WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE PAGAN COMMUNITY?

[@SoulMusician360]

See I feel a sense of extremism when I walk into most newage/holistic stores now days. As if they are trying too hard...if that makes sense. It gives off a corny, unrealistic vibe. As if it's more of a tourist shop than anything.

[@1019jen]

Yes. I walked into ba shop and instantly felt a negative vibe. The girls there just thought they were the bees knees and I didn't belong there. I walked out and took my business down the street to this ladies shop who had been there way longer and was just so much more welcoming and down to earth.

[@eddielee6490]

@@1019jen I know what you mean I rely on my vibes and I have had the same experience in some of these shops .And when you find the right one I promise you will go back !

[@themagnus2919]

They are Lucifarians. That's why.

[@GravesRWFiA]

The late Robert Parker had a great description of people like that. "He was out and ready to scare hell out of republicans" meaning trying to be controversial rather than just being themselves.

[@DistantlyCold]

As a pagan and a member of the BDSM community there is always a time and place to wear BDSM gear and pagan events are not it lol.

[@mikenuzzo3323]

Near Syracuse n y ?

[@mikenuzzo3323]

Are you?

[@Psych.o.delica]

Yes! thank you

[@themagnus2919]

BDSM is very negative.

[@LoveoftheDarkFiberArts]

@@themagnus2919 Sorry you had a bad experience. Plenty of us find a great deal of joy and positivity in it.

[@akasailorsea]

I'm with you about the hate on "aesthetic paganism". A lot of social media is visual, of course people are going to make the stuff they post look visually appealing.

[@Toddoss5875]

Two words: community meals. Eating together regularly binds humans together more than anything else, except maybe prolonged suffering, even then it’s pretty close.

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Definitely agree! :)

[@tiamaat2387]

YES, wise

[@ScarletRavenswood]

@@mikenuzzo3323 Hi Mike, I live in Chicago now but I actually grew up near Syracuse and used to go to Earthbound metaphysical all the time :)

[@BethJehovah]

Simple songs and dances everyone joins in on would be fun.

[@theMermaidRhonda]

The pagan community where I live is very active. We adopted a highway and also have cauldrons for collecting food in several businesses. We do clothing drives, pet food drives, as well as donating food to local food banks. We want people to know that we're really just a bunch of nice, good people.

[@lavenderhazelwood8778]

This is wonderful! Please keep up the good work.

[@eclaire1748]

Oregon?

[@rorisangsathegi]

La loya voetsek. You mean you don't bewitch outchea?

[@DanielMoler777]

I agree on many fronts, especially taking paganism more seriously. I went to PantheaCon because my book was being featured last year by Llewellyn, but it was difficult to take my kids and other family members because the BDSM cosplay was a little much, including the way some people were acting....

[@isabellerizo3208]

That's terrible.

[@BrightElk]

Yeah it’s unfortunate. Same with LGBT+ parades. It’s sad that these events are not family friendly. Kids are often taken for granted or a second thought. I mean I’m not saying they can’t have those things but I would say that they could do what the last parade that I visited did which was rope off a section for child friendly LGBT+ stuff for example face painting, rides and Tshirts and fun stuff. And then rope off an 18+ section. My only complaint was that you could not view the ACTUAL parade which was the whole point of showing up without entering the 18+ section because some of the floats literally had folks in lingerie, BDSM leather and people with their breasts out who yes identified as women and even for someone who is both an adult and forward thinking was a bit... off putting and made you feel a little uncomfortable. I just wish that the parade could have been for everyone. The kids really felt left out and disappointed.

[@benjalucian1515]

Reminds me of some traditional college events I used to go to. They were not safe for children events, with carousing, drinking, smoking, partying, trysts in the woods, bonfires, round the clock drumming circles. Much fun had by all. Then I watched as people graduated, became parents and feeling nostalgic, wanted to attend these events, then were aghast because they didn't want their kids exposed to those things! i.e. the same things they did as college kids. So armed with hypocritical prudery, they turn these one time adult only events into kid-friendly events. Can't have trysts, drinking, smoking things, carousing or round the clock drumming (it will wake up the kids!). They turned them into safe, boring, arts and crafts exhibits with petting zoos. And then they wonder why the events are not as fun as they remember.

[@carmensavu5122]

@@benjalucian1515 Conservative prudes are hypocritical af. Fortunately, their kids grow into teens and call them out on their bulls**t like nobody's business.

[@benjalucian1515]

@@carmensavu5122 - I hope they do, but likely, they just don't know about their parents' wild days, and just keep their own wilding secret.

[@forestjohnson7474]

Scarlet I have wanted to set up food drives, I'm going to call Heathens against hunger.

[@ScarletRavenswood]

That's awesome. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help with your food drive. :)

[@forestjohnson7474]

@@ScarletRavenswood Yes I will need lots of help however the first thing is to secure a grant from uncle sam so that we have a facility.

[@forestjohnson7474]

@@ScarletRavenswood Thank you Scarlet Ravenswood.

[@SheWearsShortSkirtsIEatPizza]

That would be so amazing. Those of us in the Heathan community need better representation. Most of the general public thinks we are just neo-nazis and nothing more.

[@jaygarrison7848]

When Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston my Coven did a good donation drive for pet food and sent 1k each of cat and dog kibble to the Houston SPCA under the name Bird's Nest Coven. Everyone was focused on helping displaced people but to my knowledge we were the only ones concerned about the displaced pets. As a Pagan High Priest who works full time as a veterinary technician and has a side business as a dog groomer I had to do something to not only lend a hand where it was needed in spite of living in a different State , but also to try to change the image of "Witches" as someone who helps out their community versus someone conducting strange rituals in cemeteries late at night.

