Paganism in the Workplace

[Koalemos]

Hey everyone, I'm an open Neo-Pagan in my local community and sometimes it isn't very well received or understood. Locally there is a Catholic University in our town, with most of the students being transfers from out of state. My town is not heavily religious, but with the influx of charismatic Catholics many locals feel "burnt out" on religion and simply don't care what you are as long as you don't force it on anyone.

My workplace is protected by a Labor Union so I'm safe from religious discrimination, at least on paper. When I need a day off for ritual I simply say it's for a "church related event" and there's no questions asked. I have to drive 45 minutes to meet my grove in Pittsburgh so I try to make sure I have the entire day off to prepare. I understand that many people are NOT this fortunate, and I want to hear what your experience with being Pagan in the workplace has been?

Most of my coworkers understand and have a large interest in the more mainstream activities like tarot readings and energy healing. Last summer I worked at a local Day Spa performing Reiki therapy and everyone seemed to really embrace and enjoy it! Customers who see my posts on Facebook normally ask for general information and I'm surprised by the people who have come up to me to show support. I don't mention it to customers unless they are wearing a pentacle or talking about ritual or theology.

As for family, my parents are just glad that I've found something that makes me happy and gives me peace. My personal practice is Neo-Druidry (NO live sacrifices!) and I primarily work with the Hellenic pantheon, Apollo and Dionysus in particular.

Anyone else?

[Lucky~9~Lives]

Koalemos

My workplace is protected by a Labor Union so I'm safe from religious discrimination, at least on paper. When I need a day off for ritual I simply say it's for a "church related event" and there's no questions asked.

If you have to state a reason for taking a day off, you need a better union.

[deadmanjay]

Lucky~9~Lives

Koalemos

My workplace is protected by a Labor Union so I'm safe from religious discrimination, at least on paper. When I need a day off for ritual I simply say it's for a "church related event" and there's no questions asked.

If you have to state a reason for taking a day off, you need a better union.

Over in the states Lucky, you have to have to let your employer know why you want the day off in many cases. Some people even have to get a doctors slip if they have the flu or a funeral director to sign something that shows your friend or relative died. They don't want people just not coming in cause they are sick. That would be stupid of them cause surely no one else would catch the flu because one employee had it. ******** that logic.

I knew an employer who watched one of his workers get their hand caught in a press and he still wanted a doctors note as to why the employee couldn't work the next day. Just cause someone loses the ability to hold objects doesn't mean they cant work at their old job of lifting and carrying objects in and out of a press. The nerve of employees.

[Koalemos]

Lucky~9~Lives

Koalemos

My workplace is protected by a Labor Union so I'm safe from religious discrimination, at least on paper. When I need a day off for ritual I simply say it's for a "church related event" and there's no questions asked.

If you have to state a reason for taking a day off, you need a better union.

Thank you. I include reasons on my requests off because we don't need to submit them to management. We only submit them to the employees that make the schedules. Normally when I need an evening off I request an earlier shift, but they knew I need the entire day off when I say it's a church event. This just saves time from them calling to see if I can work earlier in the day.

[maenad nuri]

Oh gods, I remember having to give reasons to take days off. I'm so glad I just have to tell my supervisor that I want time off, and not have to submit to planning anymore (not that they granted them...)

That being said, I don't deal with my religion while at work, other than the under the radar imagery I have at my desk. And keeping myself to arete, of course.

I have a small pocket shrine to Hermes in my drawer, though, because my job hits upon many of his influences: quick thought, merchants, and since it's insurance, thievery smile

I'd have it more prominent, but I made it, and I have no ability for arts and crafts.

[Taikyoku]

You want to know something? I've had my core pro-entheogenic beliefs go over actually really well, not just when I go to class, but also when I head back home and discuss this stuff with my friends and family. How many people can say that they were actually congratulated by their mom for taking LSD? Of course, before that happened I had to explain to her how it opened the door for me to understand and love my friends, family, self, and world in general in ways I never understood before, but that's what happens when you use psychoactive substances responsibly. Also the part about understanding my mostly-absent (but not in a mean way, he tries his best) dad WAY more.

As for work, it's a non-issue I suppose. I don't think many workplaces would really smile on, ohh, what's something that I could plausibly want to try once? Let's say I want to take a Friday off so I can have a three-day weekend in order to go camp out in the forest (we have some gorgeous forests and mountains around. Gotta love the Cascades!) and take a nice big dose of psilocybin mushrooms in between meditating on life. I don't know if my workplace would really smile on that if I was to explain it in those terms, which is why I don't really talk about whether or not I would personally do any of that stuff. However, with any luck my work may eventually actually be nothing but the study of psychoactive chemicals in the first place, so I guess maybe someday that'll be par for the course! Probably not, because that's a bad idea to take psychedelics too regularly (it's like taking a really incredible vacation every weekend, it stops being so special and it starts to lose impact, and then you're not using them, you're abusing them), but you get the gist.

[Pompeiian]

Most people at my university know that I'm a Roman Recon', and I've had more curiousity than condemnations. I don't take days off however (not that I'm in long anyway... *grumbles*), I make offerings when I get home or before I go. I'm quite able to wear my miniature Roman altar and Minerva imagery around without getting any odd looks.

