Quaker Pagan Reflections
Peace is effortful. Peace will involve struggle. And though I would never agree that violence is necessary to reach it, I would very much agree that no justice means no peace. Read more
Peace is effortful. Peace will involve struggle. And though I would never agree that violence is necessary to reach it, I would very much agree that no justice means no peace. Read more
Some of the time, Peace requires us to sign petitions, protest, carry signs, and practice civil disobedience. But all of the time, Peace requires us to live consistently with the values that nurture it, and the sooner we realize that, the sooner we can begin to release our inner Corgis. Read more
Anyone who works at walking a path of spiritual activism for very long will develop a few strengths, a few gifts. Given the state of the world, those of us who are trying to serve it have a duty of stewardship over our own gifts. I have come to call this the World of Warcraft principle: if even in World of Warcraft, these gifts are in demand, they must be in demand... everywhere. Read more
Over the years, our celebrations have evolved--but they have retained as much acceptance of the cold and the dark as celebration of dawn and the sun. We love the strengthening light past the solstice... but we would not understand the beauty of it, if we did not pause for the beauty of the long nights and sleeping land. Read more
It's not enough to "not be racist." Racial injustice is bred into the body of American society all the way down to the bone, and if every outright bigot on the planet were to leave for Mars tomorrow, racial inequality would not end, because of all the quiet, unthinking ways racism has crept into our societal DNA. Read more
I had accepted the blessing of a foreign God. The Jews of the Old Testament and the Christians of the New are both very uneasy about that sort of thing. Ancient Pagans, I think, were much easier with it. When you are a guest, you honor the Gods of your host. That seems only right and proper to a Pagan. Read more
1979 in Williamsburg, Virginia was not an easy time or place to be gay. "There comes a time," she said, "in all my friendships, when I have to decide. Do I tell, or do I not tell?" She stood at one side of a precipice, and she saw me on the other. I wanted to tell her, "I already know!" But I did not know how. Read more
A few years back, I accepted a challenge to commit to a "regular spiritual practice." The terms of the challenge defined that as a daily spiritual discipline of at least twenty minutes. Unfortunately, the year that I took this on was an especially hectic one. Try as I might, I just could not clear any twenty-minute windows of time, other than my daily commute to and from work. And so, my daily practice of rolling meditations was born. Read more
I forget, so often, that prayer--that communing with Spirit and with the concerns that are on my heart--is not a consolation prize, something to do when I don't know what "real" work to do, or I'm out of the time or strength to do it. We don't have to be broken. I don't have to know how to fix us. I can do the easy work--I must not be afraid to do the easy work, the rewarding work, the joyful work which has been put into my hands. Read more
So today, on Samhain, I’ve been reminded of my longstanding sense of connection to Ann Putnam the younger, the second-youngest of the “afflicted girls” of Salem Village, and probably the most persuasive of all those who accused innocent men and women of witchcraft. Ann Putnam, today, this day that is sacred to those of my religion, I claim you as ancestor to my spirit. May your heart have found peace and your spirit, wisdom. I realize this is an odd choice... Read more
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