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On this blog the goal is to switch from daddy gods back to Guiding Goddesses. Until it's guided by Goddesses, we'll never have a healthy world. As things stand now, all the daddy gods who guide us are -- think about it -- vicious, violent and skanky-janky war gods If you had a car programmed to wheel you down roads leading to war zones, wouldn't you junk it? And if you spotted a car

I am appalled at the way the Christian Church ran like a Mack truck over California law Nov. 4. This morning the New York Times even saw fit to do a front-page article on it. I know we're all fed up with fear, but this is something to be afraid of. And I don't see people being nearly afraid enough. The Christian menace is gaining on us again. Pull out and reread your copy of John

As we all know, the ancient Pagans were so ho-hum about homosexuality they didn't even have a word for it. To them it was merely one side of sexuality, no big fat deal. Then, about 2000 years ago, YAJ* two-stepped into the picture. And in order to yank power away from Pagans, YAJ specialized in carving people up into separate groups and then pitting the groups against each other. So 2000

Much to the horror of Christians in Pleasant Grove City, Utah, the Supreme Court recently ruled to allow the Church of Summum to post its Seven Aphorisms in the town park alongside the Ten Commandments: “They’ve put a basically Judeo-Christian religious text in the park, which we think is great, because people should be exposed to it,” Mr. Temu [of the Summum Church] said. “But our principles

My Dear Fellow Americans, If you want four more years like the last eight, vote for this man, Mr. John McCain.

I'm still wondering if I should feel slightly offended by a recent New York Times article profiling the abhorrent crimes and mental breakdown of Army Specialist Robert H. Marko. Marko, who believed he was an "alien dinosaur-like creature, and that he would transform from his human form into his Black Raptor form on his 21st birthday", had a history of neurological problems but was still classified as "deployable" by the Army. NYT reporters Dan Frosch and Lizette Alvarez then chose a somewhat insulting descriptor for Marko's worldview."After joining the Army, his “unusual beliefs” in his…

Did talk of a mother's (alleged) adherence to Wicca cause her to lose custody of her child? That is the allegation of Andrea Hicks, who said that Chicot County Circuit Judge Robert Vittitow improperly considered her religious views in his ruling."In her appeal of Chicot County Circuit Judge Robert Vittitow's decision, the mother noted Vittitow described Wicca in his opinion letter as 'a religion, movement, cult or whatever it that may be.' The judge also wrote that while the mother testified she was only joking when she told the boy's father that she was involved with Wicca, the 'court…

While some harbor the notion that Pagans are all leftist anarchists, modern Paganism is actually quite politically flexible, as a story about a BNP member-list leak proves."Police, teachers, paratroopers, guards, royal marines, district nurses, librarians and clergymen are among the 12,000 or so members of the British National Party whose details have been revealed in an internet blog by a disgruntled former employee of the party. And it is to the police that the BNP has turned to carry out a full investigation into the matter ... The list, which included home addresses, telephone numbers,…

I had no idea that my closing thoughts on plans to rebuild the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus would turn out to be somewhat prophetic. "Will it signal a new trend in not simply preserving old temples and landmarks, but actually rebuilding them to their former glory? Could we see a new Delphi or Colossus of Rhodes? An embracing of our pre-Christian heritage slipped through the side-door as "tourism", "art", and "culture"."It seems that on Monday, The Guardian reported that plans are underway to rebuild the Colossus of Rhodes.Head of the Colossus of Rhodes, photo: The Roman Mysteries."It may not…

Russian atheists are hopping mad about their government's recent trend towards "clericalism", and have formed a new coalition to address the problem."Administrators of several atheistic websites have established the RU.NET Atheist Council, the website of this newly established body has reported. The Council consists of five atheistic websites while representatives of the Circle of Pagan Tradition and political movement of Free Radicals promoting prostitution, pornography and euthanasia have joined it as observers. According to the Council statute, they have a right to participate in its work.

As far as we know, all events we list are open functions; but some may be limited to women or to adults. Please check the websites for group policies. If no country is given, the event is in the USA. All times are local. Events lasting more than 1 day are bolded. When listing events for the same date, we have tried to list those occurring first, taking into account time zone differences. If there

The theme of the Samhain issue of Global Goddess Oracle is "Honoring Our Female Ancestors," and its purpose is explained in an introduction by Bendis. I’m going to depart from the order in the handy contents list on the left hand side of the page, but you can refer to that to find the articles. I was blown away by H. Byron Ballard’s piece, "My Mother Has Risen from the Dead," about family

Source of all blessings, thank you for the election of Barack Obama to be President of the United States. Continue to bless him with hope, courage, strength, and wisdom. Protect him in the circle of your love. May his administration bring great good to the American people and to all the people of the world. So be it.

The cover art for the Samhain issue of the ezine Matrifocus is "The Path to Infinity," an oil & acrylic by Sue Vincent inspired by the Tarot card, "The Universe." In this issue's editorial (look for the link at the end of the contents list), "There's No Vermont in the Bad Reality," Feral shares her thoughts on faith in the "Good Place" in dystopic sci fi. Ferel explores how this sci fi world

(Note From Medusa: Shan Morgain wrote this fascinating guest blog in response to my post of July 11 to point out some possible differences in the situation between the USA and the UK.) by Shan Morgain Separation of Goddess and Pagan communities? Women's authority and influence in Paganism waning? I agree with Medusa's "Trends in Feminist Spirituality" but my experience from the UK has been

Light Green candles. Burn incense of Saffron, Verbena, Sandalwood, Myrtle. Friday is ruled by Venus, and is a good day to work with Love, friendships, affection, partnerships, money, sex.

