As you may know, there has been a lot of turmoil for the last few years in the spiritual community that someone who many viewed as a pillar and a representative voice - Doreen Virtue, decided to denounce things and go back to her Christian roots.
Nothing wrong with that, and I just kept my opinion to myself as I was not really interested in her journey as a person, but do use a few of her tools that she has created.
Yes, I still own a few of her decks - Goddess Guidance, Life Purpose, Past Lives, and the Ascended Masters Oracle and Guidance decks. But have owned quite a few of her previous decks. I passed them along once I felt I had outgrown them. They served their purpose in allowing me to grow and trust myself more fully. They allowed me to learn a new level within myself, to connect to my guides and angels, as well as allowing me to learn how to channel their messages.
In fact, I wouldn't be writing this right now if it wasn't for Doreen Virtue. Not just because she has caused this discord within the community, but because her work caught me when I was in the middle of my "awakening" and discovering more about myself. I wouldn't be here right now, if it was not for her work. Her work that she now rescinds as being something that was done in confusion or not the work of the higher beings in the Universe. Yes... that work!
As someone who grew up strictly Roman Catholic in my Hispanic upbringing, I had the fear of God embedded deep into my soul but at 14 or so I discovered Tarot and already had a long love affair with astrology. The esoteric wouldn't leave me alone and I was not able to put the mystical down. I kept learning more and more. I recall even a friend of mine saying he knew I was a witch and bought me a funny little book of "Love Spells" as a joke, but it became a new thing that kept me curious. Books on palmistry, astrology, and ghosts would find me.
I am from The Craft generation. Man, the 90s and early 00s were FIRE for films and TV. Watching that movie and seeing the beauty in it, was eye-opening. It was that "a-ha!" moment of finally seeing something that made sense. I loved the magic that was shown and how power can be corrupted by intention. It also brought a lot of awareness to my own situation and what I felt was true for myself. Now, yes - I was still a practicing Catholic until I was 20 years old. But I also read cards, used astrology, and also did what I called "Earth magic" and followed Moon transits. Yes, I was into the whole alterna-goth girl look.
The thing with being religious is that sometimes we close ourselves off to the other magic present in this realm. We forget that we also have the capacity to connect with guides, Angels, and our ancestors. Being Mexican American, I learned to honor my ancestors and we celebrated their lives and also their deaths by leaning on them when we needed their guidance. I have no fear of death, as I know that it is a temporary situation. We come back when our souls are ready. Our souls are eternal.
In my mid-20s I had what I would call my initial "awakening" and was diving back into my Tarot and astrology studies to find some assistance. I was lost. I was afraid. I was finding sobriety and myself. It was a dark and light time. I sought out a lot of external guidance and mentors at that time. I found someone who literally lived doors away from me and she opened up my eyes to the world of Oracle cards - specifically Angel cards. This is when I first met Doreen Virtue. Her cards were something that really just stood out and connected to me in a new way. They were soft and gentle and kind. And sometimes Tarot is NOT that. Tarot is blunt and can be easily misunderstood. With so much upheaval in my day to day life, I wanted support and love - not a smack on the back of the head to get my ass in gear.
So.... began my obsession. I went out to Barnes and Noble to get decks. I purchased 2 decks that I felt drawn to (which I have passed on to others). They allowed me to find a new way to connect to myself. I felt so supported and encouraged by the work. This was what I had been missing for so long!
I could never justify getting her Angel certification courses and such, so I just used her cards to help my clients and myself. I tried to read some of her books but something always felt... forced. Not resonating like some of her cards felt. But my theory with her cards are that due to the sheer amount of card decks she "created" that many of them aren't really infused with her energies or her intentions. I think she was just pumping out work to cash in and make money in a field that was untapped when she was first in it. Sad, but true.
It is why I don't mind keeping a few of her decks that I think really are wonderful in their work. The Ascended Masters, Goddess Guidance, Past Lives and Life Purpose decks all are a good part of my current collection. I have owned quite a few of her decks, so I see the difference in these decks. I unfortunately do not use any of her Angel based decks, as I never really felt connected to them for long.
I am not here to condemn someone making a life choice for themselves, as I believe that religion and belief is a deeply personal thing (much like diet) that no one should feel obligated to share or explain to others. I am not even here with the intention of misunderstanding her intentions with this sudden switch to Christianity.
