Discipline

Playing catch up on the pagan blog project. As a fellow blogger said, Blogging is what happens when life doesn't get in the way. As a medical professional with two jobs, 5 kids, 3 four legged children, 2 grandchildren, and a semblance of a life, I can tell you that blogging has been way down at the bottom of my priority list. It fell somewhere between numbers 468-2367 of my list of things that need to be done :) So that brings me to my (belated) blog post.

Discipline.

Anyone who has been on a Traditional path knows that it takes alot, ALOT, of discipline to work through the lessons, both written and personal, objective, and subjective, to make it to your third degree. Those who don't have the discipline usually don't make it. They fall off along the way, some before they even get initiated, the rest often leave during the throws of their second degree.

Why am I bothering to tell you this? If you are Eclectic you may not care, you will have your own life lessons to get through, and I am sure that you will. But if you want the education of a Traditional path, think long and hard about it. Will you have what it takes to commit? Some paths take anywhere from three to five years to complete.

Do you have the drive and determination? The memory skills? Don't laugh (too much) but memorization was integral to passing some of the lessons I did! Do you enjoy studying? Learning the way your Trad does things? Or do you prefer to be entirely spontaneous, celebrating how, when, and where you want to?

Do you like to use tools or not? Do you like to where ritual robes or go buck naked? Do you LIKE ritual? These are just a few of the questions that you might want to ask yourself before committing to Traditional study. But believe me there are many more questions out there to ask.

Before committing to anything, ask LOTS of questions. See if the tradition has Open rituals that you can attend, or if they offer any open classes, and see if they are a good fit for you. Put in the work to talk to other students (if possible) and see if you are ready, willing, and able to commit.

And when you do commit, be prepared to have the discipline to get you through it.

Blessings everyone! MoD