Feel free to leave comments on these essays with constructive criticism, thoughts, questions, etc.
May 17th, 2012
Discuss how an individual’s values relate to the decisionmaking process. (100 words minimum)
Values are a type of ethic or “code” that are set on a more personal level than morals. Morals are more generic and all-encompassing of humanity, whereas values are something we develop individually based off our own personal beliefs and how we grew up. When it comes to making decisions, like the scales of truth and fairness held by Lady Liberty, we have to weigh or “value” each decision carefully. We compare and contrast the decision we make based on what our individual values are, and also our human morals to find the best, or most positive or appropriate decision. Some people may place a higher value on one thing, whereas another will place the value on the opposite. Amusingly enough this also relates to a situation I’ve mentioned several times within my Ethics Course in regards to a situation being dealt with in my Grove right now with a convicted sex offender. This example has really split people within the Grove based off individual’s own values and what they perceive to be of higher value ethically than the other. It’s interesting to see the contrast between peoples values in comparison to what is morally right.
(Word Count: 196)
May 11th, 2012
Describe several reasons why an individual would strive to “do the right thing”? (100 words minimum)
“Doing the right thing” is the very basis of what humanity and spirituality is about. As spiritual individuals, or even as Druids, our purpose is to serve. Whether this is serving the Shining Ones, the Nature Spirits, or the Folk matters not, it’s still an existence of service to something other than ourselves. Not necessarily greater than ourselves, but even things that humans in general may think as lesser than ourselves (our dedication to our pets, for example). Service to someone or something lesser than yourself, to me anyway, is an even greater form of service and sacrifice. This not only shapes our legacy that we leave behind for a better world to follow after we are gone, but it also just plain feels good and makes us elevate our “karma” so to speak. Doing the right thing can be seen as a form of sacrifice in a lot of situations, because it’s not always the easiest thing to do, and it’s not always what we would like to do, but to sacrifice our wants for needs is one of the highest forms of “right”.
(Word Count: 185)
May 11th, 2012
Discuss how an individual learns to determine right from wrong and explain the factors that influence this determination? (100 words minimum)
Learning right from wrong is a very convoluted process that starts at birth. There are so many outside factors that influence and determine our initial mindset, from parents to peers at school and eventually co-workers and religious institutions in our adulthood. I firmly believe that while all of these are major influences, and childhood likely being the most influential, we are all capable of changing our way of thinking based off of what is humanely right and fair. Equal Opportunity is one of those most raging topics when it comes to ethics and morals, or right and wrong. Everyone has the right to live a free and good life, and much of what we will have to make a judgment call on as leaders will be based off of this concept. I envision many of the issues that I’ve had to deal with over the last 8 years as a leader within my own Grove coming back to the idea of Equal Opportunity or “fairness”. Much of what we go through, our experiences and our ability to look at things from all sides to come up with a just decision are what influence us the most in leadership positions. We learn from our mistakes, we learn from the mistakes of others, and we move forward with this knowledge, bettering ourselves for the next time.
(Word Count: 224)
May 11th, 2012
Self-awareness is key to the implementation of professional ethics. Discuss how your personal morals, values, bias and ability to maintain adequate boundaries, confidentiality and determine right from wrong might both positively and negatively impact your professional relationships. (200 words minimum)
In any kind of leadership position we are required to maintain certain levels of boundaries that we are willing to place ourselves into and maintain vigilantly. These boundaries encompass the whole concept behind ethics, morals, values, bias, and confidentiality, just as each of them are what make up the “boundaries” that we have placed for ourselves. The positive side of these boundaries is it allows us to do our duty consistently and passionately for what we truly feel is right and good. The negative aspect of this can (and has, for me) also affect friendships and personal relationships that may disagree with our personal set of ethics and morals. A personal example I have dealt with is allowing a convicted sex offender (non-physical) attend high rites at our Grove. My mortal standards and ethics embrace his desire for spiritual sanctuary and the chance to grow and move forward in a positive way. Others may feel he is a threat to certain members or future members. Both sides may feel they are doing and believing in the right and true way, but the standards of ethics are different and, in this case, opposite. This, unfortunately, causes dissent and highly emotional situations that we as leaders must endure and “stick to our guns” so to speak if we are to maintain our ethical standards without the personal bias of friendship or relationships. Not just personal relationships, but the professional relationships with our peers and fellow leaders who may not always agree with our personal morals either so that we can at least come together on a common understanding, if not agreement.
(Word Count: 269)
May 10th, 2012
Find and provide an appropriate definition, discuss your understanding, and provide illustrative examples for each of the following seven terms: morals, values, personalbias, professional boundaries, confidentiality, right and wrong (100 words each minimum, not including definitions)
Morals
Definition: of, pertaining to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical: moral attitudes.
