silliness Archives - We're Made of Mud and Magic

Dragonfly Sex Mosaic — Yup, it's a mosaic of dragonflies having sex.

Paganism is silly. All religion is. That's OK; sex is silly too, and most of us need that. Sex can be physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally fulfilling. So can religion. The process of getting to either orgasm or spiritual ecstasy is messy and weird, and few people look good in the the midst of either, so both are mostly private matters, best done in private (and wash your hands after).

So I think this goofy article about taking Paganism seriously is a waste of pixels. Paganism is inherently silly and should only be taken seriously for the same reason that we give respect to other religions: because they bring meaning and fulfillment to people and are no one else's business. We don't need to justify ourselves any more than any other religion has to.

Religion and sex are both private, but that doesn't make them secret or shameful. As Cory Doctorow has said in another context: "Every one of us does something private and not secret when we go to the bathroom. Every one of us has parents who did at least one private thing that's not a secret, otherwise we wouldn't be here."

Being human means doing silly, messy, weird, and embarrassing things. Being a good human means respectfully letting others get on with their own silly, messy, weird, and embarrassing things in their own way.

Two sets of weights and a wand on an exercise mat.

How being a priestess for a public ritual is like being a group fitness leader:

Some people will follow your lead, even to their own detriment... witness the person who never does cardio doing every burpee you do, even though they can't breath anymore, or the person who will make a vow in circle they can't keep, just to match what you have committed to. You are in a position of power.

You need to set good energy and keep it going. Your participants have a part in it too, but in circles and in the gym, the leader sets the tone. If you aren't into it, they won't be into it. And you are responsible to set the appropriate energy. Silly going into a serious ritual works just as well as draggy and grumpy going into a high energy cardio class. Start as you mean to go on.

You must be prepared to play the fool sometimes or to improvise wildly. Things will go wrong, and when they do, everyone in the room will be looking to you to fix it. Be prepared to come up with a solution on the fly and throw yourself into it, even if it makes you look silly.

Cuing well is crucial whether it is "4... 3... speed it up" or a gesture to show that everyone should turn in a certain direction and repeat "blessed be". Master the art of cuing a crowd using words and gestures, and you'll be both a great fitness leader and a great ritual leader.

In the end, it is about them, not about you. Whether in a fitness class or a public ritual, the goal is to serve the needs of as many of your participants as you can, even at the cost or your own workout or worship.