If you have over 160,000 Euro (235,551 USD) to spend, have I got a hot property for you! Wouldn’t you like to build a cabin right next to the famous Boleskine House on Scotland’s Loch Ness? Hadn’t heard of it? Well then, you must not be up on your Aleister Crowley-lore, for it once belonged to the master-mage and is apparently considered to be the Thelemic Qiblah, the direction O.T.O. Lodges, Profess-Houses and Gnostic Mass Temples are ideally to be oriented towards.
“A beautiful plot on the shores of Loch Ness, next to Jimmy Page and Aleister Crowley’s old property Boleskine House is for sale. A wonderful plot on the shores of Loch Ness with planning permission for a three-bedroom log cottage has come onto the market. The plot, which comes to just under two acres, used form part of the Boleskine House estate which was previously owned by Aleister Crowley, the famous master of the occult, and subsequently by Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.”
Oh, and some lad in a rock band once owned the place too. Once there you can build a nice three-bedroom cottage, enjoy the tranquil scenery, go Nessie spotting, plan major Thelemic workings, and try to avoid “King Kevin” as he traipses about Loch Ness drumming up publicity in a red bathrobe.The only real drawback is, well, it’s only accessible by boat.
“The only drawback is access which is only available by boat from along the shore and materials to build the property must also be transported by barge; on the plus side the property is guaranteed to provide peace and quiet amongst the hills.”
But if you’re into privacy while you pursue the Great Work, that’s an asset not a drawback! So contact Strutt and Parker today to make your bid.
Now that I’ve safely arrived in the Pacific Northwest (the journey was only a little like this), unloaded my relocubes, and started the long and arduous process of unpacking my books, it’s time to resume my duties here at The Wild Hunt. I would first like to deeply thank all the wonderful folks who filled in at my blog while I was gone, they made my life much easier, and raised the bar for the writing on this blog in the process. I hope you’ll continue to follow their work at their own blogs and web sites. As for me, I’ve got a lot of catching up to do, it’s amazing how much Pagan news you can miss in eleven days. So here’s a quick catch-up of some news of note that emerged during my sojourn.
“The Minister for Culture has appointed Professor Ronald Hutton as the historian to sit on the commission that governs English Heritage. The commission has overall charge of the affairs of the official national body concerned with heritage, and its members act as statutory advisors to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (and so effectively to the government) in all matters that involve the understanding and conservation of England’s past. As such, the appointment carries with it a broader responsibility of acting as an advocate for the importance of history in national life. It will commence in October and last for four years with the possibility of renewal.”
Pagans for Archeology called the news “fantastic” and a “well-deserved honour”. To have such a sympathetic voice for the modern Pagan movement advising the government on England’s heritage could change the existing dynamic over issues of access and preservation for sites like Avebury and Stonehenge.
This, among other recent developments we’ll get to in a moment, have really peeved off a British academic blogger who calls for more discrimination of modern Pagans (they must, in his mind, prove themselves worthy of “respect”), and resorts to quite a bit of name-calling. He also describes Ronald Hutton as Paganism’s “brain in a jar”, excusing the rest of us from developing critical thinking skills. I personally think my “intellectual depth and rigour” is doing just fine.
“Most recently, the Pagan Police Association has been created, allowing police officers to explore their beliefs with other officers. Alongside this, in some forces, officers are being allowed the opportunity to move away from traditional Christian holidays. In practice this means that Pagan officers, rather like those from more mainstream faiths, can take their holidays on the dates which support their beliefs.”
“Her friends there say they want answers and an apology from Salva, who goes by the name “Houngan Hector” on his Gade Nou Leve Society Web site. “I’m certain no one meant to hurt anyone, but she was in their care and there has to be some accountability,” said Randi M. Romo, executive director of the Center for Artistic Revolution, a Little Rock-based nonprofit agency for which Hamilton worked as a youth counselor. “They haven’t even contacted her mother.” No one answered at the door of the Loch Lomond Drive townhouse yesterday, and Salva, who claims he was initiated as a senior priest in Haiti, did not respond to e-mails for comment.”
Considering they may not know why she died, going around and taking responsibility for her death seems a little premature. Plus, with the press running headlines like “Voodoo became a fatal obsession”, and the health department and child services being called on them, I doubt the residents of that house are feeling like opening up. I wonder, if tests reveal that this poor woman died of a brain aneurysm, heart defect, or some other natural cause that had nothing to do with Vodou, will the Philadelphia Daily News vindicate Houngan Hector, or simply move on?
