Yesterday marked the opening of the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico. At the opening ceremony Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, called on the Mayan goddess Ixchel to bless and guide the proceedings.

“Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, invoked the ancient jaguar goddess Ixchel in her opening statement to delegates gathered in Cancun, Mexico, noting that Ixchel was not only goddess of the moon, but also “the goddess of reason, creativity and weaving. May she inspire you — because today, you are gathered in Cancun to weave together the elements of a solid response to climate change, using both reason and creativity as your tools.” … “Excellencies, the goddess Ixchel would probably tell you that a tapestry is the result of the skilful interlacing of many threads,” said Figueres, who hails from Costa Rica and started her greetings in Spanish before switching to English. “I am convinced that 20 years from now, we will admire the policy tapestry that you have woven together and think back fondly to Cancun and the inspiration of Ixchel.“

While such an invocation may warm the hearts of many Pagans and practitioners of indigenous faiths, and was no doubt seen as a poetic metaphor by the more secular-minded politicians, activists, and policy experts in attendance, to conservative Christians it was no doubt further confirmation of their greatest fear. That the environmental movement is a stalking horse for Pagan religion, a “green dragon” that seeks to destroy Christianity.

“At a critical moment in the global environmental debate, many of America’s top Christian leaders have joined with the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation to produce an explosive new 12-part DVD series, Resisting the Green Dragon, which has begun shipping both in the United States and abroad. The series sounds the alarm about dangerous environmental extremism and brings a Biblical viewpoint on environmental issues and creation stewardship to evangelical churches, ministries, and schools.”

In the above clip provided by Right Wing Watch, the speakers make it plain that this is a spiritual struggle, a battle between competing religions. Christianity on one side, and the “green dragon” of pagan environmentalism on the other. Participating in the video series is a roll-call of conservative Christian heavy-hitters, including Bryan “feminized medal of honor” Fischer, Tony “gay kids kill themselves because they know they’re abnormal” Perkins, Wendy “contraception education is a plot by Planned Parenthood to make money by providing abortions” Wright, Janet “allowing gay parents to adopt is state-sanctioned child abuse” Parshall, and Glenn Beck favorite David “paganism and witchcraft were never intended to receive the protections of the Religion Clauses” Barton. Jamelle Bouie at The American Prospect acknowledges that these figures are politically influential, but tries to minimize the potential damage they could do to legislative/political environmental solutions.

“In a sane world, we could just dismiss this as kooky and irrelevant. But given the evangelical right’s strength among the Republican grassroots, it would be irresponsible not to prepare for when these arguments make their way into the chambers of Congress. That said, I would caution liberals against taking these statements as representative of American Christianity, or even evangelical Christianity. Right-wing evangelicals are very loud, but they are a minority within American Christianity and are outweighed by the mass of Catholics and mainline Protestants who have more sensible views on the subject.

What’s more, there’s an ongoing fight within evangelical Christianity itself, between intensely political, Republican-aligned evangelicals like those “resisting the Green dragon,” and evangelicals like Richard Cizik, the former vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals, who now leads an organization that works to bridge the gap between progressives and evangelicals on issues ranging from climate change to prison reform. These people are allies, and we should work with them as we push against the climate denialism of the religious right.”

First off, as much as I admire Richard Cizik’s principled stance on environmentalism, his influence has been greatly diminished within American Evangelical Christianity. It remains to be seen if he’ll become a standard-bearer for a large number of younger evangelicals who have a broader view of issues like climate change. Secondly, while the 2010 elections were supposedly narrow-focused on taxes and fiscal issues, many of the newly elected Republicans are very socially conservative Christians, Chuck Donovan at the Daily Caller says that “the 112th Congress could prove to be the most socially conservative set of newcomers since the one that rode into Washington on Ronald Reagan’s coattails in 1980.” If you think they’ll be happy to stop at tax-related legislation, well, I have some prime swampland in Florida to sell you.

