"I am just reading my books on paganism/wicca and I came accross a chapter in Margot Adler's 'Drawing Down The Moon' called the ''Interview with a Modern Witch''. The woman interviewed is Sharon Devlin-member of the craft. She states that paganism today is lacking music, rhythm, dance and psychogenetic drugs. She also says that we have to bring those ecstatic states again by ritual drunkennes and sex, which was an essential to the rites in ancient times... The best part is that she blames Christianity'' for fear of ecstatic states, fear of intelligent use of hallucinogens, fear of intelligent and sensitive use of sexuality to produce extasy...'' I agree with the part about sexuality to certain degree. I am totaly against drugs and I am not a Christian. I go for rituals performed in the most pure, natural state. I don't have to be halucinating to reach my Goddess.
PLS Shere your opinions......"
First, let me say that the use of the word “drug” is wrong in this instance. Simply put crack is not the same as peyote. Never has been, never will be. To group them together is wrong and it implies that certain substances are bad by association. We would never tell someone in severe pain that they can’t have morphine simply because there are people out there without enough willpower to not use or get off of the medication and subsequently abuse it. So to group them together is just, to me, poorly informed or ill-educated.
There are some substances that can be used in ritual, and I choose to separate these substances under the title of Psycho-Active Substances. To me this implies that it is more for medicinal – and by this I mean medicine for the spirit – use. Psycho like psyche the “above mind” and active, just that. A stimulation of the higher self if you will.
I think that if you are comfortable using them (PAS) then by all means feel free. However, as the title implies I do not think that you should be slathering it on, or drinking it down every time you have circle. Also I think that there should be age limits, much like the one America uses for tobacco and alcohol. Again, willpower and intelligence are needed, and from what I have seen are used in regards to these substances.
Secondly, there is recorded evidence of real witches using PAS since the middle ages. The first known case we have of this comes from approximately 1450 in the form of Flying Ointment to be used in pagan rituals, specifically those of witches, and was made up of solanaceous herbs. In fact one such recipe indicates that you would use Henbane, Wolfsbane, Belladonna and Hemlock in a mixture boiled in animal fat – usually toads known for their hallucinogenic toxic production.
So to state that “Real Witches” would/have never used PAS shows a poor witch, or one who is just too lazy to actually do some research into their (and by this I mean witches as a whole) past. And yes, I do feel that if you state you are a witch, you are obligated to go out and look at your own history – that however is a personal stance, but so far it has helped me pick out the real from the fad.
Now on the point of sex in ritual, I do not understand how or why one who calls themselves a witch would be against it. As anyone I have ever known who has participated in a Beltane ritual has performed accordingly; whether as a solitary, or within a coven. This is one of the reasons most Beltane circles are closed to members who aren’t part of the coven and the vast majority separate the daytime celebrations from the evening, especially festivals occurring around this time – at least the ones I’ve been to and have heard of friends participating in.
So the fact that sex in ritual would now be something to worry about baffles me. This said I would have to go with my previous statement of “intelligence and willpower.” As for the age limit on sex – it’s a no brainer.
As for the issue of liking/agreeing with Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler, I’d have to say that I really did enjoy this book. For me it was a way of looking into the past and seeing the struggle for Paganism to be recognized in its many facets (Druid, Wiccan, Hindu, etc etc) as a valid religious/spiritual choice. You also have to remember that you DON’T have to agree with what was said or done. Whether you live in American land of the free, or any other democratic society, or even any modern society you have a right to believe as you see fit so long as it doesn’t hurt someone else. This means everyone has the RIGHT to their own opinion.
That is what is so great about our time NOW. What Adler, Budapest, Starhawk, Crowley, Gardner, Buckland, Valiente worked their asses off for – our right to pick and choose what we want to learn. This is WHY we have so many different authors out there. I don’t know about you, but every book I have in my collection tells you point blank: “I am not saying that you HAVE to do it like this, choose what WORKS FOR YOU.” For instance, my friend loves Silver Ravenwolf – to me she is a preachy mom and gets on my nerves. Do I like everything she says? Hell No! Some of her points are valid; some of them are batshit crazy to me. I still read all her books though, regardless of how I feel about what she has to say on certain issues.
And personally – I don’t really like the tone of “if you use drugs or have sex you’re a bad person because my mommy told me so.” I think that attitude is part of the PROBLEM we have today. I think that if you are not comfortable doing it – you should not do it, but if you are myself and no one else has the right to tell you “you are wrong” just because we don’t agree. In my opinion that is a very Christian (Christian not the same as Christ Follower) attitude, and I just don’t like it.
If you don’t agree, disagree, but do not lord your opinion all over everywhere with a Holier-Than-Thou stance just because you don’t like it. I love dill pickles, but I hate sweet pickles. Am I going to stone your ass because you don’t eat dill pickles – noooo, am I going to give you a weird look and stare at you while you eat them – yes I do it much to the chagrin of my friends every time they eat them on their sandwiches. But I’m not going to JUDGE you for eating them.
Eight words the Witches Rede fulfill, An it harm none do what ye will. I’d say that’s a damn valid point myself.
