This is a very important point. More than Judaism, Christianity or Islam, Neopaganism is a "religion of the book." Many, perhaps most, Pagans are learning their religion primarily or exclusively from books, websites and online forums. If they are lucky, they may meet fellow Pagans face-to-face at occasional festivals, but the vast majority of their spiritual journey is a solitary one. They don't feel the need to support the elders in their Pagan community because they are not part of any Pagan community.
Once upon a time Pagan bookstores and magical supply shops served as a meeting place for magically inclined types. If you wanted an uncommon herb or some particularly rare volume -- which, in the 1970s and 80s, included things like the Farrar's Witches' Bible
and Crowley's Book of the Law -- you had to go to a specialty store. There you could meet others who shared your interests: you might even be able to use their back room for rituals or join the owner's coven if you were deemed worthy. Thanks to Amazon, eBay and other online stores, many of these shops have been driven out of business. That is not to criticize the Web or online business: the automobile forced many buggy makers and horse traders to seek alternate lines of work. But it is impossible to ignore the way that meatspace magical communities have become harder to find as web-based communities have exploded, or to claim that a list moderator has the same kind of presence in a student's life as a face-to-face teacher.Adding to this confusion is the Neopagan idea that "you can be your own high priest/ess." Within British Traditional Witchcraft (and other initiatory systems), attaining a degree required a certain amount of time, study and practice: it cemented your place within the community as a leader whose opinion could be trusted. Within non-initiatory strains of Neopaganism, anyone who wants to claim the title can become "Lord Sapphiredragon Twitchbottom" or "High Priestess Crystal Breakswind."
Quite a few of these self-proclaimed Grand Mucky-Mucks will happily assert their right to be treated as Elders, or at the very least claim that their opinion is just as valid and important as anyone else's. Sure, Priestess Y has been practicing the Craft since before Lord Twitchbottom was a Grand High Zygote and Priest X has written more books on the tradition than HPs Breakswind has read, but authority is for fascists. If your spiritual beliefs are true for you, then by gum they're true. After all, Priest X wasn't in Pre-Christian Celtic Europe, so how does he know the Druids didn't make pumpkin pie and potato casserole to celebrate the Revealing of the Threefold Law?
So how do you determine who the true Elders are in a world where everyone can be a High Priest/ess? I have some thoughts (and wrote an article on this question for newWitch a while back) but I'd be interested in hearing what others have to say.
In an upcoming post I want to address an important point which Alexandra and a few others have raised: how much responsibility should Elders (once we figure out who they are) take for their own well-being? I'd be foolish to deny that many spiritually minded folks have a lousy grasp of economics. There are many Pagan elders whose writings I admire but whom I would not entrust with large sums of money. Rufus Opus has posted some interesting thoughts on the subject in his blog and I would encourage anyone interested in the topic to check his post out.
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14 comments:
What makes an Elder? An Elder, generally, is someone who, by experience and knowledge, gained a position of authority within a certain group. my 2 cents
I don't necessarily disagree with you, but I think the problem is "what defines a group?" Is the interaction on an online forum as spiritually powerful and life-changing as face-to-face teaching? What about the interaction of reading a book by a certain author?
I agree 100% that you're only an elder if your community recognizes you as such. But what about the cases I described above - the people who are practicing their spirituality outside of an organized (or even disorganized) group? If you don't have elders, can you become one?
In most African Diaspora trads, the answer would be no: the knife cannot carve its own handle and spiritual wisdom can only be passed down through one who already holds it. A similar idea exists in most strains of Hinduism (hence the veneration of gurus). And even Jesus felt he needed to be initiated by John the Baptist before he could begin his work. The idea that one can practice spirituality independent of a community and without the teaching of elders is a comparatively new one, which owes a debt to the Protestant Reformation.
1. A solid understanding of not only the basic implications of magick (in the various formats it manifests) but of the other, deeper implications.
2. A willingness to share and act as a springboard for other, younger/newer, practitioners while also affording them room to grow on their own.
3. A refusal to be treated like a guru simply because they've been around longer; every "Elder" worth their salt that I've ever met has insisted that respect is something you earn, not simply demand.
4. They tend to "stand apart" from the crowd in some way. I can't quite explain how/why that is, though.
This is being fairly strict... And I'm aware that the reality of the situation becomes... tricky at times.
Jack: all great points. I particularly like #3, and might even add that the best Elders in my experience are those who accept the role reluctantly. (If you really WANT the headaches that come with being a teacher and spiritual leader, you are either a masochist or grossly misinformed...).
I think we need to be strict on determining who deserves the title "elder." As I said above, it's been seriously debased by the plethora of self-proclaimed grand poobahs.
Kenaz: I would agree with that for the most part. On the other hand: one of my mentors offered to become a springboard when I was 19 or 20 years old, and did so largely because he found being around a young, half-mad Chaos Magician to be "curiously charming." The other, on the other hand, has expressed multiple times that he never really wanted to teach but that because he was technically an "Adept" in grade it became absolutely necessary and part of the path.
