I am a godatheow – a godslave. Many of the spiritworkers and shamans that I know are also godslaves, in other words, outright owned by their Deities. It rather goes with the territory and I have found it to be one of the dominant paradigms of service in contemporary Heathenry and Paganism (though not the only paradigm. I suspect there are as many types of service as there are people serving). Lately, I’ve been asked over and over exactly what... Read more
The most amazing thing about the internet is that a rich ecosystem of Pagan media is flourishing. I find myself consistently inspired and amazed by not only the great writers on Patheos but all across this virtual Pagandom we’ve created together. So before I run off to work on my own scribblings I have to share some of the most amazing things from the Pagan web this week: Pagan Centered Podcast is fabulous. I’m a huge fan, even when they... Read more
Morning meetings were one of my favorite parts of PSG. Along with the drumming, dancing, musicians, skits, satyrs in the daylight, announcements, sassy raffle ladies and chanting, the morning meeting also featured drama llamas! Truly talks to us about drama llamas, his memories of PSG and why PSG is such a unique event. [audio:http://www.archive.org/download/InterviewWithTrulyAtPaganSpiritGathering2010/Psg30TrulyPaganNewswireCollectivegood.mp3] So you know, Marty and all the other drama llamas, like the one below, only look sweet and innocent… Read more
Sometimes understanding the cosmological map of the Northern Tradition can be most problematic. Unlike Christians, our origin story isn’t neatly laid out in chronological seeming order in a book (like Genesis). To find our origin story and learn of the nine worlds we have to read, compare and contrast the information from multiple references: Völuspá, Grímnismál, Vafþrúðnismál, Alvissmal, etc. Combine this confusion with the fact that because Christians took up the name for our underworld of ‘Hel’ to use it... Read more
Did you know that witches hang out at the CNN Center Food court? Well, they do. Or at least one of them does. You wouldn’t be able to pick her out in a crowd of business-dress professionals, which was what I was trying to do now. A few weeks before my trip, we had set up a time and place to meet for a cup of coffee or tea that would be quick and convenient for both of us. She... Read more
I firmly believe you cannot give too much to the Gods or ancestors, that it is, quite frankly impossible for a human to offer too much in devotion to either the Gods or the dead. They made us. They offer continual blessings and protection. We carry that connection with us always. It is nourished through the sacred reciprocity of sacrifice and offering. But for the Gods and our ancestors, as I have said many times before, we would not be.... Read more
I have been reading Lilith: Queen of the Desert, a Lilith devotional compiled and edited by Anya Kless and published by Knickerbocker Circus Press. Full disclosure: one of my poems is in it. So hey, quality literature at it’s finest already. I have to say that I found some sections in the latter part of the book a little weak, mainly due to the authors not defining terms used or explaining philosophical stances taken by their respective subcultures. There’s a... Read more
While at PSG I noticed that community was the foundation of the festival and it was a theme that kept coming up over and over in the interviews we conducted. I’ve tried to gather some of the clips that illustrate the community feeling of PSG: how safe, friendly and inclusive an environment the event has nurtured. I hope you enjoy this, and stay in touch, there is still more PSG content to come! Click here to listen to thoughts from... Read more
While at Pagan Spirit Gathering 2010 I got the chance to sit down with SkyCat and Bella, who began the Bast ritual at PSG. They have some excellent stories to share, so I hope you take a moment to listen to their interview! [audio:http://www.archive.org/download/InterviewWithBellaAndSkycatAtPaganSpiritGathering2010/Psg2010SkycatAndBellaPaganNewswireCollectivegood.mp3] Read more
Over the July 4th weekend several Pagan blogs raised a cry of “Hail Columbia!”. This was met with some mixed reactions, one of the most thought provoking being from Meadowsweet & Myrrh (a blog worth checking out). The critique for worshiping Columbia is this: she is a symbol of the oppression of white colonialism and her very name comes from an explorer who committed genocide. Also there is a feeling that she is a construct rather than a natural Goddess,... Read more
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