Do your workmates know of your beliefs?

[Womble]

Hi. I work for Sussex Police. Not only do my colleagues know, I have actually had Paganism recognised on a force level. I now sit on an internal inter faith forum which discusses and faith related issues which are then put forward to the command team.

That's an excellent achievement - well done!

[emmao1111]

It sounds like an achievement but they were really willing to embrace the idea. I'm going up to HQ soon to discuss setting up a multi faith page on the intranet so that every faith and every celebration is explained, and everyone from each faith - including paganism - has someone as a point of contact to offer support and advice. To me it makes sense. They pay people lots to work xmas day for example, whereas I would work for normal rates if I could switch shifts and have the 21st off so I will be discussing these options too. Must be the same for people of other faiths too?

I just don't think anyone had ever asked the question before - maybe they were reluctant to or maybe we as "pagans" under whatever heading we choose are just willing to be shoehorned or hide our beliefs from the mainstream? Personally I think we should shine like lighthouses, and answer questions honestly and in doing so perhaps help people reconnect with their birthright - or at least be less afraid of it. Maybe i'm just waffling? I do that when I think out loud!

[FoxPhantom]

My mom knows I am into druidism , a couple of friends who comes on the internet does too. But not my co workers.

I keep it as my own business, but yet if any one asks, I might say something about it or not.

[Turtle]

I told my new colleges yesterday.

I didn't plan for that to happen, the subject of funerals and goodbyes came along and we were discussing how different spiritualities and communities deal with that. I am comfortable with myself (spirituality-wise) and comfortable enough with these people to tell. I guess I tend to approach the subject of spirituality and rituals with a kind of curiosity. I don't need to convince anyone druidry is 'as worthy as' any other spiritual path, nor am I influenced by any one attempting to convince me theirs is. I like sharing experiences if at all possible. I guess yesterday I deemed it possible.

Els

[ranbowbrokenwings]

Hi,
I tend to be extremely open about my beliefs. i wear my pentagram proudly and have a large tattoo between my wrist and elbow of the triple moon goddess, horned god and pentagram all in one...kinda hard to hide but i love it!
i have no problem admitting i am a witch and i have leanings towards druidry (i'm just starting the Bardic grade).
Mostly people start out with the usual cliches and jokes. but i have had some people become so interested that without preaching i have supplied them with material to give them deeper understanding for themselves.

One colleague was convinced that pagans were a bunch of crazy, drug taking hippies...which i confess amused me a little as it couldn't be further from the truth in my experience.

however work have got used to the idea now that i will always proudly be "the weird one" and i will declare my faith in the Lord and Lady with as much zeal as i feel appropriate.
i DO however tame myself down a little at work, but only to make life easier for myself.

[wolf560]

Hello All,

My workmates (substitute the phrase "fellow soldiers") knew of my beliefs from Basic Training in 1984 onwards. Although I caught "Heck" from my Drill Sergeant, in the end he respected me for standing up for my beliefs. His comment was "...I have rarely seen your kind of determination in even a Catholic and I thought THEY were determined."

I wore my dogtag with "DRUID" proudly and my platoon respected my abilities, especially when it came to the Forest. They said my uncanny knack for knowing where the enemy was as if the forest itself told me. I cannot describe the events, but suffice it to say that I did feel a pull towards where the enemy was and we were able to use that to our advantage everytime.

There was one other Druid and two other Pagans that I ran into over the twenty years I was in the Army. The Druid and I got along famously, the Pagans and I got along so-so. The reason? The Pagans were very put off by the fact I did not ascribe to their five elements.

Most soldiers were very tolerant of my being a "Druid" but I suspect that they were tolerant because they truly did not know what a Druid really was....

/|\ Mark

[Oneonine]

I've been quite open about my beliefs in the workplace. I don't expand on them unless someone shows an interest and asks questions. It's a mostly male environment, so most of the comments have been humorous or downright ribbald.

I tell complete strangers I'm a druid or pagan quite happily, if there's a reason it comes up.

[Huathe]

At work I seldom talk much of my personal life. That includes my interest in druidry. I few closer workers know I have a deep interest in trees/forests and I get called " Treehugger " quite a bit. I would let know what I want known and leave it at that.

[Morgana2010]

My boss oveheard me a few minutes ago talking to a friend and colleague about wassailing. He asked what it is and I told him and said I am following the Druid path. He laughed and said, "What will you do next then - become a Jedai knight?" He went into his office chuckling. irritating but I guess some people just don't understand ......

[Ghostrider]

Hehehe, I usually give em a piece of their own medicine...

Had a discussion about the origins of X-mas with my Chrisitan supervisor . All in good fun.
But when I explained about the Holly King and the Yule log and he went all "ooooh... so what do you do for X-mas then? Hug X-mas trees???"

How else could I respond????


I told him: "No.. for X-mas, we hunt out the nearest Christian Bishop and lop his head off".

End of discussion, I win!

[Morgana2010]

Hehehe, GOOD response Ghostrider. I will have to perfect a few of my own for responding to future fatuous remarks!

