The Sun is a notorious trickster and the Sea loves to keep her secrets, so they will certainly not be telling. Whatever the reason, that morning of all mornings the Sun looked on the Sea with a different light. He saw in her a beauty and depth He had not before noticed. She saw in Him a spark of Divinity so great and lovely that She just had to feel, to bring into herself. So She did.

When the Sun rose over the horizon, over the ample and fertile flesh of the Sea, they joined in a way they never had before. His burning rays moved into her so quickly, and her white-crested breakers rose higher than ever to greet him. There was a flash in the world when the Sun rose that day, the Sea washed in golden light. The brightness passed as soon as it had come, and all was as it was before, save for the small spot of light still playing on one of the Sea’s crests. The light did not fade, but formed, and in just moments there was a squalling babe cradled in the waves, with a brightness and a spark still shining from his open eyes.

Both the Sun and the Sea were quite certain that this Boy was the most beautiful of His kind ever born, with His shining eyes and high brow. They named Him then in their own tongues. It is not something that we can voice, of course, being made of neither light nor roaring water. But so it goes.

The Youth’s Divine parents loved Him more than anything and tried to keep Him close. The Sea nursed Him; He suckled on Her loamy waves and drank of the brine as if it were ewe’s milk mixed with honey. The Sun caressed his face and kept him warm. They kept hold of the Boy for six days and six nights. On the seventh morning the Sun looked down and said to the Sea, “We cannot keep our darling Son here with us. He has feet – not wings or fins – and must be taken to land. Eventually He will eat more than loam and brine and then where will we be?”

The Sea did not cry – what tears could the Lady produce, though she be already made with all the salted waters of the world? She did cry out, however, from her very depths. Every creature of the world knew her pain. She also know the truth of it and asked the Sun, “But where would we send Him? What out in the world could match His beauty, His brilliance?”

Said the Boy’s father, “I have another son, after a fashion. He is as bright as I and our child can live in his nest. Gold it is – gold straw and gold leaf, piled high and as soft as anything. He will be safe there, and they can take care of eachother as Brothers aught.”

The Boy’s mother agreed haltingly. The Sun called a Rainbow to him, and the Sea kissed her Boy with foamy white lips. With one final, warm touch to the sweet cheek of his son, the father sent him away to be reared by the boy’s brother, the Phoenix. The great bird cawed in delight at the sight of the wondrous babe. His love in that moment was as great as anything, and so excited was he that he grew brighter in that moment than even his golden nest. The boy, carried by rainbow and laid down gently on the golden thatch, looked at the fire-bird with shining eyes. The Phoenix, bursting with delight at the new life in His nest, tucked a wing about the boy, and together they slept.

OK, fellow mages, pop quiz:

1. Cut an apple in half. Count the seeds that fall out. If you have an even number, you will be lucky in love. If you have an odd number, your love will be starcrossed.
2. An amulet containing nutmeg will bring luck and money.
3. Five cardamom pods placed above the door will ward off evil.
4. Meadowsweet, carried by an expectant mother, will help prevent miscarriage.

As a serious student of herbalism for almost a decade, and a seeker in the mysteries for longer, I’ve spent no small amount of time plumbing the depths of the traditional magickal uses of plants. The result? Confusion, early on, and frustration, a bit later. It seemed like almost any herb fit into one of four categories:

1. banishing evil spirits/bad luck
2. attracting/divining love
3. attracting wealth
4. bringing visions

And then there were a few odd specific categories, like growing hair or preventing drunkenness or shining up your codpiece or some such.

Fourth category above aside (we do know for sure that some plants do indeed produce visions and dreams), the others seemed practically interchangeable and often somewhat arbitrary (eep!). In other words, the more I studied about what herbs actually do in the body, the less inclined I was to believe in these categories which seemed to reduce herbs to mere superstitious trinkets, harvested and carried to bring about simple wishes.

Yeah, I know, it’s all about “intention.” I remember the first time I went to a medicine-making class in California and tried to explain to my instructors the alchemical approach to making herbal medicines, spagyrics in particular, and being told in an unnecessarily slowed down cadence, “OK, so that’s a good example of ‘intention.’” But one man’s rose is another man’s asafoetida. And if you look at enough books on herb/magick correspondences, you’ll find that on very few herbs do they really agree.

I certainly advocate living with, meditating upon, and sensually experiencing as much as is safe, a particular plant to discover its magickal powers.

But another approach, one a little bit different from the common fare in plant magick guides, is to examine plants from an elemental perspective — that is, to identify their elemental signature (Air, Fire, Water, and Earth), and to wed this to what they do in the body. In the West, herbalists have been gathering and sharing information about common herbs and, thanks to empirical evidence and scientific research, they have been agreeing (more rather than less) upon herbs’ mechanisms of healing. The action of an herb in the body should give us a very important clue as to its elemental correspondence, and thereby its magical and elemental power. As above, so below.

Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine have always assigned to herbs specific “energies” — that is, hot, cold, wet, dry, etc. Beginning with Dioscorides, Greco-Roman medicine in the West relied upon a similar system. These systems were based on the four traditional elements, the essential building blocks of all matter. Use one element to control or augment another. It is an elegant and effective way of using herbs to heal that is still very much in use today.

As the caduceus, symbol of healing, is carried by Hermes, so too is magick within his purview. Healing can certainly seem like magick. Let’s face it, on some level healing IS magick — it is the willful manipulation of elements to bring about balance and well-being. When we know what an herb can do to bring our vital physical systems into balance, we can rather deftly arrive at its actions on the more subtle bodies, and on the subtle energies affecting the day to day world in which we live.

Want to find out more about common herbs and how you can use them as allies to bring about harmony in your life and magickal practice? Come to my class at the Brotherhood’s Spirit Faire and learn to orient yourself to the basic elemental nature of plants!

(Answer above: C)

We’re bombarded, throughout the day, with a massive amount of sensory input – far more than our conscious minds can cope with. We have filters in place to sift through the data that our senses deliver to us, and these filters are shaped by our cognitive bias. We’re delivered the information that correlates most closely to what we already believe to be true; it’s those neural pathways that run the most efficiently. A lot slips through, but much of this is gathered by the subconscious mind, and while the ego goes about its day the subconscious mind is always active, always correlating, always turning things over. It passes us the conclusions it reaches about what we’ve missed in subtle ways – dreams, insights, and hunches.

Divination lets us provide the subconscious with a more direct medium to communicate to us. The tools we use – runes, cards, dream journeywork, shamanistic trance – give it a personal symbology to use as a means of communication. All of the divinatory methods are abstract enough that we can let the subconscious mind drift us to the correct interpretations based on a thousand small cues not significant enough to pick up on consciously, if we keep an open mind about it and let it lead us to where we need to go.

I’ve relied on divinatory messages to have conversations with myself for years. It’s one way that the eternal self, the soul self, has to pass along its wisdom and insights, and there’s much to be gained from open ears and an open mind. When we read for another our ‘inner detective’ is working overtime, picking up on infinite details that we miss, both physical and spiritual, material and energy. The skill of divination is the skill of interpreting these messages that our inner self is sending to us.

My Ecstasis workshop is intended for those who, through no fault of their own, end up in awkward, frightening, or even dangerous magickal and psychical situations. The first part is a literature review of what’s out there on the subject and will hopefully give the participants an awareness of what’s good, bad, and mediocre. The second part is a discussion of some of the entities frequently encountered on this plane of existence – most of the time when we encounter something it is because they have either stumbled onto us or we have stumbled onto them. This part of the workshop will help give you some sense of who has shown up unexpectedly in your bedroom at night after following you back from the Dreamtime. The third part gives some practical suggestions for warding your home and making protective (and inconspicuous) amulets. Participants are encouraged to bring a pen and some paper so that they can take notes; nothing else is required to attend the class.

Consulted for centuries as a path to personal enlightenment, Tarot informs, expounds, and most effectively, provides a means of illuminating that which is inherently known but sometimes hidden by a self-imposed obscurity. Like its sister art, Astrology, Tarot facilitates the acquisition of self-knowledge; it is a wonderful tool which provides insight and brings clarity to the meaning of the time.

I’ve been reading tarot for over thirty years, starting on the divinatory Hermetic path when she was gifted her first Rider-Waite deck by a friend at the age of fourteen. Interestingly enough, it was the Tarot which sought me out; not the other way around. And as they say, it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship – a kinship, really – which has lasted a lifetime.

My divinatory approach to reading for others is an empathic one; I view the cards as a tangible part of the consultation, but not the single source of information available at the time of the reading. The symbolism provided directly through the cards and layout certainly sets the tone, but an open and compassionate connection to the client makes the reading and its information all the more accessible – and valuable.

In my view, Tarot is a quite versatile tool; I use several different decks and layouts for various purposes. The Rider-Waite is, of course, a beloved deck; in fact I still use today that very first deck I acquired in my youth. The Medieval Scapini deck is my current favorite; it has a darker, richer personality – providing answers that are not always sympathetic or gentle, but more refreshingly direct, realistic and ultimately workable.

For me, Tarot has always been a mirror through which the current snapshot of time is reflected in a unique, sometimes revolutionary way. Looking into the cards is a gracious and intelligent approach to looking into oneself for answers. And in my experience, it is in direct communication with the Self that the best, right answers are most often found.