Pagan Views: Costa Ricas Indigenous Mysteries by Kevin "PJ" McCauley

Pagan Family: The Beginners Guide to Secret-Keeping by Julie Cox

Description: perennial herb with creeping roots that grows like a bush up to 2 feet tall. Stems are square shaped and bearing gray oval toothy leaves that have a minty scent. Use: Leaves are used and can be gathered at any time and are best dried in a slow warm heat. Medieval physicians ...

guardian.co.ukThe BNP next doorguardian.co.uk, UK - 2 hours agoA student is "willing to give talks on medieval/dark age subects" and "interested in ... setting up a British pagan group". And there are, of course,

Letter: Student musicians perform tonightTCPalm, FL - 16 hours agoThis year, band director Eric Allen and associate band director Joel Pagan outdid themselves and exceeded all expectations. In addition to the 12 numbers

Post Office StoreThe Age, Australia - Nov 20, 2008Turn left off the main road (Pagan St) into Piribil St and take the first right into Doyle St which is classified by the National Trust and lined with

The Oregonian - OregonLive.comMarc Acito finally brings "Holidazed" to lifeThe Oregonian - OregonLive.com, OR - Nov 20, 2008And so they did, putting a very real, breathing, feeling pagan street kid into a very conventional household for the frantic, festive whirl of Halloween,

Sirface: Loud, fast, honest, brokeFort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN - Nov 20, 2008The band members – Pagan, Hopkins, Hatzell and guitarist Denny Getrost – hope the album brings them success, of course. More shows. More fans.

IT sounds like a dream come true, a real witch answering the door to guisers. But when Pauline Reid opened up her Glasgow salon for youngsters last Hallowe’en not one came knocking. The 37-year-old, who runs a coven to instruct her sisters in the finer points of witchcraft, as well as managing a beauty shop in the South Side, said: “We had goodie bags made up, the salon was decorated and I was dressed up, but no one came. Maybe they were too scared.” Pauline will try again this year, putting on a pointy hat, picking up a broomstick and transforming herself into a glamorous…

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. At least for me anyway. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. I don’t have to buy any presents for anybody, I don’t have to cook, and I get to dress up like Jessica Rabbit. What more could one ask? However, I know there are a lot of you out there that get very nervous when the Witches New Year rolls around. Now I can’t claim to be a witch, especially not here in the big shiny buckle of the Bible belt; and I can’t claim to know everything there is to know about it. But I do know, just judging by the way some…

Since I moved to the United States seven years ago, I have noticed over the years how Halloween has become increasingly popular and very commercialized. During Halloween we see more and more people getting involved in the spirit of Halloween. I have noticed that young people are turning toward paganism, witchcraft and all sorts of spiritual practices. I believe that God created us as spiritual beings and if there is a void, we will have a tendency to fill it with something else. I also believe that the spiritual climate of our young people is challenged by a number of things, including…

Other Names: All Hallows Eve, Halloween, Samhain Night, All Souls’ Eve, Day of the Dead, Guy Fawkes Night, Bonfire Night, Oidhche Shamhna, Hop-tu-Naa, Calan Gaeaf, All Hallowtide. Symbols: Third Harvest, wisdom of the Crone, death of the God, reflection on our place in the Wheel of the Year, New Year, reincarnation, the dark mysteries, Rebirth after Death. Colors: Black, Brown, Orange, Red. Foods: Beef, Pork, Poultry, Candy Corn, Irish Báirín Breac (Fruit Cake), Colcannon, Bonfire Toffee, Toffee Apple, Candy Apple, Caramel Apple, Apple Cider, Apple Tarts, anything with Apples, Doughnuts,…

Plans to revive a medieval bell-ringing tradition at Halloween have caused a ding-dong about paganism in a Suffolk town. Organisers of the town’s Pumpkin Night asked permission for the bells of St Mary’s church in Bungay to ring out as part of their Halloween celebration on October 31. But Churches Together in Bungay, a group which represents the Church of England, Roman Catholic and United Reformed Churches in the town, has voiced its opposition to the plans on religious grounds. And the Churches Conservation Trust, which owns the redundant church, has not yet decided whether to…

The Yule season approaches, and the Wiccan Interfaith Council needs your help -- their Project We Care is an ongoing program that sends packages of goodies to Pagan, Heathen and Wiccan troops stationed ...

The setting for Bellini's "Norma" in Roman-occupied Gaul, circa 50 B.C., is so distant and exotic that it might as well be mythic.

The tradition is an age old mix of cultural rituals with some pagan, supernatural, black magic and an odd Catholic saint thrown in for good measure.

For something fun, over in the Forums we've been playing with the idea of a Pagan/Wiccan book club.

Never mind the Da Vinci Code -- what about Michelangelo's secret messages? On the 500th anniversary of the artist's first climb up the ladder in 1508 to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling, a new book claims he ...

Welcome to "The Gods Are Bored," o ye who seek guidance from the Sacred Thunderbird! If Samhain is over, guess what is right around the corner??????Oh, poo poo to Christmas! The East Coast Vulture Festival 2009 will soon be upon us! More on that later.I read in the newspaper yesterday that some people are demanding "green burials": wooden or cardboard coffins (or no coffin at all), a hole in the ground, no marker, no lawn maintenance.Don't know about you, but the idea that my mom is embalmed and lying in a steel coffin at the bottom of a waterproof steel shaft is troubling. Trust me,…

Welcome to "The Gods Are Bored," coming to you from the border between Rationalville and Lunatictown. Where do you live? Thirty years ago today, more than 900 followers of religious leader Jim Jones committed mass suicide at their compound, "Jonestown," in rural Guyana. The prior day, Jones had ordered the assassination of California Congressman Leo Ryan, who had flown in to investigate "Jonestown" at the urging of concerned relatives in his district.Jones, a charismatic faith healer who attracted followers with a message of racial equality and socialism, had become a psychotic manipulator, a…

Welcome to "The Gods Are Bored," sacred to the Egyptian pantheon! If there's a Goddess of Cats out there, She is Mighty.Just the other day I fretted that my three foster kittens would languish in the shelter like enemy combattants, times being what they are. Nevertheless, on Sunday I had to take them in. When they start galloping, it's time.On the way to the shelter in their coop, they did every single gross thing a kitten can do. I will not elaborate. Let's just say I was glad that the shelter stocks plenty of hand sanitizer.So I told them goodbye and good luck. And some bored goddess was…

Welcome to "The Gods Are Bored," where it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go!Some retailers used to hold off until after Samhain to get their Christmas gear out and spiffed up and hung. No more. I've been seeing fake trees and garland in stores since September.When Geezer Annie was a girl, you saw nary a wreath until the day after Thanksgiving. Snow, yes. Christmas decorations, no.It's understandable, I guess. The retail stores are all feeling the pinch, since the rest of us are pinched. They want to bombard us with pine, get us feeling desperate to fill those loved…

