{"id":214,"date":"2013-06-11T05:56:35","date_gmt":"2013-06-11T12:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/askangus\/?p=214"},"modified":"2013-06-10T18:29:34","modified_gmt":"2013-06-11T01:29:34","slug":"askangus14-the-invisible-broom-closet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/askangus\/2013\/06\/askangus14-the-invisible-broom-closet\/","title":{"rendered":"AskAngus14: The Invisible Broom Closet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a>Betwixt-and-Between: What would be your best advice to a \u201cbaby pagan\u201d?\u00a0One who, due to the economy, has moved back in with her Christian parents and isn\u2019t particularly keen on announcing a sudden interest in everything they find most unthinkable?<\/p>\n

Thanks!<\/p>\n

Dear Twixt&Tween,<\/p>\n

Sadly, your plight is altogether common. Many folks who are new to Witchy Ways have been forced to stuff themselves back into the broom closet when their life takes a bad bounce or two. Moving back in with the \u2018rents is stressful enough, but when one has to squelch one\u2019s Faith in the process it\u2019s doubly painful. And Paganism being such an open and freeing religion to immerse oneself in\u2026\u2026.well, the situation just SUCKS is all.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the deal, Twixt. There are several easy strategies you can employ that can get you through this rough time.<\/p>\n

1) Hiding in plain sight<\/strong>. So your Conservative Christian overlords frown on Pagan Altars in your bedroom? Fine. No problem. How are they with candles? Houseplants? Scarves with Celtic knotwork designs?<\/p>\n

With a little ingenuity one can carve a devotional corner to Aphrodite (or Herne, or Isis, or Chango) out of innocuous items that to an untrained eye will just resemble a shelf of knick-knacks. You may not be able to have it \u2018dripping with Pentacles\u2019, but you can probably get away four or five small candles in elemental colors and a bowl of oak leaves. Whatever resonates with you \u2013 wherever you can find it!<\/p>\n

2) Services are 24\/7<\/strong>. \u201cChurch\u201d is a strange word to most pagans. We don\u2019t go to a building to worship for one hour every Sunday,\u00a0and we don\u2019t have a gigantic monolithic, monotheistic corporation hanging over us and guiding our every question and response.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Tell your Mother this plant on your bookshelf is \u201cVerbana\u201d. You\u2019ll know that it\u2019s your altar, and its Vervain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n