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Occasionally I wandered in where I was not wanted and gave truthful answers.
Sometimes I even did it deliberately. A little disruption now can prevent disaster later.

What's in a name?

Spring Rites

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Creative destruction

Dualism and modern mythology

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Love on the rocks

And why your "I" isn't the best thing to have around during sex

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Attention technopagans

These blog entries have been reformatted and entered into the current directories. Redirect pages have been placed in the old locations.

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Stating the obvious

Just look at the sunshine

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Looking for good causes

Because there is very little honor left in American life, there is a certain built-in tendency to destroy masculinity in American men.
— Norman Mailer
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Is the weirdness really wyrd?

The roles of faith and rationality

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I suppose it is an inevitable question

A ramble on conversations and shared ideas

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Before a Winter's Eve

Thinking by blogging

Beware the Egos

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Absolutely mythical

This is a page from the third version of Technopagan Yearnings. There are some formatting differences. Originally published at www.neowayland.com/C1325529963/E20071009133622

Dualism and modern mythology

From some reason as I write this, I've got the tune to Robert Palmer's Simply Irresistible running through my head with new lyrics.

When it comes to modern Pagan philosophers, Isaac Bonewits was one of my earliest influences. His writings on the distortions created by dualistic assumptions were some of the best I had ever read. It was one of those "ton of brick" moments, I was struggling with my identity as a Pagan despite being raised Christian. And Bonewits is absolutely right.

Except when it comes to his own politics.

It's common. Those EITHER/OR blinders are a lot more widespread than we comfortably admit. Especially when it comes to ourselves.

My own blinders include prejudices against "fluffy bunnies" and until quite recently otherkin. Part of that was because I didn't make the effort to dig deeper, but mainly because the "noisiest" examples aren't necessarily the people you'd want around you. There are exceptions, but they are difficult to find.

I absolutely love Wren's Nest, I consider it one of the the best Pagan news sources around. But it doesn't take long before a commenter trots out the anti-Christian bit on almost any thread.

One of my hard won life lessons that I am willing to share is very simple. When you see two and only two alternatives, start looking for the third.

In most situations, either/or choices don't work.

A dualistic mind set is one of those REALLY BAD™ ideas.

It doesn't matter if it's Christian vs. Pagan, Democrat vs. Republican, or Freemasons vs. the Elks.

I made that last one up. And that is my point. The myths we choose to talk about and live are the memes that shape our lives, regardless of their "truth."

I want to talk about one of the best known myths of our time, and how it illustrates the Third Way that overcomes dualism. I'm talking about the Star Wars films.

Specifically, I want to concentrate on the differences between the pre-Empire Galactic Republic and the Galactic Empire on the large scale, and between Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker on the small scale.

From the original films, we know that the Galactic Empire is EVIL BAD in capital letters. They destroy entire planets. They make their stormtroopers wear dorky armor that doesn't seem to deflect much blaster fire. They squeeze the economies of their member planets. They send secret operatives to ferret out dissent.

From the prequel films, we know that the Republic are the good guys. They have a democratic tradition which prevents justice and can be manipulated behind the scenes. They make their cloned stormtroopers wear dorky armor that doesn't seem to prevent much blaster fire. They squeeze the economies of their member planets. And they send secret operatives to ferret out dissent.

The Empire has the Death Star, but the Republic is incapable of defending one of it's members from the advances of another. Is it evil to destroy life with the push of a button or with the procedural vote?

Be careful, that is one of those either/or choices I warned you about.

So let's look at how Anakin Skywalker fared under the Galactic Republic.

Time after time, he's told that he has to deny his passions, his connections to other people. It's not pure, it's not the Way of the Jedi. At first, he's even denied the Jedi training. The mighty Jedi Council sits on high, dispassionately evaluating everything and totally blind to the Sith.

The one Jedi Master who thinks outside the box well enough to help Anakin come to terms with his feelings is dead by the end of the first prequel film.

Despite promises of freedom and justice, Anakin's mother remains a slave and is killed without the protection of the Republic. Anakin's visions torment him with visions of his beloved dying in despair. The Jedi Council won't make him a Master, despite his obvious gifts and abilities.

To Anakin, the Republic betrayed him long before he took up the path of a Sith Lord.

Luke Skywalker fared even worse under the Galactic Empire. His guardians were killed by stormtroopers. He knew that Darth Vader had "killed" his father. He watched as Vader sliced his mentor in half. If anyone had a reason for revenge, it was Luke.

As Luke progressed in his training, his teachers stress that he must disassociate his feelings from his actions. Time after time, he is told that only a fully trained Jedi could hope to face Vader and the Emperor.

Yet there was an x-factor, something totally unexpected. Even before Luke knew Leia was his sister, there was a connection that grew only stronger the more time they spent together. Luke could feel how his sister felt about Han Solo, the charming rogue who only became a hero because his friends were in danger.

Anakin didn't have a Han Solo. Luke did.

That's why Luke knew his father could be redeemed. He had already seen Han redeemed.

I'd like to say that the clues were there. Red Flight became Rogue Flight. Han's military and practical experience showed up on Hoth and in the deference that the Rebels gave Han and Chewie. More than anything else, more than the pronouncements of Yoda or the promises of Ben Kenobi, Luke knew that he could count on Han to pull him out of a disaster.

"That's two you owe me, junior."

It was the connection to Leia that let Luke survive his first encounter with Vader. It was Han's willing sacrifice that let Leia, Chewie, Lando, and the droids escape.

Because, you see, even though the good guys won and the Emperor was destroyed, it wasn't done by the way of the Jedi.

It was a man who had mastered the way of the Jedi but chose a path of compassion.

