D&D encouraged me to explore the vast array of spiritual traditions throughout history, beyond the handful of Christian denominations I'd encountered. There were so many gods in the world! Gods who weren't Abrahamic, gods who weren't white, gods who weren't men. There were gods who weren't boring and ordinary, who weren't essentially my friends' parents writ large. Read more
It's traditional to start the new year off with introspection, contemplation, and a resolution or declaration of intent. I'm not much for resolutions, but I'm quite fond of introspection and contemplation... and intent is a thing us woo-woo types should be comfortable with. Read more
With the exception of a few gifted folks, magic and spirituality are hard work. Not always, and not in the same places for the same people, but there's a reason we call the act of doing magic a "working." That work is every bit as internal as it is external, and it's usually far less glamorous than the fancy robes and sonorous liturgical declamations might lead us to believe. Read more
In a culture which pushes us to believe in the binary choices of yes or no, black or white, good or evil—to pick a side, in other words—discernment is the power to see things as they truly are and choose our own path. Read more
Anti-intellectualism is an attitude of bad faith which violates the principles of discourse. Moreover, its reliance on oversimplified binaries is emphatically contrary to the base assumptions at the heart of Pagan, polytheist, and magical practice. Read more
Nuance lives in the spaces between binaries, thriving in shadings and shadows, dancing on the edge of our comfort zones... which is a problem, because human beings really dislike being uncomfortable. Read more
If a god is leaning on you, they tend to have a reason for it. Ascertaining that reason is key to resolving the situation is an amicable way. Read more
While some folks disagree on this point, I maintain quite firmly that human beings are inherently possessed of the autonomy and agency to say "no" to anyone, from humans to animals to spirits, even to gods. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean they're always going to listen. Read more
...the gods relate to us for their own reasons, just as we relate to them for our own reasons. Making these relationships just and equitable is both an act of basic self-respect and a profound act of respect and honor for the very gods we would seek to work with, serve, worship, or have any kind of relationships with. Read more
Once we've cast ourselves as powerless protagonists at the mercy of domineering, socially inept aggressors, we've passed beyond the realm of "differences in practice" and entered into a pseudo-romantic, spiritually toxic fairytale. Read more
Outside the Charmed Circle
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