Frequently Asked Questions

Okay, so no one's actually asked any questions yet. ;) But these are questions you might be considering when thinking about the Order.

• Will this cost me anything?
  NO. There is no charge for joining the Order, and there are no membership fees or anything. The Order and related study program are 100% free.
  
  
• I'm not a hard polytheist. Can I still join?
  You can. The Order has a focus on polytheism, but those who are not polytheists or are "soft polytheists" may join. Just be aware that there will be that focus. Be aware also that, as a member of the Order, you must respect the gods and how they were viewed and worshipped, even if you view them only as "aspects". If you view a deity a certain way, you may be asked why.
  
  
• I've heard of Druid Orders. Are you Druids?
  We are not - although some members may consider themselves druids, the Order itself is sort of "generic" or "miscellaneous" Pagan. Pagans of all paths are accepted.
  
  
• What do "hard polytheism" and "soft polytheism" mean?
  Hard polytheism refers to proper polytheism: the deities are individual "living, breathing" beings. They are personalities in their own right and are not interchangeable.
  In soft polytheism, deities might be considered archetypes or "aspects" of one God and one Goddess, or of one genderless deity.
  
  
• I'm brand new to Paganism. Can I join the Order?
  If you feel like the Order is right for you at this point in your path, then sure, we'd be happy to have you. Some might find this sort degree of study early on in their Pagan path to be a bit overwhelming, but others may find it is just right for them.
  
  
• I see members have to create a spiritual blog. Do I have to use Livejournal?
  Yes. That might seem a bit mean if you prefer other blog services, but LJ blogs are easy and quick to create, it's easy for others to communicate with you and comment on your journal, and the Order community forum is on Livejournal. To access the community, you have to have a Livejournal. Also, it's just easier to have everything in one place.
  
  
• I already have a Livejournal. Can I use that?
  If you already have a LJ specifically for spiritual use, then sure. If you're prone to using your LJ for a variety of uses - such as for general life stuff, or for fandom stuff - then it's preferred that you make a new blog. You can link to your usual blog on there, but this is a record of your Pagan journey and your path in the Order. If, however, you have a blog specifically for your Pagan path, you may wish to continue to use that one.
  
  
• What do you mean by "hearth culture"?
  "Hearth culture" refers to a particular Pagan culture with which you best identify yourself and your faith, such as one attached to a particular pantheon. It gives one a little extra grounding, a little extra structure, and a good base to work from. As noted in the "steps" page, in the Order of the Eclipse we give a lot of leeway in what qualifies as a "hearth culture".
  
  
• Does each hearth culture have specific requirements?
  Yes and no. In a way there are specific requirements, but only in the sense that your hearth culture might inspire how you go about learning things, how often you would hold ritual, and the way you structure your faith.
  
  
• What hearth cultures can I choose from?
  There's a huge variety of hearth cultures to choose from. It's pretty much up to you - if you find one you click well with, and you're unsure if it qualifies, ask and we'll let you know. There's the basic cultures that we tend to think of when we think of Neo-Paganism: Hellenic, Roman, Nordic, Egyptian etc.... but we extend this to encompass other forms of polytheism that wouldn't necessarily be considered Neo-Paganism, such as polytheism based on Indian and Hindu faith, Shinto, African religion, Vodou, and so on. We have a special exception for faiths inspired by Wicca or Neo-Wicca: it's not a culture as such, but it's unique enough and popular enough that we decided it was important to include it as an option.