Following Your Path At Work

[Duellist]

At my last job (I was made redundant last year and went self-employed) I was outed by accident. Another employee made some remark against some assumed Christian bias and said he knew of at least two pagans in the office, one being himself. It didn't take long until someone saw my Stonehenge PC-wallpaper (Windows 7 comes with a great one supposedly taken one Yule) and asked about it. No issues at all after that, despite the other pagan being asked to resign in a loud conversation over some very questionable practices.

Well, unless you count the smug atheists. That was never anti-druidry, just a general 'anti-religion' vibe which we (Pagans, Jehovah's Witnesses, Catholics, Jews et al.) ignored.

I did sometimes go out to 'commune with nature', being lucky enough to live in a city which is basically half-forest, but I was never the only one to do this, just the one to walk furthest off the beaten track.

[Aoife]

I work at Office Max...and that's about as far from nature as you can get. It focuses on technology and office supplies...any thoughts on how I can bring druidry to Office Max?

[DarcArchona]

A couple ideas to bring it to work with you:

1. at the beginning of this thread someone mentioned bringing some small stones/items with you to work to help yourself out.

2. be very pro-recycling at work. you could try to steer people towards recycled goods/use less energy items, or just in general keep it up in conversation.

that's about all I can think of right now as I'm somewhat in the same boat, however in an office instead of sales. I just have several mineral spheres, a fossilized ammonite, and sometimes random seeds, leaves, etc.. at my desk in the open. I get asked about why I have them there, so I get to be in the open and safe from any management action against me based upon religious views( my HR department works wonders...and they like my homemade salsa!)

good luck!

[mia]

I work with the elderly and/or disabled as a carer (in their own homes)
It's amazing the way I am sent to clients who have the same beliefs as I.
Or who have had experiences they could never tell anyone else.
Then there are those who know they will pass over soon and want to know what will happen to them.
Want to talk about it.
I don't just come out with the fact I have different beliefs to most of the elderly, they know without knowing they know.
I don't hide the fact though.

I do carry crystals with me and my pendulum and a notebook and pen to note any thoughts that come to me.

[Fearn]

Hi all,

about making my working place a little more druid-friendly : I have a succulent plant (1 tea-spoon of water a month I can handle) and I have a white little rock my son gave me.
We are two nature loving women in the the same room so we have 2 plants and windows we can freely let open. I used to have also an ox-eye stone in my pocket when I was teaching new recruts their job.

As days are coming shorter I see the sun coming up when I arrive so I salute the sun God every morning, on the hill in front of the office, it's beautiful.

I don't really share my beliefs but people do already consider me a extraterrestrial so even if I let something slip no one will really be shocked..
And in France religion is a private matter so in my enterprise whatever your beliefs are isn't really a concern, you're not supposed to talk about at work/school, etc..when you do it's usually that the people are quite open minded around you, otherwise you don't. But there are christians, muslims, or atheists people and it's not a problem.

And I have the chance to work near woods, tiny woods but still full of ashes and a few oaks, so I leave work at noon to be out, even in winter.
I eat and read and look at the trees, listen to the birds and sometimes I have the chance to see squirrels.. And when I feel good or need to I do the Body of light exercice..and all is well !

[Twyrch]

I work at Office Max...and that's about as far from nature as you can get. It focuses on technology and office supplies...any thoughts on how I can bring druidry to Office Max?

Add the Druid symbol /|\ to the end of your name in your e-mail signature. When people ask you about it, then you can speak freely without "preaching" or "forcing your views on others" because they initiated the conversation.

[Aoife]

That's a good idea. I also always wear my awen symbol necklace at work too.

[Karl]

I've just found a clump of Mistletoe which has now been hung somewhere in our shop. I've been explaining the etymology of Mistletoe to all and sundry too!

[Twyrch]

That's a good idea. I also always wear my awen symbol necklace at work too.

I did that and when I got talking to the person in more detail, I found out that her family has been Wiccan for many generations and although she still identifies with Wicca, she is studying Budhism as well. We had an interesting discussion.

[serendipity]

Hello everybody...
I work as a Learning Disabilities Care Home Manager. I was nervous about telling my family about my chosen spiritual path....let alone my work colleagues. I took me over 12 months before i actually told someone about my druidry. Most of my colleagues now know that this is the path i have chosen to follow. No one has ever been really derogatory towards me as some of you have experienced (i have had the odd joke about sacrificing goats) Most people have actually been really cool about it and asked lots of questions (that i really cant always answer as i am still quite new to this ) so i say to them that if they are interested in learning more look at this website!!
I have been inspired to bring my druidry into my workplace via various suggestions on this thread so thank you. Its not something i have ever done but my mission this year is to make druidry part of my everyday life in whatever small way i can rather than it just being a small part of who i am.
Blessings
Serendipity

[trasnochadora13]

All my friends know, and most of my co-workers as well, I'm a Nurse. I wear an acorn and oakleaf, a tree of life and a Goddess pendant as well as have some visible tattoos. I'm very open about being druid, but I don't bring it up unless asked.

