We've all experienced it. We've been hooked on that great new Pagan podcast that already has 10 episodes. They've been steadily coming out once a week or once a month just like we were promised in the first episode, and then BAM! It is a frequent occurrence these days. Little by little as time goes on Pagan podcasters (to be fair, like most podcasters) slowly diminish in regularity until they become a distant memory in a world that is a dream within a dream.
What is to blame for this shift? Is it that we expect too much of them? Are they bombarded by tons and tons of comments and requests for spells that they simply need to get away from it all? What about all of those youtubees that routinely post videos and then they seem to vanish from the planet all together? My theory: it's a natural part of life.
Maybe whatever called them to do the podcast/blog/video blog/website/book has run its course and they feel that they currently have nothing else left to say. We can't all write 70 books on Paganism and if we had 200 Pagan podcasts with episodes in the thousands do you honestly think we would have time to check out all of the new ones? 24 hours is all we get in a day, and I must admit that I like my sleep. So we'll just assume 15 hours. Dang, what about work? Don't forget meals! You have to tuck the kids in and read them a bedtime story...or two. The fact of the matter is that we as human beings just don't have enough time for everything we commit to and try to fit within a day.
What is more important: spiritual practice or burning out to the point where one no longer wants to deal with their spirituality because they are "sick" of it? Originally I was going to compose this on the other side of the pancake (Dr. Phil always says they have two sides), but I decided this point of view made it more interesting. That, and I just like to ask a lot of rhetorical questions.
My summary: People have lives no matter how happy we become when we hear them in our headphones late at night. Be patient and treat each new podcast and episode as a new jewel to be inspected and admired, but not worshiped (I'm starting the United Pagan Church of the Holy Citrine, so dibbs). If you lose the ability to enjoy the podcast and be happy to hear another person's opinion then you will eventually burn yourself out. You could always start your own podcast/blog/website/video blog/book, and you may learn a few things about yourself and the world in the process. After all, the collective is enhanced when everyone adds their voice to it.
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