So what is a closed practice?
a "Closed Practice" is a term to describe a spiritual practice / tied to a specific culture or tradition that isn't open to everyone; outsiders should not perform it unless invited or taught.
Many closed practices are closed for spiritual reasons, and one must be initiated or born into the lineage to receive certain knowledge seen as sacred and respected. For example, Hoodoo and voodoo/voodou are sacred closed practices deeply rooted in connections to the ancestors of African and Black American people. Seeing a white person claim to be initiated into these practices would sound very taboo given the long history of racism in America which came with the demonization of pre-colonial Afro-centric spirituality such as voodoo.
Voodoo later evolved into hoodoo during the slave trade when all African spiritualities were deemed "demonic" and could come with a death sentence from the white oppressors. It begs the question which ancestors are they connected to? The ones that were racist? Perhaps the ones before the racism started? It sounds as disrespectful as a white person claiming to be Indigenous and putting on a feathered headdress while jumping around a fire, its offensive. Some may say its reminiscent of a minstrel show and carries the energy of cultural appropriation wrapped into one jumbled mess of disrespect.
So why are closed practices closed?
In short respect for the cultural identity and spirituality of another human and respecting what's sacred.
Cultural appropriation occurs when these practices aren't respected and then co-opted (usually by the same people that marginalized these practices to begin with) by people with no knowledge of the depth within these practices.
Another example that's become really popular is white sage smudging. White sage smudging is a sacred practice originating from the Anishinaabe/Ojibwe and many other North American tribes. White sage is a sacred herb and is currently being endangered by overconsumption and a lack of reverence for nature. Seeing this sacred herb become endangered just to be sold to some yoga loving soccer mom who bought it from the mall while she disrespects the people that originated this practice in the first place feels like an utter slap in the face and sacrilegious.
Smoke Cleansing however is a practice that many cultures across the globe partake in and is not a closed practice. Smudging is a closed practice especially with white sage.
Some people don't have something sacred to them in their life and have no empathy for those that do unless they watch the movie "Avatar" and see the "tree of souls" being destroyed. That seems to be the only way to get people to understand why respecting closed practices matters don't destroy our "tree of souls" because you want to feel included or are driven by a need for power don't let your ego destroy or gentrify the sacred practices of other people. Haven't we lost enough?
By all means ask for consent ask for knowledge but don't just take... the world does not belong to you and neither does every practice.
That's all for now.
Stay sacred
Indigo The Red