[@The_Spiritual_Honey_Badger]

Agreed 1000% its hard in Australia when you are in a rural area there isn't many of us left over here as our elders are passing on.

[@phillipchavez1880]

Yes leave the politics out. There is enough hate to go around without getting it from fellow practitioners.

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Definitely agree :)

[@forestjohnson7474]

YEP

[@TheAtheopaganismChannel]

Intra-community politics? I agree. MOVEMENT politics? Nah--we need MORE of that. More activism, more advocacy for our values.

[@user-wh1st3hq9u]

@@TheAtheopaganismChannel absolutely not. Some of us are in the gray area politically. The last thing I want is to be labelled as something I'm not.

[@mountedpatrolman]

For some bizarre reason, Leftist Idenititarian/authoritarian types seem to be drawn to "paganism" which is more likely neo-paganism with them. They have been infesting pagan groups for a while now.

[@firesong83]

I'm 71 in another month and I agree with most of what you said. Personally, I love the online pagan community ... I think of them as technopagans. I believe that much of the negative behavior is due to a basic lack of maturity and acceptance. Everybody needs to follow their own path. If I want people to accept me I need to practice acceptance of others. BTW I love your channel. I'm never too old to learn something new.

[@jscorpio1987]

My main issue is that on one of the online Wiccan communities I belong to, there are a ton of what call themselves “baby witches”. I assume that means they’re new to Witchcraft. But that’s not the part that bothers me. The part that bothers me is that they message me saying things like “I’m a baby Witch. I love Witchcraft and I want to practice it. I need somebody to give me spells though because I don’t know any spells yet.” I usually respond with a short explanation of what Wicca is. That casting spells isn’t all there is to Wicca, magick is just one small part of it, also that it’s not the only form of Witchcraft, and that it takes a lot of study, introspection, and spiritual development to get to the point where you can even make an informed decision as to whether Wicca is right for you. It’s not just casting a spell here and there and telling everybody you’re a Witch. I usually end with recommending that they take a trip to a library or bookstore to get a better idea of what Wicca is and isn’t. Then they start spamming the community with posts that they’re desperate for somebody to give them a spell for this or that so they can be a Witch. My problem is that they do no research on their own whatsoever and refuse to believe that Wicca is anything other than a spell factory to hopefully make themselves feel like they have power they can threaten their classmates at school with. They’re very rude and very disrespectful to people that take Wicca very seriously as a spirituality and way of life. And the community as I knew it when I first joined has become less and less active while it’s getting flooded with these 12 year old, disrespectful, so called “baby witches” that refuse to show a way of life that they claim to be interested in any respect whatsoever. I’m sure there are plenty of communities online for people who just want to cast spells and role play but instead they decide to flood the Wiccan communities.

[@rebekahpaige57]

J T I have seen this even on Pinterest on posts about Wicca. I am not Wiccan but I did research it before I decided on a different path. I read books , watched videos, and read articles but I think many people do see tv shows and a couple posts and decide they want to be “edgy.”

[@Starborn_Rose]

I completely agree.

[@jeremiah.a4891]

Honestly, this applies to literally every occupation/hobby/ spiritual practice. The hate, the drama, the misinformed, and the outright wrongfulness is completely out of hand these days. I understand constructive criticism, but don’t be such an asshole about it. Being an asshole is what further divides amongst any spiritual practices/ hobbies/ occupations. These days, everyone is entirely too competitive towards their belief systems. The art of open mindedness, is dramatically decreasing amongst the general population. I’m no Wiccan, but I most definitely respect the spirituality behind it. I believe it’s a beautiful way of life to live, as long as it’s within reason.

[@asackville1]

I entirely agree with you, especially the older ones who do no research, don't crack a book and call any and all of us that take what we do seriously "gatekeepers".

[@SarahEsmaeWolfe]

I agree with you on the gate keepers, I think that's a big reason why people don't meet up with a witchy community. I left organized religion for that reason so I guess that would be my reason for not meeting with a group, I don't want it to feel religious.

[@christinehoffmanstudios]

I WISH that we all had a community meet-up weekly. I live in the Bible belt and being Pagan is far and near between to try and find others who practice or believe in it. I think that a lot of Pagans experience this and in turn choose to practice solitarily which is unfortunate. I wish that there was an online community dedicated to Pagan practices. I know we live in a tech-driven world now, which is straying further away from our nature related beliefs, but it could be helpful in linking other Pagans together.

[@nod55106]

Wow, i completely agree with you on all of your points. Shifting to a more local approach will have a big impact on pagan practice, and more community service is certainly needed. Politics nearly destroyed my local group, keep it at home.

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Thanks for your comment. I'm glad to hear to hear you resonated with the points I brought up in the video. :)

[@AF-tv6uf]

@@ScarletRavenswood I agree with you and this fellow. No matter what your creed, worship is supposed to be a time that takes us out of the worldly. A time that gets us closer to something transcendent. The more steeped in politics spirituality is, the farther it is from the divine. There must be another option for spirituality beyond 'postmodern absurdity' and 'folkish romance' but that's the toxic dichotomy that a lot of pagans seem to be entertaining.

[@jeancooper7953]

Thank you for your comments. I like your perspective and you are so right. I have started a local Pagan meet up once a month and hope to see it grow, from which point we can celebrate Sabates and just enjoy community.

[@dustinangland8138]

Yes!! Love the fact that you pointed out to give paganism dignity!! Present yourself in a way people do not laugh at us!! I’m just a normal guy who happens to practice witchcraft.

