Dear Readers,
How are we all doing on this lovely day and Blogtober the forth? I wanted to write a bit about something quite personal and I really hope I do it justice. It's taking me quite a lot of courage to discuss this subject because it is something I have tried to keep private for so long but recently I have started to delve more into it and as it's becoming a bigger part of my life it is permeating everything I do. You may have guessed it from the title of this post but here goes, out of the broom closet I fly!
I am a pagan.
Phew! I said it. I am not entirely sure why I feel embarrassed talking about my beliefs or why I have kept it secret for so long. Over a year ago I began to post more about it on my facebook so my close friends must be aware but then every time someone would send me a friend request from outside of that close circle, work for example, I would hesitate to accept because I didn't want them to find out about my beliefs.
In the pagan community we refer to being open about our beliefs as coming out of the broom closet and I can understand why. For a long time my belief system has been ridiculed and even illegal which, although we live in a much more open minded world, you still hesitate to be fully open with those around you for fear of a negative reaction. I really wanted to share this with you, my readers, and the wider world because I feel like the only way to break the negative stereotypes about my belief system is to pipe up and to show to people that we are not all Satan worshippers who dance around sky clad, etc. Pagans are regular folk too you know!
I have been pagan for about 14 years now I guess; though during my late teens and early twenties things fell by the way side a little bit. Having said that I never lost that deep down feeling and in perhaps that last 18 months I have been reconnecting to those thoughts and feelings and attempting to find my own path. I would say at the moment the terms eclectic pagan or maybe green witch apply to me best though maybe my greenness is due to being so new to all of this! However, maybe vintage witch suits me best since the thing which started me down rediscovering this path is an interest in old folk traditions. I'm still reading, learning, and discovering so who knows, maybe this will change and sometimes I wonder to myself why bother trying to find a name for it. What's in a name so long as I know what I feel and believe? But a name holds a lot; it gives meaning, identity, and can help you to further understand or connect with others.
I may write about this again in the future since it is becoming a bigger part of my life so don't be surprised if things get a little wyrd around here (haha, a little pagan pun for you there, I crack myself up sometimes!). I would truly love to hear your thoughts on this; hopefully positive ones as this is my corner of the internet and I try to keep things splendid around here. Are you pagan and if so what path do you follow?
ttfn!
I am so happy that you have announced to the world your beliefs. I too had a nervous time, when I came out of the broom closet to my family....who are very much Christian. It took a long time for them to accept me as a solitary eclectic Pagan/Witch. If you want to chat to me and Kev (he is a witch too) about things, please pm us and we will toss thoughts about and teach each other Witchy things. You never stop learning, which is a great thing and no Witch knows it all. Lots of love, light and brightest blessings to you. Xxx
ReplyDeleteHello my lovely. It's funny that we should be nervous to be open about our beliefs but it felt more and more important that I should be honest and proud of my beliefs. Thanks for the offer, I'm sure I'll take you up on it. There's so much info out there it can get a bit overwhelming. Xxx
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ReplyDeleteSo proud of you for being so open and honest! I still find it difficult to be openly pagan. Even though I had a handfasting last year and invited work colleagues I still played down my Druidic leanings. I guess for me I worry about what the parents will think I'm teaching their offspring as I teach in a very small minded area. I can imagine the complaint letters now! Best not tell them I'm gay as well - they might explode!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Sal. Thank you so much for your kind words. It's a shame we still have to feel this way but I think it's great you and your partner had a handfasting and that you could share that together. So long as we are honest with ourselves that's cool. :) xxx
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