Comments, Texas Pagan Events, and a Video

I have a variety of short announcements to make, so I’m going to combine them into one post.

Disqus Comments

Patheos is transitioning all its blogs to the Disqus commenting software and Under the Ancient Oaks was transitioned this weekend. According to the Patheos Tech Wizards “the import fully completed except for nine interim comments made during the last few days, and it appears that all historical comments and new comments will now be available in Disqus. We have also imported the interim comments and they will show up in a few days.”

So if your comment disappeared, don’t worry – it will show up again shortly.

I know some people like Disqus and some don’t. Personally, I like it better than the standard WordPress system. I encourage you to register, add your avatar, and join in the discussion.

Denton CUUPS Beltane Circle

If you’re in the North Texas area, join us this coming Saturday, May 4 for our Beltane Circle. The main working will feature an interactive dramatic presentation of the story of Morrigan and her dealings with the Dagda and Cú Chulainn. She offered her love and her aid to both, but only one accepted.

I’ll have a recap with more details next week, with pictures if my in-house photographer is able to go.

Houston Pagan Conference

On May 18, I’ll be traveling down I-45 to present at the Houston Pagan Conference. The conference will be held at the Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Church, and is the first Pagan conference in the Gulf Coast area in over 30 years. It is sponsored by Blackberry Circle, an eclectic Wiccan teaching coven in Southeast Texas.

The headline speaker is author and teacher Raven Grimassi. Other speakers are Rev. Ellen Cooper-Davis (minister of Northwoods UU), Kaleen (a Sumerian priestess), John R. Nelson, and Debra Davis.

The theme of the conference is “Magic and the Divine.” My presentation is titled “Searching for Magic and Finding the Divine.” It will be an account of my early misadventures with magic, the progress that began with my defining moment, and why I believe effective magic should be grounded in a religious or spiritual practice.

Reclaiming Your Sovereignty

On March 17 I spoke at the Denton UU Fellowship to explain the concept of sovereignty and to encourage everyone to follow their own True Will. I posted the text immediately after the service and now the video is on YouTube.

After the closing hymn I gave this benediction:

Our Western materialistic culture is not satisfying the people living in it and is killing other people and other creatures. It is not sustainable, and it will change. We can have change thrust upon us by others as they cling to their privileges. Or we can reclaim our sovereignty and begin creating new ways of living and being. In the slightly updated words of Eliphas Levi “Nothing can resist the will of men and women when they know what is true and will what is good.”