All the clouds that lour’d upon our house
Apr. 25th, 2010 02:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cyranohave finally given way to a light sprinkle, and I have frolicked in it and am gently moistened.
And this, by vector, gives way to me talking about my first experience with organised ritual in quite some time. Tonight I attended a Beltaine (observed)* circle, got to meet some new people, and spent some time thinking about the role of community in spirituality. I'm not done thinking about that yet--if I do I'll let you know. I've been a solitary practitioner for years now, my experience with church had left me leery of religion and groups.
However, the clouds meant that the maypole and the running around the backyard boys chasing girls/girls chasing boys were given a pass this year, and everything was moved indoors. Unfortunately, I'm still having allergy issues so the smoke and incense and heat left me kind of low energy and I wasn't my usual sparkling self.
There are elements of ritual that make me happy because they resonate, (Every time I said "So mote it be", in the back of my head I heard "And also with you".) and there are still elements that I have trouble according solemnity to because I feel silly doing them. And also part of the problem was that I didn't know what was expected. (To continue the Church comparisons, it was like not being sure when to kneel and when to stand up, and not having a hymn book.) But folks were good about helping me along and frequently asking if I had any questions.
It was nice to get out, and it was nice to meet people, and I may decide that being in a circle is a helpful thing for me.
*There's a convention next week that folks plan to attend, so along with gaming night being postponed we also moved May Day to the 24th for non-Labor related festivities.
And this, by vector, gives way to me talking about my first experience with organised ritual in quite some time. Tonight I attended a Beltaine (observed)* circle, got to meet some new people, and spent some time thinking about the role of community in spirituality. I'm not done thinking about that yet--if I do I'll let you know. I've been a solitary practitioner for years now, my experience with church had left me leery of religion and groups.
However, the clouds meant that the maypole and the running around the backyard boys chasing girls/girls chasing boys were given a pass this year, and everything was moved indoors. Unfortunately, I'm still having allergy issues so the smoke and incense and heat left me kind of low energy and I wasn't my usual sparkling self.
There are elements of ritual that make me happy because they resonate, (Every time I said "So mote it be", in the back of my head I heard "And also with you".) and there are still elements that I have trouble according solemnity to because I feel silly doing them. And also part of the problem was that I didn't know what was expected. (To continue the Church comparisons, it was like not being sure when to kneel and when to stand up, and not having a hymn book.) But folks were good about helping me along and frequently asking if I had any questions.
It was nice to get out, and it was nice to meet people, and I may decide that being in a circle is a helpful thing for me.
*There's a convention next week that folks plan to attend, so along with gaming night being postponed we also moved May Day to the 24th for non-Labor related festivities.
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no subject
Date: 2010-04-25 06:01 pm (UTC)But one group, The Quakers, I've found that I like quite a bit. There's no indoctrination of any kind, and they welcome people who may have a different spiritual path than their own.
I attended one "Friends Meeting" while visiting my sister in Eugene, OR - and I attended one in Palo Alto. Like most things that happen on Sunday mornings, I would attend more often if it weren't held on Sunday morning!
Why can't they have a Saturday afternoon meeting?