A book can be bad at accomplishing its stated purpose (which many Pagan and witchcraft books have). But it might excel in its poetic sensibilities. Maybe it has unique exercises. A book might hit every point and idea as it intended but be an unbearable slog for me to read. So figuring out what a ‘bad book’ is comes down to how we are defining ‘bad book’. Read more
Spirit work as I was introduced to it - and as it remains within the broader Pagan and polytheist communities - usually places the spirits first. Even with more transactional approaches, the spirits are typically treated with a respect and dignity that really isn't present if you're binding a spirit to an object and hawking them online. Read more
I’m not here to sell you on a Youtube channel. (You should totally watch it though.) Instead, I’ve realized something interesting has happened since watching TierZoo videos. My perception of the natural world started to shift. Read more
These instances of Holy communion have been intense. Looking back on them from the outside I am surprised that I carry, still, deep doubts about the Gods and magic. But part of my doubt was that I felt these experiences were not enough. They weren’t similar enough to other people’s reports. They weren’t grand enough to be meaningful. Even if they were, actually, incredibly meaningful to me. It took years for me to accept that these were simply the way I felt energy and spirits. Now I have a much better handle on the ‘basic feeling’ I get when the Gods show up to ritual. Read more
A beginner who isn’t sure yet what they are really interested in could focus on areas where they agree and disagree with the author, allowing them to better develop an understanding of their preferences. A lot of us come to modern Paganism and are excited but overwhelmed by the huge variety and diversity. Figuring out where we diverge from an author can help point us in new directions of learning. Read more
Pagans often call ourselves ‘people of the library’, but how do we handle having hundreds (if not thousands) of books on modern Paganism and occultism to peruse? There’s lot of information and hot takes on how to read, say, the Bible. How do we, as Pagans, approach our reading? Gods know I don’t have any firm answers. But I am an avid reader and my home library isn’t just for show, so here are some of the ways I go... Read more
The news of the Witches’ Voice shutting down hit me the same as when I found out my favorite cafe back home was closing shop. Even if it’s understandable, even if we knew it was inevitable, it still just sucks. Read more
How should we approach warning about the dangers of interacting with Deities? Read more
After five years dormant, ‘Dalliances with Deities’ will once again be active here at Patheos! Read more
When it comes to the Ophelia, the Clarene is a mess. Read more
Aine Llewellyn - Dalliances with Deities
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