Cultural appropriation takes indigenous practices and traditions out of context. It commodifies, invalidates, homogenizes, romanticizes, or otherwise misrepresents that culture. The real meaning and history of the cultural practice is then lost, as it has been consumed and changed by the dominant culture to make it more acceptable to their own points of view.

If you’ve been paying attention, cultural appropriation is a hot topic in the spiritual realm right now—and for good reason. For many on the spiritual path, including spiritual healers of all paths, cultural appropriation and white privilege can be confusing because, after all, aren’t we all One, and aren’t we coming from a well-meaning place? In this necessary guide, Jordan Catherine Pagán (@ostara.apothecary) addresses these questions and so many more head on, offering a critical examination of appropriation, privilege, and the shadow work inherent in the spiritual journey—all in a digestible and illuminating manner.

“It starts by taking a look at ourselves,” Pagán says, “to see where we have been unknowingly or knowingly participating in and upholding these systems, especially if we are benefitting from them. Those with the most privilege and power have the most ability and responsibility to effect change. This work is deeply challenging, painful, and revealing a lot of the time. It is shadow work. It may mean making significant changes in your life, facing difficult truths, and devoting significant amounts of time, energy, effort, and money.”

In this guide, Pagán discusses and provides solutions to:
•Defining Cultural Appropriation, Privilege, and Ancestral Healing
•White Privilege and White Supremacy
•Unpacking Cultural Appropriation
•Unpacking the Common Defenses to Cultural Appropriation
•How to Extricate Yourself from Cultural Appropriation

If you, like us, are feeling called to unpack these concepts, your own privilege, and ancestral healing in your lineage, we encourage you to dive in with Pagán‘s foundational, thought-provoking, and inspiring guide.