Nottingham pagans aim to alter misconceptions with 'Pride' event
ESME Knight is a witch who is keen to put the record straight about paganism.
She turned her back on a high-powered career in London to live a life in Nottingham more true to her pagan beliefs.
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Pagans, from left, Esme Knight, Jenny Mills, Beathan Edwards and Charlie Edwards
Now she's organising an event called Pagan Pride to raise awareness of the beliefs and alter misconceptions.
"The biggest misconception is the worshipping of the devil, because there's no devil in paganism at all. Paganism is not the worship of the devil and witchcraft is not evil," said Esme.
"Then there's dancing naked in the woods. No, we live in Britain. It's too cold."
The non-profit family-orientated festival and parade takes place on Sunday and will be a celebration of diversity within the pagan community. It is the first event of its kind.
Pagans will meet at the Robin Hood statue, outside Nottingham Castle, at 10am for a parade at 11am.
The parade will move through the city and arrive at the Arboretum at 12.15pm, where the festival is being held until 6pm.
Esme will give a blessing and there will be entertainment, including live music and a storytelling tent.
There will be a real ale bar, morris dancers, stalls, meditation sessions and food.
The Pagan Federation will offer information about what it is to be pagan and how to declare your pagan faith on the census form in 2011.
Esme was brought up in a Methodist household, but has been a pagan since she was 15 or 16.
She said; "I was aware from seven or eight years old that I was part of the Earth. I was living, I was part of it and I was connected, even though I didn't understand how."
She started reading nature and wildlife books when she was 12 or 13, then reading about ancient civilisations and learning about witchcraft and magic.
"Magic for me is about taking a proactive viewpoint.
"I've healed people, I've offered them spiritual counsel. In terms of magic I've put them back on the right track. I've helped people who want to cleanse their house because it has a bad vibe."
She works as a full-time professional witch, or pagan priestess celebrant, performing rites of passage such as marriages and funerals.
Pagans are in tune with the environment and the balance of nature, and her previous job conflicted with her beliefs.
"I was a retail manager and product buyer and product developer for the second largest leisure operator in the world and for the fifth largest attraction in London," she said.
"Part of me couldn't justify all of this mass-produced tat. It was a conflict within myself."
Esme and her husband David decided to move out of London. She said Nottingham has a lot of green spaces where pagans can meet for rituals.
"There are lots of cubby holes and places you find," she said. "Cemeteries are fantastic. The centre of the Rock Cemetery has a very spiritual vibe. Most often they [pagans] go to The Forest [Recreation Ground] because it has the trees.
''There's a bit behind the pavilion where we meet for picnics or rituals. But the most regular meeting spot for an urban pagan is a pub.''
11 Comments
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by S Blackwood, Nottingham
Wednesday, August 11 2010, 1:09PM
“I'm glad to know that now there are 100's of people who heard about these witches and are praying that they are removed. Likewise others across the UK have heard and are joining in on the prayer.”
by Ashley, Nottingham
Tuesday, August 03 2010, 11:16PM
“thank you Simon, the voice of reason in all this talk of nutters and bunkum.
If John has actually heard of Margaret Murray then I would have thought he'd know a little more about the origins of such things, and would have been quicker to play the "Gerald Gardner stole it all from Crowley" card . . . .
In the end, the schools are supposed to be about educating children about ALL religious paths, if paganism is the nation's 7th biggest "religious" group (I prefer the term "spiritual" actually) then it should be represented
as someone remaining nameless for the moment once put:
"Sharing the world with the nutters of God, is as good as being six feet under the sod"
we live in a wild and magical and exciting and vibrant and amazing world of diversity, we should celebrate it, its bliss to live it out, how dull if we were all the same . .”
by Lokirat, leicester
Tuesday, August 03 2010, 8:38PM
“i love those who oppose, seriously, they give a good argument, that only strengthens us on our paths. :D ive had all sorts try to talk me out of it, but it never happens. i appreciate the awesome balance of positive and negative in the world, and we need naysayers! This event is for drawing out those hiding in broom closets, and showing others that we exist. :D no one forces anyone, we all just find each other....thats the amazing thing, each thought they were alone in their beliefs to begin. it starts with nature, everytime. <3 much love!
The pride event was breathtaking, many thanks to all! did anyone see the guy with the poster "elvis is the one true god" approaching mkt square. lolol!! xx”
by Esme Knight, Nottingham
Monday, August 02 2010, 7:43PM
“Hi everyone - Esme here...
Thank you all for your positive comments.
To John - on your quote: "Wicca as practiced by this woman was based on writings by Egyptologist Dr Margaret Murray in 1920/30s. Even Druidism is a modern romantic revival and not at all connected with the ancient celtic traditions."
I won't deny that Wicca (c1920's) and Hermetic Druidry (c1700's) are not 'ancient beliefs' - but I'm not saying they are. Paganism is about living in tune with your environment - not just the practice of ritualised magic as a form of worship.
I agree; the 'junk history' and 'romanticism' of certain Pagan paths are vastly different from what the majority of Pagans today practice and believe. Some are damaging to Paganism as a valid religion in the eyes of the public, and indeed there are many 'hippy fantasists' out there - I am not one them.
As it happens I don't practice Wicca, not all Pagans are Wiccans. My particular Pagan beliefs are based purely on the cycle of nature and I read... I read a lot of history and study the ways many cultures used to live as well as teaching modern ways to live following a Pagan spiritual path.
I would love to give talks in schools about the peaceful and eco-friendly way of modern Pagan life.
Now that, certainly isn't nonsense.
BB
Esme Knight”
by Becky, Harrogate
Monday, August 02 2010, 1:43PM
“I think we need pagans to talk about religion in schools. i went to a christian primary school and hated it. The nutters are the people who are too ignorant to see that we dont all have to be christian. i nearly went off religion for life, as i thought everyone was like my primary school. We do live in a christian country, wether we like it or not, so there will always be ignorant people. But what the schools are doing is creating this, not stopping this. Speakers from other religions would help to balance this out.”