Gothic Paganism: Letting in the Dark (Witchvox)

[icymist]

Wicca and Neo-Paganism are most commonly associated with the ecosophical movement that began in the 1960s. Although Neo-Paganism has much older roots than that, our most outspoken and activist-minded Witches tend to hail from this era.

Unsurprisingly, this generation of Wiccans and Neo-Pagans share many of the same ideals associated with the hippie movement which they lived through. They are ecologically conscious, and their lifestyle is one that hearkens back to nature and the simpler ways associated with tribal times. They favor a matriarchal system and a social structure in which all participants share equally the burden of responsibility. And they are often polyamorous, or at the very least polysensual, rejecting the Puritanical morality of our culture and instead celebrating the body and its pleasures as something natural, beautiful, and sacred.

In general, Wicca and Neo-Paganism can therefore be seen as religions of light, life, and love. That is, if you look only at the generation which arose from the 1960s and the direct inheritors of those Gaia-centered faiths.

Yet there is a new generation of Neo-Pagans. They are the children of the 1990s, the notorious Gothic movement of Generation X. Having attracted the attention of the press in recent years, mainstream media has unfairly demonized the Gothic movement.

Talk show hosts and tabloid reporters have been drawn to the movement like gawkers to a freak show, and instead of depicting its diverse members in an objective and positive light, they have tended to blatantly sensationalize the Goths.
Read the whole essay

[Chovexani]

1. Nice article.

I've been thinking of writing one for Witchvox on that subject. There is so much misinformation out there about Goths, especially in the Pagan community. I think it's the fault of the fluffy crystal-hugging contingent that has forgotten (or is afraid to) to honor the Dark side of the path.

You'd think the same people who cry persecution at the drop of a hat would be a little more understanding and a little less quick to accept the nonsense the mainstream media puts out.

[Why Syzygy]

2. I am really wanting

to find out more about the dark side. I think it's important to have all the information. I never even knew Goth was associated with paganism until I read one of your posts several weeks ago. I've been to Goth concerts and just thought everyone was having fun. Do you know Rasputina? Is that real Goth? I'm not in that generation, so there is much I don't know.

How can I find out more about the dark side?

[Chovexani]

3. Well, to be certain for many it's just about having fun

In fact there's been internal debate almost from the beginning as to what actually constitutes Goth. For some people it's just about the music and/or fashion and clubbing. For others (I would fall into this camp) it's a philosophy and a way of life as well. I incorporate it into my spirituality because being Goth gives me a far different worldview than most folks, and it can't help but inform my spiritual practice. By the same token my spirituality touches every aspect of my life. At least among the Goths I know, many of them are very spiritual people. I know Catholic Goths, Goths who are practicing Jews, at least one Goth who was an initiated Santero (he worked with Chango), and many, many Pagan Goths (my foray into the scene came at a time when I was working at a Witch store in NYC, and I had a LOT of Goth customers).

If you want a tongue-in-cheek intro to what Goth is, I'd suggest What is Goth by Voltaire. It's a humorous book but it's a very good basic overview. For something a little more serious, try Embracing the Darkness: Understanding Dark Subcultures by Corvis Nocturnum. It isn't just about Goths, there is some discussion about about the vampire subculture, BDSM, etc. It really goes into the philosophy aspect and why folks are drawn to subcultures such as these, and I recommend it highly. For Dark Paganism I suggest Out of the Shadows by John Coughlin. All of them are readily available on Amazon.

[knight_of_the_star]

4. Those are the same ones who seem to have problems with the more brutal aspects as well

Like the ones who would flip a shit if I gave a REAL offering to Odin at a ritual in a fashion He would approve of as opposed to the nice sanitary version.

Funny that most Wiccan groups that lean fluffy I've run into won't touch the Aesir with a ten foot pole. I wonder why that is.

[Chovexani]

5. Haha. Gee, I wonder?

I remember a bit of a dustup in the comments of an article on Wren's Nest a while back. The article was one of those generic "real Witch" ones that focused on a store, and the store happened to be one I worked and hung out at some years ago. The guy featured in the article is a real Klingon of a guy who happens to be my teacher/spiritual father. He works with the Aesir and brooks no nonsense. Real earthy type, with a twisted sense of humor that really shone through in the article. Anyway, the commenters on the article were clutching at their pearls over this "horrid misrepresentation" of Pagans, and I had to point out that they didn't twist anything, he was really like that, and they needed to lighten up.

Of course, when he taught the teaching grove at the shop (which I went to), after circle we'd roast meat from the Polish butcher around the corner, on the firepit. With our athames. So, ya...not really seeing that bunch going in for something like that. :rofl: