P is for Pieces (and Parma) – Pagan Blog Project 2014

So. Long ago, I picked up a copy of T. Thorne Coyle’s Evolutionary Witchcraft, and tried to read it. I never got all the way through, though. I’d always get a bit hung up on the Dances for each of the three Parts/Types Of Soul – at least that’s the big one that comes to mind for what was “stopping me” from reading it all the way through.
That seems to be kind of a thing with me, though – I’ll get a learning text and start it… and then not progress as quickly as I’d like to – for Reasons, of course[1] – and get frustrated (or side-tracked, or both) and put it down again.
The latest one that I’m (hopefully not) doing this with is Gede Parma’s Ecstatic Witchcraft: Magick, Philosophy & Trance in the Shamanic Craft and, of course, there are bits that I’m not likely to do – the ritual for inviting Dionysos/Siva (as a combined entity…?[2]) into one’s being/space, just as a for-instance – BUT the suggested process for aligning one’s triple-soul AND positioning oneself as a world-tree in-which the Three Worlds are also aligned… that was awesome. (And, yes, that’s as far as I’ve gotten. I’m seriously on Page 41 right now).
 
Which brings me to the topic for today’s (late, again) PBP post: Pieces.
 
I grew up singing. Learning how to set my own body up as an instrument that had to emote and project as well as perform in the right key. I didn’t know it at the time, but the way I was learning to align my body was very-much hooked into those seven big chakra points in my head-torso-abdomen. As a result of this, I found Gede’s use of “chakra terminology” (er… if I can call it that) – the idea of the heart point being the bridge between the “belly” point(s) and the “head” point(s), specifically – was a bit of a help for me in terms of understanding where and how (and why) to position things as directed.
It made a certain degree of sense is what I’m getting at.
 
There are bits that don’t line up for me on an intuitive level – that “talking self” lives in the belly, for example, when I tend to think of that interface-self as literally inter-FACE and all of the up-in-my-head thinking and analysis, rather than thinking of it as “grounded” in any particular way. But if I think about it a little bit, that link does make sense, even if the name of that particular part of oneself doesn’t entirely speak to me. I may need to come up with a different name for me to call it by – “Rooted Self” or something – to get this bit awake and open as needed. without any cognative dissonence getting in the way.
BUT
The idea of Holy Self, Divine Self, being the part of one that wakes up and opens the crown of one’s head… That fits. I felt that when I tried it today[3]. The fact that I recognized the feeling – just a little bit – from days when I’ve managed, somehow, to evoke (call out from within) my “Domme Self” and carry that power – my power – openly and visibly in my body… that was telling and a bit of a wake-up call as well. I’m interested in seeing how this plays out in future endevors.
Likewise – and rather more-so, given the results of my Shadow-Finding reading – the concept of heart and ocean and Deep/Wild/SHADOW Self being linked, sharing space, being one thing… that fit so very, very much. Like Woah. O.O
 
That’s the bit that really went “Hey, woah, wait… this could work…” for me. It’s what’s given me reason to sit up and take notice and stick with it for a little longer, to see where this particular instruction booklet (well, book, really – it’s not like it’s unusually short or anything) will take me.
I’m looking forward to seeing what else Gede Parma has to say about the wild heart part of one’s soul, and I’m also inclined to try doing his particular soul-alignment exercise on a (slightly) more regular basis. We’ll see where it takes me. 🙂
 
 
TTFN,
Meliad the Birch Maiden.
 
 
[1] Usually having to do with not wanting to slip up and accidentally rip open a hole in time, space, or my own mind and/or soul. That last one is most likely, I suspect.
 
[2] Yes, I know, I did do Religious Studies 101, and I know the theories about Dionysos and Siva being… related in some way, being sister-selves if you will. That doesn’t mean me and my fairly hard-polytheistic cosmology don’t give it a lot of side-eye. Also… I’m leary of inviting Big Gods into my space. And my Makaa doesn’t necessarily get along with Siva. I tried that before, and the alarm bells went off right away, so that’s definitely out. Anyway. Reasons. Like I said.
 
[3] Sitting in a Bridgehead, no-less, with no contrived dance steps to feel idiotic and clumsy about. Hurrah! 😀