ranty bit

[arethinn]

(get me, I'm blackthornglade! *wink*)

from a post in wiccan:

"Does anyone know of a solitary initiation that I could do, that doesn't involve wine or going out-of-doors? Or going out-of-doors, at any rate..."

...

WTF?

Nature religion. "I don't want to go out-of-doors." I repeat -- whatthefuck, over?

I could have a little sympathy if she's in Australia or something and thus is having climate issues with the time of year, but come on.

(I'm not saying that one can't do ritual indoors - just that the somewhat whiny, "I want my religion to be convenient" attitude that seems to be behind such a thought is annoying to me. Sorry, pal. The Old Gods are many things, but convenient isn't among them.)

Comments

[blackthornglade.livejournal.com]

Sure, there are valid reasons. When I was running a coven, we generally had two cups tht went round, one alcoholic and one not. We would also avoid certain foods for those (like me) with severe allergies.

The thing is, and even the person that initiated me is highly guilty of this, modern neo-pagans are very divorced from the natural world and (barring health reasons) need to get out and connect to it. We're very sedentary (and I'm just as guilty of this as the next, but I'm working on it.) and it shows.

I've been told that I place getting people out and walking in nature (not working with it, just observing it) too early in the program because it's one of the earliest exercises I have them do for a full year. There's just something wrong with that idea.