Wierd title huh? I'm actually counting on the power of google and the Gods to get heterosexual men to take a look at Stregheria as a potential pagan tradition. So I intentionally crafted the title and lit a candle.
First let me make one thing perfectly clear: Stregheria isn't only for Heterosexuals. Please take some time to look at and think about Aradia's Words concerning sexuality.
But this is a tradition that works best when there are an equal number of heterosexual men and women in a group. From Shadowfest until May Day the God rules and the High Priest leads the rituals. In our rituals men and women often come together to honor and bless each other. Sexual energy and tension is a part of our worship and the power we raise. Our initiations require males initiate females and females initiate males. We understand the wholeness of Deity but because we are human we conceive of Deity as both male and female, God and Goddess.
Without few good pagan men, Stregheria as I have been taught it will fall deep into the hidden shadows. I don't want that.
Take a look at an interview I did with Christopher Blackwell in the Fall of 2008 and if you are interested dig around this website a little.
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4 comments:
I read the interview and will send the link to some pagan folks I know. Your tradition sounds wonderful and I admire your passion for it. Walk it in peace!
Puny
Heterosexual male practitioner of la Vecchia Religione here.
On thing not mentioned in the interview... I think if a man wants to see the masculine appeal of Stregheria, he should read up on Rex Nemorensis. That image definitely appealed to my inner warrior when I first started researching Stregheria.
I'd agree Rex Nemorensis is a part of the historical context of Stregheria. See teaching tools on this blog for a link to Roman Religion and the Cult of Diana at Aricia (Diana at Aricia) for a recent scholarly take on this topic. Also the Golden Bough has (limited) information on Rex Nemorensis. See Helpful Links on this blog to get to an online version of The Golden Bough.
But while Rex Nemorensis a part of the history, this aspect is only a small portion of the aspects of the God, Janus, Lupercus, Cern, Dis play a much larger role.
I do have to admit that Stregheria really does seem to open up to both men and women and that it puts emphasis on both the God and the Goddess equally. Often, but not all the time obviously, you just hear about the Goddess/Divine Feminine solely and while that's all good I'm sure there's men (and possibly some women) who want to connect the God/Divine Masculine as well.
Stregheria seems the best for witch/pagan people who want both the inclusion of God and Goddess
Your blog has been useful for research thanks :) Bless
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