Episode Titled "The Occult"
First off, I want to say that I am open minded to other's beliefs. I am not one to say that ghosts don't exist, or a person must be crazy to say they are a witch. My comment is one of observation. Why is it that 90% of the people showcased in this episode are extremely obese and fairly young? It makes me wonder if all of this darkness and mystery these people surround themselves with is due to the fact that they are not readily accepted in society because of their physical appearance. This assumption is not because I condemn over weight people. I am one of them. I know the picuture of perfection the media is constantly shoving in our faces can really do psychological damage. This episode reminds of high school. When all the kids who chose to be Goth were the social outcasts. The unpolular, over weight and ridiculed kids created their own way of being accepted. They gathered all the hatred for their cruel classmates and fantasized that they had special powers to bring justice to themselves. After having watched this episode, I have this opinion. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be different, but these women aren't teenagers anymore. I love Halloween. I love the fact that on one special dark and magical night "I" (the less than perfect beauty) can be anything I want!!!!! I think these women took that to the extreme. Everyday is a secret Halloween. Sex and dating has turned to playing vampire and willing victim. There are people who will love you and think you are sexy without having to put on a pair of fangs and pretend to like drinking blood as a sexual turn-on. Hating yourself can do such damage to all that surrounds you. It can make you ill and impair your good judgement. I can relate to that teenage dream of being a magical creature and casting spells on the privileged and cruel kids I went to school with. I'm sure we've all been there, but these unfortunate women have decided to spend the rest of their young lives admitting it over and over in a painful self destructive cycle that will only lead to more sadness, rejection and eventual perpetual loneliness.
this is towards the recognition of the vampire in this episode
i need to tell you something do research on your subject before making assumtions. now i am not totaly disagreeing with the starting statement i do believe that their are some supposed "vampires" who are hiding behind the persona of the vampire life style because of their looks, however there are REAL vampires whos souls do not match the human body they were born in.
go to www. psychicvampire.org
or sanguinarius.com to learn more.
This episode was so strange. i don't understand what people see in wicca and stantism and vimpires. it is so wrong and i couldn't stand it. Worst episode of secert lives of women. Never show it again.
I have to agree, Vampyra was a bit odd..I know a few ppl who practice the Wiccan religion, and they are not overweight or any other way outcasts of society..just because the women in the segment about practicing wiccan religion happened to be plus sized, doesn't make their beliefs any less than anyone elses, no matter what they practice..I have done a bit of research on Satanism, and found it to not be as eclectic as ppl might think..they live in the here and now, with the idea of enjoying our lives every day..indulgence seems to be a big thing, no matter what it is..from things I've read, it seems as tho the theory is to be happy with your life, live it to the extremes..I have read a book by Antoine LeVay, many years ago, and it didn't have dark passages about sacrifices, or anything terribly demonic..I hold no prejudice against anyone for whatever their religious practice is, to each his own..live life to the fullest and be happy with whatever you choose.
Vampyra struck me as someone with a severe self-image issue. For one, if I wet to visit my loved one's gravesite and found her hanging around in the cemetery, I would be EXTREMELY offended. The wiccans and the satanists I can understand and respect. But a vampire? everything she said seemed to be a big "look at me" stage show. She obviously is screaming for attention. Saying that you love the feel and taste of flesh? Lighting a 19 year old boy on fire? I really wish they would have gotten the perspective of a psychiatrist for the show.
It would appear that viewers do not understand that TV shows are edited and full comments may not be shown or are taken out of context.
I am a proud member of Shadowgate House. I am not a vampire, nor do I wear fangs.
I am a witch. Unlike previous opinions, my witchcraft is tied to my spirituality. But I am not a Wiccan.
I am an elder in my local pagan community and a part of a Clan, Kerridwynn House.
I am a mother of 2 and grandmother of 5. Three of my grandchildren are being raised in a household that can best be described as pagan.
However, Shadowgate House is not about common spirituality. It is about community.
My daughter was one of those 'goth' kids in school and she and her husband have incorporated that style into their home. But she is a homemaker in the style of Donna Reed and Mrs. Cleaver!
Because of my experiences raising my daughter, I saw a need for people who feel outcast and 'different' from society to have a place to fit in and be accepted unconditionally.
Vampyra's House fills that need. As an elder in my community, I made the conscious decision to support the House and what it is trying to accomplish.
Instead of judging, if society as a whole would truly embrace and accept diversity, there would be no need for Shadowgate House and the multitude of other families like it.
Until then, Shadowgate House fills a need in my community and I choose to support that.
There are different kinds of Satanism. The one that Heather refers to is LaVeyan Satanism and is essentially hedonistic atheism. That much is true. Then there are Theistic Satanists who indeed worship Satan or other Dark entities, such as the Egyptian god Set.
As for the vampire woman, yeah, I think that's pretty weird. I can't explain that one for you. Honestly, I think anyone who will go on a poor TV series and tout their beliefs are fishing for attention.
The wicca people didn't bother me at all during this episode. Though it was interesting that all of the women were overweight and not stereotypical beautiful that they showed. I had some friends in college that were very spiritual and into the earth religions. They were all very nice and although a few were a little strange I was always very comfortable around them.
The other two really bothered me. I don't blame the parents for disowning their "vampire" son, if my brother did that I would probably push my mom to committ him. Vampyra was just strange, how does she know her heartbeat slows that much? Somewhat surprised her doctor hasn't locked her up.
I also didn't buy what the satanists were saying either. Have can you have a soul mate if you have no soul? And how can you say you need to live a good life or whatever and then cast spells on people? By definition would satanism be the same as devil worshipping??
Unfortunately, this show was not an accurate representation of what we do.
When I say "we," I mean witches. I am a witch. I have been one for about five years, and it's brought me so much spiritual empowerment. Yes, I was a teenager when I discovered the path, but it's been purely a way to get answers from the Universe, not to shock or comfort myself for being different/lash out against those who teased me (though I wasn't exempt from this experience). Witchcraft is about harvesting the energy that the Universe has to offer. It isn't a religion; it's a tool. An extremely powerful tool that relies on your own confidence and optimism - you can only reap what you sow, so these girls will only continue on their downward spiral.
On the religious side of witchcraft, there is Wicca. This religion was founded in the 1950s in England. It involves witchcraft and initiations, meaning only those who have gone through said initiations are members. They believe in the balance of male and female, celebrate the seasons, and worship a god and a goddess whose names only they know. Someday, I wish to be one of them.
I hope this makes you feel better about us. For more info, check out http://wicca.timerift.net.