What do you do when your head tells you there is only the natural world but your heart – and perhaps, your experiences – tell you there’s more? My preference is to hold my beliefs loosely, but while I hold them, to explore them as though they’re absolutely true. Read more
I encourage you to avoid AI-created spiritual education. It’s not hard to spot, but sometimes you have to do a little investigation. If you’re an author or teacher I encourage you to offer what AI can’t: your own experiences, own your thinking, and the lineages of which you’re a part. Read more
I’m one of the most order-obsessed people I know, but I’m yearning for wildness. Because the roots of the wild are still very much in us, and the wolf and the dog both howl at the moon. Read more
A Baptist pastor and political scientist says that liberals have won the culture war. I think his proclamation is premature, but I also think we will win, because they’re fighting against Nature and we aren’t – and because we have tools they don’t. Read more
Donald Trump was entitled to challenge the election results through legal means. He was not entitled to overturn the election through illegal means. In doing so, he attacked the very foundation of our democracy. He must be held accountable. Read more
Patheos has a new feature on The 100 Most Holy Places on Earth. Rather than argue about the rankings and the sites that were left off, I’d rather discuss more basic questions: what makes a place sacred, and what do we do when we visit one? Read more
Announcing a new on-line class from Under the Ancient Oaks: “Modern Pagan Metaphysics.” Registration is open now; the class begins August 31 and will run for seven weeks. Details are in Module 0 on the Courses page. Read more
The Patheos Questions & Answers series presents different traditions’ thoughts on the Genesis creation story. While their entry for Paganism is fair, there is no Pagan perspective on Genesis or any other Christian scripture, because it’s not our religion. Read more
Children often believe strange things – I was no exception to this rule. There some things I look back on with amusement and other things I look back on with dismay and regret. But there are some things I believed as a small child that I still believe today. Read more
I’m struggling a bit at the moment. This shows up time and time again in early August – it’s almost like there’s something about this time of year that doesn’t agree with me. August is the worst month. Read more
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