Welcome to "The Gods Are Bored," purveyors of perfect pantheons! I'm your host, Anne Johnson. It's a wonderful name, and I'm proud to bear it.There's a faerie living in my computer who will not allow me to post YouTube videos on this blog. That's okay. I'm more or less a word person.But just yesterday, my awesome friend, the computer Yoda, handed me a DVD that had been rendered from an old VHS that had in turn been rendered from reel-to-reel footage from the early 1960s.That footage shows my beloved father setting stuff on fire.Dad taught high school chemistry in Appalachia. He was a hands-on…

Santeria is a faith that originated in Cuba. And a substantial part of Santeria tradition involves the ritual slaughter of animals. In the late 1980s, in an effort to keep the Santerias from building a church, school and cultural center in the city of Hialeah in South Florida, the city council banned the ceremonial killing of animals -- even if humanely done. Essentially, the city said that

An isolated beach on Jamaica Bay has become an eyesore, littered with religious icons and the gruesome remnants of animal sacrifices, area residents complain. And last week, Queens News found a decapitated goat and evidence of an apparent chicken sacrifice on the beach, at the foot of the Joseph P. Addabbo Memorial Bridge that connects Broad Channel and Howard Beach. Fishermen said they have

Fifteen years after three 8 year-old boys were killed in West Memphis. The three men charged with their deaths are hopeful new DNA and forensic evidence will set them free. And death row inmate Damien Echols is speaking out. They are known around the world as the West Memphis Three. Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley are serving life sentences while Damien Echols spends day in and day out o

Archaeologists in southeastern Turkey have discovered an Iron Age chiseled stone slab that provides the first written evidence in the region that people believed the soul was separate from the body. University of Chicago researchers will describe the discovery, a testimony created by an Iron Age official that includes an incised image of the man, on Nov. 22-23 at conferences of biblical and Mid

The unwanted horses seemed destined for death. The wheels had been set in motion to put down about 2,000 healthy mustangs, those in a federally maintained herd of wild horses and burros that no one wanted to adopt. The Bureau of Land Management knew that euthanasia was a legal alternative, but officials were proceeding slowly, afraid of an intense public outcry. The wild horses had become too e

I usually don't do two posts in one morning, but forgot that today is Transgender Day of Remembrance.Far, far, too many of our brothers and sisters have been murdered this year. My heart goes out to all who grieve.Here, again, is the prayer written by Tristissima last year (hir words in italics, my additions not, with a few new ones this year):Hermaphroditus, look at the names of the dead.Ardhanarisvara, read the names of the dead.Melek Ta'us, remember the names of the dead.Eris, look at the names of the dead.Antinous, read the names of the dead.Hoor-paar-kraat, remember the names of the…

Listen for the call. Listen every day. Listen deeply. Without the space for listening, the answers will not come. Our world will not open. The path will not rise to meet us, at least not clearly or with ease. Anyone who has ever been in any type of relationship knows that listening is not easy. Listening takes attention, patience, commitment and time. Here's a story:An acquaintance of mine, a successful, highly paid businessman, recently gave up his job and moved across country to follow two things: love and love. He had struggled with decisions for awhile. He had done the "prudent" thing. He…

Do not savor that which is bitter in your heart. Remember also, there is something sweet. The bitterness is but a sharp reminder to awaken and the sweetness calls you back to the home of blood beating in your veins, of feet dancing down the winter rain, of the coming in of something, always new.Do not bathe in the bitter, it is but a tang for the living. Let your tongue dance instead to spices and smoothness, to voluptuous richness of flavor. Call in cinnamon, and apple. Call in hope.Kiss the world, in all it's beauty, and it's sorrow. Kiss your life, ever returning to the sources of our…

We rose at 4:30 yesterday morning, driving out over Altamont Pass as the sun rose. We drove past cows and fields, truck stops and a whole lotta nothing for almost three hours. We were driving to Chowchilla, to the Valley State Women's Prison. We had a date with Patrick McCollum, a champion of civil rights and dedicated prison chaplain, to do a Samhain ritual for around 50 incarcerated women. He'd been down there for two days already, doing services at two other area prisons. The women were very excited to see him, grinning and greeting him like a long lost friend. He is their long lost…

Rewriting Morrissey, just because it is gorgeous outside, and I'm feeling whimsical:Now is This SoonI am the Sun and the Air Of a world that is brightly limned and beautiful.I am the Sun and Air One with All and each Particular.With open eyes,I greet the dayAnd go about love a new way....[I'll let you finish it for yourself.]

Throughout the first meeting of the Pagan Studies Group at the AAR, presenters mentioned the words "culture" and "cultural" and "religion" and "religious" as though religion were not a cultural construct. I had the temerity to question this. The response was a nonplussed silence. I realize that in state supported institutions such as Cal State-Long Beach and Colorado State-Pueblo, the line between state and religion is fuzzy. I realize they have to watch their steps carefully in order to avoid jeopardizing their state funding. But, really, religion is a part of culture. I felt that I said,…

My friend and colleague, Jason Pitzl-Waters, has posted about the recent AAR Annual Meeting in Chicago. There's so much to say, so much juicy thinking crammed into a few days a year. For the most part, I had a great time. The air was charged with excitement about the then-upcoming election. I was as excited as anyone, wore my big Obama button at all times. The streets were being blocked off in preparation for the big celebration in Grant Park, directly across the street from the hotel where the main action of the AAR was taking place.(Photo of me, Graham Harvey and Doug Ezzy, taken on my…

In light of the disappointing results of recent elections, I publish the following press release from September. I am proud to be a member of a Pagan organization that's finally taken a public stand on this issue.Fri Sep 12, 2008 2:59 pm (PDT) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECovenant of the GoddessP.O. Box 1226Berkeley, CA 94701 U.S.Ahttp://www.cog.orgPRESS RELEASEContact: Lisa Morgenstern,National Public Information Officer661-406-2081BERKELEY, CA-September 2008 ; Covenant of the Goddess, a National Organization of Wiccan Congregations, offered a statement in support of Gay and Lesbian Marriage in…

