"Thus Words being spoke with grate reverans and faith has Don wondars"
(from the Mystic Book of a nineteenth century Cunning Man)
It's the reason we do things, and the intention behind it that is important. So does it matter exactly what we do to work spells, or give offerings, so much a why we do it? We all have our own way of doing things, the power is in the intention, and doing things that carry 'grate faith and reverans' with them makes them powerful.
I've seen some flame wars that have developed because the participants have chosen to concentrate on the differences of methodology when in fact, both methods have produced similar results and they have singularly failed to spot this fundamental fact. Humanity appears to have been given the tools and equipment to facilitate change and one may consider if the growing numbers of humans is tied to this fact.
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So should we be promoting an approach that doesn't start from cultural religion, but from instinct and nature?
ReplyDeleteI have always worked from instinct and nature primarily, with cultural religion being a later development that informs, but does not control, my path. I have had to develop a framework that I can trust and for me, this has its basis very much rooted in my environment.
ReplyDeleteRR
Regarding the gods, I once came up with the following which others have found useful:
ReplyDeleteIn nature they are presences;
In culture they have form.
Perhaps we have to acknowledge the universality of the gods across cultures (though some may be specific to climates/landscapes) while also acknowledging that we identify them in terms of our cultural life.
I hope this helps.
Thanks, you both say helpful things that help me to get things sorted out in my mind.
ReplyDeleteNature and the 'presences' are what I must keep as my inspiration. But I must also find a cultural way of expression it.
Yes, thank you again both of you.
I think that, in the end, spiritual pursuits must first be for ourselves, since everyone has different needs and priorities. Some are literalists, others go on intuition. I feel there is no one way of being at one with the spirit. Whatever works best of us to be better people with happier lives is the right way of doing things!! I think without tailoring our beliefs, we are just parroting someone else's path.
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