Some scholars claim that “nature religion” is the future of religion on this planet, and they may be right, but these would-be (green) dragon slayers will do everything in their power to derail this shift in environmental attitudes from being represented in our policy decisions for as long as possible. Those of us within our communities who see environmental issues through a lens of sacred interconnectedness, or as a religious calling, should have cause to be concerned about what this latest effort will mean. As for the Climate Change Conference in Cancun, observers are expecting a low-key meeting, without much in way of new treaties or big initiatives; ensuring more years of relative inaction while increasing numbers of people are directly affected by climate change.  For more on Resisting the Green Dragon, a 12-minute preview is available here (password: RESIST).

A few quick news notes to start your Monday.

Will a Ghanaian Witch-Burning Turn the Tide? Last week a 72-year-old woman in Ghana was accused of being a witch, tortured, doused with kerosene, and lit on fire. This is nothing new; the United Nations and various NGOs have been talking about the global epidemic of witch-killings and witch-hunts for some time now. But will this latest gruesome case spark a change in Ghana? It could just be an illusion created by international press attention, but there seems to be widespread revulsion and outcry over this case, and those forced to live in “witch camps” are agitating for justice.

“Inmates of the alleged witches camp at Kukuo numbering about 700 in the Nanumba South District of the Northern Region have threatened to go on a naked demonstration if government fails to punish the murderers of 72 year old Grandma Ama Hemmar, who was allegedly murdered at Tema Community 15 under the pretence of alleged witchcraft.”

Could we finally be seeing the collective cry of “enough” from the people of Ghana? Has this madness finally begun to run its course? There are some promising signs, like a massive decrease in hungry people, and a growing influx of oil money, that could diminish the social pressures that help fuel these moral panics. As members of communities that have been caught in the crossfire of moral panics against “Satanism” and “the occult”  we should take special interest in seeing these injustices ended, and ensuring their madness isn’t allowed to spread. For those looking for a way to directly aid women and children in Ghana, please check out WISE (Women Initiative for Self Empowerment).

Problems with The Power: Mark Vernon at Religion Dispatches reviews Rhonda “The Secret” Byrne’s latest New Thought opus “The Secret: The Power”. While Vernon points out that the “Law of Attraction” is nothing new, Byrne’s version relies on a “relentless optimism” that doesn’t encompass tragedy as anything but a failure of vision, ignoring the uncontrollable “absurdities” of life.

“…there are critical differences between Stoicism and The Power, for the ancients were wise to life’s tragedies too. Some things do, apparently, go badly. (They could hardly think otherwise, living during that long period of history in which death was associated with the young, not the old.) So, their instruction was to ‘go with the flow’ even when that is hard to stomach. Theirs is not a relentless optimism, expecting everything, like Byrne’s. Rather, the Stoics advocated expecting nothing, but working at everything. Be lightened by life’s absurdities too, they recommended. That way you won’t be disappointed when you don’t, apparently, make progress. You’ll be able to maintain your trust in the logos.”

In the end, the problem with “The Secret” is that it’s only half a philosophy, encouraging gain through positive attitudes while empowering dangerous “teachers” who rake in millions. A “smile or die” world that leaves no place for the millions placed in inhuman conditions by environmental, social, and political causes beyond their control.

As Pagans, one of our greatest gifts to the world can be to reject The Secret’s “moral callousness” and replace it with encompassing philosophies of life that don’t blame your brain for every tragedy.

Polyamorists Ask to Not Be Criminalized: As the Canadian polygamy trial moves forward, which I’ve covered here for several months, the Canadian Polyamory Advocacy Association (CPAA) asks the BC Supreme Court to stop breaking up loving families.

“By criminalizing consensual polyamorists along with patriarchal polygamists, the BC and federal governments will break up loving families, a Canadian Polyamory Advocacy Association (CPAA) lawyer said on Nov 25. ”The attorneys general have lost their moral compass,” John Ince told a BC Supreme Court reference on the constitutionality of Section 293 of the Criminal Code. A British Columbia court began hearings Nov 22 to determine whether Canada’s law prohibiting polygamy violates basic human rights. The polyamorists maintain Section 293 infringes on their constitutional rights of association, religion, equality and the life, liberty and security of the person as outlined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A subsection of the law prohibits any kind of conjugal union with more than one person at the same time, whether or not it is by law recognized as a binding form of marriage, or celebrates, assists or is a party to a rite, ceremony, contract or consent that purports to sanction a relationship.”

Polyamorists are justifiably worried that they will be lumped in with patriarchal, and sometimes abusive, forms of polygamy. Nor has the government been forthcoming on whether it would prosecute polyamorist families should this effort to decriminalize polygamy fail. This creates a tense situation for the many Pagan poly families living in Canada, forcing their life choices underground for fear of persecution. Hearings are just beginning on this case, and I’ll keep you posted on its progress.

That’s all I have for now, have a great day!

Word has come to us that Shakmah Winddrum, an author, priestess, ceremonial magician, Vodoun Mambo, and founder of The New SEED Sanctuary, passed away yesterday. While not as well known as some public figures within modern Paganism, the depth of her influence has been considerable, and tributes to this great lady have been pouring out from several noted figures within our interconnected communities.

Shakmah Winddrum

“Shakmah was friend and teacher to many other powerful teachers, priests, and priestesses of many magical traditions, some of whom you may have heard, and others who work quietly, with small groups, moving toward spiritual evolution. Her influence is both deep and broad. I feel grateful to have been touched by her wisdom, guided by her in visions and dreams, and though I never formally studied with her, I sense the ways in which the stream of her magic and mine flow along similar pathways. She gave her life over to her magic, and to seeking the mystery, even allowing her body to become subsumed by this. Though that last is not my way, I am grateful that Shakmah remained true to her vision, even unto her transition from this manifest world we know and love.” - T. Thorn Coyle, “Emissary of Divine Grace: Shakmah Winddrum”

“We within the Order of Elemental Mysteries are officially in mourning. We stand with our sisters, brothers and warriors of the New Seed Sanctuary and their sister tradition Light Haven in love, light and ultimately in grief. May She return to the Mystery that borne Her and may Her name resound loudly through the hearts of all who walk the path She carved out of sheer Will and boundless Love.” - Katrina Messenger, “A Great Lion Passes Beyond the Veil”

In addition to her work within the Haitian tradition and The New SEED Sanctuary, Shakmah Winddrum was also an ordained priest in the Liberal Catholic and the Ethiopian Coptic Churches, and author of “African Initiations: Rites of Passage Through the Eyes of an Initiate”. Of all her accomplishments, her greatest legacy may be the impression she made on her many students, who speak of her immense charm, power, will, and presence.

“Over the years I’ve had the honor and privilege to be in Shakmah’s presence, here at Light Haven, at her home in Philadelphia, and on numerous retreats and gatherings. I never ceased to be amazed by her poise, her charm and her miraculous way of penetrating to the essence of truth. I’ve born witness to unbelievable feats of magic, and watched as she negotiated the world with skill and grace. I’ve seen grown men break down in tears as she reached into their hearts and gave them a glimpse of the Great Mother who holds us all. Wherever I went with her, people who had no idea who or what she was were drawn to her light, like moths to the flame. She was always gracious, and people carried away something greater than they could understand from just being, for a moment, in her presence.” - Abba Thoniah, “Remembering Shakmah Winddrum”

“Over time I witnessed how her statements brought light and clarity, catalyzing those stuck in a rut, empowering the tentative, activating the procrastinating. Decisions were made, careers changed, vows taken, spiritual lives jump-started and enriched. Time after time I heard, “she said exactly what I needed to hear”. For those who have the eyes to see and the ears to hear, she offered so much.” - Thealandrah Davis, “There Can Be Only One”

An official statement on Shakmah Winddrum should be posted today at the New SEED Sanctuary Facebook page. In the meantime, I leave you with the following poem written in her honor by New SEED Sanctuary member Jon Ahjudah Barr.

Nov 27, 2010
by Jon Ahjudah Barr

Strange how you
Had been so present,
So active, in my dreams of late.
I won’t recount the details here
Knowing how you loathed the chore
Of patiently listening while we, in vain
Tried to give words
to what can never be said.

Strange that you
Were so absent
Last night.  When I needed you the most.
They took you fast.  And far.
True to their word.
And now, the next morning,
I stand here alone.  In a house gone silent.
Head tilted, numb, one question unanswered:

Is the worst behind me, or ahead?

