MonSno_LeeDra
July 28th, 2007, 01:47 PM
I asked the question "Do You talk the talk and walk the walk or do you just Talk the Talk", With that in mind I though it right that I should give you my thoughts and such. I will point out in advance that my mind has a tendency to wander or touch many topics so please bear with me.
Now coming from a military back ground I believe many of us both Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk yet may feel we only do one or the other. As a sailor I found out that many of my inner most convictions remained hidden to those that surround me. The fact that I walked a path that is composed of a combination of Shamanism and Nature worship both set me apart from my peers while bringing me even closer to them.
Do I go out and visibly state my convictions? That answer would be no. Not because I’m ashamed or anything like that, simply because my then environment didn’t support it. That’s not to mean I don’t "Teach" or "Speak" on my path and try to correct mis-conceptions that I encounter.
As a former military person, I fully realized that in any conflict there are those who will stand in the foreground and take the brunt of the battle. However, I also realize there are those who will stand in the shadows and fight the fight yet not seek the glory that comes from the limelight so to speak. To win acceptance takes people who are battling on all fronts from all aspects.
Within the coven there are many forces at work, some visible some invisible to outsiders. Within the constraints of the coven power is raised by the group to perform a certain function and requires the visible focus of the entire group. Within the Shaman path that same coven does exist yet we stand apart in many aspects. While the Witch works as a group the Shaman also works within a group yet we seldom see the other players within our coven.
Now does one group have a greater power or control than the other? I would have to say NO! As a Shaman I have perhaps a closer connection to nature and earth spirits than the Witch yet I work in a coven as much as the Witch. Now where is that coven? Well think on it, does Spirit not oversee our workings to a great degree, guide us to achieve a certain goal.
Perhaps as a Shaman I work on a tighter rope than the Witch yet I must adhere to the same conditions that the Witch works under. Now I don’t mean the Wiccan concept of "An it harm none do as thou will" stuff but the laws of raising and releasing power to perform a function.
As a Shaman I must accept the concept of the cyber family as a coven for within its confines I truly do fall into the aspect of a group working for a common cause. I fall within its sphere when I read a post from another and add my energies to that persons endeavor. The mear fact of reading the post adds some of my energy to the persons cause and increase as the desire to help increases.
Given the coven concept of this cyber family then not only do I Talk the Talk but I also Walk the Walk. While in this aspect my Walk is purely spiritual not physical I never the less Walk the Walk as I provide support and guidance to the lesson or cause being approached. Granted some of the Walk is reduced in exposure yet the fact of my email address being enclosed on each post places me upon the playing field if one were to chose to engage.
Now within this arena I have both the power to choose to intervene or avoid the subject. When my power is needed the Spirit of the Lady moves me to come into the arena and add my support. Sometimes that support is merely a shoulder to cry upon and a kind ear to listen. Other times that support my take the form of a spell weaved upon the cyber waves and grown in power as each reads it.
Sometimes those supports maybe the physical intervention in a cause. As an example when I was required to search out a novice who had questions and was being taken down the wrong path in regards to what was what. I.e. Witchcraft is actually Satanism and such. To correct that mis-conception required my placing myself physically and knowing upon the playing field with the exposure it allowed.
In a great many ways we never know if we are walking the walk and talking the talk. In some ways perhaps we never advance beyond the talk the talk aspect. But what must be remember is that sometimes that is all that is required of us. We may actually face the hardest walk by simply doing the talk. It is far more difficult to have the experience to back the talk than have the physical power to walk the walk. It may take years and years of study and trail and error before we reach a point in our path that we are actually called upon to walk that walk.
We are growing into a cyber family that not only must teach the young (experience not age) yet refine and broaden our own knowledge. In many instances the Walk is becoming one of being there on line for those that can only expose themselves to the cyber word. Think of the affronts that the young novice faces as they search for the truth and expound on the effect that the seasoned person faces as they talk of Earth Spirits and the many faces that the goddess or gods present to us.
Many teachers are rising on the net, a fact we can not ignore. Perhaps over time more and more interaction will take that venue as the personal touch fades from view, hopefully for just a short while if it happens.
This change of teachers is creating a whole new approach to walking the walk as well. In the old days of a few years ago one would study and search and maybe a teacher would step forward when the time was right. Granted in retrospect it seemed many were pointed out to me by another upon this path that passed my name to the perspective teacher. Today the number of physical walkers seems to be fading from sight. Yes there are still many out there and we still merge together when conditions have brought us forward.
Sometimes the conditions are setup by us, other times Spirits takes an active hand in the situation. Granted Spirit is not always so nice when taking an active part. In those instances that walk actually becomes more of a kick in the rear than a casual stroll. But the very trials and tribulations of Spirit are one more example of Walking the Walk for we survive the tests that are laid before us and hopefully learn our lesson before we get kicked in the head to many times. I can’t speak for everyone but I can tell you Spirit can boot your butt up real high if need be to get the lesson to sink in.
