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Prison Programs |
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Green
Man Tradition
 Inmates
and visitors in the Ontario Region have 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.
We
are fortunate in that with most of the prisons we visit there
is green space beside the chapel where we can hold our ceremonies.Also,
the "chapel" these days is officially "the
multifaith spiritual centre", and in some cases displays
icons of various faith groups.At
Bath, because Wicca was not represented on the centres wall,
we asked for and received permission for an inmate to carve
a large Green Man plaque, which is now installed.
Nevertheless,
however welcoming a chapel/centre may be, our cathedral is
the outdoors.The
first place we got a little garden of our own was at Bath,
where an inmate chapel clerk (non-Pagan) and the chaplains
arranged for us to plant a few things in the chapels annual
garden and then we were given a couple of square feet for
our exclusive use where we planted perennials (spring bulbs,
lilies, cone-flower, decorative and ceremonial sage).Then
with the help of the chaplains, the men at Joyceville got
permission to plant a small garden in a corner of the chapel
green space a circle three feet in diameter, with plants
no higher than three feet!Again,
we put in bulbs, lilies, sage, and also Chinese lantern and
mignonette.We
hold our rituals beside or around this garden.
The
biggest and most wonderful green space we have is at Kingston
Pen.This
prison is an ugly place surrounded by stone walls so that
the inmates cannot even see the world beyond, and there is
little greenery inside the walls that the inmates can be in
and on.For
many years they asked for some ground of their own and finally,
in the summer of 2002, they were given permission to use the
whole of a court-yard that was otherwise scrub lawn, featuring
a rusty barbecue used at socials.They
dug up and planted the smaller half of this area, and have
also refurbished the lawn on the "social" side and
planted flowers in the corners and along the edges.(Plants
and materials are bought by the inmates no "taxpayer"
money is involved.)
We hold our meetings and rituals there, and it is particularly
precious to the inmates of this grim, grey maximum institution
to get out onto the earth and under the sky.
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, Cory, composed
this chant:-
Nurtured
of earth
Guided
by wind
Forged
by fire
Tempered
by water
Then
we do a reading 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).
Here
is the intro to the Green Man material we have put together
for the Ontario inmates (and which we offer to anyone reading
this.)
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
is for inmates, but other people may take it up too, of course,
either by participating in our prison program or on their
own.
Why a new tradition?
We
felt the need of something new for inmates.We
began in the prisons with a loose, open, eclectic Paganism,
mostly Wiccan but not confined to one way of doing Wicca (i.e.,
non-denominational), and also accommodating those who were
drawn to Asatru (the Norse ways) or Druidry.The
result was rather amorphous.So
now, instead of being without boundaries, we are drawing the
circle of a new tradition to create 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
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.
We
have a chart of the wheel of the year and 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.
Regular
visitation gives the inmates a sense of community with Pagans
beyond the walls.
What is the Wheel
of the Year?
We
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 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).We
celebrate the
esbats (full
moons or other moon phases), often privately.
How are the sabbats
and esbats celebrated?
We
can do circle at any time, not just on the sun and moon dates.All
group get-togethers should take place within circle.
Theoretically
we set our altar 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), we set out the elements, and the elemental tools,
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 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, for Fire in the South we usually have a lighter (with
which to light the candles) (and we use our hand 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, we have 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, we often use just one large candle, and that
symbolizes the union of God and Goddess.
We
cast the circle following the direction of the sun and moon
(clockwise/doesil),
and end it the same wayboth 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).
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
we cast the circle, our invisible temple (to contain our attention
of the Divine, within and without).Preferably
this would be on the earth, but indoors is often more practical,
especially in winter.Then
(in full-scale ritual) we "purify" with the other three elements,
namely, Earth (salt), Water and Air (incense) having used
Fire (Will our intention) to cast.
Then
we "call" the elements actually, bringing our attention
to what is always there.We
start with a moment of silence in the (mysterious, spiritual)
North.Then
we 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
we "call" the Goddess and God 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
we share bread and wine (or whatever is available as stand-ins).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, we do our "work" of the moment, or share our thoughts
and feelings.Then
we say "farewell" to the Goddess and God and the elements.(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 we close the circle.
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 womens 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).In
outside practice, a "high" priest and/or priestess
direct the ritual, but in prison everyone participates, with
the visiting resource people leading.
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.)
Does the above
cover the theory and practice of Green Man?
This
is a beginning.Changes
and additions will take place as we go along.
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