This week’s offering is my rotating contribution to the The Frederick News-Post‘s “On Faith” column. As is true of my other columns there, this article is written for a broader audience. Today’s offering is all about Midsummer, and ways to connect to the rhythm of this season. As always, I am so grateful to the…
Tag: ritual
The Western magickal world has a gender binary problem. Much of modern Paganism and Witchcraft derives from Wicca, which derives from…the 1950’s. And it shows. We have historically classified *everything* into the heteronormative categories of male and female, including things that have no gender. Like rocks. It’s pervasive and ultimately does a disservice to a…
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The…
The very first review of my forthcoming book, Blackfeather Mystery School: The Magpie Training, was just released! Deep gratitude to Jason of The Esoteric Book Club for this in-depth review. If you’re looking for an unbiased-by-social-connection take on the book, take a listen to the podcast here. Preorders for the book go up in early…
I will never forget the first time I heard the music from the Pure Moods album in the early 90s. I was a tweeny and my parents brought home a copy of the CD. I clearly remember dancing around the living room while listening to it. I needed to move my body in order to…
Happy New Year, friends. 2022 is here and I hope it’s starting off gently for you. The other day, I saw John Beckett (an absolutely wonderful Pagan blogger – you should definitely follow him if you’re not already) post a wrap-up of his most popular writing from the year. It inspired me to look at…
I got married recently and heard many lovely things from attendees after the celebration. The most consistent feedback was about the ceremony – how it was the most beautiful, authentic, and moving ceremony many friends had witnessed. My spouse and I are ritualists – we both love ceremony and the weaving of the sacred in…
I have some big news to share today. Many of you already know that I teach Blackfeather Mystery School with my co-teacher Caine Dreamwalker. Our school is in its third year right now. Blackfeather Mystery School is a full-spectrum training in Empowered Witchcraft. It is a synthesis and outgrowth of more than 20 years in…
The intersections of older spiritual practices and modern life are interesting and complex. Halloween season is a bubbling brew of history, belief, contemporary attitudes and goofy good times. Within paganism, the world of Earth-centered spirituality, October is the season of the ancestors and contains our New Year on the 31st. Our cycle ends, and then…
August can be tough in Maryland. The high heat and lack of rain (in some years) means that backyard gardeners like me often struggle to keep our vegetable and fruit beds happy. Air conditioners work overtime, and tempers can be a bit more volatile. When I’m nearing a high frustration point with the umpteenth 90-degree…