Under the Ancient Oaks: Land Spirits
Here’s the second episode of Under the Ancient Oaks, the video series. Cynthia Talbot and I discuss land spirits and spirits of place and how we can relate to them. [Read more…]
The Surprising Paganism of The Mummy
Forget the new Tom Cruise movie. The best Mummy of them all is the 1932 version with Boris Karloff. It’s a fictional horror movie, but it has some surprising Pagan elements. [Read more…]
The Victory of Lugh
Lugh spoke to the Tuatha De Danann and put strength in them, so that each had the spirit of a king or a great lord. He heartened them to fight well, for it was better for them to die protecting their own country than to live under bonds and under tribute any longer. [Read more…]
Why What I Am Takes So Many Words To Describe
There is no single term that completely and accurately describes the religion I practice. Since last fall, I’ve occasionally described it as “ancestral, devotional, ecstatic, oracular, magical, public polytheism.” I think that’s worth exploring in more depth. [Read more…]
The 8 of Cups, or, I Like It Here Why Do I Have To Leave?
There’s no need for a grand exit… or a grand entrance. Just decide to leave those eight cups behind and head for the edge of the map, as you know it. And when you get to the edge, keep going. [Read more…]
The Leadership of Lugh – A Response To Oppression
When the Tuatha De Danann first came to Ireland they were oppressed by the Fomorians, who ruled the land. For a while they put up with it, for fear that those in power might make things even worse. But eventually, they decided to act. [Read more…]
An Oath to the Morrigan
What happens after you find a God? Sometimes we’re called to priesthood. Sometimes they just want your devotion. And sometimes, the relationship is a constantly-changing journey. This is the story of my 13-year relationship with the Morrigan, Battle Goddess and Lady of Sovereignty. [Read more…]
Is This The Same God?
Rather than stacking up the similarities and differences between Cernunnos and Pashupati and trying to come to a conclusion, I think it would be more helpful to look at the questions behind this question, and at the implications of asking them. [Read more…]
The Coming of Lugh
Perhaps one of the reasons more people don’t celebrate Lughnasadh is simply that they don’t know much about Lugh. Following last week’s post on his birth, here’s the story of the coming of Lugh to the court of the Tuatha De Danann. [Read more…]
My Paganism: Nature, Nurture, or Choice?
Jason Mankey asked all the Patheos Pagan bloggers to write on “How I Found Paganism.” I’ve already written multiple variations on this theme over the years. Instead, I want to explore the question of why I’m a Pagan. Is my Paganism is a question of nature, nurture, or choice? [Read more…]
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