Trickster's purpose

 As April approaches and the annual trickster holiday approaches, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about the purpose of the trickster in lore and legend as well as in history.  April Fools has become a day dedicated to tricking people, but I feel like it's lost the purpose for which Tricksters were designed.  Instead of being a way to make people think or even a way to bring joy and laughter into life, it has become a way to say or do mean things intended to hurt or humiliate others.

Many cultures have tricksters in their pantheon, and on the surface these beings seem to delight in causing mischief and stirring up trouble.  Often they create situations that others have to figure ways out of, though they often catch themselves in their tricks as well.  But if you look at the greater purpose of these trickster stories, it is often to teach life lessons.  

The trickster isn't always the teacher in the story, sometimes someone else steps into that role, and the trickster becomes the instrument of chaos, the being that creates the situation that the people need to be saved from.  But, at the end of the story, the people are better off because of the way they adapted to the situation the trickster created.  

 

In the stories, tricksters are chaos embodied, and chaos doesn't always act with intention.  These beings often act out of pure instinct.  They stir the pot just to see what happens.  They don't think before they talk (or act), and then they may have to figure a way out of their own mess.  Where they redeem themselves is with their quick thinking, and they often find a way to twist the story to point out the good that was learned because of their rash actions.

When we leave the stories behind, and we look at tricksters in history, we not only look at entertainers, but also roles like the jester.  Jesters or the court fool were deliberately silly and over the top.  They made outrageous statements, said and did things that were often seen as mocking of the powers that be, and generally got away with things that no one else could.

But under the surface, the good ones were being very deliberate and careful in the types of taunts they used.  They had to be quite attuned to the powers they worked for, and the common people, and find the balance between pointing out truths that everyone was thinking (but no one was brave enough to say) and not pushing things too far.  A good jester could advise the powers about issues and give them information about how their people viewed them.

And, of course, tricksters are often clowns....designed to make people laugh.  Tricksters are free from a lot of the social constraints that bind us.  They are able to be silly and outlandish, and it's okay to laugh at them.  We know how important laughter is to our mental health, and while today we have many outlets for inserting humor into our lives, it hasn't always been that way. 

Tricksters, both in person (as clowns or comedy actors or any other profession who's purpose was to make people laugh) and in story (lore, legend and fiction) help people deal with the stress of life by giving them a form of release from the heaviness of the day to day grind.

Physical comedy has always been a thing.  We get embarrassed when we hurt ourselves or do something foolish (there's that word again...when we act like a fool), and it makes us feel less self-conscious about our own stumbles when we laugh at other people.  But, because we have empathy, we don't feel good about laughing when other people make the same mistakes, and that's where tricksters come in.

Slapstick is a form of comedy that mimics those embarrassing mistakes, and lets us laugh at them without guilt...because we know that people are performing an act for us.  They are making a show of being hurt or dropping things, and we can laugh without feeling like we are hurting their feelings.

The problem (as I see it), is that some people have taken the trickster idea and use it to actually hurt people (physically or emotionally), by 'tricking' them.  We have taken the form of the trickster and turned it into a form of bullying.  And often, these harmful acts are done in mimicry of staged performances meant to make people laugh (like those shows where a group of people agree to try to prank or otherwise trick each other....but then fans start doing the same things to people who haven't agreed to be a part of it).

There is a thin line to walk between humor and harm, but the biggest thing I think to stay mindful of, when thinking about tricksters and their purpose is:  what is your intent?  Do you want to make someone laugh (and you have to step out of your own perspective and into theirs...would the target of your joke find it funny) or do you want people to laugh AT the target (who probably is either embarrassed, scared or hurt by your actions).

Tricksters have a purpose, and it's a necessary one.  But we need to make sure, when we enjoy the works of tricksters that we aren't having a laugh at other people's expenses.  When we look at trickster tales, we should consider their motivation at all steps of the story, not just how they talked their way out of consequences.  And if you want to take up the mask of the Fool this April, remember to stay true to the trickster's purpose.

Creativity as fertility

 As the year wakes up and we enter into spring and nature goes into full on fertile mode, we may find ourselves more inspired than usual.  Whatever our thoughts on physical procreation, we can embrace this creative energy and harness our own creative impulses.  

