Parents and Wicca

[Akira the Wolf Demon]

My parents are Episcapalian, I'm Wiccan... My mom kinda excepts the fact that I'm interested in Wicca, (because she is half Wiccan herslef...) but I don't want to tell them I'm full Wiccan. I'm just scared... Anyone have any advice?  

[Asteria of the Stars]

I know your problem. I've been raised to be Christian my whole life. All my family is Chirstain (well most) and so I haven't told anyone not even my friends yet mainly because in school Im known as the 'Christian girl'.
Im so scared of their reaction ... I knowthey would stop me from doing anything to do with Wicca, so I don't really know what to do at the moment, lol.  

[Akira the Wolf Demon]

Yeah... But I kinda need on handleing it...  

[Miss Lune Soleil]

A few years ago, back when I was an eclectic Witch, my Catholic parents noticed my interest and told me as long as I don't get "too involved" or let it interfere with my schoolwork then they didn't mind. Now I've left school, I study it all I want and they don't mention it razz  

[gallen_of_chaos]

I am working on my studies as a kitchen witch, my mother is a hard core christian, and my step dad, love him to death, is a hard core bible thumping Southern Baptist, so yes I have a problem telling my parents, because last time I tried to come out of the broom closet to them, about 6 years ago, I was a freshman in high school at the time, my mother beat me, beat the names of the others that I was learning from at the time out of me, and took away anything that was a ficticious work with some sort of fantasy conatation. So yes, I have an issue with telling my parents, and they will probably never know about it until they are on their death beds.  

[Kyo-Gaara-InuXAmi]

My dad dosen't want me to be a wiccan, he dosen't like the fact about spells and rituals and other wiccan stuff, it is annying, he wouln't get me a wiccan book for me. I do have a problem telling my dad that i Will be a wiccan no matter what he says.... i can't tell he becuse i don't know how he will reacet, and becuse of that i can't tell my mom.  

[Caution! Sexual Content]

All of my life I have felt...empty. Sounds lame... I know. But, I just always felt like there was something missing. Then one day I'm searching through these shops and I come across a Wicca Shop. I was curious, so I stepped in.
Within the moment my hand touched the door a shock went through my body. When I was inside and looking around, I felt so "at home." I didn't was to leave. I even befriended a cat that apparently hated everyone. -.-"
I bought a few books and figured I would just study them and see.

My family is Christian. Hard-core. My father is just uncomfortable with everything that isn't "right" and my mom was raised Catholic and everything the bible says: is. Talk about the arguments we have. biggrin

I've gotten so into Paganism, I'm truely and deeply in love with it.
I now attend a Catholic Private High School. And everyone there knowns I'm Pagan. My family knows I'm Pagan, except my grandparents because my mother refuses to let me tell them.

I wanted to come 'out of the broom closet.' I love my religion and I don't want to hide it from anyone. It may freak some people out, but everyone is scared of the unknown.  

[[LadyRaven]]

My family was kind of... hippie... so new age things were second nature growing up. I never realized how lucky I was.

I can only offer some advice to those of you who hide yourself, your true self, from those who you care about, for fear. While the obvious answer would be "tell them, because hiding yourself is only hurting yourself" I realize this doesn't always work. But there are some ways to get around things.

Look into your family history. As most of you should know, pagan roots run through almost every culture. Perhaps you have some Native American in you. Or Celtic blood. Norse... Egyptian... Look to the past to help with your future. I'll use a few examples... I'm sure Kit and Phoe won't mind.

Phoenix has some Native American in her, as well as Irish. (And German, which can in a lot of cases lead back to Norse..) So I know when she started decorating her room in highschool, a lot of what she used came from Native and Irish cultures. I know she enjoys Celtic music, so listening to it was both spiritual and connecting to her family history. If you show an interest in your roots, and drag your parents into that trip down memory lane, you will uncover a lot. Sometimes, old, lost family traditions are very similiar to pagan customs, and you can use that. I should get Phoe to talk more about her room in highschool, and how she did things, since I think she's the only one out of us three who really had to hide things.