I am a Scorpio ascendant, which likely colors my perception of tarot. As I see it, the tools serve simply to hold a mirror up to yourself. The cards shine a light on what’s there, and perhaps even seen, but having it all laid out in an orderly fashion, patterns begin to emerge. Most often, in my experience, it doesn’t show you anything that you don’t already know, even if this knowing has gone unnoticed until now. What it does is provide a birds-eye view, a map of sorts, so you can see where the path is going, farther ahead than just around the next bend.

The tools can be used to organize the chaos into something clear enough to make a decision on, as it brings this knowing, and its significance, to the surface. It focuses our awareness, brings our intuition into the conscious level. What did we forget that we knew? What significant details missed our grasp? With all these seemingly unrelated pieces laid out side-by-side, relationships and patterns begin to reveal themselves. Where you have been shapes where you are going.

Is this mystical or psychological? I don’t know; and for practical purposes it doesn’t matter, as long as it works. Perhaps “mystical” and “psychological” are artificial compartmentalizations of a single unified force of nature. It seems likely; I’m often reminded (by my cards, where Justice is re-envisioned as The Web) that we’re not as separate from the Web of All Things as we tend to think we are.

Rising to the Next Adventure

Exploration needs no blank map,
no journey risked across the wild.
Begin by risking breath and speak
what never could be said before.

I slept among the ancient souls.
Destruction made me fear her gift.
Stagnation conquered the world.
Security caused my restraint.

Within us, what is scared to move?
What realm would we never perceive?
Where do we dare never to go?
Orient your compass thereto.

I woke among the sleeping souls.
Destruction gave me her power.
Stagnation has had his reign.
Security, no longer safe.

When we cease following the known,
and inward turn to mystery,
when we act other than we have—
what discovery will we make?

I emerged from the captive souls.
Destruction broke the iron gate.
Stagnation yielded to life.
My freedom is security.

We bear the gift of two tongues’ kiss:
eternal light and mortal clay
provide us this singular chance
to find our rising joy in life.

If you’re curious about the Explorer or Quintessence, then please view the page concerning our Liturgical Year for the most basic information regarding the Explorer. For more information, please feel free to e-mail info@brotherhoodofthephoenix.org if you have questions, and keep your eyes on this blog for more informational posts in the near future.

If you have poetry of your own regarding queer spirituality that you would like to submit, please feel free to send it to submissions@brotherhoodofthephoenix.org.

Defining Paganism

In the language of comparative religious studies, Paganism is an umbrella term encompassing a vast and diverse variety of ancient and modern religious traditions. Historically, all religions are outgrowths of – or reactions to – the original pagan traditions. Pagan traditions are rooted in an organic understanding that is experiential in nature. These traditions value the diversity of human and natural expressions as revealed through the direct, and personal, experience of life and nature itself.

The term Pagan comes from the Latin word Pagi, which were fortified places in the country around Rome where common folk and farmers could flee to avoid hostile invasions. With the coming of Christianity, the folk who believed in and practiced “the old ways” retreated to their insular communities in the country. The urban Christians called these peasants, pagani, or paganus (singular), which translates to “civilian” and, sometimes, “country dweller.” This is opposed to what the Christians called themselves, “soldiers,” meaning the enrolled soldiers of Christ. At the time, paganus was also a derogatory term used similarly to the way we use the word “hick.” Ultimately, pagans were people of a place who sought to preserve their local traditions.

While the term Pagan, or Paganism, is the most common and widely accepted term in use today for the traditions and religions discussed in this article, there is some serious debate on its accuracy and validity. Professor Michael York points out in his book “Pagan Theology” that some scholars believe the term Pagan to be Eurocentric saying that it smacks of imperialism by denying tribal-indigenous peoples their individual terminology and unique identity. These scholars seek to use the word only when referring to pre-Christian European traditions or their modern day reconstructions. However, Indigenous and ethnic religions have overwhelming similarities to European Pagan practices. In fact, it was these similarities in belief and practice that allows Christian missionaries to label various people as pagan, and thus in need of conversion. I have chosen to use the term pagan not to imply that all traditions are the same, but instead to denote religious traditions that share similar worldviews, organizational symbols and structures, and carry earth-based theological constructs at their core. I encourage readers to engage in future research on the unique identities of contempory pagan traditions as well as Indigenous and ethnic religions.

Other scholars define paganism as those faiths that are not based in Judaic, Christian, or Islamic beliefs and practices. This makes it difficult to discuss religions like Buddhism, which is neither Abrahamic nor truly aligned with the most common principles associated with the paganism practiced today.

Professor York points out that the biggest challenge of defining paganism by its geographical origins, or as above, by what it is not, is that there is little room for a real understanding of what these traditions embody. While it is true that definitions like these give obvious points of reference for people raised in other faiths, they do not truly define, or even attempt to define, what paganism really is as a set of faith traditions. The simplest reason these obvious faults have not been overcome by the academic community is that while pagan religions share several common attributes there is no set of qualities which every pagan religion does have, making a simple definition as posited by these scholars unlikely at best. This said, the most common and widespread of pagan attributes are listed here.

