K. Sequoia

http://www.redhandferi.blogspot.com

Pitch, you are so right that the “quest for ‘eldership’ often misguides us.” That is why I agree with Brendan that it cannot be a self-declared title, but is something that others recognize (or not) in us. To go questing for it means we are lost, IMHO.

And Pam, thank you for the beautiful poem. That strikes a chord here, as I just helped my mother celebrate/survive what would’ve been her 50th wedding anniversary, in my dad’s absence.

Solitary, in an engaged sort of fashion.

My experiences–and the life sense that I made of them (with the guidance of those Deities and Guardians) would beat as the vital heart of my practice.

This was, as they say, made clear to me in ways beyond dispute. Find my way, or find no extraordinary Neopagan way at all.

After a life time of practice, I find (like Cat) that, even if I’m an old Neopagan, and maybe sometimes a wiser one than some others, I really cannot pass along very much.

Except by the little example that I offer…

And I find that, in some manner that I can’t describe, this quest for “eldership” often misguides us.

Irreplaceable You

O the mercy of all things lovely
that allows the old to age.

Kind travelers.
you help us map our passage
and make us feel at home.
Without you,
houseless, naked
we drift against the snow.

Praise the sweet conundrum
that makes the oldest boldest
on that swift invisible river
no one understands –
the secret
far from physics
theorems cannot name.

And thank the gentle muses
for everyone who’s been there

and their absolute
dominion
in that vanished land

Ago

More than any of the other frustrations of teaching and leading, the fact that what is most priceless in our lived experience simply cannot be conveyed makes me… sad.

Like the old saw says, “Too soon we grow old; too late smart.” And try as I may, I don’t seem to be able to shave more than a couple of degrees off even the most motivated fellow-seekers’ learning curves.

*sigh*

But (knew that was coming) I take issue w/ implications of what you write before.

I think it comes from growing/being in an orphan state.

That there are a bunch of us (Pagans et al) who didn’t have elders as we grew spiritually. So we were driven to look into ourselves as sole source. (and yes, I noticed the pun & intend the double meaning).

Which is how it’s been.

Now, that’s not necessarily true. For folks coming to Paganism now, there IS experience out there.

Doesn’t mean IMHO that one should give up one’s own authority. But there are people we can learn from now. Because all that time between when you were 17 and today, folks have been living and learning and have wisedom to share.

In a sense, we (those who’ve been on the path along side you for all those years) are becoming the elders we were looking for. I think that part of Neo-Paganism emerging into adulthood is that recognition.

That continuing teaching only to look w/in for authority will keep NeoPaganism a perpetual teen-ager, w/ nothing to offer past a certain point. And folks will drift away.

Yes, “at those empty times that we have the opportunity to deepen our own connection to the Life Force. We need to bring energy up from the earth and down from the heavens even if we don’t feel it; we need to trust in our own power, even when we have none.” Absolutely.

But that doesn’t mean that we can’t also learn from others w/ experience. And treat them w/ respect for those years.

OTOH, a combined body of wisedom/experience AND “the gold … in every moment” : WOW. Very powerful.

And a religion that will last, instead of a blip in the religious history of the world.