Cultural Backlash: An Open Post

[causticus]

There were some interesting discussions on yesterday's Magic Monday post and on the past month's or so posts on the Ecosophia blog regarding the collapse of alternative spirituality in the West and a likely impending cultural backlash against decades of general rot and grubbiness that is decaying our civilization from within.

Some of us here in the US are afraid that a sudden cultural jolt in the other direction, away from leftism/progressivism, will result in any type of spirituality that doesn't fit a narrow, literalist Christian/Abrahamic format as being seen by the reaction mob as "part of the problem." Anything the people leading and directing this backlash deem to be adjacent to the aforementioned cultural rot will be lazily lumped together into one big, bad conspiracy against what they believe they are trying to save and preserve. This likely means anything occult/esoteric, overtly pagan, or too foreign will be included, with very little nuance. As we know, the moral collapse of both Neopaganism and the postmodern occult scene hasn't helped matters at all in this respect, especially in light of recent tragic events.

Anyway, I want to know what anyone else here thinks of this and anything in your own area (US or somewhere else) you have seen indicative of a new cultural direction that may or or may not involve the condemnation of the things I listed above (or anything else that comes to mind). Also, we could use this space to think up ideas on how to preserve and carry on various spiritual teachings and practices if/when an intolerant religious climate becomes reality.

This is an open post that will stay open for quite a long time.

Comments

[alexanderthered]

That 30 year cycle feels about right to me. Do you have a link to a page where JMG writes about it? I'm very interested in reading about it.

After my failed attempts at connecting with neopagan groups, I made it my personal mission to absorb everything I could about the metaphysical, so I can learn how to interpret my experience (and hopefully the experiences of others) in a productive way.

And along the way, I have found so far, at least for me, anyway, precisely as you say - that the Piscean religions were deeply lacking what many animist / folk religions (eg Shinto, taoism, Chinese folk religion, etc) had. They're definitely worth looking in to IMO if you feel the need for a new perspective or some wisdom.

That being said, I think the Heathens have been putting in some serious work in making Heathenry it's own thing separate from the big neopagan tent, and it's really paid off in spades. There are still some challenges but I think Heathenry has got a bright future ahead of it.

[jprussell]

JMG's maybe talked about this in multiple places, but the one that comes most immediately to mind is: https://www.ecosophia.net/blogs-and-essays/the-well-of-galabes/the-twilight-of-the-neopagan-era/

That lays out the idea of the 30-year cycle, but again, there might be more detail elsewhere.

Hope this helps, and if not, let me know, and I can try to find some more relevant stuff.

Cheers,
Jeff

[alexanderthered]

Thanks for the link, it'll serve as a good jumping off point. I have only been following JMG for about a year so I don't know very much about his earlier writings. I have a lot to learn :)