In my last post I mentioned that if you were to ask ten average Wiccans (assuming you could figure out what an average Wiccan is), “What aspects of your spiritual practice are the most important to you?” you would get ten different answers.
What do I mean by “aspects?” Well, for starters, I would hope that most Wiccans would place some variation of “devotion to Deity” at the top of the list. If you were to ask, say, the HPS of a coven, she might add “creating transformative group ritual” and “counseling/teaching” to her list. A solitary Wiccan who practices yoga and participates in activism to save the oceans might add those things as important parts of her spirituality. We all have different priorities as evolving practitioners and children of our gods.
I got to thinking about this because I had every intention of beginning the series of posts on my own personal tradition, but got sidetracked when I began to consider the question of defining that tradition. If you were to ask me to describe my sort of Wicca, I would have to include things like veganism and animal rights, as well as practices like Rune casting and ecstatic dance. While none of these things are intrinsic to Wicca as a religion, they are vital to my own spirituality, and my rituals and magic often involve concepts I have learned from them. Though we all start off with the same basic set of watercolors, the portrait of Wicca I could paint would most likely be very different from--or possibly very similar to--yours.
Stop and think for a moment about your own path. What are your spiritual priorities? What’s your “major?” Think of the other Pagans you know, and what they are known for—is one of your friends “the gardener,” “the healer,” or “the one who made that incense that got us all high last Samhain?” If you had to title yourself that way, what title would fit you? What does that tell you about what matters most to you at this stage of your unfolding?
Any part of your life that makes you feel fulfilled and connected to Nature, other people, or the gods, is a spiritual priority for you. These are the activities that bring us into alignment in body, mind, and soul; they are the avenues by which we walk our talk and express our deepest values. When considering this inventory, don’t limit yourself to things that are religious or “Witchy” in nature. Wicca, indeed any valid spiritual path, will seep out into your entire life, infusing everything you do with its flavor. If we consider everything that exists as a part of the Divine, that means that everything has the potential to be a part of our religion.
Considering your spiritual priorities is important, not because it limits you in any way, but because it can show you areas of your life where what you value and what you do are not in line. If you are feeling off-balance in your day to day routine, think about the aspects of your tradition that you have said matter most to you, and ask yourself how you are honoring them lately. If parenting is on your list, are you spending enough time with your family? If sculpture and painting bring you that sense of purpose and satisfaction, when was the last time you picked up a brush?
Knowing what matters to you is also invaluable when you find yourself in a spiritual slump, or worse, when difficult times or personal tragedy have left you feeling wrung-out at the soul level and the idea of doing ritual or even simple meditation is too much. At these times, look to the other things in your inventory that bring you joy. Believe me when I say that after a period of loss or suffering, it can be far easier to rediscover the sacred in the parts of your life that aren’t held in Circle. Find the Goddess in the small stuff: potting soil, your dog’s fur, your child’s eyes.
I have been asked more than once, since I put forth the intention of creating EarthDance, if I intend to require all of my students to be vegetarian or (gasp!) vegan. To be honest, the idea never occurred to me until the question was posed. I do fully intend to encourage my students to be responsible consumers, and to emphasize that ethical behavior extends far beyond just not being an asshole. Too many of our choices are made mindlessly, especially when it comes to things like food and purchases that negatively affect our bodies, our planet, and the people who labor to bring us our cheap commercial goods.
However, beyond expecting my students to make informed choices rather than bowing to the gods of the Almighty Dollar, I would not expect my spiritual priorities to be theirs. If they come away agreeing with me, great! If not, well, as long as they’re thinking and making their own choices based on knowledge and consideration, that’s all I could ever ask. (If they could try not to be assholes, that would be a bonus.) Too many of our societal problems are based on a group or groups trying to force their own priorities down the throats of everyone within reach.
Wiccans are not exempt from that, either. The important thing to remember about spiritual priorities is that they do differ. No matter how important tai chi is to your path, not everyone is going to care about it; even if you think tai chi can save the world, well, get used to banging your chi against a brick wall, because what matters to you may seem completely meaningless to others.
Another thing to remember is that priorities change. You might just convince someone that tai chi will save the world, and before you know it you have an entire coven devoted to tai chi rituals centered around a Goddess who moves veerrry sloooooowly. Alternately, over time you may realize that saving the world requires an integrated approach of tai chi, organic herb gardening, and dumping Republicans in a gulley to be devoured by wild pigs. Allow yourself room to evolve.
Wicca as a religion leaves a lot of room for personal creativity, which is one of the most wonderful things about it. The individual can build something unique and beautiful on an elegant common framework of tools, ritual methods, and holidays. Take the opportunity to turn your spiritual priorities into practices, and though your way of walking the Wiccan path may wind a bit differently up the mountain, you’ll have great pictures to share with everyone when we all reach the top.
(A note: I hope no one is expecting my posts to be structurally sound in the engaging introduction/intellectually rigorous middle/tidy conclusion respect. I tend to write like I talk—in meandering circles that sometimes lead somewhere and sometimes don’t, but usually involve at least one weird metaphor and multiple uses of the word “fuck.” You got off light today.)
Recent Comments