Pagan Burnout – Pagan Blessings

“It’s about what people think it is. It’s all imaginary anyway. That’s why it’s important. People only fight over imaginary things.” – American Gods

I’m so tired. I’m tired of humanity. I’m tired of fighting. I’m tired of innocent people dying because of corrupt systems. I’m tired of hatred, and abuse, and violence. I’m just so tired. And, apparently, I’m not the only Pagan that feels this way

Is it possible that we, as human beings, are just prone to vile, ugliness? It is possible that there isn’t any inherent goodness in the human race? Have we become more negative or have we always been this way and it’s just the information age that makes it oh so very obvious?

All it takes is checking my Facebook account to remind me of all the terrible things in the world. Wars, racism, violence against women and animals, hatred, and on and on and on.

These things aren’t just happening somewhere “over there”. If it’s far enough away it won’t really impact me right? But no, the negativity is right here, in my backyard. The police killing an innocent young man. A convicted “high risk” sex offender being released a few blocks away. Bullets found on my kids school campus. I mean, fuck.

Some days it is too much to bear. Some days it’s really hard to find any shred of faith in my fellow human beings. How do we as Pagans get through the onslaught of negativity that is constantly bombarding our senses? The perfect solution is to hermit away from the world, but since that is an impossible reality for me at least, I have come up with some ways to work through it and bring a little bit of peace of mind, while I work for peace and justice in other ways.

Step 1: Hand it Over. I give it over to the Gods. When I read something about a sexual predator or violent offender I call upon the Dark Goddess. There are a couple Goddesses that I work with in devotion; and depending on the situation I call on one of them. I allow myself to feel the anger, the rage, the pain; and I hand it all over to Her. I call on Her to bring justice. I call on Her like my ancestors would have going into battle. I call on Her to make it right. I breathe into it, feel it, build it up, and let it go. This works surprisingly well and is surprisingly simple. 

If I am overcome with sadness, fear, depression, I call on a different Goddess (guardian, spirit, ancestor). One I know will hold me in Her light. I allow myself to cry and wail and keen. I feel it and move it through and give it over to Her. She can use that energy much more effectively and powerfully than I can.

Step 2: Cleanse. I cleanse. A lot. It really doesn’t matter how I cleanse; I have a few different favorites. Sometimes I burn sage. Sometimes I burn palo santo. Sometimes I take a shower or a 13 Herb Bath. Sometimes I do some breathing practices. Sometimes I go outside or shake my body or sing or use Florida Water. The medium doesn’t matter. What does matter is that I really let go of the negative energy. I don’t need to carry that crap around. It’s not really mine. I don’t need it and I definitely don’t want it.

Step 3: Pray pray pray. Maybe you call this action something else, but the word prayer works for me. I spend time calling on the

things that I want in my life and for the greater world.I send energy to the good things that are happening in the world. I send energy to the people I know are fighting for truth, justice, and healing. I focus on the positive stories and my loved ones and the good.

Step 4: Count My Blessings. This may sound like fluffy crap and I know it doesn’t solve the world’s problems, but sometimes I just need to take stock of my own life and the good that is in it. Yes, the world is a fucking mess and there are so many things broken, but I am blessed enough to take a break from that and look at the beauty, including the wild turkeys wandering around in the field behind my house, the dark rain cloud that randomly showed up, the cat stretched out on my bed, and the fact that, at least for today, I am able to feed my kids.

Sadly, as I get older my faith in people has grown much more negative. Humans might just be the worst plague that the Earth has ever seen. However, there are a few good eggs out there too. There are folks with big hearts doing the right thing. There are people fighting injustice. There are people taking care of others. There are people working to make the world a better place.

And sometimes I just need to shift my focus and remember that.