Merry Meet

I find it to be an interesting thing, having my mindset on Halloween. Sometimes it feels like ‘opposite day,’ meaning the things I normally like to do spiritually or for fun are commonly practiced. I remember when I was little and my mother read me a book about aliens who visited Earth–but they happened to visit on Halloween. The thought it was so weird to dress up in costumes and didn’t really understand it.

I guess the message I take from it is this–things are only as weird as you want to think they are. To someone else, it might be normal…even every day kind of normal. I dress up in costumes every month to go LARP. I don’t think that’s normal, but it is fun.

Enjoy your once a year day, everyone!

In Pagan news today, there seems to be an overall theme of acceptance. Could it be that some people no longer balk at someone who lives out of the broom closet?

• Dan Halloran is a Pagan Republican. Yes, even this is apparently possible! Personally, I’m surprised this dude even lived through the Bush Administration, but I’m all for him opening the eyes of his political party.
• Halloween expert Lesley Bannatyne offers some candid insight into Halloween and discusses her research. Bannatyne witnessed rituals from a Pagan group local to her and discusses her views on modern witchcraft.
• Vampires in New Jersey, USA are performing some Pagan rituals involving blood sacrifice. They also happen to sell fangs. While I believe that vampirism may be an actual medical condition and/or state of being, (more…)

This is a pure rant. Just a warning. I don’t rant too often, but here it is…

Everyone has a right to celebrate (or not celebrate) holidays as they choose! That’s awesome. I love that it is so.

If you don’t celebrate Halloween, that is your choice and I am okay with that. However, don’t get all offended when I want to wear a costume for Halloween. For me, this has nothing to do with paganism or my feelings for Samhain and everything to do with the fact that some people push their pagan-hatred all around during this time of year simply because Halloween comes from a pagan tradition.

Guess what? So do many other things. People did lots of stuff before Christ was here. They had sex and took shits. Does that make procreation and defecation any less important to the survival of humanity? No!

So, to the minority of Christians who spread their hatred for Halloween around…try loving your neighbor and I shall harm none, do as I will. This really means we should be working in conjunction with one another. (more…)

This past weekend, I was able to participate in a festive, Halloween-season event. Sitting at the marketing booth for our group, I was able to talk to many friendly people who showed interest in our live action role playing group.

I got into a discussion with one prospective player. She had a decent looking costume, so I said hello and we started talking. I suppose I appeared open-minded, but I never bring up religion or politics when marketing our game, so for all she knew, I could have been a conservative person or not spiritual at all.

I was discussing combatant and non-combatant roles in LARP and mentioned that I currently play non-combatant roles because of a back injury earlier this year. I got the immediate sense that she would want to play a healer–not because she was female (as many females do gravitate toward the healer role in RPGs), but because it was just very present. I don’t know how else to describe it. (more…)

Mabon traditions are centered around the harvest. Much of the thought surrounding Thanksgiving celebrates and reflects the values and traditions of Mabon.

Mabon is celebrated at the Autumnal Equinox.  Mabon occurs in late September (in most countries partially populated by those who celebrate it). While the harvest traditions are themselves old, the name of the holiday comes from a Welsh tale and was formalized first by Aidan Kelly — around 1970. (more…)

One of the most well-known and controversial pagan holidays is Samhain. Some people don’t know a great deal about Samhain except for its pagan origins and connection to the widely-celebrated Halloween, making them reticent or fearful to learn more about it. Samhain is celebrated on either October 31st or November 1st, depending on one’s belief structure or calendar.

Samhain (pronounced sow-ehn, rhymes with ‘how then‘) was celebrated as a pagan holiday in ancient times. Elements of this celebration as well as the meaning of Samhain has been retained in both popular culture, but more specifically in neopagan paths including Wicca and Celtic Reconstructionism.

Samhain can be seen as the end of the harvest and/or the beginning of the new year. It is often signified and celebrated with bonfires.

What’s the Halloween Connection? Should I Worry?

Samhain marks the lowering of the veils between the worlds of the living and the dead. While this might sound odd to some, it will also sound familiar–this is very standard Halloween lore and history.

Samhain was and is a day for participants to remember the dead. To remember the dead on Samhain, you can: (more…)

What Is A Maenad?

Maenads are female mythological beings who worship the Greek god Dionysus (or Bacchus in the Roman pantheon). Dionysus and his maenad followers remain popular cultural and spiritual reference points because they are associated with partying and raucous behavior. Many have recently become curious about maenads due to HBO’s True Blood series, which outed supporting character Maryann as a maenad.

Maenads are connected to drinking, dancing, and overall intoxication. They are female figures and appear as a maternal, protective figure to mortals. (more…)

What is the winter solstice?

The winter solstice has been celebrated for thousands of years by many ancient and modern cultures. Many modern holidays also take place near the time of the winter solstice.

The winter solstice marks the longest night and shortest day of the year–opposite of the summer solstice.

Check out Wikipedia for a brief scientific explanation.

For complete current and future winter solstice and equinox dates, check out this comprehensive timetable. This year’s winter solstice will take place on December 21st, 2009 (in the evening for most of our readers). (more…)

Generalizing about pagans and paganism is a difficult topic–the term encompasses many beliefs and opinions. However, when it comes to instilling beliefs in your child or showing them the path of your choice, there are several approaches.

Like members of any faith or spirituality,  some pagans are members of pagan groups (such as a Wiccan coven) which have specific rituals and common beliefs. Others choose the solitary path, meaning they worship alone. Some are more observant about holidays and festivals than others.

Regardless of your path or manner of worship or your religion, parenting is never easy. There isn’t a concrete instruction manual which applies to everyone. however, there are some resources to assist pagan parents. Here is a list: (more…)

A coven of witches in England rented out a hall for a Halloween ball. Then they were kicked out. It might sound discriminatory, until you learn that the hall they rented was parish property. (View the original source here at the Telegraph.)

Because of obvious differences in their belief systems, this seems to be a no-brainer. But what gives the witches the right to claim persecution? After all, isn’t it a bit odd that they’d rent a church hall to begin with? If anything, this story would be more controversial if the church HAD allowed them to keep the space.

The church is its own institution and has its own property. I don’t think it’s discriminatory if they give priority to members of their church (just like having a wedding in a church is less expensive for church members, who also have priority on dates) or if they decide not to support a social celebration of a religion that they feel conflicts with their beliefs.

I don’t necessarily agree with church principles in general, but they have a right to have them–and by claiming persecution here, this coven is actually infringing upon the church’s right to make its own choices. (more…)

Happy Earth Day, readers!

I’d like to discuss environmentalism and paganism today. Do you think they are connected?

Opinions on this topic seems to vary.

I’ve been accused of being a ‘fluffy pagan’ before because I feel like I have a spiritual responsibility to at least be decent to the environment; for over a decade, this included my desire to maintain a vegetarian diet. This is actually one reason why I have always said I have a Celtic path, but am not necessarily a Celtic Reconstructionist. (more…)

On March 17th, many Irish and people of Irish descent celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Like anything both religious and Irish, there’s bound to be controversy surrounding the holiday, and talk about St. Patrick’s day in pagan communities is no exception.

In my opinion, Irish heritage is rich for several reasons. Primary among those reasons is that Irish culture is a true blend of politics, religion, the arts, history, spirituality, and mythology all blended together. I believe it’s a fact that religions in Ireland have blended together, and that Irish Catholicism is very distinct. (more…)