Ave Fortuna!
A guest post by Kaigi-Ron
Ave is the principle of gratitude.
Of recognizing, in each moment, how incredibly lucky you are…because it could’ve gone another way. It could be so very much worse…but, fortunately, it isn’t.
Ave Fortuna!
It all started with the Focus to Fortuna. In this world ruled by chaos, she rolls the dice. They cannot be unrolled. So it goes.
I added miniature decks (both standard playing card and tarot), a pewter ship (the winds of change), plus a full set of D&D dice.
May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor…
…and I’m reminded of a passage from Leonard Mladinow’s book The Drunkard’s Walk – all about how we perceive randomness. Think for a moment about rolling dice.
Is that process truly random?
Can you practice rolling dice and improve your game?
Can external factors “throw you off”?
(answers: yes, no, and no)
But even when I’ve asked my colleagues with science degrees, they often struggle against this illusion: That external factors can somehow alter randomness.
That you can appeal to Fortuna – kiss her ass, give her what she wants, and she’ll reward you. Hey, it works on people, so of course it works on Gods, right?
Sometimes the mere illusion of control is enough. Thus I complete my ritual before my Atheopagan Focus.
Ave Fortuna!
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Here is an interesting thought and one that we seldom think about. Now this is if you believe that the Goddess FORTUNA; somehow exist. She l.ooks at what is going on in your life and takes that into consideration. Then she listens to your request and as one would say “tosses the dice” and considers how that might somehow work either to or against your needs. Understanding that “HUMANS” have needs that has little or no need in their lives. Asks does this request REALLY give or somehow work against the very nature of this mortal. Tossing the dice merely gives an insight to whether the request is positive or fantasy. Me, personally I seldom push or request a Goddess for something without considering all the facets of my request. The last time I did so, in my mind I got this giggle back and the answer was; ” Now, ask me for something you REALLY need and not just at this moment in time.” Also the answer said, “What you ask for you already either have or aren’t sure of how to deal with it”. So I am reluctant to ask for anything; because I already in one form or the other know what the answer will be.
Interesting thoughts. Around here, we don’t believe in literal gods–this is more along the lines of using a goddess name as a *symbol* for the function of fortune. It’s not as though there is anyone Out There listening–Fortuna exists as an idea in people’s minds, but that’s it.
Yeah, this whole conversation feels a lot more like that dismissive atheism which annoys people who don’t happen to agree. While I can’t fault anyone for wanting the magic and the mystery and the wonder of life and nature, please don’t use the names of our gods when not believing in their existence is central to YOUR existence.
This crosses the line from “let us be” – which I support – and “we dismiss everything you stand for and prove it by appropriating them.” You can, and should, do better.
There is such a thing as a “soft” theist, TPWard, and Gerald appears to be one. In Atheopaganism, we don’t believe in hard theism, but soft theism–using gods as metaphors and archetypes–is up for grabs if people find it useful.
It’s all very well for you to believe in personal gods, but frankly, you don’t own their names or their stories. I’m sorry if you find it offensive when people use gods’ names, symbols and stories in ways they find meaningful but you do not. Welcome to the big tent.
I don’t generally link to Patheos, but this is actually a really good, thorough explanation of hard and soft theism. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/opentablejudaism/2017/03/12/hard-soft-theism-reality-godgods/
I personally am not a theist at all, soft- or hard-. The Atheopagan path I seek to help craft here and in the Atheopaganism Facebook group doesn’t include god/desses even as metaphors and symbols.
But some of the folks who are a part of this community *do* use the images or names of gods and goddesses as a way of invoking certain concepts or ideas or metaphors. It works for them, and as far as I’m concerned, by definition that makes it legitimate.