Last night the Marin Interfaith Council honored author Isabel Allende with the Visionary Marin award. While a band played, we wandered around bidding on auction items, dropping raffle tickets in buckets for prizes, and noshing on lovely little tidbits of food at high, small round candlelit tables -- in other words, no sitting down to eat.I chatted with several of my MIC friends and acquaintances, and recognized a few luminaries of sort: The Rev. Janie Spahr (I nearly introduced myself to her), Jean Shinoda Bolen (a close friend of Isabel's and BFF of one of the attorneys for whom I…

What would a blog by me be like if it didn't contain notice of someone's passing? I'm so ready to be free to write other things. However, since this is the next-to-last day of our year, I want to remember Peter Hughes.*Peter had put together a beautiful art photography book of B&W photos of Witches, which was/is the title of the book. Most of the models, myself among them, were local to Northern California. His wife, Denise Sallee, wrote the text. They asked me to write the introduction, which I did some years ago. The book hadn't found a publisher until Sam Webster decided to publish it.

A search of the WorldCat library database using the subject category "Witches -- Fiction" turns up 1,286 hits, once children's books have been filtered out, and specifying English-language titles. (Adding films, archival materials, sound recordings, etc., boosts the total to more than 1,500.)The Widows of Eastwick is at the top of the list, as ranked by number of libraries holding the book. Anne Rice is heavily represented in the first listings as well.If you have read all 1,286, let me know, and I will see that you get a prize.This is what happens when I go looking to make an interlibrary…

A few years ago, when I was on the board of a local environmental-education group, I helped organize a couple of presentations by the staff of Mission: Wolf, a sanctuary located one county south of me. As part of their mission, "Socialized ambassador wolves travel nationally, offering public education while stimulating people to care about and respect nature."Often they have the audience sit in a circle on the floor, if the group is small enough, and the leashed ambassador wolf comes around to give each a quick sniff. If you get a wolf kiss (and I have), that's supposed to be something…

• When M. and I left our hotel room on Tuesday, the lobby was full of the crackle of police radios. Everywhere you looked in downtown Chicago, there were cops standing around.These are some kind of federales outside a federal office building on Jackson Street.I was happy, therefore, to get home and learn that the huge crowds at Barack Obama's rally were mostly good-natured and that there was no celebratory rioting.• I will be watching for progress on rebuilding the Temple of Artemis.• When Obama made his ill-considered remark about those of us in flyover country "clinging to guns and…

Checking some of the post-AAR blogging, I see people listing book purchases from the publishers' exhibit. Here are mine:• The Western Esoteric Traditions: A Historical Introduction. (I should also get Kocku's Western Esotericism: A Brief History of Secret Knowledge, and I need something by the discipline's éminence grise, Antoine Faivre, such as Access to Western Esotericism.)• Doug Cowan's Sacred Terror: Religion and Horror on the Silver Screen. That's research material too. Doug is one of those scholars who manages to teach effectively, write a lot, and still have a life.• Ordered…

If I come away from this year's AAR annual meeting with any one Big Idea, it is that I am glad to see Pagan Studies moving away from "Wiccans and Odinists," as Jone Salomonsen put it, and towards a broader sense of a "a way to think about religion" (or religious behavior). Our joint session with the Religion and Popular Culture Group started the weekend off well, and presenting a co-written work-in-progress paper and slide show there got me thinking about how I want to return to the whole nexus of nature religion, civil religion, and small-p paganism as well as thinking about capital-P…

Friday I went to the opening night of my daughter’s high school play. They were performing The Crucible, Arthur Miller’s brilliant play about the witchcraft hysteria of 1692 in Massachusetts colony. There she was in the opening prologue, dancing and singing with friends in the woods like any good Pagan child. There she was a [...]

I had the pleasure of spending an hour in the studio with my good friend Thorn Coyle a few weeks ago. Thorn has been doing a great new series of podcasts, called Elemental Castings, where she talks to different people about how their magical and creative practice links in with a particular element. In my case, [...]

In this case, a very cute Welsh/American youngster, aka my niece Elena the Pundit. Weighing in from her elite media lair in Cardiff, Elena has this to say about the election:

In the darkness before sunrise I got up, put the kettle on for tea, and went to the computer for a first pass at headlines and email. It was a bit early for poetry, but my eyes were caught by a snatch of it, in all places on the New York Times op-ed page. My [...]

Yesterday in a Sebastopol parking lot I ran into an old acquaintance who, like me, drives an aging car. I joked with him about the fact that we were still keeping our jalopies going, when he came over to me with a conspiratorial smile.  “I don’t know what you believe, but there’s this website…” Oh no, [...]

It was another great weekend at Florida Pagan Gathering. Although we all wanted to arrive Thursday, work and school schedules made that impossible. My HP, HPS, their two boys, and I left Miami early Friday morning and arrived at Camp Ocala around noon. Like last year, we rented a cabin for the private bathroom with bath though most folks in our party tented around it. I, along with two others,

Hrafnkell at A Heathen's Day, Sabrina at Pagan Dawn, Beverly at So This is Wonderland, Deborah at Property of a Lady have tagged me for this meme. Thank you! Here are the rules: Link to the person or persons who tagged you. Post the rules on your blog. Write 6 random things about yourself. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and

I hope you had an great Samhain; I did. My coven held a dumb supper, which I'd been wanting to do for many years and it worked out beautifully. We always potluck and we asked everyone to bring food that was ancestral in some way. We set the food out buffet style and each talked about what we brought and why before blessing it and giving thanks. I contributed roast pork because you don't get much

In a post about a Santeria drum ritual, I received the following questions in the comments: What draws you towards Wicca as opposed to Santeria? Is it only the possession thing you are dubious about? They are good questions that deserve an entry rather than a quick response in the comments section. Wicca informs my spiritual practice a lot and I'm a Georgian initiate, but I'm very eclectic and

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Maybe you’ve forgotten I hope that you still care You’re coming to our wordpress site To find that we’re not there Do not be sad Lose hope or depair we’re on our own domain with many new things to share So give a click and follow us there’s really no time to spare do you really want to miss Your favorite Witchy pair? Posted in * author - mama kelly      

