Reflections on Old Guard Paganism
By: Mike Nichols
c/o The Magick Lantern
1715 Westport Road
Kansas City, MO 64111
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'Old Guard Paganism'. The phrase started out
as a joke, but then caught on. This tells us something. It tells us there
is a NEED for such a term. It also implies its own antithesis, 'New Guard
Paganism'. And it indicates that there is some difference between the two
-- a 'difference that makes a difference' -- and thus requires differentiating
labels. (It should perhaps be noted that the word 'Paganism' is used in
the present context -- however inaccurately -- to refer to modern Neo-Pagan
Witchcraft , or Wicca. With grave misgivings, I have adopted this usage
here.)
The first time I heard the phrase 'Old Guard
Pagan' (used as a pejorative, as I remember) was during the organizing
of the first Heartland Pagan Festival. It seems that the festival was being
organized mainly by 'New Guard Pagans' who felt they were not getting the
anticipated support from the 'Old Guard'. Yet, even after such misunderstandings
were cleared up, the phrase remained. Why? And what is the line of demarcation?
I remember a discussion I had at the time with a long-time High Priestess
and friend, in which we laughingly concluded that an Old Guard Pagan was
any 'pre-Starhawk' Pagan. ( Starhawk's important book, 'The Spiral Dance'
was first published in 1979.) Th us, an Old Guard Pagan is any pre- 1979
Pagan. And yet, seniority alone couldn't BE the difference -- although
it might ACCOUNT for many differences. (It is interesting to note that
Starhawk's book is responsible for a massive influx of people into femin
ist traditions of Wicca, and this shift in focus may likewise account for
key differences.)
In the following passages, it was tried to distill the differences between
Old and New Guard Paganism, presenting them as strict dichotomies. However,
bear in mind the vagaries that must accompany all such generalizations
and the exceptions that will inevit ably be cited.
Few vs. Many:
Even today, with a substantial Pagan community for support, a newcomer
often feels insecure, frightened, and alone when rejecting the religious
training of childhood in favor of Paganism. Imagine then, how much more
insecure, frightened and alone an Old Guard Pagan would have felt, with
literally no one to support such a decission. In fact, no one to talk to
at all. When I first became a Witch, I knew of no other Witches anywhere.
For all I knew, I was the first human being in centuries to make such a
conscious choice. And this, I found, was typical of most Old Guard Pagans.
Resistance VS. Acceptance:
Naturally, only those of extraordinary courage and perception would make
such a choice back then. Not only because they assumed they were choosing
a solitary path, but also because they were sure to encounter active resistance
-- if not outright hostility. Today, of course, Witches have appeared on
Phil Donahue, Oprah Winfrey, Geraldo Rivera, and other national TV and
radio shows, and the general populace is becoming more educated and, if
not totally accepting, at least more tolerant.
Secrect vs. Openness:
But before such positive media PR, most Old
Guard Pagans learned quickly to 'keep themselves to themselves'. Usually,
there was no one to talk with anyway, and when there was, it was someone
trying to dissuade you from your choice. Thus, most Old Guard Pagans are
more inclined to secrecy concerning their involvement than New Guard Pagans.
Inaccessible vs. Accessible
Information: For Old Guard Pagans, information
was hard won indeed. There were no Starhawks or Margot Adler's back then
-- no one to neatly organize and systemitize the beliefs of Pagans. There
were instead books by Sybil Lee k, Paul Huson, Leo Martello, and Lady Sheba
(at best), and books by Hans Holzer and Louise Huebner (at worst). And
there were the historical tomes of Murray, Thorndike, Robbins, and others,
as well as the disorganized 'linking' work of Gardner, Leland, and a few
more. And there was no one to tell you which book was worthwhile and which
wasn't -- so you read them ALL! Typically, an Old Guard Pagan has read
(and owns!) a small library of books on Paganism. And, back then, if you
HADN'T read the classics (like Murray and Gardner) then you weren't taken
very seriously by other Pagans. By contrast, many New Guard Pagans feel
that reading one or two books (usually Adler and Starhawk) is quite sufficient.