I absolutely believe everyone is creative, in their own way.  Sometimes we limit ourselves by thinking that creativity is limited to art (and to being 'good' at something), but if we take a step back, creativity is the act of creating something.  And that thing we create could be artistic, but it could also be practical.

There is so much we do in our lives that fall under the category of 'acts of creation,' from making food to building things, and yes this includes making art (though there is absolutely no requirement that it meet any standard whatsoever).  In fact, I think when it comes to creation, it's the act of creating that is more important than the product you end up with.

There is something really satisfying with working with our hands.  And even if you are a very cerebral creator (like a writer), at some point in the creation process, you are using your body to get the thought out into the world...you are birthing your idea into being.

I'd like to make a quick note here as well that the things we create don't always have to be unique or new.  I get a great sense of creation by making tried and true recipes that have been in my family for years.  In fact, this style of creation, by creating things we have seen others create, helps us cultivate a sense of connection.  When we create something that other people have also created, we are connected to everyone who has created the same thing.

The great thing about creation is that the sky's the limit.  Just because something has always been done a certain way, doesn't stop you from experimenting, from trying other ways or twists on the established method.  We can make things our own, if that is our desire.

One thing to remember, when you create, is that the more risks you take, the more possible rewards, but also the greater the chance of failure.  By staying to more safe methods, you have more reliable results, but you won't ever get the wow factor of something truly groundbreaking (though the counter point to this is that you don't have to be groundbreaking at all).

And of course, the more effort you put into your creation, the higher quality the results will be.  If I am wanting to turn a branch into a wand, and I am sanding it down, I might have a perfectly serviceable wand after a single pass with a medium sandpaper.  But if I take a few grades of sandpaper, and spend enough time working with each, I will end up with a much smoother final product.  Quality is one of those things that takes time to both achieve and to appreciate...a simple glance at something won't show you how well it's made, but as you spend time with it, quality will show through.

I love the fact that anyone can be creative, and this is a perfect way for everyone to embrace the energy of spring and this fertile time of the year.  Start paying attention to what peaks your interest, to the ideas that pop up in your head, you know the ones, where you think, 'I could do that...'  Find something that looks interesting and give it a go.

There are so many wonderful creative pursuits that we can explore, and each will bring something into our live that wasn't there before we engaged in the creation process.  You might find that the act of creating opens up your mind, sparking more thoughts and ideas.  Or, you might find the exact opposite, that when you create, your mind calms and you aren't consumed by the thoughts that normally crowd your mind.  I almost always find that I feel refreshed after creating, no matter the part of the project I am on.

Nature time!

As spring...springs, we are often drawn to spend more time outside in nature.  Especially if the winter has been long and the start of spring was dark and rainy, when those nice days show up we want to get outside and spend time in nature.

Which makes a lot of sense, both with the way the reduced light effects us (even if you don't have a seasonal mood disorder, the lack of sunlight effects everyone's mood) and how we just crave seeing the natural world wake up after the winter months.  Especially as a Pagan, we often have a great love for nature and all it's denizens, so the desire to spend more time outside is one we recognize well.

And while I'm often a big supporter of using modern and digital means to access things our ancestors couldn't, I think there is something more to this desire to be outside than can be satisfied by watching nature documentaries or seeing beautiful pictures.

The great thing is that it doesn't truly matter where you live.  You could live in the middle of the city, and there are still signs of nature to be enjoyed.  Nature has a way of pushing through, and once you start looking for it, there are plants and animals all over!

It may take a bit of a twist of thought to break free from this civilized idea of 'acceptable' nature.  You might not live next to an untouched forest or field of wild flowers, but there is much to be learned and gained by taking the time to notice what is around you.

One thing I have always thought a bit crazy is the sheer number of plants we have decided are weeds.  I think we first started thinking of weeds when we started trying to plant crops, but most of us aren't farmers, so our understanding of weeds comes from the lawn owner perspective.  

Now, I have a lot of thoughts about lawns (cliff notes:  I think they are an absolute waste of space, at least in the traditional sense).  I love that many people have the luxury of being surrounded by small slices of nature (and even though I live in an apartment with no actual lawn myself, there is a big empty field out back that I enjoy).  But I think that we take lawns way too seriously, and that has caused us, as a society, to devalue a great many plants that are native to our areas.