In a final note, for years many Pagans have been trying to separate themselves from the “New Age” label, but in an increasingly shifting economy and world, it looks as if some New Agers, like The Edge editor Tim Miejan, want that seperation to happen too (much to the chagrin of some).
“Miejan favors articles on stress reduction and spiritual quests … But even Miejan’s open mind sometimes snaps shut. Channelers — people possessed by spirits of the dead — are out. So is the belief that reptile-like aliens have taken over the bodies of celebrities, including Queen Elizabeth and — according to one Web site — former Minnesota U.S. Rep. Bill Luther. Paganism? Out. “I am not saying that because paganism offends anyone,” Miejan said. “But it is a complete niche by itself.” Other New Age leaders are appalled. “He is excluding channeling? Yikes. Or pagans? He should not be doing that,” said Kathy McGee, editor of the Washington-state-based magazine New Age Retailer.”
Call it a result of the Oprah-fication of the New Age section, it’s all about personal growth (and “The Secret”) now, not Atlantean masters or Pagan gods. Those who want to keep Pagans (and Chiropractors, and organic farmers) under the “New Age” rubric are probably more concerned about a shrinking pool of markets to target, rather than if we truly belong with the newly-mainstreamed gurus of self-actualization.
“Previews, opening and tour all coming into shape…. Previews at the Brunton Theatre in Musselburgh: 4th and 5th August. Previews at the Pleasance Two in Edinburgh: 7th, 8th and 9th August – 11pm – 12.30am Run at the Pleasance Two in Edinburgh: 10th – 31st August (apart from the 18th) – 11pm – 12.30am Then Perth Rep, Eden Court in Inverness and the Glasgow Citizens Theatre in September and October….”
“A four-day-old foal has been slashed across the neck at a farm in Fife. Police and the Scottish SPCA said the black and white mare is lucky to be alive after the incident near Cupar. Authorities believe last week’s attack was deliberate. Fife Constabulary have launched an inquiry and are considering whether the attack may have been carried out by pagans…”
How terrible that this has… wait a minute, did he say “pagans”? Why would he think it might be Pagans?
“…the attack may have been carried out by pagans dabbling in the occult ahead of the summer solstice on June 21 – a key date in the occult calendar. A police spokesman said: ‘We certainly will not be discounting the line of enquiry that it is related to satanists.’”
So is it Satanists or Pagans, I’m confused. They must have some evidence other than “near the Summer Solstice”, right?
“It is one isolated incident at the moment and we can’t immediately tie it to anything specific.”
Ah, so it’s merely a theory then. No actual evidence. Not that this stopped a sensationalistic (and slanderous) story from getting printed, or police from basing possible suspects on a random guess instead of actual physical evidence. Then again, maybe Pagans and Satanists roam the countryside in Scotland slashing at horses in the run-up to the Summer Solstice, and I’m just missing out on this well-known tradition.
“For some NHS hospital patients it would seem the help of one god is just not enough. Pagan chaplains are, for the first time, to offer counseling and prayers to the sick in Scottish wards. NHS Tayside has agreed with Scotland’s 30,000 Pagans a ground-breaking deal that will allow bedside healing rituals, meditation and special prayers. But some of the more exotic aspects of Paganism – not least the carrying of flaming torches – will have to stay outside. Pagan patients will also receive advice on getting well soon, including keeping a “healing goddess” next to their bed.”
“…the move has angered church-goers. Moira Kerr, a Kirk elder who in 2005 campaigned against a move by Tayside to remove a communion table from a hospital chapel in case it offend non-Christians, said: ‘I’m very saddened to hear about this. Scotland needs to get back its Christian heritage which has done so much for us over the years. There’s no doubt the devil is at work in this.’ Gordon MacDonald, the parliamentary officer for the Christian values charity CARE, said: ‘I would question what the point is of all this. Very few people in Scotland identify themselves as being Pagan by faith and I would have thought a health board would have better things to do. This is a sign of how much confusion there is in society nowadays. People need to think through the values which we have received from our Christian heritage, such as respect, the value of the individual, and personal freedom.’”