Luke Skywalker looked for the third way beyond either/or. That's what let him win.

That's the real myth of Star Wars. Not good versus evil.

The Sith could only exist because the Jedi were incomplete. And the Sith were doomed because they were the flip side and just as incomplete.

The only lasting solution was to find another way not in the assumptions of either "side." And the man who made it possible wasn't a Jedi, but a good man who chose to be better out of friendship and love.

So how does this relate to us?

Maybe it doesn't. Maybe it is enough to know that there are usually more than two answers. Maybe it is enough to know that sometimes our expectations shape our answers more than any truth.

And maybe it is enough knowing that only two answers mirror each other.

Posted: Tue - October 9, 2007 at 01:36 PM

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Tools

Great link for calculating the times of the sabbats

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Any suggestions?

A not so smart technical advance

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A new balance

Evil spelled backwards is live. That's what I do.
— NeoWayland, October - updated
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An impractical

Inspiring words

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The Old Breed

Another look at one of my common topics

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Another Fine Message

Rambling on moods and modernity

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I agree entirely with this one

This is a page from the third version of Technopagan Yearnings. There are some formatting differences. Originally published at www.neowayland.com/C1982366546/E20070503172653

Wise words from a Pagan musician

We've no problem with Christians, Muslims or any other religious people provided they don't try to force their views on everyone else in the world.  We just think there are a lot more gods than just one...
     — Joe Hennon in an interview with Expatica Belgium

Hat tip Wild Hunt Blog
Cross posted to both Technopagan Yearnings & Pagan•Vigil

Posted: Thu - May 3, 2007 at 05:26 PM

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Archaeoastronomy

A statement is close to the final version

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Greenwood Beltaine - updated

Contemplating modern paganism and my own faith

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Spring meditations and ramble

Public service message

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Elite witchcraft

This is a page from the third version of Technopagan Yearnings. There are some formatting differences. Originally published at www.neowayland.com/C1325529963/E20070412051550

Reconsidering the answer to an old post

The thing with Witch School reminded me of a comment from Juliaki on this post.

She asked "Why is elitism bad?"

I suppose it comes down to if the elitism is earned or bestowed.

When it comes to titles, Pagan titles in particular, they really don't tell me much.

"Vice President of Marketing." "Lady of the Inner Circle." "Teacher."

These titles tell nothing.

The virtue isn't in the title you see, the virtue is in the individual.

Titles draw their power from the virtue of the individual.

So what makes an elite?

The actions and choices of an individual.

We recognize elitism all the time. You go to your doctor because you trust him, not necessarily because of those initials behind his name. You call the plumber that you know will show up and fix the problem. You don't go to just any restaurant, you carefully choose.

If witchcraft were a profession, people would want to know about the individual reputation.

Not if a person was a witch or not.

If you had an English sports car, would you take it to just any mechanic? If you want a good quality towel, will you go the the closeout bin at the dollar store? If you need your taxes done, will you use your neighbor's sister's friend?

You may get exactly what you want from these places, but you have no way of knowing which will pay off and which will not. And there is no guarantee that it will pay off more than once.

Thinking about it, over the years we've assumed that there is some sort of egalitarianism in witchcraft and Pagan beliefs. There is not. Not all witches are equal. Not all Pagans are equal. Not all Pagans are witches.

Let's put in another word that is supposed to be a no-no.

Discrimination.

Discrimination is not necessarily evil.

I don't want my Baptist relatives telling me how to practice my faith. I don't necessarily want them telling me how to practice magick either, even though some of them do exactly that, all be it in rather limited circumstances. I'm discriminating because I don't think they know enough to tell me what I need to know.

People are not all equally gifted. Certainly Pagans aren't all equally gifted. Should each be given the same consideration?

All I have got to go on is the individual reputation. And once there is someone I can trust, I am more likely to pay attention to THEIR choices than I am someone I do not know.

So should witchcraft be elite?

Why should it be any different?

Posted: Thu - April 12, 2007 at 05:15 AM

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Knot truth

Going beyond the 101 and even beyond the tradition

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Invoking passion for failure or success?

Pulling together the bits on the mind that I have touched on before

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The NeoDen gets a new workroom

Humanity is a colony organism. People cherish their passions. Competition breeds progress and encourages honesty. In the absence of understanding, triviality dominates. Seek paradox for truth. Resist dogma for growth. Beware anyone who offers an absolute.
     — NeoWayland, On Humantics
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Micro spell kit

I got an email asking why I didn't include Pagan music. Long story short, I think we need to look for connections beyond things that are just "Pagan" or Pagan related. There is meaning and life all around us, we do not need to shut ourselves off from it just because it didn't come from an approved source.

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Observing what others think of “Pagan Community”

Douglas Adams Passing Day

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Lost Wonderers

“When you think of “driftwood” you usually don’t imagine a hollow log big enough to stand up inside.”

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Disconnect

…and your Journey

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Move through the anger

Some songs work amazingly well as meditation aids, IF it's the right music and the right lyrics.

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Synchronicity, coincidence, perception, and perspective

Using Pagan practices as an excuse to collect pelts

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Why the internet may suppress thought

Quick thought from a weirdo

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Journey of a different color

“”The

After deciding not to work on chapter six anymore today, I'll tell you.

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Humantics

Musing on assumptions

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Touchstones along the path

Adventures in humanity

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Before me

The sun comes up other there…

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Blessed Journeys

Another thing I wish they had told me

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Sunfell Tech Mage Rede Nine Words Serve The Tech Mage Best Keep What Works Fix What’s Broke Ditch The Rest

A narrow slice of life, but now and again pondering American neopaganism, modern adult pagans & the World.

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