Death and Lughnassadh, Life and its Adverse Affects on Writing, Business of Blogging, Gatherings
Since HJ's death, I have become increasingly depressed. I find that Harry Potter makes an excellent distraction; however, I don't think I need much of one. My boy is home and I always find something to do with him. We are planning our yearly camping trip for this weekend and that is keeping me busy as well.
HJ's death sneaks up on me at strange moments. Last night I was reading about Cedric Diggory dying in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Suddenly I was over come with tears and then I couldn't sleep. I stayed up very late. Watching Dead Zone when a minor character died and again I was plunged into a bizarre place where death seems overpowering.
Death coming at Lughnassadh, a time of harvest, it is hard not to feel like my life is somehow harvesting death and illness. I have had an ear infection for a week. I just heard another good friend of mine's mother is seriously ill. Tony came home last night not feeling well. HJ is dead. Where is the sustenance that is marked at this time of the year? Where is the spiritual food to make me buoyant throughout the coming winter? And through all this my friends and family are quiet. It is like they are watching a train about to collide with a car and can not find a voice to say anything. Maybe it is because I don't reveal enough. I had a teacher once say that in order to gain the love and trust of others you must risk the same. I know I play it close to the vest and it also feels like when I say something I am ignored.
This past weekend I really wanted to go to hike with a good friend and see this awesome place she had found off of a well worn trail. It was a circle of cedar trees that created sacred space of some sort. I was very ill. I tried to explain that I wanted to go and probably shouldn't, however the feeling of disappointment from my friend was overwhelming. It is one of those times when feeling others emotions and reading their thoughts is a big nuisance.
So I hiked a mile in the rain. I hiked feeling my Husband Priest angry and upset that my friend couldn't see how sick I was, angry at me that I was bullied into doing something I shouldn't have. I hiked feeling my son worried that I was sick and then mad because I had made him wear a poncho. I hiked feeling my friend justifying her position saying in her head I had said I would do this for years and she wasn't going to let me back out now because of a little rain and an alleged ear ache.
We reached the destination and I immediately understood why she wanted us to come. I wished I had a tap measure so that I could have seen exactly what the circumference was, wondering what part sacred geometry had in the formation. Unfortunately the trees were dying. Tony walked around doing reiki on them and then I did a guided past life meditation. Only my son came back with visions from the place we were.
On the way back we saw a fawn. It was very close to the trail and it's mother was also very close. My friend wasn't impressed; however, it made the whole affair worth it to me. Further on down the trail we ran into another Doe. Tony kept expecting to see a Stag; however, we never did. We went home and I collapsed, sleeping two hours. My friend left upset that I was so drained and Tony was mad that she couldn't see what had happened.
She called today asking if I was feeling better and apologized. I understood, really I did. I had been promising her for some time that we would make the trip and I did enjoy our meditation and seeing the deer. It was nice; however, to get an apology and an admission that her selfish desires had over come her good sense. Tony will be pleased to know this happened.
She started asking about other things and I found everything tumbling out. My weekend after she left that revealed the death of HJ, a row I had with my ex-husband. a row my ex-husband had with Tony, my son's anxiety about wanting to go on the trip with us and not wanting to make his father mad, preparing for the camping trip and a private ritual that is to take place this weekend. I found myself telling her that none of my friends had acknowledged my loss and it made me feel lonely.
I told her that out of all the blogs I had written, it was HJ's blog that had attracted the attention of people I didn't know. Evidentially there are these groups that gather together blogs of similar interest and then promote them. Southern Stories has been attracting the attention of MetaPagan for some time evidently. It was the HJ blog that had them contact me. You would have thought that would have made me feel good; however, I marveled that death of a friend could bring about this type of harvest. I think HJ had something to do with it. It would be just like him to ensure that an electronic connection is made as a way of saying thanks for what I had said. Further I had gotten the response in mere hours after posting. After that Tony went on to read it and I found him broken down in complete tears at his desk, overcome with grief and loss. He told me, "I can't do it. I can't read it. I am sorry." The energy of death is almost over powering in this house.
You would have thought with all of this, writing was the last thing on my mind. However, I did finish an article for a contest. It is currently being edited by other writers and my friend, Cam (THANK YOU). I hope to get those back and submit it next week. Maybe the fact that it was about Samhein helped. The mood of death and veil crossing is certainly heavy on my mind right now.
