tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8458080909001903011.post6269710391053009498..comments2023-09-14T06:40:37.907+02:00Comments on Nick Farrell's Blog: Thinking about GodsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11198094991381684617noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8458080909001903011.post-10059045569468442672010-07-14T22:45:34.813+02:002010-07-14T22:45:34.813+02:00First, when speaking of paganism in modern context...First, when speaking of paganism in modern context its important to realise that there are in fact a few groups that do recognise that Robert Graves was speaking an awful lot of twaddle. Graves' focus on a universal Goddess worshipped across the ancient world was a romantic one and one that many modern pagans can't really avoid being lumped into because the coverage has been so widespread.<br /><br />Though I would AGREE most vehemently with your assertions concerning the limitations of one short story in the history of the world and the many cultures that have made it up and continue to make it. In my own practices and those that I know the role of the gods is one of exploration through familiarity for the community and the culture. I don't work with all the Irish gods but those that provide markers around my community and my life at this point.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10328391762275835764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8458080909001903011.post-86321621738903798062010-07-11T16:19:47.231+02:002010-07-11T16:19:47.231+02:00I think I have seen the dangers of people worshipi...I think I have seen the dangers of people worshiping their own creations as extensions of their egos too. "What I think Horus is trying to say is...." "The Opener of the Ways says that I am a great magician of the age" etc. I am also deeply suspect of things that want servants...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18397283594429773853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8458080909001903011.post-70607179841173200002010-07-08T13:13:27.575+02:002010-07-08T13:13:27.575+02:00Hi Nick,
Thanks for this post. You express the he...Hi Nick,<br /><br />Thanks for this post. You express the healthy magical approach very well. I am aware however that without care the concept and practice of using godforms blurs easily with using the gods. When this occurs the result is one where the magician begins to think s/he is larger or better than the Gods. Ego inflation and dysfunction soon follow. At least this is what I have seen in my short and limited time and experience.<br /><br />Now the GD originally required applicants to have a belief in a Supreme Being – One Thing in your terms. It never said we should worship it. However, I believe from the rest of the GD corpus we can see that tremendous respect and even awe was applied to the Gods and Godforms. This is something that often seems to be lacking in the modern GD community – again from my limited experience and bias. <br /><br />Often this lack of respect is couched and validated by a psycholgizing of magic, seeing all beings, demons, angels, gods etc as ‘within us’. If something is ‘within us’ then ipso facto we are greater than it. While the magical worldview does not say this and is in fact very subtle and profound encompassing both the ‘within’ and the ‘without’, I do feel we need to be very careful how we talk about Gods and godforms. It is all too easy, for those without direct magical experience of such matters to think within a too narrow field. <br /><br />My own personal understanding, informed by my teacher, is that we need to relate to, not worship, every being, name, letter, symbol, God etc we engage with in ritual magic. And this relationship, like any, is built and deepened over time through work, risk, intimacy and love. <br /><br />Thanks again :)Peregrinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09508191641503321789noreply@blogger.com