• Divinity is immanent/corpospiritual in nature and inclusive of the physical realm.
• The divine is found in nature and can be anthropomorphic both as male and female.
• The range of “cosmic being” is polytheistic in scope, humanistic in essence and subjected to cycles i.e. birth, growth, decline, death.
• An implicit understanding that the Gods and humanity are linked in a codependent relationship.
• No historic revelation necessary. Faith is experiential not a religion of creeds and faith affirmations. The divine is experienced directly.
• Contact with Earth, nature, and cycles provide context for beliefs.
• Ritual practices involving: worship of deities, ancestor devotion, divination, inspired healings, spirit communication and interaction.
• Magic or tapping into a beneficial, influencing power for protection of tribe, healing, providing good fortune, etc.

Not every pagan faith tradition or indigenous/ethnic religion will accept all these elements, but the vast majority of them share several of the attributes listed above.

Types of Paganism

Pagan practice has its roots in Paleolithic religion. The most ancient of religious traditions have come down to us in broken fragments like a giant jigsaw puzzle. We can study archeological finds, various ancient pre-Judeo-Christian texts, and learn from oral traditions and folklore, but we will never be able to recreate the entire picture of ancient pagan traditions on the puzzle box.

Western neo-paganism is a new and important development in paganism, but only represents a tiny fraction of paganism at large. In fact, there are many existing religious paths which must be noted and valued for their importance to the global pagan community, and their contributions to our understanding of paganism anthropologically and practically.

The oldest of these living Pagan traditions (in that they probably most closely resemble paleo-paganism) are those among societies that have resisted modernization and haven’t been exposed to a significant Judeo-Christian or Islamic influence. (Note: The history of religious development is too wide a topic to do adequate justice in the space allotted here. Please review the recommended reading list for some more detailed material.) These traditions are often categorized as the “primal tribal religions” and include the oral religious traditions of: Australian “aboriginal” peoples, the Maori of New Zealand, the Melpa and Foe in Papua New Guinea, The Sami (Lapps) of Finland, Samoyeds, Tungus, Chukchees of Siberia, Ainus of Japan, and Inuits Canada/Alaska. South American tribes of the Amazon and Andes, the Konds of India, the Bon tradition of Tibet, the Senoi of Malaysia, native peoples of Sumatra and the Celebes (Indonesia), the Kahuna tradition in Hawaii, the sub-Saharan Africans faiths, as well as forms of Shamanism practiced by many of these tribal peoples. Many of these traditions have or are currently being exposed to the modern world and/or have been altered through time (in some cases hundreds of years) by outside religious influences other than paganism. For example, the paganism of the West African tribes, including the Yorubans, has been syncretized with (or superimposed upon) Catholic practices (see below). These cultures are pre-literate meaning that they exist primarily as oral based traditions and, in most cases, the written word is nearly non- existent in their society. Therefore, they have no concept of a revelation through history. Instead, their history/myths are enacted again and again constantly and cyclically. The past and the future are linked as one in the present. “Reenactment” of a myth is seen as the “first” time it is happening. The emphasis is upon the tribe and not the individual. There is room for individual talents and abilities but personal identity is understood as “the Tribe” and not as an individual.

The next catagory includes the practices of people who have retained some written account of their practices and History. Among them are: Hindus (especially the South Indian variety with the Dravidian foundations), Chinese folk religion (which, due to communism, now only survives in a regulated form in rural areas of China since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949), and Shinto of Japan. We have a great deal of written texts revealing nuances about these faiths, their rituals and beliefs. These forms of paganism still exist though in pace with a modern world. Emphasis here is placed upon the rituals, nature, Gods, and most especially upon the ancestors. These are practical traditions and we can see the emphasis of “Correct ritual execution” to provide the ritual participants with good fortune, especially in Chinese folk religion and Shinto.

Due to the work of missionaries we now have only remnants of pagan faiths of the Indo-European peoples including the Gaelige speaking parts of Ireland and Gallic speaking parts of Scotland. The same can be said of the Baltic, Norse, and Germanic traditions as well as the Russian, and Slavic traditions. A few scholars believe that European witchcraft is a reconstruction of various remnants of Anglo-Saxon and Celtic folk traditions mixed with a bit of Gnosticism from the Middle-East brought back to Europe by the crusaders. One thing is certain, there is no unbroken line going back to pre-history in European paganism. That being said, the Northern European countries were the last to be Christianized and are still very proud of that fact. Therefore the modern reconstruction of their faiths has been a simpler task; Asatru is now an official faith of Iceland and Romuva is thriving in Lithuania. Of course the Native traditions of the Amerindians (First Nations) have suffered greatly due to European imperialism and the influence of Christian Missionaries. Many tribes are currently attempting to reconstruct their religious traditions from existing fragments and by interacting with each other at Pow-wow gatherings.