I also read some of the other blogs MetaPagan had highlighted. One was about a gathering I attended earlier in the year where Tony and I tried to enter into a discussion about skyclad with a girl who completely lost it and told us if you didn't accept seeing people naked you weren't pagan. I re-read my blog and told Tony I felt sick to my stomach. He asked me why and I said, "Damn I have a big mouth." Then I stopped and felt a peace wash over me and suddenly it occurred to me...I was probably one of the few pagans who had ever DARED to write about being a bit uncomfortable around nudity. I certainly was the only pagan outside of Tony I had met who was willing to discuss it in a civilized manner. I recalled a big debate occurring in an old e-list I was associated with about skyclad events and remembered how blindingly angry the pro-skyclad group had gotten. They were so angry many of those who had reasonable concerns to discuss (I am afraid I will lose custody of my children if I am come to events where nudity is permitted), were shamed into silence. They were expected to accept without question what was being said. They were told to stay home because their concerns about nudity meant they weren't really pagan. I can remember not even being able to make sense of the pro-skyclad groups arguments because of the anger, hatred and venom with which they delivered their message.
Please note this is not the case with the gathering I attended recently. I find those who attend to typically be willing to debate, discuss and help each other grow which is why I continue to be a big fan of their events.
My point is that in witchcraft we have made many topics taboo: Skyclad events, polyamoury, the practice of BDSM as a form of Goddess worship, the ideas of responsibility and spiritual growth, children and the craft, traditional craft versus the growing family craft, to name a few. There is no longer a debate permitted. "Real Pagans" are assumed to believe very specific things and if they don't believe them they are expect to accept in silence the commonly held belief. I constantly feel like I am saying things that are on other people's minds that they only say to their mates or their closest friends or whisper to each other at PNO afraid to be overheard. The sad thing is that most of those who haven't made their minds up about these topics probably never will because one side or the other gets so touchy an intelligent discussion is almost impossible. A large portion of pagans have fallen into the defense of their faith instead of explanation of it. They see any opposing view as threatening and therefore it must be taken out, silenced, shamed.
So I have come to believe that it is my willingness to say what I think that helped HJ's blog go over so well. I saw suicide and then I wrote about it unflinchingly. I opened my big mouth.
I decided not to alter my other blog entries. I am not ashamed of what I said. Actually I am sad really. I had hoped to meet someone willing to discuss and help bring understanding to issues that I was still grappling with. That's right I grapple. You do to, I am sure. Of course your mouth isn't as big as mine and so not many people know. Maybe I don't play things so close to vest after all. Maybe my loud mouth is mistaken for a confident one. Either way, I am speaking for the whispers, the doubters, the grapplers. If you are above doubting, grappling and quiet concern, find another blog.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Gathering Ettique when Children Are Involved
The sun has risen past Aquarius and is moving steadily toward Taurus, and the camping gear is beginning to send that quiet signal that the Gathering Season has returned. Everyone is anticipating the first main ritual of the season and being a part of the entire Pagan throng dressed in finery, that they stayed up until 2 am the night before the gathering to make. The throng files solemnly into main ritual space as the moon in her fullness casts shimmering shadows on the floor of the temple carpeted with small white and purple flowers. The High Priestess stands ready in the center of the circle and as everyone settles down, she declares, “Now we will ground and center!”
Right on cue, it cuts through the night like a coven sword through the wind, “NOOOOO ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGG! STOP! Leave me a – a- looooonnnnnnnneeeeeee.” In unison only found in the Pagan community when scolding bad parenting, the entire 200-person circle whips the heads to see the offending child and harried Mother Priestess both near tears. The High Priestess holds a plastic grin and her teeth grind audibly.
What’s a Pagan parent to do? Don’t come to a gathering? Do those childless Pagans not understand the inherent need to have a conversation in English versus baby babble? They think staying at home with small children is so easy. After all there is no commute! However, that is the problem – there is no commute! That Mother Priestess hadn’t had a chance to be in ritual in over nine months and the opportunity presented itself and she took it – can you blame her?
Well, yes – after all she chose to bring the unmanageable Fae to circle and the gathering right? The fact is, if that child grows up and doesn’t go to school, the truancy officer is going to fine HER, not the community. She is the legal responsible party for that child’s behavior…and she must hold the keys to banishing gritting teeth in rituals.
