I haven’t written much lately. Part of it is end-of-semester hullabaloo and work load, and part of it is that there are things going on in the world that I wanted to say something about, but my own head was full of my own personal work (outer and inner) and I just couldn’t come up with words. However, they have collided nicely and I have something to say now. Last night was Beltane Eve; I went out yesterday and picked... Read more
Planning to live-blog the last day of the Georgia legislative session. Will RFRA rise from the dead? I've given talks before about Pagans in politics; you'd be surprised at what you can get done simply by showing up and talking to people, regardless of how high on the mast your freak flag may be. Read more
The truth is, the things you ask for can happen, but you better be ready for them. You better make sure you are ready, and be careful what you ask for. Because it's not that they won't happen if you aren't. It's that the Universe will make you ready. I call this phenomenon the Drop Kick of the Gods. Read more
I am very conscious of the fact that as soon as I open my mouth, if I talk like where I'm from, people will start assuming things about me. Read more
From both the teacher and student's perspectives, knowing what your goals are (both short term and long term) is vital. Understanding the limits and advantages of a given approach will help to avert difficulties and make sure the education you are seeking happens. Read more
Super-intense late-night rituals using close-held liturgy and requiring adult focus and attention are a fine thing; we have those too. But it's good to integrate the depths of religious experience with the rest of your life, to weave your practice into your days. Read more
Looking to pass a "religious freedom" bill so you can be a bigot in peace? Be careful what you wish for. Read more
If you want recognition, to be seen as an authority, or some other form of egoboo, then you are not going to be as good a teacher as you might be. Charisma does help and there are plenty of egotists who are actually excellent teachers; but it is often in spite of that, not because of it. The reality is that teaching does give you a position of authority, which you can't manage well either by pretending it doesn't exist or by diverting it to some purpose other than the task at hand...which is ultimately to empower your student. If that sounds tricky, well, that's why I felt the need to write about it. It is also a position of immense trust. Read more
I recognize that their website is full of disclaimers about how they only speak for themselves, and yet the ringing pomposity of "American Council of Witches" says otherwise. If you choose to take on a name like that when you don't have the community backing to pull it off, then you are going to get crushed like the Fallen Caryatid. I confess to not having much sympathy for you in that case; if you're as witch as all that, you should know better. Naming is an act of magic. Magic sometimes bites you on the behind. Read more
But for Pagans, this is a potentially shattering question: If the land is sacred, if the Earth is our Mother, how can we let it be bought and sold? More generally, how can we understand value independently from the arbitrary and reductive values of the market? (which is an absolute necessity even if you think capitalism is just dandy). And, given that we live in a world full of people who don't necessarily share our views, how can we make a moral or practical argument for the values that underlie the theology? Read more
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