Do we need lables?

Question

At this time of year I always reflect on my personal harvest, and
with the Full moon so close to the equinox, it seems I have done more
thinking on my spiritual path this last week than I have for a good
few years.

Labels are not always helpful, but they often assist us in
identifying those who share similar beliefs. I have considered myself
pagan for about 20 years, and about 10 of the years have been spent
walking a mainly Druidic path. Or has it?

I have always said that Druidry comes closer to who I am than
anything else I have so far come across, certainly closer than Wicca,
which is where I started out.

As I'm sure we all know though, as we walk this path our view
changes, as it does when we walk along any path :) and as my
interests have grown and developed, so has my way of practising my
Druidry.

Anyway, as I said at the beginning, I have been evaluating where I
am, and to be honest, I'm not sure if Druid still describes who I am,
so what would?

My main interests are to do with healing, such as herbalism, crystal
healing, energy healing such as Reiki, aromatherapy, and many others
LOL. I make my own incense, soap, medicines any many other things. I
have been looking at what Green/Hedge witchcraft involves, and I am
wondering if this is perhaps closer to what and who I am. What do you
think?

ooops, didn't spot the typo on labels!

oooh I like that Kent! I can just see me stirring the cauldron :)

Matt, as I'm sure you read, I am not christian, so thanks for your contribution, but I am happy with my own path :)

Answer 1

This is a question I pondered long and hard when I was engaging in a number of futile attempts to get Christians to see and understand that it is not what we call ourselves, it is not our labels, it is what we DO that counts.

I label myself Witch, pagan, and agnostic, among other things, because of what I do, like help take care of our planet, recycle, etc, and what I do springs forth from what I believe, which is that there are many spiritual paths, and that the Christian path is not for me.

I did actually get the majority of answerers to agree that actions speak louder than words and that it is what we actually do that counts, but they still had a hellacious amount of trouble swallowing the validity of the labels that I choose to use, especially Witch, bc despite my description of a Witch as being a good person who recycles , etc, and does much the same stuff as they do, the label was a jarring no no.

I happen to think that it is important to use this particular label bc of the wrong negative connotations it has acquired through history, in an attempt to reclaim the word as meaning someone who is very connected to our Mother Earth, and who has certain sensitivities to the rhythms of nature, among other things.

But, for the most , it is what we actually do that is the most important thing. Labels do give other people information about your beliefs and your pursuits, but in the end actions really do speak the loudest.

Terrific question!
Bright Blessings,
Lady Morgana )0(

Answer 2

I am going to say that on some level that if we did not label things are heads would explode because of all the information we would be taking in. A perfect example of this would be an inatimate object like a pen. In actuality all pens are different but, chances are we are not going to individually distinsquish how every pencil is different. Now as far as things more abstract like religion of course, you put some boundaries on something by labeling it. As for what specific religion you are does the label really MATTER? I mean almost no one is going to have the exact same beleifs as everyone else in their religion. Also as far as pagan,s wiccans or druids are concerned one beauty to these 3 religions are is that many pratcioneers have molded their religion by adopting in other religious elements that make sense. In reality i am no where close to a wiccan BUT, i still label myself a wiccan because i have an affinity for witchcraft. If you tell a druid or pagan that your wiccan then, i think that most of them will acknoweldge or realize of the bat that your beleifs maybe somewhat different then theres. On the other hand if you tell a christian your wiccan or a druid we really, it won't matter what you say cause they already have prejudements in mind. I don't think labels are always a good thing but, i don't think there as bad as some people make them out to be. Plus i say what is bad is how firmly attached people are to the mental labels they have in their mind. Now if you become attached to them they are bad. If you use them as a general way to simplify things then they are fine. As i said thoug, as far as religion goes i wouldn't really spend that much time worrying about it. If all less fails just say your a spiritual person which i think is rather all encompassing.

Answer 3

If your label was as simple as one word you be boring. It seems many folks on the path of paganism have come to the same crossroads as you're at now. The traits and workings you normally deal in sound very Hedge / Green so I think if you really need a label -go with it. However if I can impart one thing with you. After I read your question It reminded me of my favorite quote:
"Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the danger of controversy. Speak your mind, and fear less the label "crackpot" than the stigma of conformity." -Thomas J. Watson

We all pick up different things from ALL the paths we study. Personally at this point on my path it's -Hodgepodge Paganism

Answer 4

Labelling ourselves can be a dangerous thing. Once we have given ourselves the lable we tend to try to adhere to the stereotype of that label. I find it better to do what I am doing and see if there is a label that fits MY actions and adopt that. From there I tend to avoid following the stereotype of that label but try to add as much as I can use from other areas to fill in according to my needs. Although I consider myself a Green Witch, I am more a wiccan than a Green Witch yet, I hold true to the principles of Green witchery, dealing almost exclusivley with herbal healing and spirituality with a little reiki thrown in for good measure. LOL

BB,
Raji the Green Witch

Answer 5

The thing is that as humans living in a concrete world we feel the need to categorise everything to feel we posses it, we understand it, we know its essence. It's a very instinctive thing. What we know we own, what we ignore we can't control so we destroy it. I'm not saying we all do the same, I'm speaking of humans in general, as a species. Taxonomies signal the state of belonging to something, a group maybe so we say "I'm this or that"`. I rather say "I'm doing this or that for the moment, tomorrow nobody knows what will be of me. As you very well pointed out sister, life is a journey and e walk on different paths or maybe the same one just at different stages. Maybe it is that you're not just one things but an eclectic combination of many. I'd say you are what you think, what you eat and what you do.

Answer 6

I'm so tired of all the labels. At my school their is this whole fricken deal with the Preps and Emos, and they hate each other. They always have huge fights because their basically trying to see who's better. Honestly, they are getting nowhere with this. I wish everyone would just stop with the labels and stop thinking that they are better than other people, because everyone should be treated as an equal and no lesser than other people.

Answer 7

I doubt that Global cultures will easily accept people as valued individuals. So it's difficult. While it is a pain, there is a social need to be able to generalize. However there is a need to recognize the associated limits. Something that some cultures seem to be blind to.

Part of the problem is when people go to extremes - much like the differences between the Australian expression of Multiculturalism compared to the US.


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Answer 8

I did like what Labgrrl said : labels are the stories we tell about ourselves. That was quite beautiful, and if you don't want to call yourself a Druid, don't. My mother insisits I'm a Christian and, bless her, I'm not. I'm a Pagan, an eclectic one, but a Pagan nonetheless. Be what you wish to be, just be kind to yourself, others and the world. That's all anyone needs to be. Blessings, Dear One.

Answer 9

They can be helpful when talking to fellow believers, to explain what exactly you believe in and how your beliefs differ from others.
We're humans, for communication we need words. Now, you can understand those words as labels, as pigeonholing - or you can understand them as tools for exchanging opinions with other people.

If you don't feel like a druid, then don't call yourself a druid. In this case, you don't need to call yourself anything. Maybe call yourself "pagan". It's generic, it describes who you are, and if someone is really interested, they will ask for your specific path, and then you can explain.

Answer 10

Labels describe us but they are not permanent.
I have a lot of them. Mother, sister, Heathen, friend, bipolar, student. None of the bother me. They tell others who I am. None of them have to be forever. A year ago I was simply pagan. While I can't see my path ever changing you just never know.