Something happened while I was at another in-person fair this past weekend. It got me fired up, and then it got me thinking. Sometimes I wish it were the other way around, but I’m a kill-first, ask-questions-later kind of person. We all have our issues.

There was an event where the audience could ask questions to a panel of practitioners with diverse talents, skills, and modalities. We ran out of questions, and the host asked whether anyone in the audience wanted to learn something. One woman spoke up and asked if we could tell her anything about setting up an altar. It’s a legitimate question, and a good one, but the conversation went downhill from there.

One practitioner stood up and said we shouldn’t discuss that topic for several reasons, including that there were differing belief systems in the room and that we shouldn’t offend anyone by discussing it. Her second reason was that altars, when not done correctly, could be dangerous.

I agreed with her on the second point. It was the first point that got me crispy.

I wasn’t annoyed about altars. What riled me up was how the practitioner stood up and acted like a gatekeeper of all knowledge, with the right to dictate what could and could not be said about a subject.

Let’s make something clear. There are metaphysical practices that should not be undertaken until you have obtained training with someone who has mastered the process. Altars are definitely one of them, but it also depends on the kind of altar you’re putting up. People set up altars for different reasons. The altar is there to honor something. It could be your ancestors, it could be a tool to honor yourself. It could be to connect with a pantheon of gods, a particular deity, or an energy. Each of these altars has different requirements, levels of spiritual connection, and levels of danger. It’s not something to do randomly. Altars can have a lot of power, and if not set up correctly with the best intentions, they can cause spiritual damage not only to the person who set them up but also to the energy of the physical space where they are kept.

Back to my point. What I didn’t like about what she said suggests that people lack discernment. That we, experienced practitioners, as holders of the knowledge, have to make the decision for them as to what they know and don’t know.

That stance burns my bacon.

No one has the right to keep knowledge from me. Period. As a shaman, I am considered a secret-keeper, a keeper of knowledge. My job is also to share that knowledge responsibly. I’m not going to tell someone who knows nothing about an altar to set one up with the energy of a volatile deity without precise and practiced instructions. That would be irresponsible. However, I don’t have any issues giving information of a general nature regarding altars, as to the basic setup of one and how they work, along with the warning label about learning a lot more about it before setting one up.

People need a place to start when considering something. The practitioner acted as if people would run out and set up altars immediately, as if they didn’t know better, if we talked about it. People have some level of discernment. Some people will think that’s interesting and want to learn more about it. Others will decide it’s not for them and let the idea pass. Being a secret keeper doesn’t give us the right to exclude others, even if it’s for their safety. That’s not my job.

Think of it like being a doctor. Your doctor will tell you to cut down on the cookies. They will tell you the risk factors and why you don’t want to eat them. When you walk by the cookie jar, it’s up to you as to whether you take one or two for the road. We can give warnings all day long, but it’s not up to us as to what that person chooses to do, and if there are any consequences, they will have chosen those as well. Actions have consequences, and sometimes they hurt. That’s life.

My point regarding others getting offended: I don’t give a flying flag if someone doesn’t like the answer to a question. If someone is honestly asking a question, it should be answered. If someone else doesn’t like the information or is offended by what’s being discussed, they can get up and leave, stop listening, or offer another perspective on the situation.

This displays a level of political correctness that is annoying at best and dangerous at worst. It’s this kind of thinking that keeps people from learning the truth, making informed decisions, and deciding how things make them feel, because they don’t have all the relevant details. When people don’t have all the details, they assume things, often incorrectly, and act on those incorrect assumptions. Most of the time, that’s okay. These are called mistakes, and we make them all the time. Other times, that could leave us open to all sorts of metaphysical challenges.

The point of this rant is to remind those who have experience and knowledge that it is your responsibility to share what you know. It’s part of your legacy to pass on the knowledge to those who will carry it on through to the next generation. Do so in a responsible manner. Use your discernment to know how much information to give, to whom, and when. There is a time and place for everything.

To those who are primarily still seeking, looking for that which resonates with you and speaks to you. Take in as much knowledge as you can, and learn more about the things that interest and excite you. Work from the basic premise of “Take the best and leave the rest,” when you are learning from others. If there is something you want to get into, take a deep dive. Learn about what happens when it’s done right and what the worst-case scenario looks like, and decide if that is a price you are willing to pay. If it isn’t, you’ve learned something and are ready to move on.

Whatever I do is done with positive intention. I want my words to inspire and get people thinking. My job is to light the way for others who encounter me on the spiritual path, as they also light the way for me. What I learned during this experience is that sometimes people take things way too seriously. They forget that the spiritual path can be fun, interesting, thought-provoking, and life-changing in amazing ways. It’s not all doom and gloom with a destiny of despair and despondency.

Find your path and your tribe. Gravitate towards that which makes you feel content and complete. That way lies happiness, where you won’t have to spend your time worrying about consideration vs. political correctness. Pardon all the food references; it’s almost time for lunch.