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Green Man Tradition

PPO visitation in the Ontario Region developed a new 'tradition', based on current Pagan interest in an old Pagan image that can be found carved into the cathedrals of Europe (and a few on this continent).For people behind fences or stone walls, contact with the spirit of greenness is vital, both literally with their gardens and green spaces, and metaphorically/ internally, while at the same time it is more difficult to attain.However welcoming modern-day prison chapels/centres may be, our cathedral is the outdoors.If the prison chapel has any access to green space, this can be a very grounding way to practice our Pagan faith.

The Green Man tradition is acquiring its own unique "liturgy".The opening chant is:

We are the Green Man
Drawing from darkness
Striving towards light
We circle around
We circle around
Here on sacred ground

For the directions/elements, one of the inmates composed this chant:-

Nurtured of earth
Guided by wind
Forged by fire
Tempered by water

Then a reading is done from Green Man, the Archetype of our Oneness with the Earth, by William Anderson – his poem The Green Man, p. 12-13, with the group giving the response (the last line).

 

 

 

The GREEN MAN Clan

What is it?

Green Man is a new Pagan "tradition" (denomination).

 

What is Pagan?

We capitalize Pagan to indicate the contemporary religious movement that finds its inspiration in the pre-Christian practices of Europe — i.e., "Native European spirituality".

Does that mean it's for people of European descent?

No!It's for any and everyone — red, black, white, brown, yellow...we're all Green!

Who is it for?

It was originally created for inmates, but other people may take it up too, of course.

Why a new tradition?

Inmates don't have the same access to tools/etc. inside yet most of the books that they read required them for practice.Also, one is likely to find that any Pagan group inisde includes people from various different traditions or at leaning that way, as they may not have had much access to specific practices on the outside before their sentence.And while most imates appreciate the focus on the Goddess in Pagan traditions, they have a strong need for positive images of the God; as well as some way to focus on the Nature basis of our traditions while living in a mostly concrete insitutionalized reality.The Green Man tradition offers a ecologically-positive image of the God, and helps to ground the inmates in Nature, while creating a feeling of enfoldment and belonging, and bringing into it strands of various practices.It is largely Wiccan, reflecting the proportion of Wiccan practitioners in Paganism, but inclusive.

Why Green Man?

The Green Man is an old Pagan symbol of the spirit of vegetation that was carved into the stonework of English and continental cathedrals."Green" we associate with ecology, which is important to Pagans, as ours is a "nature religion", and it reminds us of the healing that comes from getting our hands into the dirt and growing something…and the healing that comes from "composting" our past and growing something new from it that will be spiritually nurturing to ourselves and those around us.

The feminine slant of Wicca, with its emphasis on the Goddess and its appeal to women (though in practice, both genders are represented pretty evenly), is particularly needed in men's prisons.However, an appeal to the masculine is in order: and the Green Man puts a face on this cluster of ideas.

How will it be practiced?

Just as Paganism itself grows and evolves, putting out new shoots, so will the Green Man branch and grow and blossom and put out new leaves.

To begin with, there is an emphasis on the gardening motif.Where possible, inmates should do some actual gardening.At any rate, we follow the agricultural wheel of the year, as do all the Pagan paths, and become gardeners of ourselves.

The Green Man tradition operates on a chart of the Wheel of the Year and encourages its practioners to do work on a seasonal basis.It includes becoming aware of what phase and astrological sign the sun and moon are in, study of the tarot, chakras and Kabbalah — largely for their benefit in coming to understand our human nature (it being easier to look apparently outward than inward).Attunement to the seasons and to the subtle influences helps in making connections with nature and with the human community for people who are locked up and who may feel alienated from society.

Ritual, together & privately, helps people who feel alienated from the Divine get in touch with that which lies behind (above, below and within) what we see and to connect with the ground of all-being.

What is the Wheel of the Year?

The Pagan yar begin at November 1st our New Year just after Samhain (Halloween).This marks the beginning of winter (although it is not manifest yet) and the descent into darkness (rest).This is parallel to the old way of marking the beginning of a new day at twilight.Even today the secular world marks the beginning of a new day in the midst of darkness, at midnight.

Yule, the winter solstice (December 22) is when we celebrate the "rebirth" of the sun, and our own ever-repeated new beginnings. We focus on the evergreen tree, which stays awake through the winter, and we prepare the ground for spring growth through study, meditation and fellowship.

Imbolg, February 1, is the beginning of spring (in the solar sense, at least), named after the lambing time in the old country.As the light increases, we think in terms of our growing enlightenment.

Ostara, the vernal equinox (March 22) is mid-spring, a time to work on balance.

Beltane, May 1, is the beginning of summer (solar again — it takes longer to manifest on the earth).Now balanced, and in the light of our studies, we can begin to sow and cultivate our new growth.

Litha, summer solstice, June 22, is a time of high energy — and hard work (and play).