If you start learning about plants at all (and I am a very big beginner in this area, plants really aren't my thing), you will learn that almost every plant has some uses for us as people, but they also all play a role in the natural world.  Some are foods, some are medicines, some are poison (which often helps a plant propagate or wards off animals that would eat too much of it).

We often look to 'pretty' plants and cultivate those in our gardens (or bring them inside in pots), but if you look beyond the obvious colorful flowers, there are a lot of plants that have really interesting features and just spending time looking around your house for plants that you can study can be a wonderful spring activity.

Just like we domesticate plants, we have domesticated animals, but we still have a whole lot of animals (and insects!) outside our door that we can watch and learn about.  Bird watching is an obvious start, and many people love watching the different birds that frequent their area.  I enjoy watching squirrels or rabbits, and have also seen groundhogs and turkeys from my house, so you really never know what you are going to see.

And at first glance, you may not think there is anything interesting to watch around you, but look a little closer and the world is teeming with insects.  I don't think I can go outside and not find ants within a few moments of looking.  

We tend to look down our noses at insects, but many are quite breathtaking once you get over how different they are to us.  Of course you have your butterflies and dragonflies with their beautiful wings, but many beetles have beautiful bodies, and even very common insects like flies can be fascinating when you watch them groom themselves.

Whether you prefer plants, feathered or furred critters or insects, there is a literal whole world of nature out there to be discovered, and even a few minutes spent sitting and watching what is going on right outside your door can be a soothing escape, especially after a long winter!

Mental diet

 Diet (as in the food we use to fuel our bodies, not being 'on a diet') is something that we are constantly being reminded about, but we often forget that we need to feed our minds as well, and in the information age, this can be quite tricky (just as finding a good diet that suits your body can be).

It seems obvious that we should be mindful of the things we consume (from a mental standpoint), that if we constantly consume distressing content that we will feel unsettled, and that if we don't incorporate new information we may feel stagnant.  But figuring out how to tune our mental diet is a path full of hidden landmines.

We are surrounded by SO much information, and sadly it can be quite difficult sometimes to figure out what information is accurate.  Not only do many so called 'news' outlets deliberately tilt their articles toward whatever bias they embrace, sharing news becomes a form of telephone, where each time it gets passed along, new bits get left out and other bits get added, and the information you receive might be very different from the original truth.

As much as I hate that this is a thing, it falls on us, as the consumer of the information, to do a bit of fact checking.  Now, I don't think we all need to be researchers or that we need to have a handful of sources for everything we read, but there are a few simple ways to do a basic fact check that will help a ton.  

Firstly, look at the source.  There are sources (especially when we are talking about internet sources) that are flat out not news sources, but are often shared as if they were.  Satire sites especially like to create content for entertainment, but not everyone pays attention to the source, and if it looks like a legit article it may be treated as if it were one (even though the actual intent was to be humorous).  

There are also sources that are known to be quite sensational.  They find some obscure factoid and then figure out a way to twist it into some crazy theory and present that (in order to get more traffic on their site).  This is definitely more subjective, but if you start paying attention to the sources of the things you read, you will find that some are definitely less reliable than others.

And finally, there are interest group sites, which have a very biased slant.  Think of these as any site that is run by a group with an agenda (and yes I know this could be pretty much any site).  Often religious or special interest sites (like charity organizations) fall into this category.  They have a viewpoint, and they will only post information that supports their viewpoint.  Now, this doesn't mean that all the information they share is faulty, in fact some groups are great sources of information on the topic they focus on, but the bad ones will twist information (or flat out make it up) to suit their needs, so it's always worth remembering that and being aware of the potential bias.

The other big (but simple) tool for fact checking is to do a simple search.  You want to look for other articles or sites that have the same information.  Typically, if the majority of search results line up, you can feel pretty confidant that the information is legitimate.  Just be careful and peek at a few of the different sources as sometimes you will find that one article is just shared a bunch of times (it will literally be the exact same article, word for word, just posted on a variety of sites).