The problem is that the keys to the mystery of parenting are a closer guarded secret than The Great Mysteries ever were. It just isn’t as easy as it might seem. There is the packing to get done, not for one lone Pagan, but for two or three or five or even seven. They have to get everything together, food, special food for the one who can’t eat peanuts and the one who won’t eat anything but cheese sandwiches with miracle whip. A good Father Priest isn’t going to forget the medicine for the problems everyone has right now and might contract on site – bug bites, poison ivy, tummy aches. There is the remembering of the CD player and batteries to play the lullabies to help Connla get to sleep. Don’t forget the Frisbees, crayons and coloring books just incase the site doesn’t provide adequate child age diversion. Goddess forbid, you get to the site that first night and discover the sacred sleep inducing Golden Blanky has been left behind along with Flippy, the traveling bear. The thought of it even a good 30 days before the first gathering gates open, is enough to send a Mother Priestess into a widdershins spiral.
There are Four Keys to Gathering Preparation that have recently been uncovered by a band of daring Mother Priestesses and Father Priests. They have fought through the flaying arms of their mischievous Fae and used these keys to unlock the gates of knowledge and retrieve the 13 Points of Family Coven Safety.
The 1st Key, is Family Covens are primarily responsible for exposing their children to ritual. The time for this exposure is NOT at a gathering. When you practice ritual etiquette at home it prepares children for the public events they will attend. How can any parent possibly expect a child to behave in an unfamiliar environment doing unfamiliar things?
The 2nd Key is Family Covens should not ignore the needs of the Pagan Community. When a person attends a large public event, they aren’t coming to hear your child scream. There is no doubt you are worn out and have a need for spiritual ease as much as the next person. However, it isn’t the community’s responsibility to ensure you get that time. Hire a baby sitter if your child is too young to not be disruptive. If you must bring your child, leave circle if they begin to cause a disruption. Have some respect for those who have come seeking solace and a moment of quiet reflection.
The 3rd Key is a lack of focus on the part of Pagan Parents on the art of parenting. Children are Pagan parent’s magical legacy. Just like the science and art of magic, parenting is a learning and remembering how to mold, shape and direct maids and warriors. No one expects that you know what to do up front! There are resources available, Pagan and otherwise. Do not be ashamed or afraid to take advantage of them. Attend parenting classes, network and compare tactics with other Mother Priestesses and Father Priests, find a local Family Wiccan Community, or start one in your area, and plug into their support and love. Don’t be blinded by love to the monster you may be raising and don’t wait. The older our children get, the harder it is going to be to make sure they are pointed in the right direction. Spend the same amount of time learning to be a parent, that you have spent learning to be a Witch, a Pagan or a Wiccan.
The 4th Key exposed the 13 Points of Family Coven Safety. These points are guidelines and common sense suggestions that have helped Mother Priestesses and Father Priests feel empowered to take on the Gathering Scene as a family with children.
1. Get your priorities straight. Family Coven is the thing you should be devoted to first and foremost. Your children are your magical legacy. Treat them that way and above all else be prepared to defend that. Be prepared to monitor your children, if the energy is too much if the exposure is too much, be prepared to leave the event to restore calm and order to your Family Coven, if necessary.
2. Investigate the group you are going to participate with, especially if you are attending a gathering. Ask around. What do people say about previous events? What does their website or flyer information say about drug use – or does it say anything? If you are in a divorce situation, ask yourself whether you risk your custodial rites by participating with this group. Write the sponsors and ask them about the things you are concerned about. It is a sad fact that there are groups that value individual rights over the laws of the governing body and the common sense that keeps kids safe. Be sure you are exposing your children only to safe environments.
3. Prepare your Family Coven. Do ritual at home, explain the Pagan ways and tell them what they can expect at an event. Teach them basic shielding techniques.
4. Set expectations of behavior. Set up a reward system for good behavior with your children. Don’t just discuss good behavior for your children, tell your children how others should treat them. Prepare them to identify when adults are acting inappropriately and prepare them to take the proper steps to protect themselves.
5. You’re a Witch, use magic. Visualize your Family Coven connected by a color that is associated with your Family Coven. On the ride to the event, spend some time feeling your Family Coven’s connection. Visualize the bond of Family Coven violently vibrating when one of the members is in danger. Take some time to ‘feel’ how that is. Then visualize each child with a giant psychic sign that is constantly broadcasting, “Touch my child with harmful intent and you will pay, ” over and over and over. Put all that Mother Bear, Father Lion energy into this psychic sign. If your child already has a familiar or spiritual guardian, call them to you and instruct them on protection of that child. Finally, visualize a conduit that runs from your child’s aura whose purpose is to siphon off excess energy they may pick up. This permanent grounding technique is useful not just for gatherings, but any event where there will be large crowds with lots of mixed energy.
