Oh, I should probably explain that, shouldn't I? OK, well, reality map is a term I first came across in Christopher Penczak's "The Temple of High Witchcraft" (Llewellyn, 2007, ISBN-13 978-0-7387-1165-2), where he expalined that the Qabbalah and other mythological systems could be considered as being a map of reality - like a road map, but of non-physical reality, states of mind, astral and etheric powers, and so forth.
To simplify a very great deal, my personal reality map includes:
- various high frequency levels (spirit/soul and higher [causal, Monod, etc])
- a few levels of astral
- etheric (possibly the level of the collective subconscious?)
- physical (with funny things happening at extremes, such as near absolute zero, blakcholes, etc)
- the shamanic underworld (which may actually be an etheric level)
A Christian's reality map may include:
- heaven
- physical
- hell
- overworld
- physical
- underworld
There can be very real advantages in having a reality map, particularly if it is agreed and shared with others: it gives a common framework for discussing things that are, essentially, insubstantial. It is much easier to say "I found a groovy new temple on the highe astral" than "I had an experience which seemed very real, but it wasn't actually reality, and I seemed to be in a building which was a bit like a church".
It is much more effective to say "Watch out! Check your etheric around the solar plexus chakra!" than to say "I have a bad feeling, and think you may be about to experience something unpleasant, but possibly not physical in origin".
As a digression, this is part of the drill that I am developing for my planned "Rangers of the Inner Plane" (formerly "Rangers of Gyhldeptis" - mentioned previously here and here, for instance).
The problem with reality maps is that they can restrict your experience of the complexity of reality to what has been described by some of those who have gone before you. This may mean you simply don't see something.
This is a bit like the idiotic delusions that SOME Neo-Christians have of LGBTIQ people: they simply don't see REALITY because they have been blinded by their reality map
Another good example of this (from science fiction) is the "Somebody Else's Problem" field from the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series.
In my case, right now I am preparing for a (Wiccan) Winter Solstice (Yule) ritual, but I would rather be off in the bush, with no-one other than my partner for miles (kilometers) around, sitting, quietly enjoying the solitude, the peace of the bush (which I was able to do for a couple of hours last weekend), the cold, the drizzle, and the energy of this time of year.
I've realised that I rarely get much out of the energy of Solstices (except for MidWinter/Yule and - ALWAYS - Samhain), and feel more from the Esbats. However, I've felt that I should be celebrating the Solstices because that was what was a key part of my Wiccan training, and what is emphasised in some other forms of training (e.g. Druidry). The truth is, though, a lot of that was about social celebrations of milestones - parties, and if there is something I am not into (and haven't been MOST OF MY LIFE, it is parties :)
However, if I take my own advice, I don't need to focus on Solstices ... I can do the Esbats (I mainly feel the full Moon), and the Solstices that I feel something for, and leave the rest to the others ...
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
PS - I very greatly enjoyed the ritual we had for this year's Yule: a friend joined my partner and I, and we blended some Druid, Wiccan and personal elements, and had something which felt very ... nice, for want of a better word
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: about me, expectations, group dynamics, rituals, Sabbats, Esbats, limitations, religion, socialisation, reality map, shamanism,
First published: Sunday 20th June, 2010
Last edited: Thursday 5th August, 2010 (added more tags)
