Pagan Bloggers with Naturalistic Worldviews
It’s time to grow up Pagans. You’re not fucking Merlin or Gandalf. You’re not a reincarnated Egyptian princess or Celtic priestess. And your teen witch spells are not going to change your eye color, or make you levitate, or get you that long-desired revenge on those high school mean girls. 
As so many people, of all ages and in all areas of the country, flee a literal Bible, they will still have many of the very human needs supplied by traditional religions. How many of them will work to build naturalistic religions of various kinds? As Naturalistic Paganism and other naturalistic approaches to religion grow, I hope that they find fulfilling spiritualities that enhance their lives and build a better world for all.
Celebrations Heat! Summer! Productivity! Growing Darkness! These and many other themes join with the baking of bread and early harvest celebrations of Lunasa. Some of the ways many of us are celebrating were published a few weeks ago. For…
The “cross-quarter” Sabbath between Midsummer (the solstice) and Harvest (the autumnal equinox) is a bit of a stepchild Sabbath for many Pagans. This is High Vacation Season, and many are off on adventures or otherwise occupied with the social season of summer. Not only that, but it marks the beginning of the autumn season, and … Continue reading Summer’s End, New Beginnings
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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.
Sex and health are important topics for anyone, but maybe more so for us Pagans. Being an earth-based belief system, we tend to favor and embrace a more natural and holistic approach to our health; steering away from chemicals that can harm the Earth and us, and pills that may contain multiple side effects. And when it comes to sex, we don’t usually attach cultural taboos, and restrictions like other religions do but encourage that which gives our bodies pleasure when performed in mutual enjoyment. We don’t always wish to produce more children, however, so we use contraceptives to prevent this from happening.
In early August, many Pagans will celebrate Lammas or Lughnasadh. As I type these words, raspberries are ripening on canes, sweet peas rest in their pods, the first tomatoes are blushing, and bees are buzzing in the lavender. There is so much goodness in our gardens, orchards, and farms. Fasting is a time-tested, spiritual practice that can help Pagans to receive these summer gifts in health, joy, appreciation, and thanks.
Hi, folks! Sorry for the radio silence; my head hasn’t been in pagan space much lately so I’ve been dealing with a bit of writer’s block in that direction. I’m starting to come out of it a bit, though, and I have a few… Continue Reading
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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.
Bart Everson, author of “Spinning in Place,” speaks at the Venue Fine Arts and Gifts on July 9, 2017. On July 7, Bart Everson spoke about eco-spiritual practices at The Venue in Bloomington. A longtime atheist, Everson emphasized the celebration…