In response to editorials in the January issue of The Northwest Magickal Times, some of which appeared to attack individuals, while some had been an expression of dissatisfaction with the elders in our community, Anastasia and Miria of Va'ad Cabal organized a meeting of the pagan/magickal/Wiccan community. The "community notice," or flyer, stated that the meeting would be an open discussion forum designed for you to voice your thoughts and concerns about the state of our community.
Anastasia and Miria developed a format for the meeting, including rules or limitations on what were acceptable topics of discussion. They invited elders to speak as a panel addressing the five questions that Anastasia and Miria had composed. The audience was allotted one-third of the scheduled time to voice our thoughts and concerns.
The meeting was held from 7 to 10 Saturday evening, April 1, at the University Unitarian church.
The elders who responded to the call and appeared as panelists were: Arinn Dembo, editor of The Northwest Magickal Times; Bobby and Stephanie of Pagan Culture and Spirit Web; Dana Corby, high priestess of a Mosian tradition; Daniel O'Malley of Wicked Celts; Eveline B., comaster of Horizon Oasis, Ordo Templi Orientis; Herb M., of Garran Siorghlas, Ar'nDraĦocht Fein; John Pearce (Beowulf) of Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans; Meryl/Lady Setara, Covenant of the Goddess; of Va'ad Cabal; Pete Pathfinder of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church; and Anastasia and Miria of Va'ad Cabal.
Anastasia and Miria began the meeting by recapping the January editorial and Miria's response in the February issue of The Northwest Magickal Times. The computer bulletin board "discussions" of that editorial were also mentioned. The panelists were introduced, and the rules of order established.
Miria asked us, the audience, for free-association descriptions of what community means. She got an enthusiastic and meaningful response. Anastasia gave us the etymological definition of the word community, common and ready to serve. The five questions to be asked of each of the panelists were read to us. And then the panelists began.
These were the questions they answered:
1. Is there a pagan/magickal community, and if so, what do you think of the current state of affairs?
2. Do you see yourself as: an active member, fringe, leader, or an elder of this community? How responsible do you feel toward the community in general?
3. During times of open conflict, what would you do if a conflict was brought to your attention? I.e., if there is a concern about a group or individual, what would you do: intervene, set up mediators, ignore it, or gossip about it? If the personal conflict threatened to break up a public group or organization?
4. How can we resolve conflicts in a productive, growth-oriented manner?
5. Finally, should we set up a tribal council (or something similar) so that people can call on it during times of conflict? And if so, how shall it be organized?
Upon the conclusion of the third of the five questions, we all took a 20-minute break. During the break, a copy of a letter responding to the previous editorials by Arinn Dembo was handed to her. When we reconvened, Arinn Dembo stood up, outraged at being so addressed. She cursed, spluttered and left the meeting. We resumed the meeting, quickly finished off the two remaining questions, and ended with audience participation, which took the remainder of the allotted time.
What really happened? From my point of view: The purpose of the meeting and the reason people came were two different things. Anastasia and Miria wanted us to address ourselves to our meaningfulness one to another, as in community. The audience wanted to discuss the real issues underlying the editorial attacks and allegations. From what I've heard about previous community meetings, wherein reigned unfocused chaos, I can understand the format that was chosen for this meeting. But as a result, we didn't get to the real issues, and that led to the proverbial shoving under the rug of these issues.
The first question, regarding whether there was a pagan/ magickal community, was answered so strangely that the meeting almost lost me right there. Most panelists declared that there is no community. If not, who were we, sitting out there in that audience? What common interest drew us to the meeting? The patent denial of our mutual reality as we sat there together in that room as members of a pagan/magickal/Wiccan community made it difficult for me to take the meeting very seriously. I was amazed at the denial. Again and again, we heard pagans are individuals, as if that precluded grouping. Yet families are formed and covens are gathered. But how one considers this, community or no, has nothing to do with inflammatory writing and attacks.
The second and fifth questions, about the panelists' exact type of membership in the community and about forming a tribal council, dealt with the presumption of community, which was odd when the declaration had been made that we had no community. To questions three and four, which concerned conflict, the most direct answer was to take up a conflict with the person with whom you have the issue. But what to do then when that person refuses to address the issue? This was never discussed.
Question five asks if we want a tribal council. All panelists were opposed to a tribal council. The philosophy was to strengthen individual bonds instead of creating an authority. As Churchill said, "We're a set of fine groups separated by a common religion." Blacksun was unable to attend the meeting but had written a letter that was distributed before the meeting began. He also advised against coming together as a community, but instead "to celebrate changes, dance naked before the Beltaine fires, seek out the dark groves in the woods and make love by the light of the moon!"
Throughout much of the question answering, we heard bland platitudes and dubious objectivity. It was not only boring and seemingly insincere, it had nothing to do with the editorial that really gave birth to the meeting.
The attendance and participation of Native Americans in our audience was supportive and instructive. A random quote and words of advice: "If we act in accordance with our deities, our community will benefit." During the meeting, Pete Pathfinder suggested two books on forming community, A Different Drum and People of the Lie, by M. Scott Peck. Pete is the President of the Washington Interfaith Council.
My thanks to Anastasia and Miria for your efforts and sincere interest in our community. Also thank you to those who sincerely came in interest of enhancing communication and healing the rifts.
Of course, there really is a community, Virginia. I was there on April 1. I saw our community, I felt its pain and I heard it speak.
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