Contemporary paganism

Contemporary paganism, at its most organic and natural level can be seen as a manifestation of “folk religion” still surviving in the languages and customs of a particular culture or group of people. For instance the act of “knocking on wood” to discourage bad luck for making boastful or overly hopeful statements, toasting and clinking of glasses before drinking, tossing coins into fountains, pools or wells to be granted a wish are all remnants of a pagan past. On another level, a spontaneous “pagan spirit” manifests with the certain awareness that comes from the understanding that we humans are a part of nature itself. This simple spiritual reaction, and deep connection, is expressed when seeing a particularly beautiful landscape, an unusual tree or rock formation, or the power of storms or of wild and untamed nature and manifests itself through an experience of awe and wonder. These simple and organic practices are engaged in spontaneously through an awareness of the sacredness and sanctity of Nature. When these responses are ritualized, it is within the context of a long-standing or continuous tradition pertaining to a particular place within the culture of origin. These impulses are at the core of Contemporary pagan movements which find their central expression in a modern world through the following three catagories: Reconstructionism, Syncretism, and Neo-paganism.

Reconstructionists

Pagan practices which deliberately seek to re-create or reconstruct ancient pagan traditions are called reconstructionist traditions or ethnic religions. These groups are many and their aims are specific. They are almost always polytheistic, and perform elaborate rituals often within the languages and dress of the Culture they are reconstructing. Through their adherence to a scholarly approach these groups hope to construct and practice a religion that more closely resemble the actual ancient practices of those they emulate.

Among these groups are: Classical Greco-Roman religions (recently legalized in Athens Greece), Egyptian traditions, Middle-Eastern paganism, many Druid/Celtic traditions, Dievturi (Latvian) Romuva (Lithuanian), Asatru, Vanatru, Odinism, Seiðr (Northern European traditions), Mayan and Aztec traditions, neo-Shamanism, and Amerindian (First Nations) traditions.

Syncretized Faiths

The import and implantation of the traditional beliefs of the peoples of Yoruba, Edo, Bantu, Dahomey, and Kongolese peoples from Africa to the Americas has given rise to new expressions of the traditional faiths in the “new world”. These traditions are rooted in ancestor worship and have elaborate altars, rituals and costumes. These faiths mixed, in varying degrees, with the beliefs of the Indians (native populations) and the Catholic beliefs of the slaveholders. Like the African faiths, many Central and South American native traditions have also been syncretized with Catholicism including Curanderia (of the Quechua speaking peoples descended from the Maya), and Brujeria. Catholicism –the saints in particular- provided a mask for practitioners to hide their beliefs and their Gods/Ancestors from the eyes of those hostile to these religious traditions. Some Christian concepts and elements have crept into the rituals and practices of these faiths such as “good” and “evil”, devil and god. These elements or distinctions are not necessarily present in the African traditions in their “Old world” home and many practitioners of African descent are removing the Catholic symbols and saints from the traditions. By traveling to Africa to receive initiations and teachings from elders of the faith these practitioners hope create a more “pure” version of the religion in the Americas. This is especially present in the faith known as Ifa.

The Syncretized faiths, of the African Diaspora are known by many names, the most popular among them are: Santeria, Lucumi (United States), Regla de Ocha, Palo monte, Palo mayombe (Cuba), Espiritismo (Puerto Rico), Shango (Trinidad and Granada), Candomble, Umbanda, Macumba and Quimbanda (Brazil), Obeah (Jamaica), and Voudoun (Haiti), Voodoo (United States) and Hoodoo (more of a practice than religion). They are included in the contemporary paganism category in many cases because, modern elements such as masonry, ceremonial magick and the philosophy of Allain Kardec (born: Hypolite Leon Denizard Rivail) called spiritism have mixed with these traditions and significantly contributed to the contemporary evolution of these faiths.

The syncretized faiths now found in Korea, China, Vietnam and Indonesia all fall into this category as well.

Neo-pagans

This leaves the rest of contemporary pagan practice to be placed under the category of Neo-paganism or “new paganism,” which is based upon or inspired by ancient concepts and practices that have been reworked or reinvented by modern people living in a modern world.

This category is the most well known but contains the smallest percentage of pagan practitioners (though the numbers are growing). Many, though not all, of these groups have distinct differences from the categories above.

Many, though by no means all, neo-pagans see the plethora of Gods and Goddesses as faces of one Divine force or source and not as separate entities maintaining an independent existence. This can also be seen as a type of duotheism or bitheitic expression where all the gods are one “great god” and all goddesses are one “great goddess”.

