I
recently wrote this on our new YABB forum:
...
But "back in the day," when we were visualizing what
the OMS (and so yes, none of this even remotely applies to what
we have today, with the RDG and all) would look like in the future,
we saw Groves of 12 or more individuals from every class, race,
ethnic background, etc., led by a ruling collective; a "Nest"
(like in SiaSL) of 3 or more united in polyfideletous
marriage, with the idea that these could eventually morph into
"line marriages" (see Heinlein's, "The Moon
Is A Harsh Mistress") involving the entire Grove.
It's still how I would like to see the Mother Grove develop, although
as I age I fear the likelihood of this vision is becoming dimmer
and dimmer. <sigh>
Two people have read it. No one has commented. I’m not really
expecting anyone to.
Ceridwen
and I have sought a “third” for years now. We came
really close once, but the candidate in question (let’s
call her “J”) wasn’t truly polyamorous, and
was much more interested in me than in Ceridwen. In fact, J plotted
ways to break Ceridwen and I up (an impossibility – Ceridwen
and I are true soul-mates, and it is increasingly becoming clear
we may be one soul within two physical bodies – but I digress).
One
problem is that where we live isn’t as liberal/progressive
as it seems it is from the outside. Politically this is definitely
a “blue” County, and left-wing politics abound. But
a progressive living style isn’t apparent, and we have found
that even Pagans are skittish when it comes to discussion of polyamory
or of naturism. We’ve lost friends over this, and we’ve
even been accused of being “sexual predators.” One
young couple whom we were friends with, ceased being friends when
we decided to give them Raven Kaldera’s book, Pagan Polyamory
as a present for his birthday. It was chosen as a gift because
these young people had always made an open show of their sexuality,
and Ceridwen and I thought this would be an appropriate gift.
What happened was that somehow the gift was interpreted as a “come
on;” that we were trying to recruit the couple. Well yeah
we were, but as Druids, not as lovers.
This
couple talked with another couple who were members of the mother
grove -- also not candidates for our family, but certainly valued
members of the grove – and soon the male member of that
couple was forbidden to associate with us by his spouse, and we
were “banished” from their home.
I
can’t imagine how an open knowledge of “we’re
looking for a wife” becomes a pronouncement of “we
want to frak everything that moves” but there it is.
I
suppose it is true that there are many people who might have become
members of the Order of the Mithril Star if it were not for our
promotion of polyfidelity and naturism. On the other hand, given
that promotion; there are very few members of Order of the Mithril
Star that actually practice either lifestyle, let alone both of
them.
I
know of several members of the Order that are polyamorous, but
in most cases, none of their partners are Druids. There are also
many members who are naturists, but the other naturists they hang
with are not Druids.
Our
annual Druid Gatherings here have been well attended, and officially,
they are “clothing optional,” but as yet no one has,
even for a few minutes in their own campsite, ever appeared nude,
even though their have been times when it was warm enough. It
may be one of those things where if one person were to matter-of-factly
be naked, others would as well, but in these instances it takes
at least one. Even I do this.
Another
Pagan lifestyle choice we promote is that of the “Intentional
community.” I don’t know any “mithrils”
who practice this, aside from some (like Ceridwen and I) who have
room mates. Our room mates are not Druids, they’re not naturists,
and they’re not polyamorous. They’re not even Pagan,
though they are progressives for the most part.
Having
“house mates” is not the same as living communally.
In fact if anything, it is quite constraining. We only have them
because it is an economic necessity; the rents in Humboldt being
so high that almost everyone has at least one house mate. You
can’t legally advertise for Pagan, naturist, polyamorous
house mates. Nor is it practical, as it limits the pool you are
searching in. It’s hard enough to screen out people who
are politically incompatible, let alone totally spiritually compatible.
Then
there is the vision of Dryad’s Realm, our dream of an intentional
Druid community in the redwoods here, that would be host to a
new age / naturist resort. There has been very little expressed
interest amongst mithrils.
Then
there’s the issue of “class.”
Pagans
are as much products of society as anyone else. Wealthy Pagans
don’t want to hang with working class Pagans. Middle class
Pagans prefer to hang with wealthier Pagans than with working
class Pagans. It’s also my observation that the lower down
the class scale one is, the less likely they are to go for alternative
life style choices, even choices that would ultimately, and in
the long run, be economically more beneficial and preferable for
them (like intentional community).
My
other observation is that wealthy Pagans and working class Pagans
tend to be in the closet about their spirituality (the wealthy
out of fear of losing their non-Pagan friends; the working class
out of fear of losing homes or jobs). It’s the middle income
Pagans that tend to be out front, and they are also the ones who
go to the Pagan festivals and are also more likely to be naturists
at home (and at festivals) and to be polyamorous. This makes sense
since festivals cost money, and the best places to practice naturism
are naturist resorts, which also cost money, and those activities
are engaged in by people who have disposable resources. Those
of course are not the only activities that Pagans like to engage
in. Putting on and attending Renaissance Faires is popular, and
also very expensive, and again, one engaged in by the middle and
wealthy Pagan classes.
What
does all this have to do with the Order of the Mithril Star? Well,
honestly, most of our members are living within 300% of the Federal
Poverty guidelines. I’d say at least 1/2. People in that
bracket are usually a lot more concerned with survival issues
than they are with getting to practice naturism or polyamory.
People in that bracket are also way less likely to be politically
active at all (they may hope for health care reform, but do little
or nothing to help bring it about, because they’re totally
focused on survival – even though healthcare reform promises
to help their survival). Add to that the stigma of living in that
bracket (because our society makes you out to be a “loser”)
and you tend to live life under the radar.
I
think most of our members might want to be able to walk around
the apartment, or maybe even the garden, nude. But they don’t.
They might wish they had a 3rd (or even a 4th or 5th) but never
bring it up or pursue it. BUT, they did join OMS, so that means
that they are at least thinking, maybe dreaming about those kinds
of life styles.
How
do we collectively translate the dream into reality?
May
the FOREST be with you always,
And may you never thirst for the waters of life.
Druid
Sybok Pendderwydd, Patriarch
Order of the Mithril Star
Read
more from Sybok on his blog: http://redwoodcoastviews.blogspot.com/
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