The other day I spotted a friend using “pword” in their vernacular, another friend messaged me to ask what it meant in my blog post, while another friend discussed why they didn’t identify with “Pagan.” And I thought: This blog really needs to have it’s own FAQ or guide to the weird words and phrases I use. I forget that new people find it everyday, and probably don’t go back to the beginning. (Hey, we passed the 1 year anniversary of... Read more
Dear subconscious mind, don’t talk to me about dragons at 3am. Actually, that should probably be extended to nearly everyone at most times. (Woe to the guy at a recent festival who was intent on telling me which kind of dragon “controlled” my body as I danced, and if I spent some more time with him, he could tell me all about it. Because clearly I was a pretty young thing and could not leave my mother…) Not that I have anything... Read more
I’m just going to lay this on the line. I’m a dork. A big one. I’m a mix of awkward, earnest, silly, passionate, scholarly, artistic, and an octopus for good measure. I’ve always been this way, but the biggest difference between 20-something me and 40-something me is that I’ve learned to embrace it. And it has truly made life so much more enjoyable all around. It doesn’t mean that I don’t take things seriously. My approach to art, dance, witchcraft... Read more
A few blog posts back, I talked about my lack of confidence in the idea of covens – in a historical sense. But I did express my belief in the convening of witches to come together, share ideas and concepts, gossip, tricks, and the usual – then everyone went back to their respective corners. And I think it’s even more important right now – for us to gather together despite different paths and talk. Hence why you may have found... Read more
There tends to be a mindset in modern witchcraft that all you need is a good book and/or a teacher/an initiation, and BOOM, you’re a Witch! Everything you need is right at your fingertips on the web, so just absorb and go! Books are awesome (if they’re written well and contain solid information) and so are teachers (if they know how to teach and foster growth), as are schools (though everyone learns differently and at separate rates) but that’s only... Read more
What does it mean to be authentic? Defined it means: “To be real, genuine, verified, representing one’s true nature or beliefs, to be true to oneself.” Notice the lack of “the oldest” or “the most cool” or “the most amount of decoration” there. No, rather we’re looking at what’s real, what works, what is true for that person. In my workshop at Paganicon, “The Authentic Witch: Crafting A Working Tradition” – I discussed developing a practice that works best for YOU. Not... Read more
I swear, the things that come out of my mouth when I’m teaching. Which then take on a life of their own. They inspire the people who hear it firsthand from me, within context. Then probably confuse the hell out of people who hear or see it afterward. (It could be an argument for me to watch what I say. But I think it’s a better reason for why you should experience me live in person.) At Paganicon this past... Read more
What? Heading off again? Didn’t I just get home? Yes, it sure feels like it, and don’t tell the cats, but we’re off soon to Minnesota! Last year was my first Paganicon, and I’m really excited to be returning again – with bonus points on top because this year I was invited to be one of the Guests of Honor. And our band is playing the Equinox Ball! It’s an excellent, friendly, mid-size indoor Pagan convention in Minneapolis – and I... Read more
Have you ever found yourself asking, “Is this person trolling or are they really that big of an idiot?” It’s become a more frequent question in my life over the last few months. My eyes have rolled out of my head so many times that I’ve finally cleaned underneath my desk. (To cut down on the amount of inevitable de-cat-hairing I must do once I have retrieved my sightly orbs before returning them to their sockets.) One of the most recent... Read more
The subject of cursing clearly brings up a lot of emotional response, but I often wonder how much critical thinking is involved in that reaction. Read more
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