#pagainsim

[retaliationraven]

summer solstice and pretty summer flowers

[tiberivs-pompilivs]

A song inspired by Apollo, Greek and Roman god of music and prophecy, among other things. I made this a while back. Perhaps Apollo guided me?

[thenightling]

Wicca and "Cultural appropriation"

I am sick of other Neo Pagan sects deciding that Wicca is "cultural appropriation" and "problematic." Tonight someone tried to scold me and tell me that I should not say that Wiccans celebrate Yule (it was actually a post with a list of Neo-Pagan faiths that have a version of Yule) because they "appropriated" it from Scandinavian religions that had it first and Wicca was "only created in the 1950s." Okay, let me break a few things down here. 1. Yes, it's easy to say Wicca is "new" because it wasn't an official religion in the UK until the 1950s but let's consider an important point. Until the 1950s Witchcraft was still illegal in the UK. No religion was allowed to be officially recognized that practiced witchcraft until then. America didn't even acknowledge Wicca as a religion option for military personnel until 2007. Scooby Doo acknowledged Wicca as a religion before The American government. The actual word Wicca Is Old English for Witch (masculine spelling). The feminine spelling was Wicce. They were pronounced as Witch-ah and Witch-uh. There was a very slight difference for gender specification. Eventually middle and modern English would drop the a and e at the end and settle on "witch" as an (intended) gender neutral term. Like the word Wizard (which came from Wizened) the word Witch meant (Someone who had their wits about them. Until the early middle ages the word meant "Wise person." And that's how Wiccans use the term now. 2. It's become fashionable to pearl clutch and say all cultures should stay separate and not borrow from each other because it's "cultural appropriation." Some "helpful" people even DMed me Youtube videos about why Wicca is a "Problematic" element in Pagan communities solely because it borrows from multiple religions. But literally every religion does it if you look at it long enough. So does Christianity, and Judaism, and Islam. And even Hermeticism which is part Greek, part Egyptian. Merging the two together. (And a LOT of Neo-Paganism is Hermetic) How come all of those can do it but when Wicca does it, that's the one called out where people are shamed? The people practicing "Real Paganism" forget the "Neo" part. That means "new." It's cobbled together from things that were suppressed and often lost to history. Even the Nordic Eddas are incomplete and were first written down by Christian Monks who altered things to (among other things) make Loki more of a Satan figure than he actually was. Almost all Neo Paganism uses hermeticism. Do you know what that is? It's from an era in Greek history where the Greek God Hermes was merged with the Egyptian God Toth. The two were merged into a single being and that's where a lot of Neo Paganism comes from. The teachings from that period where there was Greek / Egyptian appropriation. The Roman Gods evolved from the Greek Gods. Even when we discuss the beliefs of the First Nations there are overlaps because one Nation borrowed from another and beliefs spread. Modern Voodoo is a mixture of West African, Catholic, and Hattian folk beliefs. Mexican Catholicism is very different from French Catholicism. Imagine The Day of the Dead and Saint Death in Paris. When you believe something, truly believe it, you don't covet it as something only certain people are allowed to believe in. If you think of it as truth - as fact, you want others to believe it too. This is not cultural appropriation. This is cultural appreciation. 3. If you think Wiccans shouldn't be allowed to call their winter holiday Yule, you are essentially saying it's okay to call Christmas by Yule and the Christmas season Yuletide. And Christians can even burn Yule Logs but you'll Pearl clutch "How dare Wiccans call their festival the name of the millennia old Scandinavian festival!" Because Wicca = Bad? Christian = Well, they did that a long time ago and Wicca's new-ish despite being a re-adaption of a lot ancient practices.

Yes, Wicca is a hodgepodge religion of many beliefs cobbled together. So are most religions when you break them down. None are truly safe from "contamination" from other religions. This separate yet equal / segregation and "Wicca's bad because it appropriates" needs to stop. Aren't there enough prejudices that ALL Neo-Pagan faiths need to worry about? We don't need this "in-fighting".

[theinfinitesparkofbeing]

To learn more about The Society for The Infinite Spark of Being and to purchase, the book, prints or apparel visit www.theinfinitesparkofbeing.com

[softapollo]

does anyone have some good book recommendations that are hellenic paganism/hellenic polytheism related?

[thepaganstudygrouppage]

Hey, I'm very interested in practicing Witchcraft but I'm having a lot of trouble getting started. Could you please give me some help?

Spellyalater has great beginner resources!

~ Autumn

Here’s a fantastic informational post about witchcraft and getting started!

~Wanderings

[retaliationraven]

my breath, my life.

When I take path into the forest, it becomes one

My heartbeat joins that of nature

We breathe together, me and the trees

I wouldn’t call us friends, not yet

But soon, I think we can become friends

[retaliationraven]

venturing into the woods to make an altar to cernunnos, is it weird im nervous?

[retaliationraven]

some more images from today

i went to my local green space on my skateboard but wiped out half way. still made it there though!

[retaliationraven]

Purple flowers 🥰🥰

[retaliationraven]

i really am a purple fan

[retaliationraven]

i am new to you.

we are not close,

barely more than strangers.

and yet, i find myself enraptured by your beauty.

step by step,

stone and stick,

i come to learn your grace.

your wisdom.

“I’d like to be acquaintances” I call into a woods that does not answer.

or so thought.

a birds call, or a squirrels passing

i know you are listening

i know the time shall come

[retaliationraven]

today i finally put my tiny notebook and quill to use

i’ve decided to use it as both a journal for my druidry and a place to write symbols, holidays, and notes on deities!

the quill is because, well, a quill just kinda felt right for this

[retaliationraven]

happy solstice friends! perhaps you reading should comment or repost with how you plan to spend today!

[retaliationraven]

if anyone wants to talk druidry or paganism they should totally dm me and be my friend :))

[retaliationraven]

this weekend shall be spent within nature as often as possible, which will be nice