Latest on Pagan Activist

I knew I was going to be doing this post even as I did the last one about Kenny Klein, as national events dictated it.

I’m Swedish, Heathen, and not a racist is me starting to sort out all the issues which come from being a progressive, lefty devotee of the Aesir when some others use it as justification for violence against people who are Other. There’s a ton I did not include and at some point I hope to start putting it together into something more coherent. It’s also going to take a lot more reading on my part. Consider this post the beginning.

Helping the community

Signal boosting this post from my friend Sufenas for several people who are in need of financial assistance at this time. I sent e two of the stories yesterday and am glad to see them gaining more visibility: for Bob (a friend and fellow Assistus–Sufenas, proper declension?) and Kate Bornstein. There are also links to a fundraiser for victims and survivors of the Kansas shootings and another transwoman who needs money.

May every dollar received for these worthy causes be multiplied a thousand times over!

The sad thing is…

that this still needs to be said. Beth speaks about what Odin doesn’t stand for in response to the recent shooting in Kansas and that the alleged perpetrator claims to be an Odinist.

I’m a Swede(ish-American), a Heathen. I love the Aesir and Vanir. I am not a racist. Vehemently. This is not someone of my tradition.

Big enough to fail

My latest offering for Pagan Activist went up earlier this week: Big enough to fail. Continuing on with the discussions brought up by Kenny Klein’s arrest brought up by some of the responses I saw to it online.

In which I make a new thing

Once upon a time it would be that if you wanted to create a community online, you’d be on Livejournal, come up with a clever name to fit the character limit, put in a bunch of interests, promote a little, and watch the people come to you.

Now there is Facebook, where it’s harder to find people or communities by interest, but there are just a lot more people. And it means finding new ways to advertise.

Which is why I am now posting to my blog to say I have created a Facebook group devoted to Germanic witchcraft. It’s just getting started and I confess to making the group to learn as much as I can. If you’re interested, com take a look!

Back at Pagan Activist and other sharing

After many months away, this week I am back on Pagan Activist with some thoughts about community and how people come together. I didn’t go into my full thoughts about the matter, so I will add this. There is a reason why I still use the label pagan, even though by many opinions I do not fit that model. I am involved in pre-Christian traditions and practices outside of the dominant model of monotheism. The other people using the label may have a practice different from me, but that does not mean we can’t hang out, be allies, exchange ideas. Also, since what I do crosses so many borders, finding anyone else who does just what I do is nearly impossible. I find my community among Pagans, magicians, Discordians, initiates of African traditional religions, and even Christians, Jews, and Muslims. I can’t not do that now.

Also, as I type this I am listening to this interview Fire Lyte did on Inciting a Riot with Sarah Lawless. I am feeling inspired and re-energized just by hearing If you’re interested in witchcraft or magical crafting I would recommend giving a listen.

Tug tug

This came to me yesterday while I was at work but I did not get to write it then. Writing it as though it were still Wednesday.

The moon comes into fullness again. Despite another round of snow, and possibly ice, I can feel the land stirring. Waiting to shake off its cold, protective blanket and burst forth with new life.

I can feel Your presence, Old Man. I’m wearing your valknut and blue stones today. Your pull calls me. Not just yours, but Everyone’s. I’m not much one for formal ritual but I crave it now. A hundred things still hang over my head and I hate that I still can’t set aside that time for any of Y/you.

I’m trying. I feel the pulls, the cycles, the tug back to practice. And this time I want to find what will stick. Not just doing a little something for a week or two and falling off the wagon because it’s not quite right. I want formality and freedom within those boundaries. To run with my fetches, to have more time getting to know those spirits who come when I smear the salve on my pulse points. To do.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

It dawns on me as I put down these words that I did have a reading in December. In some ways it matches two readings I had done almost two years ago. So often when I ask an oracle about my magical practices the message is to make a choice, and then do it. And yet I continue with uncertainty of what in fact TO do. I forget that choosing to work on one thing does not mean the other will never happen. Also, one day in the not too distant future all the estate stuff will be settled. This stage won’t last forever, and I need to start acting on it.

No better day to set some of these things into motion than on a snow day.

Heads up! Margaret Murray free for Kindle

I know these days a lot of Margaret Murray’s work has been discredited but can still be worth reading. Hey book The Witch cult in western Europe is currently available for free on Kindle. Note the link is not an affiliate link, I am just sharing information here.

Prepping for Imbolc

I decided sometime in late November or December that my theme for the year would be reboot. After everything I have handled over the last few years, it seemed like the best idea. This month has been something of a washout. Between going back to work and adjusting to that, and Eddy’s passing, it feels like I am floundering most days.

Some things have helped. Last week marked 70 days since my mom’s passing, so I did the Kemetic prayers for her. Her presence in the Unseen world is strong and I feel her ready to work for me from that side. I appreciate it.

This past weekend I also adopted two cats. The house had been too quiet and I wanted some other moving life here. Allergies be damned! We’re all still adjusting to each other, but my boy is already showing he’s a big mama’s boy of a cat.

Despite this generally suckastic month, I did decide on some resolutions for the year and do intend to find some way to make them happen.

1. Make the house I inherited into my home.
This isn’t just changing around the furniture and removing a bunch of my mother’s possessions which I don’t want to keep. I want this place to be mine. As the year goes on I will be working different magics around the house toward that end.

2. Finish the homework for the hoodoo correspondence course.
Eddy would occasionally prod me on this one, as he was a graduate. I first signed up at the end of 2005. It’s one of those things where the partial problem is other parts of life getting in the way. The other is wondering if I know what I am doing enough to make it happen. And that leads into the third one…

3. Re-establish spiritual and magical practices.
Before mom went into hospice I realized that daily senut was too much for me. With all the reorganizing going on I want to move my shrines out of the bedroom and set them around the house. So far it’s been hard for me to figure out places. They need to be somewhat accessible yet not in the main line of traffic, and now not in places where the cats can knock them over.

I also want to get myself more attuned with the various cycles of the year. Lunar, European holy days, then Kemetic calendar, and Vodou feasts. Not too much to ask for, right?

Which brings me back to the title of this post. Whether it’s Imbolc, Ewemolc, Charming of the Plow, or Candlemass, the greater themes for this time of year center around preparation, beginnings, and healing. My intent is to put together some spellwork and a small rite I can do to mark the tide. The only way to get past my blocks is to work through them, and stop letting doubt and worry take center stage instead.

In an amusing turn as well, tomorrow’s dark moon is also slated to be a day long cleaning up at work. Trust me, we all need it there.

And the world grows drimmer again

This is making its way around the blogosphere rather fast but I wanted to share as well. My dear friend Eddy Gutierrez passed away suddenly yesterday evening. I am heartbroken. Houngan Matt of Kansas City Conjure has a short and lovely tribute here.

I met Eddy at my first Pantheacon back in 2007. He attended the Danballa sevis and came back with us for the debriefing. We all were so taken with him, or at least that is how I remember it. At the time he had recently developed the Unnamed Path as a modern shamanic tradition for men-who-love-men and had been involved in Lukumi for a time. Since I have known him, he had completed his initiation (God is good, so good in how that came together), started and graduated from Miss Cat’s hoodoo class, and set up as a professional rootworker under the name Dr. E. I was always so impressed with his devotion to spirit and his ability to turn his true passion into his life’s work. His death comes as a shock to all of us who knew him and we will miss him so very much.

Happy time happy time, sweetie. I love you.

EDIT: A fund drive has been set up to help Eddy’s family with costs for end of life matters.