Almost six years ago, I performed my self-dedication ritual in a circle of pine trees and birch, in a beautiful spot in rural north west Quebec, Canada. It was a perfect day of blue skies, light breezes, and witnessed by many wild birds, chipmunks and red squirrels. Not a human to be seen or heard. It was a moving, emotional time for me, and I felt the God and Goddess, all around me. I had spent over a year and a day before that ritual studying the Wiccan Way, and realizing as each day passed, how perfect this path was for me.
It has taken me a long time to come "Out of the Broom Closet" to friends and family. Husband and kids knew from the very beginning and supported and encouraged me in every way. But it was over a year and half before I told my best friend and two of my brothers. My mom and another brother do not know. Nor do many of my other friends and extended family.
It took a long time for me to wear my pentacle in public. Always wearing it under my clothes. I wonder why I was so fearful and hesitant to openly display my faith. I suppose I am a "victim" of what I perceive as a virulent prejudice against practitioners of pagan paths. I made myself a victim, it was not forced upon me. Possibly the trepidation of not feeling confident enough to explain my beliefs to someone, and fear of rejection or criticism by total strangers kept me in the broom closet for ages.
This is regrettable of course, but the longer I have walked my path and felt the God and Goddess in my life, and studied and talked with people, the easier it has become. I now wear my pagan jewelry openly, I have met with other pagans in public places, and this weekend I am volunteering at the CNY Pagan Pride Festival. This is a momentous occasion for me. I am very proud of being a pagan, and if my picture should show up in the newspaper for all the world to see, well, hurray for me!
It just took a long time for me to stop being afraid of other attitudes, and get on with my own life. It is a wonderful thing to feel free and happy about my Wiccan Ways. Time, and study, and the Goddess!
I am Out of the Broom Closet! I am a Wiccan! I offer Brightest Blessings to everyone!
2 comments:
And blessings to you too! Because I have illustrated so many books on Christianity people often think I am a Christian. In a school the other day someone asked me if I had been to teh Middle East to research The Parables etc ( as if the publishers budget would stretch to that!) "No," I answered, "I watched The Life of Brian." They laughed but then looked a bit shocked when I said I was more Pagan than anything, but Animist at heart. Frightens people which is why they burned us in past years.
So, this year I started gardening for the first time and have a few veg in teh garden. Not competing with squirrels for tomatoes, but next year may be getting the cats to guard them from rats. But I didn't, I really didn't want to use slug pellets. So many people said I would have to, that the slugs would eat everything. But even the pellets that are harmless to birds hurt toads and frogs and slithering snakes.
I met a friend who said that his grandad had an incantation that he used to say in the garden in teh moonlight to ward off slugs. Grandad was dead, couldn't find anything on net, but thought it was worth a chat with them, so when the moon was full I went and asked the slugs to go eat somewhere else. (Picked a few off while I was there).
Slug damage was minimal! Amazing. Now I just need one for mice as the little rodents ate my carrots!
Now I´ll have to find out what the Wiccan way is :-) I´m christian myself but I have all respect for those choosing another path. The way many christians behave I have no problem understanding why people looks for other ways :-)
Always be proud of who You are! Never let anyone else destroy Your day just because they don´t share the same path in life!
Have a great day now!
Christer.
Post a Comment