Weeding out false information can be a huge thing in maintaining a healthy mental diet, but you may find you need to go a step further and limit your exposure to people and sites that share these kind of sources.  You may notice that some people in your life thrive on digging up dramatic posts, just to get people fighting. If you find this inflammatory behavior to be distressing, then you may need to limit your contact with these people.

Everyone has different thresholds for what bothers them.  For some people, it can be enough that they just stop reading and scroll to something else when they encounter this type of drama, but for others, they may need to actually cull their contacts so that they aren't constantly being bombarded by these types of posts.  This can be really hard, especially if you have dramatic people who are family or who you have been friends with for a really long time.  But you have to consider the toll it is taking on your mental state and do what is right for you.

Now the flip side of these 'bad' mental influence is infusing your life with good mental input.  I think a mix of new information and entertainment is key (and again, what mix is right for you is highly independent!).

I feel like I need to point out that there is a difference between exposing yourself to different people's perspectives and treating those perspectives as if they were fact.  I think it is highly useful to learn about how people who are different to you think and act.  Even people who you absolutely don't agree with, if for no other reason than you can understand how they might react if you were to come into contact with them.

But often when we explore people who live and think differently from us, we can find some common threads.  We can see the ways in which we agree, but also the ways in which we disagree.  The great thing about expanding our mind in this way (especially through books and/or documentaries) is that it is a passive interaction...we aren't getting into a heated discussion with someone who may feel attacked by our different beliefs.  If we read (or watch) about different things, it allows us to wrap our heads around that different perspective at our own pace...even if our final thoughts are 'wow that's a bit crazy.'

I also feel like entertainment is necessary in life.  It's a sort of mental downtime, but I also find it to be nourishing.  I often am drawn to entertainment that fills a hole in my life, it helps me feel connected in a way that I'm not.  If I'm very stressed, I'll definitely turn to more simple, happy things, whereas if I'm in a good place I may want something a bit spicier or that has some drama.  I can create a balanced mental diet by adjusting what I am consuming to fill any voids in my life.

Our minds need stimulation as much as our bodies need movement, and by cultivating a good mental diet you are giving your mind things to think about, new ideas to play with.  It will help you build up your view of the world at large and help you to expand your horizons. 

Party holidays

 

Holidays are often celebrations, but sometimes we can loose the purpose of the holiday in all the celebrating!  Mardis Gras is one that is a great example of this, but if you attend public Sabbat rituals (or other public Pagan gatherings), you may find that some of them are toeing this line of being nothing but a party holiday (kind of like how some colleges are considered 'party schools', where the focus is more on having a good time than getting an education).

Now there is nothing wrong with enjoying a good celebration, and often part of the purpose of holidays is to unwind and celebrate that life is good.  But I think that we may be missing that sense of realness that was present with some of our ancestors when they approached holidays.  If you think of the roots of many of the holidays, they were either designed to make sure the world continued to work properly (make sure the sun would rise, make sure the crops would grow, make sure the winter would end), or they were to honor a deity (in the very real sense of "we are showing our appreciation so you don't make bad stuff happen to us").

In a lot of ways, being in the age of reason has made our holidays more cerebral in ways.  We see them as symbolic acts, not very real ways of keeping life good.  And because they aren't as viscerally real to us, it is easy for us to not put as much weight into the ritual acts that make up the celebration of the holiday.

Let's circle back to Mardis Gras for a moment.  Many of the party accoutrements that we are familiar with today (masks, the green/gold/purple, indulgence) had specific meanings and were done as part of a larger ritual structure of holidays.  But, over time, as more people got drawn into the party (including people who are not a part of the religious celebration that Mardis Gras is rooted in), those ritual meanings have become lost, turning into nothing but 'traditional' flair that is used to set the party of Mardis Gras apart from other parties.

And while everyone has different standards for 'how much ritual is enough' or 'how much party is too much', there are lots of ways to lean into the direction you want, especially if you like your ritual more imbued with meaning.

One thing to mention here too is that, when planning a group celebration of any kind, it is important to make sure you are very clear about your intentions.  If you are throwing, for example a Yule gathering, and you just want it to be a chill time for everyone to hang out and socialize, that is perfectly fine!  But if you call it a Yule Sabbat gathering, that may imply to many people that there will be a ritual, and they may be thrown off if they show up and it's a low-key hang party.

