The One Unshakeable Truth at the core of the Greenhaven Tradition is this: there is no one true path. We honor the idea that all spiritual traditions contain aspects of the Truth, and that our individual and collective growth is best fostered by exposing ourselves to as diverse a range of Pagan experiences as we can reasonably handle. As Pagans, our emphasis is (of course) on Earth-centered, nature-based pathways, but we are not afraid to admit that the so-called mainstream religions manifest facets that may be applicable to our needs, as well.
We are also very strongly aware of the “Ask three witches, get five answers” paradigm, and our curiosity regarding the reasons for this diversity was another motivation in our founding the Greenhaven Tradition and forming Fieldhaven, its first coven. Our original goal, and ongoing practice, is to “put to the test” the conflicting opinions we encounter in our reading, in the oral traditions handed down to us, and in rituals experienced outside of our current Tradition. By taking different approaches, and trying different things at different times, we are learning what works best for us, and whether given principles are universally applicable or only fit under certain, specific circumstances. And unlike Saxe’s “The Blind Men and the Elephant”, rather than argue about which one data point was the ‘correct’ interpretation, we consolidate our separate observations to (hopefully) find a more meaningful ‘whole’.
As an example of this premise, consider the concept of dress mode for ritual. There are those that hold to the idea that ‘anything goes’, and clothing neither contributes to nor restricts energy flow, so what one wears in ritual doesn’t make the least bit of difference. Other sources promote the magickal correspondences of various fabrics and colors, and suggest that a practitioner should at least choose clothing that is in sync with their intended purpose. Still others hold that ritual robes, never worn at any time except when doing magic or participating in ritual, help one establish a proper mind-set. And then there are traditions, covens, and ritual groups that practice skyclad, for reasons as varied as conforming with the text of “The Charge of the Goddess”, belief that any clothing restricts energy flow, or that it’s actually safer around open flames than wearing flowing robes (among many other reasons, as well).
Can all of these be “right”, or are any of them “wrong”? Or is it the case that each viewpoint has its merits and detriments, and which is “best” is dependent on other conditions – that these are a range of tools in our metaphysical toolbox, and that experience will teach us which is the most appropriate for any particular job? Our experiments with these techniques have revealed that what we wear can indeed have a profound effect – either positive or negative – on the end results, and our rituals are now typically designed to incorporate a chosen dress mode to enhance the desired effect.
The use of the word “experiments” above may seem peculiar in this context, but the word choice was deliberate, and indeed reflects yet another significant portion of Greenhaven’s essence: we’re applying the scientific method to magickal theory. Given a hypothesis, we establish controls, conduct an experiment, and compare the actual results with what we expected to obtain based on that hypothesis. Re-configure the hypothesis based on new data, and test again…and again…and again, until something replicable has been clearly established. By following this process repeatedly over the years, we’ve developed several customs which have effectively become part of our Tradition: our preferred means of casting a circle, the manner in which we relate to elemental energies, and our use of the basic magickal “survival skills” of grounding, centering, and shielding, for instance. We’ve also made some wonderful discoveries with an “I wonder if this would do anything useful” approach, particularly in creating sacred spaces using more complex geometrical forms. Our hope and expectation is that our exploration of magickal theory will continue for as long as the Tradition flourishes.
We fully understand that not all of our results, or all of our practices, will be to everybody’s taste. We have no intention or inclination to override anyone’s existing religion or personal ethics, thus no one will ever be forced to participate in any activity that they find objectionable. Members and guests may freely choose not to participate in any such activity; however, a consistent pattern of such refusals would suggest that their spiritual needs might best be met elsewhere.
There are things we simply Will Not Do, including (but not necessarily limited to) using psychotropic substances to attain altered states of consciousness or seek enlightenment, or any form of blood magick. We understand, acknowledge, and respect those for whom these are important aspects of their spiritual path, and our non-utilization of these tools implies no value judgment or condemnation on our part. Rather, it is simply that these are powerful magicks, and none of our personnel have the training or experience to make safe use of these techniques, let alone teach others how to do so.
Covens within the Greenhaven Tradition are, by design and intent, teaching covens, and our Year-and-a-Day class program is intended for relative newcomers to the Pagan path, and for the Pagan-friendly or Pagan-curious who wish a better understanding of our ways without feeling the need to become one of us. But we never intended our teaching to be limited to those at the entry level: our work in magickal theory covers some fairly advanced ground, and we do workshops and classes on a wide range of intermediate and advanced topics. The heart and soul of the Greenhaven Tradition extends beyond us being an endless series of “beginner’s covens” – if we live up to our ideals, we will be providing an environment in which even the most experienced Pagans will find opportunities for new insights, ongoing growth, and an endless sense of wonder. So mote it be!