Librarians: Humanity’s Soul Collectors

Last updated on: January 22, 2021 at 9:28 am By Ash

Recently, I researched patron deities of libraries and librarians and happened upon an encyclopedic article on Seshat written by Joshua J. Mark in 2016. Seshat was the Egyptian goddess of the written word and the consort of Thoth, the god of wisdom and writing. What connects Seshat to libraries is that she is in charge of the Per-Ankh, the House of Life, “a combination library, scriptorium, institute of higher learning, writer’s workshop, print shop/copy center, publisher, and distributor” (Mark, 2016). Sounds like... Read more

Researching Your Witchy Interests: 3 Quick Tips

Last updated on: December 28, 2020 at 11:06 am By Ash

I’m sure I’m not the only person to have struggled with this, but sometimes I find it difficult to articulate myself. “But, Ash, your 5 billion word blog posts suggest otherwise!” Damn right they do. My posts suggest that I can babble like a brook if I’m not careful. I find that in an attempt to make myself understood I can over explain a topic or point ad nauseam. There are better ways to not only talk about your witchy... Read more

Book Review: Do I Have to Wear Black? by Mortellus

Last updated on: January 4, 2021 at 11:09 am By Ash

Note: I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. In this post, I’ll be reviewing a forthcoming book by Mortellus titled Do I Have to Wear Black? Rituals, Customs & Funerary Etiquette for Modern Pagans. It’ll hit the shelves February 8, 2021, but you can pre-order a copy from multiple online venues. Take it one step further and get a signed copy from Mortellus’ website. TLDR Review for Busy Readers The short and sweet version? This book is a... Read more

We Should All CRAAP More Often

Last updated on: December 17, 2020 at 2:49 pm By Ash

Let's talk about CRAAP! This test is a widely used method for quickly analyzing information sources. "CRAAP" stands for "Currency, Relevancy, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose." Read more

Knowing & Not Knowing: A High Priestess’ Paradox

Last updated on: December 14, 2020 at 12:14 pm By Ash

An enthusiasm for learning drove me in the beginning. However, it's the connection to my covenmates, and not the degree or any knowledge, that drives me now. Read more

Plagiarism: When the Desire “To Know” Turns Toxic

Last updated on: December 8, 2020 at 1:23 pm By Ash

The desire "to know" can be so strong that we're willing to do anything to make us look knowledgeable of our Crafts, even plagiarize other pagans. Read more

Information Privilege and Poverty in Paganism

Last updated on: December 1, 2020 at 8:53 am By Ash

Information privilege is evident in paganism, with our culture's emphasis on owning and reading tons of information related to our practices. We're privileged to have the money to purchase our knowledge, or otherwise have easy access to it. If we're not buying the books we want then we're getting them through our friends, local libraries, or online. Read more

Gardnerian Wicca: Outdated and Debunked?

Last updated on: November 23, 2020 at 1:06 pm By Ash

"What would you say if someone told you that Gardnerian Craft is, in part, based on almost outdated and debunked academic books on witchcraft?" Read more

Authority and Bias in the Pagan Community

Last updated on: November 12, 2020 at 8:44 pm By Ash

Bias in the pagan community is real and problematic. Certain authors are held in higher esteem, including specific publishers, social media influencers, and websites. Read more

Information Overwhelm and How to Cope With It

Last updated on: November 18, 2020 at 12:05 pm By Ash

Reading and consuming too much information without putting it to physical practice has led to what some of us affectionately call “armchair paganism.” It’s a bubble of laziness and comfort that we’ve put around ourselves to cope with information overload. Read more