Pagan Virtue #2: Piety
Aug 7
Last night for Virtual Fire, I did the Omen--it was a memorable one. To see it, click here. It's also on the Virtual Fire Ritual Omen Discord.
In other awesome news, I passed my Three Kindreds essay, you can find it in my Dedicant Path Essays. Now I'm just waiting for hear about the 2 Powers essay.
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Forgot to post that. Oh well! Onward!
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A couple of years ago, I did a Rune Deep Dive with the Wyrd Sanctuary, where we spent 3 -7 days on each rune. For many of us we lived those runes, too. Truly felt and experienced each of the Elder Futhark and deepened our understanding. It was a powerful time with lots of unexpected lessons.
Since that Deep Dive, I tend to do this with other divination systems...and I'm doing it with the Pagan Virtues. Last week was Wisdom, and it was a week of that Virtue. This week is Piety, and as a Pious Pagan who's a "godphone", I'm curious how this week will go. What will I experience? What will I learn?
I'm slowly coming out of a Fallow Period that I entered after my mom died in October 2023. Part of me was wondering if this will be a week of silence? A week of testing my faith? A week of crazy spiritual shit? Guess we'll see!
Before I started on this study, I went outside, into the cool August morning, and I greeted the moths, the cawing crows talking to each other, and to the mourning dove who's always standing at the crossroads in the mornings.
I took offerings of nuts, eggs, and strawberries out to the back of my trailer and I grounded with one foot, as I've come to do lately. One foot in, one foot out. One foot rooted.
Holding the white bowl of offerings, I called out:
"Nature Spirits, I ask that you accept these offerings as I show my love and gratitude for all that you've done, do, and continue to do for myself, my family, and the community. Nature Spirits, I hope that this gesture will strengthen our relationships. Nature Spirits, accept this offering!"
I was told to "Wait".
I stood, eyes closed and listened.
A buzzing bee to my right shoulder startled me and I opened my eyes and gently sat the offerings on the ground. I returned to my deck and watched the crows for a bit longer, then came back inside to work on today's virtue.
Piety
Honoring the Kindreds,
respecting their culture,
and keeping the old ways.
(Our Own Druidry)
Spirits of Piety
By Rev. Dangler
Actions speak when words cannot:
The Voice of right action
And the statement of endeavor
Flow from our souls and into the cosmos.
The rituals we work through
Mark us with their motions:
Gestures and dances,
Postures and music,
Movement that ignites the heavens.
Prayer in motion,
Gesture as voice,
Fire transforming.
Spirits of Piety,
Know me through my work,
As I bring it to the folk.
So be it.
I saw Ansuz - Divine Breath.
I saw Gebo - Reciprocity.
I saw the Pieta by August Rodan.
I heard, "You live a life of Piety."
"Why ask us?"
Others answered, "Sacrifice."
"Weeping."
"Death without Fear."
"Life with compassion."
"Thirst for understanding."
I drew:
Uruz - Strength "in all things, all ways."
Piety is a lot of things to different people.
Real Piety is not ego and arrogance.
It is Surrender and Peace.
- Ar nDraiocht Fein. Our Own Druidry. 2009.
- Dangler, Michael. Song of the Flame: A Devotional Prayerbook. 2020.
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