Ceremonial magick elements are used within ritual practice. Sacred space is often created through the drawing (“casting”) of a circle to create a boundary and separate the space from “mundane” energy and surroundings. This concept is foreign to tribal, ethnic, and ancient traditions where all of nature is sacred. The ancient pagans would process to various shrines and sacred spaces to perform their rites. This rarely happens within a neo-pagan context. Eight holidays are celebrated and the circle is marked with the elements and cardinal directions of the compass. The ritual tools, invocations, chants and songs are all similar from one group to the next and easily distinguishable from other forms of paganism as listed above. All of these elements are modern ideas or elaborations upon older themes. Unfortunately, several of these groups are also guilty of appropriating or borrowing rituals, theological and philosophical concepts, tools and practices from indigenous peoples such as the Amerindians (First Nations) without respect to the practitioners of these faiths or permession from tribal elders. This practice has brought negative attention to neo-paganism from native peoples with good reason.

On the more positive side neo-pagan faiths are highly inclusive since many are de-ethnicized, their liturgies are very creative and often pertinent in regards to current issues and modern life. They have great power to inspire their members to focus their creative faculties upon transformation of the self and the community as a whole. There are currently hundreds of neo-pagan traditions with more being created everyday. Some of the more well known movements are: Wicca, non-reconstructionist Druidism/Celtic spirituality, Goddess/Women’s spirituality groups, Men’s groups, Queer spirituality (including the Radical Faeries, Minoan Brotherhood, and the Brotherhood of the Phoenix), Feriferia, the Church of All Worlds, the Sabean Religious Order, Discordianism, Chaos Magick, the Faerie tradition and many Ceremonial magick traditions.

To many outside the neo-pagan movement it seems that there is a thin line between the “new age” spiritual movement and neo-paganism. Most neo-pagans are alarmed when remarks are made that equate the two movements. Neo-paganism is indeed a new religious movement but these faiths are grounded by a set of core spiritual values within a religious context that defines pagan religions as detailed above. New Age spirituality, on the other hand, can be likened to a grab bag of esoteric spiritual techniques which are generally added to supplement one’s religion of origin rather than act as a faith tradition in an of themselves.

The ambiguities of “Satanism”: why Paganism is not Satanism

Throughout history many non-pagan traditions have relegated ideas, rituals, and beliefs that are outside of their own tradition to the realm of evil, of Satan, and damnation. This castigating practice has blurred lines of distinction between various faiths and made it difficult for seekers to determine one set of values from another. This worldview has also created needless violence, hurt, and mistrust in both the past and the present amongst different religious communities and peoples.

Like other any other set of beliefs Satanism has various adherents, a complex history, and a myriad of philosophies and expressions. There as many differences between groups, beliefs, and ritual practices in this particular community as there are in any other religious community and thus such work is beyond the scope of this small article. However, I’ve seen a tendency on other pagan websites to be flippant about the subject of Satanism considering it a distasteful subject perhaps due to fear of persecution by religious conservatives, perhaps due to prejudicial misinformation. Due to the lack of good information on otherwise excellent pagan websites, and it spite of the risks, I will attempt to provide accurate, honest information in as a concise manner as I can.

At a most simplistic understanding, Satanism can be defined as an inversion of Judeo-Christian-Islamic theology and practice. Approaching the subject from this perspective it is clear that paganism, being outside of these three religious traditions, cannot be defined by this definition since they do not share the same theological principles and practices.

The issue is far more complex than the upon argument and leads to grey areas with nebulous boundaries. Many religious traditions fear the humanity’s dark side, what psychologist C.G. Jung would name “the Shadow”. Within a given society there is a hideous tendency to label members of one’s own worldview/tradition/cultural/econonic group as “good” and “right” or “the Good guys”. This labeling, by default, creates a mysterious ‘other’ who is “evil” and “wrong”. Such thinking allows for some truly horrendous behavior on the part of those who subscribe to this “right versus wrong”, “good versus evil”, “us versus them” worldview. Personal traits that are deemed “evil” may be easily externalized and projected upon others who are seen as embodying these undesirable qualities. These “undesirables” can, in turn, be persecuted as an “evil” that must be eradicated. If an individual makes a choice to learn about an idea, behavior, or set of beliefs and practices that is outside of their personal experience/worldview (whether it that be a foreign culture, homosexuality, paganism or any other subject that you might find challenging), they must be willing to transcend these hateful and limiting categories of “right versus wrong”, “good versus evil”, “us versus them” and -as we’ll see below “right versus left”.

