Quick thoughts on Pagan Bisexual Polyamory

As a pagan grows in faith and realizes more and more Thou Art God/dess, does it then become easier to develop an affectionate and sexually appreciative relationship with people of all sexes? As the Divine in everyone becomes increasingly apparent, does it become almost an act of revering Deity to experience pleasure with all genders? Judy Harrow states in Jennifer Hunter's Rites of Pleasure, "In my belief, our Pagan path is the path of pleasure, which means that it's the path of gratitude. The essential practice of our spirituality is to appreciate all the good and beautiful things," (page 1.)

As the majority of Pagans are not monotheists, and are usually able to revere a number of Deities, does this translate into being able to fully and respectfully appreciate more than one (human) God/dess at a time? Many Pagans who work with a Patron Deity do not usually work with this Deity exclusively for their entire lives, so how does this affect hand-fasted and other long-term/short-term commitments?

So much to think about...

Oh, the Justice System....

Who remembers the case of the man who was arrested and tried for a 1984 rape, after using his AA program to write a letter of confession and apology to his victim? I remember it well. I loved the bravery of the victim, Liz Seccuro, who shamelessly went public with her story. She refused to accept an apology as a form of justice, and had to watch others both excuse the crime that happened “so long ago” and excuse the “apologetic” rapist.

That man, William Beebe, is now being released on parole after serving only six months in jail.

I sent the preceding The Curvature blog article to my boyfriend, and thought I'd share how the conversation developed:

HIM: lets not forget that this is not only a feminism matter. this is a general breakdown of the justice system. just like you see on law and order, evidence that is collected improperly that will 100% convict the person of murder or something can be thrown out and the guy let free, even if he killed like 2 people. you might just be focused on the feminist perspective but thousands of people get away with just a slap on the wrist everyday. no reason to be scared to leave ny/nj.

ME: I agree 100% this reflects a general breakdown of the justice system, but the problem wasn't in getting this guy convicted and sentenced to a (paltry, in my opinion) 10 years in prison. His sentencing wasn't a slap on the wrist 6 months in jail. I'm appalled that parole was seen as appropriate in this scenario! Because he didn't kill anyone, he "just" raped her? I mean, black men in Jersey City serve the full ten years without parole for walking around with a dime bag of weed!

I just feel so angry and scared that the War on Marijuana, a non-violent substance, routinely exacts far harsher penalties than brutalizing women.......

Btw, on a sort of different topic, can you decriminalize drug use, even to stuff like crack or whatever, but still keep it illegal? What I mean is, the drug, it's sale, use, whatever is not a legally protected action, but when you are pulled over or causing a disturbance, you get sentenced to rehab? Or even a cheap, prison-like, holding cell enovironment but WITHOUT getting a criminal record? Cause really, addicts, people with mental problems are already societal outcasts, do we need to push them further to the margins by making them convicts who will then find it practically impossible to get hired for any meaningful work later on? I mean, what a cycle!

I'm not suggesting a concentration camp for people who get pulled over for being high, incarceration without charges being filed or conviction. But is there any legal way of getting addicts out of harm's way (other's or their own) without making them future ex-cons who cannot find suitable work?

Nature vs. Natural

So, I've been thinking lately about the label for the general spiritual path I follow. To explain my American Eclectic Wiccan path to those completely unfamiliar with Wicca, I've always described it vaguely as a Nature religion... And while I do live in the "Garden State," I live off the infamously smelly and industrial exit 13 off of the NJ Turnpike (that's Route 95 to outta staters.) On the whole, more tar, concrete and brick than anything resembling a garden (unless of course you count that section of Home Depot.)

You can't go long without reading another article in some Pagan publication, discussing the appropriateness of Urbanites labeling their practice Nature Religion. Since we have air conditioned homes and obtain food with our weapon of choice (I use my Bank of America Visa Debit card, thank you very much,) that is no longer sharp and pointy, we have distanced ourselves from Nature and cannot truly profess to have a Nature Religion.

And I say this: Ugh. This is why I've detested Labels since childhood. And for religion? How ridiculous! First of all, words used to describe religion will ALWAYS fall short, as religion takes place in a different realm than language does. Language is very good for science, in an arena that values empirical evidence and the like, as language can act very much at times like quick-dry cement...

But anyway, I think the term "Natural Religion" may be something a little bit closer to what I practice everyday. My Wicca is of the American Eclectic strain, rather than the Traditional, Gardnerian British type. I've never professed to be the follower of An Olde Religion; Wicca is new, and I am part of the generation that has seen it's explosion into popular American culture and the mainstream. Wicca is growing exponentially right now, and I'd like to see it grow in a Natural way.

I'd hate for Wicca to get all caught up in silly empty rules, dogma, rites and institutions that are aritficially structured and less organic. My Wicca comes from the human experience, it doesn't fit it. Sexuality, pleasure, living, dying, pain, grief, humanity is sacred and holy and GOOD, not shameful. Our rites of passage stay true to the human experience and don't try to enforce arbitrary, archaic and despotic shackles.

We celebrate Nature's rhythms because Nature still exists in the city. Spring still happens, Winter still happens, birth and death are celebrated and mourned. People still fall in love, people still create things. Humanity is Nature, and there is plenty of humanity in the New York Metropolitan Area.

So my Nature Religion celebrates that. It holds sacred urban gardening, new nephews and nieces, loved ones who pass on to the Other Side, orgasms, amazing food, green tea, dancing, music, painting and poetry.

Teaching about Energy

In class today, my clique and I were discussing last week's lesson in Energy. I guess you can say that these are the students who are more Traditional, coming to Massage Therapy to learn to work muscles and fascia, as opposed to approaching it from a Spiritual perspective... No prior experience working with, or even consciously exploring someone else's Energy. They complained of feeling foolish after being told to experience their partner's Energy, having no idea what to do, "just standing there" with their arms over another student waiting until the 5 minutes have gone by...

All the while, I sit there smiling and listening, cause I have to say, it's some of my favorite time in class. Admittedly, I am spoiled, growing up in my family; Energy and such metaphysical discourse is as natural as dissecting Anderson Cooper or the weather.

...So how would one go about "teaching" Energy?

My classmates had wanted our instructor to "say something about it," instead of shoving them into an experience. But what would you say? How do you describe Red to someone who's never seen it before? Two individuals who are aware can discuss it for hours and hours and still have so much to say, and never say it all. How could you even begin a discussion with an individual who is then closed to this Energy experience? Can pushing them into experience be effective? Or will it more often than not just discourage and drive away, adding to a negative and/or "flaky" stereotype?

Hmm.... I'll let you know how this develops.