The Broom Closet

In the beginning, we were wise men and woman healing with herbs, overflowing with knowledge. Witches were revered. Then enter the Dark Ages, when Rome fell and Christianity was ushered in and they adapted our ways but twisted our motivations, turning a beautiful livelihood into a great evil. Demonizing what Witches were for their own advantage. Then enter the Inquisition in the early Middle Ages, heretics burned at the stakes, Witches not unscathed in these times or in the 1600s with the Salem Witch Trials. People, who were once friends and neighbors turned against them, betrayed them in fear and hysteria, causing Witches to live in secret, in fear of reprisal.

In more recent times, Witches have begun to come out of hiding. Wicca making a comeback as a need for spirituality becomes a worldwide search. A revival of the most ancient teachings, people returning to their roots. However, the stigma from the years of persecution remains. The ignorance of the populace remaining a shroud over the truth, leaving Witches in a state of uncertainty, wanting to reach out to others who share the same path but not wanting to risk repercussions.

I, myself, faced the same dilemma as I came into my own Wiccan Ways. The occult had always interested me, and about six years ago, I decided to start reading up on the topic. My first choice was Vampire Lore. While reading about the history of Vampires and who they were thought to live amongst, my heritage was called into play. The lore read that Vampires, as well as Witches, were thought to live amongst the gypsies. Finally, something clicked; part of my heritage is Hungarian, Hungarian gypsies and there had always been mysticism about my grandmother despite her Christian background. My uncle had always said she knew when things were going to happen, or she would make things happen. A few Hungarian phrases always came from her and I remembered hearing of the evil eye. Things began to come together for me. I had never felt quite as home with so-called “normal” society. I had always felt something was different. I always had a tendency to roam and had a heavy connection with nature and animals. And although brought up in the Methodist Church and switching later to the Baptist Church, nothing felt quite right.

In 2001, I found a basic Wiccan book and began to study; it felt like I was coming home. However, amongst my initial studies of anthropology, philosophy and other religions, before my days of becoming a Witch, I had met two Wiccans amongst friends. I inquired about their Pagan jewelry; they kept their answers vague and told me “You’re not supposed to tell anyone if you’re a Witch.” Now to me, at the time, the statement seemed to be a protective one, yet I couldn’t quite accept it. From there, I began absorbing any Wiccan information I could gather, a hunger that continues today. I soon accepted my heritage and in 2002 began to claim and explore my inner Goddess.

Along my path to enlightenment, I had always contemplated the same question: Do I tell anyone that I am a Wiccan? And if I do, who? What would the repercussions be? After consideration, I realized that the Wiccans I had met may have just been trying to protect themselves by not disclosing that they were Witches and that may have been their preference, but not necessarily a general rule for Witches. There is only one general rule and that is: a Witch has options and it is up to the individual to make choices.

The three main options to consider for disclosure are complete secrecy, selective disclosure and open book. With the first option, generally, a Witch keeps their spiritual identity to themselves, whether it be as a Solitary Witch or within a Coven. Their public life remains untouched by their spiritual realm and the private life remains that way. This can be very difficult to do and may cause an inner conflict by separating your spiritual and public life. This could lead to a fractured sense of self.

On the other hand, there is always selective disclosure and whether you are liberal or conservative would be a subset. With selective disclosure, one lets others know of their spiritual life, but generally does so with people they can trust and whom they have a mutual respect for. Staying on guard with some people and evaluating the problems that may arise if the information is disclosed is one way to safeguard. Keeping an honest, open relationship with those you love and trust and protecting you from harms way.

The choice you make depends on what you are comfortable with and the risks you are willing to take. This choice may even change as your circumstances or your self undergo a metamorphosis; mine did. I started out in 2002 in complete secrecy. I wanted to learn in private; I would read books in public, but would keep it to myself, and then I quickly became a conservatively selective discloser with my family and close friends. This was a very positive experience for me. My parents were very supportive and my best friend disclosed that her sister had been a Wiccan. As I became more comfortable, I discussed it with my other friends and eventually their parents knew. Through this I began meeting other Wiccans, finding out my Aunt was a Shaman, realizing that the stigma of Witchcraft and the like was lifting in this day and age when people are more open to it.

I began dating a man to whom I disclosed that I was a Wiccan and he was receptive to it, telling me his mother had once been involved in German Mysticism. The first year he and I were together was wonderful, but after that we began to decline and he would occasionally argue with me over my spirituality. At one point it came down to telling him if he didn’t want Wicca in the house, than I would not be there either. When I stood up for my spirituality he backpedaled fast and things were fine for a while. We are no longer together and the previous disclosure could have been terribly detrimental to me because he and I worked together and he had the potential to betray my trust, but never did. Do I regret telling him? No. If I had to do it again, would I have told him? Absolutely.

Currently, I would consider myself a liberal selective discloser: I wear my Celtic knot pentacle necklace regularly and I wear Blessed Be and Harm None rings when I can. My spirituality is in the public eye discreetly. If I am in a pinch, I know their symbolism and can explain them historically. I was previously scared to wear them because I thought it would out me as a Witch; I wasn’t ready and that terrified me. Now, I have opened myself up more to others, I have my family, my friends and even some co-workers in my circle of trust. However, I do not flaunt it blatantly. I gauge whether to tell each person individually. For example: my boss…definitely not. I’ve heard his bias against Witches. My Uber-Christian co-workers…no way, especially if it will get back to my boss. Job loss would definitely be a repercussion and an undesirable one at that.

No matter what you choose to do, there is always the possibility for both positive and negative responses, but you need to be ready for either. If you choose wisely, and ask the Goddess for them to be open and receptive, you can increase the probability of it being a positive experience. In the end, you and only you know what you are comfortable with. Don’t ever let anyone pressure you into doing something you don’t wish to do. And remember once the proverbial black cat is out of the bag, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to put it back in, so I urge to err on the side of caution. However, your choices are your own and I only hope that my insight and experience can help you ease into, or rather out of the broom closet.