Paganism

 Practicing a Pagan way of living

I just signed up for a class to learn more about the ways of Paganism. 
Last night was the first class.

Matt, the teacher, did most of the talking. But we did share a bit of our experiences and desires for being there as well.

The10 other participants were almost all grey-haired. One woman looked younger than her first grey hairs...and was very expressive. I had a friend who went with me into Asheville to attend the class, which made it easier for me to be in a new group. But I did say I was not only there to learn but to make new friendships.

We shall see if that is part of the 6 classes. They only go for 1-1/2 hours every 2 weeks. I hope to not miss any, at this point.

What did I learn? That we're going to be practicing some of the Pagan rituals, and learning the background of some through reading a book, "The Path of Paganism."

I will honor the other participants' individual experiences by not talking about what they shared. I've enough to think about from my own experience.

The book I purchased includes little things to do, which then might be journaled about. I had already finished the first chapter, which urged me to go outside on a clear night and look at the stars, pay attention to them, and then journal about my experience.

I'm kind of merging that with my thoughts about this first class. Because when we left the building, we could look up and see the crescent moon clearly, and Orion's belt right overhead, still in the winter sky. We know that Daylight Savings Time starts next week, March 9th, but for this evening, it was dark during the entire class-time. And fortunately there weren't any city lights to detract from seeing the night sky.

My feelings about the dark and immense sky above are pretty much the same as always. I'm in awe at my tiny place in this vast universe, and full of gratitude for my life. I know very little of the constellations, and when I try to learn them, apparently the knowledge doesn't stick. Perhaps if I were to look at the sky each night, and have that app which tells what I'm looking at, then I might have the knowledge meet the experience. I did get the app but haven't used it much actually. I am among the few people who follow the trajectory of the International Space Station when it is passing over my area. There's an app that used to let me know that, but I don't think its on my phone anymore. Don't I just love technology!

I asked before the meeting started, that Matt not use a sage smudging clarification ritual on me...that the smoke might bother my lungs. He said he appreciated that I asked, and carried the sage and sweetgrass in his abalone shell outside, where the rest of the participants could have a ritual of purification. He offered me some holy water, which came from some blessing which I forgot. We did that ritual indoors before he went outside to offer everyone else the smoke ritual before we created a sacred space in the classroom as a circle around a big wooden table (called the Boardroom). I mentioned how nice it was that he'd posted on the four walls, the names of the cardinal directions. I didn't mention that I was already attuned to knowing which direction was north etc. almost all the time. But many people say they are directionally challenged. I guess after many years of my awareness and working at attention to my place on the earth, I have a habit of knowing which direction is which. So I know my place, but not the immense sky's details. I wouldn't be able to navigate without the land, and I'm ok with that.

I took a few notes about things I was learning - mostly ideas to study more about for my own growth. Yep, this old woman still thinks she can grow...at least on the inside, and maybe in my interactions with the outside world.

The takeaway was the concept that Paganism is all about sacred relationship. I will leave that as a final note, and certainly it will be considered further.

Coming home to the mountains of North Carolina.