A Pagan Almanac for August 1 & 2, 2012 Lunar Cycle: August 1 -- Fourth day of the full Moon August 2 – Fifth day of the full Moon (astronomical full Moon) Rome: August 1, Kalends, sacred to Juno Athens: Hekatombaion 14 Hekatombaion 15, sacred to Selene Martyred on August 1 in 1595: Volkart Dirxsen and his daughter, Utrecht 1623: Thomas Greave of Fife 1664: Josine Labynes, Heestert They died in our name. Let us remember theirs. William Blake wrote: The Beggar’s … [Read more...]
Survival or New Creation?
July 31, 2012 By 5 Comments
A Pagan Almanac for July 29-31, 2012 Lunar cycle: July 29, First day of the full Moon. (The Greeks counted the middle 10 days of the month as being full Moon. That makes it easier to understand how people could meet at full Moon, right?) July 30, Second day of the full Moon July 31, Third day of the full Moon Rome: July 30, dedicated to Fortune Athens: Hekatombaion 11. The Nemean games begin (in years 2 & 4 of the Olympic cycle) Democritus wrote: Nothing occurs at random, but … [Read more...]
Looking for the Craft IV
July 28, 2012 By 4 Comments
A Pagan Almanac for July 27 and 28, 2012 Lunar Cycle: Ninth and tenth days of the waxing Moon Rome: July 27, sacred to Castor and Pollux Athens: Hekatombaion 9 and 10 Martyred on this day in: 1691, Ursula Gruenin, 1716, Isobel McKenley, Elspeth Reid, and Janet Toyes of Dining; Janet Airth in Pothill of Aberuthven; Helen Ilson and Margaret Crose of Fontevio; Janet Martin of Nether Gask; Janet Young of Clathemore They died in our name. Let us remember theirs. William Blake … [Read more...]
Looking for the Craft III
July 26, 2012 By 9 Comments
A Pagan Almanac for July 24-26, 2012 Lunar Cycle: Sixth to eighth days of the waxing Moon Athens: Hekatombaion 6, sacred to Artemis Hekatombaion 7, the Hekatombaia for Apollo (The seventh day is the first quarter, which is always sacred to Apollo) Hekatombaion 8, sacred to Poseidon and Theseus Martyred on: July 24, 1628, Johannes Junius, Burgomaster of Bamberg July 25, 1591, Dame Euphemia Maclean of North Berwick (the historical records show that she actually may have been a … [Read more...]
Looking for the Craft, Part II
July 22, 2012 By 3 Comments
A Pagan Almanac: July 21, 2012 Lunar Cycle: Third day of the waxing Moon Rome: The Lucaria Athens: Hekatombaion 3, sacred to Athena Martyred on this day in 1603: James Reid of Musselburgh He died in our name. Let us remember his. _________________________________________ July 22, 2012 Lunar Cycle: Fourth day of the waxing Moon Athens: Hekatombaion 4, sacred to Aphrodite, Hermes, and Herakles Martyred on this day in 1612: Agnes Brown, Joan Vaughn, Arthur Bill, Helen … [Read more...]
Looking for the Craft
July 20, 2012 By 4 Comments
______________________________________________________________________________________________________ A Pagan Almanac for July 20, 2012 Lunar Cycle: Second day of the waxing Moon Athens: Hekatombaion 2, sacred to the Good Spirit William Blake wrote: The Harlot’s cry from Street to Street Shall weave Old England’s winding Sheet. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ %%%%%% After my strange experience in the summer … [Read more...]
A Pagan Almanac: Day One
July 19, 2012 By 7 Comments
A Pagan Almanac for July 19, 2012 Lunar cycle: Day 1, first crescent Rome: The Lucaria Athens: First day of Hekatombaion, “Month of a hundred sacrifices,” sacred to Apollo. New Year’s Day. Martyred on this day in 1692: Sarah Good of Salem Village Elizabeth How of Topsfield Susanna Martin of Amesbury Rebecca Nurse Sarah Wilde of Topsfield They died in our name. Let us remember theirs. William Blake wrote: Let the Priests of the Ravens of dawn no longer, in deadly … [Read more...]
The Three-Dimensional Structure of the Pagan Movement
July 17, 2012 By 3 Comments
In writing about the history of the Craft, I have been often perplexed about how to tell a story in which everything is related to everything else, and it all seems to be happening at the same time. Iit took me quite a while to realize that an adequate description of the movement requires a three-dimensional map, much like a tapestry. The first dimension is chronological, describing how groups evolved and proliferated over time. This dimension includes description of the “Traditions” with … [Read more...]
What Is a Witch?
July 16, 2012 By 22 Comments
I am not silly enough to suppose that everyone, or even a majority among Witches, will agree with everything I will be saying here. However, I have been thinking about this question for quite a while, and I think that some systematic consideration of the issues involved can provide some clarity. The vast majority of Pagans in America are those who call themselves Witches. But what exactly does “Witch” mean? As linguists know, the etymology of a word often has very little to do with how … [Read more...]
Why the Craft Is an “In Your Face” Religion
July 4, 2012 By 32 Comments
Earlier today, on Charles Arnold’s e-group on Linkedin, someone expressed surprise that the fundamentalist Christians are attacking Pagans more and more viciously. I think such surprise can arise only from not understanding what Paganism is now all about. Most people, including Pagans, are not well-informed about their religion or about religion in general. However, the percentage of well-informed people in current Pagan religions, and especially in the Craft, is significantly higher than … [Read more...]
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