{"id":1928,"date":"2014-01-30T18:00:03","date_gmt":"2014-01-31T00:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/johnbeckett\/?p=1928"},"modified":"2014-01-28T19:52:42","modified_gmt":"2014-01-29T01:52:42","slug":"nine-things-i-think-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/johnbeckett\/2014\/01\/nine-things-i-think-7.html","title":{"rendered":"Nine Things I Think"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Nine Things I Think is an irregular feature whenever I have a list of things I want to talk about that aren\u2019t long enough for their own individual posts.\u00a0 There\u2019s no theme, just nine things I want to bring to your attention.\u00a0 Feel free to expand on any of these topics in the comments section.<\/p>\n

1) I\u2019m really enjoying reading the accounts of Pagan Tea Time<\/a> conversations.\u00a0 There\u2019s nothing quite like meeting someone in person, but Skype is a very useful \u2013 and affordable \u2013 substitute.\u00a0 This is a good start to the kind of conversation and collaboration I had in mind for a Druid college<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Along these lines, Jason Mankey and I will be hosting a Pagan Tea Time Google Hangout<\/a> on Wednesday, February 5 from 7:00 PM till 8:30 PM CST (that\u2019s an 8:00 PM start in the East and a 5:00 PM start on the West Coast).\u00a0 We\u2019ve already had a few responses \u2013 come hang out and talk Pagan stuff with us.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve had a couple requests for one-on-one calls and I\u2019d love to do more, but they\u2019re going to have to wait till after Pantheacon.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>2) And that\u2019s because I\u2019m in the middle of John\u2019s 2014 Winter Pagan Intensive.\u00a0 Last weekend I drove to Houston for the Melting POT \u2013 Pagans of Texas gathering<\/a>.\u00a0 This Saturday is Denton CUUPS\u2019 Imbolc Circle<\/a>, and Sunday I\u2019m officiating a handfasting.\u00a0 Next weekend I\u2019m driving to Central Texas for the ADF Texas Imbolc Retreat<\/a> where I\u2019ll be leading two workshops.\u00a0 The weekend of February 14 is my first trip to Pantheacon in San Jose, California.<\/p>\n

At the same time, I\u2019m leading a class in Magical Theory and Practice<\/a>, facilitating a deeper practice group, and trying to maintain my own studies.\u00a0 Plus keep up with this blog and my paying job.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to do a Pagan Tea Time chat, contact me some time after February 18.<\/p>\n

3) I\u2019m thrilled to be part of this year\u2019s Pan Druid Retreat<\/a>, May 8 \u2013 11 in Virginia.\u00a0 I\u2019m honored to be part of a panel discussion on Approaching the Sacred Through Ritual with fellow OBOD Druid Art Scarbrough, ADF Archdruid Kirk Thomas, and Ivo Dominguez Jr<\/a>.\u00a0 When I talked about Five Ritualists at Dinner<\/a>, this is very close what I had in mind.<\/p>\n

Ideas that were expressed symbolically are manifesting in our world \u2013 ah, magic!<\/p>\n

4) Damh the Bard<\/a> has a new single titled \u201cThe Wicker Man\u201d inspired by his experience of Wicker Man camps<\/a>, where huge wooden effigies are built and then burned in sacrifice.\u00a0 There\u2019s not enough talk \u2013 or enough action \u2013 in the modern Pagan community about sacrifice<\/a>: what it is, what it isn\u2019t, and why it\u2019s necessary.\u00a0 This song goes a long way toward correcting that.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Wicker Man\u201d is, in my personal opinion, Damh\u2019s best song since \u201cThe Cauldron Born\u201d in 2008.\u00a0 The video for it is pretty good too.<\/p>\n