...I am watching the postings on Native-L re EARTH_SPIRIT with interest. I
have not actually joined the newsgroup yet ... I am concerned about a
potential for "New Age-ism" on that list but at the same time I think it is
important to clarify to some of those who may be ignorant that those who
started the list do not intend it as a New Age - stealing-Native-culture
list. It grew from eco-feminist list (ecofeminism is a philosophy which
seeks to connect feminist views with a concern for the earth, seeing a
natural connection between them). Many of us on that list were getting into
a dilemma. For many, our primary sustaining and inspiring force in working
to heal the Earth is our spirituality--however we personally define that.
We would discuss this in the list, and others would be annoyed and feel that
we were bringing in spirituality/religon where it wasn't relevant or
important. Or worse, we were saying you couldn't be an ecofeminist without
having a non-patriarchal religious base and that we were preaching. They
wanted to talk about eco-feminism as a political and cultural philosophy,
not about spirit. To others, this split was unnatural and counter to our
own understanding of the connections between politics-sexism-racism-healing,
etc. So the suggestion came up to start a new list that was explicitly open
to discussing spirituality as it impacts our work to heal society's and the
Earth's woes. The owner of the list is someone who is a member of the
Church of All Worlds (CAW), which is one of the largest and most well-known
Pagan churches in the world. It is an international organization. The
listowner is a strong voice in that community, a contributer to _Green
Egg_, which is the CAW magazine that comes out quarterly and is pretty much
*the* Pagan publication to read.
Sometimes I get frustrated with Native people who tell those of European
descent to "go look into your own Earth-based traditions". It seems when
those of us who do look into them, and become members of Wiccan organiza-
tions or the Church of All Worlds or other Pagan groups, there is a judgment
upon us. As if we are trying to be New Age or copycats or are not legiti-
mate. Paganism is the fastest-growing religion in the U.S. right now. It
is the descendant of Earth-based spiritual traditions of Europe, which were
largely descimated in the 16th century. We are trying to repair and
recapture these traditions. There are many branches of Paganism---people
who follow Celtic tradition, or Teutonic, or druidic, or have different
interpretations of the above, etc. They are legitimate, beautiful
traditions which are very much alive and are a source of integrity and
strength to those who practice their rituals. Not surprisingly, the basis
of many rituals are honoring the four directions and the four elements and
creating a sacred circle in which to pray or make magic. This practice is
found in many spritual schemas, largely (I think) because they are basic to
the working of the world.
Yes, there are those out there who mix Pagan and Native American practices,
without proper training in the latter (or former) and who have little
respect for the powers that they are trying to summon. But for most of us
Pagans, we see our path as our path, our way of connecting both to the Earth
and to our ancestors. It is in this spirit that Earth-Spirit was created.
Again, I do not know who belongs to the list and what the tenor of the
dialogue is. Certainly, there are many Pagans who could use educating in
the politics of adopting others' spiritual practices. Perhaps there are
many Native people who can learn to keep an open heart and suspend judgment
for a moment on those who are "white" but who also practice Earth-based
spirituality. It would seem that we are natural allies.
Peace,
Jennifer
{feel free to re-post any of this ... if it seems relevant to the Earth-
Spirit strain on native-l. I do feel it is important that more people
understand what Paganism is, as distinct from people practicing "workshop"
or "new age" spirituality ... The list is one thing, that walk is another.}