many reasons, not least of which is that by asking them I will learn what it is I do not know.

I think that asking questions all along our path, and not being afraid of the answers, is a vital Pagan value. What do you think?

Sia

Posted in honor of Pagan Values Month

The distinction between historian and poet is not in the one writing prose and the other verse... the one describes the thing that has been, and the other a kind of thing that might be. Hence poetry is something more philosophic and of graver import than history, since its statements are of the nature rather of universals, whereas those of history are singulars.
~ Aristotle, On Poetics

Related Articles:

Brenden Myers: Are you Pondering What I'm Pondering?

Living La Vida Virtuosa - Ann Hill reviews of The Other Side of Virtue by Brenden Myers

A Pagan Testament and Talking About The Elephant

The Witches Ball: When A Party Stands for Pagan Values

Among the values I hold dear as a Pagan is the idea that it's important to do good and work within the larger community in order to show other people what Pagans are really like. Which is why I throw great parties.

I will explain: It is not enough for me to simply organize a May Pole dance in a park (much as I adore dancing with a bevy of Green Men in spring). I believe in organizing earthwise projects that support local charities and grass root causes. This is why I developed and produced our Full Circle Witches' Balls while I lived in California.

The Witches' Ball

These parties, which occurred every year before Samhain, drew Pagans and others from all Northern California and the western states to participate in a gala costume ball and charity event for our local Humane Society. During the ball we presented the Gaia's Guardian Award which came with a $250 check for someone (not necessarily Pagan) who had done good work that "benefited Mamma Gaia and her creatures". As we said every year, "what counts are good deeds and a noble heart". (1) We also raised thousands of dollars every year for companion animals that had been abused as well as for those that needed extra medical care and/or had special needs. (2)

Our Witches' Ball was purely a social event. It was family-friendly as well as being drug and alcohol free. It took a full year to plan and organize and the people on our various committees came from a variety of faiths and traditions. It worked so well that some years later we added a Beltane Ball, as well.

Making It So

My council members and I believed in this work so much that we put our own money on the line to make it happen. If you think that's easy, then throw your families' credit card across a table and book a huge hall for $8,000 before some bride gets there before you. Then spend the next year hoping desperately that enough people and vendors will come to make it all worthwhile.

The Bohemian Ball

Every year we would pick a costume theme that would inspire our attendees. As a former educator, I took advantage of this teachable moment to pick themes that would say something about the roots of Pagan culture, as with our Bohemian Ball. (3)

Here is what one newspaper writer saw that night:

Over 700 attendees from as far away as Oregon and Arizona came to the Witches Ball dressed in a ruffled menagerie of costumes. Corsets abounded. Biter spotted people dressed up like sailors, gypsies, 19th-century aristocrats, snake charmers, broke poets, writers, street performers, magicians, mediums and prostitutes. A few folks even showed up in limos.

Despite the "Witches" moniker, this was not an event restricted to pagans. Biter found Christians, Buddhists, and even agnostics among the organizers and attendees. Senior citizens and kids dressed up as well. And the whole thing, oddly, was a benefit for the Humane Society of Santa Clara Valley. "You've got people with tattoos and piercings and then you've got grandmothers and children," said our lovely tour guide. "Everyone can be here, and no one is considered odd. It's a family event for the humane society and it's a good way to show people [on the outside] who we are."

The Silk Road Ball

One year, at the beginning of the Iraq war, I choose a theme designed to remind people of a period in history when vastly different cultures and faiths mingled peacefully, sharing scientific and religious ideas, along with trade goods, spices and art. This was our Silk Road ball. The Silk Road period was also a time when women had a great deal more freedom, power and autonomy within these cultures. Again, we had a teachable moment... (4)

The Fairy Ball

Sometimes we focused on play, on the life force and on color, joy and light, as with our now famous Fairy Ball. Some muse must have guided us that year because that's the one that came three weeks after 9/11. I thought we'd loose our shirts. But people needed something life affirming just then. They didn't want to be alone. They were finally ready to step away from the news box, and they wanted connection and support. Above all, they wanted to help, they wanted to do something, anything they could, in order to tip the scales away from the horrors they had witnessed. We were tripping over volunteers that night and the attendees! My gosh, I've never seen so many beautiful costumes. And if you don't count the last Inauguration, I've not seen so many people being kind and having fun in one place. It turned out to be the largest and most successful ball we ever held.

