Hymn To The Morrigan

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Pagan Nostalgia - The Good Old Days

Once upon a time,at least 20 years or more ago,there was the Pagan community BEFORE the Internet,large Pagan Fests,and when finding one person near you who was pagan was Hard!!.Covens in certain areas were not easily found,and a bookstore that carried occult.or esoteric books wasnt very easy. We were mostly in the Broom Closet,except for those living on the east and West coasts,theres has been luckily a fairly vibrant communityBut the thing i liked about those days was that all /or most of the covens.groves,groups had some kind of newsletter or little magazine.Nowadays they are fewer and farther between. There were some good nationally known Pagan/Wiccan magazine's like Pan-Gaia.Shamans Drum,The Beltane Papers,Connections,Sage Woman and my favorite of all..(Well tied for #1 with Circle Sanctuaries Circle Magazine).The Green Egg.! For those who dont know the Green Egg,it was published steadily from the 70s thru the early 90s,then ceased publication.Then it was resurrected again sometime between 2005 and 2007.Its current status i couldnt tell you.It was published by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart of the Church Of All Worlds.As far as the Green Egg went you either loved it or you didn't.

My favorite part of the thing was The Green Egg forum,where people wrote in letters discussing this or that about the stories and things discussed in the previous issue.The interaction between Green Egg readers and editors with a certain Feisty Witch purist named Tarotstar stole the show. Lets relive a moment in time From the May June,2000 (correction they were publishing up to the early 2000s)Issue! Which Other Cheek? Come on Oberon,stop buttering Christian butts. In reference to the question of having the papacy sign an apology for the burning times,i quote Oberon:'We need not think we are alone in this.We have as allies respected Christian authorities who know us and are committed to justice.I suggest we appeal to these people to help draft a statement similar to the one presented to the Indians,and sponsor its passage through channels ro the appropriate authorities.I want to see it signed by no less than pope John Paul II himself!"Do we as Pagans,as Witches,as heretics,as occultists need validation by even being acknowledged as existing by the supreme pontiff of the Roman Church.?As Pagans,as Witches,one would assume Christianity is irrelevant in our lives and we need not grant them power by even coming to the notice of said church Do we really need to have that church make a statement saying please forgive us and forget the events of a benighted past.?Why do we in the Western world suffer under the delusion that an apology makes everything alright and better.? Just who are these" respected Christian authorities"we are supposed to have as allies? 'Christi-Wiccans?Do we really need allies from the institutional belief system of the Western world.? Has not the Witch always been the outsider and the other against whom the Christians need to compare themselves? Would this crusade for an official policy not contribute to more of the pandering for acceptance and making Wicca/Paganism but a bland offshoot of Christianity which sees the Goddess as Jesus in a dress.? It is normally assumed by academics and clergy that those of us who live in the Western world and who have gone through the education system are all Christian at least by culture. To quote Oberon again;" For our part,we Pagans must be willing to accept such an apology and embrace reconciliation with assurance of peace as an end to this long holy war.We must be willing to offer forgiveness(though not forgetfulness) for the crimes of there ancestors against ours." Listen, Oberon, as a member of the Craft,as a Pagan,as a heretic,as an occultist,I am not a Christian.I am not REQUIRED to forgive and i will not.Perfect Love and Perfect Trust to the worthy initiated,as the old Craft admonition runs,not to Dominicans,Jesuits,and Calvinist style fundamentalists.You embrace them if you will,but when they turn on you,I will be there snickering " I told you so!" BB Tarotstar Like i say --Oh how i long for the old days!!!!

Pagan Bookshelf Essentials #1 Drawing Down The Moon

People often ask me, what in my opinion is one book that a new pagan or occultist should read to learn about the history, philosophy, and beliefs of many of the Pagan traditions in America, and around the world. Well here is the book, Drawing Down the Moon, written by Margot Adler. Published and released the same day as Starhawks, 'The Spiral Dance". Margot Adler is also a radio Personality, on National Public Radio's , All things considered. This book has gone thru many revisions over the years, and it is constantly being reviewed and added to.Which is good because our communities are growing all around the world.My very first forays into the occult bookstores i used to frequent some 20 years ago, this and some books by Scott Cunningham were my First purchase. I was hungry to learn of the many traditions of the Craft, and various other Pagan groups. Its a big book, my copy weighs in at 584 pages. Covering topics such as.,Magick and Ritual,Women, Feminism,and The Craft, The Pagan World View.Reconstructionism, Church of All Worlds, and so forth and so on. Margot treats each topic fairly, taking the time to research, and meet people face to face. Which some authors very rarely take the time to actually put in the leg work, also being an Alexandrian priestess and a woman who was able to get in and interview people who might not have otherwise wanted to share of there traditions with others, Mrs Adler indeed had her work cut out for her. I especially like her work in defining and bringing to light the fledgling Pagan Festival Movement.So whenever someone asks, Where should i start. I ALWAYS start with this book. it will continue to be an invaluable resource for Pagans, Wiccans, and Occultists of all kinds. my questions to the readers of this blog, Do you have a copy of this book , and what are your opinions about it. Leave me a comment . And look for more Pagan Bookshelf

