I’ve always found Imbolc to be a rather confusing holiday from a theological perspective. Most sabbats have a pretty clear meaning, and that meaning is consistent no matter where you live. Beltane is a fertility rite, Lammas is about the harvest, Samhain is about death, etc etc. Of course you’ll always find people who want to “tweak” the meaning of a holiday, or find a different angle of approach to it, but generally the trappings will always remain the same.... Read more
In the Religio Romana the first day of the New Moon is called the Kalends. The Kalends of February holds a special significance as this is the month of purification. A ritual purification of the front door of a house is therefore held on 1 February. The door ought to be washed down with water in which verbena or mints have been distilled. Then the door is wiped down using a measuring motion. You hold two ends of a cloth... Read more
On this day of Imbolc we honor the Goddess, Brigid. For many Pagans across the land that means lighting a candle on the altar, or reciting a bit of verse from a cherished tome. For those of us who share community at Bishop In The Grove, today is a day for poetic inspiration! We begin by writing the words: I keep vigil to the fire in my heart. Then, we follow those words with an account of how... Read more
It’s a season of initiation, of burgeoning hopes and new beginnings. Even websites and blogs are not immune to the crisp promise in the sharp morning air. So it’s with a lot of pride and hope I present to you Agora, the new flagship of the Patheos Pagan Portal. In many ways, a lot of the things we do here at Patheos are grand experiments. We take an idea and apply to several different faith communities at once. Sometimes it... Read more
Slate.com’s Libby Copeland claims that history proves plural marriage is harmful to society: As marriage historian Stephanie Coontz has pointed out, polygyny is less about sex than it is about power. Rich old guys with lots of wives win twice: They have more women to bear them babies and do household work, and they also gain an advantage over other men. After all, in such societies a young man in want of a wife cannot simply woo her. There is... Read more
Dear Jasmine, I am very connected to the element of fire in all aspects of my life. I have trouble though at times grounding and I have never really felt a connection to Earth to use it to properly ground. What is the best way for me to ground? Can I find a way to ground using my strong connection to fire? Sincerely, Fiery Maiden Dear Fiery Maiden, There are ways you can ground with fire or find ways... Read more
Mentions of the Christian God have been used in one form or another in nearly every State of the Union Address. Most of our Presidents have kept religious demagoguery relatively low, usually asking for a blessing of some kind in their closing statement, or declaring America to be blessed or chosen in some degree. In one form or another over the last 30 years, the President of the United States has signed off with a request for a blessing from... Read more
***Disclaimer: I would like to state that this is entirely my opinion and doesn’t reflect the opinions of anyone else. I am not referring to anyone but wish to have an open and honest discourse about the subject. Please let me know why you agree or disagree with me civilly! I would sincerely love to hear it.*** A few months back I stumbled upon a fascinating article on the future of Pagan clergy and a possible direction that it could... Read more
Welcome to the first post of Naturalistic Traditions, a new column exploring naturalism in Pagan ways. This column will cover seasonal celebrations, historical and contemporary movements, and ritual practices. Natural cycles February 4th is a Cross-quarter. That is, it is the midpoint between the previous solstice and the upcoming equinox. As such, it is one of eight stations in our planet’s annual journey around the sun. For those in the Northern Hemisphere, the claws of winter are harsh at this... Read more
The Wild Hunt reports that Rep. Tim Scott seems to think Christians are a minority in the US: If Rep. Scott were clear-eyed on the issue of religion he’d see which religious groups were truly struggling in his state. He’d see a Wiccan ostracized and harassed when she objected to sectarian government prayer (and later held up as an example of Christians being denied their freedom of religion), he’d see Pagans in local interfaith groups fighting to be recognized as something... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In