Pagan Virtue #5: Perseverance

My life is this Virtue--which is true for most people.  Perseverance for me takes the animal spirit form of the Mountain Goat and Mouflon Ram.  The American Bison comes forward, too.  Long time spirit companions.  Learning how to climb the mountains of life.  Who better to show how-to than mountain climbers (save for the Bison, who deals more with flatter lands, but strong winds and ice caked fur)?

Foot falls, slips, mistakes, successes, dealing with weather and predator chaos, healing, resting, drama with other climbers.  

Navigating the Chaos--which concerning chaos, I see rough waters more than mountains.  I see Loki and Laguz.  Going with the flow, instead of resisting and drowning, even if you have to white knuckle that raft.  

Hanging on.

Perseverance has been huge in my healing and shadow work journey.  I'm think now I'm kind of on the other side of that.  Not done by any means--still lots of healing and growth to be done--but it's not as heavy as before.  I've worked through the heaviest parts of my healing.  Still in progress.

Definitely am persevering through this damn DP.  The end goal is community and clergy, which drives me to keep going.  Keep pushing through these introductory stuff--some of which I'm really not interested in.  I've been a witch and pagan for 30 years, off and online, and I read a lot--books, articles, etc.  I've done a lot of off and online community work.  A lot that's in the DP, I'm familiar with.  Also some of what's in the DP is old and outdated, with outdated language.  It's 2024.  There's been more research, new evidence, and better progressive language since a lot of these old books which are 1990's and further back.  Surely, there's new information?  Like yall want to be progressive and inclusive, update the recommended library.  Prove it (I know ADF is small, and that yall don't have the resources to dedicate to the book list, yet).  

Knowing that, just trudging through these old outdated books.  Persevering!  

Perseverance

Drive to achieve goals

Spirit of Perseverance

by Rev. Dangler

Standing in the storm, the winds find me.

They push me back, beat upon my body,
And draw the rains to join them.
Thunder and Lightning , hail and fury,
I am surrounded by adversity.

I am tempted to succumb, to return to the safety
Of known things, of spaces that have held me.
But I know that path I must take
Is forward through the storm.

Spirit of Perseverance,
As I prepare to move forward this day,
Give me the strength and the guile
To make my way through adversity.

So be it.

• Leaving the toxic comfort zones.
• Pushing through.
• Hekate comes to mind--She's all about taking that challenge of leaving toxic comfort zones.  Pushing yourself.
• Challenging my anxiety for the change of community and friendships.  Pushing through and leaving toxic comfort zones.
• If you want change, you have to put in the work.  Be the change you want to see--a motto that was hugely important in my healing, from 2014 on.  And if you're going to change, stop complaining about it.  Also One and Done--blog once about a vent/rant, then not again, unless the situation's changed.
• The Perseverance to change, to heal, and to tackle addictions--like internet, food, drama, cellphone, etc.  A lot of that other Virtue--they all feed into all that.
• Also knowing--and this is where Wisdom and Courage come in--when to persevere and when to quit.  

Show me a rune for Perseverance!

 I asked whether I'm using the stone, wood, or card Elder Futhark.  I was shown From the Well deck.  As I was talking to my guide about finding out what rune, I was shown Hagalaz.  Can't argue with that.  Hagalaz is the Hail, the storm.  In Rev. Dangler's prayer, he talks about the hail and the storm.  The adversity.  The fear.  The pain.  The struggle.  

Hagalaz can also teach about knowing when to take shelter, rest, and wait out the storm.  Rest is important for our overall health.  We're not robots--EVEN ROBOTS need to rest and get maintenance once in a while.  Robots--metal and gears.  Why not humans--organics?  Rest, take shelter, plan for once the storm passes to continue on towards your goals.

Any other runes?

Picking up the deck, I see Freyr and Thor.  I get an agricultural feel.  I see the rune Jera--Harvest, long time frames.  Anyone who's grown anything know that perseverance and patience are important for a successful garden.  

I've drawn Dagaz - New day, Potential.  

After a bad day, go to bed, try to do better the next day.

- Dedicant and Hearth Keeper, Foxlyn Wren

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Resources

• Ar nDraiocht Fein. Our Own Druidry. 2009.
• Dangler, Michael. Song of the Flame: A Devotional Prayerbook. 2020.