One unfortunate result is that Adler's or Starhawk' s version of Paganism
is taken as the 'standard' by the New Guard, which is far from the case.
Religious vs. Political
Reason for Joining: Similar to the passage
above, this again deals with one's primary motivation for becoming a Pagan.
For Old Guard Pagans, being political was something that grew out of one's
religious ideas. But, just as there is much variance in Old Guard Paganism,
so too there is much variance in Old Guard politics. From my own friends,
I can cite Old Guard Pagans who run the gamut from Socialist to Libertarian.
This same political diversity is noticably absent in New Guard Paganism,
with most New Guard Pagans sticking to the same party line. Also, there
is less tolerance of Pagans who diverge from that party line. More stress
is placed on being 'politically correct'.
Religious vs. Feminist
Reasons for Joining: Finally, many Old Guard
Pagans have become feminists AS A RESULT OF their Pagan beliefs. By contrast,
many New Guard Pagans are Pagans AS A RESULT OF their feminist beliefs.
Once more, it's a question of which t akes precedent. And although it may
seem like the final result would be the same, such is not the case. Pagans
who come to Paganism via feminism are often separatists, Goddess monotheists,
anarchists, distrustful of both structure and authority, insisting on such
ideas as consensus political forms, rotating High Priestesses (often without
High Priests at all), and other non-traditional Coven structures. ( Often,
such groups disdain to use the word 'Coven' and simply refer to their 'Circles'.)
The perenial problems that plague such groups (the lack of focus, the inability
to set goals, the endless personality clashes and power plays, and the
fact that nothing ever gets done) come as no surprise. Much of this would
be unthinkable to Old Guard Pagans, who wo uld no more rotate the position
of High Priestess in their Coven than they would rotate the position of
mother in their family. ( The New Guard attitude toward authority arises,
I believe, from a healthy mistrust of it as it is typically used (abused)
in patriarchal society. This perception is particularly acute among feminists.
What it fails to consider is how authority may be used positively in a
matriarchy.)
Non vs. Proselytizing:
For an Old Guard Pagan, the idea of saying
to someone 'Would you like to join our Coven?' or 'Would you like to become
a Witch?' would have been unthinkable. Proselytizing was one of the most
detested aspects of the religious tradition (usually Christian) being left
behind. Those groups who actively recruit members were, to the Old Guard,
groups to be shunned at all costs. Witchcraft is not the one, right, and
only religion. In fact, it probably appeals only to a select few. And those
few exhibit their courage and sincerity when they seek out a Coven or a
tradition. When a Coven seeks THEM out instead (Won't you please join our
Circle tonight?), there is no guage of the novice's devotion. Perhaps that
is why the 'drop-out' rate is much higher for New Guard than Old Guard.
(Other mystery traditions, such as the Freemasons, strictly forbid a member
to ask an outsider if they would like to join.)
Lest one conclude that there are only differences
between Old and New Guard Pagans, let me mention a few things they seem
to have in common. First, there is magic -- both in its frequency of use,
and what it is used for. Second, the use of drugs by modern Witches has
always been a minority position, and seems to remain so. Third, the times
of celebration and festival, appointed by the seasons and the phases of
the moon, seem constant (although New Guard Pagans often employ inappropriate
names for the holi days). So, while there are differences, there is common
ground as well.
If the remarks you overhear made by Old Guard Pagans
(and the remarks made in this essay!) seem slighty petulent, tinged with
sibling rivalry, it is not to be wondered at. The Old Guard Pagan is in
the position of older brother or sister of the family. They often feel,
quite justifiably, that the things which they had to fight Mom and Dad
so HARD for, are now being handed to the younger brother or sister on a
silver platter. They feel that since their freedoms and privileges were
so hard won, they value them more. They often feel that the younger siblings
do not APPRECIATE all the things the older siblings have done to make such
freedoms possible. And, of course, they are right. Such will always be
the way of the world -- the march of generations. Still, the thing to remember
about sibling rivalry is that, underneath it all, we ARE siblings; we ARE
brothers and sisters, whatever forms may divide us; we ARE all sons and
daughters of the Great Mother.
Bright Blessings and Gentle Breezes!