Radical Bite: Paganism as a Pathway From Oppression to Spirituality

Tas is an autistic mental health advocate with disabilities. They strive to bring awareness to mental health issues, promote acceptance of neurodiversity and provide informational resources. They are persons of color, nonbinary and are diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. They believe that disability status should not impact your access to education, employment and supportive resources as an adult. Neurodiversity should be accepted and inclusion a habit; not a consideration. Linktree: https://linktr.ee/tasthoughts

Life is a journey that can be riddled with roadblocks that prevent you from thriving and finding happiness. Being a member of marginalized groups, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC and the neurodivergent community is an example of oppressed groups.

If you are a member of any marginalized groups and you experience a traumatic event your perspective on the world can shift into darkness. A part of this darkness can be a shadow cast by experiencing trauma at the hands of your abuser in the name of religion.

If you live through Christian-based oppression it can leave you devoid of spirituality. Everything that you were taught is contradicted by the pain of knowing the people harming you are doing it in the name of a god that you may not believe in. The same feeling happens when you are discriminated against or harassed for being your authentic self. Trauma, oppression and spirituality are influential in the path you choose for your life.

Trauma, Oppression & Spirituality

Oppression and trauma have one key element in common: you do not have a choice. The actions that happen to you, whether it is physical or emotional violence are out of your control. This leaves you feeling hopeless and unsafe in your surroundings. Traumatic events in life tend to impact your mind and body in ways that can be challenging. A traumatic event will impact you and your feelings of safety, security, trust and control over situations and emotions within your life.

As a trauma survivor, the last thing you may want is to have someone dictate what you can and cannot do. Your spirituality may not be your choice but in the hand of toxic people influencing your access to spiritual materials. Seeking a spiritual livelihood within your control becomes of paramount importance to fill the gap in your spirit. Many people who have experienced physical or sexual abuse, find solace in various spiritual practices to help them cope with the trauma they have endured.

When you have trauma, practicing paganism, or another marginalized belief system, will go a long way in healing your spirit and making you whole again.

The Path From Oppression to Spirituality

People who have experienced trauma in their lives find that spirituality and/or religion is an important part of their journey back to wellness.

Paganism can be a gateway to finding spiritual satisfaction that soothes your mind and soul. Practicing paganism is not about following a specific set of rules. It embraces the individual and allows them to experience a free sense of spiritual exploration. This freedom becomes a safe haven away from the negativity in your life. You are generally not persecuted for your beliefs in eclectic paganism, especially since it can be a very solitary practice, which means that you can be accepting of other faiths and cultures while still remaining true to yours.

Paganism is not just about casting spells or worshipping the elements and deities. It's more about finding yourself through spirituality and ritual. The peace that you feel when going through this process will help you cope with your current circumstances and heal. The path from oppression to spirituality can be a very long and hard one but know that you are not alone as you walk.

The beauty of paganism is the ability to learn which spiritual path you want to walk without judgment or restriction. You are no longer facing external control. You learn the tools to have the inner peace to disregard the oppression and toxicity from external forces.

You learn to break free from the chains that have been placed on you by society and religion as a whole.