[Anon E. Mouse]

I have to remind the people at my workplace that it is very, very bad to steal Jobu's rum... stare
(Silliness)

((Incidentally; if you type 'it's very bad' into Google, the rest of the quote is the first auto-complete option. I love our technocratic overlords. 3nodding ))

[Koalemos]

maenad nuri

Oh gods, I remember having to give reasons to take days off. I'm so glad I just have to tell my supervisor that I want time off, and not have to submit to planning anymore (not that they granted them...)

That being said, I don't deal with my religion while at work, other than the under the radar imagery I have at my desk. And keeping myself to arete, of course.

I have a small pocket shrine to Hermes in my drawer, though, because my job hits upon many of his influences: quick thought, merchants, and since it's insurance, thievery smile

I'd have it more prominent, but I made it, and I have no ability for arts and crafts.

That's a good idea, keeping a pocket shrine. Me and some friends have been working on "traveling altar" kits, but we haven't gotten anywhere with it yet!

[Koalemos]

Taikyoku

You want to know something? I've had my core pro-entheogenic beliefs go over actually really well, not just when I go to class, but also when I head back home and discuss this stuff with my friends and family. How many people can say that they were actually congratulated by their mom for taking LSD? Of course, before that happened I had to explain to her how it opened the door for me to understand and love my friends, family, self, and world in general in ways I never understood before, but that's what happens when you use psychoactive substances responsibly. Also the part about understanding my mostly-absent (but not in a mean way, he tries his best) dad WAY more.

As for work, it's a non-issue I suppose. I don't think many workplaces would really smile on, ohh, what's something that I could plausibly want to try once? Let's say I want to take a Friday off so I can have a three-day weekend in order to go camp out in the forest (we have some gorgeous forests and mountains around. Gotta love the Cascades!) and take a nice big dose of psilocybin mushrooms in between meditating on life. I don't know if my workplace would really smile on that if I was to explain it in those terms, which is why I don't really talk about whether or not I would personally do any of that stuff. However, with any luck my work may eventually actually be nothing but the study of psychoactive chemicals in the first place, so I guess maybe someday that'll be par for the course! Probably not, because that's a bad idea to take psychedelics too regularly (it's like taking a really incredible vacation every weekend, it stops being so special and it starts to lose impact, and then you're not using them, you're abusing them), but you get the gist.

I really do understand what you're saying about your father because mine is similar. As a kid I always felt like we weren't close but now I realize he does love me but dads just show it different. I read a poem the other day about fathers and acts of service, really hit the nail on the head.

As for the use of psychoactives, have you head of the book "Food of the Gods"? Just came out not too long ago. The author postulates that magic mushrooms are what caused the brain mutations that pushed the evolution into Homo sapiens. I only read a small article but it did seem interesting. As for going overboard, here's an excellent article from a Mexican Shaman on the abuse of marijuana over the years: http://www.getbackyourdream.com/Article2.html

[Koalemos]

Amor Sempiternus

Most people at my university know that I'm a Roman Recon', and I've had more curiousity than condemnations. I don't take days off however (not that I'm in long anyway... *grumbles*), I make offerings when I get home or before I go. I'm quite able to wear my miniature Roman altar and Minerva imagery around without getting any odd looks.

That's pretty cool. "Wear my miniature Roman altar" care to elaborate lol? I'm imagining you walking around with suspenders and an altar table hanging from them razz

[Pompeiian]

Koalemos

Amor Sempiternus

Most people at my university know that I'm a Roman Recon', and I've had more curiousity than condemnations. I don't take days off however (not that I'm in long anyway... *grumbles*), I make offerings when I get home or before I go. I'm quite able to wear my miniature Roman altar and Minerva imagery around without getting any odd looks.

That's pretty cool. "Wear my miniature Roman altar" care to elaborate lol? I'm imagining you walking around with suspenders and an altar table hanging from them razz

Haha. It's something that my boyfriend made from a book, based off an actual find. It's made of metal, about just under the size of my thumb, and has a little dent in the top where the offering goes. I'll try and get a photo sometime.

[Dragoness Arleeana]

Currently, my Circle meets on Saturdays, which means I have to request off a few weeks ahead of time. There's a binder where people write in their names to request off and you then need to get a managers signature to approve it. Normally, the manager who signs will ask what the reason is for. (because it IS a request they CAN deny it) I just say "religious" and they assume "church", so I let them. While I have a large pentagram tattooed on my chest, it's easily concealed by my shirt so long as I keep it buttoned up. I work with my brother in law but I don't think anyone else there knows about my religion and I'd prefer to keep it that way. I'm open about my religion for the most part but I work with a lot of people I believe to be religious (christian specifically) and I'd rather not deal with anything that might arise should my religion be known.

I had a job once where I got poked fun of for it though. Nothing nasty, mostly harmless fun, but it was still irritating. People would ask me if I had ridden my broom stick to work, stuff like that. I'd rather avoid that kind of ridicule with this new job, especially since I'm working with family now. :/

[The Catfish Blues]

Oh god you're one of those "im pagan" types aren't you?

"Hi my names x I'm pagan"
"sorry I can't do that I'm pagan"
"sorry I'm busy next weekend doing pagan things with my pagan friends"
"please don't offend me by saying "bless you" I'm pagan. "
"by the gods(or insert deity no ones ever heard of here)"
"You wearing that cross offends me, I am pagan after all."
"I can't believe you are Christian, you oppressed us pagans for centuries"