Your path - knowledge or experience ?

[norseman]

I should begin by saying that I am not of Wicca and have little time for Gardner and all that followed. My path, as such, is possibly the most primitive of all having it's foundations in Neolithic Britain.
The thrust of my point of view is that the Craft should be something that you come upon yourself, not something that you can be taught or read up in a book. I am not even sure whether it could be classed as knowledge but rather an awakening of a spirit inside that we all have from our ancestry i.e more emotional, instinctual rather than cerebral.
What I follow is the way of the Wise Folk, the Cunning Folk, the Hedge Witch - many different names over the millenia but basically European Shamanistic. There are no teachers, no books of any value, no guidance to be had. Anyone following this way is seeking to become the Path, not following a Path.
The old ways are there in the Land, the holy places and spirits are there in the Land waiting for the seeker to find them. Obviously, this requires an intimate relationship with the Land and that takes time. I have been learning my Land for over 30 years and am beginning to get the feeling that I am now part of it. I spend the majority of my time just roaming what is classed as "the last wilderness in England" observing and learning as I go, absorbing what the Land and it's spiritual counterpart has to teach me.
What I have learned is difficult to set down because little of it is factual, it is a way of seeing, a way of feeling, a knowing that you stand in the footsteps of your ancestors, a deep connection with the Land.


I realise that this is not for everybody. But I do feel, instinctively, that experience is a better teacher than books.

[nightowl]

Great post norseman,

I think that your experiences should lead you to seek knowledge about your expereinces. Sometimes my experiences are self explainitory and not like anyone elses so seeking knowlegde about those experiences well can be a bust. I would think this type of thing prorbably occurrs more among those who are not seeking a certain defined path.

I my opinion we all have certain abilities and learning how these abilties work in conjunction with ourself, the earth and others is all part of the quest. I do think though that it is easy to fall into the habit of seeking books and such, and even taking on things we have read into our sprirtual path that may not be necessary or beneificial. Much of what I have embraced or practice, I feel has come to me and I am pleasantly surprised out how it all fits together, as if, yes, it was meant to be this way.


As you have mentioned in your post much of what you practice is very much in tune with what I call folk magic/religion and as for me it comes from my European/Celtic ancestors. I feel a great connection with them, though I do not have the wonderful privilege of roaming the land of their birth, I do seek and make a connection to it daily.


" I realise that this is not for everybody. But I do feel, instinctively, that experience is a better teacher than books." :D

nightowl