“Notes Toward the Possibility of Founding a New Religion”

August 6, 2012 By Aidan Kelly

A Pagan Almanac for August 5 and 6, 2012 Lunar Cycle: Days 8 and 9 of the full Moon Trees: First day of the Hazel Rome: August 5, Nones Athens: Hekatombaion 18 Hekatombaion 19 William Blake wrote: An Ancient Proverb Remove away that black’ning church: Remove away that marriage hearse: Remove away that place of blood: You’ll quite remove the ancient curse. ____________________________________ These were reflections on and reactions to Alan Watts’ Behold the Spirit, written about 1964. These words... Read more

The Craft Is Actually Hard Work, If You’re Serious

August 4, 2012 By Aidan Kelly

A Pagan Almanac for August 3 and 4, 2012 Lunar Cycle: Days 6 and 7 of the Full Moon Athens: Hekatombaion 16 , “Federation Day”: sacred to Aphrodite Pandemos (good day for the Great Rite), Peitho, Eirene Hekatombaion 17 Martyred on August 3, 1429: Maria Rattingeren She died in our name. Let us remember hers. William Blake wrote: Love to faults is always blind, Always is to joy inclin’d, Lawles, wing’d & unconfin’d, And breaks all chains from every mind.... Read more

Jesus, No, but Joshua’s a Different Story

August 2, 2012 By Aidan Kelly

A Pagan Almanac for August 1 & 2, 2012 Lunar Cycle: August 1 — Fourth day of the full Moon August 2 – Fifth day of the full Moon (astronomical full Moon) Rome: August 1, Kalends, sacred to Juno Athens: Hekatombaion 14 Hekatombaion 15, sacred to Selene Martyred on August 1 in 1595: Volkart Dirxsen and his daughter, Utrecht 1623: Thomas Greave of Fife 1664: Josine Labynes, Heestert They died in our name. Let us remember theirs. William Blake wrote:... Read more

Survival or New Creation?

July 31, 2012 By Aidan Kelly

A Pagan Almanac for July 29-31, 2012 Lunar cycle: July 29, First day of the full Moon. (The Greeks counted the middle 10 days of the month as being full Moon. That makes it easier to understand how people could meet at full Moon, right?) July 30, Second day of the full Moon July 31, Third day of the full Moon Rome: July 30, dedicated to Fortune Athens: Hekatombaion 11. The Nemean games begin (in years 2 & 4 of... Read more

Looking for the Craft IV

July 28, 2012 By Aidan Kelly

A Pagan Almanac for July 27 and 28, 2012 Lunar Cycle: Ninth and tenth days of the waxing Moon Rome: July 27, sacred to Castor and Pollux Athens: Hekatombaion 9 and 10 Martyred on this day in: 1691, Ursula Gruenin, 1716, Isobel McKenley, Elspeth Reid, and Janet Toyes of Dining; Janet Airth in Pothill of Aberuthven; Helen Ilson and Margaret Crose of Fontevio; Janet Martin of Nether Gask; Janet Young of Clathemore They died in our name. Let us remember... Read more

Looking for the Craft III

July 26, 2012 By Aidan Kelly

A Pagan Almanac for July 24-26, 2012 Lunar Cycle: Sixth to eighth days of the waxing Moon Athens: Hekatombaion 6, sacred to Artemis Hekatombaion 7, the Hekatombaia for Apollo (The seventh day is the first quarter, which is always sacred to Apollo) Hekatombaion 8, sacred to Poseidon and Theseus Martyred on: July 24, 1628, Johannes Junius, Burgomaster of Bamberg July 25, 1591, Dame Euphemia Maclean of North Berwick (the historical records show that she actually may have been a Witch!)... Read more

Some Aphorisms

July 23, 2012 By Aidan Kelly

A Pagan Almanac for July 23, 2012 Lunar Cycle: Fifth day of the waxing Moon Rome: This day is sacred to Neptune Athens: Hekatombaion 5 Martyred on this day In 1632, Alison Nisbet of Hilton In 1650, Barbara Fischeria of Augsburg They died in our name. Let us remember theirs. William Blake wrote: Children of the future Age Reading this indignant page, Know that in a former time Love! Sweet Love! was thought a crime. __________________________________ Because of a technical... Read more

Looking for the Craft, Part II

July 22, 2012 By Aidan Kelly

A Pagan Almanac: July 21, 2012 Lunar Cycle: Third day of the waxing Moon Rome: The Lucaria Athens: Hekatombaion 3, sacred to Athena Martyred on this day in 1603: James Reid of Musselburgh He died in our name. Let us remember his. _________________________________________ July 22, 2012 Lunar Cycle: Fourth day of the waxing Moon Athens: Hekatombaion 4, sacred to Aphrodite, Hermes, and Herakles Martyred on this day in 1612: Agnes Brown, Joan Vaughn, Arthur Bill, Helen Jenkinson, Mary Barber, All... Read more

Looking for the Craft

July 20, 2012 By Aidan Kelly

______________________________________________________________________________________________________ A Pagan Almanac for July 20, 2012 Lunar Cycle: Second day of the waxing Moon Athens: Hekatombaion 2, sacred to the Good Spirit William Blake wrote: The Harlot’s cry from Street to Street Shall weave Old England’s winding Sheet. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ %%%%%% After my strange experience in the summer of 1955, I went looking for information about religion. In the tiny branch of the Marin County library in Tamalpais Valley, I found a book called Witches Still Live, published in... Read more

A Pagan Almanac: Day One

July 19, 2012 By Aidan Kelly

A Pagan Almanac for July 19, 2012 Lunar cycle: Day 1, first crescent Rome: The Lucaria Athens: First day of Hekatombaion, “Month of a hundred sacrifices,” sacred to Apollo. New Year’s Day. Martyred on this day in 1692: Sarah Good of Salem Village Elizabeth How of Topsfield Susanna Martin of Amesbury Rebecca Nurse Sarah Wilde of Topsfield They died in our name. Let us remember theirs. William Blake wrote: Let the Priests of the Ravens of dawn no longer, in... Read more