Year of Faith

A few of my pagan friends suggested to me that this month would go much smoother if I picked a principal deity to worship and focus on. Something that fit, something that I could identify with and thus make this whole experience more personal. At the moment I am taking an introductory course on classical mythology, so I already had a decent idea about what most of the Greek Gods and Goddesses were about, and which ones were interesting to me.

It’s interesting being able to pick from a group of deities, something totally unlike most of the other religions we have practiced so far. Jainism had various Tirthankars, and Buddhism similarly had many Bodhisattvas, both numerous, semi-divine beings who tend to represent a specific trait or idea in their religions. But these were all secondary characters, for the most part. In this particular flavour of paganism you get to pick the protagonist of your own faith, your own figure of worship, and still be a part of a whole community of like minded people. Not only that, but each God, Goddess, and Titan are linked, not only as a complex family, but in the grand story that details their births, trials, and characters. Each of them is needed to form a complete theogeny.  So in theory, even though everyone could be worshiping different Gods or Goddesses, they are all needed in order for us to understand who they are. It initially seems individualistic, but it can actually be quite the communal religion.

So after a bit of consideration, I settled on the second generation Titan Prometheus as my patron deity. His father is Iapetus, the son of two of the primordial forces, Uranus (Sky) and Gaia (Earth), and his mother is Clymene, an Oceanid, which is one of the many daughters of two other Titans- Tethys and Oceanus. He is probably most widely known for stealing fire from the Olympian Gods and giving it to mankind, thus ushering in the first enlightenment in human civilization. It is for this act, as well as other qualities, that I find Prometheus to be quite a fitting match.

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At the start of my little foray into cartomancy, I had some assumptions about divination. I though it would be prudent to share these ideas and see whether or not they would change over time. I hope I don’t sound too flippant or dismissive or in any way negative. Just my initial thoughts.

1. Cartomancy is bullshit. I mean this quite literally. I don’t think that cartomancers are outright lying to people when they are doing their readings, nor do I think that the meanings and interpretations of the cards are fabrications set out to deceive people. In my mind truth, absolute truth, doesn’t enter into it much. Cartomancy seems to me to be about selling your particular interpretation, to make the cards adequately reflect the life of the enquirer or a reasonable answer to a question. If it makes sense, it’s because the meaning of the cards, especially in relation to each other, are so ambiguous that at least some of it is going to ring as ‘true’ to the one looking for answers. There is no magic involved, only a clever system that lets you read into it whatever you will. Again, by bullshit I do not mean something that lies or deceives, but seeks to convince someone of a certain state of affairs.
2. Cartomancy should be realistic. Many of the books I’ve read on this art seem a bit too positive and optimistic. No challenge is insurmountable, and nothing negative is necessarily unavoidable. Sometimes this is due to a specific interpretation of the cards, other times it is a conscious decision not to use reversed interpretations. But as anyone can tell you, life is hard and unfair, and I think the cards should reflect this. Also, if a deck comes with jokers, you should use them. Since the joker is a wild card that is completely random and unpredictable, some cartomancers don’t use it, and when they do they only use one. Despite the fact that my deck came with two identical jokers, I intend to use both. I don’t think that all this necessarily follows if one is to practice this kind of divination, it is just a matter of taste.
3. Cartomancy should be a good show. This may be difficult for those using Tarot cards, as they are often larger and more cumbersome than normal playing card decks. But when doing a reading with a deck of playing cards, one might as well make it look good. Too often I keep seeing the same tired stereotype of the wizened, old, bejeweled, speckled, diviner puzzling over worn cards on a dusty mat. If you are going to tell people that those cards can give them glimpses into their past, present, and future, make them at least seem magical. One should use flourishes and tricks to make the cards seem alive. If you are going through all this trouble to sell something, you might as well be a good salesman.

It’s odd how convincing the cards can be, even to one like myself who is quite skeptical of their use and meaning.  I often find myself looking forward to what they tell me is to come, and glossing over the cards that don’t make any sense or seem out of place.  I suppose that is the strength of cartomancy.  We are so impressed by the few times the cards get it right (or should I say the reader?) that we don’t notice how often they get it wrong.

All in all, it’s a lot of fun.

The theme was fire, and change.

Paganism doesn’t seem to believe in death and endings the way most people do.  Nothing is ever completely gone or wasted away.   Everything is simply changing, from one thing into another.  When one thing ends, another thing begins, something else is born.  Death isn’t something final, it is just part of the endless cycle.  Like the seasons.  One thing ends so another can begin.

This was a lot of fun.  It wasn’t terribly formal or awkward, it just felt like a few good friends getting together to celebrate the solstice.  I tried to imagine what it would have looked like in a larger setting, a hundred or a thousand years ago.  I wondered what they would have thought, that first person or persons that figured out that one day in particular was longer than all the others.  I wonder what it felt like.

But anyways, the theme was change.  We called on the elements to complete the circle, and were invited through several methods to leave behind what we wished and to step into the future that we wanted.  It was interesting to have to envision the whole process.

Paganism, in many of it’s aspects, seems to understand the power of positive thinking, of focus.  Of what I have read and experienced in rituals, magic making, and divination, the emphasis is frequently put on envisioning what you want and getting you to make the first steps towards attaining it.  I am, for the most part, not so great at being productive, so it will be interesting to see if this ritual has any effect on my life.

My heartfelt thanks to my friends Anthony and Mimi for providing such a ritual for us to partake in.  It was a memorable experience.

Reading some basic introductory textbooks on paganism and new religious movements, I am coming to understand that paganism is essentially a step backward. That isn’t to say that it is uncivilized, behind the times, or a bunch of crock. Paganism steps back from the normal diversions and divisions between man and nature. It steps away from modernity. It rekindles mystery and magic. Though parts of some pagan movements may be new, its roots are very, very old.

During my month of paganism I am going to be taking up cartomancy, which is divination through cards, such as the classic Tarot deck or a simple playing card deck. I picked up a book and deck of playing cards a few years ago, but never did much with them. Now I hope to be able to do basic spreads by the end of the month, or ideally by the solstice.

Divination seems to me to be one of the quintessential characteristics of paganism. It involves interactions between people and the natural world, the proliferation of supernaturalism and mystery. It brings us back to the times when we didn’t know everything about the world, when there were still forces at work which we did not understand. Divination is about the magic and mystery of nature, of the things about us and the world which we do not understand. That stuff that leaves room for superstition, spirits, Gods, and Goddesses. Old things and old beliefs.

Paganism, in my mind, is a very general term for indigenous religions, animism, and the spiritual religions of Africa. We will be following a certain set of practices based on western Paganism, but I will be doing my best to write about a very large variety of religions that I think fall under this category. Expect to see topics concerning Native American religions, Voudon, Wicca, ritual magic, and various forms of divination.

Once upon a time we cared about nature and the magic of life. Paganism remembers those days, and seems to still be keeping them alive.