When A Party Stands for Pagan Values:

So, here is my Pagan values post for today: I believe in putting my money where my mouth is. I believe in giving back and doing what I can to help children, animals and others in need. As Terry Pratchett says, "A witch stands for those who cannot stand for themselves." I believe in working with people who are smarter and far more creative than I am because they raise my game. I believe in throwing great parties that bring people together for a good cause. I believe in the awesome power of belly dancers to raise energy, heat and hearts, and that a DJ who knows how to spin the right mix is a rock'n Shaman. I believe that working for a good cause is as important to me spiritually, personally and emotionally, as those times when my friends and I gather under the moon, and I love that moon thing a lot. And I believe in reaching out to those of like minds because when you gather us together with the many Great Hearts from other faiths and traditions you can no longer say that Pagans are a small, disorganized, fringe group of crazies who yak on uselessly about silly things like climate change and civil rights but who do nothing to make the world a better place. Finally, I believe in standing on a roof top (or in this case, a stage) and saying "This is who we are. This is what we stand for. These are the actions that prove it." Our annual Witches' Ball did all that during the Bush Administration.

Are you throwing a Pagan event this year? If so, what does it say about your core values and beliefs?

Sia

Related Articles:

Review of the Mounlin Rouge Ball -Absent of Absinthe by Gary Singh

Gaia's Guardians

Thanks (yet again) to all our Council Members, Directors, Chairs, volunteers, web builders, decorators, vendors, entertainers and friends who made these events possible. It took a village, believe me; a village of funny, smart, talented, dedicated people, all of whom worked long hours without pay. I will always be grateful for the things you taught me and for the pleasure of your company.

Pagans and Earthwise Groups Doing Charity Work

Endnotes:


(1) Gaia's Guardian Award:

Some Previous 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.

(2) The Humane Society of Santa Clara, which is one of the largest animal shelters in the U.S. has just moved from a set of sad, delapated buildings built in the 1950's to a state-of-the-art facility with a medical unit: Check it out.

My respect and thanks go to all the good people in Silicon Valley who made this new shelter possible and to the staff at that shelter who give so much to the animals in their care.

(3) The Bohemians in Paris: As we noted on our event site, "The term Bohemian was used then to describe free living, free thinking people. Bohemians questioned the social conventions of their day and they were independent, artistic, witty, and colorful. They believed that one could make one's life into art and that art should reflect real life. They were enthralled with the mystery and wonder of existence." Add to this, that many were sad, aimless middle class kids who were only playing at art and who killed themselves by drinking and drugging too much or dying of STD's.

The Bohemian counterculture, for both good and ill, influenced the Beat Generation, which in turn influenced the Hippies, New Age thinkers and feminist communities in the U.S. especially in San Francisco. These movements had (and still have) a large influence on modern Pagan culture and I wanted people to see beyond the fabulous clothes to the issues of freedom vs responsibility, prosperity vs materialism and healthy sexuality vs exploitation that the Bohemians were dealing in their day and which mirror issues we deal in ours. To be honest, I'm not sure how well I succeeded in that goal, but we sure had a great time.

(4) The Silk Road: For more information on this period I recommend reading Life Along the Silk Road by Susan Whitfield

Posted in honor of Pagan Values Month

Hecate on Pagan Values

Hecate's post on Pagan values is worth reading.

Excerpt:

I value a mythopoetic explanation of the world that complements my scientific understanding of the same. I value the ability to part the veils, the chance to ground daily, the glimpse of what it could be like to live in a world where the king and the land are one. I value flow and fire, the ability to be silent and how the last light over the dark west went while morning at the brown brink eastward springs and the holy ghost over the bent world broods with warm breast and with, ah! bright wings. I value the Spiral Dance. I value poetry. I value the dark. I value the shadow. I value my willingness to let the infinite touch the buckle of my spine and I value the place where change can happen. I value being in touch with things that scare a lot of people and I value valuing that which many devalue.

Yes, yes and yes.

Sia

Posted in honor of Pagan Values month