Today is the 3rd International Blogging about Pagan Values event. I just found out about it last night but after reading various discussions in the community about what it means to be Pagan and what it is to decide to NOT use that label, I feel like I need to post something about how fat acceptance fits right in with my faith.
To me, much of Paganism is freedom; freedom to love whoever we choose, to learn from whoever we wish and about whatever interests us, to dance and laugh and make merry and celebrate in the ways that bring us closest to each other and the Divine. Broadly speaking, the Reclaiming tradition of which Starhawk is one of the founding members, is the Path I most closely follow. Specifically, however, I'm a follower of Artemis, the Greek Goddess of the wild spaces in our world, the hunt, and protector (and punisher) of children or their mothers. Her bow can be seen in the growing cresent moon, her temple once one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. The Charge of the Goddess, one of my favorite pieces of liturgy of all time, states "All acts of love and pleasure are my rituals" and by this and more I try to live my life. Who am I to say no to Her in any of Her many faces?
If Paganism is freedom, so is fat acceptance. Learning to open the lock to the guilded cage we build and help others build around ourselves is hard work but in the end our reward is freedom, happiness, love and acceptance. If I'm to honour my spirit I must also honour my body and mind, and that means nourishing foods as best as I can get them, and keeping my body in working order the best I can, to revel in the things that bring it pleasure and bring me joy. During ritual we very often include food as a part of things or have a potluck afterwards as nothing brings people together quite like food and drink. We nourish our minds with good conversation and books, our souls with the things precious to us and our bodies with food and play. There's nothing wrong or bad or gluttenous about my Path, nothing about starving my body to find grace or enlightenment; I think in a way weight loss surgery or dieting would be blasphemous.
Thanks for reading and I look forward to your questions or comments here or in my inbox.
You remind me of a passage from Terry Pratchett's Feet of Clay: "Either all days are holy or none are."
I'll take that as a compliment. I've not read any Pratchett but I'd like to. Friends tell me I'd love it. He's right; either there's something special about being alive every day or nothing. Be here and be here NOW. Its' all we've got for sure.
This is a tough issue for me. I have nothing against fat people. In fact I LOVE big women. BIG women!! Nothing sweeter in this world. On the other hand, true obesity is not healthy. There are degrees of that, and some people will do better than others of course, but in the long run, nobody who is very overweight will do as well as they otherwise could have. By their 50s and even much younger, most have severely limited mobility, their joints are shot, they almost always have high blood pressure, diabetes etc. It's a tough call. As a pagan, I admire the beauty of many forms and sizes. At the same time, my understanding of pagan values makes it very hard to endorse size acceptance when it reaches a level that truly represents living out of balance.
Hi Kenneth and welcome to the blog. At what point do you think people are so fat that they're living out of balance, and out of balance with what? In any case, other people's bodies are none of our business, as is their health. We can be accepting and respectful of them as people without concern trolling their fat.
It's always nice to meet other Pagans; is there a specific Path you follow?
I admire your lifestyle and you sound like an amazing outgoing person! I can see where weight loss surgery could be blasphemy (as it is not healthy for you), however I just can't agree with dieting being blasphemy. Although, on the other hand, it depends what kind of dieting starving yourself by eating nothing but yogurt is wrong lol. Eating healthy and exercising is a way (in my opinion of course) of trying to be more healthy and possibly bettering yourself. I am currently dieting because I was depressed after a horrible event and gained a substantial amount of weight. I don't see it as blasphemy as long as like I said before I'm taking care of my body and staying healthy. I do agree with you that other people's bodies are none of my business, but I just wanted to throw that out there as a Pagan who's on a diet...lol
Hi Lara and welcome to the blog. Eating healthy and being active isn't the same thing as dieting. Dieting is deliberately restricting calories or removing foods from your daily life/meals in order to lose weight, even if they're foods you adore. That just doesn't sit well for me. Too often the message is "Fat = unhealthy. Thin = healthy." and there's no room for any kind of conversation or middle ground. That's what I try to do here. Thank you for your comment and I hope you find healing and wholeness after your horrible event & peace with your body.
Fat acceptance is near and dear to my heart, and while I haven't exactly integrated it into my Wiccan faith practice, it's actually a big part of my "muggle" life since I run a plus size fashion blog. I'm highlighting this as one of my favorite posts in the first week of PVE2011.
Great post! This past year I have had a similar realization to what seems like you have had for awhile. My body is part of who I am, and I must love my body if I am to love me. I am far from a skinny person, but the God and Goddess live through me. I take care of me the best I can and, as you mentioned, I nourish mind, body and soul. Thanks for this wonderful message!
I believe in eating things that are good for you and moving your body in appropriate ways to help you feel good and be healthy. I do not believe in dieting and skinny does not automatically equal healthy.
I believe in striving to achieve your own personal excellence, arete in the Hellenic traditions, and what that is for me (a petite, skinny chick) is not going to be the same for you. One size does not fit all.
May all beings be happy!
-Jess
'All acts of love and pleasure...'
That (full)line was what we had written on the cake we cut at our handfasting/wedding.
Nice post