[Huathe]

Two workmates now know my beliefs. Both are open-minded intellectuals. One is a Messianic Jew and the other is nearly a druid himself! Both think druidry is cool!

[Morgana2010]

Two workmates now know my beliefs. Both are open-minded intellectuals. One is a Messianic Jew and the other is nearly a druid himself! Both think druidry is cool!

I work among intellectuals but sadly these one generally mock

[Bartholomew]

I am now a self-employed therapist since Jan 4th working from rooms in a gym and a complementary health centre and I am mobile. I was employed directly in a complementary health centre up until the day before christmas eve when the centre closed due to the owner's personal sitiuation and the economic climate.
In my role as a therapist talk of universal life force, chakras, energy, spirit inbalances in the body caused by psycological trauma and emotional distress are an everyday occurrence. That is why people usually come to see somebody like me as well as all the physical aches and pains for which I use massage.
I also work as a community carer which involves me going into people's homes to assist them with day to day living if they have some kind of disability. In this role I do not say much about my beliefs unless asked and i can make no judgement on what they do or say. I am just there to support them, my life is irrelevent in actual fact.
I quite like the balance I have now although I would like to be more creative in my spare time.

[seandmryan]

I've been kind of discreet at the studio I work 3 days a week in .
In the rest of my time I work as an artist . recently I had some work published in French magazine - In the credits I was listed as a designer an artist and a Druid .
Talk about outed at work -my boss read the credits out loud in the studio.
I never even told them I was a Druid we just talked about he rituals i go to - at the time Samhain in Avebury (Uk).
Im only 3/4 through the bardic grade would never call myself a Druid anyway !!
Still I fee kind of liberated .
I work for a fashion company as a designer my 3 days and I guess some people will find it odd others will be intrigued .
I guess that the world right ?
thanks for the topic
Blessings !

Sean

[crystall_child]

I have always been very open about my beliefs and all my coworkers know I am a pagan, some think of that aw witch, others understand more what a druid is. I work in a small alternative education centre and the pupils also know, some think It's a bit weird but no one seems to have a problem with it.

[Cerys]

A few of my friends and family know about my beliefs and I imagine I will confide in more as my OBOD path lengthens. I did "out" myself during a recent job interview though. I was interviewing for an academic post and one of the interviewers asked me about my faith (still trying to figure out how legal that was, even though the college was founded by a Christian organization...). I knew what they wanted me to say, and Druidism was definitely not it. It didn't take me half a second to decided to state my beliefs and I felt great doing so. I certainly could have said it was none of their business but I chose not to and it was a nice reaffirmation of the fact that I am happy with, and proud of, my spiritual path.

PS - I didn't get the job.

[Ice]

I've been kind of discreet at the studio I work 3 days a week in .
In the rest of my time I work as an artist . recently I had some work published in French magazine - In the credits I was listed as a designer an artist and a Druid .
Talk about outed at work -my boss read the credits out loud in the studio.
I never even told them I was a Druid we just talked about he rituals i go to - at the time Samhain in Avebury (Uk).
Im only 3/4 through the bardic grade would never call myself a Druid anyway !!
Still I fee kind of liberated .
I work for a fashion company as a designer my 3 days and I guess some people will find it odd others will be intrigued .
I guess that the world right ?
thanks for the topic
Blessings !

Sean

Same here. I had exactly the same experience at my workplace - and I've never looked back. I'm doing a large piece of research about this topic, so I'd like to hear of your experiences. If you're interested in taking part you could PM or email me with the information, although I won't be back here for a little while.Things are fairly busy right now.

[DJ Droood]

Yes...but I don't think my beliefs are that out of step with the norms of society....I'm a fairly conventional bourgeois guy....for an anarchist athiest hippie druid.

[Ice]

Goodness DJ Droood...Is this a good cop/bad cop post from you ? How are you?
You sound similar to me! You know what I've always valued the fact that you've always spoken your mind. I like that trait in a person You're a challenger and an individual.I think this is what druidry is about, being confident in your sense of 'self', questioning and seeking your own way rather than being told what to do and simply complying.

If only I could tear myself away from my druidic studies with OBOD long enough to have a proper chat. The course I find is reasonably priced and I don't mind parting with the money knowing that I have full value for my money everywhere, its interesting. Yes,I'm proud to be a fully paid up member of OBOD. You know what, I remember one of the OBOD tutors once telling me how prisoners are doing the OBOD course, imagine that ! Tutoring someone who has been banged up. It's a bit of a challenge.

I notice that you mention 'beliefs' and after careful consideration of previous discussions on atheism/skepticism I have now taken on board some of the expressed opinions some of which have been very strong, even slanderous. I like to see all the sides before drawing conclusions... some things certainly need to be heard, I would say. But there you go, I think that freedom of speech is an important thing, for everyone!
The research is going well at the moment.Well its more a PR campaign... an interesting diversion if you will. However things are starting to move, there's a shift .