Thursday, November 20, 2014

Silent Night with the Descant, Reflections on Humanity, the Path of our Spirits



The song Silent Night with the Descant, brings so many memories back to me. I love the song so much that I actually listen to it at times year round. Winter is my favorite time of the year, I couldn't imagine a year without a white Winter Solstice. Unfortunately when I was deployed to Kuwait/Iraq, we were in the desert, so that was my first "Tan" Winter Solstice.

Anyways, Silent Night, not only brings up memories, but the visualizations are astounding. As I was listening to this song, I was reflecting on how witches/pagans and Christians visualize when they hear the song. I rather imagine that the imagery would be the opposite of what you think it would be. I think it would be more like this...
You see yourself walking down a sidewalk the street lamps are the old fashioned Victorian lamps that you see in old movies. The town you are in is sleepy and above you there is a light snow fall. You look up and you see the geometrical shapes falling from the darkness and they are big. They actually tickle your nose when they land on your face. There is no breeze and the air is comfortable to be in. You take a deep breath and close your eyes sucking in the crisp winter air. You have a sip of hot cocoa and it warms your belly. What a wonderful feeling. As you walk down the street a horse drawn carriage passes you by and you see two lovers enjoying a happy evening together. Two children a boy and girl all bundled up come running down the road and they are laughing. One of them throws a hand around the street lamp and twirls around it and they both run off in the direction of the church. The church is an ancient looking church with an old oak door and a steeple. You can see the big brass bell in it. The stained glass windows are lit up majestically. You take in the whole scene around you and on the corner across from church are some carolers singing What Child Is This, but the pagans enjoy it more so as Greensleeves. In the town square there is a tall Christmas tree with a blazing gold star on it, and the lights twinkle in the snow and through out the branches. The houses all look like cottages. You realize your are in a little village tucked away in the woods. How wonderful is this little scene. 
Silent Night's traditional melody and that of the descant are two very different melodies, yet they compliment each other nicely. Such is the way we as humans ought to be, not just around the holiday season, but all year. Lofty I know, so let's just try the following during the Holiday season. Let us as witches not argue and debate about where the origins of the holiday came from. And who stole what from whom. Now, that doesn't go to say if someone is being a real douche you don't have the right to defend what you hold dear. The holidays all have different meanings to everyone. Why not offer to experience their traditions, EVEN if they don't keep an open mind to yours. This gives you up the hand. You have shown them you have the TOLERANCE that they LACK. That's powerful!   I encourage you to get out there and try to experience these different traditions. Believe it or not, this a very rich time to experience humanity in all its diversity. Many people choose not to see it, because they can't make up their mind for themselves. They live under the pressures of society to make up their mind for them. 
Perhaps you could host an open circle and show others the beauty of what it is to worship the Goddess. You may consider going to Midnight Mass and see how beautiful honoring the archetype of the God can be. I go to mass twice a year, Christmas and Easter, and usually by myself. Extending the peace in the middle of the mass, is a spell and no one realizes it. You are passing that energy from one "generator" to the other. No different than the spells we cast. The experience that each of us has is different, and because of that we have control over how we are going to experience it or not. Will you experience it with an open mind for the first time? Will attend again with animosity in your heart. These are you fellow man/woman, all of them precious to the Goddess and God. I know many witches have come from a chaotic dogmatic monotheistic background and it may have left some damage on you. However if you expect people to reconcile their unpleasant experiences with us, then you must be willing to reconcile with them. The road to peace is a two street, to achieve peace, both sides need appeasing.

Wars have been waged in the name of one God or the other. They have been started over who traditionally did this or that. Why continue this? If we as witches want to be making a difference in our world, step up! Show these people who are just like you and I, what we do. You can talk all day long about there not being a Satan and all the other memes. Words are wind, most people value actions. This is the path of the spirit, that ethereal being that is you. Come together like the two melodies in the songs. Instead of wishing peace let it begin with you!

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