In my Druid spirituality I have learned, as well as most Druids (they would tell you), that we do not take ourselves too seriously. You have to be able to laugh at yourself every now and then. When you take yourself too seriously you miss out on living a fulfilled life. I actually had to give this piece of advice to my fiance yesterday; my fiance is a Green Witch.
We took a trip to Salem, MA yesterday to visit some of the pagan stores to replenish some supplies. We also love Salem because it is right on the ocean and has some great places to eat; as well as a thriving pagan community.
As most of you know, Salem was the sight of the famous witch trials of the late 1600s. This was a very bleak time in Massachusetts history. Today, Salem makes a lot of money off tourists visiting the historic sites. Salem is aptly named “Witch City”. There is a large pagan population in Salem. In fact, pagans can express themselves freely without weird looks; it’s expected in this town. It actually adds to the charm for tourists. A tourist seeing a “real” witch or pagan is fascinating to them. You will find solicitors trying to get you to go on ghost tours around the city. You will find random wooden witch cut-outs so you can take a picture. You know the ones where the face is cut-out so you can put yours in and snap a picture? The picture I am trying to paint here is that of a town that capitalizes on its witch history and the active pagan community.
My fiance was getting very irritated yesterday with how commercialized Salem has made our religion. She was upset with tourists walking around with those pointed witch hats, tourists taking pictures in those wooden witch cut-outs, tourists buying pagan supplies as souvenirs not knowing what they actually are used for, etc…
I told her it’s ok and not to worry. ‘Don’t take yourself so seriously. It’s ok to smile when you see tourists soaking in the experience; they don’t know any better. Let the tourists have fun. You and I both know our ways and that should be good enough. If you can’t laugh at yourself every now and again, who can you laugh at?’
The point I was trying to make was that we don’t have to be so rigid when it comes to our pagan spiritualities. Live life and laugh; if you don’t you may end up miserable! There is a time and place to be serious, and there is a time and place to let loose a bit.
I enjoyed seeing the tourists have fun. Perhaps at the end of the day they learned a little about the pagan community. Perhaps some of their ignorance was washed away. But if all that came from these tourists was a day of fun for them then so be it. I am not going to take issue with that. I have other things to worry about.
Reblogged this on pagansilvertree.
Excellent attitude! And I agree 🙂
Thanks Sophia!
How true. In Britain Glastonbury and Tintagel have become pagan havens.
I live in Colchester, UK, and many witches died in the town. Our town was a haunt of the Wtchfinder General Matthew Hopkins. There is a strong pagan community in Colchester, though there is no attempts to make money from the town’s sordid past of murdering witches.
http://www.camulos.com/witchcraft.htm
Glastonbury is the alleged Avalon so I can see why that would be a pagan haven. I want to visit Glastonbury some day.
I’m not opposed to tourism on behalf of the witch trials. It is of historic significance in this country and most of our historic sites make money off tourisim. All I hope for is less ignorance on paganism.
Thanks for the link!