Seemed like a good idea six months ago
Published: Tue, 08/22/17
I have accepted two invitations to speak at events over the next week. This Saturday I will be in Clapham at some kind of arts event. I am not exactly sure of the nature of the occasion but the organiser knows me and thinks I will fit in. He wants me to talk about Stav, but exactly what I say is apparently up to me. The following Saturday I will be at the Mercian Gathering, an event I have been associated with since its inception 12 or 13 years ago. On the web site I am listed as talking about ‘spirituality in a secular world’, well, it seemed like a good idea when I was asked for a theme 6 months ago.
So, what to say? Each event presents a slightly different problem. The question of: What is spirituality in a secular world? Is one I have been thinking about for a long time. I don’t intend to come at the direction of simply saying. ‘Here are some spiritual activities which might help you in your life.’ There will be a lot of people doing that already at the MG and their workshops may well be very interesting. I will be doing the Stav sessions in the morning anyway and if anyone wants to find out more about the stances they can come along. I am more interested in the philosophical questions along the lines of: What is religion and what does it have to do with spirituality? What is the nature of the universe and does it need some kind of intelligence behind it? Are we material beings or something else? Hopefully I can make something entertaining out of the subject. I will see if I can record the talk and I will certainly
write it up as an article afterwards so you will be able to judge for yourself. Last year I talked about the Ethical Bind Rune, link here to to the write up if you didn’t see it when I first posted last year. http://iceandfire.org/archive.html#sept16
The talk on Saturday presents a slightly different challenge. Just talk about Stav for an hour. I can probably manage that and still be a little bit interesting. However, such an opportunity has three possible beneficial outcomes. The organiser of the event has something interesting to advertise. Those who come are hopefully entertained and informed. Both of those aspects I know I can deliver but what do I get out of it? Yes, I get a chance to talk about Stav for an hour. 20 years ago that was a privilege in itself (of course it still is in one sense) but personally I can get something more out of opportunities to present and talk with just a little bit more thought and without organiser or attendees missing out at all.
The challenge I have set myself is to find the one aspect of Stav to focus on which provides the most appropriate door to the whole subject while still being valuable if this is the only talk someone ever hears on the subject. I am not telling you today what that aspect is but I will make a written up version available next week so you can judge for yourself then. But I will say something tomorrow on the process of inspiration and putting a talk together.
Of course the talks on the next two Saturdays are only going to touch on the surface of the themes to be covered. That is appropriate in the context of public lectures. But if you are really interested in Stav then come and learn properly, in the UK on the 15th to 17th of September with Ivar http://www.stavcamp.org/ , or in the USA 30th September to 2nd of October http://iceandfire.org.uk/usasept17.html
Regards
Graham
PS if anyone is in the Clapham area of London on Saturday afternoon this is the event I am speaking at will be held at St Peter’s Church in Clapham. I am on at 3pm