During a wee conflab with Jape a throw away comment I made had me thinking.

One of the wonderful things about Witchcraft IMO is that it can be very ecletic.. in the sense of picking and choosing so to speak, those areas that work for you, that you may have talent in, and moulding it all into a workable path. Now I don't see anything wrong at all with this approach.

For instance, spellcraft, herblore, creative areas (painting, cooking, making up my own essential oil perfumed body oils) and so forth have evolved into a path which is very practical in terms of being very Craft orientated, but recently I've been drawn to the Gods/Goddesses too and starting to incorporate that a little too and explore that arena.

Now I don't see anything wrong with my approach... I do think Witchcraft in nature, simply because it does encompass a huge range of skills is by nature ecletic... however, I do confess to being slightly irritated by the often touted phrase (ands I confess to using it myself on occasion) "if it works for you"... which yes has some validity.. yet I find often this approach is used by those individuals who haven't got the patient, or just plain lazy to work through various skills, learning them properly (and lets be honest all skills take a lifetime of exploration) and so forth and so they end up mingling and mashing approaches so much the original skill is incomprehensible. And so in a sense they end up following a path of half measures - if you get what I mean.

What are your views on being ecletic?

I am to all intents and purposes eclectic, I incorporate alot of different aspects into my path but it does work for me.
I havent really walked my path for at least a year if not longer due to lifes stresses but I am getting back onto it and am finding that I am incorporating yet more to it in particular some elements of Hoodoo. (don't ask why because I have no connection with Afro american culture what so ever but some of the practices appeal to me.)

I don't think that being eclectic means I am too lazy to work through various skills, I learn the skills I use, I look at them completly. being eclectic means I may put different things together in my path that others wouldn't do, it means I find things that do work and mould them to myself and my particular belief system, and maybe work them in a different way from others.

There are I guess some fluffy bunnies who don't learn all they could about something, learning just enough for it to 'work' and then moving onto the next thing, but thats not something thats specific to eclectic paths it is something that can happen on any path at all. usually its a noob who wants to run before they can walk.

Your approach is similar to mine Herne- that's not what I'm talking about... I'm talking about individuals who without fully researching, experimenting and actually seeing if what they want to incorporate gels with their other practices, with their ethos, just pick and choose, flitting between various options...

And no I'm not talking about those people who haven't actually decided upon a path either, and are taking their time to explore various options to see what fits them best, or indeed moulding a path themselves from various elements.

I'm talking about the increasing trend, and yes I suppose this is probably the remit of the new seeker, to pick and choose elements from lots of different paths without fully understanding what it is they are doing, and then throwing out all the stuff they don't like, without considering whether its necessary, the philosophy behind it, the history and so forth.

I don't mind the use of 'if it works for you' as long as there is an answer to 'why does it work for you' and 'why doesn't 'x' work for your'.

I reckon if people can give a credible answer to those two other questions then I feel they have every right to make the original statement.

For those that cant I have an unremitting urge to point them in the direction of some well needed research by applying the points of a well heated trident to their posteriors.

Kev

Well Very this is very interesting to me as i am very new to my path and still no where near even knowing what i am doing !

To me i have always had issues with being told Who i am and where i am going so being electic fits with me just right.I am able to make up my own mind and take what i wish and go further with it or just drop it and move on.If this makes any sense.

I am really so new to all of this and would never pretend otherwise so i suppose i came under the heading picking and chossing but in my defence i didn't even know half this stuff exsisted untill recently and i am much like a kid in a candy shop at the moment.
Some of you are lucky enough to know what sit's right with you but for the rest of us we have to learn and to learn takes time and this sometimes means we pick and choose and then change again.Take for instance i would like to look into healing and tarot reading and dream work and meditation along with herb work and aromatheopy but i have to choose one at a time to study.This does not mean i am lazy but i have time restrictions and can only learn so much at any given time.

To me one of the things i love the most about the path i am on is It can change at any time as the god's wish and i am happy for them to guide me in any direction.

sarah

Again, your circumstance isn't really the one I'm thinking about. And naturally you do have to pick something to study and stick with it, once you feel you've got to a certain stage then sure go onto to something else, you can always come back to it. But then I do that, so lol, I wouldn't think there was anything wrong with that approach - but do other people?

Is there a sense that being ecletic is less valid than an establish pagan path?

I have at times been accused of Diluting a path because I do not walk it I just take an aspect of it. and yes there are groups who are dead against those of us who are eclectic, they see it as being a disrespectful path to follow. Disrespectful to the ancestors who walked the path etc... I have seen that attitude aimed at some on another forum I am no longer amember of.

While at my first Moot i was asked by an older member (older as in he was 50 yrs my senior)Which path i am looking at or following My reply "WICCAN" his reply "oh that's just a part time path " firstly i walked away thinking You Pric*
He was so up himself as he is a tradtional witch born and bred but after a bit of thought i could see why he a little upset.I must have looked like a right twa* i knew nothing and that was obvious and he had a right to comment.