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Glad you liked the video :)

[@dustinangland8138]

@@ScarletRavenswood loved it. Gotta respect the craft.

[@benjalucian1515]

That would mean actually caring what other people think.

[@drakonidesthevigilant5155]

I spent the summer of 2015 living in the forests and fields, allying myself with the ancient spirits and invoking the Sun God. At no point was I even slightly concerned with how I looked.

[@alanschaub147]

“I like bringing beauty into the world.” Spoken like a true Libra! ♎️

[@fllicksick]

I’m glad you made the point about bashing the younger witches online. Being a bisexual nerd, I’ve seen that ‘gatekeeping’ of sorts is pretty common in previously marginalized communities such as nerd culture or the LGBTQ+ community, where a lot of people within the community will say “You’re not a real ____ if you don’t do _____.” It’s pretty hurtful.

[@1019jen]

Yes. I watched a video made by a girl who calls herself a heathen and said that not just anyone can be a heathen. You can't choose to be pagan if your ancestors aren't. Like who of us knows ALL our ancestors. She seemed very divisive. She took this other girls video and "corrected" every aspect of it. I'm new to paganism and witchcraft and I know it's calling me but I am mixed race. Mexican, Scot-Irish, Portuguese and native. Super mix. My grandpa is from Mexico but his roots are from Spain. So am I welcome or not?

[@bunnybrown809]

Asatru or Heathen community? It was through my nordic ancestors, I encountered the Nordic Gods and Goddesses...My appearance may have been a turn off to those communities,The Southern European and Ojibwe Heritage kinda show more than Nordic apperance...but Odin choose me so I feel accepted by the those Gods and Goddesses not by those communties⚡

[@eclaire1748]

@@bunnybrown809 it's a very welcoming community for the most part too

[@carmensavu5122]

You stumbled onto a folkish heathen. Their view is essentially spiritual racism, which is bulls**t. I'd suggest you go watch Ocean Keltoi and Wolf the Red on KZbin. They have content that delves deeper into this issue.

[@BethJehovah]

Go back far enough all our ancestors had indigenous gods and sacred nature.

[@hethemheathen2853]

Thank you for posting this! I agree with a lot of your points- less hate (esp directed at new, younger witches), finding localized community and making regular meetups (although the christian comparison, due to so many folks background with it, may have undermined your point), dressing appropriately for a public event- although I will say that there should be a freedom to dress your best in the sense of what makes you feel powerful, magical, connected to your path etc (which at least for me, sure as fuck isn't my "Sunday Best" or business casual) keeping things PG so that we can include family, younger people or sex repulsed people without much concern. Calling it a "pride" event reminds me that the issue happens in LGBT spaces as well, and there are always options to have fun adult oriented meetups in the community as well- just keep it a private, ID at the door meetup. On the point of politics, I see where you're coming from- there is far too much divide in the community already, and there should be spaces safe against that. However, we live in a very political world where some things become unavoidable. We should at least acknowledged that as mentioned below, certain paths have had things sacred to them taken and appropriated by alt-right/nazi/white supremacist organizations, and there's an element of care to take. (I avoided Norse Paganism and all Norse Pagans for a long time due to this, and I'm sure they aren't the only group) There is also the issue of uneducated humans being out there taking from practices that they aren't welcome in, ones that are closed off from the uninitiated. Coming from a place of kindness and genuinely wanting to help (and not a sense of holier-than-thou-ism) it should be safe to guide your peers away from the harmful and into a place where they can be their authentic selves and also respect the people around them. I feel like it's important to remind the community that this isn't a funeral, you are allowed to have fun and that silliness and respectfulness can (and should!) coexist.

[@spiritchannel]

Hi Scarlet! EXCELLENT video! So agree with you on all of this! I have had this same experience where people seem to think that a Pagan event means that they can behave however they want. I have seen the BDSM outfits...I get that many Pagans are accepting of alternative lifestyles, but if you look at the origins of British Witchcraft (think Gerald Gardner, 1950s), people were much more reverential in their approach of the Craft. Thanks for sharing. Blessed be!

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Thanks for your comment. I'm glad you like the video :)

[@andruid5054]

The thing is about Gardner was he was a naturist and a lot of his rituals were "skyclad",so probably not the best example lol,but I understand where your coming from

[@chriszimmerman9737]

This video needs to be seen by more people. Thank you for this.

[@maribelacosta450]

I agree on all things you said. You wouldn't go to a job interview looking like a crazy person. Dress and act like it is a respectable seminar, because it is. Dress how you want on your own time.

[@creedzen]

Very well said! I think having a day during the week is a great idea. As a solitary pagan, I actually do have a day that's reserved for specific ritual/worship and it's incredibly uplifting.

[@forestjohnson7474]

Me too, I use to not have, but then a couple of years ago and now I look forward to when the time comes.

[@lucahugill3658]

I think this is a great video and I love that you've taken the time to think about it and air your views. It's not an easy topic to consider bringing up to such a potentially spirited crowd! But I think you've identified something really important. And I agree - that the decline of old events is absolutely an opportunity to birth something new. I think that starting these discussions on social media is really important. Is there a way to encourage Video Responses from other members of the community? To keep the seed growing...

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Thanks! And yes, I would love for people to make a video response to keep the conversation going :)

[@lucahugill3658]

I was thinking more youtubers with their own pagan channels - seeing if they're interested in adding to the conversation so it reaches their thousands of subscribers viewers. Are you on fb - I searched under your name but couldn't see anything... x

[@Master_Blackthorne]

I think it is a good idea for us to be local. I mean when you consider gas, plane fair and camping equipment it really adds up. Having a Circle, Coven or Covenstead with everyone pitching in seems more productive and realistic.