In my personal beliefs, morals are an unwritten but universal set of guidelines or principles that we as human nature know to follow deep within our soul based on our rights and compassion as human-beings. Morals are also, in part, a form of logic.
There are a lot of emotions tied up in the concept of morals. It has taken centuries for women to earn equal rights in the United States. The battle continues with the fight for gay marriages. Morally and logically it is not right to prevent another human for partaking in something, especially something like marriage, because of some sort of religious doctrine that is thousands of years old and from another time and place. Morally we should all have equal opportunity, and deep down I think the whole of society knows and believes that, but there is an inner struggle to enforce and acknowledge what is true and moral for all human-kind. Logically, we should all have the same rights as the next person within a generic understanding. Obviously when we take the rights of others away though by doing something immoral against them, we also give up some of our own rights as well.
(Word Count: 198)
Values
Definition: the ideals, customs, institutions, etc., of a society toward which the people of the group have an affective regard. These values may be positive, as cleanliness, freedom, or education, or negative, as cruelty, crime, or blasphemy.
Values and Morals are very much similar. To me, morals are the principles upon which values are built. Traditions and customs are known to us based on how we are raised, how our mind has evolved from childhood. These intricacies of our youth allow us to build our personal values and what we hold dear to us based off of our personal moral code, and those of our Ancestors. Fortunately, childhood values and traditions are usually very pliable, so that those who are raised more closed-minded can eventually open up the walls that have been built up around them to understand and experience new things that are outside of the ideals in which they were raised.
(Word Count: 116)
Personal Bias
Definition: a particular tendency or inclination, especially one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice
Personal Bias is, in general, holding a firm opinion about a subject that may influence a decision regarding that subject. This could be negative or positive, but ultimately the way you feel about the subject, your bias, may determine any decisions you have regarding that subject. An example I can use for this, is one I am dealing with in my own Grove at this very writing. A convicted sex offender enters the Grove community (no physical harm done in this offenders case), and when it is revealed of this persons past convictions, emotions immediately flare in the direction of the worst case scenario. Those that may have had some sort of sexual crime committed against them may feel a very significant (and rightly so) personal bias against this person, even though this person was not the perpetrator of their unfortunate past. That is a personal bias they have when they view and judge this person in the community. Personal bias is very difficult to overcome, but it is something that is necessary in order to value all things with a fair and clear mind.
(Word Count: 185)
Professional Boundaries
Definition: boundaries are the limits that allow for safe connections between individuals
Professional Boundaries are set restrictions that we put in place to prevent inappropriate, offensive, or uncomfortable positions with peers in situations involving the workplace, religious organizations, schools, etc. When we set boundaries like this, we are showing what our personal comfort zones are to other people, and in return acknowledging what their personal comfort zones are to create a harmonious and workable environment without drama or strife. It is a method of placing each other on a level playing field for a common purpose (whether it is work, education, etc.). In my personal views, I hold strict personal boundaries in my workplace that I do not involve religion or romance in any sort of work environment. They are both personal and unrelated parts of my life that have no affect on my ability to do my work, therefor they are not conveyed or discussed in the workplace. In return, my bosses do not ask or infiltrate those parts of my life either, thus we create a reciprocal respect and positive work environment that is focused solely on the tasks at hand.
(Word Count: 181)
Confidentiality
Definition: spoken, written, acted on, etc., in strict privacy or secrecy; secret: a confidential remark.
Confidentiality is, as defined, keeping something such as a conversation or physical act a private conversation or physical act that is not known or repeated to anyone else. An example would be if someone came to me as an ADF Priest, with the spoken or written acknowledgement that this was a confidential conversation, then I would be held by a token of confidentiality to not repeat what is said or written to any other person. I do feel there are some personal exclusions to this, however. If said person was intent on doing harm to someone else, such as murder or rape, then I feel my moral ethics would outweigh in that situation and I would feel the need to report the person. So that also brings up the relationship between Confidentiality and Morals and how one can reflect and potentially override the other. It is my moral duty to keep confidentiality whenever possible, but it is also moreso my moral duty to protect people from harm, moreso than confidentiality.
(Word Count: 170)
Right and Wrong
Definition: Ethics (also known as moral philosophy) is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality — that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, justice, virtue, etc. (closest I could find to a definition)
Right and Wrong are the judgments we make as individual based on our morals and ethics. Each situation we have to look at from our own moral perspective and determine whether the actions of those involved were right when compared to our morals, or wrong. An example would be, if I were to reference the situation of the sexual offender again, would allowing this person to be a part of our community be a right or wrong thing to do, especially if we have individuals it might affect? Based off of our own personal morals we have to make the call on whether it is right or wrong based off the history, facts, and our viewpoints when it comes to fairness and humanity. Right and Wrong is not always so black and white or “one or the other”. There are many gray areas in-between that bleed into one another which is where the term “for the greater good” comes from. Can we deny someone from being part of the community due to their past if they have served their time? We could if it became a huge detriment to the community, but is that right or wrong, or both? Essentially Right and Wrong is a judgment call of morals, fairness, and ethics.
