Riverain – NaturalPagans

Brightening

January 23, 2021 Mark Green Atheopaganism, Brightening, Riverain, Sabbaths

It interests me that the new dawn in American politics comes at the same time that it has become evident (in the Northern Hemisphere) that the days are lengthening. We are no longer in the darkest of winter; the February Sabbath approaches, and the Sun, though young, is definitely returning. A member of the Atheopagan … Continue reading Brightening

Coming Up Dry for the Festival of Water

January 18, 2021 Mark Green Atheopaganism, Riverain, Sabbaths

In my Wheel of the Year, the February Sabbath is Riverain, the Festival of Water. This is because ordinarily, it rains torrentially in late January and into February in my region. The hills grow emerald with new grasses and the creeks swell and thunder. It is a beautiful time, the time of burgeoning life. But … Continue reading Coming Up Dry for the Festival of Water

The February Sabbath

January 25, 2020 Mark Green Atheopaganism, Riverain, Sabbaths

The February Sabbath always seems a bit elusive to me. I don’t believe in the goddess Brighid, who is often celebrated at this time, and I don’t live somewhere where first, small indications of spring are appearing. No, I’m in coastal Northern California, and here in this Mediterranean climate it is wet and the mountains are … Continue reading The February Sabbath

The Moment of Brightening

January 30, 2019 Mark Green Atheopaganism, Riverain, Sabbaths

There comes a time in the winter when, finally, you realize: the days aren’t so short any longer. That point may coincide with the first sprouts of Spring peeking up from the ground, or the first buds on the trees. Or not: maybe it’s just snowing and freezing and wintering like hell, and Spring seems the … Continue reading The Moment of Brightening

The Ritual Cycle of the Rain Baby: An Example

January 17, 2018 Mark Green Atheopaganism, Practices & Rituals, Riverain, Sabbaths

So, last year I wrote about a new tradition for Riverain, the Water Sabbath, which is how I celebrate the holiday that falls between the Winter Solstice (Yule) and the Spring Equinox (High Spring). Riverain comes at the height of the wet season in California’s Mediterranean climate, when the hills are green and the creeks and … Continue reading The Ritual Cycle of the Rain Baby: An Example