Don’t Pathologize Religious Experiences

July 9, 2012 By Jason Pitzl-Waters

Jules Evans, a journalist and writer with a deep interest in ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, writes a piece for Wired Magazine on the tendency of religious or out-of-the-ordinary experiences to be “shifted to the margins of our secular, scientific, post-animist culture and defined as pathological symptoms of a physical or emotional disease.” Evans cites a new study in the British Journal of Clinical Psychology that compares “psychotic-like phenomena in clinical and non-clinical populations” and finds that context is vital in... Read more

A Day to Reflect

July 7, 2012 By Jason Pitzl-Waters

I won’t be actively blogging today, as I’m taking a personal day for my birthday. I’ve often thought that birthdays, at least once you bypass the “piles of toys” stage of life, are a perfect time to take stock, reflect on the year past, look toward the year to come, and spend time with dear friends. So that’s what I’ll be doing. Living in Eugene, Oregon, one of my favorite spots to reflect is from the top of Spencer Butte,... Read more

Pagan Voices: Alison Leigh Lilly, P. Sufenas Virius Lupus, Teo Bishop, Beth Lynch, and More!

July 7, 2012 By Jason Pitzl-Waters

Pagan voices is a new spotlight on recent quotations from figures within the Pagan community. These voices may appear in the burgeoning Pagan media, or from a mainstream outlet, but all showcase our wisdom, thought processes, and evolution in the public eye. Is there a Pagan voice you’d like to see highlighted? Drop me a line with a link to the story, post, or audio. “The process of cultivating real integrity is sometimes messy and sometimes ugly. Fostering community is not... Read more

Unleash the Hounds! (Link Roundup)

July 6, 2012 By Jason Pitzl-Waters

There are lots of articles and essays of interest to modern Pagans out there, sometimes more than I can write about in-depth in any given week. So The Wild Hunt must unleash the hounds in order to round them all up. Christina Oakley-Harrington, founder of Treadwell’s Books in London, and Literary Editor of the journal Abraxas, made the headlines in the UK this week when she gave testimony in the murder trial of Hannah Bonser, who is accused of stabbing and killing 13-year-old Casey Kearney. The... Read more

‘Religion’ is not a synonym for ‘Christianity’

July 5, 2012 By Jason Pitzl-Waters

There was a time in America’s history that, when talk turned to religion, it was widely assumed you meant Protestant forms of Christianity. Eventually, and with some struggle, this was broadened to include Catholics and Jews, creating a tri-faith “Judeo-Christian” conception of faith in the United States. Groups outside this understanding were, at the time, either too small, or considered too strange and foreign, to be seriously considered. Thanks to a number of different factors, immigration, social upheaval, and shifting... Read more

Happy 4th of July

July 4, 2012 By Jason Pitzl-Waters

“Neither Pagan nor Mahamedan nor Jew ought to be excluded from the civil rights of the Commonwealth because of his religion.” – Thomas Jefferson, quoting John Locke Hail to the pen and muse of Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence! Hail to those who’ve honored the true spirit of our founding documents, who defended us with arms, who challenged us with nonviolence, and reminded us of our true nature through art and rebellion. “…the Government of the United States of America is... Read more

Pagan Community Notes: Witch School and Reality TV, Goddess Across Borders, Modern Witch Magazine, and More!

July 3, 2012 By Jason Pitzl-Waters

Pagan Community Notes is a series focused on news originating from within the Pagan community. Reinforcing the idea that what happens to and within our organizations, groups, and events is news, and news-worthy. My hope is that more individuals, especially those working within Pagan organizations, get into the habit of sharing their news with the world. So let’s get started! Witch School Ends the Reality Television Gravy Train: Yesterday Witch School International, the largest online learning institution for Wicca and... Read more

The Pagan Community Reacts to SCOTUS Decision on the Affordable Care Act

July 2, 2012 By Jason Pitzl-Waters

Last week, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the constitutionality of the Obama Administration’s Affordable Care Act, a law that overhauls America’s health care system over the next decade, and includes a controversial health insurance mandate. While universal coverage is the norm in the majority of industrialized countries, here, we’ve created a hodge-podge predominantly market-driven system that all-too-often places profits and savings above the health of its citizens. Consequently, while access to health care is often an assumed... Read more

Guest Post: The Blood of the Earth

July 1, 2012 By Jason Pitzl-Waters

[The following is a guest review by Paracelsian of John Michael Greer’s new book The Blood of the Earth (Scarlet Imprint, 2012). Paracelsian is the pseudonym of a UK based Pagan whose practice explores engaged & embodied relationship with the spirits of the land. He is fascinated by the stories that we (as both Pagans and more generally as Humans) tell about ourselves and to give meaning to the world around us, and consequently is involved in interfaith work.] I’ve... Read more

Unleash the Hounds! (Link Roundup)

June 30, 2012 By Jason Pitzl-Waters

There are lots of articles and essays of interest to modern Pagans out there, sometimes more than I can write about in-depth in any given week. So The Wild Hunt must unleash the hounds in order to round them all up. Damien Echols of the now-freed West Memphis 3 discusses his interest in the art of tattooing, and the ink “talismans” he designed, for the Needles & Sins tattoo blog. Quote: “This one is for success in all ventures. And that’s what it says around... Read more