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Who are the Proteans?
Proteans are values
-based and service-driven. We share a common
ethic
. We celebrate diversity and creativity in expression.
Proteans are initiated priest/esses in ongoing and rigorous
training
.
Our religious activity is a major focus, a primary creative outlet in
our lives. As Witches, we dedicate ourselves to the re-creation of Pagan
community and culture, to the service of the Gods, the People and the Earth.
We work to build the common heritage of Witches, making contributions in
ritual arts and technologies or wherever else our talents and our perceptions
of the need may lead us. We also seek to share what we discover and create
with dedicated, ethical Witches of any Tradition and with our own students.
We hope that one of our major gifts to the Gods will be many dedicated,
talented, ethical and creative priest/esses.
Proteans are geocentric.
We are practitioners of Earth religion, nature spirituality. We find
primary religious meaning and value within this life, in these bodies, on
this Earth, here and now. We perceive Deity as immanent and seek to deepen,
clarify and extend our conscious contact with the living spirit of Mother
Earth. Because She is now wounded and threatened, we dedicate our energies
to defending and healing Her.
We also understand that the Sacred may appear to us in many forms, speak
to us through many models. We are polytheists, celebrating the diversity
of Divinity and the divinity of diversity.
Proteans are skilled technicians of the Sacred.
We study the ritual and state-altering techniques of tribal, shamanic
and nature-worshipping people around the world and throughout history, and
also do new experimental and developmental work of our own. We adapt and
use techniques that are congruent with our values and chosen symbolic models
and are also safely within the level of our skills. We work to become increasingly
clear channels for Divine wisdom. Because we understand that no human channel
can ever be perfectly clear, we weigh any information received in the light
of our core values and our best understanding of probable outcomes. Having
done so, we sincerely seek to follow the leadings we receive.
Proteans do not have a set liturgy or mythos.
May the Gods forbid that any specific ritual ever become a litmus test of
legitimate Protean identity! We are proud to follow Gerald Gardner's example
of lifelong creative development of our liturgical practice. For this reason,
there is no problem at all with a Protean Witch being a part of any Wiccan
Tradition. Because of our emphasis on exuberant creativity, Proteans
are likely to find themselves at the
liberal
end of any other Traditions with which they are affiliated.
Almost all Proteans are Gardnerians.
Our roots lie in the Gardnerian Tradition, and the vast majority of us maintain
our Gardnerian affiliation. Proteus Coven itself is a Gardnerian coven and
the start of a particular Gardnerian lineage. We are, however, "Gardnerian
plus." Whatever Tradition we may join, as Proteans, we are "that
plus." We honor our roots, while augmenting our Traditional affiliation
with a set of ethical
pledges
. We recognize our kinship with Witches of any Tradition who will commit themselves
to similar ethics, and so we are part of two families.
We live in a time of crisis: great danger for the Earth and all whose
lives depend on Hers and great opportunity for those who are co-creating
the Pagan Renaissance. May we do well by both.
written by Judy Harrow
, HPs, Proteus Coven
updated: March 18, 2002; © 1998, 2002, by Judy Harrow
the address of this page is: www.draknet.com/proteus/mission.htm
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