[@GaryLeeMooreWITCH]

The weekly set meetup has too many abrahamic overtones for my likings. You have many valid points, but any organised religious service inherently builds walls and brings with it the certainty of abuse of power. Who would lead the service? How are they picked? How are they kept in check? So many problems with this. Glad you make these videos... you are a delight to the pagan community 💚🌙⭐️🌙

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Thanks for your comment! I agree that there's also a lot of downsides to the concept of a weekly meeting. It's tough to figure out the best solution to build community, which is why it's so great seeing everyone's responses and ideas on this topic. :)

[@UhtredOfBamburgh]

@@ScarletRavenswood I think a system where mother nature is the group leader in place of a human can mitigate authoritarian issues. For example building a temple is great but it requires a person/staff to own a building and manage and maintain it. What if stone henges are built and all the power is given to the sacred spot and not to humans. With a stone henge it costs a one time flat fee to build or a one-time search for labour and then large stone is not prone to deterioration or maintenance issues or ongoing finance. These can be constructed on the woodland fringes of cities everywhere and whoever shows up the most to care for or use the spots can naturally become temporary leaders as the natural ebb and flow of the sacred location decides. Only mother nature is allowed to become a dominant force when standing inside a henge and this would be an easy singular rule to implement with pagan gatherings.

[@sandragenrejunkies]

I love so many points you make! Especially anything about embracing each other and not judging. 💙🦋

[@brandwhitlock6816]

Thank you for making this video! I've been talking about this for a long time. It's one of the main reason why I just do my own thing. Politics I think are especially destructive, it's bad magic bent on chaos and hate. I won't have anything to do with politics. Also, I completely agree on presenting ourselves in a dignified manner in regards to our beliefs. That's one of the reasons I like your channel so much. You're very dignified and well spoken, and I appreciate that.

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Thanks! I'm glad you like the video. :)

[@djhavenm]

Fascinating video! I was in the Chicago Pagan Community from 1991-96. There actually was a group called Panthea (actually a Unitarian -Universalist Pagan congregation) that met weekly in addition to the new moons and Sabbats, and they had their own space. It was founded and led by a Unitarian minister but we took turns leading circles. Maintaining a weekly event was a LOT of work, but we had the numbers to make it happen. Lots of good things happened, and some not so good things, and I and others left Panthea for many reasons. You can probably guess why--it was likely similar dynamics that you've encountered. I still have friends from that community--we're scattered around the country at this point. There were also some good cross-city Pagan coalitions of people from different organizations and covens starting about 1994 or 95, but my beliefs began to change and I went in a different direction. Many of those debates about how we present ourselves occurred back then, too. I'm dipping my toe back in as a solitaire and I will be a solitaire for a while at least because my approach differs from that of many Pagans. For that reason, I see value in the online Pagan community because it enables me to learn from others. Like many Pagans, I'm choosy about whom I will be in a circle with. Your videos are fascinating--thanks for all the work you've put into them!

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Thanks for your lovely comment! I so glad to hear you like my videos :)

[@LadyAmanita]

About the cosplay thing- just what do you define as cosplay? I’ve been accused of cosplay by a Christian woman simply for wearing a dress I bought from holy clothing. One of the things I’ve always appreciated about Paganism is that it doesn’t try to force everyone into a conservative normcore dress code, and that creativity and self expression are welcomed. If we’re going to be expected to start dressing like a businesswoman to attend rituals or events, we may as well start going to church.

[@juliereminiec4937]

Scarlet, I think that the BSM People ) (the costumes are included ) should be kept out of the Pagan Community events Costumes also has to be kept out... T shirts & jeans ought to mandatory what do you think?

[@carmensavu5122]

Are you saying BDSM people should be kept out of Pagan events, no matter what they are wearing? If that's the case, you know where to stick it.

[@FlyingMiniTacosYT]

I kind of like the idea of a “Church” maybe biweekly or monthly. I would say to have it more of a discussion than a church service. Just have a bunch of folks come together and have a discussion on different topics, do some rituals, stuff like that. Idk I’m new to the path, but I definitely like the ideas you brought forth in this video

[@upcycle.outdoorsman9629]

Excellent video! I couldn't agree more. My wife and I are practitioners, and have found it very difficult to connect to a larger community. We need more organization, and yes, especially at the grassroots level. LOL, and yes, LARP'ers are not helpful when it comes to a wider social acceptance. We are grown ups, and its not 600A.D.

[@ricericericericericericeri5762]

@Strange Fruit LARP = Live Action Role Play. It's people that are only pretending, not taking the path seriously.

[@upcycle.outdoorsman9629]

@Strange Fruit It stands for Live Action Role Play. Not dissimilar to cosplay. To be fair, the revival of neopagan spiritual traditions in the 60's and 70's grew up hand in hand with other forms of reenactments like society for creative anachronisms and renaissance fairs and the like. Nowadays, it would be nice to have more of a reputation for legitimate spirituality than: I put my beliefs on with my viking costume.

[@upcycle.outdoorsman9629]

@Strange Fruit I agree. Nothing wrong with those activities. Its when people get confused with their contextual choices. One example I see in the comments is people showing up at conventions and meetups in what amounts to fetishwear. Really, there is a time and place for everything; but not everything is right for that time and place.

[@claytonhines1558]

Localize it around the moon phases would sound more appropriate but yes I feel Gatherings would be good within the community to each communities discretion though

[@Lisa_Papez]

I don't comment very often, but I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate your content. Thank you for all you do. 🙏 P.S. Yule content? Coming right up!

