Some of the early members of SweetWood Temenos (SWT) were Midwest Scions of the Church of All Worlds (CAW). The group called themselves the ‘Upper Mississippi Valley & Great Lakes Scion Council’. These Scions met together in the mid 1990s and explored the meaning of being in a ‘church of all worlds’ … (?)
Eventually, they came to understand that a ‘church of all worlds’ is a diverse vision of religions, that can be rooted in some common quintessential VALUES. A church based on Values (instead of on just traditional or religious doctrine and practices) was a novel idea to them at the time. These Scions came to an agreement on 5 essential Values. These values have been variously described as:
(1) Deep Friendship
(2) Self Knowledge
(3) Positive Sexuality
(4) Attunement with Nature
(5) Diversity, including religious pluralism & a belief in Immanent Divinity
Others were inspired to be part of both a diverse & religious organization that is rooted in these 5 values. We welcome those from many religious and spiritual paths. Atheists and agnostics are welcome too!
“The common ground of religious practice are love, compassion, forgiveness,
tolerance, contentment, and self-discipline.”
So we build harmony on mutual respect, Mutual learning, and Mutual admiration.”
Dalai Lama–September 16 2016 at EU Parliament”
THE VALUES OF SWEETWOOD TEMENOS – summary – By Iacchus 2006
These are things that we’ve found are common values among the people, who are attracted to and fit in with Sweetwood Temenos members. We’ve tried to steer clear of dogma and static belief structures, and instead look for shared concepts.
Self-knowledge (self-actualization and personal responsibility, ongoing personal growth and development)
We have varying belief systems and recognize their limits and assumptions in knowing the truth. This recognition is part of the value we all share, that of Self Knowledge. What wonderful experience it is to be part of a group of folk, a clan whose ears are more open to hearing what another has to say, because they recognize the limits to knowing!
Appreciation of the diverse nature of human beings (we appreciate diversity, but recognize our right to be an exclusive group – appreciating diversity doesn’t mean accepting everyone into the family)
Upon the value of Self-knowledge comes an appreciation of multiple perspectives and for diversity in our clan. As a clan, our culture is rooted in the value of pluralism, which informs our ethos and our religious or philosophical attitude. A religion whose value of pluralism is reflected in its rituals and has places at its feast table for agnostics and atheists…imagine that! Yet, the Good folk of SweetWood Temenos do just that! This value of pluralism and its ethos allows for peacemaking, finding common ground and wholeness of the human spirit in conscious harmony with Nature. This value is the ‘common loaf’ we all share.
Alignment with the natural world – Attunement with Nature (connection with nature and the land, and the cycle of the year)
We hold the value of doing rituals that attune our minds, bodies and souls with Nature. We recognize that there are formal and informal, public and personal and collective and individual rites we do. These rites or rituals have significant and profound import upon our souls in maintaining conscious interdependence with Nature. Their symbolic and experiential actions encourage the creation and sustaining of conscious harmony with Nature and its seasons. This Nature is large and includes the ecology of our souls, our interpersonal relationships and the way of being that is our planet and universe. For those good folk of Sweetwood Temenos that are religious, ritual attunement is a way of communicating and communing with Divinity, which is expressed through Nature. It also is a way of feeding ourselves as a community. We appreciate the time and effort SweetWood members have given to the rituals/festivals that have built and sustain our community.
Deep Friendship and Tribal Intimacy (connections, nurtured by time spent together, by shared experience, by working together, by ritual and fun)
Part of the nature of being human is friendship. I want to not only say how much I appreciate the continued growth of friendship among the good folk of Sweetwood Temenos, but also that we, as a group or clan, have made it a fundamental value of our bond. The roots of the word ‘friend’ have to do with being Free and being a Dear One. So our evolving clan is a beloved community, whose bond creates a realm of “Dear Ones” who are free. Our friendship is essential to our spiritual bond and generates a circle of freedom, a beloved community. Part of this friendship is the recognition that each human soul is an individual expression of Divinity, a greatness hidden in the smallness that wants to Become. This is why we have a ritual wherein we honor and bless one another, and remember, “Thou art Goddess, and Thou art God”. Our use of water not only symbolically emphasizes humbleness and being special, but also the interdependence of independent beings that are human and Divine.
Positive sexuality (acceptance of varied love-styles among consenting peers, including the right to choose both partner(s) and love-style(s) for ourselves) [This also includes the right to be non-sexual and the care of children, which are the fruit of our sexuality. ‘Safe space’ and building trust are essential! – Delta]
I appreciate all the members, the good folk of the SweetWood Temenos clan, for this circle of Dear Ones, where there is sexual peace between women and men. What a gift we have given to ourselves, our descendents, our community and the world! We value self-definition, of what it means to be a woman, man, inter-sexed or trans-sexual. We value nakedness as an expression of freedom and self-acceptance and as a very human and divine way of being with kin that fosters intimacy, gentleness and fealty. We value human sexuality as an essential goodness, whether it is expressed in a homoerotic and/or hetero-erotic manner. We value and encourage the practice of sexuality when it creates pleasure and intimacy, and serves to bless and confirm the self-worth, equality, and sovereignty of those who are being sexual with one another. We call this kind of sexuality, Positive Sexuality and see this use as an act of love and pleasure that is deemed as a sacred rite.
