Mabon is the perfect time to take a long, honest look at what is no longer beneficial. It’s the time to ask yourself if something is draining your energy without having any positive result. And if that is the case, then it’s time to release whatever that might be.
For me, that one something that has been holding me back and preventing me from truly being… well, me… is social media.
I know, it might sound a bit ironic, considering I have various channels to promote The 78 Arcana Podcast and this here blog. But let me tell you, social media is without question a double-edged sword. Yes, I’ve been able to connect with some wonderful people and learn about their practices, which is incredible! Yes, I’ve been able to share elements of my craft with a community. But away from my spiritual accounts, social media remains a minefield.
For many other people of a similar age to myself, social media can be such a barrage of information that it can be overwhelming. The constant stream of notifications means that, at times, it feels as though you cannot get a second to just be still and breathe. And that’s even without opening up the mobile apps.
I realised the day before Mabon (the 20th of September to be exact) that my personal Facebook feed needed a good clear-out. I was following pages that I simply did not engage with, nor I had any interest in, so why was I allowing them to clog up my phone in place of my close friends’ posts and information which I could actually use? Answers on a postcard, please.
Whatever the reason, I set about ‘unliking’ those pages. Surprisingly, it didn’t take me all that long, and wow did it feel good afterwards!
In the same conversation, I’ve come to the realisation that there will be people on my personal social media whom I do not feel ready to share my pagan beliefs with. At least, not yet, anyway. You might be reading this and thinking ‘yep, me too’. If that’s the case, let me tell you that is absolutely 100% fine!
One of the many reasons that I felt drawn to the pagan / wicca path is that it is completely different to others. That means that you have a right to share as much or as little about your craft as you feel able to. If that means creating whole new accounts or pages where you can express yourself freely, without the fear of being contradicted by others, then go for it. Even if you’ve been practising for several years, the same principle applies – your Facebook page / Insta account / Twitter feed / Snaps etc. are yours. Never let anyone tell you what you can and can’t share.
Conversely, and I think this is perhaps more important, try to remember that just because other accounts are posting pictures of their Sabbat plans or their latest altar decorations doesn’t mean that you have to as well if you do not feel able to. The spiritual path is a deeply personal one and does mean a considerable amount of energy being invested. If your intuition tells you not to share a post, odds are it’s a sign that it won’t be energy used wisely. Again, that will depend on you and your beliefs.
More than once, the thought has crossed my mind to come off social media completely. But then it is followed by a reminder that without it, I simply won’t be able to learn from you, my lovely readers and listeners, and others on a similar journey. So I asked myself, how could I address this current imbalance?
After listening to my intuition and my guides, I decided to create a new Facebook page and Instagram account, away from my personal ones, where I can share posts like this one and the experiences I have while going about my day, knowing that they will be seen by a like-minded audience. At around the same time, a close friend of mine set up a private Facebook group to bring people with a shared interest in tarot and spirituality together, which I am part of as well.
You might have heard the phrase ‘being in the broom closet’ used on social media by witches; this refers to someone who is not quite ready to go completely public about their craft other than with a select few people. I would say that describes me, but perhaps with the door slightly ajar or one foot out in the open. Now that I have some new platforms to work with, I’m getting closer towards pushing it open completely.
Follow the links below to connect.
Blessed be.
Sapphire River
Pantherion 
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