Post by Allec on Jan 21, 2015 11:16:04 GMT -6
Once upon a time, I eye-rolled the remark: "Discernment is so rare because no 101 book teaches it." Well, our 101 forum will not leave out such an important detail!
But what is discernment?
Discernment, when in the context of religion, is the critical eye at seeing signs and receiving religious experiences. In Christianity, this word has a bunch of literature attached to it (which I discovered trying to find resources on it.) But how the word is tossed around polytheist and magic circles, the first definition I give is what it boils down to. When people talk about discernment, they are usually talking about how well they can determine what's a sign, what's just a coincidence, what's a warning, and so forth.
So, how do I do the thing?
Discernment has a lot of similarities with Critical Thinking. Like critical thinking, it's a skill that everyone needs to work on. It gets better with time and practice. Also, as with critical thinking, the question "why?" is super important and, equally, the question "Why not?" Why isn't this a sign? What could this also mean? What could explain this that isn't spiritual?
Another useful tip is to be aware of what is common in your area. Nature omens are probably the clearest spiritual signs I get, but I can only understand them if I understand what is typical in my area. Knowing what is seasonal is also helpful: is a certain animal around this time of year? Paying attention to your environment will help you notice when things are not-quite-right.
This also applies to technology and urban life. Is it typical for your laptop to overheat? How many times did you come across a certain topic while browsing the internet? Do you listen to the radio frequently? Is it weird to see a certain book displayed at the local library or bookstore? Etc.
Here's some personal examples of how I have used discernment:
Example One: A familiar is most commonly understood as an animal that aids in magic, and most times considered to be part of this plane. So I have a cat named Luca who I love very dearly. When I was reading tarot cards, she decided to come over to me and plop herself right on top of them. Does this mean she's a familiar? Look at her interacting with me while I do a form of magic! ... Well, no, not quite. Anytime I sit on the floor to do something, she likes to stick her nose into it. Whether I be painting, reading, or just clipping my toe nails. And in this case, I was near her cat bed so she was able to see me sit down near her. She probably thought it was just petting time! So she isn't a familiar. She's not interested in my magic--but interested in me.
Example Two: I prayed one night to a god in hopes to receive guidance in something I was doing. The next day, while I was out, I noticed a hawk in an area I never saw a hawk before. More than that, the hawk was towards then over my car--something I also never saw before. Then later that day, I saw both a rabbit and a cat near my apartment. While seeing a rabbit outside my apartment is not common, seeing a cat is even rarer. Especially because after seeing the cat, they turned a corner and disappeared from sight, despite me and my friend only being a few yards away. All these signs combined told me that He had heard my prayer and that He approved of it. Why approval? I tend to interpret animals as positive signs, especially docile animals like rabbits, since they make me happy. The cat was also a tipping point, since cats make me extremely happy and seeing one (though I worried for them) also made me happy. On top of that, the feeling I got when seeing the hawk was that of comfort. This all tells me that my god heard my prayer and answered.
I saw a thing! It was weird! So it's a sign?
Well... maybe. Just because something is weird or peculiar, doesn't necessary mean it's a sign. There are a few other things to consider, such as repetition. I go by the rule of three. In my Example Two, I had three animal signs within a short period of time. That is what makes it such a strong sign to me--I didn't just get one or two, but three.
Talking to other people helps too. Other people have different perspectives to offer. Communities in general are important to help with discernment. Especially if deities are involved and there are linked experiences with how that deity or spirit likes to communicate. Also, people can add in their perspectives of what they have been noticing in their lives. Things like "I saw two deer today! Is that a sign?" "Oh, I typically see deer in groups, so it's not that unusual!", or "I saw a hawk being chased by a crow. Is that a sign?" "Wow I never seen that! It might be!" Also, you may ask people to do a form of divination for you to confirm or deny the sign.
Okay, so, if someone disagrees with me then it probably isn't a sign?
Ehhhhh... Not always. At the end of the day, only you can really know if it was or was not. And still, you could be wrong. That happens. I have personal signs that I just feel are right even if I can't prove it or explain it to others. And it still might be wishful thinking. But the more you pick things apart and question what you are perceiving...the more meaningful things will become and the surer you will feel about understanding a sign.
Other resources:
But what is discernment?
