Extending Hospitality

Our circle is extending the spirit of Hospitality in a small way to our Jewish and Muslim neighbors, and you or your group may wish to do something similar.

I have been disturbed by the aggression directed at the Jewish and Islamic communities here in the US. In the heat of international events there appear to be people who have decided that some other people aren't people, some neighbors aren't neighbors. These people target our neighbors as proxies for imagined foreign enemies. This is a dangerous and anti-American delusion. But most of all it is a form of terrorism. Our Jewish and Islamic neighbors are on the receiving end of insults, threats, and social outcasting, even as many of them are dealing with difficult personal news and fears from abroad. 

This is so wrong. It is inhospitable and unwelcoming.

The Druidry Centered Women’s Circle is a tiny organization, but it is nonetheless a religious organization and we have values we aspire to live up to. While our voice may matter little, it is our voice to use and it has become impossible to ignore the abuse of our community members. One of our three triads is the Triad of Hospitality and it was around this concept that I began to interrogate this conflict in my reflection.

Hospitality is: Generous, Friendly, Welcoming.

Most of the time I reflect on this triad as I organize our public events, or participate in group discussions on internal matters. We have charity drives, all of our public events are inclusive, we remind each other to reach out to newcomers…all of this has been good. Reaching beyond our own events is different and I needed to reflect on how to best address this distressing aggression and best represent our circle to religious groups that may not even want to be associated to a Pagan group. 

I made a decision to make a small gesture, no more than a friendly greeting, but something positive from me, a stranger, to be heard by people who were hearing negative things from strangers. 

I decided to reach out to 2 Jewish synagogues, and 2 Islamic mosques/masjids on behalf of the DCWC to let them know that we are aware of events in the news and we wanted to reach out to let them know that we extend welcome to them and to let them know we are glad we are in community with them. A simple message, nothing more. I did a quick internet search to locate large-ish organizations in our area. I grabbed the numbers and made the calls. 

I just opened with: 

Hi, I'm Paulie Rainbow with the Druidry Centered Women's Circle of the Rocky Mountains and I just wanted to say "hello,” and let you know our circle has been aware of events in the news and we wanted to let our neighbors know that we are glad to be in community with them. We're a very small circle but we felt that it was important to speak up and let people know that we are glad that they are in community with us, that being in a  diverse community matters to us, and we're glad you're here."

The results were positive. 

In two instances I could only leave a message. In the two other instances the phone was answered directly. The people who answered were more than cordial to me, they were very happy to receive the call and wanted to know who I was and who my organization was. I was quick to iterate that we are a Pagan organization, I wanted them to be clear on that in case that was something they wouldn’t want to associate with. I was ready for that, I’m not concerned about being rejected but I want to give people the space to follow their own religious strictures without pressure. I didn’t have to worry about that. 

What I did need to draw on was the training I’ve had to allow other people their sorrow without bringing my own into the conversation. These communities are dealing with a lot. I was able to express my empathy, and stay centered on whose grief matters. I hope that my fellow community leaders are getting and transmitting those skills. They help a great deal and I am deeply grateful to the leaders who have helped me get them.

In the end what I had the opportunity to do was to reach a little beyond my usual sphere and live up to the triads that guide us. I hope it helps to have a welcoming message. 

I hope that other members of my Pagan community find a way to extend hospitality to these communities. Bailíonn brobh beart. A little gathers to a lot.

Peace of the mountains to you, 

Paulie Rainbow

founder: Druidry Centered Women’s Circle