Lughnasadh on August 1 is the first (or grain) harvest.We see the early results of our work and of the interplay of what we do combined with the activities of others and with fate — just as the harvest depends not just on what we do, but on the weather, the wildlife and our neighbors.

Mabon, the fall equinox on September 22, marks the second (vegetable) harvest and thanksgiving.This is a time to think about preparations for fallow time.

Samhain, on Oct. 31, is the third harvest, and marks the 'death'of the growing season and the end of the agricultural year, and used to be marked by the slaughter of the animals (their meat to be preserved) that couldn't be kept through the winter.By association, it is the time when we remember our recent dead, honor our ancestors, and contemplate our own mortality.

These are the sabbats, which mark the journey of the sun through the year.The sun represents the God, the fertilizing energy that, 'married' with the living matter of Mother Earth, produces all life.The God is also thought of as incarnating into the vegetation and the animals (the Green Man and his winter aspect, the Horned [stag] God), and thus dying and being reborn — the sacrificed one whose death sustains the life of the people (who, in turn, will eventually give their bodies to feed the vegetation).Thus does the God incarnate in us too, 'married'with the Goddess whose substance we share — so that we must look within as well as without to find Them.

Of course, in everyday life we seldom begin all new projects in the spring or see the results in the autumn. But it is through marking the stations of the year that we see the cycle of how things work and apply that to our understanding of our lives.Darkness and loss will give way to new opportunities — but they too will pass away, and then be replaced with others.

Each individual's life, while containing many cycles, is in itself one big cycle, and we must work towards the ultimate harvest of our souls.The Goddess and God give of themselves to us to work with them — how do we use these gifts? What seed do we leave for the next generation?

But life is not just the externals of work and community It is also our internal work.This is represented by the moon, who is thought to affect the animals and growing plants, as she clearly affects the tides, but whose workings are by night (hidden).The esbats (full moons or other moon phases) are usually celebrated privately.

How are the sabbats and esbats celebrated?

Inmates are generally not in control of the times when they can make use of the chapel, or other common areas.However, it is not at all uncommon for outside Pagans to do circle at any time, not just on the sun and moon dates.All group get-togethers should take place within circle.

Theoretically, the altar is set in the North (in practice, for convenience, often in the centre).The North is the place of darkness (the sun and moon rise in the East, are at their highest to the South, and set in the West — but bypass the North) and therefore of mystery.There are stars in the North, but they circle around a dark area (above the North pole).This symbolically is the tomb and womb of all our cycles — day goes into and returns from that darkness.

On a (preferably) green altar cloth (brown or white in the winter, perhaps), the elements and elemental tools are set out, in the directions they symbolically correspond with.

Traditionally, to the East on the altar is the wand, symbolizing Air (you move your wand through the air; it comes from a branch that grew out into the air) which, in turn, symbolizes the equally invisible but powerful currents of Mind.We think of the 'magic wand'— but the pencil or pen, its practical form, is the most magical of implements, extending our thoughts beyond ourselves and unto new generations.In the Green Man rituals, the East is represented by a feather, or the incense or smudge.

Traditionally, to the South on the altar is the athame ("ah-thom-may") or ritual knife (or its prison substitute, since obviously knives are out of the question on the inside), representing Fire, which symbolizes Will, or applied energy.The knife, in its various forms. is what we use to carve the world with to meet our needs whether as plow to till the earth, or scythe to cut the crops, or blade to kill animals for food.The knife also symbolizes the danger that is always present in the exercise of our will.In prison, Fire in the South is usually represented by a lighter, and the candles lit from it (and/or one's hand can be used for the gestures normally done with a knife).

To the West is the Cup, representing Water, which symbolizes Emotion.The emotion we most wish to cultivate is love — for each other, for the world, and for the Divine.

Traditionally, to the North of the altar is the Disk (Pentacle), representing Earth, which symbolizes manifestation — the end result of thought, will and emotion worked upon our surroundings.In the Green Man tradition, there is a stone container holding salt.The Pentacle, or five-pointed star, represents the five elements of Air/Mind, Fire/Will, Water/Emotion, Earth/Action plus Spirit, and thus represents the human being.Right-side-up, it shows Spirit presiding over the other aspects.Reversed, as used by Satanists, it represents Spirit coming last in our considerations.This is not necessarily an 'evil' state, but is unspiritual, materialistic and can facilitate selfish, harmful behavior.

In the centre are the Goddess and God candles — the Goddess to the West, where the sun returns to rest in the darkness of the earth (every night, and at the "evening" of the year).It is often black, indicating re-absorption of energy.The God candle is to the East, where the sun rises again (in morning and spring), and is white for light.Between them, at the very centre, is the source candle — from which the other candles are lit, and which is the last to be extinguished.In the Green Man tradition, just one large candle is often used to symbolizes the union of God and Goddess.

