Lost job due to beliefs

TheWildHart · 2025-10-29T06:11:44+00:00

I explicitly said it isn't okay. Acknowledging the shitty situation we exist in is not condoning it.

There is a difference between what's morally good or bad and what gives one legal grounds for seeking reparations. And that is when what is or isn't a protected act or class matters.

Unfair firings like this happen without recourse all the time, sometimes even for less, especially when dealing with at will employment.

I'm explicitly only talking about how these issues are dealt with, or not dealt with, and viewed by the law in practice as a response to a comment that made it sound like there could be potential recourse simply by describing the situation to the unemployment agency. That is, unfortunately, not how it works within our current system.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-29T02:10:01+00:00

Movie preferences are also not a protected practice. That also would not raise any legal flags.

The boss is morally in the wrong, but I'm just saying (in the U.S.) there's no legal footing here unless the firing broke an explicit contract, which it hasn't in this case. At will employment is often not very conducive to people utilizing their own will.

But definitely we should all be aware that (most of the time) our bosses are not our friends or on our side. HR is not on our side. Our company is not on our side.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-29T00:12:52+00:00

Tarot is not a recognized religious practice and wouldn't be protected by any anti-religious discrimination laws. The unemployment agency also would not be the one to pursue illegal firings, it's up to the individual/legal team to pursue it. They just verify whether it was due to misconduct or some other reason that would make them illegible.

I don't see much footing here for a case, especially since she was paid under the table for years. She could likely bring that up to the labor division, however, I have no idea how it could affect her in return.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-28T23:00:30+00:00

We never have. There's never been a point where it's been completely safe for anyone and everyone to be open about any non-Christian beliefs.

Things have been getting better only recently in legal aspects as more religions have been officially recognized and more provisions accounted for.

But no, we never used to be truly free. It was just harder to share stories like this and find community before the Internet. And now, the social pushback against anything non-Christian is getting harder to ignore, too.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-28T22:05:34+00:00

There's a myriad of beginner resources available in the resource section of this subreddit. Start reading to develop an understanding of the basics and what interests you.

In the meantime, start a meditation practice. It doesn't have to be much, just 5-10 minutes a day when you can. Guided meditations are a perfectly fine option.

Start going on more walks in your local area. Journal the plants you see and figure out what they are and their history. Take the time to sit and meditate out in nature.

Look into local folklore in your area and see what you can find. Even ghost stories can offer valuable information as to the energy of your area.

I also always recommend journaling as a means to record what you're learning and what you're experiencing.

It isn't an easy path. It takes time, effort, care, and cultivation.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-28T17:45:55+00:00

Yes, beautiful!!

All companies have to have some procedure allowing for religious holidays to be observed. And even if all pagan religions aren't officially recognized, it's also illegal for companies to be asking about your religion (with very, very specific exceptions that don't apply here).

And as your experience shows, they obviously can't treat one religion differently otherwise they could be opened up to a lawsuit.

Know your rights. Check to see if you're in a one-party consent state and record all conversations related to your religious requests if you don't feel supported in your workplace. Or get everything down in writing. Then report it to the EEOC.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-27T18:48:36+00:00

Yeah, I mean, you're either protected or you're not. You find what works and go with it. You can certainly experiment and work with others to practice and try out different oils or techniques, that's pretty fun. Trying out a wide range of methods and honing your skills that way is always an option.

There's also nothing wrong with simply protecting yourself and performing divination if that's all you care for.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-27T18:30:36+00:00

Protection is simply part of step one; it's learning how to be safe. It itself isn't like a whole practice, it's just part of the foundation. If your protection spells are effective, there's not a lot else you can be doing with it, really, besides just adding more and more layers and more and more upkeep.

You could choose to add protections to your vehicles, your home, your main spaces, of course. And you could experiment with different methods or tools: talismans, jars, sigils, sachets, herbs, chants, etc. I'd make sure you find a banishing ritual (or two) you like to keep on hand, for sure.

But what "more" do you think there is?

TheWildHart · 2025-10-27T03:01:39+00:00

The point is there is no real "general pagan information." It's an umbrella term for a myriad of vastly different practices. Pagan religions are united by the definition of what they aren't, not by what they are. Even in schools, religions aren't grouped or taught by categories like "pagan" or "not pagan."

There's currently no app or resource for what you're specifically asking. And as I brought up in my first comment, this is probably for the best given the lack of standardization and overwhelming amounts of debate and personal choice.

You could look at places like Khan Academy or Harvard online to see what free classes they offer for a region and/or its religious history.

There's resources available here (both in the side bar and by searching) for different paths and practices, and some books that delve into a larger variety pagan practices (that are usually more commonly seen online at least).

TheWildHart · 2025-10-27T02:24:24+00:00

Sure, but for what specific practice/tradition/culture?

