Are superstitions rituals in disguise?

I have a superstition passed on from my Mother. Don't turn the calendar page before the first of the new month. So, I always wait till the first to look at the next page in the calendar. Why, I'm not sure. I don't think I believe I'll jinx the fresh month, but it doesn't hurt to be safe, right?

Could this habit, this superstition be based on a ritual? Yes, of course it is. Isn't it a pretty common ritual to buy a new calendar for each new year and flip the pages once a month? Sure, so that's a ritual. It may not include anything extravagant like being skyclad during the middle of a hailstorm, trying to keep all the pretty green candles from blowing out in the gale force winds... but it's a ritual all the same.

Think of other superstitions, you likely follow a few yourself. Do you avoid stepping on cracks, do you toss salt over your shoulder, do you always pick the inside copies of magazines on the bookstore shelf?

What makes one a ritual and the other a superstition? I think at some point every superstition was someone's ritual, we've just outgrown them. Some of them.

Get a book of superstitions next time you're at the library or bookstore. Take a look at some of the superstitions for every day things. I'm sure they all have a reasonable basis. Take into account that the people were not in the technology age and the church still held everyone caught in fear for their souls. Make note of some superstitions and think about how they could be added to your own magick rituals. Give fresh life to rituals from the past.

Originally posted to 'BackWash: Where the Wild Things Are' newsletter, February, 2, 2003.

What do you tell people who ask you what Pagan means? How do you explain being a Witch? If you choose to explain at all, of course.

Religion is not a news item for public consumption. It's a personal thing.

But, if someone does ask you and you decide you want them to understand, what do you say?

I start by telling them it's an Earth religion. I do not mention hell or devils or any of that Christian claptrap. Of course, it comes up. Usually they are politically correct enough to say "But don't you believe in God?" rather than "But don't you think you will go straight to hell?"

This is a good time to remember the Wiccan Rede. It's also a good time to remember to be tolerant of other belief systems. Do not try to convert someone to your ideas. That's not what they asked you for.

Instead take time to explain what being a Witch, Wiccan or Pagan is all about, to you. Make it personal. I'm not saying you need to show them your Book of Shadows, let them play with your altar or anything else you have stashed away. But, let them see what being Pagan means to you, on a personal level.

Tell them about the history, traditions and culture. Show them how Pagans care about life, nature and people. Personally, I do not talk about God and Goddess or spells. I don't make those a part of my belief system. For me it really is about an Earth religion, my focus is on nature and culture. So, when I tell someone about being a Witch I am talking about caring for the environment, following old traditions, being interested and curious about living things in general. I have some focus on women, but more because I am one than any Dianic influence.

I am quite eclectic and fairly solitary and that's just how I like it. I tell people that too. Some have asked if I dance naked with other women under the moon, but those were mostly horny net geeks on IRC.

Originally posted to 'BackWash: Where the Wild Things Are' newsletter, January, 25, 2003.

Staying safe, in your own safe little world. Is that where you are? Many of us choose our adventures, how far we will go depends on where we have our safety nets.

For instance, have you told anyone you're Pagan? Have you told your family, friends, co-workers, boss? I'm not suggesting you rush out and do it. I'm certainly not daring you to tell them either. It's a personal thing. Being Pagan is a personal thing in itself. A personal choice and something just for you.

It should not, however, be some dark secret. Something deep, dangerous and naughty. That's not what Paganism should be. It's not something you should have to hide from your family. Being Pagan is about caring for life, the Earth and old traditions. How can they really object to that? Still, you can find the safety zone. You can let them know you're into nature, environmental issues and historical traditions. You can be Pagan without saying the word Pagan to them.

People don't always get that. They think they have to hide being Pagan because others won't like it or will be shocked by it. They turn it into a deep, dark secret. By doing that they make it become something dark, secret. No wonder so many people still think of Pagans as devil worshippers.

You have the power to find where your safe world is, set the boundaries and set the record straight if you choose to. Let people know you're Pagan, if you can or if you choose to. But, don't make it some dark mystery. Don't let them find an altar, a book or a pentacle in your room without explanation. If you make being Pagan something to be ashamed of or fear you hurt all of us.

Instead be proud of who you are and be as honest about it as you can. For me, the only person I couldn't talk to about being Pagan was my Grandmother. It scared her. She couldn't think of it as anything but dangerous for me. She didn't understand that it's not something dark, but something light. She didn't know what I made of being Pagan, for me. She only knew the stereotypes she had heard all her life.

Originally posted to 'BackWash: Where the Wild Things Are' newsletter, January, 16, 2003.

Backwash - BW Newsletter - Archive

For better or for worse, I've started a new newsletter at BackWash. This one is geared to Pagans. Four subscribers before I even put out the first one.

Welcome to the very first Pagan newsletter at BackWash.

Do you know what you're getting yourself into?

This will be a blend of Pagan culture, occult mysteries, history, science, craft making, simple living and the odd bit of magick tossed in for good measure. You might find recipes where you least expect them. Sometimes there will be humour, sometimes rituals, art or the unexplained. Expect a little chaos, it's unavoidable.

You even might find more than you ever wanted to know about skeptics, hoaxes and ranting Christians. Those are part of being Pagan, knowing who you are and where you stand. I believe you can't really explore being Pagan without learning the opposing points of view.

This time I'm including links to Christmas past. People do tend to think more about religion and traditions during the holidays and Pagans are no exception. After all, Pagans are people too.

Originally posted to 'BackWash: Where the Wild Things Are' newsletter, January, 10, 2003.

I'm going to re-post my old newsletters for the BackWash: Where the Wild Things Are newsletter. There aren't many of them but I'd like to have a hard copy of them floating around somewhere.