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Thanks :)

[@bobmessier5215]

Over the last 30 years, I've seen the ups and downs of pagan thoughts in community gatherings and issues. I agree with nearly everything you have said about this subject, but one. The politics...There is a political party that is an antithesis of all that pagans believe in general and if paganism is to be considered an open spiritual path allowed to exist like any other religion and to try and save our planet, then it is imperative that we choose a particular political side for survival.

[@sophiaheilig7669]

You make good points definitely. I Disagree slightly on the politic thing because while for example being lgbtq+ should not be political, unfortunately it is seen as political. So I think being clear that we are an open accepting space is very important as being accepted is one of the reasons I love the pagan community.

[@PaganPathways]

I have been contemplating an out reach program that addresses the needs of Pagans, not just spiritually but also the physical needs of everyday life.

[@RiverPond17]

Whoa dude, BDSM is not okay at an all ages event. A very subtle day collar would be fine but part of BDSM is consent and by dressing in full gear at a non-BDSM event is breaking that consent because its forcing people into a scene that they didn't consent to. Anyone wearing BDSM gear to a pagan event has missed the point of both BDSM and being pagan. Totally agree on the politics too. Its becoming almost gatekeeping because alot of online groups will straight up kick you if you don't 100% agree with them politically. I keep my practice and my pollical beliefs very separate

[@thekraken48]

Well said and about time. I have always disliked when the community publicly hates on one another.

[@carmensavu5122]

Given that this was posted shortly before Covid hit, it aged quite interestingly.

[@aaroncabral7379]

I dont really like the idea of an online pagan community mainly because I feel like it defeats the purpose

[@MichelleJNorton]

BDSM often representative of Sacred Kink. I think perhaps a wider conversation on inclusion and comfort would need to be had rather than full on NO BDSM at events. As long as there are groups using certain types of paganism to hide their political and social agenda, keeping politics out would be a disservice.

[@mikenuzzo3323]

Did I see you on Plenty of Fish? Seriously. Well, you can do your BDSM stuff, but you need to understand that there are some historical. Negotiating that's going on as we try to understand what our ancestors did.

[@elasticharmony]

@@mikenuzzo3323 what they did was get conquered by Rome.

[@kaeladensford]

I think just as the world and its energy is ever changing, I believe that people's way of expressing and experienceing their way of witchcraft is just that, ever changing. Life is always evolving, and we need to evolve with our practices with the times. Spreading the word or practice, if you will, will change and evolve with the times. However someone chooses to express or share their knowledge and practice with the world is up to them. Stop the judgement. We are practicing when you break it down. What makes it a beautiful is the way people interpret and incorporate all the knowledge they gain and embrace and grow in their own practice. Thank you Scarlet for sharing.

[@markiewing9904]

Love all the points you made. I personally attend a local full moon circle and have the past year but it took me 6 years to even find and get connected with the amazing women who host and participate. I feel part of it is alot of locals especially in smaller towns/states where Paganism and witch craft arent talked about as openly or advertised is harder to meet and find like minded people. And Online communities and Instagramers have personally helped me imensly especially with connecting with fellow "witches" when i cant attend meet ups!

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Thanks for your great comment. I'm glad you liked the video :)

[@thistle.thieves]

Ooh I would love to find and attend something like that!

[@markiewing9904]

@@thistle.thieves one way i met some like minded spiritusl peeps was selling tarot decks i no longer use in local buy sell facebook groups. Some times its people you least expect who will connect and practice with you!

[@chadkallauner]

Is anyone else bothered by that candle on the edge of the coffee table?? Drives me crazy! 😬

[@mndyD9]

Really glad you’re voicing opinions on this because you are not the only one who feels that way as well 👏🏻

[@dustinn.4269]

I think one of the problems even with local events is people don't respect each other's opinions. So getting pagans together when they are from different schools of though is not easy.

[@johnpool5629]

Where is the Pago community in yucca valley or would it be better for me to try palm Springs first.

[@TheAtheopaganismChannel]

I completely disagree about "not being political". That's a very Christian approach: pray on Sunday and be a complete jerk the rest of the time. We should advocate for our values, and your position that we shouldn't is very much an expression of privilege. You might want to think about that.

[@TheAtheopaganismChannel]

Also: you can't very well be about "Mother Earth" without being up to your neck in politics. Politics is how decisions get made that impact the health of the Earth.

[@Pinocchionline]

As a witchy youtuber myself, I can tell that conventional ways of studying witchcraft and paganism are not preferred to youtube videos or Tumblr anymore (and that's a pity sometimes, because you can find a lot of fake news there, more about aesthetic than information). Smaller local events would be sooooo cool, but here in Italy witchcraft is still a new things, and a lot of people think that it's related to being evil or k¡lling animals (satanism's prejudice, you know)

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Thanks for your comment! I'll definitely check out your channel. It's great that you're making videos about witchcraft from Italy. Hopefully, the prejudice against witchcraft will disappear as more people learn about witchcraft & paganism. :)

[@Pinocchionline]

@@ScarletRavenswood Hey, thank you so much for the support ❤️ btw my channel is in italian and i do not have subtitles, so don't worry, but thanks for your kind response 💕💕

[@meredithstar1257]

I love this. I know this is an old video and you may not see this comment but just in case! I am a born and raised Texan and was brought up to be christian. Never really felt right to me. Now I'm pagan. I love the idea of more local communities and this has made me think of possible starting a local group. It is a bit scary since I live in a VERY christian town, nothing wrong with christians but I can see a lot of hate coming at a group like that. Since you are moving to Texas, while Dallas is still far from where I live, I thought if there are enough of us, maybe a state wide community would be cool. Right now with covid that may not be possible to meet up. However, when we are able to gather again, I think it would be a wonderful experience to have a state wide pagan gathering. Like a conference where there are speakers and crafters and more. I would love to be more involved and even take part in putting something like this together. Let me know if this seems like a realistic idea to you. Thank you so much for your video!

