12 Questions for: Krystelynn, an Environmentalist, Vegan Pagan

[Guest guest]

1) What was your religious/spiritual background growing up?

I was raised a Catholic.

 

2) When did you become a Neo-Pagan, Pagan or Witch?

When I was around 11 or 12.

 

3) How long have you been practicing?

For more than 20 years.

 

4) What made you choose this path?

After the church asked me to leave the church, because I was asking

too many questions and casting doubt on the other parishioners, I did a lot of

soul searching and research (I am a nerd to the core as well as a voracious

reader). I read many books on different religions and two stood out to me the

most. The first was Anton Zander LaVey's Satanic Witch and the second was

Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft, out of the two I felt that Buckland's

was more for me so I went in that direction just not that complete path. I

floundered for a while trying a bunch of different paths, then I read Amber

Wolfe's In the Shadow of the Shaman and I knew more of what I needed to do and

what specific path I needed to follow.

It was very comforting to find something as pure and whole as paganism and to

know that there are many people in the world who feel the way I do. I believe

that I have as much or more faith than the majority of Christians do, but I feel

that my faith is more pure than theirs is because Christianity is confused and

polluted by the church.

 

You're a rebel. I love that. Your take on the Christian church is

profound, but sometimes I fear that Pagans pollute the paths of others by

ignorantly disrespecting other people's cultures and traditions. Christians take

the Bible and reinterpret its meaning to support a specific agenda. Many Pagans

take aspects of other peoples cultures and traditions to support their specific

agenda thus exploiting the origins of the true meaning and purpose.

 

5) Are you a private or public Pagan?

It really depends, my friends and family know I am Pagan but I am

also a business owner and I think that if I touted myself as a pagan business I

would severely limit my customer base. Pagans who know me know I am a Pagan

business owner but I don't advertise it to my customers.

Smart decision. No need to advertise, since Pagans will certainly

find you.

 

6) What's your favorite thing about being a Pagan?

How free it lets me be. I am not stuck adhering to one specific

strict dogma and I absolutely love that about being Pagan.

 

7) What is your primary tradition (if you have one)?

I am by heritage Native American and Celtic Irish so I practice

Shamanism and Celtic with a little Hinduism and Buddhism thrown in for fun that

is what is so great about pagans, you can see the good in other religions and

use them in your worship and daily life.

 

Very interesting. I have Native American (Black Feet & Cherokee) and

Irish ancestry as well. We may be sisters under the skin. You probably have some

African ancestry you're not even aware of, too.

 

8) What made you choose this tradition?

To honor my ancestors.

 

Wow, again we have much in common. Your ancestors will guide you

through trials and tribulations if you revere them.

 

9) Who's your favorite God and Goddess? Why?

No specific god or goddess except for Mother Earth, everything I do,

every choice I have made for my life is in honor of our Earth Mother. As for

which Mother Earth, there is only one. I do not have a name for her as Native

Americans do not feel it is their place to name something so majestic. She is

just our Mother, everything comes from her, and everything goes back to her in

the end. She is the beginning, the end, and everything in between. I am a strict

Vegan and an eco-activist in honor of her and live my life according to the ten

commandments of Mother Earth.

 

The Ten Commandments of Mother Earth:

1. Thou shall love and honor the Earth for it blesses thy life and governs thy

survival.

2. Thou shall keep each day sacred to the Earth and celebrate the turning of its

seasons.

3. Thou shall not hold thyself above other living things nor drive them to

extinction.

4. Thou shall give thanks for thy food, to the creatures and plants that nourish

thee.

5. Thou shall educate thy offspring for multitudes of people are a blessing unto

the Earth when we live in harmony.

6. Thou shall not kill, nor waste Earth's riches upon weapons of war.

7. Thou shall not pursue profit at the Earth's expense but strive to restore its

damaged majesty.

8. Thou shall not hide from thyself or others the consequences of thy actions

upon the Earth.

9. Thou shall not steal from future generations by impoverishing or poisoning

the Earth.

10. Thou shall consume material goods in moderation so all may share the Earth's

bounty.

Your focus on a Mother Earth almost sounds monotheistic, since there

are hundreds of Earth Goddesses and Mother Goddesses, depending on your choice

of tradition or cultural heritage. Native American traditions also vary by tribe

and region, so there isn't one Native American tradition. Amber Wolfe's, In the

Shadow of the Shaman, focuses on the Cherokee tradition.

 

10) Are you active on the Detroit Pagan scene? If so, what's your favorite event

or activity?

I try to be, but working a full time job, owning my own business,

and going to school full time severely limits my social time but I am working on

becoming more actively involved.

 

Wow, your plate is full. I am grateful you had the time to answer my

questions.

 

11) What would you like Cowans (non-believers) to know about your religion?

That it isn't all hocus pocus or Satan worship like Christianity and

Hollywood would have you believe. We are real and good people who love to

worship nature.

 

Amen.

 

12) Recommend three of your favorite books about your tradition or path.

(I recommend) Pagan Ways by Gwidion O'Hara, In the Shadow of the

Shaman by Amber Wolf, and Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond

Buckland.

 

Excellent Choices. Thank you and may the Gods and Goddesses be with

you.