6. Identify your Family Coven and tag your child. Wear the same colored shirts to an event. Put wristbands on your children with their name, your name, a cell phone number and any medical information (allergic to bees, peanut butter) . If they are toddlers, pen a piece of paper with this information on their backs.
7. Make a game plan. When you arrive, get the lay of the land. Make sure your children know how to get to your camp (home base) , the bathrooms and one central location (far base) . Practice once. Leave children at far base and have them find you on their own (appropriate for ages 8 and above, reference 1) . With your partner plan ahead the times you will watch and the times they will watch or make arrangements with another Pagan mom or dad to do the same.
8. Put a radio collar on your children. Buy two-way radios and find a way to fasten them to the child. Use the radios for ‘safety check ins’ and to help ease communication in the event of an emergency. Your wristband might even read, “In case of emergency, use radio to contact mom on channel 7.”
9. Make visual contact. Even if you use radios, every three hours physically lay your eyes on your child. Look them over. They will be dirty, but are they bleeding? Do they need food? Should they eat even if they say they don’t want food? Do they need WATER? Are they dehydrated? Are they over heated? Are they cold? Do they need dry clothes?
10. Have your children participate. Don’t just let them run wild. No one appreciates that and it doesn’t add spirituality to the gathering experience. Have your children attend events or workshops that are permitted for children. If you are going to a public circle and you know there will be no children activities; bring something for the child to do so they can be occupied and busy.
11. Keep the Family Coven Schedule. Adjust sleep times some; however, recognize that even you get cranky if you don’t get enough sleep, so by ensuring your children eat properly, get enough rest and are hydrated, you are also cutting down on the potential behavior problems.
12. Make your Family Coven come to home base once a day and have an afternoon or evening meal. Ask the children who they have met, where the other kid’s camps are, who they came with. Go meet those parents later. Make an effort to use the gathering as an opportunity to further the bonds of Family Coven.
13. Monitor your children and the community you are participating in. If you see something that upsets you, leave. If you have a problem with someone acting inappropriately to you or your children, leave. If you go to ritual and get a feeling that something isn’t right, leave. If your child tells you they are not comfortable, leave. If the community seems unreceptive to your Family Coven, leave. Your karmic responsibility is to your Family Coven. Your children are your spiritual legacy. Treat them that way.
It is so easy to simply believe that all gatherings are safe, all Pagans are perfect and all Pagan playgrounds have a magic barrier of protection no pedophile can penetrate. Discernment is a witch’s best weapon and discernment teaches us, that those ideas are fantasy. Mother Priestesses and Father Priests have a calling to their children above all and they must think about these issues, plan for these issues and investigate the groups and events they attend to ensure they are safe. The karmic responsibility falls to Mother Priestesses and Father Priests.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Footnotes:
Reference 1: In the state of Georgia, children under the age of 8 years old can not be unsupervised or the parents face legal repercussions. This means that the state of Georgia has decided that children under the age of 8 lack some ability of discernment that would permit them to self-monitor. This is an excellent rule of thumb for pagan gatherings. If your child is under 8, they need to stay within sight of a responsible adult. If they are over 8, the ability to roam freely can be considered with the appropriate precautions suggested in the 13 Points of Family Coven Safety.
Copyright: Written by Lydia 'Dia' Crabtree, March, 2006. Reprint with permission from author.
The sun has risen past Aquarius and is moving steadily toward Taurus, and the camping gear is beginning to send that quiet signal that the Gathering Season has returned. Everyone is anticipating the first main ritual of the season and being a part of the entire Pagan throng dressed in finery, that they stayed up until 2 am the night before the gathering to make. The throng files solemnly into main ritual space as the moon in her fullness casts shimmering shadows on the floor of the temple carpeted with small white and purple flowers. The High Priestess stands ready in the center of the circle and as everyone settles down, she declares, “Now we will ground and center!”
Right on cue, it cuts through the night like a coven sword through the wind, “NOOOOO ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGG! STOP! Leave me a – a- looooonnnnnnnneeeeeee.” In unison only found in the Pagan community when scolding bad parenting, the entire 200-person circle whips the heads to see the offending child and harried Mother Priestess both near tears. The High Priestess holds a plastic grin and her teeth grind audibly.
