The Way, at least as I currently understand it, is a practice that emphasizes the sorts of universal truths that underpin many of the world’s religions and philosophies-of-life: love one another, harm none, honor the divine, exercise compassion, help those in need, defend those who cannot defend themselves, safeguard all children, respect your elders, enjoy the moment, know yourself. It’s an important scaffold for The Work because it emphasizes the similarities we have as human beings while also allowing us to appreciate and celebrate the differences. If The Work is what we do, then The Way is why we do it.
Because The Way is rooted in similarity rather than difference, it’s well-suited for exploring a variety of practices and beliefs that might on the surface seem diametrically opposed. For example, there was a time when I outright rejected my deep-seated belief in Jesus Christ. It took a long time for me to embrace the notion that I can honor the traditions of my ancestors while also honoring my own way of seeing the world. Jesus championed the poor, the sick, the lonely, the oppressed, and the outcast – and that is something I can heartily support. The monstrosity that has been built up in his name, however, is something that I strongly condemn at every opportunity. People might say you can’t be Wiccan and follow The Way of Jesus, but I haven’t run into any problems yet. I also periodically find myself sauntering along The Way of Buddha as I examine my personal spiritual progress, and I haven’t had any problems with that either. That’s the beauty of The Way: whatever you call it, whichever teacher brought it to humanity, those who practice it recognize one another through their actions in the world and the deep well of spiritual power that shines through them as a result. Some people call it grace. Others simply recognize it when they bow and say ‘Namaste’.
Similar to the manner in which a Wiccan initiate (one who has gone through an initiation ritual and been introduced to the gods and spirits of a specific tradition) recognizes others with similar spiritual connections by the quality of their energy, followers of The Way recognize one another by the ease through which divine energy flows through them to others. Some followers are themselves Initiates (those who have experienced an ecstatic revelation from the divine that has profoundly affected the way they understand and interact with the world). It’s been my observation that if you’re wholeheartedly practicing The Way, you’ve probably had at least one revelatory experience in your life, even if you only recognize it in retrospect.
The Way is so important to me because it helps me keep the balance between the everyday frustrations of the world and the transformative knowledge of the eternal. As Ram Dass said, “We are spiritual beings visiting humanity.” Our lives as we experience them now are finite – each and every one of us will die some day. I have faith that I will return in a new body to meet and know and remember and love again, but Wicca as a religion is not so much concerned with the hereafter as it is with the spiritual development of its practitioners amid the circumstances of the present. Each of us is empowered to set our own priorities and work our will in the world.
As an inexperienced witch, I was preoccupied with learning all the skills I thought I would need to know in order to be powerful. What I realized as I became more experienced, both in life and in faith, was that true power comes through willing and compassionate service to the divine, the land, and the people. Life teaches us what we need to know as we go along. I also came to understand that each and every one of us is doing the best we can with the knowledge and resources available to us at the time, and understanding that truth has helped me to be more compassionate with the suffering of others.
Now, suffering doesn’t excuse bad behavior or negate the consequences of one’s actions, but it does inform the context of those actions when the consequences inevitably come to bear. I have learned that I can be compassionate toward the suffering of others and also be the instrument of justice when called upon to do so. Keeping the balance is something I’ve learned as I’ve practiced The Way. Will I do it perfectly? Of course not. I am just as fallible as every other person walking in the world. I will make mistakes. I will fail. And I will learn from those experiences. But it is my hope that when I get to the shores of the Summerland, the Great Teachers will be there to greet me.