Tilburg University Moongazers & Trailblazers van Gulik, L.A. Publication date: 2017 Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication in Tilburg University Research Portal Citation for published version (APA): van Gulik, L. A. (2017). Moongazers & Trailblazers: Creative Dynamics in Low Country Wicca. [s.n.]. 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Download date: 27. sep. 2021 MOONGAZERS & TRAILBLAZERS Creative Dynamics in Low Country Wicca Cover painting and design: Katelijne Arts Cover photo: Leonie Wiering Text design and layout: Léon van Gulik Printed by Ipskamp Printing, Enschede ISBN: 978-90-826939-0-4 NUR: 706 Copyright © 2017 by L. A. van Gulik First edition, second impression, July 2017 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or oth- er electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the au- thor, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. MOONGAZERS & TRAILBLAZERS Creative Dynamics in Low Country Wicca PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan Tilburg University op gezag van de rector magnificus, prof. dr. E. H. L. Aarts, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van een door het college voor promoties aangewezen commissie in de aula van de Universiteit op woensdag 31 mei 2017 om 14.00 uur door LEONARDUS ALBERTUS VAN GULIK geboren op 16 januari 1974 te ‘s-Hertogenbosch PROMOTIECOMMISSIE PROMOTORES: Prof. dr. M. H. F. van Uden Prof. dr. W. E. A. van Beek OVERIGE LEDEN: Prof. dr. P. G. J. Post Prof. dr. G. Harvey Dr. C. P. M. van Halen Opgedragen aan Eleonora Jong gedaan is ook oud geleerd vii Table of contents LIST OF PUBLICATIONS USED FOR CORE CHAPTERS ........................................................ xi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ............................................................................................... xii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ xii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ xiii PREFACE ..................................................................................................................... xvi INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 SITUATING THE STUDY .............................................................................................. 2 1.1.1 Abigail’s labyrinth ............................................................................................... 2 1.1.2 Creativity and change ........................................................................................ 3 1.1.3 General aim ......................................................................................................... 4 1.2 WICCA: HISTORY ...................................................................................................... 5 1.2.1 Wicca and neo-Paganism .................................................................................. 6 1.2.2 Etymology and prehistory ................................................................................ 8 1.2.3 Genesis and definition ....................................................................................... 9 1.2.4 Diversification and detraditionalization ........................................................ 11 1.2.5 Wicca in the Low Countries .............................................................................. 13 1.3 WICCA: SYMBOLISM AND RITUAL ............................................................................. 15 1.3.1 The ethical and existential orientation ............................................................ 15 1.3.2 The faces of deity ............................................................................................... 17 1.3.3 The sabbats ........................................................................................................19 1.3.4 Other rituals ......................................................................................................21 1.4 CREATIVITY ............................................................................................................ 22 1.4.1 An overview ...................................................................................................... 23 1.4.2 Csikszentmihalyi’s systems perspective ......................................................... 24 1.4.3 Gruber’s evolving system approach ............................................................... 27 1.4.4 What is ‘true’ creativity? .................................................................................. 29 1.4.5 Imagination and improvisation ......................................................................31 1.5 OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................ 34 1.5.1 Research questions ........................................................................................... 34 1.5.2 Overview of the thesis ...................................................................................... 35 METHOD 39 2.1 PERSPECTIVES ........................................................................................................ 40 2.1.1 Functionalism, pragmatism and methodological agnosticism .................... 40 2.1.2 Ethical concerns ................................................................................................41 viii 2.2 PARTICIPANTS ........................................................................................................ 43 2.2.1 Recruitment ......................................................................................................43 2.2.2 Brief characteristics .........................................................................................44 2.3 PROCEDURE ........................................................................................................... 45 2.3.1 Participatory observation................................................................................ 45 2.3.2 Depth interviews .............................................................................................. 51 2.3.3 Textual research ...............................................................................................54 2.4 ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................... 55 2.4.1 Qualitative methodology ................................................................................. 55 2.4.2 Coding and categorizing ................................................................................. 57 2.4.3 Presentation of the data ..................................................................................58 2.4.4 Quality control .................................................................................................59 THE PAGAN PARALLAX 63 3.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 64 3.2 ROMANTICISM AND INDIVIDUALISM ....................................................................... 67 3.3 SELF-IDENTIFICATION AND SELF-JUSTIFICATION .................................................... 70 3.3.1 Reflections on one’s own practice .................................................................... 71 3.3.2 Reflections on the practice of others ............................................................... 72 3.3.3 Reflections on the terms ................................................................................... 74 3.4 TOWARDS THE PAGAN PARALLAX ........................................................................... 75 3.5 CODA: METAPHORS OF RELIGION AND THE QUEST FOR EXPERIENCE ....................... 78 STICKS AND STONES 81 4.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 82 4.2 GREENCRAFT ........................................................................................................ 83 4.3 TWISTING AND TURNING CELTIC ROOTS AND BRANCHES ........................................ 85 4.4 STONE CIRCLES AND PAN-EUROPEAN UNIVERSALISM ............................................ 90 4.5 CRITERIA OF ECLECTICISM AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NEOCOLONIALISM .................... 94 4.6 CONCLUSION: TOWARDS A CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY OF APPROPRIATION ................. 97 SCHOLAR VERSUS PAGAN 101 5.1 INTRODUCTION: TO SEE THE WOOD FOR THE TREES .............................................. 102 5.1.1 The researcher ................................................................................................