What’s a Pagan parent to do? Don’t come to a gathering? Do those childless Pagans not understand the inherent need to have a conversation in English versus baby babble? They think staying at home with small children is so easy. After all there is no commute! However, that is the problem – there is no commute! That Mother Priestess hadn’t had a chance to be in ritual in over nine months and the opportunity presented itself and she took it – can you blame her?
Well, yes – after all she chose to bring the unmanageable Fae to circle and the gathering right? The fact is, if that child grows up and doesn’t go to school, the truancy officer is going to fine HER, not the community. She is the legal responsible party for that child’s behavior…and she must hold the keys to banishing gritting teeth in rituals.
The problem is that the keys to the mystery of parenting are a closer guarded secret than The Great Mysteries ever were. It just isn’t as easy as it might seem. There is the packing to get done, not for one lone Pagan, but for two or three or five or even seven. They have to get everything together, food, special food for the one who can’t eat peanuts and the one who won’t eat anything but cheese sandwiches with miracle whip. A good Father Priest isn’t going to forget the medicine for the problems everyone has right now and might contract on site – bug bites, poison ivy, tummy aches. There is the remembering of the CD player and batteries to play the lullabies to help Connla get to sleep. Don’t forget the Frisbees, crayons and coloring books just incase the site doesn’t provide adequate child age diversion. Goddess forbid, you get to the site that first night and discover the sacred sleep inducing Golden Blanky has been left behind along with Flippy, the traveling bear. The thought of it even a good 30 days before the first gathering gates open, is enough to send a Mother Priestess into a widdershins spiral.
There are Four Keys to Gathering Preparation that have recently been uncovered by a band of daring Mother Priestesses and Father Priests. They have fought through the flaying arms of their mischievous Fae and used these keys to unlock the gates of knowledge and retrieve the 13 Points of Family Coven Safety.
The 1st Key, is Family Covens are primarily responsible for exposing their children to ritual. The time for this exposure is NOT at a gathering. When you practice ritual etiquette at home it prepares children for the public events they will attend. How can any parent possibly expect a child to behave in an unfamiliar environment doing unfamiliar things?
The 2nd Key is Family Covens should not ignore the needs of the Pagan Community. When a person attends a large public event, they aren’t coming to hear your child scream. There is no doubt you are worn out and have a need for spiritual ease as much as the next person. However, it isn’t the community’s responsibility to ensure you get that time. Hire a baby sitter if your child is too young to not be disruptive. If you must bring your child, leave circle if they begin to cause a disruption. Have some respect for those who have come seeking solace and a moment of quiet reflection.
The 3rd Key is a lack of focus on the part of Pagan Parents on the art of parenting. Children are Pagan parent’s magical legacy. Just like the science and art of magic, parenting is a learning and remembering how to mold, shape and direct maids and warriors. No one expects that you know what to do up front! There are resources available, Pagan and otherwise. Do not be ashamed or afraid to take advantage of them. Attend parenting classes, network and compare tactics with other Mother Priestesses and Father Priests, find a local Family Wiccan Community, or start one in your area, and plug into their support and love. Don’t be blinded by love to the monster you may be raising and don’t wait. The older our children get, the harder it is going to be to make sure they are pointed in the right direction. Spend the same amount of time learning to be a parent, that you have spent learning to be a Witch, a Pagan or a Wiccan.
The 4th Key exposed the 13 Points of Family Coven Safety. These points are guidelines and common sense suggestions that have helped Mother Priestesses and Father Priests feel empowered to take on the Gathering Scene as a family with children.
1. Get your priorities straight. Family Coven is the thing you should be devoted to first and foremost. Your children are your magical legacy. Treat them that way and above all else be prepared to defend that. Be prepared to monitor your children, if the energy is too much if the exposure is too much, be prepared to leave the event to restore calm and order to your Family Coven, if necessary.
2. Investigate the group you are going to participate with, especially if you are attending a gathering. Ask around. What do people say about previous events? What does their website or flyer information say about drug use – or does it say anything? If you are in a divorce situation, ask yourself whether you risk your custodial rites by participating with this group. Write the sponsors and ask them about the things you are concerned about. It is a sad fact that there are groups that value individual rights over the laws of the governing body and the common sense that keeps kids safe. Be sure you are exposing your children only to safe environments.
