Contribute

Pagan Families seeks carefully written contributions on all aspects of Pagan family life, with particular interest in the childbearing year.   Examples of topics on which we are seeking contributions include:

* discerning when to have a baby

* Pagan approaches to contraception

* scripts for conception rituals

* ethics of reproduction

* ethics of genetic testing

* interpreting pregnancy dreams

* energy bodies in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum

* prenatal yoga or bellydance

* prayers to mother goddesses

* pregnancy and birth in mythology

* how to do a Mothering Way/Blessing Way

* Pagan sensitivity guides for birth professionals

* communicating with healthcare providers about Paganism

* reviews of Birthing From Within and Hypnobirthing (the books and/or the courses)

* Pagan birth stories

* Pagan perspectives on circumcision

* spiritual practice and breastfeeding

* ritualizing adoption

* dealing with infertility or IVF

 

And now that we’ve expanded to cover all areas of family life:

* talking about religion with family of origin

* including children in ritual

* family meal blessings

* experiences with Spiral Scouts

* coming of age ceremonies

* hand fasting ceremonies

* partnering with someone who isn’t Pagan

* Paganism at school

* Pagan homeschooling

* teaching children Pagan values

And so much more. This is not meant to be a complete list.  Please feel free to propose other topics.

 

Inclusivity: Pagan Families covers Pagan family life, including partnering, pregnancy, and parenting. We still maintain an emphasis on the full spectrum of human reproduction, including contraception, infertility, conception, miscarriage, abortion, pregnancy, birth, adoption, and the postpartum period. We recognize that Pagan families are diverse families and we especially welcome contributions reflecting needs and experiences of families of color, single parents, blended families, queer parents, polyamorous parents, poor and working class families, parents with disabilities, and members of diverse Pagan traditions.

How to submit: Send submissions or proposals to PaganFamiliesEditor@gmail.com. Submissions such as ritual scripts, chants, and prayers should include a brief explanatory introduction.  If possible please also include images to illustrate your submission. All submissions should include a 50-100 word author bio (using a pseudonym is fine, but we still want to know a bit about you, like if you’re a parent or a priest or what).  Previously published works are welcome so long as you hold the copyright.  An editor will review your submission to determine whether it is right for Pagan Families and may request that you make changes before it is published.

Birth Guardians: If you work with pregnancy, birth, or the postpartum period (prenatal massage therapists, childbirth educators, OB/GYNs, doulas, midwives, lactation consultants, labor & delivery nurses, pediatricians, etc.) and are Pagan or work with a Pagan community, you can be profiled for the Birth Guardians series.  Please email PaganFamiliesEditor@gmail.com for details.