This weeks blog your blessings post is on the new domain.  I write about being grateful for the passing of October, for the new beggings I hope the new domain represents, and for (as always) being able to feed my family for another week. It is very exciting to have our own domain.  We are still dealing with the need for some small tweaks here and there, we still have content that needs to be moved, but it is great fun nonetheless.  In fact I’d rather spend the day cutting and pasting rather than spend the bulk of the day at my crappy job.  But, you know what, I am as always grateful…

You are cordially invited to join the 2 Witches Blog celebration at 2witches.com, Nov. 1, 2008 The spell has been cast, the cauldron stirred, the potions brewed - 2 Witches Blog has officially moved to its new, permanent home. Stop over and celebrate the grand opening of the 2witches.com.  Be sure to check out our new FORUM, over 100 pages of content, and so much more. All month we have some special things planned to celebrate (i.e. our very first contest).  We hope you stop by often to check it all out. Please be sure to change your links and bookmarks and sign up for the new feed. We…

This post has been moved it can be found HERE Posted in * author - mama kelly, Life & Family, Religion      

Happy Halloween one and all. As you all know by now I’m sure, tonight at MIDNIGHT, we will be opening at our new location 2witches.com. We have enlisted the help of all our friendly spirits, and cast all the necessary spells to ward off the gremlins, goblins and glitches. We hope to see all of you at the Grand Opening Party tomorrow!  Be sure to stop by the new forum  to “ask a witch” and start or join in a discussion, and be sure to browse around the our new home for fun and surprises. Bright blessings Lady Rose and Mama Kelly Posted in * author - lady…

USA has jumped into the #2 spot by virtue of their winning the match today against the Russian Women's Team, which fell all the way to #10. Wow! Here are the top 10 after Round 8 - 3 more rounds to go. Rk. SNo Team Team Games + = - TB1 TB2 TB3 TB4 1 3 China CHN 8 6 2 0 14 232,0 82,0 22,5 2 7 United States of America USA 8 6 1 1 13 215,5 74,0 23,5 3 2 Ukraine UKR 8 5 3 0 13

From AP Bulgarian archaeologists discover ancient chariot 10 hours ago SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Archaeologists have unearthed a well-preserved 1,800-year-old bronze chariot at an ancient Thracian tomb in southeastern Bulgaria, the head of the excavation said Friday. "The lavishly ornamented four-wheel chariot dates back to the end of the second century A.D.," Veselin Ignatov told The Associated

China's crops at risk from massive erosion Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:13am EST BEIJING (Reuters) - Over a third of China's land is being scoured by serious erosion that is putting its crops and water supply a risk, a three-year nationwide survey has found. Soil is being washed and blown away not only in remote rural areas, but near mines, factories and even in cities, the official Xinhua agency cited

Holy Caissa! Chessdom reports: USA (#4) wins against Russia (#3) 3:1 in the women section. IM Krush Irina 2452 - GM Kosteniuk Alexandra 2525 1 : 0 IM Zatonskih Anna 2440 - IM Kosintseva Tatiana 2513 1 : 0 WGM Goletiani Rusudan 2359 - IM Kosintseva Nadezhda 2468 ½ : ½ WGM Rohonyan Katerina 2334 - IM Korbut Ekaterina 2459 ½ : ½ If the US chess femmes had played this way in the World Chess

USA Women's Team has moved into 4th place overall after another solid round - holding China to 2:2! Could this team actually pull off a medal? I'd be the first to eat my hat if they do! USA Men's Team is in 9th place. Four rounds left to play. IM Irina Krush is in contention for an individual medal on Board 1, as is IM Anna Zatonskih on Board 2, WGM Rusudan Goletiani on Board 3 AND WGM

Rayati, I am reminded today, on the Feast of the Dead, of Sai Werde, after whom this whole month is named. She is Lady Fortune, our esteemed Ancestress. All manner of fortune is in Her power, in all our lives, past, present, and future. The Hidu Festival of Lights, Diwali, is also celebrated at this time of year (in late October, early November, from the dark of the moon, through the new moon, and onward for three to five or more days, according to local tradition). During Duwali, both Lakshmi (goddess of fortune) and Kali (goddess of death) are honored. By lighting rows of lights,i.e.diwali,…

Honored Miss Cobb writes Rayati, A few days ago, as I was shopping in a local store, I was lead to the discovery of a most beautiful figurine of Madonna & Child (a little girl). The inscription on the Mother's skirt was in Spanish and came from Isaiah 66:13. The verse in English is "As one whom the Mother caresses, so will I comfort you" Douay-Rehims translation. This is from the Foundations Spanish Angels series by Karen Hahn, Item #114615. The iconography of this statuette of Our Mother and Her Daughter is perfect. Both the mother and the daughter have golden halos over their heads. Their…

Honored Miss Georgia Cobb writes: Recently, I read a comment by Miss Iris disparaging the lack of an "incarnation of deity in human form in time and space" in The Gospel of Our Mother God (as is the case in Christianity with Jesus, as well as in the Hindu concept of avatars). For me, the fact that the Daughter is not a human incarnation of the Mother and was conceived outside of time and space is one of the best features of the Deanic/Filianic Faith. I would appreciate hearing an Aristasian response to this matter. May Dea Be With You, Miss Georgia We believe that the honored Bishop agrees…

We are delighted to announce that The Gospel of Our Mother God is finally available for purchase. This book gathers the cardinal texts - the fundamental mythos and sutras - of the Deanic/Filianic Faith together with other supporting traditional texts. It also includes canonical hymns, prayers for daily use and a final Deanic version of the five main Daily Offices. This is the one essential book for the devotee of Our Mother God. It is the heart of any Deanic household. We warmly recommend that you follow the link below and find out more, and obtain your own copy. We give thanks to Our Lady…

What effect would space travel have on the spiritual outlook of a devotee of Our Mother God? A foolish, or at best highly hypothetical, question, some may think. But actually the modern "scientific" world-view necessarily raises questions that did not exist for past generations and cogent answers are all too rarely given by the patriarchal religions. The Feminine Publishing Company brings us a fictional, but highly relevant sermon in outer space:

