Under Color of Authority

In modern day paganism there is as many "magical paths" as there is
pagans themselves. In our practices there is no ultimate goal, no
spiritual levels, not even many guidelines to aid us along the way.
Magic and witchcraft today is not a collective effort towards
spiritual growth but individual journeys where our paths sometimes
cross, often by some chance.
We meet at a gathering, in a chat room, in a group.....we watch, we
learn, and we grow. Sometimes we meet people who walk with us some of
the way. Others are walking in the complete opposite direction and we
merely pass them by.
We often here people talking about "their own paths" or some other
variation of the phrase. And some are more than willing to boast the
limitations of their path. When someone says "Well in MY path I
believe....." Then you know those are the ones who really do see
their paths. But they are looking down at the path and not at all the
things around them. The see the dirt and nothing more. And so gritty
information is all they can offer.
We meet "elders" who boast about how long they have been walking
along their paths. They are the first to say "I have been a
practicing witch for X amount of years." Usually much longer than
they actually have. One would think in their grand age and wisdom
they would have found out that they are usually walking in circles
and never really getting anywhere. That is why we cross paths with
them time and time again. And they ask us what we have seen on our
journey. We share stories of the places we have been and the things
we learned there. And they repeat the same stories over and over
again because in all that time they have never seen nothing new. They
have all "done that before".
We meet those who quest for knowledge and those who could care less
if that knowledge does not apply to them. If it is not part of "their
path" they don't bother learning it. Their too busy looking down
rather than looking around.
We meet leaders and followers. Loud and proud and silent or cowardly.
Wise men and fools, helpers. healers, and too often
enough....predators. We meet people guised as vampires, dragons,
faeries, elves, druids, wizards, warriors, elders, Gothics, healers,
empaths, and any number of other things. Each one an authority on
their chosen path and each one ready to defend that path with a
passion. But an odd thing happens when you begin to ask them too many
questions. Especially if you know a bit more about their path than
they do. Many a fight has erupted from too many questions.
Some would rather boast that they know everything about their path
rather than to admit that they know very little, they just liked the
mask. They take on a title, boast of it, and that is all they know.
Yet they are an authority on that path. I think they are just as lost
in the woods as I am.
I like to ask questions along the way. If I meet a storyteller I want
to hear their stories. If I meet a wise man I want him to share in
his great wisdom. If I meet a fool I will tell them as much. And if I
meet an authority on a subject I do not know much about I will ask
questions to see if they really are an authority or just a boaster.
Time and time again I see people who spin off this and that and
expect the rest of the world to except it as fact. I have even seen
people who will carry on a 5 hour conversation about the origins of
their SN. How odd is that?
Most witches will acknowledge that much of what we know about ancient
witchcraft was passed down verbally rather than in any written text.
The effect of that is a dried and tattered religious idea rather than
a map of spiritual growth. What witchcraft was in its prime is lost
out there somewhere in history. And time has a funny way of erasing
things forever.
An idea is much like an old building. It has many rooms and can be
seen from many different perspectives. But I don't know anyone who
spends their entire life in one building. And when the tenants move
on and the building is left vacated it either falls or is torn down
to make room for the next idea to come along. So much time has passed
in this magical world of ours that there are not too many of those
original buildings left anymore. The old was were torn down to make
room for the condo magic of today. Complete with all the electronic
witchcraft one can handle.
As for the people who came into the realm of magic to settle, they
are all long gone with no stones to mark their fall. No texts to pass
on what they knew. And no new generation to keep alive the old ways.
Condos and electronic magic. Cyber witches and e-paths (on-line
empaths).
Some may walk along under the color of authority but most evidence
points to one simple truth. We are all new in town.

Angel Snowden - 2006