Pagan Tama
Blasphemy is never an excuse to commit a crime. Ever. Read more
Blasphemy is never an excuse to commit a crime. Ever. Read more
An atrocity happened in my country last week. In response I have picked up the weapons that frighten extremists the most: books. Read more
I am a devotee of Inari Ōkami, the Shinto kami of rice and prosperity. Foxes are sacred to Inari; they are His messengers, and as such Her shrines typically feature fox statues and other fox images. Foxes are therefore very special to me. But aside from the personal, spiritual significance foxes have for me, I also feel it is my moral duty to help defend all creatures in my country from unnecessary cruelty, and our natural environment from wanton destruction. Which is why I am... Read more
This month, two recent adaptations of the Norse myths by two bestselling authors go head-to-head: Joanne M Harris’ 2014 novel The Gospel of Loki, and Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology, published earlier this year. But which book will get Read Of The Month? The full list of this month’s reviews is as follows…. Neil Gaiman, Norse Mythology Joanne M Harris, The Gospel of Loki Takeshi Mitsuhashi, Zero kara hajimeru jinja to matsuri nyumon Philip West, The Old Ones in the Old Book: Pagan... Read more
As an Eclectic Pagan, I actively borrow traditions from all over the place, including integrating secular holidays into my spiritual practise. One thing I try to do is to incorporate some elements of New Zealand culture into my path, because my husband is from New Zealand and I think it is important to celebrate his Kiwi heritage in our household. One way I do this is to make “Anzac Biscuits*” in the run up to Beltane. April 25th is Anzac Day,... Read more
Beltane is subversive. More so than Samhain, in my opinion, even though the latter may seem pretty subversive with its skulls and darkness and trappings of death and the otherworld. But Samhain is somewhat softened by the child-friendly costume parties and trick-or-treat of Halloween, as well as its association with the Christian All Saints’ Day. In contrast, Beltane has no real Christian equivalent and moreover, it has yet to experience the sanitising, mainstreaming effect of commercialism like Samhain or Yule. Beltane, or... Read more
This month we take a look at shamanic practises both ancient and modern, with a classic academic work on Japanese shamanism and a 2017 release on animal spirit guides. Our other books this month are on the Greek mysteries, and witchcraft within the queer, trans and intersex community. The full list of this month’s reviews is as follows…. Carmen Blacker, The Catalpa Bow: A Study of Shamanistic Practices in Japan (3rd edition) Robin C. Douglas, Greek Mysteries: An Introduction to the... Read more
In all the Pagan religions I can think of, practically every major deity has some kind of darker, fearsome aspect to them. There is a very good reason for this - they represent the forces of nature. Read more
There is of course a big difference between the Gods and Goddesses of old and the mascots of today. But I think they both play one key, similar role. Read more
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