I do occasionally run into some people that feel a need to try and "save" me. I just politely, let them know that I'm not in any danger and do not require saving.

[paikea]

I'm a WAHM so everything is everywhere

[DarcArchona]

what the heebie jeebies is a WAHM?

and I've dealt with the people who try to 'save' me here in texas...probably shouldn't have put that pagan fish thing on my car...oh well. I also wear either a trisquelle or thor's hammer, as well as a myriad of celtic knotwork rings. I do get questions about them a lot lately, but most people have finally understood not to ask about religion at work/assume I'm christian/catholic. Oh well, another day another challenge.

[NovaStar]

Work at home mum/mom?

[paikea]

Work at home mum/mom?

Sorry! Yes Novastar is correct

[Whitemane]

Not much for wearing adornments, no tattoos, and I'm on a temporary assignment away from a window office to a cubicle about the size of a coffee coaster, so not much room for any decoration.

As I'm in the US, I had a quick look at the EEOC website and according to them most companies (not necessarily all) with more than 20 employees are governed by federal EEOC rules. That means making reasonable accommodations to genuinely-held religious beliefs, practices, dress, and grooming, and not allowing harassment. So you should be able to wear a religious symbol or have one on your desk without problems. Lighting a balefire is probably not going to fly. If somebody tries to save your soul at the coffee-maker, you probably have the right to file a complaint with your own HR or management.

However, you are also prevented from being obnoxious, aggressive, or harassing yourself. We have a well-known atheist at work who managed to upset someone at the next table when getting particularly energetic about atheism, so he is no longer allowed to talk about it in public areas.

[StephenThomas]

I work at home so I don't get to harass anyone! My Pagan beliefs affect no one and I don't get to talk to much of anyone about it. That's what happens when you're an author!

[plaidcat]

I find it very easy to follow my path at work because I now work for a very ethical company who treats their employees with a great deal of respect, ethically sources goods and labor (including manufacturing labor), and focuses heavily on stewardship of the environment. Its a national outdoor recreation retailer in the US, so not only does all the previously mentioned apply, but they really encourage their employees to get outside and have fun, which for me and the two other pagans I work with is incredibly soul-nourishing. In 3 weeks Husband and I are going on a camping trip, and we hike and cycle a lot.

As far as being "out" at work, I don't find that to be a challenge because of the accepting atmosphere. I wear a pentacle and a silver aspen leaf (Hubby's xmas/birthday gift ), and a ring with a tiny pentacle on it. I also have a lot of "leafy" jewelry, rings and earrings and whatnot. So, it is "out there" for people to see, but for the most part nobody comments unless they're also pagan. I also live in Texas, so in the past I've gotten intermittent attempts at salvation or even criticism, but I haven't experienced that at my current job. I'm hoping to make a career out of this employer, in outdoor education and "outreach" (organizing events with local charities and outdoor activities groups).

[Halen]

My spiritual path and my work are one, as I am a counsellor in substance misuse and i work people, who want help to get clean. I have been known as a person following a pagan path for many years, so becoming a Druid was not a problem as I am still the same person following the path put before me. I have recently been on a one day course at Chester University on addiction and spirituality where people talked openly about spirituality no matter what their background. It is becoming recognised in some areas of addiction that success comes easier when people are treated as body, mind and spirit. I feel fortunate to work within this field.

[Equidae]

I have part time jobs as a work study and a jack of all trades at the stable I take lessons at so I don't know if they count as a work place. I don't really mention religion at either beyond the occasional debate about the separation of church and state.

I don't like wearing jewelry or carrying nonessential items for safety reasons, but I do have a fair amount of tattoos of all sorts of things. My actual pagan ones include teiwaz and thurisaz runes tattooed on the back of my upper arms. My immediate family is well adjusted, but the extended family (who are predominately of Irish, Scottish, and Welsh descent) has had problems with mental illness and addiction. I've never had any issues, but I got a custom horse form kelpie tattoo on my calf complete with the hand of a victim reaching out above the water as a reminder that the prettiest things can be what drag you under (corny yes, but I appreciate the sentiment!) I'm a bit of a tattoo nut, and am planning on getting more Norse and Celtic imagery. I just make sure to follow my personal tattoo rules of: only get custom work, after you're sure about what you want then wait for at least a year before you get it, put them in areas that you can comfortably conceal in work clothes, and make sure the imagery and placement wouldn't be something you'd be embarrassed to show Grandma.

As far as actions go I try to be conscious and respectful of the environment so I'll try to do things like recycle and not waste things. I also try to treat the animals I work with as conscious beings, though I still remain very much the leader and won't let them get away with any bad behavior.