In short the very fact we stick to this path or calling and undergo all the trials and tribulations that go with it prove that we each Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk. For those that just talk the talk soon are walking a different path that doesn’t required the dedication required to walk the walk and talk the talk.
Now coming from a military back ground I believe many of us both Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk yet may feel we only do one or the other. As a sailor I found out that many of my inner most convictions remained hidden to those that surround me. The fact that I walked a path that is composed of a combination of Shamanism and Nature worship both set me apart from my peers while bringing me even closer to them.
Do I go out and visibly state my convictions? That answer would be no. Not because I’m ashamed or anything like that, simply because my then environment didn’t support it. That’s not to mean I don’t "Teach" or "Speak" on my path and try to correct mis-conceptions that I encounter.
As a former military person, I fully realized that in any conflict there are those who will stand in the foreground and take the brunt of the battle. However, I also realize there are those who will stand in the shadows and fight the fight yet not seek the glory that comes from the limelight so to speak. To win acceptance takes people who are battling on all fronts from all aspects.
Within the coven there are many forces at work, some visible some invisible to outsiders. Within the constraints of the coven power is raised by the group to perform a certain function and requires the visible focus of the entire group. Within the Shaman path that same coven does exist yet we stand apart in many aspects. While the Witch works as a group the Shaman also works within a group yet we seldom see the other players within our coven.
Now does one group have a greater power or control than the other? I would have to say NO! As a Shaman I have perhaps a closer connection to nature and earth spirits than the Witch yet I work in a coven as much as the Witch. Now where is that coven? Well think on it, does Spirit not oversee our workings to a great degree, guide us to achieve a certain goal.
Perhaps as a Shaman I work on a tighter rope than the Witch yet I must adhere to the same conditions that the Witch works under. Now I don’t mean the Wiccan concept of "An it harm none do as thou will" stuff but the laws of raising and releasing power to perform a function.
As a Shaman I must accept the concept of the cyber family as a coven for within its confines I truly do fall into the aspect of a group working for a common cause. I fall within its sphere when I read a post from another and add my energies to that persons endeavor. The mear fact of reading the post adds some of my energy to the persons cause and increase as the desire to help increases.
Given the coven concept of this cyber family then not only do I Talk the Talk but I also Walk the Walk. While in this aspect my Walk is purely spiritual not physical I never the less Walk the Walk as I provide support and guidance to the lesson or cause being approached. Granted some of the Walk is reduced in exposure yet the fact of my email address being enclosed on each post places me upon the playing field if one were to chose to engage.
Now within this arena I have both the power to choose to intervene or avoid the subject. When my power is needed the Spirit of the Lady moves me to come into the arena and add my support. Sometimes that support is merely a shoulder to cry upon and a kind ear to listen. Other times that support my take the form of a spell weaved upon the cyber waves and grown in power as each reads it.
Sometimes those supports maybe the physical intervention in a cause. As an example when I was required to search out a novice who had questions and was being taken down the wrong path in regards to what was what. I.e. Witchcraft is actually Satanism and such. To correct that mis-conception required my placing myself physically and knowing upon the playing field with the exposure it allowed.
In a great many ways we never know if we are walking the walk and talking the talk. In some ways perhaps we never advance beyond the talk the talk aspect. But what must be remember is that sometimes that is all that is required of us. We may actually face the hardest walk by simply doing the talk. It is far more difficult to have the experience to back the talk than have the physical power to walk the walk. It may take years and years of study and trail and error before we reach a point in our path that we are actually called upon to walk that walk.
We are growing into a cyber family that not only must teach the young (experience not age) yet refine and broaden our own knowledge. In many instances the Walk is becoming one of being there on line for those that can only expose themselves to the cyber word. Think of the affronts that the young novice faces as they search for the truth and expound on the effect that the seasoned person faces as they talk of Earth Spirits and the many faces that the goddess or gods present to us.
Many teachers are rising on the net, a fact we can not ignore. Perhaps over time more and more interaction will take that venue as the personal touch fades from view, hopefully for just a short while if it happens.
This change of teachers is creating a whole new approach to walking the walk as well. In the old days of a few years ago one would study and search and maybe a teacher would step forward when the time was right. Granted in retrospect it seemed many were pointed out to me by another upon this path that passed my name to the perspective teacher. Today the number of physical walkers seems to be fading from sight. Yes there are still many out there and we still merge together when conditions have brought us forward.
Sometimes the conditions are setup by us, other times Spirits takes an active hand in the situation. Granted Spirit is not always so nice when taking an active part. In those instances that walk actually becomes more of a kick in the rear than a casual stroll. But the very trials and tribulations of Spirit are one more example of Walking the Walk for we survive the tests that are laid before us and hopefully learn our lesson before we get kicked in the head to many times. I can’t speak for everyone but I can tell you Spirit can boot your butt up real high if need be to get the lesson to sink in.
In short the very fact we stick to this path or calling and undergo all the trials and tribulations that go with it prove that we each Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk. For those that just talk the talk soon are walking a different path that doesn’t required the dedication required to walk the walk and talk the talk.