Any witch way: Matthew Callow on pagans and Quakers

‘There seems to be an assumption among neo-pagans that they and Quakers will get along.’

At a time of alienation from the church, I experienced an unfamiliar and unpleasant void which I sought to fill. I became acquainted with the world of neo-paganism, and this was to be the place of my spiritual search for the following few years. It was fascinating to hear people who made a living out of being a full-time village witch, or some form of seer. They were offering services such as counselling, chaplaincy, and rites of passage. This was within the revival of traditions such as Wicca, Druidry, Shamanism and Heathenry, and there was often an affiliation to the Pagan Federation. This exploration was a time of creative and engaging learning, not the dogmatic approach I was used to. The range of books was large, but I opted for participation and group encounter in my quest for understanding.

Geographically dispersed practitioners, and the tendency of some towards isolative practices, left an unsatisfied need for interpersonal connectedness. My relationship with the church was eventually renewed – I was never again completely comfortable there, but seemed unable to cope without it. Under the influence of conservative Christians I became very uneasy towards other faiths, especially neo-paganism. But as I progressed towards a more liberal outlook, I would at times crave for its creative freedoms. Despite this, even as a Quaker years later, I was not initially comfortable with Quaker-Pagans.

The pandemic’s enforced stillness encouraged a gradual letting go of a fixed sense of my Quaker faith. I was drawn towards some Shamanic and Wiccan experiences from two decades previous. Just as before, I encountered nothing I could actually perceive as evil or harmful, just open people concerned with healing and wholeness. They were passionate about the environment and the divine-feminine, and creative in their use of poetry and music. There seems to be an assumption among neo-pagans that they and Quakers will get along, and they seem to hold us in high esteem. 

Of the various psychospiritual activities that Friends engage in during Meeting for Worship, journeying to other worlds in the way of the Shaman is a possibility. The use of active imagination can be a comforting way into the silence.     

An important component of interfaith work is the celebration of the common threads and goals between groups, and these things exist between Quakers and neo-pagans. Conventionally, interfaith work involves developing relationships with larger and more visible religious groups, but I see no reason as to why neo-pagans cannot be included.

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