[@annawallace4943]

Hi Scarlet,love your channel! You have such a refreshing way of expressing your thoughts & ideas of Paganism. I'm from Arkansas "the bible belt" yeah not alot of communities for us here. So,I am a solitary pagan eclectic witch. I am happier than EVER before!

[@annawallace4943]

@Armed Patriot I've no idea,it's been called that way before I was ever born. Yes,I know there are Christian's all over,like I said,I don't know..

[@HalloWitch93]

I couldn't agree more about politics and taking the faith more seriously. I've met so many crackpots in this religious walk who misrepresent paganism as either a force of extreme political fury, or as a haven for ideas so breathtakingly stupid that no rational person could ever take them seriously. I'm very much a pagan myself (pretty recent convert) but I feel so embarrassed by these people. x_x And I don't even wanna ponder how the gods must feel right about now.

[@2NZday]

So, there are certain issues at the intersection of paganism and politicization such as human rights and environmentalism. I don’t think these should be political issues, I think it’s a shame that they’ve become such. But, for instance, Hrafnar Kindred takes a bold stance on welcoming Heathens of Colour and speaking for environmental stewardship. Do you think they’re wrong for discussing “political” issues?

[@auriamoon2662]

I’m on the fence about the “aesthetic witch” hate on one hand you are right- who are we to judge? On another hand o think paganism and Wicca is being used as a trend by people who don’t bother to understand the religion or educate themselves on the background. To me, it’s almost a form of appropriation.

[@ScottyHagerman]

Curious, how many people answered the survey in total? Should have mentioned that as well.

[@maudieicrochet9491]

How about directing the focus to speakers and workshops rather than vendors? How about some focus on co-ops instead of consumerism?

[@johnoneill919]

No hate here scarlet, i completely agree with all of your points here ! Great video !

[@NPNPaganArtistSpotlight]

It is time for the hate, the division, the power trips, the negative and destructive egos to come to a end. When I first came into the community in 2003 I discovered a huge rift that had been formed due to a power struggle and was flat out told I had to choose sides which I refused to do as I am not one to conform. I have worked hard to do what I can do to unite people and to create a safe space for those who need it and want it.

[@risingphoenix473]

Totally on Point with what your saying. Yes ,its tough for for some of us to get to the Larger events in the city ( Chicago) which is Why I started the Chicago South Burbs Wiccan/ Pagan and Metaphysical community on fb. To bring Us together more. Agree on the political end ... no room for it. I'll be sharing this to the page and Thank You SO Much for speaking truth here. Blessed Be, Always. Ron

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Awesome, thanks for sharing. I'm glad you liked the video :)

[@risingphoenix473]

Find Us. Find the page. Would be a Tremendous Honor, Friend Witch. 🌛💚🌜😊

[@IndigoJaguar7323]

I agree with you one hundred percent on pagan attire in public. There are some things that need to stay within groups and privacy of ones home or location. I feel, my opinion of course, is within the various pagan communities there’s the preconceived stigmas and biases that are perpetuated by various other religions and there’s no denying that the entertainment industry loves to twist facts for box office and ratings. Be respectful of what paganism represents to not only you, but others as well. I’ve been mortified many times by the behavior of other pagans. Some do intentionally conduct themselves in behaviors to scare, intimidate and to get a reaction from those in the non pagan community. I experienced this firsthand and it was appalling and embarrassing. If you want respect there needs to be respect shown in return to others. Be kind to everyone even though they may or may not show you the same. My experience, my opinion. Thank you Scarlet for bringing up these very important topics which need to be addressed. We set the standard of integrity and respect for the younger pagan communities to follow.

[@MisUnderstandingUs]

some people who don't live near a good community and can't travel to other events outside of where they live, usually are the ones that are mostly on Instagram and youtube because that is the only way they can express themselves. But I think we do have to portray ourselves better so that way people even outside of the community can take us seriously and not be so afraid to understand because they see how the people just putting on a show act.

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Definitely agree. Thanks for your comment! :)

[@priestessoftheancientflame4232]

For ten years Ive oganized meeings for pagans and there people came from over the country to attend them. But five years ago I stopped to organize them, because at the end came 2 people, nothing more. Times were changing. Now we pagans mustnt hide or go to meetings miles away. The internet gives us the chance to connect with local groups and peoples, youtube plays a big part in pagan identity. There were thousands of groups and solitary pagans out there and the number is growing. Paganism is more and more accepted, while christian faith is fading (here in europe, in Germany were I live, christianity is dying and paganism is flourishing like never before in 500 years). I think we dont need to hide anymore, there were no secrets anymore, we are free to practice our faith (of course I could only speak for europe). I think it as much to do with the vanishing christian faith, that paganism is growing and that it is more and more accepted. And I think too, that we as pagans must be progressive with the new world and the new time. We must meet in local groups. And we must present ourselfes in a way, that we can be taken serious. Ive seen pagans or wanna-be-pagans at meetings and rituals and yes, I thougt I was on a cosplay-convention or at a halloween-party. We must show pride and dignity with the right clothing! I myself dress nicely and serious for rituals or I put my ritual robe on, a medieval stile of robe, but I never looked like a goslpayer or dressed up for halloween. We meet the gods in riutal, so the clothing should be appropriate. I think in ten years paganism will be a total normal part of society and there will be more and more pagans and more and more temples and gatherings in local groups.

