February 29, 2024

 The Far Side of the River When I went to see my mother yesterday, I knew the end was near. I really felt that her spirit had already moved on, but the body mechanics were still in place. In looking back over the last week or so, I had a lot of time to think while sitting with my mother. We didn’t share the same spirituality. She was a Roman Catholic, a European one, and a rather devout one. I,... Read more

February 28, 2024

Standing at the River’s Edge (Part 2) I made plans to take the Amtrak on Friday. I love taking the train; I always have and always will. My ticket bought, I upgraded to a “Roomette”, and made plans to leave bright and early on Friday morning. I received a telephone call telling me that I had better arrive the next day. I cancelled my train ticket and headed out on the road the next day, early. Arrival Arriving at the... Read more

February 27, 2024

Standing at the River’s Edge (Part 1) Due to a series of events, this February has me standing at the river’s edge, and thinking about the ever-flowing river. Often, we are a part of the river’s flow. On occasion, we can step outside of those waters and think about the broader implications of the passage of the river, the passage of time, and the passing of people from our lives. My mother’s 99th birthday has been moving closer and closer,... Read more

January 30, 2024

What’s So Special About the Nature Spirits An Imbolc Question An Imbolc Question comes to mind: what is so special about the Nature Spirits? As the deep freeze of winter, here in the Midwestern United States, sidles up to Imbolc, I think about the Spirits of Nature. I always say that the Nature Spirits teach us about the cycles of life. We see it in the reflection of Nature around us that the changing of the seasons is the story... Read more

December 20, 2023

The Day Without a Year   When I was younger, studying with my mentor, they called the Winter Solstice “The Day Without a Year”. For them, they felt that this was at the end of one year and the beginning of the next. While this day is important in our 365.25-day solar calendar, I think of it fondly, each Winter Solstice. My birthday is also this time of year, on the 26th, and I have always felt that it exists... Read more

December 7, 2023

Agnostic on Proof   I step into Nature every day. Let me say that a different way: I step from Nature, more deeply into Nature every day. I do not see this event as a movement from outside of the realm of Nature into it. This is not an outsider move. I do not see myself as outside of the realm of Nature Spirits, but right there, with them. Am I different than the trees in the forest? Yes, while... Read more

October 29, 2023

Three Prayers for Samhain Samhain is the Season’s End, and we naturally think about other endings. We think about those that we have lost, in the world around us. This includes any creature or spirit in the world, anyone that has lived on this green earth. These could be humans, animals, insect friends, imaginary friends that are no longer with us – any such spirit. There are many ways of interacting with the Ancestors. The easiest and most frequently used... Read more

October 24, 2023

  The Veil is Thin Everyday One doesn’t have to wait until Samhain to speak to the Ancestors or to feel their presence. The veil is thin every day. Traditionally, the Three Days of Samhain represent the time when the veil between the worlds is thinnest. While I have no way in measuring the width of the veil or its function at this time of year, I do acknowledge that as we enter the so-called “Dark Time” in the Northern... Read more

August 31, 2023

A Coincidence of Cycles: Blue Moon I am not sure about others, but dates and times seem a little less rigid for me. I often must think for a moment or two to settle on what day of the week it is. I am not sure if it is the aftermath of the pandemic or if it is the result of working from home for the last four years, but it gives me pause to think. I never feel that... Read more

August 28, 2023

Reflections on Pan Pagan My first Pan Pagan festival happened sometime between 1990 and 1991. I attended my first pagan festival at Lothlorien, in central Indiana, in 1989 and I fell in love with festivals. Festivals, and the Festival Movement, were a way to meet other pagans in a natural setting and share what it was to be pagan with others of a like mind. That first Pan Pagan festival took place in Plymouth, Indiana, self-proclaimed Blueberry Capital of the... Read more


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