Articles — pagan

Local news media never know quite how to cover Pagan events, and the unease is mutual. Decades of being ignored (except during Halloween season) and misrepresented have left plenty of Pagans shy around the press. After all, no one wants to be baited, be ridiculed, or show up on the evening news with “area cult member” under their name. When a reporter interviews local Pagans and snaps a few photos, the resulting news story will typically contain one of the following: A blandly well-meaning overview of Pagan beliefs, complete with some quotes from “totally normal” Pagans. Or, a thinly veiled...

The fable of the “village witch” is immensely appealing to many Witches and Pagans. Whether it’s historically accurate or not, we relish the idea of the lone magick worker whose gifts are supported by their local community. Yet the popularity of alternative spirituality has led to a classic supply-and-demand problem, in which spiritual services are oversupplied and undervalued. It’s time to drag the village witch out of her cottage, and introduce her to the modern marketplace. The myth of the village witch The story goes something like this: In the distant (or not-so-distant) past, each village had its witch. (Or...

It's heating up outside, and Pagan topics have been equally hot in the news this summer of 2016. From buzzkills at Stonehenge to the high-profile sentencing of an Arizona priestess, we've been scrolling through our news feed with a slack jaw. In case you missed 'em, here's the most noteworthy recent news stories relating to modern Paganism: Witch Trials: There Is Nothing Magical About Being a Pagan in Prison by Gabby Bess (VICE, July 8, 2016) A heart-wrenching article about one California inmate's struggle to be able to practice Wicca while incarcerated. Includes an interview with Witch and author Starhawk,...

Passing the cup is a time-honored rite that's part of many a Pagan gathering. The act of blessing and sharing a beverage is certainly more important than what's in the vessel—but that doesn't mean the contents should be overlooked entirely. Celebrating with a seasonal beverage is a great way to honor the turning of the Wheel. If you've been filling your ritual chalice with boxed wine and Sprite since the beginning of time...well, read on. The suggestions in this article are based on traditional correspondences. Of course, what fruits and vegetables are in season depends on your climate and location....

What does an Earth-based religion look like in the 21st century? If you ask my Pinterest feed, a certain brand of rustic fantasy emerges. There is a lot of bark. There is a lot of artfully arrayed moss. There are corsets and loincloths and tools of antler and clay. You can only deduce that Paganism is something one does outdoors, away from modern conveniences, and preferably while looking fabulously disheveled. Campfires, misty groves, stones and bones--these images speak to us and inspire us. A yearning for natural surroundings (and for the distant past) is one of the common threads that...