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Thanks for your great comment! It's so exciting to hear that Paganism is expanding in Germany :)

[@priestessoftheancientflame4232]

@@ScarletRavenswood Paganism has a big arising in Europe, it is not so fast like in the US, but it is exploding from nowhere the last 5 years. I am happy to live my faith freely now, even at my workplace, nobody looks strange at you because youre a pagan :)

[@priestessoftheancientflame4232]

@@ScarletRavenswood How is it in Stockholm, your homecountry with the rise of paganism? What are the pagan traditions there? Could you make a video about this topic? I find it very interesting to know.....

[@AngelGonzalez-sn4bv]

Hi I'm fellow norse pagan, but I can't seem to find any others like me. Especially pagan women my age of 18.

[@vernmeyerotto255]

Leaving politics out... that can be problematic for some since political activism is a core tenant of the Reclaiming tradition. I can definitely see that there is a fundamental difference in younger pagans vs the older cohort. We were raised in a world that didn't have cellphones, the internet etc, so the value of face to face communications built a community that valued gatherings. To the older generation, the idea of online communities does seem sterile, and certainly devoid of communal emotion. After all, as witches, we deal in raised power: how much more effective is a group in emotional sync than one alone? The point of large gatherings is the value of exchanging ideas, personal ties and the feeling of oneness that such events can engender. There is a mundane reality to this - without your support in both attendance and financially, they cannot survive. Our community will be poorer without these events, so I certainly encourage your support. As far as your local gatherings, we've had them for years - Open Full Moon rituals. Frequently they're held at a Universalist CC church. For more frequent gatherings, look for pagan study groups, or start your own. Blessed Be!

[@MattyRlufc]

Re. Clothing, I agree. I think it's entirely legitimate to say that whilst people can of course express themselves in their own way, they should also be respectful of the fact that others may have different views to them.

[@ovenbakedtwink]

Scarlet: we should take out politics out of paganism. Me: why do that when we could hex the patriarchy.

[@La-meiga-celtibera]

I so disagree with this. I don't think politics will ever be gone from the pagan/witch community. Because of people like you who think patriarchy is a thing.

[@benjalucian1515]

@@La-meiga-celtibera - patriarchy is a thing. Obviously.

[@Lalunamoondeer]

Co founder of our local public Pagan community. No one under 18 with out a parent or guardian. So sad to see Witch Vox go. However 2 other pagan websites I use to belong to (not on Facebook!) I am glad they are gone. To much trolling, to judgemental! To much bullying. We here are a face to face group. However we have a very secure Facebook group just for us in the group. To communicate with each other and keep people informed of events. We're almost 7 years strong now. BLESSED be!

[@JolieEnglish]

"Where my pagans at? We need to get these Yule videos out!" Haha I laughed out loud ^_^ love your channel new *subscriber*

[@PAW153]

No argument or hate from me. I agree with everything you've said. Thank you.

[@AkashicMoon]

Scarlet, I've been enjoying your videos for a while now and this is my first time commenting...you are so WONDERFUL to watch/listen to, and this video was spot on! I'm SO glad I'm not alone in feeling cetain ways about the Pagan community (from the next generation of content creators and local gatherings, to how we present our faith in said gatherings as well as practice what we preach in our daily lives), and I am so happy that you are not afraid to address these issues and shed some light on how we ALL could/should be doing our parts to positively progress as a Pagan family. Also, yeah, I grew up Catholic, and if anything miss the communal aspect of weekly meetups for celebration/worship as well, so no shame in drawing those truthful comparisons! Anywho, just wanted to bid you kudos and say, "Thank you!" for all of the AMAZING content...'til next time, take care! 😊🙏💕 -- Pat #LoveLightBlessedBe

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Hi Pat, thanks so much for your kind comments! It's so great to hear that you enjoyed the video and resonated with the thoughts I brought up about the Pagan community. Many Blessings :)

[@leosardis]

just caught your video on aeon byte and loved it. what i was thinking while watching was how awesome it'd be to have something similar on a weekly basis. just a live chat where the chatroom could bring up questions, concerns, etc just to build a knowledge base and awareness. i'd absolutely attend some local gatherings but i'm in oklahoma and as much as i've checked around, i can't find much. so maybe from something like that, people in the same areas could connect.

[@johnpool5629]

What I meant was Pagon! Community in my comments below.

[@patriotwolf1750]

You are exactly right I live in the south and because of your video I have joined a group that lets me know where events are. Hopefully I will go to one soon 😁😁 we are all one sister thank you for your videos ❤️❤️

[@LeahWalentosky]

When I lived in my old town, they had meetings every new moon and full moon

[@xXHanna84Xx]

Yes,they are young, i remember my goth phase.....but when youre serious about paganism, yes you do get offended. Its getting watered down and treated like a joke when people outside the pagan community sees that.TikTok witches makes me so upset and angry. I wish they would watch older,serious pagans as Rev Don. He makes amazing ,intelligent vlogs.

[@Svartalf42]

Excellent video, though I'm torn on the political aspect. There are too many white nationalists appropriating pagan symbolism to be completely apolitical, but aside from such extremes I agree.

[@rae9704]

That's my issue exactly. I'm all for leaving politics out of paganism... but I refuse to share a space with someone who believes that certain groups of people don't deserve to live. They bring hate into pagan spaces and that's not okay

[@markiewing9904]

Always love and am intrigued to hear your views and opinions!

