It’s common for us Pagans to be among those most aware of what the planet Mercury is doing, and while going retrograde happens every few months (~3 times a year) a Mercury transit (when Mercury “eclipses”* the Sun) is much,…
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Atheopagan “Saints”
They are Honored Dead, at the very least. Giordano Bruno. Galileo Galilei. Copernicus. Isaac Newton. Aldo Leopold. John Muir. Marie Curie. Albert Einstein. Richard Feynman. Rachel Carson. Carl Sagan. Ursula K. LeGuin. Stephen Hawking. Mary Oliver. And there will be more, when they go: Jane Goodall. Richard Attenborough. Bill Nye. Wendell Berry. The work of … Continue reading Atheopagan “Saints”
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How much Pagan stuff do I need?
I’ve been practicing Paganism off and on again since 2007. I admit that I’ve acquired a lot of Pagan stuff over the years, mostly books, but also quite a few divination tools and Pagany tchotchkes. I purchased most of these items myself at thrift stores or at one of several excellent magical shops that we’re … Continue reading How much Pagan stuff do I need?
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Happy Fall Equitherm (Samhain)!
Our Ancestors reach back in an unbroken chain billions of years long, including literally billions of people, trillions of non-human Ancestors, and many more. Today our Ancestors speak to us, and we speak to them. Celebrations Death, the dead, and…
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LORE DAY: A New Sabbath for the Hallows Season
So, six months from now—in the Northern Hemisphere, mind—there is a two-day traditional holiday comprised of Walpurisnacht on April 30, followed by May Day. The former is a sort of mini-Hallows: ghosts and scary Visitations. Then May Day itself is joy and lusty celebration. Why isn’t this end of the year like that? Why don’t … Continue reading LORE DAY: A New Sabbath for the Hallows Season
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At the Mercy of the Elements
So here it is again: evacuation in the face of wind-driven wildfires. Second time in two years. Climate change is real, y’all. More severe winds, higher temperatures leading to lower humidity: boom. Fire. It disturbs me how little the subject comes up as the whole community freaks out over the fires. This is not a … Continue reading At the Mercy of the Elements
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A Few Glimpses of the Real Lives of our Ancestors, by Starstuff, Contemplating
In many ways (not all!), this is a great time to be alive. In addition to benefits of medicine and technology, my Samhain observance (and indeed, my life overall) is enhanced by a large and growing body of knowledge about…
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With Both Hands in Grave Dirt
‘Tis the season for we Pagany/witchy types. There is an entire aesthetic we—or most of us, anyway—enjoy that has a brief moment in the waning sun each year, and this is it. Now, as Atheopagans, we don’t believe in ghosts or spirits or Dark God/desses. But that doesn’t matter: there is plenty of rich fodder … Continue reading With Both Hands in Grave Dirt
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Samhain (The Fall Equitherm) Approaches!
Got your house decorated yet? Samhain (the Fall Equitherm) is less than two weeks away! For many of us (including me), this is one of the most sacred times of the year – a time when I feel my Ancestors…
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Things End
I’m in an odd space right now. On the one hand, excitement about The Book and the newness of all the Author Stuff like promoting it, doing interviews, etc. is really thrilling. But on the other, beloved things are coming to an end, and I’m sad about that. Pantheacon, which has been the largest gathering … Continue reading Things End
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