Naturalistic Animism: Seeing the Trees for the Ents

It takes an artist’s eyes—or a lover’s—to really see. It takes a willingness to get our hands dirty, to get up close and personal with messy nature, and to use all of our senses. But most of all, it requires a willingness to be open to receiving, as well as perceiving—an openness to being “touched back” when we touch nature.

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Spirituality Without Politics Is Lame

A politics without spirituality is blind, but a spirituality without politics is lame.  And that is why I worry about an apolitical spirituality.  I worry that individual spiritual practice in isolation from engagement with the world will never lead to real personal development and thus never lead to positive social change. And I worry about an apolitical spirituality which tells us that we need to accept the world as it is because we are powerless to change it.  Finally, sitting back and practicing equanimity and a contemplative attitude is a privilege that many people do not have.  It is not a option for many people of color.  It is not a option for many gay, lesbian, queer or transgendered people have.  It is not an option for many poor people or for many women.

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Spirituality Without Politics Is Lame

A politics without spirituality is blind, but a spirituality without politics is lame.  And that is why I worry about an apolitical spirituality.  I worry that individual spiritual practice in isolation from engagement with the world will never lead to real personal development and thus never lead to positive social change. And I worry about an apolitical spirituality which tells us that we need to accept the world as it is because we are powerless to change it.  Finally, sitting back and practicing equanimity and a contemplative attitude is a privilege that many people do not have.  It is not a option for many people of color.  It is not a option for many gay, lesbian, queer or transgendered people have.  It is not an option for many poor people or for many women.

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Lughna-say-what? What to Call This Pagan Holiday

The problem with the Pagan Wheel of the Year is that we are starting with a name, then working out what the day should mean from its etymology and history, and then trying to associate it with the season—which is completely backwards! We need to look at the season, work out what the holy day should mean, and then come up with an appropriate name. The year should turn the Wheel, not the other way around.

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Why I’m Boycotting Lughnasadh Again

If I went to a public Pagan ritual this weekend, most likely someone would give a little homily about the meaning of the day.  They would begin by explaining the meaning of the names “Lughnasadh” or “Lammas”, either etymologically or historically, and then explain how Lughnasadh is about sacrifice or some other harvest analogy.  But the whole process is completely backwards.  Instead of attuning ourselves to the actual cycles of nature, we end up trying to attune ourselves to an artificial cycle derived from a hodgepodge of Celtic lore and rural British customs.  Rather than the seasons turning the Wheel of the Year, we are letting the Wheel turn the seasons.  As a result, every explanation of a Pagan holiday has to begin with a disclaimer about why the holiday doesn’t match up with what our senses are actually telling us.

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