[@calypso_lazuli]

I totally agree with not bashing new WitchTubers who look aesthetically pleasing!! It’s this thing I’ve noticed around, and also other pagans bashing Wiccans too. I’ve considered myself a pagan for many years and I actually did go through a Gothic stage where I wore all black but quickly found out that it wasn’t for me and I don’t think that what we were wear should define our spirituality. I don’t think I would ever gotten into looking like a vampire which isn’t my style (not that there’s anything wrong with it but people have different styles) if it wasn’t for the witchy stereotype that’s put out there by society, so I totally get why the newer witchtubers look completely different than what you would be used to.

[@joenathan8059]

I would like to go to events but theres none in new york

[@ernestclayton8550]

10 yrs ago we would have bands and flame dancers and lots of vendors along with 5000 people at Beltane! Now there may be a dozen or less show up! 😢

[@thistle.thieves]

Good video, good topics brought up! I enjoyed the video! And also really enjoyed reading through the comments.

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Thanks! :) I'm glad you liked the video.

[@Alexander-wq7qo]

I think the issue is people are overromanticizing solitary practice and this idea of "I can be bad by myself." Not true. Everyone learns from someone else. No one is truly solitary otherwise we wouldn't need KZbin, books, etc. What we need is a revival in love for community, when the pandemic is over of course. Overall we need to stop telling each other to "Just do what feels right and don't listen to others." Sometimes we need to humble the self and learn from others and revaluate.

[@isabellerizo3208]

I feel this so much. The whole crunchy cosplay/BDSM and being seen as a joke is a whole thing and why I do not regularly attend pagan things. And i feel that good aesthetics are a revuttal to the crunchy tourist aesthetic that adds to the not taking the pagan community seriously. In my coven we meet every Wednesday and Sunday. And have been considering a monthly in person meetup after covid. Thank you for your thoughts and normalizing what I have been thinking for years

[@HighPriestessK]

The owner of Witchvox was a jerk. When I needed a password reset that person got upset. I have been busy in my life at that time, and didn’t have time to be on all the time. So, I am glad to hear and it was highly inactive website anyway.

[@grannybucks]

I absolutely agree!! And your rite,I'm going to utilize social media and try to get more events and groups in my area,because honestly I'm a solitary Druid only because the group events are so far away...thanks so much!!! Blessed be and may your day and life be filled with love and light!!♥️🌈🌟✨⭐🌠🗿🌒🌕🌘🌼🌻🏵️🌸🌺💐🌷🥀💖

[@tomcurran1538]

Sunday go to meeting clothes, as they say around here. Yes, and practice REAL tolerance, not only tolerance for folks who agree with you. Kinda like Quakers.

[@kanestanton9397]

I agree with everything albeit the politics part. I think we SHOULD leave that topic outta the internet discussions, but feel free to converse among our LOCAL Pagan communities as friends. I talk politics with my friends as it is because I'm political and politically active. And so I should feel free to do so with other Pagans so long as I'm respectful. But I agree it shouldn't be online, it's too difficult to read the other when there's no emotions or facial expressions. But other than that... SO belated of a message! Thank you for bringing this up

[@mattimus1979]

On dressing nicer for events, as a Jehovahs witness, I was raised to see it not only as a reflection on the community, but as a sign of respect for the house of God and God himself. Why not do the same for the pegan gods?

[@druidriley3163]

Sad that Real Life groups are fading. But I understand how people can't travel hundreds if not thousands of miles to attend a few days event. Internet communities may be growing, but they only last as long as the ether does. Once someone closes their website, that community is gone. Not a trace left of it. It was just an institution built on sand, easily brushed away, like it never existed.

[@claytonhines1558]

It's a world shift not just in the Pagan community eyes are opening and or people are letting passion or fear guide them like it always has through a many an eon an it's all of our jobs individually that will help the collective of all if we were to think more locally to begin with take care of your space take care of your area take care of the planet

[@AF-tv6uf]

Everything you said is everything that should have been said a good twenty years ago. By everyone. You get a big effing BRAVO!

[@LeahWalentosky]

In my new area, the local pagan community is far and spread out. It’s hard to organize

[@claytonhines1558]

Dignity yes seriousness no it is sincere that we need to display ourselves exactly how we are but with that dignity that the world would like to see Within the "Pagan"(umbrella turm) community.

[@benjalucian1515]

Considering most pagan religions are not proselytizing religions, and many groups are against indoctrinating children in religious beliefs against their will or before they've developed sufficient analytical thinking skills, I'm not sure why pagan conventions should be made kid-friendly. Most pagan religions are adult only religions. Their stories and parables are rarely G-rated and the religions require that their members be able to think critically and be knowledgeable, things kids are not good at.

[@leostarfire79]

❤️❤️❤️ VERY well said. ALL of it. Been subscribed to your channel for YEARS. First time commenting. LOVE your videos, and this one, I feel like I needed to comment. You are SO on point with this ENTIRE message. Thank you so much for using your platform. I feel like my style of Paganism is much like your own. My wife and I have two kids. We are mid to upper middle class. We are very subtle and private with our “religious views.” More-so myself than my wife. I would love for Paganism to show the side that you speak of in this video. Many of us are “normal every day people.” We take our spirituality seriously though. To each their own. We come from many paths and ways of life. This spirituality is really amazing though! ALTHOUGH you DO get a mixed bag when you put many of us together. LoL

[@ScarletRavenswood]

Hi Leo! Thanks so much for your support. I'm so glad you enjoy my channel and relate with the ideas I bring up in this video. :)

[@NPNPaganArtistSpotlight]

I too agree with keeping politics out of the community, and I also see that the main event people still travel to is PSG. I am in the process of putting together plans for local events here in Eastern Iowa where we discovered there are several people in the community who we did not know about. I am all about forming community and unity