Kit now, was always interested in history... and that's my next suggestion. Lots of times, younger folks (makes me sound old, huh?) tend not to like history, because it's dull and boring. It isn't, really... you just have to hook into that one subject you really like. Kit's history interest worked as a cover for a lot of things, not that she really needed it. But you could use that too. Study the history of the culture you wish to connect with. Look into how they lived, how they worshiped, and the faces, names, images they placed on their gods.

Let's take Greek, because a lot of things come from there. Study their culture, literature, and clothing while you study their deities... you'll learn a lot about the people, and understand their images of the divine gods and goddesses better if you see the full picture. And face it... if you're studying Greek history, you simply cannot ignore their religion.

How about Egypt? Study the pyramids, the dynasty of the pharohs... Learn about their art, and how they decorated things. For a culture that was supposedly primative, look at what they managed to get done. And then, when you're imersed in the culture, having a book or two on their deities won't seem so out of place.

But it's more than that. If you enjoy the culture, and express your interest to your family.. "Look at how cool these people were... they built these huge monuments... look at the artwork they created.. look at the literature they produced... look at.... and this.. and this.. and this.." then when you start bringing in some aspects of that culture, like some fabrics for your beds or clothing, styles of clothing that mimic theirs, jewelry and so on, it won't see so out of place. If you're really into Greek history, what's more nature than to pick up a statue of a Greek goddess as a "decor item"? Pictures of Stonehenge don't seem out of place in a room decorated in greens and Celtic items.


Now, most of you will probably wonder... okay, this works for basic items, but nothing I really need. I want stuff for spellwork. I want all the tools. Well, I'm not big on tools. I think tools are nothing more than a crutch, to help you channel that which you already have. But if you really must have items for the trade, look for things which serve more than one function. How about a really nice letter-opener with a Celtic cross on the top, for a beginner's athame? Or a really nice, straight stick, with leather straps added by you, maybe a feather or two that you've found, which looks Native American, and can double as a wand? Keep your candles basic. White works for anything, so set a few white candles around, and then use them for element candles. Or get tealights... one use and then they're gone. Incense is nice, if you stick to normal, pleasant smells. Lavendar or Rose, and burn it during normal times, like when you listen to music, or when you study, so that it's not just during spell work... that way the smell isn't out of place to your family when you do light it for spellwork.

I hope some of these ideas help you.  

[VampireKikyo]

Those are some good suggestions, but how would I incorperate the Japanese culture into it so that my family doesn't realize anything..I mean my mother knows I love Japan for some odd reason that I don't even know, but at the same time she is always telling me "you can like the culture but stay away from the religion." which is getting annoying.  

[nightwolf beast]

I think that my mom would understand and except it, but my dad gets mad when I even say the word b***h. He thinks that it isn't 'Christian.' He woldn't accept that I'm not christian and that I have my own religion that I follow that is seperate from his.  

[SassieCassie390]

My Dad is like a christian who doesn't go by christian beliefs or rules, but wants me to be christian... I just ignore him. Besides I go to my friends house to do ritual anyways.=/  

[Lady_Monique]

Well, I don't have problems with my Mom, I told her about 6 -7 years ago about my interest in Wicca, and she has totally accepted it, frequently asking questions about it. But my father (and well my parent's are divorced so yeah) he says I only say stuff about Wicca for "the mere shock value" of it.  

[freakrocker93]

VampireKikyo

I'm hiding it because my family is completely chirstian and don't like anything to do with Wicca...so if they found out I was a Wiccan they would probably disown me and kick me me out.

same here.  

[Guardian 0f Heaven]

Akira the Wolf Demon

My parents are Episcapalian, I'm Wiccan... My mom kinda excepts the fact that I'm interested in Wicca, (because she is half Wiccan herslef...) but I don't want to tell them I'm full Wiccan. I'm just scared... Anyone have any advice?

I'm pretty sure you can't be "half Wiccan" neutral ....  

[-Red-Queens-Daughter-]

my mom is a strict christian she gets pissed if i watch a horror movie. but im out of the house now so i can do what i want. she did find out about the whole wiccan thing once and it didnt end well. ill maybe post the story later.