I did feel bad about the comment but that's what elders are for ? to show us other ways.His way insn't better than mine just different ?

Sarah

I don't think there is anything wrong with being an eclectic or picking and choosing. For example, for awhile, I was interested in Wicca but there were parts that I just couldn't deal with. The Reade for one, but I thought that some of the rituals would work for me, such as drawing the quarters. But I generally work on my own spells because I think it's important for spells and such to come from you.

I still tend to go with the Celtic ideas though as that is my heritage and It seems to work for me. I will use some Drud rituals, the ones that I can find based on history more than modern Druidry. I notice the solstics, equnox and some of the wheel of the year. I guess I mix Witchcraft, Wicca and Druid aspects into my workings, when I do them. With a little of some Native American Shamanic practices as far as meditation techniques.

What may get a little sticky though is when you reach out of your relm and start mixing Isis or Odin into the path. This I have always been told was a no no, that it shows disrespect.
But I always wondered what happens when one is on a particular path mixing and matching, and a completly different God or Goddess makes themselves known to you? Would this be a message of changing paths or permission to incorporate certain aspects into your own path?

I think eclecticism is wonderful, especially if your eclecticism is different from everyone else's.

To me, that is 'a' crux of paganism - you can't wholly codify your beliefs and practices.

seg wow you got off to a bad start.. what a sanctioumounous Ass or p.. as you said!.. ohh i was born iinto a witch family.. doesn't make you one! and w/ that attitude.. grrrrr.. at least you know not to deal with that group!

Back to subject..

actually , i think being Electic, is harder!!! I'm electic, in taste, mood.. lol and just plain bipolar..

I mean electic..wow.. theres sooooooo much to study!!! So many interests, healing, tarot, gemstones, chakra's, rituals, feng shui.. etc, etc..

but I know what you mean very... which is why I come here! lol
and I honestly don't irl know any fake pagans/witches.. bc i just don't know many irl! lol

I like electic.. its definately Not an easy path.. but it sure is fun and worth it!!

bb

I’ve always seen an eclectic as somebody who consciously mixes parts from different paths; not necessarily in a bad way, but in such a manner that they can say ‘Well I liked this bit of Wicca, and that bit of Druidry, and they do compliment each other’.

Now the problem I have is that although I have read and researched on many of the branches of paganism, my own path is just that, my own. I do very little in the way of ritual, have never tried magic and my gods are (at present) unnamed, so I can’t really say where my inspiration comes from, other than life itself. So am I eclectic, or just pagan?

See thats the thing, some folks declare themselves as eclectic and all they do is cherry pick things that take their fancy. If that means they end up marrying Odin to Isis it don't matter much to them (Frigg however may have another view entirely)

these are the 'bad people' the ones that give other eclectics a bad name.

What makes the difference is, as whispered says, study and research. A good eclectic doesn't treat the worlds faiths as a smörgåsbord but instead borrows only what works for them after much studying and this can in some cases mean they are more in touch with that aspect of a faith than someone who actually walks that path.

Furthermore a good eclectic often doesn't take a part of another path, but rather borrows the idea and adapts it to their own path. In some cases the idea and the end result may be as far removed as Wicca is from witchcraft, but the journey there can be as important as the original idea itself.



Well if you are a polytheist then you should have few problems in accepting that gods from different pantheons and cultures exist and so if they make themselves known to you it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.

It is afterall extremely unlikely that you would end up working with incompatable gods when the gods themselves are handling the introductions. More likely you have caught their attention (not always a good thing mind) and as such it would be discourtious to ignore them and any new opportunities they may present.

I myself, work with Herne and Andred in the main, but I have a slightly distant relationship with Woden and have had a useful encounter with Sekhmet. But then my spiritual doors are always open

Kev

Even within established paths or religions people cherry-pick the bits that appeal or mean most to them and tend to concentrate on those aspects. Very very few people embrace absolutely everything about their path/religion (insert word of choice).

I know that at present I am eclectic because I am yet to settle down into a more stable practise, but already I have narrowed it down enough. When I have sorted it out I shall give it a nice label along the lines of "The Way of Applestar"

I personally know that I am studying enough, but I resent the idea that someone else should judge me on how much studying I do - my path doesn't have an entrance exam or give me marks for coursework!

I have made a conscious decision to do the OBOD course for a year to make sure that I have thoroughly explored one direction. I have also previously looked at other traditions in considerable depth, and incorporate certain of their beliefs and practises because they fit with my world-view and make sense to me. However, I have not yet found equilibrium on my path. I say "equilibrium" because I know that I will always be growing and searching, but hopefully in a balanced, grounded and focused manner.