As for why anyone would want to "teach"... I have no idea, personally. The mere thought of trying to teach someone at present gives me nightmares.
While the term has been debased I think there's a lot going on under the radar, too, that needs to be brought to light before American Neo-Paganism/Occultism can shift into a more mature gear. I don't mean that in a condemning way, but as a means of acknowledging that there are certain issues which are at present a fairly big deal.
When I asked the local Trad. Witches where to find folks closer to my own age, they almost unanimously insisted that I simply not bother. One stated: "The problem with people of your generation is that most moan that they wanted to be 'trained properly' and then insist they know better, or everything, when one goes to teach them."
This explained a few things to me such as:
1. Many older "Elders" or those in a position to do exactly what I suggested above have been almost completely generation gapped.
2. Few of them remain cognizant of the fact that with the wide-spread flows of information and ease of access, more and more of my generation are reading (and hopefully voraciously!), and may not come to learn as ignorant as others assume.
3. The byproduct of #2 is that not all of the content read can even be called "informational" these days. Some of the larger publishers have allowed, for the last three decades, a large amount of tripe to be produced which leads to mistaken (or intentionally led) conclusions. If the individual reading isn't fairly consistent in using Pattern Recognition when they go about their hunts for "word food," they'll end up with the express situation of pure cognitive dissonance when potential reality and other modes of access intrude.
I see this as being not only a problem of "claimed titles" (I've claimed quite a few, as I state in my blog; but all of them are for humor or irreverence) but also due to the fact that we're all trying to discuss divergent subjects and come to a general consensus. That may sound great, but most of the time it just hasn't or doesn't happen(ed).
Hopefully as time goes on and publishers possibly go under with the economic issues plaguing America things will get better. On the other hand: one can easily image Llewellyn being the last publisher around, besides the small presses, and it inspires visions of horror to my mind.
I don't see the "Elder" issue as standing alone. I see it as something which, along with multiple other issues, has actually continued in America since the 1960s, and has especially plagued the Witch and neo-Pagan population. If the problem is going to be corrected at all, then the only time for doing it is quite honestly right now.
Also, and I forgot to ask this recently: have you ever discussed Voodoo at Pantheacon? Say, for example, at a workshop on "Voodoo Possession" a few years back?
I lost the booklet which had the authors/lecturers regarding the year I'm thinking of, but if it was you: I loved that workshop/lecture. It was frickin' awesome.
Jack: that was me. Was that the workshop wherein I explained "Go over your safety precautions. If any part of your safety precautions include the phrase 'we don't have to worry: Loki is our friend' go BACK over your safety precautions?"
My wife Kathy and I haven't been back to P'Con for a couple years - it's a bit of a schlep from the East Coast for a weekend. But it was definitely a great time. My friend Cliff throws the infamous Green Fairy Absinthe parties and each year nags us to go out again: perhaps we will make it in 2011.
I'd like to make a different point. Paganism or Neo-Paganism is not a religion. It is a type of religion amongst which you will find Wicca and other non-Monotheistic (and usually) earth based religions. It can no more be put in a single religion box than you can get pagans (neo or otherwise) to agree on a single book. Which brings me to another objection (yes, I am coming late to the argument), most of those who find a lifelong path outside of the major, organized religions do not work from books-they work from experience.
I dont think we can talk in terms of books versus teacher versus online communities. They are not mutually exclusive and one can have all. Also, books and forums, for those that do not have a teacher-student interaction, function very well on their own. They all expound or destroy the student's initial ideas and work as a platform to further knowledge and clear doubts. I should say that, despite having had teachers before, no teacher came close to the greatness and thoroughness of Franz Bardon book "Initiation into Hermetics" in terms of magical training, the only training, I should add, that i considered competent and good enough to continue struggling in. Also,despite teachers, books and online communities, my greatest resource for apprenticeship are the locals. I mean the stellar and chthonic currents, the plant allies, the familiars, the atavic guardians and all others who are the custodians of knowledge of my land. Teachers, books and communities share pointers, techniques, sometimes they corroborate and other times give different interpretations of experiences, however, my Teachers are the very stones i walk. And some people are not pleased by this. They feel the need to validate, despite the fact that I need no validation whatesoever. I merely am a grain of sand in a desert.