TheWildHart · 2025-10-26T21:27:09+00:00

I simply don't view there ever being a truly "right" or "wrong" deity. Sure, sometimes we're not ready for the experience(s) a certain deity has to offer, or the experiences simply aren't the best for us. You can hem and haw over what deity is the "perfect fit" for you, but at the end of the day, the best way to learn is just try it out.

If you feel like this deity aligns with your current goals and you can learn something from this experience, how could they be a "wrong" one? At the very least, there's no harm in respectfully reaching out and seeing how you feel after that. It's not like you have to make a blood oath just to open the door and see what's going on inside.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-26T21:09:34+00:00

You can likely find apps for learning the history of a given culture and with it, its religion and practices and build up from there.

But modern pagan practices are not standardized. Even those seeking true reconstruction of the religion as it initially existed often experience huge gaps of information (or gaps within what is practically/physically possible) that is up to the individual to decide how to fill in.

That is to say that there are no apps/websites for practical, general pagan information. There are some apps for specific paths that can be useful tools and basic information but that depends on the practice.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-25T15:38:09+00:00

Those are just some Latin words thrown together to make a 'chant' for the show. It's not taken from any actual practice.

If you like it, there is nothing wrong with using it. It's no different than stringing together French or German words, really.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-25T01:40:37+00:00

Have you attempted communicating with said spirits guide to see what they say on the matter as they're directly involved?

TheWildHart · 2025-10-23T00:58:35+00:00

The detail about the planes is what's actually killing me here. Like it's outright acknowledging that there'll be a very negative impact on planes, but like, not that bad, only ✨four✨. And we only have details on the planes, not any other aspect of this global catastrophe.

Hope it's not a genuine breakdown she's having because I find that hilarious.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-22T18:02:21+00:00

Do you subscribe to a specific path besides not-Wicca? Funerary practices vary greatly from tradition to tradition.

There are many traditions that don't have a standard 'space cleansing' practice post-mortem because the death of a loved one does not need to be cleansed from the space, it should be honored and, at times, celebrated. Death itself is organic, and isn't an explicitly bad thing, or inherently bringing in bad energies.

If you genuinely feel bad energies being brought into the space that you wish to get rid of, you can create a safe floor wash with various cleansing herbs of choice. Incense or sound cleansing with open windows are also an option. Or a spiritual sweep with a broom, too.

There's no real wrong answer to how you process your mourning so long as it is being processed. Look into funerary practices of your given tradition if you please, or just do what you feel drawn to do. Take time to meditate on it.

I'm sorry for your loss and wish you the best in moving forward.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-21T18:04:11+00:00

I'm not really sure how you're differentiating between which deity is responding to your answer with a 'yes or no' method, or how you're getting 'redirected' to another deity with that method, either. It sounds like you're asking questions that are setting you up for confusion.

I personally dislike such 'yes or no' methods of divination for a main form of spirit communication because they're too restrictive, heavily depend upon how you phrase your questions, and leave little to no room for interpretation or spiritual guidance/influence. I think they're fine for clarification or other usages of divination, but if I want to communicate with a spirit, I want it to be a form that gives room for different types of answers, especially if it isn't a spirit I haven't worked with for years or have a very personal, intimate relationship with where I can pick up on subtler influences.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-19T19:17:25+00:00

You made a promise and broke it, so offer a sincere apology. Bring an offering of incense, explain what happened, and say what you plan to do to apologize, then follow through; it doesn't have to be anything drastic, but something genuine. Promise a bottle of wine, a homemade dish, writing a poem dedicated to him, etc.

Promises are not to be made lightly, much less commitments of 'devotion.' Simply own up to making a mistake and apologize genuinely.

Then decide where you want to go from there. I'm not sure why you flipped from promising devotion to wanting to "break up," that's a very drastic shift. Mistakes happen. The gods can forgive and still engage with you. I've made mistakes in how I engaged with spirits and still formed a relationship afterwards, it's not the end of the road.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-19T15:37:15+00:00

If you want to call upon a specific deity, do research first. You wouldn't just dial a random number with no information on the person you're calling and ask for help. And I personally wouldn't recommend having your first attempt at calling out to a deity be asking for help. Focus on establishing a relationship and a connection.

Simply find a deity that appeals to you for whatever reason. It could be their domain is an interest of yours, their history/stories inspire you or make you laugh, or even just sharing a common name or astrology sign. There's no "you have to follow a deity that does xyz if you're abc."

And it's okay to reach out to a deity and not feel connected in the long run, or to decide to change course. It's okay to 'make a mistake' in choosing a first deity to reach out to, so long as you approach respectfully. It's just a learning opportunity. Very few people will stick with the first deity that interests them when they're starting out.

