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The world as I see it today and how we as Witches and Pagans can make it a better place to live in.

With the Mayan Calendar coming to an end that is upon us, the world as I see it as a Witch is in need of some real work, not only on the spiritual level, but, all levels. If we as the third largest religion in the United States and the fastest growing religion in the world, why aren't we stepping up, looking past the politics and the rhetoric of the world's leaders and become leaders ourselves? As Witches and Pagans, when we cast our circles we invoke the four elements that we hold so very dear to us, but, are we truly being the stewards of those elements in our everyday lives? We daily pollute the earth, the land, the water and air, but, worse of all we pollute our spirit by the passiveness of following our countries leaders, that yes, we put into office, but, what are we getting for that "leap of faith"?

First, as a country, we need to knowledge that global warming isn't just something that a past Vice President is using as a soap box for his own personal gain. Former VP Gore has very valid points on how we as a "civilized" people have "raped" the earth by using up her resources and mocking it's very existence. The oceans are warming to the extent that the polar ice cap is melting at the point that the polar bear will be extinct within 5 years because it's feeding and breeding grounds are now underwater. The air is still filled with pollutants that create acid rain, the land is contaminated with fertilizers, pesticides and nitrates all in the name of feeding the world and ourselves. Our spirits are daily bombarded by depression and other mental illnesses that virtually become physical in nature.

We need to be better to ourselves and to this loving and nuturing planet we call home, we have only one home that we know of, why not take care of it, for us and our children and their children. We as a religion and faith need to step up and take responsibility for her, if we don't who will? Obviously, the other religions are too worried about scandals, how much money they can raise or who is their next "celebrity", no, we have to be the leaders, the healers,but most of all, the teachers.

Think about what the earth and this country was like before the Industrial Age hit, we grew our food, we traveled by horse or wagon across this land, we cooked, lit and heated our homes with wood fires, not coal or natural gas/propane. What would it take to go back to the way it was before the automobile, the train or jet aircraft? You wouldn't see the amount of people that are overweight, that are sedentary or have the health problems that plague a great many of us, which sadly I am one, we live lives that are handed to us and we take everything that we have for granted. For once, sit back and think, maybe, just maybe we have time to turn this civilization around in the nick of time and continue mankind before it makes itself and this planet extinct.

Tags: Calendar, Mayan, and, conservation, enviromental, global, spiritual, stewardship, warming

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Comment by Tony Jenkins on August 24, 2009 at 4:53am: Is it a wonder then, that so many continue to vote, if we suspect in all honesty nothing to be changed? I don't know what it will take for more and more Pagans to get involved in the world, or to get several at least away from their computers long enough to take action, but I can at least contribute my own time somewhere, and do a few small good deeds. In the end, however, what will we be judged by? Our works? How much good we've done? Who knows?

Apathy is the one disease for which I've found no cure I'm afraid.

Comment by Lynne Ratliff on August 23, 2009 at 7:34pm: I absolutely concur with not doing away with what technology that we have, but, redefining it to make it work better for the enviroment, we know that using what we have a great thing and making ourselves known to the political process not only works for our betterment as a religion, but, the more that we arent' looked at as "freaks" but, active and concerned members of our communities the better as well. I have never been in the broom closet and never will be, those who are have their reasons and I understand that "witch hunts" go on still today in various ways. What I'm really talking about is a movement that incompasses what everyone in America can get behind and tell big business, "Hey, we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore what you're doing to our air that we breathe, the water that we drink and the land that we hold sacred!", what is wrong with that? Also, the auto industry doesn't need a bailout, the whole country does in the form of better health care, better treatment of the elderly and mentally ill, the whole social service network needs to be reworked and it's us as active, educated people need to rise up and say we're not going to be the passive lambs following the unhearing idiots that we elected into office and making our world the place that we don't deserve.

Comment by Tony Jenkins on August 23, 2009 at 7:16pm: A two party platformed, Federal Republic with democratic processes, passive existence of a country indeed!

Now mind you, it's not that we need to turn away from technology and reduce ourselves in terms of what we have. It's using what we have more wisely, and accepting what we can do with what we have, while being sure not to overdo it.