The second part of your answer has been widely debated over the years in the Pagan community at large. I believe it was Raymond Buckland who coined the debate-ending question of "Who initiated the first witch?". There are , undoubtebly, differences from system to system. That is how the system works in itself. You could not be an Eleusian initiate unless someone initiated you, the same if you were to be a mithraic initiate. On the other hand, you do not need to be initiated to be a practicing Asatruar, or Celtric Reconstructionist. In my studies into the WET, from the 1800 onwards (and before) what you see is one man, or one group of people, who got together using available materials and the religious background that coined the age and putting that to work together with their own gnosis and tutelage from the spirits initiated new currents. So yes, you can be an Elder without having an Elder before you of the exact same tradition. Human knowledge and experience is commulative and nowadays, being that most people know how to read and a quite a large portion are educated in the new technological tools of information, naturally they will be more independent. You haven't seen this level of independence before simply because people did not have the tools to do it. My grandmother still remembers the great masses of the year (Ester, Christmas eve and so on) being spoken in latin, and she is one of the few of her generation who knew how to read and to write, despite only doing what is now elementary school. I'll take myself as an example again. The people who have contributed the most to my aprenticeship are long dead, some long before i was born. They most wrote in languages that are not my own by birth and only education, technology, luck and my willpower made those materials available to me.
Ok, a couple of things.
First of all, the idea that a teacher should be reluctant. I don't know if that is such a good idea. Consider some of the other things you have other people help you with in your life. Going out to eat, calling technical support, getting your car fixed, teaching any non-occult subject. Would you want those people really disliking what they were doing? Why should being taught Paganism or the occult be any different? I know I'd prefer a Carl Sagan of Paganism who was in love with the subject and in love with teaching me long before someone who knew more about it but hated teaching it.
Also, in regards to the "First Witch" and initiation. I think that people who are powerfully called(like the way Protestant Christians, especially in the deep southern US are in some cases) can establish their own reputation by the strength of their calling. The thing is that this seems to be pretty rare, although I think that it can be cultivated to some extent via practice.
I'll have to think more on it.
@Kenaz: I believe that we're thinking of the same lecture. It was, as I recall, stonewalled by an emerging (and honestly humorous) discussion on how "Voodoo Possession" and "Drawing Down" were not the same thing. I spent that entire time trying very, very hard not to laugh. (Thankfully an older female friend was sitting behind me, as I was seated at her feet, and she'd lightly smack my head right about the same time I was ready to laugh the entire time.)
But beyond that it was a highly enjoyable lecture and the memory of it stuck with me. I do heartily commend it.
@Lavanah: Excellent points. Particularly: "Which brings me to another objection (yes, I am coming late to the argument), most of those who find a lifelong path outside of the major, organized religions do not work from books-they work from experience." That sticks with me, and I munched on it a bit today in contemplation. I'd have to agree, although grudgingly, that you make a very valid point. That said: many, many today begin by reading the "Books" and then proceed to the experiential basis of learning. Which, honestly, makes sense for what I think are obvious reasons. Still: I see the two as intrinsically related.
@ Alexandra: You wrote "They feel the need to validate, despite the fact that I need no validation whatesoever."
A good point. But I think that's true of most, if any, social interactions. It would not be so different if you, say, showed up at a Goth Club in khakis and a Velvet Acid Christ shirt and didn't quite care how others felt about how closely you adhered to their given subculture and the social assumptions that come with it.
As for this: "Raymond Buckland who coined the debate-ending question of "Who initiated the first witch?"."
I rather think the time has come to examine Ray's role in things, along with some of his allies in the neo-Pagan community, and put forth that data in plain sight so as to clear the air a bit.
Man. "The currents amp easily here," said the mad-man with a smile. It's quite nice, I think.
Finally: "So yes, you can be an Elder without having an Elder before you of the exact same tradition."
This is entirely correct. The "Great Old Ones" created their own "Grandmothers." The only thing left, in that aspect of the debate, is where you wish to go directionally, how you feel, and how well you can put forth your method of working to others so that they can approximate it or develop their own thoughts from it. In this case my personal belief is that in many cases the data isn't presented in a coherent and managable way, becoming a meaningless hodge-podge which is useless. This encourages those that can't work what they're presented with, and in turn forces them to lie about their experiences rather than change tactics (because most refuse to consider there might be far more avenues).
Those instructed by tutelary spirits in singularity are few and far between.
@Jack Faust
You example of the goth gathering with the odd ball wearing kakhis is a great one, specially if amongs those wearing the black extreme clothings and acessories, the kakhis guy is the one that actually listens to goth bands and its predecessors (beyond Sisters of Mercy and Bauhaus).
Yes I agree that material nowadays is being presented as a hodge podge which makes it harder to work with ( sometimes of a book of 300 pages you get 2/3 of worth)but this is usually the case if you limit yourself to Amazon.com or the Barnes and Nobles i hear about so often and don't really know what you are looking for. A great wealth of material is being put forth by Iaxxar, Scarlet Imprint, 3 hands press and others. Working on your own is hard, quite hard. It takes a lot of weeding to get "down and dirty", but you either love it and are able to put the effort required (both in research and on the field) or you're not.
@Alexandra: The works of the members of the Cultus Sabbati members are of course exempt from my contempt at present. Scarlet Imprint has been less impressive so far; it feels like a newer and more boring Fulgur press. Hopefully the books expected this year (my partners will be in one of them) will be more interesting to me.
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