3. Prepare your Family Coven. Do ritual at home, explain the Pagan ways and tell them what they can expect at an event. Teach them basic shielding techniques.
4. Set expectations of behavior. Set up a reward system for good behavior with your children. Don’t just discuss good behavior for your children, tell your children how others should treat them. Prepare them to identify when adults are acting inappropriately and prepare them to take the proper steps to protect themselves.
5. You’re a Witch, use magic. Visualize your Family Coven connected by a color that is associated with your Family Coven. On the ride to the event, spend some time feeling your Family Coven’s connection. Visualize the bond of Family Coven violently vibrating when one of the members is in danger. Take some time to ‘feel’ how that is. Then visualize each child with a giant psychic sign that is constantly broadcasting, “Touch my child with harmful intent and you will pay, ” over and over and over. Put all that Mother Bear, Father Lion energy into this psychic sign. If your child already has a familiar or spiritual guardian, call them to you and instruct them on protection of that child. Finally, visualize a conduit that runs from your child’s aura whose purpose is to siphon off excess energy they may pick up. This permanent grounding technique is useful not just for gatherings, but any event where there will be large crowds with lots of mixed energy.
6. Identify your Family Coven and tag your child. Wear the same colored shirts to an event. Put wristbands on your children with their name, your name, a cell phone number and any medical information (allergic to bees, peanut butter) . If they are toddlers, pen a piece of paper with this information on their backs.
7. Make a game plan. When you arrive, get the lay of the land. Make sure your children know how to get to your camp (home base) , the bathrooms and one central location (far base) . Practice once. Leave children at far base and have them find you on their own (appropriate for ages 8 and above, reference 1) . With your partner plan ahead the times you will watch and the times they will watch or make arrangements with another Pagan mom or dad to do the same.
8. Put a radio collar on your children. Buy two-way radios and find a way to fasten them to the child. Use the radios for ‘safety check ins’ and to help ease communication in the event of an emergency. Your wristband might even read, “In case of emergency, use radio to contact mom on channel 7.”
9. Make visual contact. Even if you use radios, every three hours physically lay your eyes on your child. Look them over. They will be dirty, but are they bleeding? Do they need food? Should they eat even if they say they don’t want food? Do they need WATER? Are they dehydrated? Are they over heated? Are they cold? Do they need dry clothes?
10. Have your children participate. Don’t just let them run wild. No one appreciates that and it doesn’t add spirituality to the gathering experience. Have your children attend events or workshops that are permitted for children. If you are going to a public circle and you know there will be no children activities; bring something for the child to do so they can be occupied and busy.
11. Keep the Family Coven Schedule. Adjust sleep times some; however, recognize that even you get cranky if you don’t get enough sleep, so by ensuring your children eat properly, get enough rest and are hydrated, you are also cutting down on the potential behavior problems.
12. Make your Family Coven come to home base once a day and have an afternoon or evening meal. Ask the children who they have met, where the other kid’s camps are, who they came with. Go meet those parents later. Make an effort to use the gathering as an opportunity to further the bonds of Family Coven.
13. Monitor your children and the community you are participating in. If you see something that upsets you, leave. If you have a problem with someone acting inappropriately to you or your children, leave. If you go to ritual and get a feeling that something isn’t right, leave. If your child tells you they are not comfortable, leave. If the community seems unreceptive to your Family Coven, leave. Your karmic responsibility is to your Family Coven. Your children are your spiritual legacy. Treat them that way.
It is so easy to simply believe that all gatherings are safe, all Pagans are perfect and all Pagan playgrounds have a magic barrier of protection no pedophile can penetrate. Discernment is a witch’s best weapon and discernment teaches us, that those ideas are fantasy. Mother Priestesses and Father Priests have a calling to their children above all and they must think about these issues, plan for these issues and investigate the groups and events they attend to ensure they are safe. The karmic responsibility falls to Mother Priestesses and Father Priests.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Footnotes:
Reference 1: In the state of Georgia, children under the age of 8 years old can not be unsupervised or the parents face legal repercussions. This means that the state of Georgia has decided that children under the age of 8 lack some ability of discernment that would permit them to self-monitor. This is an excellent rule of thumb for pagan gatherings. If your child is under 8, they need to stay within sight of a responsible adult. If they are over 8, the ability to roam freely can be considered with the appropriate precautions suggested in the 13 Points of Family Coven Safety.
Copyright: Written by Lydia 'Dia' Crabtree, March, 2006. Reprint with permission from author.
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