My answer is a bit complicated, I'm afraid.
I seek balance in all things, where I can find it, and so I am neither light nor dark. I walk with Tricksters, who are both and neither, and also something else entirely. Tricksters are Gods with hourglasses for hearts, whose natures change with each turn; they are in equal measure kind and cruel, good and evil, helpful and harmful as it suits them.
A lot of people associate Tricksters with chaos and, by association, so-called "dark" paths.Others view Tricksters as cultural heroes - those who highlight social wrongs and correct them, after their fashion- and therefore describe following Tricksters as a "light" path.
I respectfully agree and disagree on both accounts.
...I did tell you my answer was complicated, didn't I?
I was raised with the concepts of Chaos and Order, rather than a worldview of strictly Good and Evil. It's a Nordic thing. Many Asatru feel that one must be aligned completely with Order, and thus the Aesir. Many of those who worship Gods such as Loki, however, will (mistakenly, in my opinion) seek absolute Chaos.
Chaos is not Evil, I should note. Nature is chaotic - but when was the last time you heard someone honestly claim that Nature was evil? A storm isn't good or bad - it is incapable of caring either way if it destroys something. It simply is.
Too much Order is stifling, but too much Chaos is dangerously volatile.
Tricksters understand this best of all deities, I would venture to say, because they exist in the liminal world between the two. Hermes is one of the ones who favours Order at least a little bit, but even he is capable of the mischief and trouble that comes from those of his kind who strongly favour Chaos, like Loki.
To walk with Tricksters is to walk a Grey path, upon which you will lean towards the so-called "light" and "dark" as you need to, or as your patrons feel you should.
Hermes is a God of thieves, of miscreants and clever criminals and the like, but he is also a God of balance (as embodied in the caduceus) and of boundaries. He understands when to abide by the rules, and when to break them. I'm tempted to say that Hermes is one of the more responsible Tricksters in the world, who understands the value of duty and a job well done as well as the value of mischief and fun.
Loki is... not irresponsible, but perhaps not always very good as foreseeing the consequences of his actions, at least where the mythology is concerned. He is the impulsive one who wants to have fun and enjoy himself and satisfy his curiosity, and routine is utterly, painfully boring to him. Responsibility is not an excessive burden, as long as it doesn't completely cramp his style, but he'd honestly rather plot and scheme and and plan to wreak havoc and mayhem, as is his want.
As a God of travellers, I look forward to seeing where Hermes leads me.
As a God of mischief, I am half-dubious and half-curious as to where Loki will lead me.
...And I fully expect my Totems to jump in and interfere or help, according to their nature. :D
I seek balance in all things, where I can find it, and so I am neither light nor dark. I walk with Tricksters, who are both and neither, and also something else entirely. Tricksters are Gods with hourglasses for hearts, whose natures change with each turn; they are in equal measure kind and cruel, good and evil, helpful and harmful as it suits them.
A lot of people associate Tricksters with chaos and, by association, so-called "dark" paths.Others view Tricksters as cultural heroes - those who highlight social wrongs and correct them, after their fashion- and therefore describe following Tricksters as a "light" path.
I respectfully agree and disagree on both accounts.
...I did tell you my answer was complicated, didn't I?
I was raised with the concepts of Chaos and Order, rather than a worldview of strictly Good and Evil. It's a Nordic thing. Many Asatru feel that one must be aligned completely with Order, and thus the Aesir. Many of those who worship Gods such as Loki, however, will (mistakenly, in my opinion) seek absolute Chaos.
Chaos is not Evil, I should note. Nature is chaotic - but when was the last time you heard someone honestly claim that Nature was evil? A storm isn't good or bad - it is incapable of caring either way if it destroys something. It simply is.
Too much Order is stifling, but too much Chaos is dangerously volatile.
Tricksters understand this best of all deities, I would venture to say, because they exist in the liminal world between the two. Hermes is one of the ones who favours Order at least a little bit, but even he is capable of the mischief and trouble that comes from those of his kind who strongly favour Chaos, like Loki.
To walk with Tricksters is to walk a Grey path, upon which you will lean towards the so-called "light" and "dark" as you need to, or as your patrons feel you should.
Hermes is a God of thieves, of miscreants and clever criminals and the like, but he is also a God of balance (as embodied in the caduceus) and of boundaries. He understands when to abide by the rules, and when to break them. I'm tempted to say that Hermes is one of the more responsible Tricksters in the world, who understands the value of duty and a job well done as well as the value of mischief and fun.
Loki is... not irresponsible, but perhaps not always very good as foreseeing the consequences of his actions, at least where the mythology is concerned. He is the impulsive one who wants to have fun and enjoy himself and satisfy his curiosity, and routine is utterly, painfully boring to him. Responsibility is not an excessive burden, as long as it doesn't completely cramp his style, but he'd honestly rather plot and scheme and and plan to wreak havoc and mayhem, as is his want.
As a God of travellers, I look forward to seeing where Hermes leads me.
As a God of mischief, I am half-dubious and half-curious as to where Loki will lead me.
...And I fully expect my Totems to jump in and interfere or help, according to their nature. :D
I do identify with the concepts of Light and Darkness and consider them real things, even though many nowadays find these terms utterly useless? What are some dark Gods and Goddesses?
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