Many have wondered why paganism has had such a surge of new life over the last decade. In a cultural movement of self-empowerment and inclusivity, we have come a long way from the ideal standard of beauty. Which has generations chasing after being the most authentic self they can be without the need to be apologetic. Which is something pagans have been doing for centuries even when the threat of death loomed overhead. But the question still remains is paganism the all supportive community it claims to be or is there a dark underbelly lurking in the shadows?
As a woman who has been a practicing pagan for the last two decades, I find myself asking this question more and more as I get older. Trying to decipher if there is an undercurrent pattern or just flawed ideology within our communities. As much as we try to be open and connect with the ways of our ancestors we are in the end, tribal people. We flock to those who share the same interest and philosophies while trying to keep up with the global concepts of change. Which for some is a struggle within its self due to the generation gap. Where old ideologies of beauty were less inclusive as it is today.
Which in turn makes it hard to either accept one’s self or others who do not match what one was taught. How do we get past the trama of an ever-changing society? One of the main practicing within our path is to acknowledge the things that weigh us down. We each have something we wish we could change about ourselves based on the seeds planted by our environment. Even when it comes to other people, we take our own traumas and morph them unto others as well. Not to mention the representation portrayed within our media of how the ideal witch must look. But in today’s society, we say what is aesthetically pleasing but the meaning is still the same.
Yet if we look at the variety of pantheons and the uniqueness each one holds we can see beauty is an individualized experience. This is one of the many reasons I love the path I walk. Because we can find a little piece of us somewhere in the vastness known as paganism. But there are still some ideologies that have yet caught up with the time. For instance, if we look at the triple goddesses known as the Maiden, Mother, and Crone. Signifying a woman not by her worth but by the stages of her life. The maiden to be young and desirable and yet naive to the mother who is loving and caring but protective. Then last but not least we have the crone who is old and fragile but wise.
Which this may seem innocent and not detrimental to anyone, except we are taking women and subjectifying them by their roles and age. Even when you say each in your mind you associate a certain type of beauty standard to each. But when we talk about our male triple gods which are few. They are not seen by the stage of life they are in or the beauty to which they hold. When we look into mythology it gets even worse. From women being punished because their beauty swayed a god to succumb to them. To the goddess’s who cursed loyal subjects because they were deemed so beautiful, even the gods became jealous.
In 3rd century Greece the saying “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, came about and still remains true today. This leads this topic into modern-day and the struggle that no matter your gender we all still deal with bias in our own communities. Do you fit the aesthetic of a witch? Would your beauty sway a god? How can you love yourself if you feel judged by those around you? Most of us tend to look within towards the soul. Because in the end, the flesh is just a momentary vessel for the eternal light within.
In today’s world, we are more advanced than we have ever been when it comes to medical issues being addressed. Even though we are a soul having a human experience, it all works as one when it comes to the physical standard of beauty that has been portrayed. Some are genetically blessed with no underline health problems that may cause abnormalities. While others deal with mental health that trickles into the physical and spiritual aspects. Some have induced trauma that has enabled them to achieve what they desperately desire to be.
Which all these things can affect one’s confidence within their path and render them not to expand into the communities many have built. So how do we stay mindful and inclusive? My personal take on it is to have those types of meaningful conversations. To open up about what we struggle with and have a support system within our community. Along with being mindful of the words we speak to each other.
Samora Knight
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