Thank you for the valuable service here. I thank you also for allowing someone not of Native American lineage to speak here.
I state my position here to identify myself, accepting it may not be of much interest apart from to me.
I am a Craft priestess of about 35 years experience.
I live in Wales with my husband, our adult son, and 8 cats.
My husband and I in writing, talks and teaching, long ago since 1990 challenged the theft and misuse of others' traditions. We see a strong parallel between the plunder of Celtic spirituality and the same done to Native Americans. The English first worked out colonial methods in Wales, then exported them. Now others return here to take and take again.
Another aspect of this is how so many Westerners disrespect our own Ancestors, our own native spirituality. In obsessing on "strange gods" and foreign philosophies they deny and diminish their own. The result is a spiritual immaturity. Because the tradition is foreign it cannot be as profoundly 'serious' - there is always an underlying opt-out because this is not-me. Not very conscious but there.
It shows up in the fear of our own ancestral traditions The exotic foreign package is so much safer because it cannot reach deep to our centre.
We lost our religious leadership class in Europe when the Druids were massacred, persecuted, then forced to take on a foreign faith to survive. This I believe has left a long lasting historical scar in us. Our inner lack, its pain, created a radical insecurity that bred aggression and conquest (alongside economic factors). So, spiritually starving, my people stole or trashed, like badly brought up children. But far more dangerous because these armies of sick kids had/ have guns.
I honour other faiths and traditions, especially Native ones. In asking my people to honour our own heritage I do not mean that we must not learn from others, enjoy each others' Stories, exchange gifts and share knowledge. Interfaith is valuable and necessary.
But to deny our own roots is to sicken them, sicken us, and poison our dealings with others from our self doubt and guilt.
I do not claim an impressive lineage of teachers.
I do not teach complicated things, though the simplicities I know are profound.
I ask people to pay attention, to notice - waters, grass, tree, stone, flame, cat, baby, foot, shadow. In land and water and flame and air, in our bodies, lie the same wisdoms our Ancestors found.
Who taught the first Witch? as Valiente asked us in her wisdom.
That our 'whitey' traditions have been broken and damaged is no excuse to thieve from others. Instead we need to go carefully to our sources, in nature and ourselves, to rediscover our own Ways and in doing so our self respect. With that as a basis, we can much better respect others.
I practice a simple but powerful dedication to my Land, my Ancestors, to community and family. The core of it is children, and the Land.
I have taught a practical Circlework for rituals which many people have found clean, intuitive, safe and effective. It is kitchen and nature based.
The Craft I serve does not permit money for ritual or teaching, although it does allow expenses.
I do not use a leadership title as there is no need. To say I am a priestess is a job description like plumber. I do not approve of certificates, diplomas, college type trainings that divide priesthood from people.
I do provide some basic introductory information online or on paper (book, booklet). I think it is fair to help people decide if I am worth talking to, or if they might possibly like working with me, or not.
Though I love books.and find some of them useful, Craft learning requires no books. It moves mouth to ear. Any items needed can be found in kitchen, garden or woodland.
Safety is the first priority. With safety and confidence in place as the container, magic/ spirituality flows out of it in a natural way.
I did learn a little shamanic method, perhaps from suspect sources you would not approve. But I judge what I find by if it works. Very simple drumming, chanting, light trance, does work. So I honour it and use it. But I am not a shaman nor ever could be because I do not live in a shaman community.
I did once do a sweat and found it immensely inspiring in its gifts to me. I have very occasionally led something similar but mostly using sauna with my own form of rites. I could never call this sweatlodge because that tradition is not mine to take and use. But heat in an enclosed space is!
No one holds authority over me other than where I consent to it for my own or others' benefit.
In becoming a priestess I ritually acknowledged this ultimate freedom and authority, even as I dedicated it to the gods.
I love proud free people like me. Where I am permitted to speak, discuss or teach I try to help others feel this sense of freedom and honour.
I hope this is acceptable to you and I have not misused my guest right.
I have already learned a great deal on this forum both new things, and reminders of things I had forgotten. I do tend to write lengthy posts and serious ones too, but I would hope anyone who finds me tedious could have the basic guts to stop reading, reject, and move on. Such is freedom.
Thank you again.
