returned from the Underworld and found that he had broken his oath of fealty to her.  The Warrior path is not one of violence as first recourse, but rather of violence as last resort and then only because all other means of solving the problem have failed.

 

 A Pagan Warrior initiation ritual emphasizes these principles.  The candidate is charged with casting aside old ways of thinking and being, especially those involving blaming others for their situation.  They are brought into sacred space and charged with the Warrior's Honor code.  The details of the ritual vary depending on the specific Pagan tradition.  When the ritual is over, the candidate is on the Warrior Path.  Mentors work with the new Warrior to help him or her learn to apply the Code to their daily lives.  Warriors then gather in ritual to share their losses, celebrate their successes, and to remember the Path they have chosen.

 

 This mythic context is also helpful to friends and family who have loved ones serving in the military, especially during times of war.  They come together in ritual to ask for Divine protection for their loved ones, to grieve over losses, and to help support those that return.  Warriors help both to anchor such rituals and to model grief.  It is one opportunity for the Warriors and their Society to come together in mutual recognition, regardless of views on war and violence.

 

 Pagan Paths, through ritual and stories of the Hero's Journey offer a mythic context for their experiences of war.  By offering paths for initiation, rites of passage, rituals for making peace with the dead, and a role for Warriors within their societies, Paganism is able to assist Pagan Veterans in their adjustments to civilian life and, when needed, to provide methods for healing Soldier's Heart.

 

 

 Bibliography

 

 Bulfinch, Thomas, (1855).  Bulfinche's Mythology.  republished by Sacred Texts at www.sacred-texts.com accessed on 3/8/2006.

 

 Campbell, Joseph.  (1968).  The Hero with a Thousand Faces.  Princeton University Press : NJ.

 

 

 Cuhulain, Kerr. (2000). Wiccan Warrior : Walking a Spiritual Path in a Sometimes Hostile World.  Llewellyn Publications : St. Paul, MN.

 

 Ebbutt, Maude I. (1910).  Hero Myths and Legends of the Irish Race.  republished by Sacred Texts at www.sacred-texts.com.  accessed on 3/8/2006.

Swords into Ploughshares 4

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Text Box: The Warrior path is not one of violence as first recourse, but rather of violence as last resort and then only because all other means of solving the problem have failed.

Cast of the Armoring ceremony, FPG May 2005