From: altheimm@nextnet.csus.edu (Murray Altheim)
Subject: Re: New pagans and reading
Organization: California State University Sacramento
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 16:40:39 GMT

In article <1992Sep4.171346.19118@lmt.mn.org> ciaran@county.lmt.mn.org (Ciaran Benson) writes:

(Just a few snippets from Ciaran's post. I'd like to just repost the whole
thing, untouched, but etiquette prevails...)  
 
>  Alt.pagan does have a community, after all.  I'd read about
>the electronic community and town halls, but this is the first
>time I've actually seen it.
[...]
>
>  I'm drawn, though, to the idea that experience is something people
>need to seek.  Curious.  When we are all so intimately and
>immediately the Goddess and God themselves, why all this
>invoking and summoning and searching?
>
>  A clock ticks on the wall for hours, and yet we're not even
>aware that it's there.  But suddenly, without warning, we
>are completely conscious of it -- sometimes even frustratingly
>so.  We can talk about it, consider it, and learn from the
>experience.  But tomorrow, we've forgotten it was there.
>
>  After a lifetime of ignoring immanent divinity, what does
>it take to become aware of something which you've lived
>with all your life but never noticed?
>
>  To start paying attention to it, living with it, sharing
>and relating with it -- everywhere and all of the time.
>
>  Little wonder that I consider "grounding" an evocation of
>ignorance of Her -- banishing that immanent presence, exorcising
>the intimate touch of infinite awareness.
[...]
>
>  You know a wonder and a passion for learning and for
>experiencing which I have lost to years of misunderstanding
>and fatigue.  What you ask from us; experience and knowledge,
>is something which you yourself have in infinite supply.  You _KNOW_
>what your relationship with the Goddess is.  Go to Her in
>the way that _YOU_ see best.  Practice what seems right
>to you -- and remember that Magic is one side-effect of
>doing things right, in the right way, at the right time.
>
>  Do what is right, behaving properly within your own mind
>and your heart, and you will be with Her (and Him and Them
>and Whatever you Worship), following the path which is yours
>alone.
>
>  All you will gain from reading and questing is other people's
>expression of what you already know -- something which is
>eminently desirable, but which can only add to that core of
>experience and knowledge which you already have.
>
>  You are, without question, the purest definition of what
>you _need_ to be to become what you _wish_ to become.
>
>  From my experience, immanent divinity is a two-way street,
>"As Above, So Below" works in the inverse as well.  We are
>all the Goddess wandering through Herself asking, evolving,
>relating, expanding.  The answers you find for yourself are
>Her's for Herself in you.
[...]
>  Blessed be, Ciaran

It was rather hard to hide my moistened eyes from the rest of the office.
Yes, Ciaran, you have a way of moving me, and while it's maybe a little
hard for me label an electronic penpal, since we've not met, I'd like 
very much to consider you among my friends. I value very much our 
correspondence, and always look forward to reading your next posting.

I'd like to spend more time responding, but I unfortunately must get back
to work... *yawn*   

Blessings to you, 

Murray

-- 
Murray M. Altheim      "Ils ont l'orteil de Bouc, & d'un Chevreil l'oreille,
Instructional Consultant    La corne d'un Chamois, & la face vermeille
CSU, Sacramento          Comme un rouge Croissant: & dancent toute nuict
altheimm@csus.edu       Dedans un carrefour, ou pres d'une eau qui bruict."