Mirth and Reverence in the Craft

“…Let My worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence with you…” – (part of) The Charge of the Goddess, Doreen Valiente

Many of us who were brought up in a religious environment were taught that ceremonies, worship and ritual were meant to be very serious business. There was often little or no laughing allowed. As we found our Pagan paths, we brought that solemnity along in our own rituals. Being mirthful is nothing more than being joyful and having a little laugh.

But isn’t laughter and humor part of being human? As Priests and Priestesses in the Craft, we are encouraged to honor all parts of being human, because we are a reflection of the Divine. So, how do we reconcile the sacred and the seemingly profane? Can we find a happy medium between solemnity and our senses of humor?

Our pagan teachings tell us that we are humans, and as such, we are fallible. It’s happened to all of us: we attend or lead a ritual and say the wrong line at the wrong time, forget what quarter belongs to a particular element, mess up a chant, panic as the cat sets her tail afire on the God candle, a circle-mate (or the host’s Chihuahua) accidentally toots during the meditation, etc. There’s no need to be embarrassed or upset. It is a reminder of who we are and what we are. Smile and accept it as a gift from the Universe!

I believe that we should make room in our pagan lives for both mirth and reverence. The Gods, the Universe and Spirit itself all have a sense of humor – why can’t we? In my coven, we often say, “Laughter is the benediction of the Goddess”. Humor and laughter are beautiful qualities that make us whole. The Gods want ALL of us in ritual. Not just the serious part of us – they want the silly part, the powerful part, the humble part, and every other part that makes us who we are.

Levity can be important in Circle due to the seriousness of the actual ritual itself. It helps us to appreciate the solemnity of the occasion by giving us a little break from being totally immersed in the intense experience of our Divine connection. An example can be seen in my Tradition where we have a ritual that honors the Female Mysteries every Midsummer. The men of our coven know the women go off by ourselves, very solemnly and quietly. And when we return, we’re giggling and perhaps a little tipsy as well. The ritual is certainly about what it means to be a woman – the pain and the joy. Men have their own sacred mysteries which are important for them to honor. It’s vital for us to acknowledge that in order to be a whole person, we need to honor the serious parts of ourselves as well as the silly parts too.

One should never be afraid of laughing when it’s appropriate. What I mean by the term “appropriate” is simply that we should all be aware of our surroundings and ensure that the humor we display is respectful to the Gods and the people around us. Knowing this is a combination of experience and intuition. But always remember this: mirth should always be tempered with reverence. Like life, you need to be aware of your surroundings and audience before deciding to become your spiritual group’s very own standup comic. It’s one thing to tell your covenmate that she’s channeling the Crone because her joints cracked loudly in Circle. It’s another thing to call the Crone an “ol’ broad”, even as a joke. Certainly, disrespect is never funny.

You should always try to make sure your humor is shared by others, because what you might find hilarious may be offensive to someone else. It’s always a good idea to steer away from topics which might cross the line into gender or racial stereotypes or other hurtful topics.

Please allow me to share a personal story of mirth, in the form of a Goddess who has attached herself to my Tradition. Her name is Nunumi, and she has found her way to many other pagans over the years. Perhaps you might even see her at your next ritual or celebration!

Nunumi is the Goddess of Botched Rituals, and is beloved by my Tradition-mates and many others. She first showed up at the end of a very long Initiation ritual over 20 years ago. Traditionally, at the end of an Initiation, a sponsor stands before the Gods and introduces the newest Initiate. Part of the words go: “Welcome PixieMoonDrip (or whatever the Initiate’s name is), newly made Priestess and Witch”. However, after 3 days of fasting, and an 8 hour intensive ritual, the sponsor’s words came out as “Welcome PixieMoonDrip, *Nunumi* Priestess and Witch”. The Initiate being introduced happened to be my Sire Priestess…and she in turn introduced Nunumi to the rest of us over the years. Now, whenever someone goofs up in Circle, or the Priest forgets his words, or the Priestess trips over her robe, we know that Nunumi is making her presence known and we all say “Hail Nunumi!” in the hopes that by acknowledging her, the rest of the ritual will go smoothly!

There are many ways to have fun in Paganism, and perhaps you’ve experienced some of these. Songs & filks are one of the most popular ways for pagans to share joy with each other in a social setting. Filks are songs that are either created songs, or use the melodies of popular music which add words specific to a particular genre. Filks were first made popular in the science fiction world, and since many pagans are also sci-fi fans, we saw a “filking” crossover in the 1970’s. A favorite filk you might hear at a pagan gathering goes to the tune of the American spiritual song “Old Time Religion” where everyone chimes in with the chorus and laughs at the variety of the (hundreds of) stanzas. A quick search on the internet will turn up more information on this topic.

Most any pagan can tell you a myriad of stories about the funny things they’ve experienced at pagan festivals, gatherings, Circles and the like. These funny moments (or hours) can lay the foundations for the most amazing memories of people and places in the Craft. I can remember warm nights in the California mountains during Pacific Circle decades ago; making up filks and drinking mulled cider with pagan friends, new & old. We laughed and sang around the sacred fire until dawn. And for me, those are the sweetest memories of all. While I still remember the rituals and the workshops, I have much more vivid memories of the fun.

There are even rituals out there specifically designed with mirth in mind. In your pagan travels, you might come across a Chocolate Ritual or even a “Bill The Cat” initiation. Incorporating something whimsical in your ritual gear, or leaving an offering of a shot of Godiva Chocolate Liquor to appease Aphrodite can also be fun ideas. You can search the Web for Redneck Pagan Jokes, Pagan Light Bulb jokes, and more!

Not everyone is comfortable with being silly in Circle, but that’s an individual choice. You are the only person who can determine what level of humor you are comfortable with in a spiritual setting. But don’t be afraid of humor, and know that there is a place in our pagan lives and rituals where our laughter rings as bells to the Lady’s ears.

The Goddess tells us she wants us to come to her with mirth AND reverence. We shouldn’t forget either of these things in our pagan practice.

Hail Nunumi!

We will worship with our coven

Where there’ll be a lotta lovin’

Quit yer pushin’ and yer shovin’

So there’ll be room enough for me!

- One of the hundreds of stanzas sung to the tune of “That Old Time Religion”

     ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨) Flags, Flax & Fodder, ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
     (¸.•´ (¸.•`                    Kaerwyn             (¸.•´ (¸.•`