"It's a mystery: Dysfunctional behaviour and the pagan scene"

[flexibeast]

i recently came across the following essay, and found it to be very thought-provoking:

"It's a mystery: Dysfunctional behaviour and the pagan scene"

Comments

[ms-le-fey.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Very interesting and I've heard of that behaviour happening. I've never been to a Circle or any unifying Pagan event. Mostly because I lack independent transportation but mostly because I'm very independent, religion wise. I am friends with one other pagan in real life and we get along fine. But what I do, spiritually, is very personal to me. I've learned not to rely too much on any group's support for the very reasons listed in the article. That's not to say I'll never seek out a group, especially to talk and to give/receive advice but otherwise, I prefer to remain solitary.

[ms-le-fey.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm at home taking care of my mom who has health issues. Additionally a lot of the pagan events take place in the far out suburbs and so even if I did know how to drive and had a car, I might not know the area too well and I hate being lost.

I agree it can be frustrating missing out on the extra energy generated at pagan events that doesn't happen home alone. I noticed that too about the article distinguishing scene and community. Very important, that.

Which is why, i guess, i'm trying - however poorly or falteriningly - to build a pleasure activist community, rather than a pleasure activist scene . . . .

I hear ya. Community lends a more comfortable, homey feel. Scene, outside of BDSM, makes me want to look for the director and the food service table. :P

[flexibeast.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm at home taking care of my mom who has health issues. Additionally a lot of the pagan events take place in the far out suburbs and so even if I did know how to drive and had a car, I might not know the area too well and I hate being lost.

*nod*

Scene, outside of BDSM, makes me want to look for the director and the food service table. :P

LOL!

So, if i may ask, why, for you, is the BDSM 'scene' not a 'scene' in the sense used by the article?

[ms-le-fey.livejournal.com]

I think because in the BDSM 'scene' you know it's an act and that it's a fantasy. You leave all other outside problems outside that scene. In the article the circumstance and the people involved take themselves too seriously sometimes and are always bringing the drama.

[flexibeast.livejournal.com]

Hmm, interesting . . . . so you haven't come across many people in the bdsm scene who take themselves too seriously?

[ms-le-fey.livejournal.com]

I've been pretty fortunate I suppose. I'm also a novice so I haven't had that much of a diversity in my BDSM scenes. But luckily I was introduced to the bdsm scene by someone who takes no shit (drama) from others. So I've only been around that crowd.

[flexibeast.livejournal.com]

Cool. :-D

[flexibeast.livejournal.com]

*nod* This sounds quite similar to my situation; my health issues, combined with transportation issues, put a physical limitation on my attendance at pagan events. Which can be frustrating at times, because i know that there are energies unique to group work which don't manifest in solitary work. On the other hand, i, too, have a fairly unique (n.b. understatement :-) ) take on the magickal work involved in my personal spiritual path, and i accept that means that most of my magickal work will end up being either solitary, or only involving magickal partners in addition to myself.

One thing i found particularly interesting about the essay was the distinction it made between 'scene' and 'community' - it made me realise how much i abhor 'scenes', and very much prefer 'communities'. Which is why, i guess, i'm trying - however poorly or falteringly - to build a pleasure activist community, rather than a pleasure activist scene . . . .