The Pagan Warrior and Men’s Spirituality
Dr Raven Dolick M.s.D.
Mar 3, 2016
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2016 RavenStar Enchantments
The Pagan male today finds himself in a confusing position. In response to the highly patriarchal nature of the mainstream monotheistic faiths, the Pagan community as a whole tends toward a matriarchal, feminine-oriented system. In this system, the male aspects of Divinity are often greatly if not completely eclipsed by the female aspects. The “Great Mother Goddess” is often honored to the exclusion of the God, who is relegated to the status of her “Consort” when He is mentioned at all! We believe that even as a completely patriarchal system is unbalanced, so too is a completely matriarchal system - a positive, dynamic balance between the two is needed, not an aggrandizement of one gender over the other. Both genders have their own strengths and weaknesses, and each has much to teach the other. To this end, we are committed to exploring the men's mysteries, the spiritual aspects of what it is to be male. We do have an unashamedly men's group – for there are many women's mysteries groups in existence, and we consider ourselves neither unbalanced nor chauvinistic for wishing to explore the spiritual aspects of our own gender and be the Lord we were created to be.
What does community service have to do with men's spirituality?
We at RavenStar Enchantments Spiritual Awareness Center believe that in-service to the community is an important part of our spirituality - that a man can truly find the best in himself only in service to others. Sacrifice for the good of others is a traditional and integral aspect of men's spirituality - for example, the Pagan belief in the sacrifice of the Horned Lord at Samhain to be reborn at Yule and renew the fertility of the earth, or from a Christian point of view, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. All of us sacrifice in some form or another so that others may be better off, though for most of us this sacrifice is of our time and energy rather than our lives. As The Knights of Hern believe that with the power we are given comes the responsibility to help others. In fact, the word "knight" originally came from a Saxon word which meant "vassal" or "servant"; we take this to mean that we are servants of our community and of the greater good.
RavenStar Enchantments Spiritual Retreat for men’s spirituality will individually focus on your inner strengths and weaknesses with a very intense holistic approach to reconnect you with your true divine self and give assistance in self empowerment with modalities to balance the mind, body and soul in perfect union and pursue options to best empower you with in-service expressions of your talents and power. With one on one focus we reach many male figures that then take their personal empowerment to better their family structure, community, spiritual outlook and over all view of how they react to the world around them therefore effectively changing the world one male at a time.
Herne, from whom our Pagan Men’s Retreat focus takes its name, is a pre-Christian Saxon deity whose name is thought to come from the Latin "Cernunnos" which means "The Horned One". His image can be found on the Gundestrup Cauldron, an artifact found in Denmark and dating from about 2000 years ago. Herne is the Patron of our Retreat; for us, he represents the quintessence of manhood, all that we strive to be and to achieve as men. He is the sacrificial God, who gives of himself so that others may live. Though we do not all honor Herne as the face of our particular Deity, as men, we honor what he represents.
Before you start your Men’s Spirituality Retreat I wish for you to take in these words and thoughts transcribed to modern day linguistists:
Inside the sacred circle, Under the sacred sword,
A Knight must swear to follow,
The code that is unending,
Unending as the circle,
A ring by honor bound...
Truth in speech...
To lie is usually an act of cowardice, an admission that one is not willing to face the consequences of one’s actions. A Knight was then provoked to therefore seek the truth whenever possible, and should strive to keep the oaths he chooses to swear. When a Knight would give his word, it is not an empty promise; he would strive with all of his strength and will to keep it. A lot of us have relinquished that basic honor.
Loyalty in service...
Pagan male remains loyal to the people and the precepts which he has sworn to uphold, ever honoring and defending them, and never forsaking them while there is life left in him. He recognizes and accepts his duty to his family and friends, to his community, to his nation, and to the ideas and Deities that he serves.
An excellent explanation of the meaning of Loyalty can be found in Robert Heinlein's essay, "The Pragmatics of Patriotism." And highly recommended for reading.
Humility in bearing...
A centered Pagan male conducts himself with quiet confidence, never boasting, but letting his deeds speak for themselves. He does not seek self-aggrandizement or personal glory, but acts for the good of the community as a whole.
Charity in compassion...
The Pagan male is generous so far as his resources and means allow, giving selflessly so that the community might prosper. To be a Lord is to be given a power, and with all power comes a responsibility to others.
Prowess in action...
We as spiritual males should strive for excellence in all endeavors, physical, mental and spiritual. We should dedicate ourselves fully to the tasks we choose, and seek always to improve them.
Defense in need...
A Knight was sworn to defend those who depend on him - his family, his loved ones, his community, and his nation. He also defends the precepts by which he lives, as well as those who cannot defend themselves. A soldier is one who marches to a government's drum. A warrior walks in his own centered truths.
Justice in judgments...
A Pagan warrior should serve the cause of justice, taking responsibility for his own actions and, as far as he is able, seeing that others do the same. He must remember, however, that the sword of justice must always be tempered by mercy. As Gandhi said, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”
Honor above all…
The most important quality of a centered Pagan male is honor, for honor is the basis for all of the virtues of chivalry. Honor, in essence, means that a Knight holds to the precepts by which he lives, realizing that though the ideals cannot be reached, striving towards them ennobles the spirit and makes the world a better place for all. A Knight is one who finds the best in himself by putting his life into service of the ideals and the people that he loves.
The Nine Tenets of the Code of Chivalry
Valor in adversity . . . Truth in speech . . . Loyalty in service . . .
Humility in bearing . . . Charity in compassion . . . Prowess in action. . .
Defense in need . . . Justice in judgment . . . Honor above all.
Valor in adversity...
Valor is not the lack of fear, for no one lives without fear. Rather, valor is the measure of one's ability to deal with fear. We face our fear, and do what must be done in spite of it. We do not surrender to fear or despair, and never give up when our cause is just, even though it may seem hopeless.
A good explanation of the meaning of Valor is found in the song "To Dream the Impossible Dream" from the musical "Man of La Mancha":
"To dream the impossible dream, to fight the unbeatable foe, to bear with unbearable sorrow, to run where the brave dare not go,
To right the unrightable wrong, to love pure and chaste from afar, to try when your arms are too weary, to reach the unreachable star,
Oh, this is my quest, to follow that star, no matter how hopeless, no matter how far,
To fight for the right, without question or pause, to be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause!
And I know if I'll only be true, to this glorious quest,
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I'm laid to my rest.
And the world will be better for this, that one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove with his last ounce of courage, to reach the unreachable stars!"
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