Teen Pagans and the Broom Closet

What is the Broom Closet?

Living in the "Broom Closet" is a term used to describe Wiccans and Pagans who keep their religious choices a secret, whether it be by choice or by circumstance. Usually, the latter is most common. Many pagans and/or Wiccans find themselves living in a very Christian community, and "coming out" may destroy their families, careers, and reputation. Others may find that their families are either very religious and see Wicca as a devil worshipping religion, or just plain would not be able to accept it. For people like this, there is no question about staying in the closet.

There is a period in history, thousands of years ago, when "Witchcraft" was outlawed by Church officials, called the Burning Times. For many years prior to this, Pagans and Christians were able to co-exist, however someone with radical, anti-pagan views found enough followers to spark this devastating period. Many "witches" were forced underground, or into the Broom Closet, in fear of persecution. The negative stereotypes of these times have, unfortunatly, carried over into the modern day, thus forcing many of us into secret. However, some Wiccans choose to "hide" their choices, simply because the mystery and secrecy adds an element of our ancestors to their practise.

For whatever reason people retreat to the Broom Closet, it is a very real issue that we all deal with. In this section, I hope to help those of you who are in "hiding". Succesful practise is possible, it just takes a bit of imagination!

There are many different "tools" involved in Wiccan ritual. Although they aren't necassary, some Wiccans feel they add to a ritual. Remember that the most important part of any ritual is the person preforming them. However, if you choose to use tools, this section will help you to make your own, or find them at cheap prices.

The Wand The Wand is used in directing personal power, tracing sacred symbols in the ground, and to empower other tools (amoung other things) It can be made by taking a sturdy "stick", cleaning it and smoothing it, and then decorating it with different "power" objects: feathers, crystals, leaves from herbs etc. The Wand is sacred to the element of Air.

The Chalice The Chalice is used to hold ritual drink (water, juice or wine) It can also be a representation of the Goddess and her Womb. It can be made of anything: clay, glass, crystal, brass, gold or silver. I've seen them at thrift stores for under $5, or you could use a wine glass o fyour parents. The Chalice is sacred to the element of Water.

The Pentacle The Pentacle is a flat disc, commonly inscribed with the pentagram, and other rune figures. It is used to aid in empowering herbs, stones, oils etc. It can be made of anthing: clay, stone, wood etc. I made mine with clay, shaping it into a flat disc and then inscribed it with the pentagram, adding coloured beads which represent the elements. You could also use a flat rock, a round peice of wood (can be found in craft stores) or even a circular piece of cardboard. The pentacle represents the element of Earth.

The Athame The Athame (pronounced a-tam-ee) is a dull, double edged knife, typically with a black handle. The Athame is never used for cutting, but instead for raising and directing power, casting circles, and cutting doors in circles. Although I couldn't know how to make one, check thrift stores, and if all else fails, a kitchenknife works fine. The Athame represents the element of Fire.

The Altar The Altar is where rituls are usually preformed. If you cast a circle for ritual, the altar is typically placed in the center, or in the North (top) of your circle. Your altar can be anything: a cardboard box, a bedside table, a treestump in the woods, or even a cloth laid on the ground. Also, some people choose to erect a permanent altar, in the bedroom.

The Book of Shadows The Book of Shadows (or BOS for short) is a book in which a Pagan keeps info like spells, chants, invocations, herb and/or stone lore etc. Usually, the BoS is kept sacred to the individual, and is sometimes shared in a Coven (group of Pagans practising together) My BoS is a black binder. For the pages, I found a nice flower border in a graphics program. As I need pages, I print one off with the background, and handwrite the info. Premade BoS' can be bought in stores, however I find that a notebook or binder are easiest, cheapest (and most easy to conceal!)

After awhile, the solitary path can become lonely, especially for teens (hey, most of us are fairly social) In this section I hope to offer some safe, easy ways to contact others our age. You may wish to make contact for many reasons: to start a coven, to share info, or just to have someone to chat with.

You may feel that you're the only Pagan your age in the entire planet, but you're not! The easiest way to find them in your area is to look for the obvious signs: pentagram jewelry. If you spot someone wearing a necklace or ring, approach them (look friendly!) and say something like "Nice pentagram..." you'll find they'll probably jump right into the conversation! Another way to find the locals is to frequent New Age bookshops, or the New Age/Occult section in bookstores.

At some point on your path, you may decide to be more open with your friends, family, or at school. If you ever find yourself faced with this decision, I hope that this section will help you to come to the right choice for you.

School

Although you aren't going to broadcast to the whole school that you're pagan, you may decide to wear symbols of your faith. Most people will pass it off as an interesting piece of jewellry, but those with a clue may approach you with questions, or less desirable, criticism, hate and fear. By wearing the pentagram to school, you have the power to promote positive, healthy images of this religion, so if you're confronted with someone accusing your of "devil worship" yada yada yada, educate them. Politely inform them of your beliefs, and then walk away.

If you go to University, there are many pagan student groups you can join. Check out bulletin boards, newsletters etc, and find out where and when groups will be holding open circle. If there isn't such a group on campus, consider starting one up; make contact with other pagans, put up posters stating your ideas, and hold meetings or circle once or twice a month. You'd be suprised at the pagans you'll find hiding in the woodwork!

Friends

The first people to find out about my religion were my close friends. Many pagans agree that Friends are easiest to tell. In most cases, a good friend will trust you and love you no matter what. I myself "came out" after a late night of very intense discussions on everything from death and the afterlife to sex to views on God. This gave me the chance to share some of my beliefs without coming right out. They seemed receptive to what I had to say, and I was totally comfortable with telling them. Once again, be prepared to answer questions, because they're bound to have them!

After coming out, your friends may show interest in your religion, and ask you to "teach" them. However, don't take on more than you can handle. I feel that its best to lend them books, recommend them to websites and message boards. Let them research on their own, and come to their own decisions. If they feel they want to seriously learn more about the Wiccan religion, help them along the way. You may have a new Coven mate!

Family

These may be the first, or the last people you'd dream of telling about your religion. This is also the area where you'll want to do a lot of thinking before making your decision. Family can be totally receptive, or completly against it. First its important to evaluate your parents, and what you think their reaction may be. If your parents are very open minded, chances are they'd be okay with it. However, if you have very religious parents, chances are they wouldn't be so receptive (however this isn't always the case) If you feel that your parents wouldn't be able to accept it, you may want to wait until you're older and on your own, or to never tell them.

If you do decide to tell your parents, once again, make sure you're prepared to answer any questions. Also remember that a parent's number one job is to protect their kids. They don't want you getting involved in anything potentially harmful, and you need to assure them that you're not. Have informative books on hand, and also point them towards informative sites. Also remember that you need to set a good example. If you start doing drugs, smoking etc, they're probably going to be quicker to blame your religion. However, if you set a good example, get good grades, stay out of trouble, they'll realize that this may be a good thing for you, and thats what they want.

All in all, the key things to remember when coming out to anyone are to be prepared for questions, and to set a positive example of the religion. Good luck!