INTRODUCTION


First of all, I do not propose to have the argument as to whether or not you should take the story of the gods and goddesses as literal or symbolic. Many choose to believe it is literal, and that these “beings” exist out there somewhere, in some kind of body, and watch over us and guide us through life’s journey, much like the gods and goddesses of Mt. Olympus.

Some, like myself, choose to believe that the gods and goddesses more accurately represent archetypal energies that exist in the universe and which are fed by our contact and interaction with them, and which in turn, become a source of power for us. One of the differences I have with some people in this category however, is that I do believe these energies have a kind of sentience (often defined as "consciousess")...although with an intelligence and awareness far exceeding anything we understand. I also believe they are available to help and guide us if we are enlightened enough to know how to ask. ( i.e.,"tap into" the stream).

At this point, some of you may be asking, "But don't these energies all stem from "The One"?" to which my answer would be, "Well...depends on what you mean by "The One." Many of us in the Advocate Path do believe that all energy in the universe makes up one, all-encompassing sentience. However, this sentience is neither the one diety or God of the monotheistic religions, nor is it the "king" or head of a pantheon of lesser gods and goddesses. The best explanation might be to compare it to an organism, with each of the archetypal energies, our own energy, and basically all the energy in the universe likened to individual cells in that organism's body. Each cell exists as an individual, can function independently (not separate) as well as in conjunction with other cells, has its own special skills or "job" to do, and is integral to the functioning of the larger organism. However, the cells exist only because they are part of the larger organism. In actuality, the cells ARE the larger organism. This example may prove to clarify the concept of each and every one of us being an individual, and yet be interconnected with all other things in the universe. It is fine that we see ourselves as unique and separate, as long as we realize that in the end, each of us is part of a larger whole, and not a single thing in the universe is more or less important than any other "piece" of that whole, and that it takes each and every "piece" to make the whole "work".

Along those same lines, when I speak of the Goddess Gaea, or Mother Earth if you will, I believe that she is a “living, breathing entity” (for lack of a better term), not just a hunk of rock and molten lava. (For a wonderful and detailed explanation of this phenomenon, go to the Green Egg site of the Article "Theagenesis".) She is very much “alive” and possesses a strong “spirit” which we are slowly destroying.

I think the key here, is that by assigning a gender and human characteristics to these “energies” we come to understand them better and thus, relate and connect with them more successfully. So in the end, we are all dealing with the same story anyway.

Another issue I would like to address briefly is that of “magick”, which I commonly refer to in this (book) as “energy” or “using energy”. Again, it is more a matter of semantics as to whether you use the terms “performing magick”, “casting a spell”, or using energy”. I believe enough literature exists out there to prove that these terms are actually one in the same. In addition, there is a considerable amount of scientific evidence to support the validity of what we refer to as “magick”. Just read almost anything in the area of particle or quantum physics, and you will begin to understand just how “unmystical” the concept of magick really is.

I would also like to point out that much of the information contained within this page is based on my own personal religious and spiritual beliefs. As paganism is a path that is adaptable to many other paths, the information presented in this page is not meant to contradict or override any other individuals personal beliefs. If you find something in the following information that you disagree with, I wholeheartedly encourage you to disagree...and know that I am not dispelling anyone elses path, just declaring my own...

Now that we have the token disclaimers out of the way, let us move on. *smiles*



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