Hearth Witch Down Under
The oddest thing was said to me the other night by a friend of mine. We were drinking on Christmas night with some friends, one of who I don’t know that well. Anyway a subject came about which required me revealing my Paganistic self, this is when she said the oddest thing.
“No, I don’t think you are really Pagan. I know some Pagans and there are certain things that Pagans own that you don’t. So no you aren’t actually Pagan.”
I tried to tell her that Paganism is not some definitive religion with rules, and it most definitely isn’t defined by a persons material goods. But I realised while saying this that, 1: We were drinking and that is not a good time to try and convince anyone of anything; 2: I have no idea at her level of philosophical thought, so I had no idea what words and phrases I could effectively use that she would actually understand. Thats not to say I doubt her intelligence, it is just difficult when I don’t know how she thinks.
Suffice to say I decided not to pursue the discussion and left it at that. But now I wish I knew what she meant. What “things” must a person own in order to be defined as Pagan..?
Do I need to have dreamcatchers hanging around the place? An obvious altar? Candles everywhere? Tie-dyed clothing? LOL
I do look around my house and see that it does not look very Pagan, but then I look closer and I see the obvious “stereotypical” trappings. The 50 packets of incense over there, the candles are over there and there and there, the ten oil-burners scattered through the house, the bookshelf overflowing with religious material Pagan and non-Pagan, the gypsy skirts in my wardrobe, the gems and rocks and metals on a special shelf in the lounge. Then there’s the dragons everywhere, the skulls and crossbones gothic clothing, the dark artwork (Luis Royo, Victoria Frances), the music from Loreena McKennitt to symphonic metal like Nightwish, the knife that hangs next to my bed, the wooden sword on top of my bookshelf.
So these, and many other things, are all integrated into my Pagan self, part of my Pagan self – I can be Gothic one day, Gypsy witch the next. But the objects are not what define my Paganism, they are just symbols of what exists within me. But to the outside observer, it wouldn’t look very Pagan, because my house is a family home, and I am a mother. So what takes pride of place is not the Pagan trappings, but the stuffed toys and matchbox cars, the nappies and the talcum powder, the kids clothing and labels on everything to help my kids with word recognition.
And these things that take pride of place, they are another side, another facet of my Pagan self. I am the Mother right now, and will be forever. Should I hang a dreamcatcher when I know my children will tear it down and pull it apart? Or should I hang a picture of Thomas the Tank Engine knowing they will leave that there in safety? (and I sometimes think that Thomas is the god of children everywhere, so it is fitting).
I truly believe that there is no particular way a Pagans house should look, there are no specific objects that MUST be within the home. Yes we have our stereotypical objects that are expected of us, candles and incense and the Pentagram around my neck, but the absence of these things certainly doesn’t mean someone is not a Pagan. And we all go through stages, and these stages will change the way our house works and our Paganism must be able to adapt to those stages.
I am a Mother now and forever, I am currently going through my domestic life. So my entire house is my altar, and everything I do within my home is in honour of something or someone, from deity to nature to universe to myself and my family. Everything within my home is part of my Pagan life, the kitchen knives are my version of the Witches Athame, the herbs in my cupboard are for cooking not for potions, but they are still there, the candles are used when the power goes out, I can’t trust toddlers around candles at any other time.
My house does not look stereotypically Pagan, but no matter what others may see, I see a home that caters to a Pagan Mother. So, it’s not stereotypical, but it is nothing less than completely Pagan.
I hope my non-religious partner never realises that LOL 🙂
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