Priestesses on the Road, and ethics

[sisalfish]

Our TranceShamans trance team facilitated two really complex trances, since I posted last - the Parvati/Durga/Kali trance at the Toltec Center, and the Baba Yaga trance this past Thursday. Lots to process about! Both trances gave us insight into issues of mixed group trancing, how we work together as a team, and sustainability

Comments

Familiarity with mythic characters

[ext_238030]

How do you find people relate to deities and other mythic characters they aren't very familiar with? We in the States know very little about how Kali or Baba Yaga or any number of other deities are known in India, Russia, or wherever.

One of the things I find quite annoying about most Pagan rituals I've been to is the shallowness of the smorgasbord approach. I vividly recall one workshop where the leader said "Now we are going to invoke Oshun" (or whoever) with no explanation of who that was! I went and sat down at the side; no way was I going to just dive into something like that.

Do you review the basics of who Kali is, for example, or tell her origin story (or any story about her) to participants at a new group? Do you give homework to your local group so people have time to get familiar with a deity before working with it? Or do you structure the ritual to lead participants through the story?