Most, though not all, Satanists would be classified as practitioners of the “Left-hand path”. The term itself comes from Hinduism and Tantric practices and is known as “Varma Marga”. In Latin the word for left is sinistrum and is the ancestor to our word sinister. Needless to say, there has been a long bias against things of the left. In the Hindu culture, myriads of paths are accepted and explored. However, the Left-hand path or Varma Marga has at its core the purpose of self-exploration (even self deification) though the systematic breaking of taboos and norms in the quest of liberation of the Self. This is contrasted with the Vama Cara, or the Right-hand path, where symbolic rituals and laws are prescribed in order to transcend Self and seek union with the divine. It is easy to see how practitioners of a religious path that is counter to mainstream society, and that society’s accepted religious teachings ,can be seen as hostile and possibly subversive to the culture where these religious practitioners reside. In India it would be scandalous and unthinkable for a Hindu to eat meat, drink wine, take drugs and have sacred sex with someone from a lower caste seen as “untouchable”. While not harming anyone in any real sense of the word, these practitioners rebel against what a particular society holds as dear and sacred. I would also remind Christian readers that Jesus himself performed similar subversive acts against the teachers and the religious authorities of his time. HIs actions were considered shocking and scandalous at the time yet we accept them today as radically inclusive.

The left-hand path tends to destroy sacred cows. On this whole this path is about advancing the individual and their understanding of Self. I fail to see how this could be considered evil. Rationally speaking this is the mindset that created science, philosophy, pluralism and yes, the freedom of religion. It is Satanic only in the sense of the monotheist (Judeo-Christian-Islamic) mythological concept in the entity of Shaitan being the questioner of God, HE who is never to be questioned.

Arguably what defines the Satanist from other left-hand path practitioners is the acceptance and zealous pursuit of being seen as evil and impure by society at large. This systematic adoption of darkside mythology, dress, and behavior is used to disassociate with society at large. The central goal of the left hand path may be said to be the rejection of an individual from all levels of the host culture in order to pursue the understanding (and deification) of Self by becoming hyper Self-aware and centered-in-Self. To this end Satanists may align themselves with any image, mythos, or symbols that the host society has deemed as unholy and revere it as the Holy of holies.

By this definition most contemporary pagan philosophy and practice cannot be termed Satanic as these elements do not fit into contemporary pagan worldviews. For instance most neo-pagans align themselves to a God or Goddess rather then seeking to become a God themselves. On the whole neo-pagans and contemporary pagans tend to chose life affirming symbols and follow a set of laws, ethics, or values even if it that law is essentially liberating such as “Do what thou Wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the Law, Love under Will.” the law is still a binding stricture from which a true Satanist, or other left hand path practitioner, would seek liberation. For an interesting viewpoint upon this subject I recommend that you forget the musical of the same name and instead read Gregory Maguire’s wonderful novel “Wicked” to see how the “Wicked Witch of the West” became “wicked”.

Christian-Pagan hybrid traditions

This topic is very heated within the Pagan traditions. There are many reasons people convert to neo-paganism, as most are not born into it (this being a rather new path). They may have been hurt by their family’s faith or their “faith of origin”. Often times this “faith of origin” was a form of Christianity or Judaism. These former monotheists try to shrug off the religion that hurt them and see the love of the Goddess and God who are here within everything on the Earth, Sea and Sky and not just up in the Sky looking down at them and judging all their acts. For these people, this particular question brings up a lot of anger and pain. Indeed the act of proselytization -the desire to convert the entire world, to Christianity or Islam, is cited as an example of extreme intolerance of other religions by Christian and Islamic missionaries.

However, those who practice this hybrid of spiritual traditions have said that Christianity is an outgrowth of the original pagan faiths that has developed into specific sects with Pagan principles retained. They remind others to see that the Virgin Mary is the Goddess, Christ is the Sun God who is reborn anew in the winter and slain for the benefit of his tribe (humankind). They have also said that all gods are one part of the one God, that they are just the different faces that the one God shows to humans so that we understand him/her better and come to love her/him in all ways.

They point out that the church adopted pagan symbols for the holidays and that they are very effective, mythologically speaking, within the new structure. (The Goddess Eostre as the Easter bunny and her souls awaiting rebirth as the Easter eggs. Another example is the Winter Sun God (Odin) as Santa Claus and the Christmas Tree brought into the home because it is a symbol of strong and healthy life amidst death like Christ being born to a sin filled world so he could save all from sin.) The most seemingly most effective of these neo-Christo-pagan traditions combine the Grail Symbolism and the Arthurian Mythos which is itself a blend of Pagan and Christian traditions. Another is the modern Celtic Church wherein Christianity is steeped in a strong base in Celtic love of the Land and the Lore of Heroes. Of course there are also the syncretized faiths of the African diaspora such as Lucumi and Vodou. Ultimately the answer is a very personal one. May both faiths learn to heal their faithful and listen to each others wisdom together in a spirit of harmony

Given the understanding of the above section, a seeker might ask the question: “If a Hybrid tradition is possible why doesn’t the Brotherhood incorporate both?”

