Being pagan or a metalhead can lead to some pretty interesting things in life. But being both at once surely causes good and bad to come along in life. Wonder how its life straight from a person like that? Read on.
The "satan" label.
Hard rockers and metalheads alike deal with people who automatically think that you are a devil worshipper for wearing darker clothes and listening to music that has to do with more taboo type stuff. The more metal you are, the more you get judged. I once used to have a more gothy look and people definitely looked at me weird and would say stupid things to try and hurt me, yet it really didn't hurt. Nowadays I typically dress more thrasher like with the band shirts and battle vests, raggedy jeans, sneakers or combat boots, etc. Still I get a negative word or two from people.
As for being pagan this just adds the fuel to the fire for misunderstanding. People who don't understand my beliefs think its even bigger proof I'm a Satanist. Pretty much all wiccans don't believe in the devil or hell since its a Christian concept. As for me, I think a little differently. All people have light and dark within them. There cannot be one without the other. So I think divinity is the same way. Probably why I just say I'm pagan instead of just saying im eclectic wiccan because of their belief in no satan. I mean I don't see satan as a horned dude with a pitchfork, but still. The god in my beliefs (consort of the goddess) is depicted with antlers, and is called the "horned god" but people who don't understand tend to freak out about that phrase. That horned god is not satan, his antlers represent him being part of nature. I do believe that all spirits go to one place as well.
Being open about being a headbanger, yet being closed about beliefs.
I'm more open about being metal than anything else. I'm proud to represent the bands i love when I wear their merch, I love making myTakes about the music, I love playing guitar, etc. Music is the thing that brings me total joy in life. Music IS my life. And my parents encourage me with my love of music. With my family, I am living in the broom closet right now with my beliefs. I think whenever I may ever tell anyone about it is when I'm already out on my own. However a few others I know do know about me being pagan. With doing magic and rituals, I do it all at night in my room whenever everyone's asleep. To be honest I've felt pretty bad about doing big rituals behind their backs, so I have slowed down on it a lot. But I still do some smaller things to honor the Earth and stuff. I've left offerings for spirits before too, even spirits of famous musicians like Cliff Burton or Malcolm Young.
I know it may sound strange, but don't think that I'm being stupid and summoning their spirit to do their bidding for me or something. All I do is leave an offering of something, speak to them and tell that the offering is for them, leave it, and later on or the next day I bury it. Kinda a way of honoring them and their legacy. When Malcolm Young died, I set up a little altar in memory of him by having pictures of him up, copies of AC/DC stuff on vinyl, candles, offerings, etc. In September, on the day marked as the day of Cliff Burton's death, I played "Orion" and left an offering for him, and later in the night listened to ALL early metallica that involved him. I also listened to "To Live Is To Die".
Room décor having to do with being the metal pagan.
Alright, so my whole room is covered in stuff having to do with heavy music. My shelves have a ton of it as well, including my CD and growing vinyl collections. I also have things like dragons, incense, candles, and more. That's the little bit of the pagan side I can squeeze into it all without saying "guess what, I'm a witch!!". I also do have a few cinnamon brooms in my room I have up all year. No, I don't go flying on them at night (wish it was possible though!) I decorate them to represent the seasons as they change. I also have a tea light holder that looks like angel wings holding the candle. Part of the wings are silver, the other part gold. Silver actually represents the goddess, while gold represents the god, so this holder is a representation of the god and goddess working as one source. A lot of times I have a candle in it representing a wish or prayer I make, so its a physical representation of divinity surrounding the wish or prayer and answering it.
The question "you're a metalhead... why are you so nice? Don't you sacrifice babies in satanic ritual?"
*facepalm* dude come on... first off, to be a true metalhead, you gotta be true to the music. Being metal doesn't mean you get drunk and be a junkie and be a Satanist. It doesn't truly give you the right to be a dumbass towards people. I am a type of person that doesn't judge instantly, and helps others before i help myself. If I saw a homeless man in the cold with nothing to eat, I'd give him a blanket and some food. If someone is in need of help, I'm always there to help however i can. It doesn't matter to me what a person's religious beliefs are, or what their race, gender, or sexuality is. As for sacrificing anything, I don't ever. When you kill something as a sacrifice, it can bring very bad things into your life. Only way it is ok to kill is if you have to hunt to be able to eat. Those are my beliefs though. Again, I don't sacrifice anything to a dark lord like people think.
Playing music in honor of....
I've played guitar to give honor to our fallen musical heroes. A lot of times on the day of their death, I play all I know of their music.
Fun fact.. the guitar pictured above, I have that a copy of it. I love that guitar to death.
So yeah, that was kinda a peek into how life is like being a weird oddity like me. I'm proud to be one though. I'm a proud pagan and a proud metalhead 4 life.
My next take will be of Monster Magnet's "PowerTrip" record. A very interesting and cool album for sure. So keep an eye out for the next take! Hope you all have an awesome new year.
Stay metal my friends! \\m//
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