A couple of quick things today. (Even if I finish the next part of the spiritual journey series, I won’t be posting it tonight–this one is hard to write, and deserves some discernment time when I eventually do finish it.) First off: I’ve been reading through a couple of the blogs I was following closely all summer. I hate that I don’t have the time to stay up-to-date on all the Pagan and Quaker writers I love… but I’m very... Read more

I just had to put in a quick plug for a brilliant musical group I just discovered today–The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. Too cool! Check them out on our back page. (I’m working on something more substantive–I promise. But this one is just too good to miss…) Read more

Though this appeal is being made to the Pagan community, and is a wonderful chance for us to come together and show our values on the subject of GLBT equality, I would also like to encourage Quaker readers who support this cause to read Maureen’s letter carefully. There’s no reason that words like “religious”, “spiritual”, and “faith” should become the province of people who equate their own bigotry with the will of God(s. The Religious Coalition for the Freedom to... Read more

All posts in this series: Part I: Getting (and Losing) That Old Time Religion Part II: Coming Home Part III: The Fool’s Journey Part IV: The Underworld Part V: Seven of Cups Part VI: A Letter and a Kiss Part VII: Morticia Loves Gomez Part VIII: Nora Part IX: Felicia Hardy and the Tower of Babel Part X: When Babel Fell Part XI: Community 2.0 Part XII: This Forgiveness Stuff Picture this: You stand in a forest. All around you,... Read more

David Miley, a Druid whose comments have appeared here at QPR on occasion, has begun a new blog of his own! My knowledge of David is entirely online, but his writing and his seeker’s spirit have both impressed me many times. His initial entry into the blogosphere is an unusual reflection on a traditional Arthurian story which I quite liked–no surprise there, from the writer of pieces like “There is a Sound“: There is a Sound,That supports the World. It... Read more

Peggy Senger Parsons is one of my absolutely favorite Quaker writers, and her blog, A Silly Poor Gospel, would be reason enough for a heretic like me to value Christianity, even if I knew no other wise and grounded Christians. So it’s not a total surprise that she has written some deeply wise words on the subject of spiritual maturity today–ideas she credits to her “Quaker Yoda”, her friend Vivian, recently hospitalized for a heart attack and stroke. Here’s something... Read more

It is truly amazing how little I can remember the feeling of this exhaustion when I am not teaching… that I can’t anticipate how little of me there is at the end of a day or week in the classroom. I keep thinking I’ll be able to do things: visit a friend, write a blog post, read a serious book… and I keep being surprised when, as happened again this past weekend, Saturday rolls around and I just fall down.... Read more

We’re still alive and well, Peter and I… but that part of our lives we like to call our “annual trans-Arctic submarine voyage”–teaching school in two different public school systems–has begun. All summer long, we got used to daylight, exercise, friends, and time to think, play, and work around the house. I got a satisfying amount of writing done, and Peter finished building the walk-in closet in the attic and almost finished insulating it. But now it’s September, and we’re... Read more

As per Stasa: “About the book on Pagan Quakerism which Jen Chapin-Smith is editing: Friends who are interested can contact her directly at jench1977 at hotmail dot com.” This announcement will remain posted longterm at Quaker Pagan Reflections’ Back Page area. Stasa has also posted at her blog a report on her experiences, particularly with the Pagan Quakerism workshop she facilitated, at FGC’s Gathering this year. Read more