I spent some time with the senior mare this afternoon working on grooming her and replacing her regular fly mask for one that is in high vis orange. And as I was working with her, I thought about how this translates into horse wisdom, and how it is important to be visible. Here in the Ozarks we’re moving into hunting season, and while my horses are fairly safe (I know my neighbors; they’re careful around livestock) there’s also the chance that someone new might be in the area, and a bit of blaze orange is a great safety device.
Too often we think of hiding as being the safe option. When it is safe to be visible?
When you’re visible with your spirituality, it tells other individuals that it’s safe for them to be spiritual as well. It’s one reason why I’m so happy to be writing my thesis dealing with disability theology and paganism. Because not only has been there been a lot of conversation about disabled pagans and making accessible spaces, and I want to be a part of that conversation. But also, because let’s face it, most of my education in this state university for religious studies has centered around Christianity, and a specific denomination of that as well. Paganism just isn’t that well represented outside of pagan-specific communities.
It’s also why I like to talk about being a neurodivergent person who focuses on spirituality. First, because the common stereotype of autism is still the very smart scientist-type who takes everything literal and doesn’t have much room on their life for spirituality, but again, the way my brain processes information is different from a neurotypical person and that means my thoughts around spirituality are going to be different as well. I’m going to bring my strong connection to animals and nature, my strong sense of justice, and my strong empathy into my spiritual spaces as well. I’m going to see connections that others may not see because of the way my brain recognizes patterns and makes connections. When I’m visible, other neurodivergent spiritual individuals feel safe to be visible or to discuss these things. Because let’s face it, even within the autism or neurodivergent advocacy spaces, there isn’t a lot of talk about spirituality. It’s still focused on how neurodivergent people can unmask and be more productive or be more “normal”.
Part of creating our spiritual story is knowing what the possibilities would be. Feeling like you’re the only person interested in a subject or following a certain path isn’t fun. So the next time you’re thinking about hiding, think about just how much more safer you’ll make someone feel by being visible.
