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| July 2008.... A New Day...An Old "Paganism"... By Owl Jones Is it just me, or is the economy failing, Gas prices rising and more of my friends in need? Is it time to look at ourselves in the framework of a social movement. "Ha!" I hear you say; "Get the hell out! I ain't gettin in this arguement!" Guess what, neither am I. Because you're thinking politics and I am thinking social, tribal need. What is the "Pagan" experience? Is it not the return to the tribe, the common group? Even Obama has breached a big no no and discussed the expansion of the dreaded faith based initatives. So what do we do? How do we take a spirtual group filled with strong, proud individuals whose religious organizational skills been compared to hearding cats and turn them into a huge social movement? We don't. See, I think the problem is that we have been brainwashed by the Abrahamic based social structure into believing that we need to be a huge movement to make a significant change in our world. However, if we look at the earth before the Empires began to move toward the west we can see that life was lived within tribes and villages. These villages lived within the commons ideals, taking care of the home and tribe first and then sharing the extras through trade and hospitality with other villages. We could include , of course a conversation about the pillaging systems and the viking raids. However, I think that goes beyond the scope of this writing. As humans attempting to return to a balance with our sweet Mother we have tried to fill in the gaps that were lost when the Wise Ones, both etheral and human were assasinated to further political power. We have looked to myths, lore and the imagination of those searching desperately such as Crowley and Gardner. What we have now is millions of people that identify as "Pagan" and who crave a relationship with the Mother and Father that is pure. What we have ended up with is Goth Wiccans in spandex and "vampires" hanging in "Blood Clubs" . I am by no means kicking Wicca in the ass and Vampric compulsions have been recorded through history. However, I am a little pissed at the Media industry for making Pagans look like a bunch of baby eating, man hating, naked dancing (ok... maybe THAT!) psychos. So what am I trying to say.. We need to look at three areas and use them to further the balance of our Mother Earth, Father Sky and siblings in Earth Worship; 1. The Anthropological and Archeological history of the "Paganus". 2. The codes that govern the actions of those in current Earth traditions. 3. The benefits of embracing each other, healing old wounds, no matter the tradition; Wicca , Asatru, etc. We are called "Pagan" because of a word that refers to the country dwellers, those considered uneducated and unenlightened. Yet, these were the people that held the secrets of holding together villages and healing their sick long before the invasion of the political Christians. Well it is all fine and well to look for the mystical knowledge why are we not looking also at the structure of the farms, the commons, the trade, etc. While there were larger and smaller villages,when is it that "cities" really became the norm to the area? Our modern codes have been derived from ancient lore and modern inspiration. If one compares the 13 goals of a Witch, the Wiccan Rede and the 9 traits of the Asatru there is a set of common themes. The four that stand out are love of the Earth, self responsibilty, kinship and hospitality. When will we begin to bring these together in our groups and use them to further the Earth and ourselves. In small, loving groups such as covens, kindreds and collectives we can build modern villages or commons that will be able to sustain themselves when these economic and political calamities arise. Also, let the fighting end. I am as guilty as others of "witchwarring" and bashing others. I am not condoning allowing toxicity to remain and there will always be those that need to be removed for the good of the group. Nor am I asking anyone to give a huggy bear hug to spandex goths and Playgans just looking for sex. However, no tadition is better than another. It is the people involved that need to be looked at. An example is the tendency to bash Wicca. Wicca is a gateway tradition created to fill a need. We then see many Wiccans that move deeper to the love of the Earth and move away from the dripping gold and black velvet to the essence of Earth Worship. Instead of turning our backs, it is important to educate those coming in through trendy Wicca and Pagan "Trads" and show then the ancient ways. For some that are craving a closer relationship to the Goddess, this may be the first and only path they know of and one of us may be the guide that points to a new way. In conclusion. Can you hack it here? I ask that, because "Paganism" really is "a way of life" my friend. Only by living in a sustainable way in balance with our mother can we save her and the human race. We can't just do it on the moons and then consume like little roaches. We need to find our niche and use our skills and our "Paganus" knowledge to balance the Earth, our needs (not our wants), and the needs of our siblings of the Earth. We need to be there for our covens, our kindreds. We need to give to ourselves and each other and not hoard the surplus but share with those in other groups. Trade, barter or just give. We need to see each other and care. Without it, She and we are lost. Be at peace with Gaia Owl ######################################################################################################## July 2007... Reflections and Futures.... Owl Jones Many come to the Pagan Pathway because they believe in a different morality. They know that the outside culture works to keep women down and treats the man that truely respects the women with distain. It is a very rare occasion that we see domestic violence when associating with Pagans. However, it does exist. After speaking with folks that have seen domestic violence within Pagan relationships one observation repeats: Abusive Pagans do not believe that the ethical boundaries we must live by and the value of personal responsibility apply to them. They engage in systematic mental, psycological and physical abuse of those around them. Being Pagan does not mean anything goes. Being Pagan does not instantly condone abuse, filth, loose sex, etc. Following the Pagan path holds us to a higher standard. It's not about status or fame. It's not about play acting in