Discernment, when in the context of religion, is the critical eye at seeing signs and receiving religious experiences. In Christianity, this word has a bunch of literature attached to it (which I discovered trying to find resources on it.) But how the word is tossed around polytheist and magic circles, the first definition I give is what it boils down to. When people talk about discernment, they are usually talking about how well they can determine what's a sign, what's just a coincidence, what's a warning, and so forth.
So, how do I do the thing?
Discernment has a lot of similarities with Critical Thinking. Like critical thinking, it's a skill that everyone needs to work on. It gets better with time and practice. Also, as with critical thinking, the question "why?" is super important and, equally, the question "Why not?" Why isn't this a sign? What could this also mean? What could explain this that isn't spiritual?
Another useful tip is to be aware of what is common in your area. Nature omens are probably the clearest spiritual signs I get, but I can only understand them if I understand what is typical in my area. Knowing what is seasonal is also helpful: is a certain animal around this time of year? Paying attention to your environment will help you notice when things are not-quite-right.
This also applies to technology and urban life. Is it typical for your laptop to overheat? How many times did you come across a certain topic while browsing the internet? Do you listen to the radio frequently? Is it weird to see a certain book displayed at the local library or bookstore? Etc.
Here's some personal examples of how I have used discernment:
Example One: A familiar is most commonly understood as an animal that aids in magic, and most times considered to be part of this plane. So I have a cat named Luca who I love very dearly. When I was reading tarot cards, she decided to come over to me and plop herself right on top of them. Does this mean she's a familiar? Look at her interacting with me while I do a form of magic! ... Well, no, not quite. Anytime I sit on the floor to do something, she likes to stick her nose into it. Whether I be painting, reading, or just clipping my toe nails. And in this case, I was near her cat bed so she was able to see me sit down near her. She probably thought it was just petting time! So she isn't a familiar. She's not interested in my magic--but interested in me.
Example Two: I prayed one night to a god in hopes to receive guidance in something I was doing. The next day, while I was out, I noticed a hawk in an area I never saw a hawk before. More than that, the hawk was towards then over my car--something I also never saw before. Then later that day, I saw both a rabbit and a cat near my apartment. While seeing a rabbit outside my apartment is not common, seeing a cat is even rarer. Especially because after seeing the cat, they turned a corner and disappeared from sight, despite me and my friend only being a few yards away. All these signs combined told me that He had heard my prayer and that He approved of it. Why approval? I tend to interpret animals as positive signs, especially docile animals like rabbits, since they make me happy. The cat was also a tipping point, since cats make me extremely happy and seeing one (though I worried for them) also made me happy. On top of that, the feeling I got when seeing the hawk was that of comfort. This all tells me that my god heard my prayer and answered.
I saw a thing! It was weird! So it's a sign?
Well... maybe. Just because something is weird or peculiar, doesn't necessary mean it's a sign. There are a few other things to consider, such as repetition. I go by the rule of three. In my Example Two, I had three animal signs within a short period of time. That is what makes it such a strong sign to me--I didn't just get one or two, but three.
Talking to other people helps too. Other people have different perspectives to offer. Communities in general are important to help with discernment. Especially if deities are involved and there are linked experiences with how that deity or spirit likes to communicate. Also, people can add in their perspectives of what they have been noticing in their lives. Things like "I saw two deer today! Is that a sign?" "Oh, I typically see deer in groups, so it's not that unusual!", or "I saw a hawk being chased by a crow. Is that a sign?" "Wow I never seen that! It might be!" Also, you may ask people to do a form of divination for you to confirm or deny the sign.
Okay, so, if someone disagrees with me then it probably isn't a sign?
Ehhhhh... Not always. At the end of the day, only you can really know if it was or was not. And still, you could be wrong. That happens. I have personal signs that I just feel are right even if I can't prove it or explain it to others. And it still might be wishful thinking. But the more you pick things apart and question what you are perceiving...the more meaningful things will become and the surer you will feel about understanding a sign.
Other resources:
- "Discernment" on ForestDoor
- "Discernment – Is it a Sign?" on Gaelicology
- "Suggestibility, Peer Pressure, and Groupthink in the Pagan Community" by Grumpy Lokean Elder
- "How Do We Know When The Gods Are Really Talking To Us?
" on Lagutyr - "Discernment (+Others)" on Patheos
- "Hearing the Gods" on Sex, Gods, and Rock Stars
- "Hearing Your Own Voice" by stsathyre
- "Discernment" on TheTwistedRope
