(Nimue)
Like a lot of Pagan bloggers, I write primarily about my own experiences. This is a considered thing for me and there are important reasons for doing it.
Firstly, my Druidry is very specifically about the place i live in. What works for me is deeply informed by the landscape I call home, and by the way the seasons specifically play out here. The history in this landscape, the way my family history intersects with it, and a whole host of things around that inform what I do. It's very personal. I can't tell you how to do Druidry on your own terms because if you were trying to do broadly what I do, it would have to work differently. My hope is that by talking about what's personal to me, readers can decide how or if to explore any of that.
I have biases, privileges I'm not alert to and all the usual human mess. I don't want to present myself as some kind of all-knowing authority on How To Druid. I'm a work in progress, my Druidry is also a work in progress. I struggle with things, and I hope that by making those visible I can avoid any impression that I have it all figured out and that therefore people should do what I say. You, dear reader, are also no doubt a messy work in progress. Hopefully in seeing my messiness you will feel more empowered to get on with your own explorations rather than being slowed down by concerns about not being good enough. Perfectionism is toxic.
Stories are a good way of sharing information. Often what I'm doing here is sharing stories about my own journey. Your mileage may vary. Over the years, I've learned a lot from other people telling their stories, especially around domestic abuse, living with hypermobility and making sense of neurodivergence as well as the sharing of tales from the Druid path. I like stories. I like the way in which the telling of a story invites other people to also tell stories and it's great when people share their experiences in the comments.
There are of course personal aspects to this. Blogging is cheap, therapy is expensive. I find the process of writing helps me clarify my own thoughts and work things through. I also find if I put something personal into the world there's often someone who finds that helpful for figuring out their stuff, or someone ahead of me in dealing with whatever I'm trying to make sense of. The scope to benefit from each other's experience appeals to me. It's encouraging when people come back with parallel experiences or can say 'I've been where you are and it can get better'. It's affirming when things I struggle with are recognised by other people and not rubbished - I think it's normal to fear being rubbished by others.
For me, the process of sharing my experiences is very much a process of wanting to learn and change. I'm working my way through the impact of a lot of trauma. I'm dealing with an array of challenges. I want to do better, to stand in my own power, manage my own thoughts and be deliberate in my life. Blogging has been a tool for helping me feel more in control of my experiences and more able to deliberately choose how I live. It works for me because I'm a very words-orientated person. No doubt other strategies would work better for other people.
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