My blessings to all who knew her. What is remembered, lives!

The Vancouver Sun provides closure on a story I’ve been following since 2006. It involves Peter Hayes, who was denied a chauffeur’s permit by the Vancouver police due to alleged accusations that he would use his position to “recruit” people into an imaginary S&M Pagan “sex cult”. In 2008 a B.C. Court of Appeal cleared the way for the case to be heard by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, a preliminary ruling by the Human Rights Tribunal in 2006 stated the case had merit and should go forward. In a decision handed down on November 23rd, the tribunal rejected his appeal.

“Based on all the evidence before us and in light of our credibility findings set out above, we conclude that Mr. Hayes has not met the burden of proving, on a balance of probabilities, that his Paganism or BDSM lifestyle were factors in Constable Barker’s denial of the chauffeur’s permit. As a result of our conclusion that Mr. Hayes’ religion and/or sexual orientation were not factors in Constable Barker’s decision-making, it is not necessary for us to address the issues of whether BDSM is a sexual orientation that is protected by the Code or, if it is, whether Mr. Hayes is a member of that protected group.”

It turns out that Mr. Hayes has a record of sexual abuse and misconduct, and that he was turned down because the officer, after a routine background check, thought he could be a potential threat to women and children riding in his limousine.

“He based this on a review of police files concerning Hayes which showed in 1994 he had been charged and acquitted of sexual assault and an invitation to sexual touching of a person under 14 years old … in January, 2003, police had called at his residence after neighbours complained that he was dancing and posing naked in his bedroom windows while in the view of children … in Oct. 2003 a female partner involved in a master/slave relationship with him told police he had abused her but did not want to press charges.”

Now, it should be noted that Mr. Hayes was never formally convicted of assault or abuse, but it also seems clear that he was not denied a permit due to his religion, or his sexual orientation/preferences. Indeed, a tribunal panel member made a point of noting the constable did not give special focus to Mr. Hayes’ religious beliefs.

Tribunal panel member Heather MacNaughton wrote that “nothing about Constable Barker’s alleged demeanour supports an inference that he had any particular focus on Mr. Hayes’ religion or sexual orientation. Rather, it is consistent with someone who considered Mr. Hayes to be a risk to the vulnerable customers of a limousine service.”

It seems increasingly likely that Hayes exaggerated his encounter with the constable, who had allegedly said he was a “sex cult leader” looking to recruit. It also illustrates the danger of taking journalistic accounts at face value, though the Vancouver Police Department didn’t help matters by fighting the tribunal hearing process every step of the way, making it seem like they had something to hide. One can only think that more transparency on their part might have avoided a five-year legal process.

Word has been spreading among blogs and local newspapers in the Netherlands that the J.R. Ritman Library (aka The Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica) in Amsterdam is endangered, and currently closed to the public as Ritman and Friesland Bank negotiate behind closed doors. The current conflict began when Ritman attempted to sell The Grail of Rochefoucauld, which contains the oldest surviving account of the legends of King Arthur, through the auction house Sotheby’s. The problem is that the bank claims Ritman used the 14th century manuscript, and other library works, as collateral on a 15 million euro loan.

“An extremely valuable medieval manuscript owned by the BPH (The Grail of Rochefoucauld) was put on sale at Sotheby’s, and this triggered a reaction from the Friesland Bank, which took possession of the library, that had apparently been brought in as collateral, in order to get back a 15 million euro loan from mr Ritman. At present the BPH is closed, and intense negotiations are going on behind closed doors. It is impossible at this moment to predict the outcome, but there is no doubt that the situation is extremely serious. There is a very real possibility that the Friesland bank will try to sell at least the ca. 60% of the library that is still owned by mr Ritman, and nobody knows what implications this will have for the rest of the collection and the BPH as a whole, including its staff. The brand-new government of the Netherlands has announced a program of radical financial cuts in the culture section and elsewhere, which makes a renewed intervention from that side highly unlikely.”

While 40% of the collection is now owned by the government, and the library itself protected as a Dutch heritage site, no one knows what will happen should the bank try to liquidate the 60% of the collection owned by Ritman. As University of Amsterdam doctoral researcher Egil Asprem points out, the government plan to slowly buy up the rest of the collection has been hampered by new austerity plans that make a last-minute governmental rescue unlikely. While negotiations happen, a petition is being circulated to help save the collection from liquidation.

