Saturday, July 9, 2016

10 Questions About Paganism You Were Afraid to Ask



1.  So you’re Wiccan?

In my case the answer is no.  There are many forms of Paganism which includes Wicca, Druidry, Heathenism, and others.  I use the label “Contemporary Pagan” to denote that my spirituality is a blending of influence.  I was heavily imprinted by Native American Spirituality growing up in Flagstaff, Arizona where the San Francisco Peaks are sacred ground.  I have a calling towards ancient Goddesses of the Greek/Roman Pantheon (they are the Great Goddess Diana and Queen Persephone if you are curious).  My Scandinavian and family heritage is also an influence as well as my introduction (decades ago) to modern spell craft and Traditional Witchcraft.  Much like all Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics, such as it is with Paganism and Wicca.  Asking a Protestant “So you’re Catholic?” is considered rude.  Wicca, I am sure is a lovely path, but it isn’t mine.  “I’m Pagan” is my answer, if I was Wiccan I would have answered as such. 

2.  Are you a Witch?

In my case the answer is yes, although I’m not fond of the term because it conjures up too much nonsense in my personal opinion.  However, not all Pagans are witches or practice a form of “witchcraft.”  The “craft” of a witch is more about being in a role of teacher or healer.  For a really lovely and fun depiction of witchcraft read the fictional Tiffany Aching Series by Terry Pratchett.

3.  Do you do “spells and stuff?”

The answer is yes, but not very often, because it’s a lot of work.  If you are a witch and you’re doing a spell, it’s akin to goal planning.  So, for example, if you want to create a weight-loss spell, you don’t wave your magic wand and suddenly have the body of a super-model.  No, in a spell you make a plan for what you are willing to do to get what you want.  And then if you really want to make it dramatic, you pray to your Gods and Goddesses or the universe or whatever and make a promise to DO it.  So you make a divine declaration to eat healthy and go to the gym.  Makes that a bit intimidating doesn’t it?  What happens if you don’t follow through to the Divine?  Well you don’t lose the weight, and now you have the added Divine guilt to pack on to the regular guilt you feel when you don’t follow through on your personal goals.  Fun.  Right?



4.  But you’re a "White Witch?" Right?

No.  And at the risk of offending those who use that label I’m going to tell you right now to be wary of those who do use it.  Listen, magic just is.  It doesn’t have moral motive.  Let me further explain:  "White Magic" popularized by television mostly, implies that it is “good.”  Healing would generally be thought of as a “good” thing to do right?  But doing “Healing Magic” is unethical (hence “bad” or “evil”) if you weren’t ASKED to do it by the person who needs it.  

Look at it from a completely un-magical scenario:  Let’s say you get regular headaches. 


Instead of going to a doctor you choose to mask your symptoms with some painkillers.  Pain gone, no problem...unless of course you have a brain tumor growing.   

Sickness is usually a symptom of a greater problem.  Even if you don’t have a brain tumor, your headaches are a symptom of a larger problem.  Is it stress at work?  I don’t know, only you know the answer.  What I do know is that it would be a really evil thing for me to send healing magic to you for your headaches.  Stress at work so bad it’s giving you regular headaches is still a brain tumor, just of the metaphorical variety.  It’s not my place to help you mask the symptoms particularly without your permission.  If you came to me for “healing magic” I wouldn’t want to give you magical painkillers, I’d be more interested in diagnosing the actual problem.  Ultimately, I might be able to provide you with some comfort, but I'm not a doctor.  Part of my treatment plan would be helping you to identify what type of licensed medical practitioner you would need to see. 

5.  Do you curse people? 

The answer is yes.  If they really deserve it.  But remember, I already explained spells are hard work for me, so it’s really got to be very important.  We’re talking justice on the cosmic scale here.  Cursing is usually unnecessary because our human justice system generally takes care of most things.  So let me ask you, is justice “evil?”  It’s a question that some people find hard to answer sometimes.  Cosmic justice is no different.  

6.  What about Animal Sacrifice?

This is the number one question I’m asked.  People don't seem afraid to ask this one they just come out and quite rudely ask me.  But if what you are asking is, do I personally sacrifice animals?  The answer is yes, every day, often multiple times.   

Before you completely freak out and report me to Animal Control, you too, probably perform animal sacrifice, every day and multiple times unless you are a vegan who has sworn off even the leather in your shoes and the silk in your underwear.   

Welcome to the wonderful world of eating and consuming.  Another being sacrificed its life so that you could eat its flesh or wear it (or in the case of silk the fruit of its labor-not yours) and live.  Be grateful.  Show respect.  Give it honor.  For me, eating is THE most spiritual thing I do every day.  The fact that this seems to be unique to Paganism has always been particularly confusing to me. 

7.  So…do you do naked public rituals?

This would be the second most common question I am asked.  Do I “do” them?  I have been to retreats classified as Pagan where some participants have been naked.  They are usually in a private environment, so they are “public” in that there are many people there, but all of these people have registered for the event and are there for the retreat.  It is not precisely “public” in that no one else but registered attendees are allowed into the retreat space.  But if you are asking about me, specifically, the answer is that I prefer clothes.   

