Altars, Out-Ness, Teachers, Authority

[qos]

Back on December 8th, readthisandweep left a particuarly meaty comment on my post with the photos of my Ereshkigal altar. She asked several important questions, the kind that demand sitting down and taking the time to write a thought-out response, and this is the first chance I've had to do that. Her questions are important enough to merit therir own post.

readthisandweep's Comment:
Beautiful altar, although I am surprised you are willing to make such an apparently dedicated & sacred space so public. I found the pic & you by browsing 'priestessing.' You are obviously an expereinced priestess but do appear to be in thrall to Ereshkigal. Forgive me if I appear impertinent or disrespectful - that is not my intention. I'm simply curious as to why so many women in particular appear to need spirtual 'teachers.' Feel free to ignore this comment if you consider I have overstepped the bounds of good manners. Blessed Be



I am surprised you are willing to make such an apparently dedicated & sacred space so public.

I realize that many people keep their altars private, but I've never felt that what is "dedicated & sacred" is also necessarily private. In my case, I feel called to be open about most of my practice, in part to make it possible for others who are curious or seeking to see one way of doing things, in part to make things like "worshipping a Dark Goddess" less scary to those who are not on this kind of path.

You are obviously an expereinced priestess but do appear to be in thrall to Ereshkigal.

I am in a relationship with Ereshkigal where she has a degree of explicit power over me and the right to command me to commit or abstain from certain acts. However, rather than being "in thrall" to her, I consider it a relationship of fealty, where lady and vassal, goddess and priestess, each have both rights and responsibilities toward self and other. I do not consider it unreasonable that as part of my training, she lays certain obligations on me. I have the freedom to walk away at any time if her demands become onerous or unreasonable. Likewise, she has the freedom to stop teaching me and withdraw her sponsorship and protection if I fail to live up to my obligations.

I take the concept of personal sovereignty very seriously, and have significant experience in the practice of power exchange (both deliberate/consensual and involuntary/abusive). I did not offer my fealty to Ereshkigal lightly, nor does my service to her mean that I've abdicated responsibility for my choices or my own soul.

I'm simply curious as to why so many women in particular appear to need spirtual 'teachers.'

This is the one part of the comment that confused me, especially since readthisandweep is a teacher herself. Maybe she's questioning a perceived need for what in her opinion are dubious 'teachers' who are spirits, rather than mortal teachers?

I am a mystic. To me, the best teacher is the Divine itself. I also have a mortal priestess teacher, a spiritual director, and wise friends with whom I share my path, and whom I trust to provide a dose of perspective, and to challenge me if they believe I am falling prey to self-delusion or ill influence. But I feel blessed to have such a vivid relationship with Ereshkigal, one which is making a positive difference in my life.

Feel free to ignore this comment if you consider I have overstepped the bounds of good manners.

I welcome polite, sincere questions, and these were good ones. I'm only sorry it took me so long to respond.