Re: Druidic Roles in Counseling and Prison Ministry
Daven
daven@davensjournal.com
Mon Mar 10 11:20:10 2003
Blessings and welcome!*p*: hints, suggestions and just plain old commonsense- *br*: although I realize I have no right to ask for *br*: this.*p*You have the right to ask for anything you want.  It's up to us to decide whether or not we give you what you want.  But it is your right to ask.  ;-)*p*As I am a somewhat *br*: superstitious individual, and this keeps dropping *br*: in my lap, I take it as a sign that this is the *br*: direction I am now to go in.*p*While I would never presume to tell you what to believe, I think that this is something you need to start addressing.  It's good to look for opportunities in one's life, but just because the same situation comes up does not mean it is the right correct legal or even good choice to move your life in.*p*For instance, if a former (dried out) hydrocodone adict was given a perscription (legally) by a doctor for some severe pain he was in, and the pain went away, he would be being confronted by those pills daily.  So the situation comes up more than once, does this mean that he should become an adict again?*p*The Gods do give us messages in situations like this, but I do not think that they would be of the type to re-present a situation that we truly don't want in our lives.*p*So, what do YOU want to do about it becomes the question.  Not what do the Gods want you to do about it, but what do YOU want to do.*p**br*This new direction *br*: involves providing resources and spiritual *br*: guidance in a pagan (mostly Wiccan) ministry in a *br*: prison full of predominantly sexual offenders.*p*Searles answered this better than I could.*p**br*: The second issue I am faced with, concerns a new *br*: member, who is a transgendered individual. (Male *br*: to female) I have made it very clear to all *br*: parties concerned that we will be welcoming and *br*: supportive to her. She seems to be having a *br*: difficult time as she only recently moved to our *br*: city. I am wondering how to be more supportive of *br*: her? Although I have not had the chance to speak *br*: to her privately, just on appearances, it looks *br*: like she is maybe undergoing hormone therapy, and *br*: doing a real life therapy stint...I have an *br*: undergrad in psych, and have been refreshing my *br*: memory regarding transgender individuals. People *br*: have been very kind toward her- I am just anxious *br*: that she feel welcome. We are in the heart of the *br*: bible belt, and redneck country. So, there is not *br*: a lot of support here for her- what gay community *br*: there is, is extremely underground.*p*Contact me offlist for some help as I crossdress and have dealt with many transgender feelings in the past.  I feel this would probably be a lot off topic for here.*p*But simply put, treat her as a woman and a person, not a freak or a sick person.  Acceptance like that is hard.  Also understand that there will be many issues she is dealing with and try to compensate for some of it.  Not to the point of enabling negative behavior, but just some slack when necessary.*p*:*br*: I suppose, my uneasiness stems from being placed *br*: in these situations, which are unfamiliar to *br*: me...and maybe, having to identify and confront my *br*: own issues, even though I have not been able to *br*: truly identify what those issues might be...*p*As Searles said, know thyself.  Most of the answers to your uneasiness are contained within.*p**br*: Any suggestions?*br*: What would a druid do in these situations?*p*Fhiona, I'm operating on the assumption at this point that you are an inintiated Druid of some sort, especially if you are being asked to be a prison Minister.  As such, why are you not identifying as a Druid?  You are a Druid, what would YOU do?  What are you going to do?  *p*I don't think that the Druids of previous generations had to deal too much with Prison ministries, other than as picking out the next sacrafice and preparing the person whom gets this honor.  I don't know if transgendering was something confronting those Druids in the times of the Romans and before, although it is an issue with the Medicine Men of the Native Americans.*p*You are a Druid, what are you going to do?*p*Daven
Druidic Roles in Counseling and Prison Ministry
Searles
1113
 Sun - Mar  9 - 11:06am



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