Personal Reflection
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Out
As of tonight, I am out. I acknowledged the publication of my book and publicized a radio interview coming up on Sunday to my entire friends list on Facebook, which includes professional and political associates. For my entire career, I have kept my religious life out of my professional life. It doesn’t belong there, and the last thing I would want to do is to make anyone uncomfortable. But now I’ve written the book, and I’m about to do an interview that could be heard by thousands of local residents, and honestly? I just don’t care any longer. I’m out of the Atheopagan closet. Now, I live in a progressive,…
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Citizens’ Climate Lobby launches Earth-based Spirituality Action Team
12 September 2019 — The CCL Earth-based Spirituality Action Team announces its formation and inaugural conference call. The team will offcially launch just after the southward equinox on 24 September 2019, with an interactive call featuring guest speaker M. Macha NightMare. Citizens’s Climate Lobby is a nonproft, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change. “CCL has over 50 action teams in a wide range of areas, including a dozen faith-based teams,” said T. Todd Elvins, CCL Action Coordinator. “The Earth-based Spirituality team will give greater visibility to an often-overlooked religious orientation.” “The Earth-based Spirituality Team is for Pagans, Wiccans, Witches, Occultists, Druids, Gaians, Goddess-worshippers, Earth-worshippers,…
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Opening to Subtle Changes
A lot of what being a Pagan is about is paying attention. Being connected to the world and to yourself means being aware of subtle feelings and changes in conditions that many around us simply may not notice. Some of this is knowing the Earth lore for your region: what is the first tree to flower in spring where you are? What are the native wildflowers, and in what order do they appear? When do leaves begin to turn in the autumn, and which trees turn first? Which asterisms (“constellations”) are ascendant at a given time of year? These are indicators–data points that can help us to notice that changes…
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An Appeal
I don’t usually flog this much–I make a mention in the Facebook group once a month or so, but that’s all–but I have a Patreon account to help support my creation and promotion of Atheopagan ideas, resources, events and art. Patreon is a pretty cool idea, and I hope whoever invented it is getting rich from it. It is a system that allows people to become patrons of artists and creators they enjoy. They pledge a little money each month, and collectively, it adds up to significant funds for the creator. I know musicians who are reliant on their Patreon income to augment their touring and CD sales income, for…
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An Appreciation
It’s Summer’s End weekend—or Lammas, or Lughansadh, if you prefer—and we are busily baking bread and baking in our sweltering home. I’ve written before about what this Sabbath means to me, but I’m putting together the final lesson of Atheopaganism U., and I have many feelings now that I thought I’d capture while they’re fresh. First, I’m struck by how interesting, thoughtful, and committed to their own growth and process this first class of students has been. They come from wildly different backgrounds and circumstances, but all are explorers, curious, looking for how a spiritual practice consistent with their values can best integrate into their lives. Secondly, this process has…
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Patriotism and Ritual Cleansing
It’s the 4th of July: Independence Day in the U.S., a time of patriotic celebration. I am a patriot. By that, I mean that I 1) love the land, water, air, creatures and people of the United States, and want the best for them; 2) I am well familiar with and do not deny the historical and current moral failings of this country, and seek to improve our record and behavior going forward. I do not mean that I cheer lead the American Empire, nor that I jingoistically hail flags, weapons, militarism or the idea that the United States is somehow superior to all other nations, all metrics contradicting this…
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A Solar Reflection
It’s the day after Midsummer—at least, here in the Northern Hemisphere—and it’s hot and sunny, as one would expect. Meanwhile, the chaos weather of global climate change goes on: Banff had 25 cm of snow last night. I had a quiet Midsummer: set out my Sun Broom to soak up the sun and wove some additional lengths of wild rye into it; contemplated my Focus for awhile. The day became very hot and we mostly lay about under a fan with our clothes off. These are the longest days of the year, and those many hours of daylight bring a sense of possibility with them: so much time to do…
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On a Foggy Summer Morning
It’s a soft, foggy morning: the kind we often have in coastal Northern California summers, where inland heat has pulled cool, moist air from the ocean over us like a gray flannel blanket. The fog will burn off in late morning. leaving a perfectly temperate, sunny day. Great for gardens and humans, such weather fills me with a sense of blessing at where I live, the systems and flowings of the land, air and water. Soon I will drive to work past redwood forests and vineyards, a green balm for the eyes. Wherever we are, the magic of Planet Earth is going on around us. Getting to know the processes,…
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Imagine
Ours is a vision of a better world. So let’s imagine it. In the world we seek to build, kindness is paramount. None are “Other” or “lesser”, be they queer or disabled or poor or differently colored in skin tone. And those who are unfortunate are helped: our society leaves no one behind, guaranteeing a minimum, livable standard of living in all the ways that matter, including housing, food, clothing, health care and access to transportation and education. Because we care about one another. In our world, intellect is valued and thinking and reason are considered to be good things. Expertise is respected, and all learn to think critically as they…
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The Magic of a World Without Magic
Atheopagans are what is called in philosophical circles naturalists. That means that we believe that everything is a part of nature, is composed of natural material, and is subject to the laws of physics. Everything. Accordingly, barring the arrival of a substantial and compelling body of evidence in support of the idea that rituals and mental effort can and do affect physical events at a distance in time or space—i.e., “magic”—we don’t believe in that, either. There are some in other Pagan paths who express pity for this position (not to mention resentment, but that’s another matter). As if living in a world without gods, without ghosts or demons or fairies…