Fun, Creativity & Joy (silliness; relaxation; renewal; enjoying one another, nature, and the land)
[Some folks add these as values. Humor can be healing & is welcome when we take ourselves a bit too seriously. Encouraging one’s creativity and being playful brings joy. I would also add Curiosity as a value, as it is an impetus for exploration, study & the deepening of our appreciation for all the other values. – Delta]
Know Thy Self = Self actualization/Knowledge
Love As Thou Wilt = Positive Sexuality
Love Thy Neighbor = Diversity
All That Groks is God = Connection with Nature
Grow Closer = Deep Friendship
Thou Art God/dess = Immanent Divinity From Thy Heart, Laugh = Silliness
Urth 09 18 04
My list of the 5 (7) Values by Kris Jensen (2004)
These are things that we’ve found are common values among the people who are attracted to and fit in with Sweetwood Temenos members. We’ve tried to steer clear of dogma and static belief structures, and instead look for shared concepts.
Self actualization (self-knowledge and personal responsibility, ongoing
personal growth and development)
Positive Sexuality (acceptance of varied love-styles among consenting
peers, including the right to choose both partner(s) and lovestyle(s)
for ourselves)
Deep Friendship and Tribal Intimacy (connections, nurtured by time spent
together, by shared experience, by working together, by ritual and fun)
Alignment with the Natural World (connection with nature and the land,
and the cycle of the year)
Appreciation of the Diverse Nature of Human Beings (we appreciate
diversity, but recognize our right to be an exclusive group –
appreciating diversity doesn’t mean accepting everyone into the family)
Immanent Divinity (Thou art God/dess)
Fun (silliness; relaxation; renewal; enjoying one another, nature, and
the land)
That’s it. Nothing unfamiliar here – just an attempt to clearly state
some of our commonalities. Any individual who had a real issue with any
one of these values would probably not fit in well with the group.
There’s always room for discussion of what the values mean, abstractly
and in everyday life.
Drink Deep,
Kris
THE 5 VALUES OF SWEETWOOD TEMENOS
Giving Thanks by Iacchus (2004)
Dear Good Folk of Sweetwood Temenos;
I wonder at the goodness that has associated, assembled and become a group of folk, an evolving clan. I appreciate the level of trust, honesty, intelligence and love there is among us. I am thankful that I belong to such a good folk!
We have varying belief systems and recognize their limits and assumptions in knowing the truth. This recognition is part of the value we all share, that of Self Knowledge. What a wonderful experience it is to be part of a group of folk, a clan, whose ears are more open to hearing what one another has to say, because they recognize the limits to knowing!
Upon this value for Self-knowledge comes an appreciation of multiple perspectives and for diversity in our clan. As a clan, our culture is rooted in the value of pluralism, which informs our ethos and our religious or philosophical attitude. A religion whose value of pluralism is reflected in its rituals and has places at its feast table for agnostics and atheists. Imagine this! Yet, the good folk of SweetWood Temenos do just that! This value of pluralism and its ethos allows for peace making, finding common ground and wholeness of human spirit in conscious harmony with Nature. This value is the common loaf we all share.
We hold the value of doing rituals that attune our minds, bodies and our souls with Nature. We recognize that there are formal & informal, public & personal and collective & individual rites that we do. These rites or rituals have significant and profound import upon our souls in maintaining conscious interdependence with Nature. Their symbolic and experiential actions encourage the creation and the sustaining of conscious harmony with Nature and its seasons. This Nature is large and includes the ecology of our souls, our interpersonal relationships and the way of being that is our planet and universe. For those good folk of Sweetwood Temenos that are religious, ritual attunement is a way of communicating and communion with Divinity expressed through Nature. It also is a way of feeding our selves as a community. I appreciate the time and effort SweetWood members have given to the rituals/festivals that have built and sustained our community.
Part of the nature of being human is friendship. I want to say not only how much I appreciate the continued growth of friendship among the good folk of Sweetwood Temenos but also that we as a group, as a clan we have made it a fundamental value of our bond. The roots of the word friend have to do with being free and being a dear one. So our evolving clan is a beloved community whose bond creates a realm of Dear Ones who are free. Our friendship is essential to our spiritual bond and generates a circle of freedom, a beloved community. Part of this friendship is the recognition that each human soul is an individual expression of Divinity, a greatness hidden in the smallness that wants to become. This is why we have a ritual where in we honor and bless one another, and remember, Thou art Goddess, Thou art God. Our use of water not only symbolically emphasizes humbleness and being special but also the interdependence of independent beings that is human and Divine.
I appreciate all the members, the good folk of the SweetWood Temenos clan, for a circle of Dear Ones where there is sexual peace between women and men. What a gift we have given to our selves, our descendants, our community and the world. We value the self-definition of what it means to be a woman, man, inter-sexed or trans-sexual. We value nakedness as an expression of freedom and self-acceptance as a very human and divine way of being with kin that fosters intimacy, gentleness and fealty. We value human sexuality as an essential goodness whether it is expressed in a homo-erotic and hetero-erotic manner. We value and encourage the use of sexuality when its effect, pleasure and intimacy, serves to bless and confirm the self worth, equality, and sovereignty of those who are being sexual with one another. We call this kind of sexuality, positive sexuality and see this use as an act of love and pleasure that is deemed a sacred rite.
I give thanks for all of the good folk of SweetWood Temenos and their friends, who individually and collectively live these values. They have shown great heart in doing so and brought great goodness to one another and to the land we call SweetWood Temenos. For me, this goodness is a great offering to the mystery we call Divinity. I feel a great sense of humility in this offering. I am humbled by the generosity that you, the good folk of SweetWood Temenos, have shown to the organization (Church/Clan/Kin) and the land. I am humbled by your continued acceptance of me as a priest, president and caretaker of the land and will continue to endeavor to be a better steward to the Good Folk of SweetWood Temenos, a commonwealth that feeds all of our souls.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
never thirst
Iacchus