Book Review: Pagan Ethics: “When, Why…If” by Robin Wood

[neptunesdolphins]

 “When, Why…If,” by Robin Wood, Livingtree Press, 1996.

 

The formation of ethics for magic people is critical since they are involved with other worlds and otherworld entities. Since the belief systems of Paganism (Note 1), differ from Monotheistic religions, a different morality is usually applied. For example, in Wicca and Neo-Paganism, sex and pride are positive qualities. Roman Polytheists have their Public and Private Virtues to follow. (Note 2) Wiccans use the Wiccan Rede (Note 3) or the Rule of Three (Note 4).

 

Written in 1996, “When, Why…If” offers an excellent start in forming ethics for Pagans. Robin Wood (Note 5) wanted Wiccans to move beyond a “vague, fuzzy ‘harm none’” of the Wiccan Rede. To that end, she breaks down learning ethics into building blocks, with each building on the prior. At each chapter’s end, Wood includes questions to ponder and answer to develop your personal set of ethics. For Wood, “Morals are the principles you live by, and ethics are the system by which you put those principles into action.”

 

Wood starts with “Honesty” as the basis for forming an ethical code. By being honest with yourself, you can change yourself. She defines honesty as the clarity of vision, and the willingness to learn from mistakes. Wood writes “When you become aware and learn to correlate cause and effect, you can see where any path is likely to lead you. When you gain the courage to look honestly at the path ahead, and not try to fool yourself or others, then you will be able to choose wisely.” Ethics, therefore, is built on choices and the ability to discern what is wise.

 

The next chapters of the book have “Honesty,” as the foundation for their explorations. Starting with the “Self,” there needs to be a balance between “Mego” and “Anti-mego.” Wood defines these terms as “Mego” is the person’s universe only revolving around themselves. “Anti-mego” is the person’s universe only revolving around others.

 

Once the “Self” is honestly examined, then “Love” can be explored. “Love” is the basis for examining “Help” which in turn is the basis for studying “What is Harm?” According to Wood, “Love” is putting yourself in the other person’s place and then seeing them from their point of view. She counsels to let the person grow and bloom at their own pace. Stemming from “Love” is “Help” and “Harm.” Using the three ethics, Wood stresses, “You have to balance possible pain against possible pain, harm against harm, injury against injury, and take the one that will cause the least.”

 

Since Pagans view sex differently from Monotheists, “Sex” has its own chapter. Some differences are as follows. Wiccans celebrate the Great Rite (Union of Male of Female) as a sacrament. Also, many rituals are performed in the nude for various reasons. (Note 5) For Pagans, people must take responsibility for their sexual choices. Consent is the basis of moral actions that involve sex.

 

“Will” is the final building block to forming ethics. Since magical people can “make it so,” they need to understand what they are doing and why. Wood explains “you focus your desire and make a tool of it so that what you desire will, in fact, come to pass. This is an action. It takes conscious thought, movement of energy, direction.” Magic has cause and effect with ripples extending from the undertaking of the magical spell. Therefore, the basis for “Will” are the other ethics.

 

Once a person has completed the questions at the end of each chapter, they will have developed a personal set of ethics. They will have examined what their morals are. Since they see the cause of their actions, they know to take responsibility. Following that, their decision-making will become easier and clearer. In turn, a sense of true freedom will be achieved for each person.

 

Notes:

Note 1. This includes Wicca, New Age, and Polytheism.

 

Note 2. The Personal and Public Virtues are the qualities that every Roman should aspire to in their lives. Among the fifteen Personal Virtues are “Dignity,” “Tenacity,” “Prudence,” and “Truthfulness.” Among the twenty-six Public Virtues are “Concord,” “Confidence,” “Justice,” and “Piety.”

 

Note 3. Wiccan Rede:

“Eight words the Wiccan Red fulfill-

An it harm none, do what ye will.”

 

Note 4. Rule of Three:

“Whatever you put into the universe magically or otherwise, will return to you three-fold.”

 

Note 5. Author of the “Robin Wood Tarot,” one of the most popular of Tarot decks.

 

Note 6. Reasons for “skyclad” or no clothing are varied. They include clothes interfering with receiving the energy of the earth, celebrating freedom, and energy raising within a Circle.

Comments

[qos]

Thank you for posting about this. As my userpic suggests, I'm a big fan of the RW deck. It's been my default for almost as long as its been published.

This sounds like a great book that would be very helpful to a lot of people.

When I had an existential crisis as a sophomore in college (fall of 1985) that left me spiritually bereft after growing up a very devout Good Christian Girl(tm) one of the first things I did was try to construct what I called my "ethical liferaft." I still wanted to be a moral person, but I realized that if no longer believed in the Bible as the source of my ethics it didn't make sense to just continue with the framework I'd grown up with. At the same time, I was never a wild kid and didn't feel a need to justify behaviors that lay too far outside that framework. Except for sex. I still wasn't ready to have sex, but I'd never quite believed that the "no sex until you're married and then only with that one person for life" made sense.

I knew I didn't want a rulebook anymore, I wanted principles that could guide me. I went through a process of contemplating what qualities I wanted to embrace which would result in being. . . I can't remember now the words I used at the time. . . something about living in a way that would be honorable and respectful of others. I was self-aware enough to realize that my spiritual formation was thoroughly Christian, and that I probably wouldn't end up very far from where I'd been, but it was import to me to go through the process.

I ended up with a resolution that said that if I acted with Wisdom (considered experience), Integrity (honesty with myself and others), Courage (the ability to overcome fear and do the right thing under pressure) and Tenderness (treating others gently and with care, even if I didn't "love" them) I would consider myself ethical. Forty years later, those are still the principles I try to live by. Although over the past decade or so I've realized that I want to be more proactive in my care for others and commitment to engaging with justice and equity. (I had a very sheltered and privileged life that left me with a lot of blind spots.)

That's a very long response, but since we're getting to know each other. . .

[neptunesdolphins]

Moving from Christian or Monotheistic Ethics to Pagan and Polytheistic ethics is a major deal that few are prepared for. We just sort muddle our way through. I am a Roman Polytheist, so I following the Private and Public Virtues.