Something I find great about a lot of Pagan gatherings is they are a good mix of ritual, meeting of the minds and partying.  It is often the main time when we can get together with other people who are into similar things, to talk shop and to work together.  We can see how other people do things, share our own ways, and just relax in the company of people who won't judge us for being who we are and doing what we do.

And if you prefer your holidays to be more ritual (or more party), you can often plan to be present for those parts, and then take your leave (or show up after) the parts you aren't as interested in.  This is another place where good communication is key, as knowing when the ritual will take place versus the socialization allows you to plan your time accordingly.  And if you prefer to not be present (or at least not active) for the ritual part, make sure that is okay with the rest of the group (while most of the groups I know would be okay with people coming for the social aspects, some may not be comfortable with it).

 

I think it's also worth pointing out, that you can shift your own internal dynamic and attend a celebration but stay more in tune with whichever aspect you are more aligned with.  If it is more of a party scene, there is nothing stopping you from doing a bit of research before hand, finding the symbolism in different parts of the celebration and having meaningful moments within the greater social scene.

 

On the flip side, I'd never suggest trying to turn a serious ritual into a rager, but if you aren't into going deep, you can take a mental step back and enjoy the ritual as time shared with fellow Pagans, embracing the community that shared experiences builds.  

 

It's important to mention here that just because your personal tastes lean a certain way, you shouldn't try to railroad everyone else into having the same experience as you.  If you prefer a more intellectual and ritualized celebration, you typically won't get that by lecturing people who just want to hang and have fun about the history of everything they are doing.

 

And it might mean that you need to find people who lean a bit more like you (or a larger group that has plenty of people of all inclinations, so you can share a celebration but everyone has plenty of people to interact with that are on the same wavelength).

 

Celebrations and holidays can be both deeply meaningful and a rocking good time.  Just because you want to honor the purpose of the holiday doesn't mean you can't party and vice versa.  Embracing the parts of the holiday you are drawn to honors your own personal inclinations, and that can be your truest way of celebrating the event. 

Shifting holiday dates

 

One of the things that Pagans often struggle with is celebrating our holy days on the appropriate day.  While it is quite common for the main Christian days to be designated holidays (so that most people have them off of work), our holidays are not well understood or acknowledged.  Many other 'big' religions have highly recognized holidays, which may not be official days off work, but at least are understood by a great meany people as a day that someone might want to be off (like when requesting days off and expressing how much of a priority that particular day is).

I think we get into this headspace where we think that the official day is the only day we can make observances on, and that it's super bad to celebrate things on alternate days.  But it makes me wonder why we have so little flexibility in this idea, especially in a world that requires us to be completely inflexible in other ways (like on what days we have to work).

I've never been big on timing, even for personal stuff.  I don't care if we celebrate birthdays, anniversaries or holidays 'on the right day.'  For me, it's more about the essence of the holiday.  Sure, it's great to have special things done on your actual birthday, and having people wish you well is part of what makes that day special.  But if we want to go out for dinner or get together with friends, often it's better to do it on the weekend (or even a few weeks away).  And that is perfectly fine with me!  I love that it means we get to relax and enjoy the time, instead of trying to squeeze in a celebration when people have worked all day or have to get up early the next day.

I was reading about something recently called the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.  This act was designed to shift some official holidays to Mondays (something the travel industry was pushing for....more three day weekends means more people able to go places).  But it took days of remembrance (like Memorial day, Columbus day and Washington's birthday), and made the holidays on a set Monday (instead of the actual historical date of the occurrence).

And if you think about it, this kind of holiday shifting makes a lot of sense.  If we go back far enough (back before the 5 day standard work week), most people worked pretty much every day.  There wasn't a weekend that you got off, because the crops still needed tending, animals still needed taking care of, people needed to eat, and so on.  It's only because we developed enough prosperity to be able to take regular days off (and split the work between many people), that we have this concept of a weekend.

So previously, holidays might not even have been a full day off.  Some things would still have to be done, but maybe you would work extra the day before and the day after to be able to have the evening off and celebrate.  Since your 'work week' didn't have natural breaks, you could celebrate on any day and it wouldn't make a difference, so celebrating on the actual date made the most sense.

