I've posted this before, but since the issue has come up recently via email, I wanted to share it with you once more. Please, folks, be sure to read the bolded text before you go any further down.
Trigger warning: Please note that if you are someone with a history of self-injury and you find that reading about self-harm is a trigger for you, you may wish to skip reading this article.
There has been occasional discussion in the Wiccan and Pagan community as to whether self-harm, sometimes referred to as self-injury, is counter-intuitive to Wiccan and Pagan belief and practice. Self-injury is the term used in reference to deliberate acts that harm the self -- cutting, intentional bruising, infliction of burns, etc. These acts are often non-suicidal in nature. It's important to realize that self-injury is an actual psychological problem, and very different from ritual cutting or scarification. Pagans and Self-Injury
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Trigger warning: Please note that if you are someone with a history of self-injury and you find that reading about self-harm is a trigger for you, you may wish to skip reading this article.
There has been occasional discussion in the Wiccan and Pagan community as to whether self-harm, sometimes referred to as self-injury, is counter-intuitive to Wiccan and Pagan belief and practice. Self-injury is the term used in reference to deliberate acts that harm the self -- cutting, intentional bruising, infliction of burns, etc. These acts are often non-suicidal in nature. It's important to realize that self-injury is an actual psychological problem, and very different from ritual cutting or scarification. Pagans and Self-Injury
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Good article.
As someone who has suffered from severe Depression & periods of self harm & suicide attempts I feel none of those deeds go against the rede at all. (Tho several people have said that I have)
The self harm & suicide attempts were results of illness. They were not through choice, but an compulsion….at the time of the suicide attempts I believed whole heartily, as much as I believe the sky is blue & grass is green, that I was doing what was best for my family. Of course it wasn’t but that’s why it’s an illness!
Now that I am well, the self harming & suicidal thoughts have disappeared.
Telling someone they are going against the rede because they are self harming is like telling someone they are going against the rede because they have come out in a rash or coughing. Is someone who comes out in hives because they have eaten something they are allergic to going against the rede? Of course not!
I’m glad thats there are people out there like yourself that can see that SH & SAs are a sign of illness only.
Thank you for the article
Self harm (as well as suicidal behavior) really needs to be examined as Sootica so rightly spells out: as the result of illness and compulsion. I would hope pagans would not judge other pagans because of this, but would rather help them get help. I would hope that if a coven or group uses ritual pain infliction in their rites, members are wise enough to watch for anyone that might really be in trouble, or for whom it might be a trigger for some other act of self-harm. Just as you would be sensitive that alcohol during ritual might trigger someone who is an alcoholic.
Notwithstanding, we often weigh/judge various ritual practices (for ourselves) and by what we experience decide to what degree to include it into our beliefs; our paths are so diverse and cosmic knowledge so infinite that I think it wouldnt be wise to judge another’s path by our (limited) understanding & experience.
I have been diagnosed with clinical depression. I don’t see where my illness has any thing to do with my spirtuality. I’m also an artist and that has nothing to do with my illness eather. Lables we all hate them, so lets not start doing so here. where we all know what lables really mean. I don’t like you so I’m going to lable you so others won’t eather.
Steve – I see you were “labeled” when diagnosed; the medical industry had a bad habit of doing this.
Try Goggling “Diet and Depression” and/or “Sugar and Depression” and you will see that much of the time depression, even clinical, can be remedied by diet and lifestyle change.
My husband was diagnosed with the same many years ago and was on all kinds of medication, which caused a whole list of problems. I did some research and found once he stopped eating sugar and gluten and added a few supplements to his diet, his depression DISSAPEARED. It took under a week! I was shocked. I am now a believer! He has been maintaining this change for some time now with MUCH better results than any medication. And NO side effects!
I know this sound too easy to be true and you may be wondering why your doctor did not tell you this. It is simple; Medical Doctors are trained to prescribe medicine to treat symptoms NOT to find and treat the cause. Finding and treating the cause is Naturopathic Medicine, which seems so much more logical to me.
I used the Rede to help myself stop self-harming. I told myself over and over that I wasn’t practicing what I professed a belief in, and it helped. I hated that I felt I was being hypocritical. I’ve never used that line of thinking to make someone else who’s suffering feel guilty. Just because it helped me doesn’t mean it helps everyone.
I don’t think it’s self harm. You are giving of yourself willingly. Harm would include negative consequence. I don’t necessarily consider a little pain a ‘negative consequence’. Blood sacrifice strengthens and focuses your intentions. Proves that you are willing to do what you must to receive whatever boon or service you are asking for. Coming from someone with a 100% spell success rate, I have to think that I know what I am talking about. A lot of Wiccans just cast a spell and think nothing more of it. You have to continually keep their intentions in focus. Incorporating them into your daily life. Having a scar definitely reminds you of what your goal is.
Of course people who have a history of habitual self scarification should stay away from this. Because at this point it usually is for self harm.
So basically, if you intend self harm, it is. If your intent is to strengthen your intentions, you are… Anyone who is truly spiritual knows what is right or wrong for themselves… Always listen to what is inside your heart and you can’t go wrong!
I know this is a serious subject but my Better Half (actually 99%) was reading over my shoulder and she commented that the three slices of our favorite eatery’s Ultimate Chicago pizza I consumed last night was my own participation in a self-harm ritual. Thanks for allowing this brief moment of levity…
Wow, she is sooo right. There are many forms of self harm not just the obvious.
This gives me something to think about and may explain the reason I binge and why many people smoke cigarettes and eat junk food.
Thank you for this insight Haakon, it should not be taken lightly…..
I suffer from depression, but try to not do harm to my body. I believe that harm none also means yourself, and I have harmed myself in the past by using drugs, but I find that the rede helps me and has for a while.
I think we can all agree that any amount of scar tissue is preferable to being dead. I was expecting all sorts of condemnation in the comments here, I’m glad I was wrong.