Surrounded by a group of stones painted in ocher and white symbols, a figure watches the space between two stones as the rising sun sends it's first rays between them, illuminating an ancient design which has been there long before the current inhabitants. In another side of the world, a robed figure in a mask dances upon the steps of a temple, as the rising sun shines upon a spot seen only once a year. On a mountain top, a group of people are led in prayer as the sun rises on this special Sunday.

Archeology, Anthropology, Psychology and the study of ancient myths/folklore all show evidence that despite our separation of countries and cultures, each one of our communities has utilized the same concepts, the same observations independently of each other. Research is increasingly finding evidence that the spiritual life plays a much deeper part in the shaping of our lives. Weather we are Christians worshiping within the confines of a wayside church, or a circle of celebrants standing beneath a starry sky we share a common history that transcends all of our spiritual traditions. Yet even in this transcendence, each tradition can easily find where other traditions, both similar and different, converge and at the very root, celebrate life in the cosmos, and life with the cosmos.

Our world today is rapidly expanding in technology and information. In one respect this makes our world much smaller, and one way of coping with this is to compartmentalize not only science, but spirituality as well. This fosters an elite attitude, often fostering the "separate but equal" type thinking(also mentioned in a prior article). However when we look at the structure of our spiritual paths, we quickly discover a fascinating variation upon a common theme. The implication being the compartmented spirituality we live with, is something which has been made totally by man. What follows will be a discovering of some of the many common threads each tradition holds, and hopefully illustrate despite many of our protests, we are not as different as our neighbors as we might like to think.

The concept of a virgin birth(divine conception), while commonly ascribed to the Christian traditions, is one which many non-Christian traditions tell of in their own histories. Greek cultures speak of at least several instances where virgin birth(divine conception) is present. Zeus in several instances presents himself to mortal women. In the form of Golden Rain, in the form of a swan as well as the guise of mortals themselves. The emperors of the Roman Empire(Sacred and Secular) all could trace their lineage clearly to the gods/goddesses of their ancestors. The Buddha was not born from the womb, but sprang from his mother's side. A celtic poet sprang to life after being devoured by a goddess who had turned herself into a chicken when the poet shape changed into a kernel of grain.

The underworld itself, again both in pagan and non-pagan traditions plays an important part. It is not only Orpheus who takes the terrible journey into the underworld to save an innocent, or Demeter who confronts Hades concerning the abduction of her daughter, but we also find in the Christian tradition(some, not all) Christ journies into hell and rescues the innocents trapped there, hence the term "raising Hell" or "razing Hell". In Shamanic cultures, the concept of soul loss involves a journey into the underworld and back.

The Green Man and his Lady appear as the spring season begans as another tradition celebrates sunrise services with hymns and prayers. The fire festivals of the celtic world are also seen which the same structure but different names. A priest divides two bonfires and blesses those who walk between them(animal and human alike). This particular festival described has different variations both in the Christian traditions and Pagan traditions, but the form is surprisingly the same.

Even in love and romance, we find similar themes with different expressions. The Talisen myth caused a very deep impact on the western notion of love, for it was the first time in history when human beings were told they could make a choice of who they could love, independent of the authority of the church and state which engaged, and still does, in the practice of arranged marriages. A second deeper impact was human beings now had a choice in their sexuality as well. Surprisingly, this outraged many in the Christian community, despite the fact within their own holy book, The Song of Solomon portrayed a highly erotic spiritual theme. Tradition has it that this book is not accessible to males of the Jewish faith until they reach a certain age. Another set of symbols pertaining to the sexual aspects of a spiritual life are those of the wine filled Chalice and Sword(or spear in some instances).

One of the criticisms I hear most of the pagan traditions, from those opposed to the pagan way of life, is that the myths, or sacred stories are not consistent. Yet within the Christian traditions, there is a whole set of sub-myths which are very alive and active. If one has ever read a poem called "Footprints in the Sand" then this is a piece of literature which has taken on a folklorish standing within the tradition. There are folktales of how the blood of Christ fell upon the poinsettia and turned the leaves red. There is the tradition of the sand dollar, whose design portrays aspects of Christ, and when broken open the insides of the sand dollar, shaped like doves is a message from God. A few years ago I stumbled across folklore about the red stripes of a candy-cane representing the stripes Christ received when he was flogged. Church founders are also portrayed in mythic terms. In the tradition of Seventh Day Adventists, the prophetess Ellen White is reputed to have held a huge family bible, in one of her outstretched hands, for hours on end without fatigue.

While the above were not cited to portray Christianity in a poor or unfavorable light, the examples do illustrate the fact that even in a tradition as exclusive as the Christian path, variations of truth abound and one is left to wonder what exactly is the true version. In the Pagan traditions as well, variations on a theme abound. In both of these traditions, instead of making that tradition weaker, I feel they make the tradition stronger. The Pagan community treats these variations in a much different manner than those of the non-pagan traditions. Yet each tradition drinks from the same well of wisdom and knowledge, they just use different methods to discover the healing of the water, and approach the well from different directions. Sheep of other pens do exsist and weather they be pagan sheep or non-pagan sheep, they are part of one community and must co-exist.

Despite our rapidly growing world, we have a great opportunity before us as rarely happens any more to gain insight into different spiritual traditions we might not otherwise be able to access. The way we conduct our spiritual life, is the way we conduct other aspects of our life as well. If you are closed to learning about a loved one's path, then you will find yourself not fully celebrating life, and closed off to this person in other areas of your life as well. Acceptance doesn't mean conversion, it simply means acceptance without strings attached. It means acceptance without, "I love you, but I am sorry your are going to suffer for it." Rather it is, "I love you despite our differences, and acknowledge you do have something to contribute to community, even if it is something I personally may not agree with, nevertheless it is YOUR life and not mine."

I refuse to believe this vision and this type of acceptance will never happen. It has happened on smaller scales which means it can happen on much larger scales. We have seen the results of exclusive thinking, it always ends in bloodshed and the destruction of innocent lives. Mistrust breeds mistrust, intolerance results in the violation of basic human rights both in big ways and in subtle ways. And what is worse, all of us take part in this, in our own fashion, in our own ways. However, we are not locked into these choices, we can change them any time we wish. Many are in the process, myself included, of finding ways to increase the richness of life and to make it the celebration it is supposed to be. By excluding others, I have excluded an important part of living, and it is my loss and only I who suffer by shutting myself off.