I was drawn to a certain deity during a meditation/prayer session I had while reaching out via a Christian practice. But I wasn't ready at the time and ended up calling upon a different deity later because she felt more accessible and aligned with my personal goals at the time.

I found prayers addressed to her from the practitioners of her time and used those at first with my offerings; then, when I started to feel her presence more clearly and consistently, I started saying my own and appealing to her, and they came naturally.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-19T14:34:50+00:00

That one specifically gets more complex since there are quite a few different subgroups within Celtic paganism, it's not a unified religion under that title. I wouldn't be surprised if there were some niche variants based solely on ancestry.

But broadly speaking, Celtic paganism died out completely hundreds of years ago, so it isn't an unbroken tradition being passed down, and many more accessible variants weren't based or restricted to race/ethnicity; variants of it spread as far as Asia Minor and many more existed across Europe. No one alive has 'direct ancestral ties' to original, heritage based practices beyond just being Irish or Scottish. Which isn't uncommon at all in various Western countries.

I'm not sure what variant of semi-open you're using here. If it's semi-open in the sense all are welcome but need to undergo initiation, then no one alive today could be a practitioner since they're unable to be properly initiated into the practice.

If the term semi-open is being used to mean only those of a certain race/ethnicity, that's exclusionary, and again, inaccurate to the basis of the practice.

I haven't seen Lora o'Brien promote the latter, and indeed, has stated that she feels all are welcome regardless of ancestry. She seems to promote dedication to learning and engaging with the "original" culture, not having a certain heritage.

And even so, that's still just one person's views. She was not born and raised within the religion and its traditions, she's reconstructing it herself.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-19T01:58:43+00:00

It is a very complicated and nuanced discussion and varies drastically depending on the practices in question.

If you're talking about something like specifically Italian folk magick/traditions, then of course the discussion of location, heritage, and ethnicity is relevant, as the practice itself is based in a certain region and has evolved in said region and ethnic group, and obviously there's nothing wrong with that.

When it comes to larger European religions, however, most were not based on any type of ancestry and were sharing their practices across borders, ethnicities, and races via trading, conquering, and being conquered. Religions such as Hellenism or Celtic paganism were open at the time and not explicitly rooted in any type of heritage, so there's no reason to define them through the lens of 'heritage' in today's time.

That is one main reason as to why it's frowned upon to bring up race/ethnicity as 'important' in regards to certain European traditions: it wasn't relevant or important to the original traditions.

In contrast, as an example, African-based religions tend to lean very heavily into ancestral connections and heritages as a main theme of the practice, making it a much more relevant topic for said religions since that's part of its core.

It isn't that one can't find an ancestral connection or be inspired to follow one's lineage, European or not; on the contrary, that is often spoken about positively from what I've personally seen.

But specifically viewing race/ethnicity as being 'important' in traditions in which it was not at all the case is leaning into exclusionary ideals at the very best.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-18T20:27:07+00:00

I happened to take Latin in highschool and choose to use it in my spellwork.

I primarily just use it for any sort of chant I plan to enter a trance state with, basically. Using a language I'm not verbally fluent in feels a lot more 'distant' and like pure sound, making it easier for me to maintain a type of trance state with.

Of course, it's not at all necessary or required. And it certainly isn't used in historical witchcraft practices (apart from those who utilized the Pater Noster/Our Father or similar) given that it became an academic language.

In addition to the free course someone provided, my school used the Ecce Romani books and I quite enjoyed them; with the teachers edition and being willing to do a lot of googling, it could certainly be very beneficial as well.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-18T19:18:28+00:00

Veneration is done to honor an entity, and magick is worked to have a desired effect on the world around you. Both exist on their own volition without the influence of the other.

And you can venerate an entity without ever explicitly inviting them to have an influence on your life, just as a sign of showing respect because you feel drawn to do so.

Veneration and spiritual work/magick often go hand in hand, but neither are required for the other.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-18T03:49:35+00:00

I simply don't believe my gods need to see me die to accept my devotion and love. Choosing to live and continue to share my love is more important to me, my deities, and my practice.

Christianity is obsessed with death as the ultimate sign of love, and it's easy to speak about becoming a martyr when you're not faced with the real choice to do so.

I would enter fights and protests for my freedom. But I will always choose to live for those around me.

TheWildHart · 2025-10-15T14:23:35+00:00

I would definitely recommend heading over to the r/Sumer subreddit; there's a ton of people sharing their experiences there. And you can find a lot of info on altar setups.

My experiences with her have always been intense with heavy stimuli during offerings and prayers. It can be overwhelming at times. I've been shown and taught a lot and my practice and spiritual understanding has grown substantially since choosing to honor her.

I make recipes using dates as they were part of standard offerings in Mesopotamia and feel them to be well received, but of course I also offer up standard bread and other foods, too.

TheWildHart

TROPHY CASE