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To: alt.native,alt.magick.chaos,alt.pagan,talk.religion.misc,talk.religion.newage,alt.magick.tyagi
From: Herne 
Subject: Re: Honorable Eclecticism (was Hermeticism and Indigenous Spirituality (was Re: Chaos magick ...)
Date: Mon, 02 Mar 1998 14:12:08 -0600

white-slug wrote:
 
> Herne :
> 
> > By rejecting the substance, one rejects the spirituality.
> 
> how can one tell when a person rejects the substance/spirituality?
> what are the signs of so doing?  it is helpful to see these so
> that we don't make the overly-easy association between those
> who grow up in a tradition and reject the substance as 'respectful'
> and those who come from outside it, perhaps like bees only partly
> connected as 'disrespectful'.  what attitudes, behaviors and
> overall problems have you seen among those who reject the substance?

It seems to me that the question is one of sincerity and commitment, and
ultimately more important to the one who is borrowing from the tradition
than anyone else. Others might be interested for the purpose of deciding
whether to associate with or learn from the borrower, or for the purpose
of advising someone else who is considering doing the same.

Ultimately, again, discernment is a spiritual function. Certain signs,
such as sacrifice in order to remain true to one's goals, and the fruits
of spiritual maturity, can be indicative. I am not a Christian; but I
think the catalog of "fruits of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22-23 is a
pretty good guide: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. I think these are generally
signs that someone is on the path of Spirit, in any genuine tradition
(i.e. one that works).

Regarding Native Americans who complain of those who borrow bits and
pieces from their traditions: I think they have a valid concern. As
creatures with room to grow, we humans have a tendency to take what is
comfortable, and leave what is not; and growth is not always
comfortable. Irresponsible eclecticism is that which decides what to
take and what to leave behind on the basis of what simply feels good,
without true regard for what is actually conducive to spiritual growth.
Now, there is, I think, a time for this; when we are spiritual children,
relatively speaking, I think it is appropriate to satisfy one's safety
needs first. But hopefully childhood passes, once safety is established,
and it is time to grow; and growth is demanding and challenging.

Another valid reason for their concern, to my mind, is the preservation
of the integrity of their tradition. Form is not more important than
function; but spiritual children are almost never in a position to
decide what is and is not vital to a tradition. By widely disseminating
the elements of Native American tradition, these elements are subjected
to being diluted and split apart from one another in a manner which
renders them much less meaningful and potent. It is true that,
ultimately, meaning should not be sacrificed for mere form; but that is
not to say that form is worthless -- far from it. It is the proven power
of a form to provide a spiritual pathway that gives it value.

The Christian church once faced the same problem, which led to the
centralization of ecclesiastical authority; and wild, crazy Bible cults
would not have been possible without the Reformation. This is not to say
that putting the Bible in the hands of the common people was a bad
thing; but it is to point out the dangers that attend the ... dare I say
"vulgarization" ... of a proven spiritual form.

We are all aware of the dangers that attend a power-over religious
authority structure. However, it is not merely pride or a lust for
domination that motivates the creation of such structures; they can also
arise in an effort to preserve the integrity of a proven spiritual path.
There are dangers in the wide dissemination of these things. That
doesn't necessarily mean such dissemination should not occur; but it is
to say that the concern is valid, and the danger is real.

Lastly, Native Americans who are concerned about the wide dissemination
of the elements of their spiritual paths may have insight as to those
paths that others do not -- in fact, we should expect that to be true.
If they say that it is inappropriate to take this but not that, to do
this but not that, when applying these elements, they may well be right.
It is conceivable that such people are motivated by pride, stubbornness,
ethnocentrism or blindness -- and I would be surprised if there were not
-- but nevertheless I think that their voices should be heard and their
words carefully considered. After all, they are more likely to have
walked in their own ways to a more profound extent than most of the rest
of us are, and are more likely to understand them.

The ultimate criterion is, of course, one's own heart. One can only
follow the leading of one's own heart; and for some people this
borrowing seems necessary. Whether it truly is or not, remember, is
never a question of guilt, but rather of wisdom. Each person must decide
for himself.