I have been writing various pages of ranting about my ideas (also referred to as treatises) ever since I began seriously thinking about Religion and Spirituality. Many of these are quite dated, so excuse the poor writing style, (I tried to stay as true to the original wording as possible) and keep in mind I may no longer hold true to some of the things I toss about in these ramblings. I post them here for your perusal, perhaps they will send your own thinking down a new pathway, or at the very least, lend insight into my madness:
The point -- the underlying point of any religion or belief system is to be spiritually fulfilled. This is why there is no "true" religion. Religion isn't about truth -- its about fulfillment. The same things may not fulfill everyone. It doesn't matter what path you follow as long as your need is fulfilled. This is also why it is not wrong to not be religious. If you have no spiritual needs than a beliefe is not necessary. Religion is a personal adventure and you go about it in a way that suits you. If as a person you prefer a strict and structured dogrma -- so be it. People's points of view are different -- just as our needs are different. Religion is about personal fulfillment not about "right and wrong."
I've been trying off and on to read Starhawk's book but I feel like I've been unable to absorb it properly because I haven't really had time to concentrate. Either I've been guiltily sneaking in paragraphs knowing I'm supposed to be reading something else, or I'm reading on an airplane (a situation that speaks for itself.) I've been trying to understand my beliefs/feelings about polarity. When I was first practicing witchcraft I used non-specific Goddess imagery exclusively (notice the terminology here. Part of my brain is stubbornly insisting that because we are not dealing in physical forms or truths, contemplating which "imagery" I use is not necessary. There's probably some truth to that.) In my late years I've become much more inclusive of all kids of imagery -- naming Gods or Goddessess of mythology, etc. However, reading Starhawk's book has made me realize and confront my tendency to avoid/ignore male energies in magick & in the universe. I am not sure why this is the case. I have never conisdered myself a feminist, I have no aversion to males, in fact I often get along better with men than women. What it comes down to is my physical sense. When I am in nature or working with the earth's energies I feel a distinctly female presence there... Perhaps the old "mother earth" phrase is worked into my psyche -- or perhaps I still feel the need to toss of the oppressive Catholicism I associate with male divinity.
However I look at it thought, I wonder if I am not being inconsistent or something by subordinating (even ignoring or omitting) male imagery from my own mythology. I think I honesty have a hard time being in-tune or connecting with those energies. I think I'll have to start seeking to understand them in myself and then see if that doesn't help me lock them down in nature and in magick.
~Thyme
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