Call it necessary multi-tasking, call it lingering adolescent rebellion. Whatever it may have been, I doodled in the High Priest's "class" this week, sketching out something I envisioned many months ago when I was first handed the gift from the Bovini. It has taken awhile, but I have finally drawn it up so that the idea is extracted from vision into material. It was a doodl-ey, exercise in commitment & focusing intent. Or something.
bellwether |ˈbelˌweðər|nounthe leading sheep of a flock, with a bell on its neck.• an indicator or predictor of something
harbinger, herald, indicator, predictor. -- Apple Dictionary
"A bellwether is any entity in a given arena that serves to create or influence trends or to presage future happenings. The term is derived from the Middle English bellewether and refers to the practice of placing a bell around the neck of a castrated ram (a wether) leading his flock of sheep. The movements of the flock could be noted by hearing the bell before the flock was in sight." -- Wikipedia
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| "The Animist's Bellwether" Or more accurately, this animists bellwether. |
I don't pretend to know what an animist should "do." Animism is such a personal art form. I just do what I do because it makes complete sense. (Sometimes I am not so sure it makes sense, but I get this feeling I should do it anyway.) However, I have been thinking for quite a long time about group practice & the special requirements thereof. It is all fine & dandy for me to take my feral self, my mate & my younglings out for improv -- we like it that way. But, what if I/we were to share the ceremony-ing with others?
After going 'round & 'round, I have acquiesced to the fact that human groups like choreographed "ritual." Most humans are habit-ists. This is a slightly bitter pill for the intuitive, spontaneous, somewhat disorderly urchin under my skin, but yield I must if I ever want to share the communing with community. Dutifully, I work away at the task of assembling a very simple set of meaningful, symbolic (or not-so-symbolic) actions that could be used to compose a ceremonial formula worthy of representing animist beliefs & values. (Or, at the very least, this particular animist's beliefs & values.)
The "Bellwether"* (pictured above) is the first step in this formula.
Unlike the common use of bells to mark commencement of a rite to group members, the Bellwether is used for extra-group communication. The idea is taken from my personal experiences with bells during last winter's Night-Altar work & what I feel is a natural desire to draw attention to our entrance, arrival, availability, affability & interest in communicating with, celebrating, honouring, etc., the other-than-human world.
I am not so foolish as to think that a gaggle of humanoids processing here or there goes unnoticed. In fact, I am certain it is quite the opposite. Consequently, the Bellwether's principal function in this formula is not to announce the arrival of the herd, but rather to express our awareness & availability. It indicates that we are initiating & entering a unique occasion. It says, "Please pardon us. We know You know we're here. But today, we're not just passing through, absentmindedly doing our people-things. Today, we are here for You. Care to join us?"
With this in mind, perhaps it would be more accurately described as a doorbell -- for Them & for us. Whether They decide to accept our invitation is another matter.
* I really like this word(!). "Bellwether" possesses so many layers of meaning, nearly all of which can be applied in this usage. More elaborate definitions are available & I could prattle on about it at length, but really, this post isn't about my love of semantics.
After going 'round & 'round, I have acquiesced to the fact that human groups like choreographed "ritual." Most humans are habit-ists. This is a slightly bitter pill for the intuitive, spontaneous, somewhat disorderly urchin under my skin, but yield I must if I ever want to share the communing with community. Dutifully, I work away at the task of assembling a very simple set of meaningful, symbolic (or not-so-symbolic) actions that could be used to compose a ceremonial formula worthy of representing animist beliefs & values. (Or, at the very least, this particular animist's beliefs & values.)
The "Bellwether"* (pictured above) is the first step in this formula.
Unlike the common use of bells to mark commencement of a rite to group members, the Bellwether is used for extra-group communication. The idea is taken from my personal experiences with bells during last winter's Night-Altar work & what I feel is a natural desire to draw attention to our entrance, arrival, availability, affability & interest in communicating with, celebrating, honouring, etc., the other-than-human world.
I am not so foolish as to think that a gaggle of humanoids processing here or there goes unnoticed. In fact, I am certain it is quite the opposite. Consequently, the Bellwether's principal function in this formula is not to announce the arrival of the herd, but rather to express our awareness & availability. It indicates that we are initiating & entering a unique occasion. It says, "Please pardon us. We know You know we're here. But today, we're not just passing through, absentmindedly doing our people-things. Today, we are here for You. Care to join us?"
With this in mind, perhaps it would be more accurately described as a doorbell -- for Them & for us. Whether They decide to accept our invitation is another matter.
* I really like this word(!). "Bellwether" possesses so many layers of meaning, nearly all of which can be applied in this usage. More elaborate definitions are available & I could prattle on about it at length, but really, this post isn't about my love of semantics.
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