The beginning of a tradition is always an exciting and scary time.  It is filled anticipation of what the future may hold.  Here we have the opportunity to create something new, something truly different.  Here, at the beginning, all possibilities lay ahead. 

The Shaivite Tradition of Wicca is a new and evolving tradition.   It has been only an idea for the last four years, an idea I was sure would help enrich a religion growing fast sometimes at the cost of any real spiritual substance.  As the traditions of Wicca expand and diversify the essence of the purpose and reason for this religion seem to be getting lost in the mix. 

So I began searching for the deeper meanings of the religion I loved so much.  I had a hard time finding them.  Much of Wicca has been watered down to some kind of flaky New Age version of a much richer ceremonial path.  So I started becoming discouraged.  I greatly desired something more, something deeper. 

In 2000 I move to Corpus Christi, Texas.  The town itself was not very exiting.  There was a great coffee shop call The Lotus Cup, were I became the host for their Wednesday night open-mic and began to forget about the disappointment I was feeling.  That same year something very spectacular happened.  I saw for the first time a painting of a Hindu God named Ganeshe. He was a fat pleasant looking guy sitting on a lotus flower with a great elephant head.  He immediately stuck a cord.  I went home to find out more about this God.  I found the myth of his creation and transcribed it in my own words and tell it often even to this day.  It's Called "Ganeshe: The Birth of a God". 

I fell in love with the great gods depicted in the story.  One god in particular imprested me most, Lord Shiva.  He was the supreme lord and ruler of the universe.  Soon after learning this story I was presented with my first book on Hinduism.  It's was call "Where are you going?" by Swami Muktananda. It presented a new way of looking at the world around me.  It presented a new vision of the universe and a new vision of Shiva.  It stated "there is nothing that exists that is not Shiva".  This world, the entire universe, every star, every rock, everything was Shiva. It said that every individual being had its source and origin in lord Shiva. 

The books philosophy was based in a rich Hindu tradition named Kashmir Shaivism.  Kashmir Shaivism is a monistic tradition. That means that there is only one being and all individual being are simply the one who has forgotten who they truly are.  So enlightenment is merely the act of remembering "I am Shiva." 

It's was quiet a rich tradition.  So an idea began to brew in my head.  Could I bring the great concept and depth of the great ancient tradition to the wavering religion I loved so much Wicca?  I wanted to merge these two religions into a new religion.  Wicca would provide the structure and Kashmir Shaivism would provide the spiritual depth. 

So after a couple years, I wrote the first of the new traditions rituals, a full moon puja (worship ceremony).  In general, Pujas are rituals preformed to worship some particular God.  A Druid friend of mine had challenged me to write the ceremony for an up coming full moon.  I racked my brain for a month.  I finally wrote a draft just to I would not show up to the full moon empty handed.  I was not very satisfied with it, but it was all I had.  I basically was going to guide the attendees through a worship ceremony for an idol of Lord Shiva.  On the way to the ritual I had a spectacular idea. 

I decided to worship the attendees as Lord Siva.  I had them chant "Om Nama Shivaya"(you can listen to it on the home page), as they chanted I washed there feet, hands, and head.  Then I showed them with flowers and various other offerings.   I treated them like the God they were.  It had a more than magnificent effect.  The attendants came away with a new since of themselves and I saw, the God I loved so dear, in each of their eyes.  I have since preformed the ritual several times each with the great effect of universal unification. 

A couple month ago I was at an initiation of an order I belong to called the Sibyllines, an elder approached my about getting my 3rd degree in that order.  I told her I did not want one until I completed a full year of Sabots and full moon pujas in the new tradition. 

So starting the December I will begin my commitment.  Along with who ever joins me along on the way.  Together we will celebrate the wonder and beauty of the universe.  Together we will climb in our awareness to see the truth, to see that "Nothing exists that is not Siva".

Namaste