What in the heck is a: Cross - Cultural Polytheistic, Agnostic Pagan?

Aphrodite - Greek Pantheon

Ganesha - Hindu Pantheon

Brigid - Celtic Pantheon

That’s a more than fair question. I’m still figuring some of that out myself. Here is the best in a nutshell response I can give you for now, with hopes to elaborate further at a later point.

I have always been hard to pin. As a witch, I started out mostly studying Wicca, but I found that Wicca and most structured traditions don’t work well for me. I still employ some of the elements of more traditional rituals and I enjoy them when I am sharing in rituals with other witches. However, most of my magic is inspired in the moment and done on the fly as a solitary practitioner or with a partner or two. This is what works for me.

Although I do have a background in Anthropology and have found myself drawn to many cultures (my DNA results show I am pretty much a solid blob of boring Whitey McWhiterson genetic detritus) I never sought out any “exotic” gods or goddesses. I actually started out with Norse and Celtic deities because they made the most sense. Not very many of them vibed with me, however and others started “showing up.” Over the years I seemed to accumulate a plethora of random deities who wanted me to do this or that for a short or sometimes a long time. Some helped me and went away. Some wanted a major commitment, even a dedication. Most of the deities I have felt the most affinity for hail from Greek, Hindu and Egyptian cultures, but that’s not all.

The Cultural Appropriation Land Mine

As someone who wants very much to avoid cultural appropriation, cross-cultural, seems a better term than, multicultural. Sure, if you believe in past lives, it’s possible that these were at one point my cultures, but that does not make me an expert, nor does a background in anthropology give me permission to don the trappings of another tradition. Yes, you can argue that deities are archetypes and that from culture to culture they are essentially the same, You can argue the history of religious blending, adopting and appropriating by invading cultures or mixing through trade and commerce having been a thing and therefore making it a non issue.. You can argue cultural appreciation. But, you shouldn't. I think those things are too "easy"  to argue when you are white. and have no real experience with having something so precious taken away from you.

I used to wear Sarees pretty frequently to rituals and pagan gatherings, and that was probably okay because I wore them with respect and genuinely loved the comfort and grace of the clothing.  I would get henna art from time to time, usually in the form of spiritual symbols that were meaningful to me. However, I never thought it would be fun to get traditional henna designs that actually MEAN something not appropriate for me and it never crossed my mind once that it would be cool to wear a bindi!

I have seen many white pagan women slap a bindi on their forehead along with a sexy outfit at rituals, conventions or social events. I used to be in a coven where the very white High Priestess decided that she was the reincarnation of Tibetan Dakini, Yeshe Tsogyal, even bestowing the holy title upon herself. She also claimed to have been a Mongolian Princess. in a past life. She made false claims about her studies, teaching "Tibetan Buddhist chanting"  to mostly white people, She taught pasty people about the Orisha too.. People ate that horseshit up and she's still serving it out.

I used to want to live at a compound dedicated to Isis where a bunch of white women held rituals and read sacred texts, but I'm really, really uncomfortable and conflicted about that whole thing now. I have friends who worship and serve there and it is really important to them, but it's not for me,

​It's important to evaluate, what is genuine and what is just playing  cultural dress up. I'm not from India. It's not my culture, I may be blessed to work with Hindu deities but I am not Hindu. I don't wear sarees in public anymore.  I wouldn't consider doing a puja for someone either. ​ My goal is to be as respectful and sensitive as possible while walking my path.

Personally, I do not feel it would be appropriate for me to call myself a priestess of Isis, Oshun, or Durga. Other white people who do this make me queasy, especially those who have decided they can  ordain themselves and then instruct others in a tradition that is not truly theirs to claim.. I'm not saying every white priest/priestess/priestx of a tradition practiced by people of color is out of line, but you must be respectful. You are a guest, hopefully an invited one.  My calling to work with these goddesses does not give me permission to educate people of color on how to worship them. I’m really careful to be respectful and to listen to any criticism. My relationship with these goddesses is very personal. You need to study, listen and make your own decisions.

Okay. Well, How Can You Work With So Many Gods And Call Yourself, Agnostic?

Some people think that agnostic and pagan or atheist and witch don’t make sense. Some of the most magical people I know identify as atheists. As an agnostic I like to say, some days I believe in fairies and other days I believe in the idea of fairies. When I meditate and talk to Aphrodite or channel Pandora, it honestly doesn’t matter if there is an Goddess acting as an outside force or if I am merely accessing some deep, imaginative  part of my brain. Focusing on the attributes I wish to embody and using Tara as a representative symbol of those attributes is just as powerful as the goddess herself radiating compassion down upon me. 

Magic.
It doesn’t matter if it’s measurably "real," it works anyway!