Religious observances all begin at 7am tomorrow at the Parliament of World Religions. Yes, 7am. That’s not a typo. Comments in the Pagan community here are along of the lines of “we are not sunrise worshipers” and “I have personal boundaries and 7am is outside of those boundaries”. I intend to peel myself out of bed in the dark, walk two blocks to a bike station before sunrise, and then bike the dark cold streets of Salt Lake City sometime... Read more
Our conversations stretch late into the evening and when we exit the restaurant, we don't want to leave. River gathers us into a circle and teaches us a chant. And then we sing on the sidewalk, out of key, quietly, laughing, loudly, hugging. Someone starts another song. And another. And when we can't think of songs, we just stand there. Eventually we return to logistics, figure out rides, and say our heartfelt goodbyes, even though some of us just met and we are going to the same event tomorrow. Read more
As I open the door to this secret, I am overwhelmed by information. Bombarded, I would say, but I can no longer use the expression lightly. Bombs are the things that gifted my game of tag its safe zones. But now I know I have inherited much more than the bomb craters. I, too, am shaped by the memories behind the bombs, a generation of traumatized children who raised me, a granddaughter of the bombs. Read more
I look at the chasm between the rocks. That’s where I should be. I’m not the American casting a circle, singing in English, making a beautifully sincere imperfect offering of a ritual. I’m not the German smoking a cigarette and playing on a cell phone. I should be standing between the rocks, the space where the bridge collapsed. Read more
On my first post-jet-lag day in Germany I took my partners to my favorite local spring. It was muddy and as soon we stepped out of the car, I thought I smelled mushrooms. I grew up hunting mushrooms, from the time I was old enough to walk through the forest to the year the Chernobyl disaster prevented us from foraging. But as soon as it was reasonably safe to eat local mushrooms again, my family was back in the... Read more
It's 5 am here in Germany and I am wide awake. It is dark out, but my body won't believe that it is still night. The last time I lived in this room, it was dark all the time, dark all morning, dark all afternoon, and always dark in my mind. I lie awake in my bed and am visited by memories. Read more
Tomorrow I am flying to Germany with my two partners, Autumn and Mead. We’ll be visiting medieval markets and a Pagan equinox ritual, but mostly we’ll be staying with my evangelical Christian family. Yesterday I was asked what I thought would happen when I introduce two polyamorous Witches to my Christian family. “I’ll have new material for my blog?” was the best I came up with. Read more
It was the best of festivals, it was the coldest of festivals. Faerieworld’s first year since moving from Mount Pisgah was marked by uncharacteristically cold temperatures, rain, and mud Read more
I had seven days. My partner Autumn was at Witchcamp in Canada without internet or phone signal. A full week without communication, just enough time to create the perfect birthday surprise: a complete room makeover. She would come back unsuspecting and would be ecstatic to find her room changed - or so I thought. Read more
Self-care is sexy. I’m not sure where the phrase originated, but the first time I heard it was at last year’s Witchcamp. But like most sexy things, self-care is also complicated. For me, the idea tends to conjure up feeling of guilt. Read more
Born Again Witch
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