A Thought for All Souls Day

Many magicians find themselves attracted to traditions from
other cultures seeking an “authentic” experience. They view them as closer to
pagan roots, and that may be so. There’s nothing wrong with being attracted to imagery
and ideas from other cultures. However, there’s a fine line between appreciation
and appropriation. I have a hard time defining appropriation myself. I want to
live in a world where cultural experiences are shared, but also where the
people that created them are given their due credit and they are not persecuted
for following their own traditions while others are praised. I don’t have the
answers. The issue is nuanced. Respect has a lot to do with it. And never
claiming to be something you’re not.

One thing that can help is learning your own culture’s
traditions. You like ecstatic states and initiatory experiences? They’re in
there. You like ancestor veneration and feasts for the dead? They’re there. In
fact, part of honoring your ancestors is learning their ancient traditions.

Like it or not, Christianity is part of the Western
tradition. But if you look close at how it was actually practiced for
generations, you’ll find a rich culture that carries over many of the values we
hold dear. You’ll find the sanitized, dogmatic, and persecutory Christianity we
have in the US today would be seen as totally alien to those who practiced it
for centuries.

Happy All Souls Day to all who have departed all who remain.