“Osama Saeed, Scottish spokesman for the Muslim Association of Britain, said: ‘As a minority faith ourselves, I don’t think Muslims would object to others receiving pastoral visits. Nothing illegal would be happening and people have the right to spiritual care.’”
This looks like a big step forward in terms of mainstreaming Pagan faiths in the UK. Perhaps this is a harbinger of how the entire NHS system will eventually approach modern Paganism. In not too long it may not surprise anybody to see a Druid or Witch roaming the hospital halls with Anglican and Catholic clergy.
An ongoing complaint concerning the mainstream coverage of Wicca and other modern Pagan faiths is the lack of actual attention to what the adherents in the story actually believe. Generally we get defined by what we are not (the Christian conceptions of devil-worship) and then the article moves on to what people really want to know about. Casting spells. Take for instance this article concerning a new Wiccan-owned beauty salon in Scotland. Much is made of the spell-work, but little of the the theology underlying it.
“In establishing her beauty salon, Reid, originally from Ayrshire, is following a career path very much in the witching tradition: one that dates back hundreds of years to when wise women, learned in herbs and the powers of nature, first started to offer poultices and potions to tackle problems – all wrapped up in a tidy little spell. But can witchcraft really have a place in 21st-century beauty? Passionate as Reid, 35, is about witchcraft and the efficacy of spells, she does not aim to magically turn Ugly Betty into Kate Moss. “Love. Most people are looking for spells to find love,” says Reid, who adds that, generally, her customers are seeking to become more attractive rather than a future as a supermodel.”
While the article itself is positive and cheery (downright fawning one would say), it portrays modern Witchcraft as little more than a spell-casting club, no mention of what the shop owner or her coven believes.
“Dressed in black, but a smart salon tunic rather than the flowing robes of witchy stereotypes, Reid proudly shows me round her salon, which has three main treatment rooms, each with a specific theme – sun, moon and stars. The salon has already recently been blessed by her coven, and the rest of her staff and business partner, none of whom is a practicing Wiccan, but all took part in the ceremony.”
When you do a story about Christianity or other well-known faiths, a certain amount of knowledge can be assumed. But the same assumptions can’t be made with stories on modern Paganism, where beliefs and traditions can vary wildly. Does the store owner worship the gods? Is she a polytheist? A monist? Is she a traditional Witch or an eclectic Witch? What does the local Pagan community think of her shop? Questions like these could have truly informed the reader about what Wicca is (or at least what her conception of Wicca is), instead of focusing on the use of magic and spells to the exclusion of religious beliefs. Talking about spells and potions may get us press, but they do nothing to foster understanding or dispel misconceptions.
“Two ancient religions have locked horns in a bizarre “freedom of speech” row that is echoing around the corridors of one of Scotland’s oldest academic institutions. The University of Edinburgh has granted permission to the Pagan Society to hold its annual conference – involving talks on witchcraft, pagan weddings and tribal dancing – on campus next month. Druids, heathens, shamans and witches are expected to attend what is a major event in the pagan calendar. But the move has enraged the Christian Union, which accuses the university of double standards after banning one of its events on the “dangers” of homosexuality.”
The school felt that the Christian Union’s anti-gay chat violated its anti-discrimination policy, and in the end offered a compromise where posters offering different views would be displayed at their class if it was to be held. That no such measure has been applied to the Pagans has infuriated local Christians.
“The Union has won strong backing from the Catholic Church in Scotland, whose spokesman, Simon Dames, felt that allowing the pagan festival to go ahead while barring the Union meeting was an example of “Christianphobia”. “This appears to be a clear case of double standards,” he said.”
But is this a double standard? I suppose you could make that argument if the school had interfered with a general conference on the religion of Christianity and then not done the same for the Pagans. But the Christian course was specifically on the moral “dangers” of homosexuality and was not a general conference on the faith itself. Last time I checked, while many Christians morally oppose homosexual behavior due to their reading of the Bible, the moral opposition to homosexuality isn’t in itself a requirement for admission into the ranks of Christendom. Of course this didn’t stop a Catholic Church spokesman from making wildly hyperbolic statements.
“The principles of a pluralistic democracy revolve around an acceptance of competing ideas and universities should be enshrining this principle. Anti-racism groups would never be asked to put up posters saying there are alternative views.”
Because anti-racism meetings and talks against gays are basically the same! Perhaps homophobia is becoming a sacrament after all.