Nudity or being “Skyclad” comes from the idea that the human body, just as it is, without ornamentation, is a part of the greater divine.  I can be a part of the divine with my clothes on, thank you.  And personally I am more comfortable in public rituals where everyone is fully clothed.  I have been accused of being a prude more often by non-Pagans, than Pagans.   

Yes.  I am a prude.  That is largely separate from my religion.  

8.  Do you use narcotics and/or illegal drugs in your rituals?

Absolutely not.  I’m a police officer.  I arrest people for that, I certainly don’t do that!  Talk about unethical behavior!   

Peyote is sometimes appropriated under the guise of spiritual practice, however it is only legal for certain Native American religions.  Those not of Native American decent with no direct ties to these traditions are very, very rarely invited to a ritual where peyote will be used.    

Sage, that green spice in your kitchen is commonly used in Pagan and other Religions’ ceremonies.  Believe it or not, this herb has relatives with some hallucinogenic properties.  Sage and some other legal herbs are sometimes ingested by people (not just Pagans) to promote prophetic dreams; but as I will explain shortly, I already have dreams of the future without use of these herbs and so they are not generally a part of my ritual practice.   

If we are to be completely honest, I have in my time smoked a certain green leafy substance.  When I was hired by my police department I disclosed that that not only did I inhale this substance, I enjoyed it.  They hired me anyway, with the implicit direction that I would not do it again -- I haven’t. 

9.  Can you tell me my fortune?

Yes, actually I can, but that ability really has nothing to do with my religion.  Feel free to research the topic of psychic ability and genetics, there are a host of articles about just that floating about on the Web.  My family has a lengthy history of being able to view the future, most specifically through palmistry.  None of them are or were Pagan and most are or were Christian.  I do not read palms.  I prefer Geomancy and Runes, I also have dreams that occasionally predict future events.  

Most Pagans are accepting of magic so it stands to reason that most are also accepting of the practice of “fortune telling” or divination (as it is more properly referred).  I actually believe that everyone is a little bit psychic.  I think it’s a part of the human condition.  Many Pagans practice a form of divination, but not all do.   

Please don’t ask me or anyone else for that matter to do it for you unless you are prepared for the answer.  I won’t predict your death unless you ask specifically about that (and perhaps not even then, you morbid thing you!) but I might just tell you the truth and that can be a fairly difficult thing to hear.  But am I seeing the truth of your future by some magical means?  Or am I just seeing you through your body language, reactions, and a host of other decidedly more boring things?  I don’t know.  I don’t really think it matters if what I say is useful.

Also, the proper thing to do is pay me for my service.  It doesn’t have to be monetary.  I told fortunes at a fundraiser for my son’s school because it was an opportunity to show I was an involved parent.  A co-worker bought me breakfast one morning in exchange for a fortune.  Your gardener doesn’t cut your grass for free so why would you think that I would want to tap into the cosmos just to show off my cute parlor trick?  I take my divination seriously, you should too.  Your cold hard cash proves to me that it is at least worth the amount printed on that green paper.  No offer, no value, no dice (literally, I cast my Geomancy with dice).


10.  What does that five point star mean?

The five pointed star is symbolic of the five elements Pagans believe to fuel all life.  Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Spirit.  You must have air to breath, water to drink, and food and shelter to live; that’s fairly straight forward.  Fire is your will to live.  Spirit is your reason to live.  Usually, there is one spire pointed upright, that one spire is the Spirit portion of the entire figure.  The idea is that you are the star, looking up and sending toward the divine.  

The inverted pentacle with two spires on top has been for the most part appropriated by the Satanist Religion as their symbol.  They are often identified as Pagan.  I would classify them as a non-Pagan tradition, but that is simply an opinion that needs another article to explain.   

But in a purely Pagan context, the two spires on top would be Earth and Fire, the idea is that you are the star asking the divine to come down, into you, to experience the divine in order to be inspired. 
 
And that concludes 10 Questions About Paganism You Were Afraid to Ask.  I’ve included some other great articles and resources for you to explore more.  I believe that part of my divine purpose is to educate people on Paganism.  We are very normal people just like you.  We raise families, have very good jobs and live our lives.  I am very happy to respond to any question so feel free to comment or email me!

Resources:

Web Pages

Freeman, Jamie.  “What You Need to Know About Skyclad.”  Witchful Thinking.  Wordpress.com. 30 January 2010.  Web.  9 July 2016 

Greer, John Micheal.  The Arch Druid Report.  Blogspot.com. Web.  9 July 2016.  

Hallucinogenic Sage.” Science Review 2000 Ltd.  20 May 2010.  Web.  9 July 2016.  

The Pentacle and the Pentagram.”  Whispering Worlds.  2008.  Web. 9 July 2016 

Scott, Eric O.  10 Things I Wish Everyone Knew About Wicca.”  FaithStreet.com. 30 October 2015.  Web.  9 July 2016.  

Books

Pratchett, Terry.  TheTiffany Aching Series
(which you can find on Amazon.com)