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Wicca offers not entry into a congregation of followers,
but initiation into the priesthood of the mysteries... It does not offer
a form of exoteric religion which is suitable for the many, but a spiritual
discipline and path which is the way of a few, albeit an increasingly
large few.
— Vivianne Crowley
It is not easy to be a Witch, a bender, a shaper,
one of the Wise; nor is it safe, comfortable, "laid back",
mellow, uplifting, or a guarantee of peace of mind. It requires openness,
vulnerability, courage, and work. It gives no answers, only tasks to
be done, and questions to consider.... It functions in those deeper
ways of knowing which our culture has denied, and for which we hunger.
About the List
Idir Eatarthu (Irish for "Betwixt and Between") is a
mailing list for those interested in delving more deeply into Wiccan theology,
cosmology and practice than most of the available discussion spaces on
the net tend to be geared toward. Those interested in exploring the tensions
and commonalities between Wicca and other pagan/magical paths, such as
Celtic Reconstructionism, Asatru, or Ceremonial Magick will find it of
particular interest.
Idir originated as a sublist of the IMBAS
Mailing List for Celtic Reconstructionist Pagans, where those whose paths
lay between Celtic Reconstructionism and Wicca could discuss their issues
without either boring those who were not interested or getting flamed
by those hostile to Wicca. By spinning it off into a separate list, we
hoped to open it up to a wider variety of people who find themselves "betwixt
and between" in other ways, as well as filling a need that many people
have felt for a space within which to discuss Wicca at a more-than-basic
level.
The purpose of the list is well-informed, thoughtful, in-depth discussion
of the philosophy, ethics, cosmology, theology and magical/ritual practice
of Wicca, and how it relates to other pagan and magical paths. We want
this list to be a meaningful alternative to the plethora of shallow, superficial
information on Wicca that is so prevalent both on the net and in popular
books.
There are a great many Wicca 101 web sites, lists, newsgroups, and such
on the net; this isn't one of them. That doesn't mean that newcomers are
not allowed to subscribe, but those who already have a certain amount
of experience with the Craft will probably get more out of it.
If you are completely new to Wicca, it would be a good idea doing some
reading first. Vivianne Crowley's Wicca:
the Old Religion and Starhawk's The
Spiral Dance (sources of the two quotes above) will give you a
fairly good acquaintance with both traditional and eclectic Wicca, and
Margot Adler's Drawing
Down the Moon can provide a glimpse of the range of possibilities
between them, enabling you to better understand where others on the list
are coming from. In terms of Internet resources, StarFire
Rising and the Covenant
of Gaia site are good places to start.
A Note on Netiquette:
We don't have a firm set of list rules yet, but we are working on drafting
one. In the meantime, here are some pointers...
This list is definitely not a forum for trashing other people's
traditions or beliefs. Strong opinions are fine, but civility and respect
for others are mandatory. If you disagree with someone else's position,
criticize that position, not the person holding it, or his or her
coven, tradition or organization. Persistent disrespect for others will
get you unsubscribed very quickly. Joining the list purely for the purpose
of attacking Wicca or proselytizing for another religion will get you
unsubscribed immediately.
Conversely, there is nothing we would like less than to see the list
devolve into a saccharine sweet "If you can't say something nice,
don't say anything at all" morass of blandness, where everyone is
afraid to express an opinion for fear of offending someone. There are
plenty of spaces like that out there, on the net and elsewhere; this is
not going to be one of them. This list very strongly encourages
thoughtful, well-informed criticism of current trends and problems, within
the pagan community and elsewhere, and anyone who is likely to be offended
by that should probably not join. I would like, however, to remind people
that criticism should be expressed constructively to the greatest
extent possible.
The list is also not a forum for idle chit-chat. Please be respectful
of the fact that others may receive a great deal of e-mail, and try and
keep off-topic posts to a minimum. When replying to messages on the list,
please don't quote three or four screens of text just to say "I agree!"
or "Me too!" at the end of it. Quote enough of the message that
people can tell what you are talking about, but please, no more than that.
A Further Note on Sources and Epistemology:
Since this list aspires to be a more scholarly alternative to the average
Wiccan discussion group, members should be prepared to cite sources for
factual claims. Asking someone what their source is for a factual claim
is not an attack, and should not be taken as such. It is a perfectly
legitimate request. Also, it is generally considered good etiquette to
refer to publically available sources, rather than Secret Ancient Wisdom
Handed Down Through The Ages™, or Atlantean
grandmothers.
All facetiousness aside, though, Wicca is a mystery religion, and
we recognize that different traditions do in fact have oathbound initiatory
teachings which people are not at liberty to quote. As a general rule
of compromise, tradition-specific teachings may be considered a legitimate
source of information about the beliefs or practices of that specific
tradition, but they are not a good source for claims of objective historical
fact.
Similarly, Wicca is a religion that emphasizes experience over dogma,
and citing personal experience is valid in many contexts. However, saying
that "Well, I know that the ancient fill-in-the-blanks did
such-and-such because I was their High Priestess and Sacred Queen in a
past life" is not likely to help you win friends and influence people.
Once again, a compromise rule is called for: your own subjective spiritual
experiences may be authoritative in forming your own belief system, but
they should not be treated as a source of objective fact.
Subscribing to the List:
You can subscribe at http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/IDIR
or by sending a message to idir-subscribe@onelist.com.
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individual authors, where cited, or by
Lynna Landstreet
where not specifically credited.
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This page last modified: January 29, 2006
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