Though it has been five months since we moved from the Upper-Midwest to the California Republic, our adjusting is still going on. Now I know why they say it takes a year to adjusting to living in a new country. Just moving from one part of the US to another is taking many months, much longer than we anticipated. Contrary to what we expected, much of our life has changed. New things to learn, such as Sigalerts, drivers who don’t know about turn signals (even more so than in the Midwest), the absence of Mountain Dew from restaurants, and the general tension and distrust that exists…

My better half wrote another hymn in the Orphic format, this time to Lady Persephone. She was kind enough to let me share it with you. Hymn to Persephone Hail Persephone, Lady of darkness Silent you sit, silent you watch Now and at the hour of our deaths Lady of Shadows, you have the power To see within, to rip away all illusion To sacrifice you are no stranger You know fear, horror, and also danger You gave away that most dear to you Your innocence and childhood naivety Lady of mysteries, you access transformation Emblazoned phoenix of darkness, fire within Maiden of Treasures, Crone of…

The Autumnal Equinox is a period of balance and transition. In the Eleusinian Mysteries, the maiden Kore is abducted by Hades, thus precipitating a series of events that lead to loss and hardship for many. Many people are learning about transition from a time of plenty to a time of loss and hardship. The credit markets are hemorrhaging and causing extreme volatility in the financial markets worldwide. I find it entirely appropriate that the worst week of stock market volatility in many years happened during the time of the Autumnal Equinox. Like others, I had a difficult time not losing…

Most Pagans know the universe has infinite abundance to offer. Many ask me, though, “If the universe provides so much abundance, why can’t I afford my rent this month?” One reason is because you have not effectively used your relationships to receive the universal abundance you desire. This is where economics enters the picture. The human system of economics is a reflection of a larger universal system of exchange. Essentially, the study of economics is simply the study of trade using relationships. Everything has a relationship with everything else. For example, you have a…

Sabrina (of Pagan Dawn) and Diana Luciano Grayfox (of Diana’s Muse) have nominated Hawk’s Cry for the “I Love Your Blog” award. Thank you both for the kind words and encouragement. To pass the love on: The winner can put the logo on her/his blog Link the person you received the award from Nominate at least 7 other blogs Put links of those blogs on yours Leave a message on the blogs nominated Here are seven of my favorite blogs: Pagan Dad - By Patrick McCleary. An excellent blog written by a Pagan father, which seems to be a rare thing. He inspires me with his…

 Hey everyone, thanks for downoading the show, welcome to Episode 42, we're so glad that you're hear. Tonight we talk about what a ride the whole Podcast Awards has been for us, thank you for the support. Our teachers are being to retire and step back, what's it mean to our generation? Tonight's feature album is from Tricky Pixie. Live! (Just got home from seeing Tricky Pixie, what a magickal show. They are tighter now than they were when they recorded the live album). We hear Lady Vagabond, Pixie Can't Sleep and we forget to say it on the show, but we end the show with March of…

Happy Holidays, Wigglians! We hope that you are having a Blessed Time of year. What a year it's been! Thank you so much for everything that you do out there, we are continually amazed by the Love that is, The Wigglian Way.Tonight, we talk about the Dark Lord and Sparrow treats us to a scary story, Occupied.We set aside 'Feature Album' tonight and we bring you songs to fit the season. It wouldn't be a Wigglian Samhain without Alice Cooper, so we hear I Love the Dead. Godsmack makes a return to The Wigglian Way with Spiral, crank it up! From Telling the Bees, we hear Barrow Song and from SJ…

Hey fellow Wigglians. Just a quick note to thank everyone and let everyone know that the voting for the 2008 Podcast Awards has begun. You can vote once a day until Nov. 6th. Please vote, pretty please.We're the only pagan podcast nominated, let's bring one home for the Old Ones, and let the greater podcast community know that we are here.For a bunch of amateurs that we are here at The Wigglian Way, this whole process has been so cool! Thanks for the wild ride!We don't know if we'll get a show out by Samhain, but if we don't have a safe and happy New Year, please don't drink and fly, take a…

We've been nominated for the 2008 Podcast Awards!!!!!We are tripping out right now.....Voting begins Oct. 23rd, please vote for us. Pretty please.Thank you, Wigglians. Thanks for listening to the show, thanks for comments and emails, thank you for nominating us. It's all about the Love.Thanks for walking.....The Wigglian Way.

Hail Wigglians! Happy Thanksgiving, or Columbus Day or just good old Monday, depending on where you live, we're so happy that you have downloaded the show.On tonight's show we are joined by The Lovely Sarah for a live tea leaf reading right here in the studio. We also try and help out a listener and his son.Tonight's feature album is Myth Magic by Kan'Nal. From this most excellent album we hear Digging up the Devils and the title cut Myth Magic. We also end the show with Wolves.We also wanted to mention a new book, Rabbit's Song by SJ Tucker and Trudy Herring with illustrations by W. Lyon…

I’m still slogging through my manuscript for book three, and making progress. I had hoped to have a solid outline before I started so that I could just dig in and write sequentially, but I was so busy with appearances in September and October that I didn’t get to it. When November 1 came, and NaNoWriMo started, I had to just dive in and hope for the best. The first week went well as I wrote the scenes for each returning character and started filling in the background information for the new characters. Then I hit a slump the second week, which I hear is pretty common and felt very…

Announcements: I’ll be reading and signing at 3:15 pm at Author’s Day at the Bay State Paranormal Center, Saturday, November 8, 2008, from 12 pm -5 pm. Admission is free. New contest — guess the astrological sign of my protagonist, Alicia Anderson!  More details upcoming in Episode 8. Finally, remember that I’ll be participating in NaNoWriMo (www.nanowrimo.org) in November, which means that I’ll be trying to write 1,667 words a day. I might not be able to publish a podcast that month, but I should be on track in December because I have two interviews that are…

News about fictional vampires, Salem in October, and what’s coming in the future. This episode was recorded on October 28, 2008. Articles mentioned: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94486732 Alan Ball, Talking ‘True Blood’ and ‘Towelhead’ http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s2i39333 The Spoof: Vampire Convention in Denver Next Week http://www.slate.com/id/11447/ Standards for Vampires — Even the undead ought to obey a few simple rules. By Stephen Harrigan True Blood Halloween 2008…

