The Importance of Elders

In very simple terms an Elder is one who is further up the path, someone who has more life experience as well as seasoned training and many skills in whatever path they walk. In some Pagan traditions what this means is very formalized, and in others it is not. It may be easier to understand what the role of Elder really means by watching the behavior of those you would give that respect and regard.

One such person in my life was Jerik Danerson, who was a master Tarot Reader and Palmist on Jackson Square in New Orleans for over 30 years. He also was a Pagan Elder and fine High Priest, who shared his knowledge and great depth of feeling freely and with love to all who approached with an open mind and heart.



Jerik worked on the square regularly, and while sitting at his Tarot set up spent his days conversing with his colleagues, with friends, clients and visitors to the city. He loved New Orleans very much, and delighted in showing visitors around and telling them about the amazingly interesting history of places in the French Quarter. He always found time to have long and deep talks with people from all walks of life, and frequently gave great kindness to those many people would overlook. He took street kids into his home and would give them a safe place to stay while they got on their feet. In between his readings he could often be found helping his friends sort out their issues with each other; encouraging this couple not to fight, this parent to do the best for their child, these friends to work together on important things, that artistic tourist to follow their heart and learn to paint or do whatever it is that moved them. Jerik was truly a Southern Gentleman; he was gracious in speech, kind in word and deed, loyal in friendship, protective of loved ones, and genuine in his dedication to his spiritual callings. He was a man who regularly found joy in the simple things in life, and even in the most difficult times would look for the good.

He was an incredible writer and a storyteller that I would describe as bardically gifted, and it was a great joy to me that he constantly encouraged me. I am blessed to have known him, to have shared letters with him, and countless nights of wonderful conversations. Jerik meant a great deal more to me than I know how to say. If someones life could be an example of what an Elder is, I think Jerik Danerson is one who should be honored in this regard.

He wrote me an amazing letter once with his story of making it through the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, and should you be interested I recommend having a read. You can find it here:

Jerik's Hurricane Katrina Story


Happy Birthday Jerik, I raise my glass and my heart to you!

Speaking of Samhain

Just two days ago it was the commonly celebrated Holiday Halloween, also called Samhain and all Souls Night..

Now, Halloween has been one of my favorite days since I was a little girl. Maybe it won't be a surprise, but I was a Witch for five years in a row- before I realized that maybe I wasn't really dressing up as a Witch at all. LOL. I also remember costuming myself as a Cat, a Ballerina, A Princess, A Medieval Maiden, and several other things. It's neat to me as an adult to realize that many of these things are really archetypes- but none of us thought about that as kids. Or did we? Who didn't want to grow up to be a Super Hero, a Rock Star, Yoda, Batman- something interesting and powerful in a spacial way? Were we perhaps with childlike minds exploring different states of being and different realities in all of our pretend games?

The imagination is a very powerful thing. Witches and Zen Masters alike, and just about every spiritual path we know of makes great use of this gift that we have. The human mind is creative and comes up with all kinds of possibilities. Harnessing and focusing those ideas in a positive meditative fashion may actually produce changes in ourselves and the world around us. The children who come to our doors begging for candy may remind us of that principal in a way.

The celebration of Samhain has a rich and interesting history, and has been celebrated around the world in many different ways and cultures. As the Roman Christians gained popularity and land in the Ancient World, they began to adopt and enmesh many older pagan practices and bits of local folklore into their own traditions. As a result, Halloween, a festival with primarily Pagan roots has survived to this day.

It is interesting to me to note the impact of modern technology and ways of living on these older traditions.

For instance, one thing that most Pagans do at Halloween is remember their loved ones and ancestors who have passed away. Different people celebrate this in many ways, but the basic intent and idea is the same. I personally have my own little traditions, for instance, I write and burn letters to the loved one's who have gone before me, often at Halloween. I also make offerings of wine and cookies or cakes, sometimes prepare a feast, and often incorporate the favorite food or drinks of people I miss who have reached the other side of the veil.

The other side of the veil? Oooh...that's an entry, or perhaps a book of it's own. We'll get there. The idea I'm focus on now is how different this has become, even in my time, slowly shifted by the advances of mankind. The Internet and computers have effected every aspect of our lives it seems.

This year, a good Friend of mine who was a Pagan Elder and Teacher passed away. We had many conversations, and a few of them edged towards making use of the magic available in all things. Our world now has this amazing connective force as expressed by the Internet- and it's having a fascinating effect on the transmission and sharing of knowledge- both ancient and modern.

Because my friend was particularly interested in Norse Mythology, I wanted to read a particular poem in honor of the friendship we shared and how much I felt he taught me. The epic is known as “The Words of the High One” or the poetic Edda, which is of very old Norse origin. It is basically the words and advice of the Norse God Odin- much of which seems to be very down to earth and still apply today.

So, I looked it up on wikipedia. Wikipedia? The Internet encyclopedia gave me a place to research and find out more about a really ancient and traditional text.

“The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic mediaeval manuscript Codex Regius. Along with Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, the Poetic Edda is the most important extant source on Norse mythology and Germanic heroic legends.”

Hávamál ("Sayings of the high one") : wikipedia

There was a time when it might have taken a great deal more effort to come up with the material I was looking for. Instead, because of the Internet, I was able to instantly pull it up along with a lot of historical documentation that was well researched.

In a way, what I did was very informal, and may also represent interesting ways the progressions of modern life have opened up new options in spiritual thinking and living.
I looked up the information online, saved the page, and took my netbook of shadows to the park, where I opened the small laptop- and read out loud the words written and passed down orally by traveling bards and vikings hundreds of years ago.

Happy Halloween!