Many gay men are working within Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions to create change for the LGBTQ community. One of the most successful ventures was the formation of the Metropolitan Community Church or MCC which is a now successful gay denomination within Christianity. From a pagan viewpoint, too much spiritual energy and time is wasted justifying one’s existence to oneself and to the religion to which you belong, not to mention the effort of reconciling this existence to God and wondering if God created you this way or if he loves you despite your sin. If you have a passionate calling to these traditions you should certainly remain within them and work from within to create change. However, if you are staying in your current religion from a place of habit or fear you are now being challenged to examine your motivations in a more profound way. Realize that there are other options for your spiritual growth and support that you may not have been aware of previously.

The Brotherhood is a neo-pagan denomination that sees the divine as being present in everything and everyone. We believe that humankind has always had the choice to manifest divinity within ourselves, and to see the divine in each other every moment that we are alive. Every woman can be a Goddess and every man a God because they have never been separate from the Divine. We also believe in a revealed mystery that gay, bisexual, and transgender men who love men embody a particular aspect of the Divine which manifests within our shared set of life experiences. This divinity has always been present, in every culture and time, wherever men have loved one another. He is particularly aware of himself in our Western culture where we can live more freely as men who love men.

Within the Brotherhood there is no need to explain your gayness. In fact, you never need to justify your existence to anyone ever! You have a right to live fully and openly. There is never a need apologize for being who you are and loving whom you love. You also have a right to unite with divinity and become divine in your own right as you see fit. Within our Order you will find Brothers who will aid you in your spiritual quest and walk the path with you.

References and recommended reading

• York, Michael. Pagan Theology: Paganism as a World Religion. NYU Press. 2003.
• Jones, Prudence and Pennick, Nigel. A History of Pagan Europe. Routledge. 1998.
• Hutton, Ronald. The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft. Oxford. 1999.
• Pike, Sarah M. New Age and Neopagan Religions in America. Columbia University Press. 2004.
• Strmiska, Michael F. Modern Paganism in World Cultures. ABC-CLIO. 2005.
• Magliocco, Sabina. Witching Culture: Folklore and Neo-Paganism in America. University of Pennsylvania Press. 2004.

The Process of Activism

Education

Learning is an ongoing process. We are discovering more about our world and each other every day. At no point do we stop learning, but we may choose to remain ignorant or “blind” to information that conflicts with our own perspectives and opinions. When a person chooses to invest in their personal education they remove the “blinders” that separate them from “the World”. This doesn’t mean that you must give up everything you believe and hold dear as the “Truth”. It does mean that you must be willing to consider other viewpoints and experiences that are different from your own. Education helps to increase awareness, not limit it.

Engage in Discussion

Activists are often depicted as red faced, screaming, picket-sign waiving people who wish to make their point known at all costs. When a group feels that they have been given no voice it is important that they be allowed to express their points freely without fear of persecution. Obviously the best way to achieve this is through discussion. Discussion is a dialogue and an exchange of ideas. Good discussions take into account all possible sides of a given topic. Discussion is facilitated by the ability to voice specific statements, cite research and evidence to support your statements, and provide a suggested means of resolution to a perceived conflict. By listening critically but non-judgmentally to others’ ideas you may be able to come to an agreement or at least a fresh understanding of each other’s perspective.

Debate

Debate is a discussion taken to a more challenging arena of expertise. In order to debate a topic, a person must become well informed with accurate information to support their viewpoint. In a debate we most often have opposing sides stating their case before an audience of invested listeners. It is important to be articulate, succinct and direct. A good debate should be intelligent and thought provoking. It should never become an attack on the other party or slanderous.

Steps to Achieving Activism

Personal Responsibility

In order to create change in the world you must acknowledge a personal need for change within your own life. It is very easy to feel powerless and become apathetic. By committing to “living consciously” you create powerful change in your own life. Living consciously means that you make decisions based on personal experience and education with a concern for balance, health and wellbeing of yourself and others. Taking the time to read a few books and see a couple of films under the “Resources for Conscious Living” listing in this section will help get you started.

Social Responsibility

Awareness moves in circles. Once you start to take control of your own life by solving problems and by engaging in conscious living, you start to become more aware of the global community. You begin to see the impact of what you buy, eat and use upon the environment and your community. You may become more aware of the words you speak and the effect they have on others. You may also more clearly see the injustice of humanity upon the environment and upon each other. When a group becomes “demonized” or “trivialized” by another group there is an imbalance. To choose to speak up and add your insights to the dialogue is to invest in social responsibility and therefore help restore balance.

Organized Effort

As you become aware of the myriad problems in the world you may begin to feel overwhelmed. There are many organizations that exist to help restore the world to a more caring and healthy place for all. What is exciting is that these organizations would love to have your help in whatever way you care to share it with them. The gift of your help is a beautiful way of giving back the kindness and help that has been given to you. It is an energy exchange and restores balance to the cycle of life. Read about National organizations and efforts listed in the Activism, Outreach, and Resources section of this website (local groups and activities will be listed under these sections at individual Temple websites) and begin to get a feel of where you’d be interested in becoming involved.