I don't have anything against it, actually. I still go to church on occasion.
BUT.... I do feel she is handling things in a very irresponsible manner.
It is one thing to make your decision for your personal life and belief system. It is another to attack your previous lifestyle with so much vehement intention that you scare people back to your side of the spectrum. I will never understand those that make drastic changes to their life and then renounce everything they did before.
I was an addict. And am still in recovery. I did drugs for a long time. I took pills for a long time. I drank in excess.
And while those things are no longer a part of my life due to my own personal choices, I don't condemn my friends and strangers I may meet who are in that part of their journey. It's just not my thing. I refuse to put my own feelings and experiences on what you enjoy. We are creatures of free will, after all.
I also STILL work with Christian Saints often. I grew up in a Mexican and Catholic household. I still light my candles to Jesus and Mother Mary. I light my candles to Archangel Michael and also to Saint Anthony. I also work with the Ascended Masters from Christianity - like Jesus. There is a power that runs through a lot of the magic in this world and I don't think that it is fair to have benefited like Doreen did only to create some serious fear-mongering in the community that she kind of built around herself. It was the community that made her rich. It was the community that felt they had found a niche and their own place. A safe space.
My problem really started when I saw that she was still pumping out decks but with a more Christian aspect. Not something I wanted to work with, so I took my funds and supported others who were creating things more aligned with my work and preferences.
But then she came out with some weird blog and just created a long list of everything that you should not consult, do, or use. It was just a mind-boggling experience. I feel bad for those who spent thousands on her courses to get certified. I feel like she totally bamboozled a ton of people. And maybe it has to do with her Jupiter Return this whole Return to Jesus energy is intense for her. And I don't comprehend why she couldn't just let things be and move on to her new focus.
Like I stated, I am not here to judge anyone on their path to their soul's needs - but I am not going to have someone also say that I am bringing bad juju into my cleint's lives or what-not because they had a sudden change of heart. It just was enough to really piss me off. And it sucks because so many people have admired her work, paid for her work, studied with her, and used her work in order to find themselves. So what now? What if the path to you all of sudden was removed and you were told there was no way back - ever? What does one do?
Fear mongering is something that I really don't agree with. Yeah, I have a big issue with that. And I am not down with religious dogma.
We are creatures of free will. And we have been given this gift (according to the Bible) when we were expelled from the Garden of Eden. We in our dumbness bit into the apple of knowledge and now can forever live in the exile of Earth. Or something to that effect. Essentially, we are here to experience our lives through Earth's lessons. We can not be forced to do anything. Even God can't make us love it (him in Bible terms). We are here to exist and figure it out.
The spiritual journey focuses on you discovering yourself. It puts the responsibility on the individual. Religion says we have to put our trust and soul's journey on some leader in a church - some other human - who is probably more flawed than we are. Spiritualism is about understanding that we are in all things and all things exist within us. Religion separates many of us and makes us feel unworthy of knowing, trusting, or establishing a relationship with God (or the Universe).
So, my problem with Doreen Virtue now is more in that I don't necessarily appreciate the fear she is spreading. Many people who have flocked to her work are afraid that they are doing some evil work. Or that they are allowing entities with bad intentions to connect to them. And so, I am disappointed. I also feel so bad for those that don't trust themselves enough to discern the truth of their souls.
All this to say: trust YOU. You know yourself better than anyone else. Look within yourself and see what resonates. Work with what you feel makes the most sense. Much like indigenous magic, it is something that we carry in our souls, our blood, and in our hearts. We know the truth by how it feels. So if Christianity is your jam - do it, boo. If you like the whole pagan eclectic witch vibe - do it!
Don't go running around just because someone you used to look up to has changed.
Sit with yourself and feel what resonates. Take time out to see if something still feels right for you.
I mean, that is just like solid life advice, you guys!
For me, it is a blend of my Catholic upbringing, my earth magic, my curandera (healer), my bruja (witch), and Angel work that come together to touch what I do. Believe in what works for you. I read cards. I read energies. I do angel healing and reiki. I use crystals. I use plants and herbs. I contact spirits and angels.
So, thank you Doreen Virtue.
Without you... I wouldn't be here.
But we are done. And I wish you the best on your journey.