Additionally, you can express your concern by means of a signed letter. The initiative for this petition comes from the Center for History of Hermetic Philosophy and related currents at the University of Amsterdam (organizationally independent of the BPH, and not in any danger itself), so please send your letter to its director: Prof. Wouter J. Hanegraaff, Oude Turfmarkt 141-147, 1012 GC Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Email: w.j.hanegraaff [ at ] uva.nl

The library is an essential resource in the areas of Hermeticism, mysticism, Western esoteric works, alchemy, Rosicrucian studies, and comparative religions. Its works have been cited by numerous scholars, and have been utilized by famous personages like author Umberto Eco, who lobbied to save the library when it was threatened in the 1990s. To see its dissolution would be a huge blow to scholarship that directly relates to modern Pagan and esoteric traditions. I’ll be keeping track of this story, and providing updates as they come to me.

Thanks to T. Thorn Coyle and Suus Oudbier for providing essential information and resources for this story.

“We are all only temporary curators of our present bodies, which will all decay, sooner or later. In a hundred years or so all the humans currently alive will have died. I take great comfort in knowing, with certainty, that thing that makes us special, able to enrich our own lives and those of others, will not cease when our bodies do but will be just starting a new (and hopefully even better) adventure … “ - Peter Christopherson

Word has come from the official Coil site that Peter ‘Sleazy’ Christopherson passed away in his sleep on November 24th.

The sad news has reached us that Peter ‘Sleazy’ Christopherson has died in his sleep last night at the age of 55. Chris Carter twittered “Our dearest beautiful Sleazy left this mortal coil as he slept in peace last night. Words cannot express our grief.” and the TG site simply displays the message “Peter ‘Sleazy’ Christopherson 1955 - 2010″.

A giant in the world of experimental, threshold-crossing, and occult music, Christopherson was a founding member of first-wave industrial music collective Throbbing Gristle, art-cult project Psychic TV, and the seminal magickal duo known as Coil. Without these projects it is hard to conceive of underground modern Pagan and occult-oriented music existing in its current form. Coil alone helped launch and inspire so many musical ships that a world without them seem unthinkable. I certainly can’t imagine “A Darker Shade of Pagan” without also imagining Coil as a guiding light.

“His music has influenced everything from Marilyn Manson to techno. Joy Division’s Ian Curtis was a fan. Sleazy helped Throbbing Gristle frontman Genesis P-Orridge form the similarly influential Psychic TV, while Trent Reznor’s new band, How to Destroy Angels, take their name from the “ritual music for the accumulation of male sexual energy” of Coil, Christopherson’s trailblazing band. Fronted by Christopherson and his partner, John Balance – arguably pop’s firstly openly gay duo – Coil produced dark music that appeared in the films of Derek Jarman. Prior to this, Christopherson worked as a designer for the hugely influential agency Hipgnosis, creating iconic record sleeves for the likes of Peter Gabriel and Pink Floyd.” - Dave Simpson, The Guardian

If there’s any justice in this world, our community will someday invoke the names of Christopherson and Jhonn Balance (who died in 2004) as often, and as passionately, as we do figures like Gwydion Pendderwen. They mixed music and magick in challenging and unique ways that still seem current and groundbreaking. Prefiguring everything from “neofolk” to bands like Fever Ray.

“Any young person who is brave enough to stake their living, their survival even, on art that is outside the mainstream, not pandering to the majority, possibly even deliberately rejecting it, is on a similar journey, and I send them my love and blessing.” - Peter Christopherson

May his spirit be reunited with Jhonn’s, may he find rest and renewal in the Summerlands, and may he return to us again. What is remembered lives!

Whether this is a day of thanksgiving or mourning (or even “unthanksgiving”) for you and yours, may you find contentment, happiness, and peace. The Wild Hunt will be taking the rest of the day off to cook and spend time with loved ones. I’d like to give thanks to everyone who reads, comments, and supports this blog. All of you give me something to be thankful for.

Regular posting will resume tomorrow.