News Flash! The bright star Betelgeuse will be occulted (eclipsed) by an Asteroid Tomorrow Night (December 11-12) – only visible in a narrow band, or online

For many of our Ancestors, eclipses were times of terror and dread.  Now we can forecast them with precision down to a fraction of a second, and understand well what is going on.  Plus, we can even predict events with a narrower path of view – like the once in a lifetime “eclipse” of Betelgeuse (the bright red star of Orion’s left hand) by an asteroid!

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Paganism is Different, Part 3: In Paganism, there’s less reverence for a human leader [Stardust, Contemplating]

Paganism is radically different from many huge religions, and that these radical differences appear to have a large impact on our lives, on the lives of future generations, and on our world.  In Paganism, human leaders are less often idolized. Paganism’s focus on our own actions aligns with Paganism’s strong thread of individual freedom. 

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Michael Dowd, who gave us all so much, has died [Starstuff, Contemplating]

All of that is just a start at the many ways that Michael will be with us all into the future.  I encourage all of us to discover the many, many life changing works he left us.  As when Carl Sagan died, I’m reminded again that times like this speak to us all, urging us to pick up the torch, and carry it into the future.

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Gratitude for Ancestors, and the Treasure Trove of Knowledge they gave us – Remembering W. Jason Morgan [Starstuff, Contemplating]

Every now and then, I am reminded of how incredible it is to live now.  So many things would not just be amazing to nearly all of our Ancestors (who are in my mind especially now with Samhain just around the corner), but often would be literally indescribable.  To think that we live, not just on a globe and not on a flat Earth, but that the continents move!  Dr. W. Jason Morgan was instrumental in giving us that knowledge – and I appreciate his life, which ended this year.

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Paganism is Different, Part 2: In Paganism, No Single Deity is in Complete Control [Stardust, Contemplating]

Paganism is radically different from many huge religions, and that these radical differences appear to have a large impact on our lives, on the lives of future generations, and on our world.  In Paganism, no single deity is in complete control. Paganism’s rejection of one deity in control aligns with Paganism’s strong thread of individual freedom. 

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What the Perseids (just a few weeks away, Aug 11-13!) Taught me about Parenting, by Starstuff, Contemplating

But I was wrong – very wrong. In the blink of an eye the toddler is forever gone, ….

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Paganism is Different, Part 1: Paganism Empowers You [Stardust, Contemplating]

Even with all of those exceptions and nuances, I’ve realized that in so many ways, Paganism is radically different from many huge religions, and that these radical differences appear to have a large impact on our lives, on the lives of future generations, and on our world.  The first difference (Part 1) will be about who is fundamentally in charge of your religion, and this touches on how each religion sees our human nature (Part 7)

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