Ordinary Pagans

Oh, good. Snakemoon's essay on Ordinary Pagans is now up at The Witches' Voice.

Here is my take on the same theme:

Ordinary Pagans are people who have homes, jobs, friends, and families. They also have very rich lives outside of the Pagan scene. As Snakemoon notes, these people walk between worlds. Sometimes they work as professionals or are active in local charity efforts, schools, or interfaith projects. No matter what they do for a living, they are not afraid of responsibility and their lives are not full or chaos, drama and trauma.

Ordinary Pagans bring concentration, professional, "can do" attitudes, dedication and, standards, to this practice. There are more of them then anyone realizes.

Let me be clear: These folks are not superior to those Pagans who choose to live in a more bohemian fashion, nor are they any less Pagan because they own a business suit or wear a bit less jewelry. Don't expect to find them unless they want you to. With some Pagans you can tell they are Pagan from space, but with ordinary Pagans you might have to know them for a while before realizing that their practice is much like your own. Their mindset is just as tolerant and just as rich as those of us who live on the fringe and they do not judge other (healthy) ways of being Pagan, however, they do bring certain life skills to their practice.

Some Pagans who use this path to act out or annoy Mom and Dad often judge Ordinary Pagans as "middle class" or "sell outs". Such judgment is defensive, naive and ill informed for there are many Ordinary Pagans who walk between both the professional and the alternative worlds, including those who are joined in polyamorous families, many who are involved in the arts, people who are active in the leather and tattoo communities, as well as those who teach tarot and practice other magickal arts. It is not so much a lifestyle, as an empowered, creative, and capable state of mind.

from It's A Mystery (Part II) Healthy Pagan Groups & Individuals.