Now for Piety. At first glance, this one isn't very hard. Then again, it is. Our society isn't exactly pious anymore, and those of us who practice solitary don't even have others to meet with who are pious. If we are lucky, our significant other is pious so we have that shared thought in our home. Unfortunately, I rarely hear of this happening.
The first exercise in the Virtue guide involves listing pious people. I have been trying to think of some, but I can't say I KNOW of anyone who is. There are always people who claim to be and aren't the only ones I can think of who are regularly pious I know online or long distance, so I don't feel I should list them. It's difficult to describe a person's piousness when you aren't around them. As for myself, I try, but I know I could do more. Although, I suppose that is always true. I know I am more pious than most of the people around me, simply because I am the only one who works with the gods & spirits on a regular basis and I am the only one who observes the holy days. I don't always observe the moons. I admit that. That is generally due to some sort of fibro or lupus flare that gets me so sick that by night I am in bed. I am working on some sort of substitution for those times. I suppose that is a form of piousness - the fact that I am trying to find a way to observe these times even when ill. The simple truth is, someone who doesn't have these issues can't understand how it hits you to the point that you lose days and miss things. I do feel that my gods, my spirits, and my ancestors understand this. I have had plenty of times when I could "feel" that understanding and times when I have been guided towards ways of substituting for what I wanted to do. In the end, I feel that someone who keeps that connection on a regular basis, regardless of the physical acts involved, is far more pious than someone who happily does all the rituals, but then keeps distance between themselves and the gods the rest of the time.
Our Own Druidry defines Piety as follows:
"Correct observance of ritual and social traditions, the maintenance of the agreements (both personal and societal) we humans have with the Gods and Spirits. Keeping the Old Ways, through ceremony and duty."
The Macmillon dictionary is a little different:
I can go along with these. I have discovered over the years plenty of people who profess strong religious belief, but in no way act on it. It doesn't matter to me if their ceremony is private or with others. I feel the only thing that DOES matter is observing and behaving as is meant for their faith. After all, there are plenty of places in the world where a person can't openly practice their faith, either through lack of place to do so, or through danger to one's life if they do. I realize that many feel we must be open, but I don't believe our gods want us to needlessly die or face serious harm. After all, the reason the Old Ways managed to be passed down is because so many were willing to hide the knowledge and only practice in secret with family and/or friends.
The phrase "maintenance of agreement" is what catches me and what I feel many ignore. It really is easy to go to rituals and have fun seeing your friends. Yet how many keep to their faith the rest of the time? How many are willing to tell the Gods they will keep them in their hearts every day? How many are willing to make an oath to live in a way that honors the Gods? In my experience, very few. THIS is where I feel most don't follow the virtue of piety. Doing things where others can see isn't pious. Not really. Piety exists within your own heart and soul. It is what you do when no one is looking. It is living quietly in a pious way, not screaming on rooftops to make sure everyone sees you be "pious".
I have not always had the most pious life, I can admit that. On the other hand, I have usually been more pious than most other people I know. As a child I knew I was meant to have a special relationship with the Old Gods but it took many years before I could fully understand that role. Over time I have developed a stronger connection and have worked to find a path that worked for me and my physical limitations. I know the day when everything really clicked for me...
I was a member of a Wiccan church in the clergy training classes. When I joined, I was told that it was open to all paths and was flexible enough to allow for my personal practice. Things changed and one day I was there in class when several things hit at once. They no longer honored the Old Gods in ways I felt gave true honor, they no longer would allow my path and the type of piety it needed, and I did not feel that the role of clergy there was the path of true piety anymore. I had already known my path was taking me to clergy, but this gave me the chance to really look at that role and decide how I felt it should be. I learned a lot from those people - mostly how NOT to act, In the end, that may have been my most important lesson in all the years I was there. I learned what my view of piety is and made the stand that I would leave my entire life if that's what it took to stay true to my Gods. And I did it.
I consider this an important virtue for anyone who wishes to keep the Gods in their heart, and especially important for someone such as myself who has the goal of becoming clergy to them. I also see this as important for families to instill in their children. Regardless of the path children take when grown, it teaches them there is something greater than themselves and helps them feel that web of interconnectedness.
The phrase "maintenance of agreement" is what catches me and what I feel many ignore. It really is easy to go to rituals and have fun seeing your friends. Yet how many keep to their faith the rest of the time? How many are willing to tell the Gods they will keep them in their hearts every day? How many are willing to make an oath to live in a way that honors the Gods? In my experience, very few. THIS is where I feel most don't follow the virtue of piety. Doing things where others can see isn't pious. Not really. Piety exists within your own heart and soul. It is what you do when no one is looking. It is living quietly in a pious way, not screaming on rooftops to make sure everyone sees you be "pious".
I have not always had the most pious life, I can admit that. On the other hand, I have usually been more pious than most other people I know. As a child I knew I was meant to have a special relationship with the Old Gods but it took many years before I could fully understand that role. Over time I have developed a stronger connection and have worked to find a path that worked for me and my physical limitations. I know the day when everything really clicked for me...
I was a member of a Wiccan church in the clergy training classes. When I joined, I was told that it was open to all paths and was flexible enough to allow for my personal practice. Things changed and one day I was there in class when several things hit at once. They no longer honored the Old Gods in ways I felt gave true honor, they no longer would allow my path and the type of piety it needed, and I did not feel that the role of clergy there was the path of true piety anymore. I had already known my path was taking me to clergy, but this gave me the chance to really look at that role and decide how I felt it should be. I learned a lot from those people - mostly how NOT to act, In the end, that may have been my most important lesson in all the years I was there. I learned what my view of piety is and made the stand that I would leave my entire life if that's what it took to stay true to my Gods. And I did it.
I consider this an important virtue for anyone who wishes to keep the Gods in their heart, and especially important for someone such as myself who has the goal of becoming clergy to them. I also see this as important for families to instill in their children. Regardless of the path children take when grown, it teaches them there is something greater than themselves and helps them feel that web of interconnectedness.
