Article--Solitary Eclectics≠Fluffy

One of the pagan LiveJournal communities I belong to (Non-Fluffy Pagans) recently held a discussion to define the term "Fluffy Bunny." I found the results of this discussion very comforting. The first questions the instigator of this thread asked were:

Does "eclectic" automatically = "fluffy"?
Does mixing pantheons necessarily mean a pagan is fluffy?
Are all solitary pagans fluffy (not solitary Wiccan specifically, just solitary pagans in general)?

You can see why these would light a flutter in my stomach. I admit to being a bit timid in specifically Non-Fluffy forums as I've read my own writing and found myself bordering on what could easily be considered Fluff-Central. I've also been in a few unfortunate forums in which a definite clique of Wiser and Cooler Than Thou Shalt Ever Be people has formed, and anything a newcomer of any sort says is greeted with more snarky comments than you could shake a long pointed stick at. I read ahead anyway; I figured it would be nice to know if I was just being paranoid or not.

I was greatly relieved; the answers were so much more supportive than I had feared they would be. The answer to the first question was a resounding and hearty "No." Eclectic should and often does mean that you are simply not lucky enough to have a prefabricated path which fits your beliefs or lifestyle. As long as it is done with wisdom and reason, Eclecticism is more than acceptable.

To the second question, the majority answered the same way I myself may have were I not too lazy and still too shy to post; there is no problem with the practice of mixing pantheons itself, but only in the blind and reckless mashing together of Gods and Goddesses without serious study and communion to serve the purpose of achieving the correct result in a spell. Agreed all around on my part.

The third question was also answered very amicably; you do not need a coven to be a Pagan, or even a Wiccan. Provided that you remain honest about what your beliefs are and do not call them what they are not (i.e., NOT subscribing to the "I can do whatever I want and still call it Wicca" philosophy), and provided that your reasons for remaining alone are honest and not for shock value ("No one understands me! *wail*"), there is nothing fluffy in the practice of a solitary.

There were about three more questions; I'm too tired and lazy to dissect the answers of all of them. The main gist of it, at least what I really want to drive at is this last question:

What is YOUR definition of the word "fluffy"?

It completely defied every previous experience I have had of self-proclaimed Non-Fluffy Pagans; I will again say that I'm accustomed to the type of downright spiteful elitist brats (in OTHER forums, mind you, on websites which will remain nameless) who call anyone new or naïve a hopeless fluffy bunny. What was said boils down to this: Thinking that SilverRavenWolff is the best author ever or that The Craft is a fully accurate depiction of the religion, or that the Gods and Goddesses are all love and light does not automatically make you Fluffy. It is the willful decision never to believe anything else even after evidence to the contrary has been presented. In short, the definition of Fluffy Bunnyism is Willful Ignorance.

I think my favorite quote from this whole discussion was this from Joe at Tantric_Pixie:

Everyone starts as a novice. No one comes into the world fully clad in armor and stuffed with knowledge, except Athena of course!

I wish I could take credit for that. Athena has been my favorite Greek Goddess since I was six.

Ok. I'm quite spent now. I don't know what this entry was meant to accomplish, only that it was a very positive and uplifting experience for me after a long and tedious day. Night, everybody.

Random Quote

A quote from Starhawk's "The Spiral Dance" which amuses me far too much.

"If you bind a rapist, you may find yourself prevented from committing rape, but if that interferes with your daily activites you have no business practicing Witchcraft anyway."

I realize she was going for the humor, but I'm tired and giggly. I prefer to think she completely unintentionally said...it...I don't need a vocabulary. I swear.

Random Ranting

Now it is June, and come hell or highwater, I will celebrate Litha. I will go out and do something crazy and hold a ritual in the middle of the park (or at the very least my best friend's awesome backyard). I will find a festival with other Pagans and meet people. I will hold a complete dress ritual.

You see, I am semi-broomcloseted around my family. My parents are aware of my spirituality, but they wish me to remain discreet about it in the house. As such, my altar consists of candles and incense, and my sabbats are generally low-key devotions (except Samhain). But this time, dag nab it, there shall be full out possibly-skyclad Solitary Eclectic Wiccan action. *shakes fist mightily*

Ok. I feel much better. Return to your daily lives.