Witchvox Article

Author: Crick [a WitchVox Sponsor]
Posted: January 4th. 2009
Times Viewed: 2,093

As I walk amongst the wild oak trees I ponder on the direction that paganism is now taking. I wonder why a path as ancient as paganism in general and witchcraft in particular is now in a transitional state in the minds of so many folks. In all reality, it is only the current folks themselves who are in a state of transition.

The Dryads and the faeries have always been, each intermingling with the other while at play in the silence and isolation of the woods. Have you ever felt that you were being watched only to notice a young Elm tree swaying gently from side to side, though no breeze was present?
And even though an acceptance of their presence has slipped slowly away from the minds of humans, the Sylphs have quietly caressed the branches of countless trees for eons on end. At times no mere then a subtle presence and other times a roaring and howling entity bent on rage and destruction.

Have you ever walked along a bubbling creek that is gaily rushing along to some distant destination, only to suddenly hear a strange song spring up from out of nowhere?

Such spontaneous lyrics have always been about, even if humans have been tone deaf for so long so as to seldom hear them anymore. At one time folks were so in touch with such happenings that they could sing along in step with the Undines. For it is the voice of the Undines, that still carry the ancient tunes from a time when all creatures, humans included, were as one under the watchful eye of Deity.

Paganism is not a new belief, for such a belief grew from a wisdom, which far exceeds the arrival of humankind.

And for a time humankind responded to a higher awareness and were able to connect with all of Nature. And to this day there are some who have maintained and cherished such a connection to Gaia and all she offers.

But life is like a meandering trail that splits into many paths. And though all of these different paths will eventually lead one to the same destination, many have chosen to follow a path that winds further and further away from the experiences that Gaia offers us. Such folks have chosen to forgo the arduous trials involved with the paths that lead through the mystical mists.
As such, they have become disconnected and have become deaf and dumb to the ways of what once was a natural and accepted way of life.

Have you ever walked about a sleepy field on a cold and dreary morning? And then reached down and touched the soil only to find it warm to the touch? Chances are the Salamanders are visiting the Gnomes who reside beneath the surface. For though humankind may have lost touch, these two mysterious entities still gather to exchange thoughts on matters which seldom find their way into our current state of awareness as humans. Though a knowledgeable witch will smile at their presence and out of respect, continue on as if they were indeed, invisible to such an observation.

If you find yourself walking along an isolated ravine and some rocks suddenly begin to shimmy their way down the side of the hill, there is a good possibility that a Gnome is walking along beside you. We only need to shake the detritus of doubt from our minds to be able to acknowledge their solemn presence.

Salamanders on the other hand are very secretive and aloof when it comes to humankind. They tend to favor the alchemist who often seeks to work in secret conjunction with them as they pursue their magickal goals.

Many folks today seek to re-discover the old ways of the Craft. And yet they confuse the issue in an effort to be different from others of their kind. At some points in time, all who walk the path of mysticism are new. Thus it is the traveler not the path itself that is new as such. To refer to paganism as new or re-discovered or reconstructed is an oxymoron. And is in essence an insult to a way of life that precedes such notions by many eons.

Have you ever been walking along a path on a sunny day only to feel a sudden bout of coldness pass over you? It is very likely that you have just walked through a spirit who happened to be passing by at the same time as you. Prior to the concerted movement to rid folks of such sight, almost everyone had the second sight where seeing spirits was no big deal. They were an integral part of a pagan�s life. In some instances they were referred to as Spirit guides whose role was to guide us along the spiritual byways. These days many folks are indeed mentally blind and not able to see such entities.

Such is a great shame for they have a great deal of wisdom in which they are just waiting for the right opportunity to pass it on to us. But to pretend that all of a sudden we have discovered a path to their door, of which said door has been open all along, simply shows these patient spirits how foolish and arrogant humankind can be.

Perhaps if folks would stop spending so much time in re-inventing the wheel or in this instance, Paganism, maybe such energy could be put to better use such as actually learning what has already been discovered but purposely shrouded with deceit and lies over the ages.

As an old timer, I fully realize that in today�s society, just about everyone wants to be �it�. And just about everyone wants to be first. Ours is a society that is so self-centered and so self serving within our artificial semblance of reality that we often fail to see and understand the greater values and the true reality that is all about us. And the entities that share this realm with us are very, very aware of this.

It�s disrespectful to use the description of paganism to create yet another new label for an ancient path, just to be different. Nor is certain element�s of paganism, such as witchcraft, for everyone who seeks it.

It personally grieves me to see how many folks today engage in a self delusion by referring to themselves as pagans for reasons totally unrelated to the tenets that form the basis for real paganism.

But again such delusions are a result of the artificial values that we proffer as a society today. Those that actually put forth an effort to discover their latent abilities and exhibit a true desire to learn will indeed find their way back to what once was. A point in time, when humankind and all of the entities that abound around us, were as one and could communicate with each other, with such ease. A time when being �it� wasn�t a priority, for there was simply so much to learn without being hindered by one�s ego. A time when the student gave sway to the teachers rather then being preemptive and claiming to know more then we actually did, thus hampering our ability and desire to learn.

You know; the complete opposite of the parameters that our current society exhibits.

Perhaps then, the teachers, Undines, Elves, Faeries, Sylphs, Salamanders, Gnomes, Dryads and Spirits will be more willing to allow us to be a part of their world once again�

ABOUT...

Crick

Location: Manheim, Pennsylvania

Website: http://whisperingwood.homestead.com

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