The Otherworld

There is a journey we all make,many times over.It is a journey from this life to the next. A journey to the Otherworld. It has many names , Mag Mell,Tir-na-mBeo,Tir-na-nog,the Land beyond the Ninth Wave.Many other cultures have different names.It is the place where the spirits of our ancestors dwelt.In the mounds and under the menhirs and dolmens.They were heroes who were led by the Gods. in a boat of glass ,in chariots,and as Niamh riding upon a White Horse. There are many stories , myths and legends of the Otherworld. Some can be found in the Mabinogion, others found in various other tomes and places. But there are many similarities in these. The Otherworld is a place of rest, beauty, no suffering, a place of preparation for the next journey, the next life.It is the place where 100 years is as a day.It is a place of honor for men , women , and children of the tribes and clans. Today in this world we see so much pain and hurt,war and destruction.But for those of us who know of the presence and comfort in knowing that we will return, as the Sun rises, as the Moon shines silver upon the seas, we have comfort. The Otherworld is a place, a beginning of knowledge, new knowledge, as we move from existance to existance.Within the Otherworld , we are as a beam of light, growing in radiance and power, thru out the millenia. There are those who fear this transition, when we lose someone we care about , feelings of despair may come, but know this, our loved ones see us, our ancestors hear our crying, they hear our voice as we call out in the night.And by the very thought of ones who have gone before us,they prepare us all for the journeys we take. We become like the Fey. living in the sidhe mounds, Rejoice Pagan children, for life moves ever onward. For my friends i have lost in these years of my life, i honor you, i let your love and strength add to my own virtue. And to those who struggle with there loss. Do not cry tears of sadness, but weep for joy, because they are safe, they are watching over you. And they shall return..!!

Our Sacred Animals

I have been watching the seasons change and for our busy hustle and bustle sometimes we need to take a look at another world. The world of animals, our sacred animals. As Pagans i believe we see all living beings as sacred, and for the greater part of it we focus on our selves. but we should turn to the realm of animals, Not just as familiars and guides but as genuinely sacred for who and what they are. Look at some of the spiritual phrases and images we have that verify this every day. Such as the image of the earth being supported by 4 elephants, the phrase "its turtles all the way down" or "sacred cow" and so on, and so forth. The folklore tied to so many animals of the Gods and Goddesses from cultures around the world. The Norse and Scandinavian cultures with Sleipnir and the Fenris wolf. The Egyptians with Bast and sacred cats. The Celtic culture with the raven of the Morrigan, Epona's horse, the Boar and the hound, the Salmon of Knowledge. The Native Americans with Trickster the coyote. All these animals, all these beings are sacred because they empower us, when we eat of the flesh and bone of an animal we internalize that animal, it gives us renewed life. Sacred animals give us wisdom, we learn as we watch the birds migrate, that winter is coming. We learn by observing their habits lessons of patience, skill and innovation. We are not lords over the animal kingdom, we are on the same footing. Animals give us pleasure, music , and beauty, they inspire stories, poetry, and artistry. Our sacred animals are gifts from the Gods themselves. Even in this modern age we have animals that seem outside the realm of sacredness, but are by far the most sacred. Our family pets, our frisky cats, and our regal and trusting dog friends, who daily make us smile, laugh, and cry. These are our children, entrusted in our care, magick with a furry face, and a soft purr.As Pagans we need to look beyond the fanciful trappings of ritual, spells, and black cats, to the reality of sacredness that is in our homes, and are out there in fields, and forests, the oceans, and the mountain streams. After all, these ARE our sacred animals.

As The World Turns, Pagans at a Crossroads

Here we are, in a world of war, turmoil, disease, strife, and uncertainty. But for Pagans of all traditions, we manage to move onwards. We worship our Gods, and Goddesses, we meditate, we light candles in the darkness. We honor the earth and each other in so many different ways. I have sat and often wondered what would happen if there were no Pagans, No Gods, No Magick. Would the world be better off, or would there be something missing, would there be a significant impact, I dont know the answer to that question, but i do think about it. I often think, do our rituals and traditions make a difference. Or are our society's becoming complacent. I see so much jealousy, infighting, and ego in so many pagan communities, and it makes me sad. But just when im about to give up on Paganism, someone, or something sent by the Gods, or the Universe gives me hope. There are so many awesome pagan traditions, and people within them doing incredible things. That when i see this it makes me want to work harder in my own community, Things are not utopian here, and i doubt they ever will be, reality keeps my head out of the clouds, i just know that somehow there is a reason to strive to work, even if it just in my own circle, The Order of The Standing Oak, or out in the greater Pagan community with my Youtube Channel , A Pagan Perspective. or my show on Blogtalkradio.com Pagan Perspectives. I feel that anything worthwhile is worth fighting for. I want to hear from you, what do you think about the state of Paganism around the world. What do like, what do you think needs to change, and in the end isnt this really about moving ourselves forward spiritually Blessings of the Old Gods till next Blog