The Witch's Circle - Discussion One - Commitment

Welcome to the first discussion held in our Witch's Circle!

I know I was going to wait until next week to start The Witch's Circle, but I can't wait.  There's been such a good response to this and so many great suggestions that I decided to get on with it. I'm going to start the circle by talking about something that has been pulling on me for quite a while and one I planned on beginning with.

But first, here's how to join in this discussion:
It's easy!

1.  You can simply comment as usual

2.  If you are going to use this discussion as a blog prompt, comment here and make sure you leave a link to your blog.  As soon as I see your entry I will add a link to the post at the bottom of this entry.

3.  On your blog entry, link back here to the original discussion so your readers can follow the links to the other continued discussions

Ok, enough instructions.  On to the first topic of discussion!!

Today I want to address a subject that may be at least a little thought provoking to some.  Hopefully it will not upset too many people.

When most people get involved in Paganism, they have come from other religions. Some were baptized and raised in a religion and didn't have much say in the matter, some were born and raised in a religion and found a strong connection to it at one time. Some have explored several belief systems/religions and are in a 'search mode' when they find Paganism.

Despite the fact that these former belief systems no longer suit us, obviously there was (except in the case of forced/cultural religious practices) something that worked, at least for a while in these religious paths, for us to not only stay with them, but hold any belief in the spiritual at all.  For most of us, however, discovering Paganism, in particular Witchcraft for me, was an ah-ha moment.  Many of us will admit that we "clicked" with it right away.

But this clicking is only the beginning.  This path is long.

In many of the how-to books for the Pagan apprentice, there are ritual instructions for performing a "dedication ceremony" which can be performed in a coven or alone to officially present and dedicate yourself to your path.  Some witches perform this ceremony once a year to reaffirm their commitment to The Craft. It can be a beautiful ritual and a gesture of faith and loyalty.

But there is another part of this process that is often overlooked and that is the custom of formally renouncing your previous faith.  I don't know of many witches who have done this, at least not formally, and to be honest, I see the results of omitting this important rite all the time.

I see how many people practice a form of The Craft that smacks of what I assume was part of their previous faith practices, and has little to do with their current practice.  I am not a purist, don't get me wrong, if for no other reason than the fact that we probably couldn't be purists if we tried since no one really knows for a fact the customs and ways of our pagan ancestors.  I do believe in a little free-flow when it comes to personal practice, however the stuff of which we are free to let flow should at least be, for the love of the gods, the stuff of paganism.

We live in a time where we are not required to give anything up in order to achieve something we desire. We are taught that we can "have it all" and many of us know by now that  this is a lie, or at least an exaggeration.  Nothing comes without sacrifice.  Yes, my friends, you do need to make choices.  You do need to commit to something once in a while.  Oaths and promises hold little value now, as we just accept  and allow that which  the masses do to dictate our own lives and ethics.  We allow ourselves to be herded like sheep instead of finding our own way. Because let's face it.  Being a sheep is easier.

The "way" we find is not always our own creation.  We are not always allowed to customize it.  We may be more "comfortable" with certain aspects of our path than with others, but that is because pagan paths, unlike those of more conventional religions, are lived and experienced and so we become more comfortable and more knowledgeable with time.  Yes, time.   Real time. I know.  It's a bit of a commitment, isn't it?

This seems to be a hard concept for most new to the path to grasp.  They want instant gratification. They want a certificate, a title.  They have barely performed a successful spell or seen on full turn of the wheel and suddenly they are teaching others.   And often what they are teaching is a mix of paganism and "other religious practices."

Is this because most of us have not included a renouncement in our dedications?  Is this simply an oversight or is this because of some residue fear, some lingering pull from the former ties, or a desire for elements of "comfort" in a new and often unfamiliar landscape? 

In my opinion, it's too easy to dedicate to something without having to forfeit something else.  There is no risk, nothing to lose and because of this, it's too easy to commit.  How many people would marry without much thought at all if there was nothing to lose?  If a man or a woman could continue to do whatever he/she pleased, date other people, make decisions without consulting the spouse, have separate lives/bank accounts/live apart.  Marry?  Sure.  Why not?  But marriage requires a promise, a vow and whether or not you live up to that promise is not the issue. Most of us take the vow seriously and fully intend to honor it.  Some take it more seriously than others, granted, but that's another story for another day.  And again, that's most likely another result of our "you can have it all society." Anyway, you get my point.

So there it is.  Can you have it all?  No. Not really.  Yes, you do have to choose.  Yes, you must pick a side.  You do have to make a decision. Commitments are necessary, and sacrifices are a part of life.  In your spiritual life, you can't walk two paths at the same time.  These paths may run parallel to each other but they are separate.

When you are standing at the crossroads, you do have to decide which path you will take an in doing so, you must walk away from the other.

-Aine

Read more on this subject by hopping on over to these blogs
Danni's blog The Whimsical Cottage! 
Salem Witch Child's blog Salem's Creations
Bree's blog - Finding the Pagan Within
Tiffany's blog - Just a Bit of Heart
Treeforest's blog - Tree Forest  
Willo'w's blog - Confessions of a Country Witch 
Enchanted Awakenings Blog   - Enchanted Awakenings
Into the Dawn's Blog  - Into the Dawn 
Witchy Wyllow's Blog - You Call Me A Witch Like It's A Bad Thing 
Cainwyne Ravenheart's Blog  My Pagan Path and the Crossroads 
Hexe's blog - Hexe's Cottage 
Astraea Sapphire's blog - Astrea's Almanac

 To join this discussion:

1.  You can simply comment as usual
2.  If you are going to use this discussion as a blog prompt, comment here and make sure you leave a link to your blog.  As soon as I see your entry I will add a link to the post at the bottom of this entry.