Pagan Tama
Top stories in Paganism and Shinto this week:
- UK: Pagans join Stonehenge protesters in ‘mass trespass’ to show opposition to tunnel
- Japan: Crowdfunding launched for Shinto shrine that inspired video game
- France: COVID masks adorn healing trees in updated pagan rite
Read more below…
Pagan News
Pagans join Stonehenge protesters in ‘mass trespass’ to show opposition to £1.7bn tunnel
Greenock Telegraph
The group, who described themselves as an alliance of local residents, ecologists, activists, archaeologists and pagans, gathered at the Wiltshire site at about noon on Saturday…
France: COVID masks adorn healing trees in updated pagan rite
Reuters
Sick people in northern France occasionally leave garments in healing trees or “arbres à loques” in the hope of a cure, following a tradition that persists since pre-Roman times…
Ireland: Newgrange winter solstice to be live streamed as passage tomb remains closed
The Irish Times
For the first time in many years the public will not be allowed to experience the winter solstice sunrise from the chamber inside the neolithic passage tomb at Newgrange, Co Meath…
UK: Infamous occultist Aleister Crowley’s fire-ravaged home may soon be rebuilt
The Times
A senior cabinet member has expressed “significant unease” over controversial plans to restore the fire-ravaged former home of a notorious occultist…
Winter Solstice books for Pagans & Witches
Patheos Pagan: Mat Auryn
Here are ten fantastic books on both celebrating the Winter Solstice, as well as learning about the origins, myths, and folklore of the seasonal celebration…
Krampus: The horned god of Yuletide
Patheos Pagan: Jason Mankey
I don’t think the Krampus ever really left the Holiday Season, but for awhile we didn’t properly articulate (and appreciate) the messenger…
The Best Offerings
Patheos Pagan: Aine Llewellyn
Many forms of religious witchcraft also emphasize the importance of offerings as well, often to a whole host of spirits and deities. But what makes an offering appropriate for the Gods and spirits?…
There’s no place like polytheism and Paganism for the holidays
Patheos Pagan: River Enodian
What options are there for people who are neither Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or of any other mainstream faith around this time of year?…
Shinto News
Typhoon destroys ‘Ghost of Tsushima’ island shrine torii gate, crowdfunding campaign launched
SoraNews24
Video game inspiration receives massive support in request for repair donations…
Japanese water purification ritual at shrines under threat due to the pandemic
SoraNews24
Shrine enthusiasts come up with a clever solution to help preserve an important tradition…
Shinto shrine starts issuing New Year items early
NHK World
Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine in Saitama City started handing out the items on Monday, about one month ahead of New Year’s Day…
Major Shinto shrine prepares COVID precautionary steps
NHK World
A Shinto shrine designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in western Japan is making preparations for the New Year to lower the risk of its visitors contracting the coronavirus…
Laughing ritual held to pray for good harvest
NHK World
About 20 people wearing traditional Japanese ‘hakama’ clothing gathered at a shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, on Sunday for a “laughing ritual” called Waraiko…
Giant Ox votive tablet hung up at Nara shrine
NHK World
A giant votive tablet featuring an ox has been put on display at a shrine in Nara Prefecture, western Japan…
Fireworks display carries prayers for end to crisis
The Japan News
About 2,200 fireworks lit up the night during a festival at the Chichibu Jinja shrine in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, on Thursday…
People put faith in Tokyo shrine as concert tickets hard to come by
The Asahi Shimbun
A priest at a central Tokyo shrine was puzzled at first when a worshipper thanked him for helping him score a concert ticket for a famous pop group…
A pilgrimage to the shrines of the shoguns
Apollo Magazine
This ancient temple-shrine complex – brought to its glorious present appearance in 1636 – lies due north of Tokyo, some two hours by train…
Banging out your age
Green Shinto
On Iki Island, the intriguing Tsukiyomi Jinja has an unusual wooden plaque for banging on with two mallets. It’s an item I’ve never come across elsewhere on my travels…
How Japan uses architecture to trap deadly ghosts
Fodor’s Travel
Many believe that, for thousands of years, Japan has been plagued by vengeful ghosts…
Other News
Stonehenge campaign group plans to sue UK government over controversial tunnel scheme
The Art Newspaper
A campaign group says it will launch legal action over the UK government’s decision to move ahead with building a two-mile road tunnel close to the ancient site…
Altar to Greek god Pan used as brick in Byzantine church wall in Israel
Haaretz
An altar to a Greek deity amalgamating characteristics of Pan and Zeus has been discovered in the ruins of a Byzantine church at the Banias Nature Reserve in northern Israel…
Researchers offer new theory on ‘Venus’ figurines
Phys.org
One of world’s earliest examples of art, the enigmatic ‘Venus’ figurines carved some 30,000 years ago, have intrigued and puzzled scientists for nearly two centuries…
Egypt: Temple restoration reveals unknown ancient star constellations
Republic World
The restoration of the Egyptian temple at Esna resulted in the accidental discovery of images of unknown constellations from the ancient Egyptian era…
Revealed: Isaac Newton’s attempts to unlock secret code of pyramids
The Guardian
Unpublished notes show he believed ancient structures held key to the apocalypse…
Amazon rainforest rock art ‘depicts giant Ice Age creatures’
BBC
Rock art found in the Amazon rainforest carries images of the area’s earliest inhabitants living alongside giant Ice Age creatures, researchers say…
The history behind Ireland’s ancient Druids
Irish Central
Today the word conjures thoughts of magic, wizardry, and spiritualism, but in ancient times the definition of Druid was much broader…
‘Witch Hunts’ Past & Present
India: Elderly woman killed over ‘witchcraft’ suspicion in Gumla
Times of India
An elderly woman was killed by a villager and others on suspicion of practicing ‘witchcraft’ in Koynara village under Gumla police station on Friday night…
Kenya: 54-year-old woman killed over ‘witchcraft’ accusations
The Star
A 54-year-old woman has been hacked to death over ‘witchcraft’ allegations at Zayoni village in Matuga sub-county…
‘Witchcraft’ beliefs are fuelling human trafficking, says NGO
IOL
There is a growing concern over witchcraft allegations against women and children that is said to be fuelling human trafficking in Africa…
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