by Galina Krasskova<\/p>\n
This week saw the publication of a new devotional by author Anya Kless titled \u201cLilith: Queen of the Desert.\u201d While the past five years have seen the publication of a plethora of Pagan and Heathen devotionals, this book is (to my knowledge) the very first devotional anthology dedicated to the Goddess Lilith. Now Lilith is a controversial figure, even within modern Paganism. Even more controversially, Anya Kless herself doesn\u2019t just honor Lilith, but also Odin and Loki (and those familiar with the Northern Tradition know that most adherents steadfastly refuse to move outside of the Norse pantheon in their devotional and ritual work). For these reasons, I decided to seek this author out in order to find out exactly how she came to write a devotional to Lilith.<\/p>\n
What follows is the body of an interview conducted on July 11, 2010 between author Anya Kless and myself, Galina Krasskova.<\/p>\n
Galina:<\/span><\/strong> Firstly, thank you for consenting to this interview. The publication of your first book is an accomplishment worthy of celebration. Congratulations! Can you tell me a little bit about \u201cLilith: Queen of the Desert?\u201d <\/strong> Continued \u2014><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Galina<\/span>: I know that you\u2019re primarily owned by Odin and most Heathens hesitate to move outside of the Norse Pantheon. So why Lilith? What was it about this Goddess that demanded a devotional?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong> I think a lot of people like the neatness of having one, clear-cut pantheon from which to draw gods. This is how most modern pagans and pagan groups define their identities, whether it be Heathen, Kemetic, Celtic, etc.\u00a0 A lot of people perceive the act of working with multiple pantheons as a type of dilettantism or cultural opportunism. This is always a risk\u2013Gods aren\u2019t just statues to be collected. One thing I\u2019ve learned from this process, however, is that we do not claim our Gods\u2013They claim us. My spiritual life probably would have been a lot more straightforward if I had been just <\/em>Lilith\u2019s, just <\/em>Odin\u2019s, or just <\/em>Loki\u2019s. For whatever reason, that\u2019s not what They had in mind, and it\u2019s not my place to question a logic greater than myself. I can say, however, that having all of Them woven into my life has brought it a richness and complexity I could not have anticipated.<\/p>\n I usually don\u2019t associate with pantheon-specific groups, if only because the realities of who my deities are tend not to fit in their practices. Working primarily with Lilith, Odin, and Loki often places me at the edges or crossroads, which does have its advantages. I interact with many communities and have a different perspective on their relations. Being \u201chomeless\u201d in this way also brings me closer to the Misfit or Exile face my Gods often wear. To me, They are Gods of liminality. Even Odin, the Sacred King, is a wanderer. His insatiable desire for knowledge never allows permanent stasis.<\/p>\n Continued \u2014><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Anya<\/span><\/strong>: Lilith keeps me grounded in regular acts of devotion and service. Perhaps because She\u2019s been in my life the longest, I make Her regular offerings and tend to Her altar at least once a week. As I mentioned earlier, She also helps me find my own strength and my own voice. She spurs me to stand up for myself, for what is Just, and for work that needs to be done.<\/p>\n Of my Gods, She has also given me the most difficult work (thus far). As Her priestess, I have had to hold mirrors up to people to show them parts of themselves they refuse to claim. I often have to point out to people their own responsibility for their current situation. It\u2019s a Tough Love ministry. Anya:<\/strong> Initially, I did struggle with this, although that struggle stemmed from my own preconceptions about Lilith and Odin rather than a conflict between the Gods themselves. Being claimed by Odin happened very quickly, and a lot of it felt like it happened without my consent. (I have since learned that consent as a concept is much trickier\u2013much more beside the point\u2013than I understood at the time) Part of me felt that Odin was stealing me from Lilith, and this caused me to be somewhat outraged. As an unabashed feminist, who had left the patriarchal structures of Catholicism in my teens to embrace a Goddess-centered spirituality, being claimed by a male deity (much less as His wife) was just about the last thing I expected or thought I wanted. Considering Lilith\u2019s history of unfair treatment at the hands of male gods, my love for Her made me feel as if She had been cheated yet again.<\/p>\n What I came to realize is that Lilith had negotiated this relationship with Odin, and She in no way needed my misplaced rage to protect Her. Speaking with Her one evening, by the light of a single candle, I learned that not only did She approve, but that I was getting what She had never had: a relationship with a god I loved. In the case of Her relationship with Yahweh, that had been denied Her. It was either Adam or exile.<\/p>\n Continued \u2014><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As I grew to know Odin, I soon realized I was selling Him short as well. I had relied too heavily on popular images of Him rather than my own experiences. I\u2019m sure He also knew that if He had approached me first, rather\u00a0 than sending me to Lilith, I would have fought (harder than I did) and not been able to build a healthy, effective partnership with Him.<\/p>\n It taught me three important lessons: first, our Gods are not stereotypes or cardboard cut-outs. They have depth, contradictions, and are capable of surprising us. Second, our Gods are opportunists. They will send us wherever we need to go to grow into our spiritual selves and better serve Them. Third, when in doubt, ask. Approach your Gods without assumptions about how They will reply. Speak to Them honestly. Ask questions respectfully. Listen without prejudice.<\/p>\n To get back to your original question, I have never experienced a situation in which Lilith and Odin demanded conflicting things from me. They have their own rhythms and protocols with each other and tend to stay out of the way when I\u2019m working with the other. Lilith acknowledges Odin\u2019s primary claim on me, while Odin acknowledges that I was Hers first and that a part of me will always be Hers. As far as I know, they get along just fine.<\/p>\n Galina:<\/span><\/strong> Regarding your devotional, what surprised you the most in the submissions you received?