A quick glance at this place should make it clear that while I did create this space and I am putting hours of time into how it looks, I do not consider My Polytheism “my space” nearly so much as I consider it “our” space. Hence: I rather think myself as a curator of sorts. So, who am I? What makes me qualified to do this? What rock did I crawl out from underneath?
My name’s Jolene, and I’m a devotee of Poseidon’s, as well as Odin’s. I’ve been online and writing about my path pretty consistently since 2009 , though I was writing a lot under lock and key over at LiveJournal during its hayday. Poseidon has been in my life for over two decades at this point, Pops for a bit less, and yeah, I should probably toss this out, to get it out the way: I’m one of those godspouse folks, too.
I’ve tried my hand, over the years, at trying to find community that would be a good fit. I started out on some general pagan forums (the Witches Thicket, and the Cauldron) and was fortunate enough to be introduced by the style of debating ideas and not attacking people pretty early on in my online pagan journey. I was involved briefly with Hellenion, with the Troth, with some other minor and now defunct heathen groups. I spent a year with a coven of the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel (and likely would have remained longer if we didn’t move out of the area). I’ve spent a long time trying to figure out the labels that would fit. The label that fits the most?
I’m a contemporary American devotee of Poseidon’s. I wish there was a one word way to say that, but there’s not. Poseidon is my hearth. He’s my foundation. He’s my center. How I relate to the worlds around me, the spirits I interact with, the things that I do: that’s all rooted in my relationship with Him.
Debates have their place. Challenging one’s way of thinking, one’s views, one’s assumptions, is important. I share, and I share a lot, especially when I’m feeling vulnerable. But I don’t assume that everyone wants to or has to or needs to. I don’t assume that ever space is created with that in mind. I gain immeasurable encouragement and inspiration by being allowed glimpses into other people’s experiences. Those mean more to me, help me more, inspire me more, than any debate on whether or not pop culture pagans really believe in the gods, or whether or not animal sacrifice has a place in paganism, or whether or not polytheism is even paganism anymore. I don’t care; I want to know what other people are doing, how they’re talking to their gods, what shape the story of the spirits in their lives takes on.
My governing motto these days is my own version of increase the awesome, decrease the suck. That is: build up, or fuck off. I apply that to myself more than anyone else, but then, I’m the only one I have to answer to for what my standards of interactions are.
If you have questions or concerns about this site, or this project, or if you have suggestions as to how to make this site better, please email me. My inbox is always open. If you want to complain that this place isn’t set up to your satisfaction, please don’t waste your time. This site, and my life in general, is a low-drama zone. I’m not new to polytheism, paganism, or the online communities. I’ve gone through the cycle of debates ad nauseam, and frankly, I don’t have time for them these days. If you want to tear down, or pick on, or debate with people, you’re just going to have to do it elsewhere. I’m here to help build up. If you’re not, well. You know what you can do.
My Polytheism 