Last week I asked people to share pictures of their tattoos with the story behind them. Here are the results: Carl Bonebright: I knew I wanted a religious tattoo without it being something that was already a powerful symbol (the three horns, Helm of Awe, or Valknut, for example), because I didn’t want to risk offending any Gods. However, I was at the point where I had become completely confident and comfortable with my decision to be a Heathen henceforth,... Read more
Ok, so admittedly I am on the outskirts of Paganistan, crashing with the amazing Nels Linde and Judy Olson until I figure out what’s what. It has been an insane week of strange nomadic behavior, and of being carried by the current to strange new places. First, big thanks to Amy who picked me up crying on the side of the road, cheered me up, gave me a place to crash for the night, and hauled me around. You rock!... Read more
Rutilius got a kick out of my post Worshiping An Imperfect God, and asked to translate it into Polish. And since my life has been very much about going with the flow over the past couple of weeks, I said “Sure, why not?” So for entertainment value I used Google Translate on the Polish translation to pull it back into English. Google did a pretty decent job. I do not believe in perfection (perfection). I do not believe in the... Read more
It is not a poetic metaphor, I am literally surviving off the kindness and generosity of others right now. I am crashing at friend #2’s place and will be crashing with friend #3 before the weekend is over. I’m going to be a gypsy for a few more days while I get my things in order, but before the end of the weekend I will be in Minneapolis. It’s exciting and terrifying and completely overwhelming. I don’t even know how... Read more
I had a strange day yesterday. I never had any intention of ending up in a tattoo shop, accompanying friends to a piercing. But that is where my day took me, and it is funny how a funky tattoo parlor can feel safe and comforting. I stood back and watched as the artists worked and my friends got their piercing. One of the artists had a Crowley-style unicursal hexagram tattoo, and I found that random sign oddly comforting. I spoke... Read more
[I wasn’t going to publish this since I thought it was inappropriate. But I’m being thrown out today despite making arrangements to move out well before the original deadline. So screw appropriateness.] I’ve stated before that I don’t believe in the Christian notion of forgiveness. That is not to say that I don’t believe in forgiveness at all, but that I find this Western concept of it as articulated by Christianity, which is pervasive even in Pagan culture, to be... Read more
Although in this case it’s definitely soft polytheism/psychological pantheism: The Sydney problem, however, still needed solving. I approached her the other day and said, “Syd, you go to church on Sunday, right?” “Yes.” “Who do you pray to?” “God,” she said. “One God, right? Then how can you say you believe in all those Greek gods?” She replied with her patented eye roll: “You don’t understand about God.” And she gave me understanding. “When I am at the beach near... Read more
Once upon a time, long ago, in a land far, far away (Beliefnet forums circa 2000 CE) there was a magical tavern, whose name I no longer recall. Someone accused Pagans of worshiping “Stan,” and thus Stan the bartender at the greatest tavern in Hel was born. People would come in, sit down, rest, grab a glass of refreshment and enjoy each other’s company. Some folks took handbasket rides across the lake of fire, and I seem to recall someone... Read more
Online community gets dissed a lot. I know, because sometimes I’m the one doing the dissing. It is true that online community is limited in what it can do. It cannot give you a physical hug, let you take a bit of it’s fettuccine alfredo, or bring a casserole to your house and sit with you as a palpable human presence as you grieve over a loved one. It doesn’t give you a deeper sense of belonging to your geographic... Read more
I have had a surprising weekend. I was unexpectedly given notice that I have to move out of my current living situation by October 1st. Five weeks isn’t a lot of time to plan a move. Thankfully, some amazing people have come to my rescue with advice, huge favors, and words of encouragement and support. I am a bit overwhelmed by the kindness I have been shown. My crusty exterior has completely crumbled, and I have sobbed like a big... Read more
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