(Word Count: 212)
February 1st, 2012
Dear Rev. Crystal Groves (Crystal Groves),
Congratulations! Your Liturgy 1 submission passes.
Three things of note:
1) In MLA, you don’t have a comma between the author’s name and the page number in in-line citations. You do that a couple of times.
2) You mention in Q5 that the well is rooted in Celtic stuff, and I’ll challenge you not to forget the important wells in Norse lore.
3) In #10 you mention that we’re “invoking;” technically speaking, we “evoke,” but “invoke” has become fashionable enough that I can’t dock you for it
Blessings,
Rev. Michael Dangler
January 2nd, 2012
Bonewits, Philip Emmons Isaac. “Defining Our Terms: Ritual and Rite.” Rites of Worship: a Neopagan Approach. [Miami, Fla.]: Earth Religions, 2003. 29. Print.
ADF. “The Druid’s Cosmos.” The Druid’s Cosmos. ADF. Web. 1 Jan. 2012. <http://www.adf.org/members/training/dp/dp-manual-web/01-druids-cosmos.html#adf%20cosmology%20and%20sacrifice>.
Serith, Ceisiwr. “Composing Prayers.” A Book of Pagan Prayer. Boston, MA: Weiser, 2002. 47-49. Print.
January 2nd, 2012
Describe the concepts of 1) the Center and 2) the Gates in ADF’s Core Order of Ritual, including two cultural variations of each concept. (minimum 300 words)
The idea of the “Center” is the alignment of the cosmos through the vertical and horizontal axis. With heavy Celtic influence, when the Upperworld of the Gods, the Middleworld of the Nature Spirits, and the Underworld of the Ancestors are aligned together, this creates the vertical axis. The Celtic concepts of Land, Sea, and Sky help create the horizontal axis. When they are both created and aligned together, that center point is the sacred “Center” or space that we create through the representation of the Three Realms and the Three Worlds.
A common example of this vertical axis that is a significant part of the “Center” is the Germanic concept of Yggdrasill as the World Tree. The nine worlds are connected, the squirrel carries messages from one world to the other, the serpent that gnaws on the roots, but it is all bound together by the axis of this great World Tree.
When the Gates are opened up so that our offerings can be received and blessings from the Gods given, we are in a cosmic union of reciprocity. Each Gate acts as a method for delivering our messages and offerings to the Kindred, the Well to the Ancestors, the Tree to the Nature Spirits, the Fire to the Gods, and additionally the World Tree connecting the two Realms of the Upperworld and Underworld together in one great sacred cone. These Gates allow us to connect with the Realms, the Worlds, and the Kindred, and they allow the energy and intention to flow between the Worlds flawlessly in a beautiful exchange of energy and consciousness.
To help protect and balance the gates while open, we call upon a Gatekeeper to join their magic with ours to not only help open the gates, but to help protect the gates, and to help imbue the Waters of Life with blessings once our offerings have been received with favor.
(Word Count: 316)
January 2nd, 2012
Describe how ADF liturgy corresponds with your personal or group practice. (minimum 100 words)
CedarLight Grove, ADF focuses primarily on the ADF Core Order of Ritual, with slight variations (we do not always call for Bardic Inspiration, for example). I’ve done some slight interchanging of the Order in my personal ritual so that the flow makes more sense to my frame of mind, but the Core is still essentially the same.
I have never had much experience with anything outside of Druid rituals, and have certainly never run or been involved in one. The ADF liturgy has a solidarity in the methodology and history that makes sense in the realm of practicality to me. I think taking the time to personalize the standard liturgy so that it is unique to your belief system, while still remaining wholly ADF is what makes it great and versatile.
(Word Count: 131)
January 2nd, 2012
Discuss your understanding of the Omen. (minimum 100 words)
In ADF Liturgy, the Omen or “Return” is when the Seer reads the message from the Gods after all the offerings and sacrifices are made, usually through a method of divination like the runes. In CedarLight we often ask if the offerings have been accepted first as the initial return, and if the answer is yes, we ask for either what the Gods wish to say to us, or if we are performing the Rite for a specific purpose, whether that purpose has been or will be fulfilled. Some Grove’s will do an additional reading to find out what the Gods ask of them in return for the blessings, but we do not do that in CedarLight. Sometimes we will even shake things up a bit by having three Seer’s taking omens, one for each of the gates. The outcome is still the same, but with alternative perspectives intertwining together.
(Word Count: 150)
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