The diplomacy of a Priestess
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I feel like I have neglected this blog for quite some time. I have been meaning to write, but life has gotten in the way. It was earlier today that a situation came up and opened the door for a blog.
The situation was in a group that I moderate, the topic "Animal Sacrifice" this is such a sticky subject, a practice that I personally don't subscribe to, and it is for no other reason that I just don't. I don't find the need to do it, and I have a hard time harming others animal or human. I have practiced blood magic, using my Moon blood or my own finger. I have used these in shadow work, and deep healing rituals. This can be a very potent and powerful practice.
A situation arose where the topic went from being a good healthy discussion to an attack on the original poster. This is when we as Priestess or even Priest need to put on our Priest/ess hats and do what we were trained to do, become the voice of reason. It doesn't matter what my personal beliefs are at this point. I don't need to make a point, and I am not threatened by this practice as it doesn't undermine my own. What matters is how the entire situation is treated. Attacking the poster based on my own beliefs does absolutely NO good. It does no good to the work I do as a Priestess, and it does no good to the actual poster. The path of the Priestess if one of higher calling. It is one of the "village elder" you don't see the elder out there quarreling with the people of the village. NO they are the voice of reason, the dispute settlers.
Unfortunately this is many times met with an unreasonable person. One who doesn't want to see reason, or believes that their beliefs or opinion are so much more important than another that they cant take a few moments to treat them like a human being and actually listen. Why not just say "I don't agree with your practice, but I still respect you" Why is this so hard a concept to grasp? We demand respect, but yet those very same people who demand it, refuse to give it. When this occurs many times the Priestess becomes the "bad guy" or worse yet can actually loose a friend. There is only so far a Priestess can go. She can not make the others see reason, just refuse to communicate with the unreasonable until they have decided to open their mind and heart. Respecting someones practice is much different that accepting ones practice, and that is still different than actually practicing it.
The path of the Priestess is not one of glamor, it is one of taking the high road, being the voice of reason, putting your own feelings aside for the good of the community or village. It sometimes means loosing a friend for the greater good. It sometimes breaks your heart. I was not called here to have a happy heart, and to skip through fields of flowers oblivious of turmoil. It requires immense strength, it requires wisdom, and above all it requires taking into account the greater good over the wants and needs of our own.
The situation was in a group that I moderate, the topic "Animal Sacrifice" this is such a sticky subject, a practice that I personally don't subscribe to, and it is for no other reason that I just don't. I don't find the need to do it, and I have a hard time harming others animal or human. I have practiced blood magic, using my Moon blood or my own finger. I have used these in shadow work, and deep healing rituals. This can be a very potent and powerful practice.
A situation arose where the topic went from being a good healthy discussion to an attack on the original poster. This is when we as Priestess or even Priest need to put on our Priest/ess hats and do what we were trained to do, become the voice of reason. It doesn't matter what my personal beliefs are at this point. I don't need to make a point, and I am not threatened by this practice as it doesn't undermine my own. What matters is how the entire situation is treated. Attacking the poster based on my own beliefs does absolutely NO good. It does no good to the work I do as a Priestess, and it does no good to the actual poster. The path of the Priestess if one of higher calling. It is one of the "village elder" you don't see the elder out there quarreling with the people of the village. NO they are the voice of reason, the dispute settlers.
Unfortunately this is many times met with an unreasonable person. One who doesn't want to see reason, or believes that their beliefs or opinion are so much more important than another that they cant take a few moments to treat them like a human being and actually listen. Why not just say "I don't agree with your practice, but I still respect you" Why is this so hard a concept to grasp? We demand respect, but yet those very same people who demand it, refuse to give it. When this occurs many times the Priestess becomes the "bad guy" or worse yet can actually loose a friend. There is only so far a Priestess can go. She can not make the others see reason, just refuse to communicate with the unreasonable until they have decided to open their mind and heart. Respecting someones practice is much different that accepting ones practice, and that is still different than actually practicing it.
The path of the Priestess is not one of glamor, it is one of taking the high road, being the voice of reason, putting your own feelings aside for the good of the community or village. It sometimes means loosing a friend for the greater good. It sometimes breaks your heart. I was not called here to have a happy heart, and to skip through fields of flowers oblivious of turmoil. It requires immense strength, it requires wisdom, and above all it requires taking into account the greater good over the wants and needs of our own.
