Why Dark?

“The moon will guide you through the night with her brightness, but she will always dwell in the darkness, in order to be seen.”  - Shannon L. Alder, author.

Some may wonder about the meaning of ‘dark’ in Dark Paganism. 

Dark Paganism assumes two schools of thought in spirituality. Each school shares the same emphasis, which is an exploration of existential matters. However, the two schools each address this exploration from different directions. 

The most common school of thought is the external approach. This school seeks meaning and purpose outside the individual. The primary existential question in the external approach concerns the meaning of the universe. In the external approach, reality is often viewed as One. It’s common for an alternative to the One to be seen as evil. This viewpoint often results in a dualistic worldview where good struggles against evil. According to the external approach, life’s meaning is in uniting oneself and one’s actions with this great Unity.

In the internal approach, reality is a complex mix of interactions and relationships. Because of this complexity, there is no underlying Unity or dualistic battle between good and evil. The primary existential question for the internal approach isn’t about the meaning of the universe but about searching for personal meaning and learning how the individual fits into this complex reality. Therefore, the emphasis of the internal approach is on the Self and the search for personal identity.

The metaphor of “light” is applied to the external approach to spirituality. In contrast, the internal approach to spirituality is “dark.” To understand this terminology, imagine a cave. During the daytime, the outside of the cave is light, while the cave inside is dark. 

When we apply these metaphors to the person, we find that the dark represents the Self, while the light represents the world external to the Self. The Self is dark because, like the cave’s interior, it’s hidden from sight. Each person’s psyche, or internal behavior, is, in a sense, a black box. No one else can directly observe our private thoughts and feelings, making them “dark.” 

Because what’s advocated here is a spiritual philosophy centered on honoring and cultivating the Self, it’s referred to as “dark.”

Father’s Day

“Any man can be a father, but it takes a man to be a dad.” – Anne Geddes, Australian photographer.

Tomorrow, June 15, 2025, is celebrated as Father’s Day here in the US. Across the country, fathers will be recipients of cards, mugs, and t-shirts printed with “World’s Best Dad.” 

Honoring ancestors, both living and dead, isn’t new. The ancient Greeks had a practice called Genesia that honored deceased ancestors. Chinese culture has honored ancestors since Neolithic times. Confucianism further reinforced this Chinese tradition. And Abrahamic religions have the famous directive, “Honor thy father and thy mother.” (Ephesians 6:2)

 

Whether or not someone follows the practice of venerating an ancestor is a personal matter. You shouldn’t think that traditions are absolute and binding. The author Eliot Schrefer is credited with writing that “Traditions are just peer pressure from dead people.” 

While there is no mandate for venerating ancestors, there are benefits to the practice if you choose to do so. Respect for others seems to be in short supply. Which is a shame because we all need to be acknowledged for the good that we do. And from my own experience as a father, I know how challenging being a dad can be. 

I’m lucky that I have a great dad. I’m proud to be my father’s son. So, I’m going to honor him this Father’s Day, and I will mean it.

However, not every father deserves to be called “World’s Best Dad.” In fact, some are downright awful. 

Keep in mind I’m not talking about the average father who makes occasional mistakes. Maybe even serious mistakes. We need to remember that no one’s perfect. As the proverb goes, to err is human. I’m talking about the father who leaves a trail of destruction in their wake. 

No one has the right to guilt you or demand that you honor an abusive ancestor. Victims have the right to ignore Father’s Day if they choose. It’s a valid option. 

For those interested, I have some positive alternatives to simply ignoring this day if you wish. 

One option is to turn June 15th into a day of self-care. Go shopping and splurge on yourself. See a movie. Hang out with friends. Whatever you choose to do, make this day about you. 

Another option is to honor someone who deserves it. Skip a generation if you want. Also, you’re not limited to honoring relatives. Ancestors don’t have to be related by blood. I suspect that most of my readers can recall someone from their past who was helpful and kind. Someone that they still look up to and respect. You can use this day to honor them. 

Most importantly, however you handle June 15th, be gentle with yourself.

Note: for an excellent blog post that ties into this topic, I highly recommend “Ancestor Work” by Druid priest John Beckett, posted on April 18, 2021.

A Disturbing Trend

“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” - Isaac Asimov, American author.

There is a trend that I’ve been concerned about for some time. The growing acceptance of political violence by Americans.

The trend appears to have started with the attack on the US Capital by the political Right on January 6, 2021, in an attempted coup to overturn the election. The following year, on October 28, 2022, Paul Pelosi, the husband of Democratic representative Nancy Pelosi, was attacked at their San Francisco home by someone obsessed with Right-Wing conspiracy theories. 

Violence isn’t limited to the political Right. Brian Robert Thompson, the CEO of the American health insurance company UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed in New York City on December 4, 2024. On December 9, 2024, authorities arrested 26-year-old Luigi Mangione and charged him with Thompson’s killing. 

Political violence isn’t new to America. The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre is one example of political violence by the American political Right. The year before, in 1919, anarchists (advocates for a Left-wing ideology) committed a series of bombings in the US. 

What concerns me most about the current trend of American political violence is its growing acceptance. President Trump has openly stated support for the January 6th terrorists and pardoned most. While many on both sides of the aisle criticized the attack on Paul Pelosi, some on the political Right treated it as a joke. The murder of Brian Robert Thompson also drew many criticisms; however, there were a shocking number of people on the political Left who declared the accused Mangione a hero for Thompson’s murder.

One of the prerequisites for eudemonia, an ancient term for a flourishing life, is a society that’s both safe and stable. It’s challenging to live a life that's flourishing when you’re constantly having to watch your back. Violence, if not condemned by society, will likely continue to grow and threaten us all.

The glorification of political violence in America needs to stop.