But now, we have natural breaks in our work week, and most people don't have the luxury of shifting their work to take a particular day off.  So instead, we shouldn't worry too much about shifting our holiday to a better time.

And we can always take a moment of acknowledgement on the actual day, and then do our 'big' celebration at a time that is more convenient to all involved.  I do this a lot with Sabbats, where I'll share a blessing or celebratory post online, but I may do my ritual on a day that I have more free time (which for me is inverted!  Most of the time weekends are my busy time, and it's weekdays where I can create space to do things).

I feel like we sometimes over-romanticize our holidays, in the sense that we want that perfect celebration.  We may want the big gathering with everyone in full regalia and all the trimmings, or maybe we crave time where we can sit on our own, in perfect privacy to just observe and be.  But whatever our dream is, when we have to compromise, it feels like we are compromising on our faith itself.  I kind of think the opposite.  I think that the more we are willing to shift, the more ways we are willing to work to make things work, the more dedication we are showing.

I would love to live in a world where everyone could have their sacred and personally important days off, but sadly we don't live in that world.  So instead, I think it is important to carve out time for the things we feel are vital to us.  And sometimes that means being willing to let go of this image of perfection and learning to embrace the adjustments we have made to make our observances fit into our lives (and the restrictions we have from the world at large).  Compromise isn't a form of giving up, it's a way of negotiating for what we want and need.

Lupercalia

Lupercalia is a Roman festival that many people have heard of, and that is often associated with Valentine's Day.  However, there isn't much proof of a connection between the two (other than Lupercalia being celebrated on February 15).

The origins of Lupercalia reach back to the story of Romulus and Remus, twins who were said to be raised by a wolf.  Later, the twins returned to human society and named the wolf who cared for them Lupercal, and her den became the primary location for Lupercalia rituals.

 

The ritual itself was often seen as honoring Lupercal, though it may have also paid homage to an ancient deity who protected the herds from wolves.  Some also think that the god Faunas (similar to Pan) might have been honored.

The practice of Lupercalia was led by priests known as Luperci, and they were divided into two colleges (groups) based on family lines that are reported to have started with the twins.  These Luperci would perform a ritual of purification in February, which was the month for purification as March was seen as the start of the New Year in ancient Rome.  So February was a time of cleansing, a time to get rid of the old and prepare to welcome in the new.

Lupercalia could be thought of as happening in two stages.  First, there was a goat sacrifice at the Lupercal.  The blood would be smeared on the foreheads of the Luperci, while the hide of the sacrifices would be cut into strips to be used as lashes.  There was a feast, and then the Luperci would run around, using their lashes to strike women as a blessing.

In the early days of the celebration, the Luperci were naked, though as time progressed more restrictions were put upon them.  Women would come out and present either their back (more common in earlier days), or later their hands to be whipped.  If a woman was pregnant, this was thought to ensure a healthy and safe pregnancy.  If she wasn't pregnant, this was a blessing that would aid her with fertility.  The whipping was seen as a symbolic act representing copulation, and was acceptable even for married women.

Some people think that the whipping could also have been a form of purification, to remove any deadly influences that the person might be under.  Not only would this fit into the theme of purification for the month, but another festival honoring the dead occurred near the same time, and this could be a way to cleanse after that contact.

Some sources also connect a matchmaking lottery with Lupercalia, where young people would be randomly paired up for the night, though sometimes the couples would stay together until next year's festival and many ended up falling in love and getting married.

 

Festivals and celebrations change over time.  Even in ancient times, the rites performed for Lupercalia changed based on people's perceptions of what was appropriate as well as laws that were in place.  So if you are interested in Lupercalia, you can read more about it and see which parts you want to embrace and which you might need to adjust.

 

Though there is no clear connection between Valentine's day and Lupercalia, many modern Pagans look at it as an alternative to the overly commercialized love holiday with strong Christian roots.  While the ancient animal sacrifices wouldn't be performed, other sacrifices could be made, especially those that are of an erotic nature (like chocolate or wine).  Lupercal can be honored, or you can work with a deity you associate with fertility or love.  It is a great time to work on purification as well.