shimmer

So far, here's what I've learned about Witchcraft from running.

Grounding is to Witchcraft as hydration is to running. It's a base, something you need to do to make sure you don't hurt yourself or knock yourself on your ass with your own activity. I drink water throughout the day to make sure my body stays hydrated. I ground throughout the day to make sure my energy stays centered and available to me.

Training is training. Some mornings, I don't feel like going out running. Sometimes I skip it, but more often, I just shove myself out the door. I always feel better about myself when I do it. I enjoy it, once I've got started. And I feel great afterward. It's the getting going that's tough. Same thing with my daily practice. Some mornings, I just don't feel like it. But if I go ahead anyway, it's always gratifying. Even when it's hard. Also, if I skip all my morning runs, I'll never get better at it, and I might hurt myself during an event. Likewise, if I skip my daily practice, I'll never get better at it, and would be completely unprepared for a what might happen in a big ritual.

Hmm, also, although you can buy books on both running and Witchcraft--and I do love books--you can't really get them from books. You have to run to know running, and you have to practice to know Witchcraft.

Posted by Jean at 4:29 PM | Permalink | Comments

But what a great comment Eddie Coyote left with me the other day!

I like the points he makes. It's true, the Republicans of yesteryear did some great things for this country. And I respect the fact that not all Republicans today are of the Religious Right. That some of them may simply differ with me on issues that reasonable people may differ on.

Also, I can really get behind what Eddie says about libertarian ideas. I have libertarian leanings myself; I see freedom as one of the gods' great gifts to humans.

But freedom without compassion can be destructive and harmful. Freedom is a great human gift, but we are also challenged to hold freedom and compassion together. It's compassion where I feel many of todays Republicans--and certainly those running the party today--are sorely lacking. How is it compassionate to prohibit gay marriage (actually, I think a prohibition against gay marriage also violates libertarian principles)? How is it compassionate to give huge tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, while cutting services (medical and otherwise) to the poor? How is it compassionate to spend billions of dollars in Iraq and send more than 1000 young Americans to their death (not to mention the thousands of Iraqi civilians) while we almost completely ignore the genocide in Sudan?

All that aside, however, Eddie asks how Paganism and Republicanism conflict. I guess for me, the one really clear thing that jumps out is the environment. I belive Pagans should honor the inherent value of the Earth and care for it appropriately, while I see Republicans treating the Earth as something we can dominate and shred for our own purposes.

In all, I really appreciated the thoughtfulness of Eddie's comments. It helps me see the other side more clearly and helps me remember that not all Republicans are Ann Coulter! I shouldn't wonder that the Religious Right pisses Eddie off... I don't much like it when I see the cruel or the stupid trying to take over the things I believe in either.

Finally, I want to honor the service Eddie and his fellows performed in Iraq. While I don't believe we belong over there, soldiers have a job to do. I was in the Army Reserve when I was younger, and while I never had to serve overseas, I definitely respect the work our military does. May the Morrigan bless them all, that they serve with honor and honesty, and that they may do what they must do.

Plus, look... he totally inspired me to post here again.


Eddie Coyote said:

First... I love your site, it's color scheme is great... well done (I feel inspired to revisit my own).

I grew up in the South and I like to think that I took the best ideas and left the worst (kept "honor" and "gallantry" and left "prejudice" and "gender discrimination"). I joined the Marines, got out, went to college, moved to Oregon as a rabid environmentalist and anti-Bush, and in the process of learning about myself (that is what magick is right?) I eventually grew to accept the fact that I held deep libertarian beliefs and that the hated republican party was really the party closest to my political views.

The Religous Right piss me off on a regular basis, but I am not willing to give up my party, the party that worked to end slavery, that is for states rights, the party that is for less government and less taxation!

I lean pretty heavily toward the Celts in my practice. Were they fluff bunny hippies? Nope. I would regularly pray to The Morrigain and ask to kill my enemies and/or meet my death honorably before I went out on patrol in Baghdad.

I fail to see the discrepancy between paganism and being a republican.

Posted by Jean at 10:21 AM | Permalink | Comments