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Borrowing Sacred Practices With Honor and Reverence
Celebrating cultural and spiritual connection, not appropriation
I was once guilty of accidental . I came to school in junior high sporting the trendy, braided hairstyle from the movie “10” and my African American girlfriends were not happy with me. Google this topic, and you’ll see clearly how delicate and tricky this subject is.
In my ministry studies, we are learning about the notion of spiritual appropriation. This topic is so murky that I couldn’t even find an informative link to share in this story. Some examples emerge and make sense. For instance, smudging with white sage, “stolen” from indigenous and pagan rituals, has become such a popular practice that it’s impacting the environment. Learning that there is a “” in the use of sage prompted me to look more closely at all of my practices.
As a spiritual mentor, teacher, and author, traveling the world in search of magic and sacred knowledge, this is a vital question for me. It might be important to anyone striving to be an ambassador for peace and harmony.
When is it okay to “steal” ideas and inspiration from other traditions, cultures, and religions?
