*~Hail and Welcome!~*
In light of updating my blog's focus and aesthetic, it felt appropriate to update my pinned post. Below is what this blog is about, some general housekeeping to keep my little corner of the internet here as safe and welcoming as possible, and other general points of note.
This blog started as a way for me to connect with others over my spiritual practices, and my relationship and work with Loki. Historically this has been a very Heathen/Loki-centric blog, but my entire foray into any form of paganism and witchcraft began within Unitarian Universalism. Because of this, I've always been a little eclectic in my practices and am always fascinated to learn about various deities and spiritual pathways. Over the past year or so, I've been processing a lot of religious trauma, and Loki has been pushing me to expand my focus beyond them and Heathenry. The wide open doors of UUism lead me to this fulfilling niche, but staying so focused on one piece of the world's large religious puzzle can also close me off to other beautiful experiences to expand my understanding and grow. Loki likes to remind me, "You are a polytheist. Act like it." I also have ADHD, so leaning in to points of hyperfocus and interest can really strengthen my connection to spirit and the numinous - when I'm not forcing myself to focus on one specific tradition or deity/type of spirit, no matter how much it resonates, I'm much more likely to be present and engage with whatever I am focusing on in the moment. For all those reasons, I'm expanding this blog to include more than Heathen and Lokean content. My intention is for it to be more grounded in the UU roots of my pagan practice and witchcraft, allowing me to feel more free to share my spiritual experiences outside of Heathenry and Loki. (That will still inevitably be here, though. Once Loki goes, "Boop! You're one of mine!" they aren't exactly going anywhere.)
With all that out of the way, here are some of my ground rules for interaction:
-The shared values of UUism are interdependence, pluralism, justice, transformation, generosity, and equity with love at the center. Spiritual experiences and beliefs vary. We can discuss and disagree, interpret the same experience differently, and still respect one another and travel our own paths. Be respectful in your interactions here. I try to respond and ask questions in good faith, and hope to receive questions and responses in kind. If you can't manage that, I will not hesitate to block you. I don't like doing it, but I can and will.
-White supremacy has ruined so many religions and tainted spirituality for so many people in so many ways. It has no place here. I can certainly say it has no place in Heathenry or UUism. So keep it off my posts. Fuck fascism.
-Going off the previous point, I do my best to recognize when practices are open or closed, or have generally been subject to oppression (especially from Christian supremacist culture). If I share or say something ignorant, do not hesitate to let me know. Depending on the nature of my error, I may choose to not delete it. I don't like virtue signaling, but I do like when people can own up to their mistakes and learn. Should I keep a mistake of mine up, I do so in the hopes that others see it is ok to learn and grow and try again.
-As someone who is expanding their ancestor practice and works with kids, I do allow interactions with minors. I believe teaching and engaging with our youth is how we help facilitate a better future and build multigenerational community. I think people of all ages bring unique perspectives and can facilitate various kinds of spiritual experience. Of course, boundaries are necessary to do this appropriately. I have no anonymous asks to maximize transparency. (This also tends to mitigate trolling, which I also very much appreciate.) I will also not respond to private messages from minors. Comments, reblogs, and asks are fine as they are publicly visible, which provides accountability. The one exception I make to this rule is if you are seeking accurate information or resources regarding gender transition. I know that it can be hard to find accurate information and proper healthcare, and asking for help in a more "public" online space may not be safe. I am not a therapist or doctor and will not get into deeply personal matters (yours or mine), but I will do my best to help you find the help you need if you need it. Trans and queer folks in general owe it to ourselves and future generations to care for one another, and the rights of trans youth are so at risk. Even with the boundaries I have made here, know that my trans self sees and supports you.
-We respect Marvel fans here. (And pop culture fans in general.) Though the Old Ones are so often not who they are portrayed to be in modern works of fiction, we can still enjoy those works of fiction for what they are. I love Marvel Loki and have found that Deity Loki likes to sometimes speak to me through the character, but I would never say Marvel's Loki is Loki. (On that note, Tom Hiddleston isn't Loki, either. I may be a fan, but I'm not delusional.) All this to say, life's too short to have a stick up your butt about Marvel and pop culture. Take it or leave it, but don't be a jerk to someone because they feel differently about it than you.
Other general stuff I'd like you to know:
-The explanation for the name Lokavisi is in this blog post. I've questioned whether or not to continue using it in this space, but for the time being I'm choosing to keep it as a reflection of where this blog started. Even if I dive head first into learning about the practices and deities of a different path, Loki's most likely the one pushing me off the diving board.
-In regards to Loki, I tend to use he/they pronouns when referring to them. I know people who exclusively use she/her when referring to Loki. For those less familiar, Loki is a shapeshifter and can appear to us in many ways. Everyone's relationship with Loki is unique and this may be reflected in the pronouns we use for Loki. If you use different pronouns for them than I do, I respect that and hope that respect is reciprocal. I feel like Loki can never truly be misgendered so getting caught up in Loki's pronouns is just plain silly.
-My main blog is @bifuriouslyqueer. So if you see that blog following you or liking your posts, it's me. If you care to follow (and it is absolutely ok if you don't), it's a little more DNI for minors. It is full of my pop culture hyperfixations, mental health and political woes, and general trash memes. I don't post there nearly as frequently as I do here, though. This is honestly my main blog at this point.
-My profile picture art is from @jessiarts
-I'm currently in the process of updating my Ko-Fi to give tarot and rune readings. This section of the post will be updated with more info once I've finished renovations over there, but I'm likely going to make it so the base price for any kind of reading is $1-$5. I don't like putting things behind pay walls, but I'd be lying if I said money isn't tight and a spare buck here and there isn't appreciated. I mostly hesitate to offer fully free readings online because I will inevitably be overwhelmed with questions in my inbox, though I still want to offer readings both for the practice, my own sense of personal spiritual fulfillment, and generally helping folks find their way in their own lives/practices. Oh the joys of balancing your hierarchy of needs in late stage capitalism! /s
Thanks for reading and sticking with me! Enjoy the blog!