Science and nature can live hand in hand. And sure, while mass transportation and making things easier may have contributed to our weight gain, look at all of the research pointing to addatives preventing weight loss, or how fast food has affected our diets, or even how many foods in our markets are not necessarily organic. We can strike a balance betwee science and nature, and we don't have to necessarily do without the other. I for one enjoy my car, and internet, and the availability of many things that they bring to me. But I can also make time for myself to be outdoors and enjoy nature and exercise if I choose to.

Our ancestors struggled to give future generations a better life. Turning civilization around wouldn't make things easier for our descendants. It would make things harder, and in turn set them back when we could continually strive for a better future.

Being green has become quite secular, but still has a minority of Pagan involvement. Pagans rights are all ready won, but many are still in defense of them constantly. Instead of going to a city council complaining about job loss or persecution over being Pagans, maybe we should instead go in with the attitude that "Hey, we're Pagans, and because we enjoy nature and wish to make our town look a little healthier and more alive, we would love to help build a tree farm/park/etc. in this location, which will also help with etc., etc., etc." You get the idea.

Pagans have a long way to go before we understand that we have our rights, now it is time to make ourselves understood as Pagans. Expect Pagan Universalism to take growth here soon, and Pagans trying to bring about changes when they realize that they can, and do have the power, if they but work for it.

Comment by Lynne Ratliff on August 23, 2009 at 5:20pm: Blessings, Herr Wolf and thank you for your kind and well versed comments, I for one, you might say are part of the "new" breed of pagan that have seen where this country and it's people have been taking this country for a couple of decades without being actually pagan. I've seen the best and the worst of people, smiling to your face and then stabbing you in the back while "giving" you the assistance that "they" think that you need. I have been homeless, raised a family and now coming into my own as the growing number of people that are the brink of late middle age looking into the future of the countless many others that are looked to be elderly. My journey into paganism started a couple of years back into former studies, but, have been a practicing pagan while into my teens. I have been active in the plight of the homeless, the elderly, the beings that have no voice such as animal rescue. Having done a lot of discussion into why we are being so passive with friends, relatives and such, I have found that if enough people truly are called to make the place we call Earth a better place for everyone, then, hopefully the right people will turn off the passiveness and truly be called to arms to make this a better place. I have talked to several people that would gladly turn away from the creature comforts that we now enjoy and go back to the land, grow their own food, construct irrigation canals, build "earth-friendly" homes, use solar and wind energy techinologies that have began to come to the forefront.

Yes, people have become passive, but, we are the ones that have put these people into office and that this country as truly become a two-party political machine, if those who are forward thinking and have the courage to be proactive and not reactive, then and only then will pagans begin to take more of a real activist role in the workings of the central government, whether or not they are in the "broom closet" or not.

Comment by Tony Jenkins on August 23, 2009 at 12:37pm: I said similar things in another blog post, asking others to rise to the challenge. Then I realized a few things. One, things have to get worse before they can get better. Several people are complacent right now. They don't feel a need to fight, whether they don't feel inclined to do so, or are tucked neatly away inside of a broom closet. Only when they are going to be directly threatened might you actually get others besides the few out there really fighting to band together for a cause as this.

The written word had its hey day as an inspirational tool, but now that it's commonplace, and anyone can say anything, its lost a good deal of value and esteem. What this means is that especially online, no one that really sits on the internet for hours on end is going to be found fighting for something, unless of course, it all ready takes place online. Net battles are something to be cheered on and encouraged, but asking others to step away from their computers for what you would think is a worthy cause, or long enough to even distribute literature or something to educate others seems to be a big no no. Trust me, you'll run into a lot of talk.

Your best bet is taking it to the streets and looking for Pagans that are literally on the streets. When I distributed literature and bumper stickers for a cause back when I worked for Full Fill, I didn't waste time ranting online, as I realized it became useless, and everyone I talked to on there only took part in things as a "hobby" or a place to rant. Sadly, I didn't get much out of those I handed things out to either, but I did educate a few people, but I doubt that education will hold much, if it even stands today.

Best of luck in your future writings. I'm not trying to be a pessimist, or even speak down upon your attempts, I'm just letting you know that the time isn't here yet to see Pagans make a stand. Now maybe if you lived in another country, it would be a different story, but here in the U.S., we play one radio station only, being W.I.I.F.M., and are too comfortable to want to join in any sort of Struggle, in hopes of making it a Movement.