This sample accompanies VWnG006, Interview with Karagan, Witch and Podcaster.  Here we have “Hymn to Pan,” from the Homeric Hymns. The chant is a collective effort with several High Priests of the Craft.  On Karagan’s “Chants of Old,” it is on track 11. From Karagan:  “Pan is the Greek god of shepherds and flocks, of mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music: Paein means to pasture. He has the hindquarters, legs, and horns of a goat. On this chant, I used a more melodic approach with vocal singing and sound of drums made by my own voice. The text of this…

Morven interviews Karagan, a delightful witch and podcaster who hosts the WitchCrafting PodCast. Karagan’s interest in the occult started at a very early age. He began his journey into Witchcraft and Wicca 15 years ago in Portugal. He now lives in Salem, Massachusetts. This episode was recorded on September 18, 2008. Show Notes: Karagan’s podcast is at http://witchpod.blogspot.com/ A sample chant from Karagan’s CD will be posted on podcast.morvenwestfield.com.

As the Wheel of the Year turns past Samhain and into a new year, I thought I'd mention our Grove's Leadership Council, who took office at Samhain after the September/October...

Yesterday was the sort of day that made me wonder whether doing our Samhain rituals outdoors is really a good idea at all.  I don't think the temperature ever got above 45,...

The weather this weekend was super-lovely, well by November standards anyway, with lots of sun and temperatures in the 60s.  I have no doubt that if the weather is any...

Halloween is nearly upon us, and Samhain after that, and so thoughts of our loved ones who have passed before us will be strong within us.  Not just the human ones, I honor...

Night is falling earlier every day, the leaves are finally changing color and letting gravity pull them down,  the Lions have lost all six of their games…  Yep,...

"We need to teach our people to fear God".Thus spake Jacob Zuma,ANC President and fearless defender of, and apparently spokesman for, Yahweh Himself.Excuse me, Mr (or is that Doctor?) Zuma, but WTF?"Even those who are not religious - they may be communists - must learn to fear others. We must also learn to fear our ancestors." I don't know about you, but I have a fairly good relationship with my ancestors, and fear is not one of the emotions at play here. Perhaps Mr. Zuma's great grandmother was a tyrannical harridan with whom he needs to curry favour, but none of mine were. They had their…

I can see you, you know.Pacing back and forth the outline of your cage which you don’t even acknowledge. It’s there, visible to All – but you.Yet your soul, it sees it – sees and knows very well the prison you are in. And so you frantically run to capture Others: other animals (we don’t suspect that we are an animal, do we?), other humans, plants, chemicals, sunlight, water. The very Earth and all of Space you’d set within bounds, for that way you might think that you control it.I can hear you, you know.The BeanSidhe wail in the midnight of your dreaming - All coming apart, as if…

There are dream spaces which evoke such a sense of beauty and wonder that I derive joy just remembering them.No, not the Brontosaurus chasing me through a deserted city of my nine-year-old self.Nor the huge, threatening big cats which menaced my loved ones eight and nine years ago. Nor all the dreams of half empty bottles of alcohol secreted and quickly drunk from.Those are warnings and indicators of tricky, dangerous or deadly paths.But the company of Witches in endless meadows of flowers; the exquisite opening of a corn blue flower;the enormous house upon the cliff top, which I know is my…

Coming home from work in the driving drizzle; the white bumper of the outlandishly huge 4X4 in front of me began to take on a washed-out, dreamy cast.I'm finding it ever easier to slip into an altered state of consciousness - and there, at the foot of the Tree by the bridge across the little river, wait my two Ancestor Representatives. They each take one of my hands and lead off across the bridge: Pied Crow flutters to a perch upon my right shoulder, and Panther stalks before us, swaying ferally. I feel the presence of my two Guardian Deities at my back.Here, before us, a mighty ocean, whose…

Or, rather, is our location in space and time special?For a couple of centuries, there's been a move in science to disavow any notion that the Earth is in any way situated in a favoured position in the Universe.As soon as we managed to get over ourselves, and the Biblical notion that we were at the centre of creation, we began believing that there was nothing preferred about our corner of the All.Now a South African cosmologist has put forward what may turn out to be a spanner in the works of the Relativistic View.The problem seems to be the extraordinary behaviour of space in our direct…

Repeal Prop 8!http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/repealprop8

Because a friend was talking about it today:The Forgotten Ancestorsby Storm FaerywolfThey are without name and numberwithout face or memoryOr shadeOr formBut still they liveAs hungry ghosts feeding on the crusts of breadAnd the kindness of strangers.But they are not unknown to usNot completely.The men and women of secret passionsThe man who wore a dress and was arrestedTaken away in a wagon of queersThe womanWith hair cut short and wearing slacksLike any gentleman on the town.They are still here with usWandering lost.Wander no more for we rememberThough we know not your names, we remember!You…

Several people have offered to assist me with any magical workings that I might be doing to help defeat the oppression of Proposition 8. What follows is a spell that I wrote based on one that I performed along with Chas and a good friend of ours prior to the election. Since the central modality of the spell is that of the thing "rotting away" it is a decidedly "slower" spell in terms of time for results, although it is also a much more thorough one. (I figure that "fast" is less important than "effective"... I'm confidant that the spell we did is still…

A friend of mine posted this in his Facebook and I thought I would share. It is from the original CA Supreme Court decision from May 08 that struck down the same-sex marriage ban. This will ultimately be Prop 8's undoing. Pay particular attention to the last two paragraphs."In recognizing, however, that the right to marry is a basic, constitutionally protected civil right -- "a fundamental right of free men [and women]"...--....this right embodies fundamental interests of an individual that are protected from abrogation or elimination by the state. (p. 61-2)""None of the foregoing decisions…

The BBC reports that:TAn otter has survived a "perilous" three-mile sea crossing to the Farne Islands for the first time, the National Trust has said. The animal, more commonly found in rivers, has swum from the coast of Northumberland despite rough seas. Head warden David Steel said he was stunned to find 60 yards of otter tracks on Brownsman Island, which is famed for its bird colonies. The mammal has not yet been sighted, but it is thought to be still there. Agitated behaviour by the island's gulls and puffins suggest the new predator has settled in. Otters and Earthwise Shopping: Looking…

