Essays by Peregrine

...And Ye Harm None...

This basic law seems a wondrously simple rule, an easy ethos to embrace. Unfortunately, I live with an Arts major who love to play the Devil's Advocate. He forces me to think for myself at every turn.

So, under the microscope goes "Harm None". Harm none. Hmmm, seems simple enough, don't intentionally physically abuse other people. But, the Advocate asked, what about unintentional harm? Ew, that's tricky, says I. What about emotional(or insert any other type of) harm, he asks? Try to be nice I reply with a smile.

Phew! Survived that, I think to myself. But I don't just believe in the physical world, what about astral worlds/beings? Can't harm those either. But that implies more than people, so harm no "beings". Oops! Animals fall into that category. OK, so no hunting, fishing, eating meat, eggs, cheese etc. (Ah crap, I love that stuff!)

But then I got to thinking(oh no!) that plants are beings and they provide shelter to spirits and food and shelter to animals. So I can't eat plants. (Hmmm, I don't think this is going to work unless I can live off water) But the same foolishness can be applied to water. If I follow all this faulty logic I harm myself in the process.

My point, in this work of faulty and circular logic, is that I think "...Harm none..." is a start for forming your own ethos, not The Answer. Sort of a tool, like a koan(a Zen riddle), to help you find your own rules.

Thoughts, questions, points you'd like to ad? Write me! or sign my guestbook!

The 9 goals of Peregrine*

* there doesn't have to be thirteen, no offence Mr.Cunningham!

These are my goals as a witch and a person. Mr.Cunningham has nice ones too but, hey, his path is not mine. Comments or questions please e-mail me. If you have or know of a page with "goals of a witch" that are unique let me know and I'll add a link here.