The Pagan Heart
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February 2005 Issue
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The Spiral Path
By Rebecca SerVoss
For me, February has always seemed to be more about new beguinnings than January. Maybe it's Imbolg's influence, or maybe it's the fact that January sees all the promises while February sees all the follow-throughs. I'm happy to report I've called my mother several times, and have lost 3 pounds. So I guess I'm doing ok on the follow-through. More importantly, I have discovered several things about myself and my path. First, I am not Wiccan. Or at least, I'm not Gardinerian, Alexanderian, or Dianic. It's a fine path for some, even many, but I have a few fundamental difficulties with it. The Three-fold law poses particular issues for me. There doesn't seem to be any historical data to support it. All of my research has suggested it is simply an idea of Gardiner, that was presented as a rule by Buckland, and just seems to have stuck. My research also indicates an attempt by the founders of Wicca to simplify Hinduism's Karma and mold it into a more readily acceptable concept for Westerners unfamiliar with Reincarnation and the rules surrounding it. The Three-times return might be linked to the G initiation practice of flogging the candidate and then allowing the floggee to return the favor Three-fold. Still, I cannot comprehend why we would have different rules from non-Pagans. The precepts governing Karma as set forth in Hinduism just seem to make more sense. Working out all of one's energy exchanges here and now seems contradictory to the idea of Reincarnation, a value held deeply by much of the Pagan community, including myself. So while Wicca is not my home, I owe it respect for getting me started in a direction. Even though it wasn't my ultimate destination. Which brings me to the second thing I have learned about myself this month. I am an Urban Pagan. And that's ok. I used to feel like I wasn't really a Pagan because I loved cities so much. But for me they are not dead lifeless places. Each city I have been in has had its own energy, its own flavor. And, yes, despair and isolation occur with frequency, but so to does compassion. And for me, being Pagan is ultimately more about connecting with people. I am connected with nature and the earth simply by existing. The simple act of breathing connects me to Mother Earth and Father Sky, so long as I remain mindful of that fact. But connecting with people requires balance and work. Two things Paganism seems to value most highly. Ok, bye now. Beca |
Primary Article - Awakening Spirituality
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