robes for attention or sexual gratification. It's not about degrading others that we do not agree with. The abuser Pagan has specific behaviour patterns; they scream, shout and defame your path while they try to control the group dynamic by glaring from the corner of the room, pouting when their every idea is not approved of and consitently offering to kill or hurt a human for any reason. They claim to be more Pagan than the others of the group, saying snarky things about others paths and then saying it was only a joke and refusing to apologize or refrain from the defaming. They lecture about their pure blood lines and their 400 past Pagan lives. They have no control of their own life so they try to control all those around them. This plays into their private life as well. Soon they are defaming their mate, calling them "stupid" or "moron" or "shithead". The mate is either "too anal" or "too filthy" and the mate's attempts at ritual and practice are ridiculed and reconstructed. If children are involved, they are called names, screamed at and threatened until they are scared and scarred. They either kow-tow or turn into mouthy, abusive children that are snarky and rude to others to cover their own self loathing. Any mistake the child makes is fodder for the abuser. They will tease unmercifully or torment the child n as many ways as they can find. The child then feels out of control as well; hitting others, not bathing, overeating, self mutilation or anorexia/bulimia. The cycle then begins over again. As Pagans we somtimes think that we should stay out of the matter. If we mention it to the abuser, we are just as terrible as the judgemental Christians. If we approach the victim we risk the chance that the victim will transfer the rage and frustration they feel about the abuse onto us; abusing us in a bid to find some level of control in their life. It is our job to speak up anyway. We are working to change our world for the better, we must start in our own culture. ################################################################################### July 2007... Either You're on the Bus..... Owl Jones & Kevin Kane What an exciting year for us! As of April 16th we were one year old and we have had so many great things happen. We recieved our ULC Congregation Charter, increased our council and held a lot of events! We began programs in September of 2006 and are running them on a yearly cycle. So, this year is winding down and a new year is coming forward: we will be adding some sabbats and starting a new round of Full Moons with Silver Bough called "JUICY Moons". These will be based on the writings of Sark, an author that tells us we should live juicy and get messy. Life is messy and sometimes we don't get to enjoy the child like chaos we did when we were little. This year we will be building a blanket fort, finger painting and making "mudpies". Along with all this fun will come some serious consideration of ourselves for who we are and are acceptance of each other. What does all this have to do with being on the bus? If you will bear with us. We will explain. In the 1960's the author Ken Kesey was on a bus trip of sorts. He was looking for all the answers and realized that nobody will ever find them all and that the goal was to grow a great weird garden of ideas. He told Tom Wolfe: "There are going to be times when we can't wait for somebody. Now either you're on the bus or you're off the bus. If you're on the bus and you get left behind, then you'll find it again. If you're off the bus in the first place-then it won't make a damn." I, (Owl), had an experience with someone recently who hasn't yet "got on the bus". This experience reminded us that some folks keep showing up at the bus stops and peeking in the bus, complaining that they don't like how we drive the bus or asking us to hold a seat and never using it because they don't like the seating arrangment. Now, mind you, a bunch of other folks are on board, enjoying the ride and giving great advice and ideas on making the trip even more enjoyable. Yet, some folks just can't seem to enjoy anything, and would like to transfer this negativity to those truly on board. The point of Enduring Oak is simple. We are here to experience the journey. We are here to expand our minds and learn from each other to enhance our group and personal spiritual experiences. We are called a Collective because everyone can be involved at the level they feel most comfortable. Nobody is expected to make a commitment they cannot keep, and we would prefer that they do not. So, please, don't ask us to hold a seat for you if you are chosing not to utilize it. To these people we give the gift of another Ken Kesey insight: "The answer is never the answer. What's really interesting is the mystery.If you seek the mystery instead of the answer you will always be seeking. I've never seen anybody really find the answer - they think they have, so they stop thinking. But the job is to seek mystery, to evoke mystery, plant a garden in which strange plants grow and mysteries bloom. The need for mystery is greater than the need for an answer." ################################################################################### We Are the Other People (Reprint: Full Credit to Oberon Zell ) "Ding-dong!" goes the doorbell. Is it Avon calling? Or perhaps Ed McMahon with my three million dollars? No, it's Yahweh's Witlesses again, just wanting to have a nice little chat about the Bible... Boy, did they ever come to the wrong house! So we invite them in:"Enter freely and of your own will..." (Hey, it's Sunday morning, nothing much going on, why not have a little entertainment?) Diane and I amuse ourselves watching their expressions as they check out the living room: great horned owl on the back of my chair; ceremonial masks and medicine skulls of dragons and unicorns on the wall; crystals, wands, staffs, swords; lots of Goddess figures and several altars; boa constrictors draped in amorous embrace over the elkhorn; white doves sitting in the hanging planters; cats and weasels underfoot; iron dragon snorting steam atop the wood stove; posters and paintings of wizards and dinosaurs and witchy women, some proudly naked; sculptures of mythological beasties and lots more dinosaurs; warp six on the star-filled viewscreen of my computer; a five-foot model of the USS Enterprise and the skeleton of a plesiosaur hanging from the ceiling; very, very many books, most of them dealing with obviously weird subjects... 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