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong> Continued \u2014><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Galina<\/span>: Who are you hoping to reach with this work? What do you think your readers will gain? <\/strong>Anya:<\/span><\/strong> I think I have three audiences in mind. On the most basic level, I wanted as many people as possible to see that Lilith is not just a myth or an artifact. She is alive and well and claiming people today as Her own. For those who might already be part of a community Lilith tends to snatch from\u2013feminist, kink, pagan, gender outlaws\u2013I wanted to present Her as a source of inspiration, personal growth, and spiritual service. She has a lot to teach those that would approach Her, even if She may not be your patron. From the experiences of those I know, and some in the devotional itself, She is very willing to take one claimed by another deity under Her wing to learn a particular lesson. Finally, I wanted to compile a resource for those who have been or will be claimed by Her. They should know that they aren\u2019t alone, and that the difficult path She asks them to walk is well worth it.<\/p>\n Galina:<\/span><\/strong> You\u2019ve published under Knickerbocker Circus Press. What was it like to work with them? <\/strong> Continued \u2014><\/p>\n Anya:<\/span><\/strong> I\u2019ve just begun work on a book about my relationship with Odin, even though it\u2019s a relationship that continues to unfold each day. I\u2019ve tentatively titled it The Girl who Married a God,<\/em> and it will talk specifically about walking the path of a godspouse. It\u2019s the book I wish would have existed two years ago when Odin came calling. It won\u2019t have all the answers, but it will be an honest account of my struggles to understand and love Him in those first two years.<\/p>\n In the meantime, I write regularly at my WordPress blog, \u201cThe Fruit of Pain,\u201d on the trials and joys of my spiritual life (and my marriage). Feel free to stop by!<\/p>\n Galina:<\/span><\/strong> Is there anything else that you would like to talk about? Anything you would like covered?<\/strong><\/p>\n Anya:<\/span><\/strong> Not that I can think of. Thank you for contacting me\u2013it\u2019s been a pleasure.<\/p>\n Galina:<\/span><\/strong> I\u2019d like to thank Anya for taking the time to answer my questions. It truly has been a pleasure. Those interested in purchasing \u201cLilith: Queen of the Desert\u201d may do so at either of the following links:<\/p>\n http:\/\/fruitofpain.wordpress.com\/2010\/07\/08\/lilith-devotional-now-available\/<\/a><\/p>\n or<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.lulu.com\/product\/paperback\/lilith-queen-of-the-desert\/11716227<\/a><\/p>\n
\nAnya:<\/span><\/strong> Yes, thank you for speaking with me. This project came out of my own relationship with Lilith as Her student and later Her priestess. Although I had found scattered accounts of Lilith in various historical, psychological, religious, and folk texts, I had not seen any work that spoke of Lilith as a living, dynamic deity (much less an entire text devoted to working with or honoring Her in the modern age). I felt compelled to write of Her as I knew Her, to talk about the intimate, personal connection that sparks when humans and gods touch. Therefore, besides compiling a basic overview of Lilith in history (from Her reference in The Epic of Gilgamesh <\/em>to modern vampirism), <\/em>I wrote a second section called \u201cMeeting Lilith.\u201d In this portion, the personal introduction begins. Drawing on my own experiences and those of others I know who work with Lilith, I give guidelines on approaching Her and working with Her, ending with a short ritual template. The rest of the book is its heart: songs, poems, prayers, and short essays from a variety of people who\u2019ve encountered Lilith and felt Her imprint on their lives. I\u2019m very pleased with the result and hope She is, too.<\/p>\n
\nAnya:<\/span><\/strong> As I discuss in the book\u2019s introduction, Lilith was the first deity who claimed me, long before I had an inkling of Odin\u2019s role in my life.\u00a0 Through Her, I learned what it meant to communicate with a deity (speaking and listening), to work for a deity, to place my life in the hands of a deity, and love a deity. Lilith also guided me through some of my own dark places, forcing me to own parts of myself I deemed unsavory and to shed others. To be blunt, She whipped me into shape. Without Her teaching, I honestly don\u2019t know if I would have survived being claimed by Odin. I needed the strength, the skills, and the openness She cultivated within me as Her priestess. She paved the way for my relationship with Him, and She is still an important figure in my life and practice. I owe Her quite a lot, and the least I could do was complete this project for Her.<\/p>\n
\nGalina<\/span>: How does your work with Lilith impact your spirituality?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nGalina<\/span><\/strong>: Do you find any type of conflict in serving both Her and Odin? <\/strong><\/p>\n
\nAnya:<\/span><\/strong> First, the sheer number of submissions. Because Lilith really doesn\u2019t fit into an established pantheon with dedicated groups, I had no idea how many people were currently working with Her. It\u2019s been very exciting and gratifying to see how much of a presence She has in the world. I was also surprised that no matter how varied the submissions were, each still held a thread I could identify as authentically Lilith. The devotional explores a range of Her faces, including those with whom I don\u2019t work personally. I was quite pleased with the range of experiences that were shared, as well as the very personal nature of those experiences. I have never seen a deity so fiercely loved\u2013She seems to universally inspire that in Her people.<\/p>\n
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\nAnya:<\/span><\/strong> It\u2019s been great. I chose this press because I wanted to support a local, NYC-based company that specialized in niche texts bigger publishing houses tend to reject. They give original, unusual projects the spotlight they deserve, reaching an underserved market of readers and authors. Because they are a small, independent press, I was able to publish the devotional on a relatively quick timeline. While the book is currently only available through Lulu, it will be listed more widely through both Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com within a few weeks. Finally, Katelan Foisy, the owner of KC, donated her self-portrait photograph for the cover of the devotional. I really couldn\u2019t have asked for more.<\/p>\n
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\nGalina<\/span>: Do you have any future projects currently in the works?<\/strong><\/p>\n