Legally Pagan...

This post wont float everyones boat in fact it may get a few of my readers riled up if it does and you choose to stop reading my posts because of it then you neither know me or know anything about my beliefs and that is a chooice that is yours to make, however this post is incredibly emotional and important to me and I dont feel I would be doing my beliefs or my ancestors any justice by not speaking about it.

This past weekend marked 20 years of the South African Pagan community being out in the open.

20 years ago the first Pagan ritual was performed live for television and was screened on Carte Blanche for all to see, I was 8 years old, I found my Pagan path or at least a word for my beliefs at the age of 15.

Now what if I were to tell you that until very recently, as in earlier this year my practices and belief system although recognized as a belief in this country was actually illegal.... in other words by law I could face persecution for my beliefs, just let that sink in and I know many people are scoffing or think yes rightfully so ok what if if you were told you could not legally practice a main stream religion such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, basically all other religious beliefs and practices including angel worship, the performing of angel card readings, chakra clearings etc that was all classified under the witchcraft suppression act as illegal and punishable by law.

I have many friends and loved ones who are not Pagan but practice esoteric rites and passages or are very eclectic in their beliefs, all good people with good hearts, loved ones and families....

Since that first airing of that first ritual, people have fought for this act to be changed and done away with for the right of everyone to practice their beliefs whatever they may be as long as you did not harm or that it does not result in the harm of anyone else yourself included or anything and all that hard work all that tireless work, media interviews, political talks and standings and I can tell you that the Pagan community or esoteric community can get just as political as any other group of people but all worked together to make this a reality and it finally is.

As I stood with my fellow Pagans and even just curious guests on Saturday night and looked around at just a small amount of the media interviews and documents that helped establish this freedom I felt so incredibly proud to be apart of such a loving and wonderful community and people I have come to see as family, I have had the privilege of meeting many of the forerunners in this fight, not all but many, I have joined hands with them, shared meals and friendships with them.... 14 years I have been apart of this and yet I have been lucky enough for the most part to escape persecution, bullying etc for my beliefs and it is all thanks to those incredible people and the especially the incredible 5 who started it all and agreed to partake in that first live interview.

I am incredibly proud and thankful, many are no longer with us they did not get to see this come to pass but they will never be forgotten and I know that whatever path my children may choose I will always be proud to share my Pagan path with them.

Everyone has the right to their own personal beliefs no one should be persecuted for them.