At present I don't fit into one particular box. It may turn out that the only box I will ever fit into is "The Way of Applestar" (I'm beginning to like this - can you tell? ). But I don't know. The important thing to me is that I'm trying and exploring. Anyone who wants to be negative about that can go take a hike!

{note to self - do not post with a hangover because my posts then lack their usual sweetness and light}

Coz, you've hit the nail on the head, that's exactly it and that was the difference I was tryig to get at and failing miserably!

I am not sure if by doing a range of things that encompass Witchcraft & then finding you are better with somethings than others would class anyone as being Ecletic. Isn't this just the way of the world & that is we can't all be good at all things.

Blessings..
Im glad this topic got addressed again.....

Some folk feel you are robbing or taking a shortcut by claiming to be ecclict....
I feel that you can learn from all the different aspects.....

I approach my "paths" with great respect.....Egyptian I was "born" into, an Irish Celt is my heritage.....as well as coming from a line of Withches...(yup..being born doesent mean you are).

Ive also come across paths I am intreasted in, such as Strega: Italitian witches...
Ive learnd quite a bit about them, and incorporated some into my life.

You can learn from many "teachers", and I consider my self blessed by having several teachers, or guides if you will.

Great post.

Love, LadyP

(and not just because you know how to type the little circly A that has been eluding me for years!)

I shy away from describing myself as an eclectic purely because it gives the impression that i am one of those who picks and chooses without discrimination or application, discarding things they don't like or don't understand, and justifying it by that hackneyed phrase 'doing what feels right'. It demeans and debases the beliefs that one steals from, and I'm fairly convinced that it doesn't say much for one's integrity and ability either.

It's not bad to use ideas that you have found elsewhere, and incorporate them with other things, broadening your mind and your path. But I do believe strongly that you have to research and understand them before you use them. This doesn't neccessarily mean spending 4 years studying a culture before you ever approach one of their gods, but it does mean thinking very hard before you take that plunge.

drachenfach - I see where you are comming from... I too shy away from the lable of eclectic. Too many see it as an excuse not to research fully or just skip the edges of subjects taking what apeals or that they can get thier minds round, disregarding much of the depth that spirituality and real research can give.

I have no problem with someone who having read up or explored a path or gained view points from practitioners and teachers etc. Then goes away, thinks and creates thier own way and can justify why they practice the mix they do. They have an understanding of the underlying concepts, links and controdictions.
Just realised this matches nicely with what Cos says!

Just thoughts
Be bright, be bold
Fillionous

Aye, what Cos and Fillionous said


To be honest, I think that ALL Pagans are eclectic – because we simply don’t know how our ancestors worshipped, modern paganism has to be based on our piecing together, making assumptions and adapting for modern morality the clues from the past. What we have is a hotchpotch already. Yes, you can find the common denominators, eg, pantheons, but even that is corruptible, look at the Romans after all! The original eclectics!! I honour the Roman pantheon but don’t follow all the rites and practices of the Religio Romana. Despite the fact that lots of that is documented practice. Why? Because I’m a 21st C gal and I’m not about to sacrifice pigs, read entrails, spill blood on boundary stones. Nor can I afford to follow the Kalendae and fast and refuse to work several days in the week to pay honour to all the gods the Romans worshipped. I also don’t address them in Latin, so you could argue that’s eclectic to some extent too

You do get some people insisting that their way is the “pure” way of honouring, of being pagan, but it’s a simple fact – we’re all both “pure” and “impure” because we live now and do things according to that. In the same way that our ancestors did during their time. Historical texts were written for the modern man and woman – and all the societal niceties and conundrums they had to face – and some of those you just can’t update and adapt, you have to either ignore them or develop entirely new ones.

As Cos pointed out in response to Katrina, if the gods come knocking on your door, while there are some you might get away with telling to bugger off, you’re occupied, there are others who are a bit more insistent. And if THEY’re happy to mingle with the other Gods you’re currently entertaining, who are you to say otherwise?

Having said all that, you know the one phrase I, personally, really detest, is the “if it works for you”. Mainly because I’ve only really heard it bandied around those who want to pick’n’mix the sexy bits and ignore the hard graft. Those who reassure someone that yes, despite the fact that you’ve solely Irish ancestry as far back as history goes, that it’s quite all right to mix in a bit of Native American chanting in a sweat lodge, channelling Sekhmet, and summoning Lilith… Just cast a circle and draw a few sigils in the ground. I mean, sorry, but wtf is that all about? That really, REALLY bugs me.

When you read fashion magazines etc, it talks about someone being eclectic either positively or negatively – if it’s positive it infers that the eclecticism has formed a cohesive and pleasing whole. If it’s negative it means that it’s just a messy mish-mash which jars.

The term “eclectic” has, unfortunately, become one of those words which it is now fashionable to attempt to denigrate in the same way that Wicca is regularly slaughtered on the altar of supposed superiority.