The attached image shows a disused railway line surrounded by nature and thus is doubly relevant to SM Stirling, The High King Of Montival (New York, 2011), Chapter Twelve, where Rudi Mackenzie articulates one root of Paganism:
"Awe at the Powers, or at the nature They embodied." (p. 232)
However, some of us reverse this proposition, thus: awe at nature and at the Powers that are imagined to embody it. Awe and imagination are two responses to nature. If it is understood that a Pagan ritual is a dramatic performance, then I can participate on that basis. Some believe that the ritual addresses real beings whereas others believe instead that the beings addressed are imaginary personifications.
Hegel's philosophy was idealist, based on the primacy of consciousness, thus "standing on its head," whereas Hegel's materialist successors stood philosophy on its feet, on the ground of unconscious being from which consciousness arose.
Rudi goes on to reflect that:
"The ancients had had awesome powers..." (p. 233)
Gods are awesome Powers and the ancients had awesome powers both in Greek mythology and in the Emberverse.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I agree that naive awe at natural phenomena like the sun, moon, forests, etc., is one root of paganism. But I still disagree with materialism, along the lines used by Mr. Wright in his blog.
And I remember thinking it was odd of "Changelings" like Rudi thinking of RECENT times like the 1990's as ANCIENT. Of course I understand why, the drastic technological differences DID make pre and post Changes times VERY different.
Sean
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