I recently learnt that the first woman in England to be executed for being a witch was Agnes Waterhouse, who lived in my home county, Essex, around 1566. This lady was called Mother Waterhouse by the local people and sadly, many thousands of women would follow in her footsteps, being sent to their deaths for being independent, wise, healing and spiritual beings. That was their only crime.
Thankfully, witches and the Pagan religion has only thrived since this awful time in history. It makes me feel that Paganism (which is an umbrella term for many different disciplines/crafts/traditions that fall under it) is more than just an “alternative” form of religion (ironically there is nothing “New Age” about something that has been around longer than most other religions) – it is actually a place that marginalized groups are attracted too, like for example, the LGBTQIA community. It is a religion (I use religion lightly here, as most spiritual people do not feel they follow a religion per se, they follow their own guidance and path) that allows women in particular to thrive and to have a voice and ultimately to be themselves without any form of oppression. However, that being said, you would think, in 2021 that Paganism and other forms of spirituality like Witchcraft would not be marginalized anymore, however, unfortunately, it still is.
I’ve been thinking a lot about individuals who are marginalized in society recently. Selfishly, I thought I understood what it might feel like to be gay, or to receive subtle racism, but really, I had no idea. Until something happens to you to make you feel judged and different, then it is very hard to truly feel what others go through when they are on the receiving end of this type of behavior.
I guess I am privileged in that respect, straight, white woman, I’ve always been given opportunity and just accepted it as normal, without experiencing prejudice at all, until recently.
Because being a Pagan, expressing my spirituality through my life choices, apparently slips me into a marginalized group too. Perhaps that is why I have always felt an affinity to anyone that stands to be different and proud, to not allow the silent yet loud voices of ignorance stop that person walking their truth.
I have amazing tolerance levels for others ignorance, but there are certain things that make me feel very uncomfortable, one being an incorrect judgement on my character and identity.
I’m pretty open, I blog, I have a growing following on Instagram and Facebook, I’m currently writing a book about my life….so I’m not afraid of putting myself out there. However, recently, I have felt an invasion of my privacy like nothing else, based purely on fear and total and utter ignorance from another party. This was unprovoked judgment, I was just quite nicely minding my own business and suddenly this unwanted opinion and quite literally, force of fear has tried to creep itself into my world, trying to break down the very foundation that is all that I am. Because, when you are a psychic medium, it’s not just a hobby. It is your entire identity, it is the air you breath, the thoughts you feel and the essence of your soul. So, if someone tells you to “stop doing” what you are doing (when it has nothing on this Earth to do with them) – can trigger something in you that makes you look at the world through different eyes. If you are making someone “feel uncomfortable” for just being you, then that is a serious amount of wrong on that other person’s part, a serious amount!
You suddenly know what if feels like to have this big, large, dark, force of energy bearing down on you, trying very hard to shine out the light that you thrive upon, because your light is apparently triggering their darkness so profoundly that they don’t know how to deal with it.
Let me tell you something, people will only every judge you if you trigger something in them that they need to deal with, something they need to heal. So, you have to turn it around. You must try to see it for what it really is. You have to feel sorry for anyone that doesn’t see your light, because they are so shrouded in their own darkness that they cannot view the truth from their own judgement. The people who judge the most have much work to do on their self-development, much work indeed.
So, what should we do when this happens?
We must take our light and turn it into a huge, bulging, magnificent bon fire! We must be us and take pictures, we must continue to bloom and grow, to learn, develop, thrive and move through life enjoying the new possibilities and opportunities that our way of life offers us.
We must join together with like-minded people, and to add it doesn’t matter if these people believe the same as us, because that is ok too, if we are sharing our energy with people that accept everyone for who they are, you fall in love with someone’s spirit, and, the colour of their skin, their sexual preferences, which God they want to pray too, becomes insignificant, because here we all are, together, floating through space on this big ball of rock, each one of us unique and different and what we can learn from each other is exciting and truly mind blowing!
So, wear your differences with pride, be true to who you are. In fact, forget the “different” word, what is “different” anyway? It is just a word. Your normal is you, your reality, the way you feel, your inner guide. It is “You”.
Until next time,
Tanya
#proud #paganism #witch #spiritualism #LGBT