It is not that the divine is everywhere: it is that the divine is everything.Joseph CampbellToday I would like to share this article: Sacred Repositories and Goddess Figurines by Johanna Stuckey. It appears at the Matri-Focus. Please note: The is a speculative, not a scholarly magazine, and should be enjoyed as such. (1)I would also recommend her article titled Ancient Grain Goddess of the Eastern MediterraneanEnjoy,Sia(1) A scholarly or professional journal (as opposed to a magazine) contains articles that fit strict standards and are peer reviewed by other experts in the field prior to…

For those who are following this story, the BBC has some video updates about the California wildfires. Here is a list of Fire information, road closures, evacuation centers and animal shelters that are available for people being forced from their homes due to the wildfires.Here are some tips from "When pets must evacuate" at latimes.com. The LA Times reports:In fire disasters, the issue of how to safeguard family pets, horses and other animals invariably arises. Below, Patrick Franks, 11, hugs his dog, Scamp, while taking a break from digging for salvageable items in the ruins of his…

My thoughts today are with friends in California, those who have evacuated from the fires and those who might still have to do so. (1)What's Been Lost: It's funny how different people think about these things. I've been wondering how many horses got out, and another concern has been for the many cats and dogs that roam trailer parks like the ones that recently burned down. These animals that live in trailer parks are sometimes pets, sometimes feral and sometimes held, as t'wer, in common, and they are thought of last in such situations, if at all. (As far as we know, there has not yet been a…

Today I would like to share some Green Tips for Thanksgiving from our friends at TreeHugger. These include directions on cooking a sustainable Thanksgiving dinner.Presidential Puppy Watch: Meanwhile, the Presidential Puppy Watch continues. Kudos to Michelle Obama and her family for deciding to choose a shelter dog. A lovely story in the LA Times notes that animal shelters around the country are grateful for the spotlight this has put on their work.Can't Adopt? Why Not Foster? Shelters around the country are full as more and more people loose their homes. If you can't adopt a pet, perhaps you…

On winter nights, when the moon is high, wait by the track at Camelot.Though nothing catches your eye except shade and moon shadows, you may hear them ride by:Arthur and his men, hoofbeats clattering, with their horns and their hounds on their way to hunt. -- Exploring King Arthur's Britain by Denise StobieExcept for the occasional association with Goddesses of the dead, justice, or the hunt, the Wild Hunt’s legendary leaders are mostly Gods and male heroes.In Germany and the Scandanavian lands, the Hunt is most commonly associated with the All Father, Odin and called Wotan's Hunt. Other…

The Sun enters the astrological sign of Sagittarius today. Sagittarius is a fire sign and is ruled by the expansive planet Jupiter. Persons born under the sign of the Centaur-Archer are said to be optimistic, enthusiastic, and seekers of knowledge. They insist upon their freedom, and can be outspoken and prone to exaggeration. Yet they can also be very delicate, diplomatic and deep. Sagittarians are idealists who want everything to be wonderful. They are also extremists who hate half measures. For them, it's either gung ho or no go.As astrologer Jon Cainer writes, “To be a Sagittarian is to…

Diana Hunting, by Hans MakartThrough the Jungle very softly flits a shadow and a sigh –He is Fear, O Little Hunter, he is Fear! -- Rudyard KiplingThe Wild Hunt has been an apparition that has been observed by countless generations, from one end of Europe to the other, and even brought over to the New World by our European ancestors. While always fearsome and to be avoided, its characteristics vary somewhat, based on who is leading it.For instance, in Germany, where many tales of the Hunt have survived and are still being re-enacted today, the Hunt was sometimes known to be led by several…

Then the hunters were black and large and terrifying, and their hounds were all black and broad-eyed and terrifying, and they rode on black horses and black goats... -- Anonymous monk of Peterborough Abbey,from the Peterborough Chronicles,circa 1132 (translated from the early Middle English)Across Europe, the Wild Hunt appears at various times of the year, but most commonly during our current season from Samhain through Yule. With numerous local names including the Yeth Hounds or Wisht Hounds of western England; the French Hellequin's Hunt, which consisted of not only hunters but an entire…

Death, the dreadful hunter, is on the track ofmankind throughout the world and he will notgive up on any spoor until he has laid handson that he has been chasing so long.-- The Metres of Boethius, Alfred the Great,c. 849 – 899 C.E.This dark period from Samhain to the end of November (and in some places, straight through to Yule) is the traditional time of the Wild Hunt. Also known in Germanic countries as the Raging Host, tales of this event go back to the most ancient times. The Wild Hunt is a ghostly procession of huntsmen, their horses and dogs. Its roots are in ancient Germanic and…

NYTimes.comTHANK.GODDESS!President Obama. Erudite. Intellectual. Inclusive. And he's all ours. I'm so proude to be an American tonight. *But not so proud to be a Kentuckian, where our uneducated and superstitious majority chose to put our state at the ass end of history. Way to go, all you bible thumpers.

YouTubeOK, if you aren't watching TRUE BLOOD on HBO.... well, you should be. It's entirely possible that they could fuck it all up, but as of right now, this is the best vampire anything, ever, and believe me, I know my vampires.

YouTubeFucking. Brilliant.Praise Goddess I finally lived long enough to see a Democrat call a Republican out for lying!

Go, Sisters, go! Women Against Sarah Palin is a new blog by women who are appalled at John McCain's selection of the lying, vindictive Sarah Palin to be his running mate. She's a Women's Rights nightmare - anti-choice, anti-sex education, pro-theocracy, pro-drilling, anti-environment, anti-polar bears, a dyed in the wool Right Wing Nut. We MUST be sure that Barack Obama wins this election, or this odious woman might be our president, given John McCain's obvious age and infirmity.

Hey friends, again, thanks for all the calls you’ve been making about our bus, progress is being made, slowly. But I just got word that a young man who was scouting for us yesterday was riding his bike when a police officer tackled him and knocked him off his bike. The stepped on his chest, and he spent the night coughing up blood. When he was seen this morning by a jail medical officer, he was told ‘that was normal’. Please call and demand that he get medical treatment. He’s also reported being harrassed by the jail guards for his perceived sexual orientation—he’s a soft, sweet…