Ritual follows the usual Pagan/Wiccan practice.All the physical actions symbolize what is taking place in our minds, but we find it effective to experience them with our senses.First the space is "cleansed" with the broom, and then the people prepared by smudging.This is for stepping out of our everyday concerns and surroundings.Then the circle is cast our invisible temple (to contain our attention of the Divine, within and without).The casting follows the direction of the sun and moon (clockwise/doesil), and ends the same way both to open and to close ("going with the flow" – to go counter-clockwise symbolizes "paddling upstream" or going against the sun...though many Wiccans do, in fact, reverse direction to close).Preferably this would be on the earth, but indoors is often more practical, especially in winter.Then (in full-scale ritual) the other three elements are blessed namely, Earth (salt), Water and Air (incense), having used Fire (Will — our intention) to cast.

Then, the Quarters and Elementals are called — actually, bringing our attention to what is always there.Start with a moment of silence in the (mysterious, spiritual) North .then call the Spirit of the East, South, West and (the material) North.Usually one person does this, or four individuals each do a quarter, but it can be done altogether through singing or in other ways.

Then the Goddess and God are called — again, bringing our attention to that which is always present but which, in our normal everyday activities, we neglect or forget.One of the purposes of ritual is to accustom us to being aware of the Divine so that we can recall this attention in the course of our day and begin to bring it into every moment and every action.

Then bread and wine (or whatever is available as stand-ins) are shared.Both bread and wine represent (and literally are) products of the 'marriage' of the gifts of the Divine (raw materials) and the ingenuity of humankind (application of the tools — stick, fire, cup, plate — and the qualities so represented — thought, will, emotion and work).They also represent a 'marriage' of Goddess (Earth) and God (Sun), whose child is Life.

At this point, the participants do the 'work' of the ritual, or share deeper thoughts and feelings than is usual (the casting of the circle creating a safe place to do so).Then the Goddess and God and the Quarters are thanked for Their energies and bid farewell.(Again, They are going nowhere — it is we who are preparing to leave the circle and return to the everyday world where we must put much of our attention back into mundane matters.)And then the circle is uncast and closed.

Note that this overview of the rituals, within the Green Man tradition, are very similar to basic Wiccan rituals.The difference is focus on using the imagery of 'greening' and the Green Man Himself.

Who conducts the ritual?

A traditional Wiccan circle requires a priestess and/or priest.Except for outside visitors, a priestess isn't available for a men's group, nor a priest for women’s circles, and the idea of priesthood is problematic.The word itself has overtones of authority or special relationship with the Divine.In traditional Wicca, everyone aspires to be a "priest" — it's a statement of taking on self-responsibility, not a title of religious authority over others (and in the latter capacity is not permitted for any religion in prison).

If there are no ranks, how is people's progress marked?

The Druid order OBOD in the U.K. has the ranks of Bard, Ovate and Druid that people progress through by study and practice.Wicca has its first, second and third initiations/degrees.

There is a mystique about initiation and degrees that has unfortunate fall-out, particularly with regard to the use of the terms "priest/ess" and "high priest/ess", as mentioned.We have set up a system that represents the proper intention of the degree, which is a progression from newcomer to a person who takes on full self-responsibility and is willing and able to aid others along the path.

Root, stem, leaf. Which represents coming out of the darkness (and foundation/preparation) into the light.The leaf, of course, falls in its time, and its substance is reabsorbed by the root.But while the leaves are out, that is the time of flowering, fruiting and seeding.Again, the seed returns to the soil and the cycle starts again.This provides a better metaphor than the concept of progressing from neophyte to priest/ess — who is then at some kind of pinnacle from which a person can hardly retreat, who knows all that is need to be known, etc.This is not the reality of life — we progress (the tree grows as long as it lives), but we all have to follow the recurring cycle of retreat and rising again.

Air, Fire, Water. Air — Study. Fire — Doing. Water — Attitude Put them together = Earth.

In the Earth is the Root, that grows the Stem, that grows the Leaf - put them together = Plant.

The plant lives through Budding, Flowering and Fruiting = Seeding.Which is starting again.

Starting again in one's own practice (we move in a deepening spiral, not just going around in circles, hopefully), and as Seed in helping other people cultivate their practice.

How are participants expected to behave outside chapel?

"By their fruits you shall know them," to take a gardening metaphor from the Bible.All spiritual practices are supposed to manifest in everyday behavior, and perhaps especially for Pagans because for us the world is the body of the Divine.

Wiccans follow the ethical principle of the "Rede", which says, If you harm none, do as you will.This is both negative (don't do harm) and positive (do fulfill your talents and responsibilities).("Will" is to be distinguished from mere transitory "want".)

This leaves us with a lot of freedom — and the great burden of working it all out from first principles.

The Charge of the Goddess offers further advice, telling us to live with "beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, reverence and mirth."Again, there are no specifics, but a life-long challenge, particularly to people in prison

 

Is this a code to live by?

As always, it comes down to the individual people in their individual lives at any given moment.The gods have given us heart and mind — it is up to us to work out the details. (See Pagan Ethics.)

 

Blessed Be