Naturalistic Paganism
[The Dionysian Naturalist] “Nature Religions and Revolutionary Social Change, Part 4” by Wayne Martin Mellinger, Ph.D.
Part 4 of 5: Spiritual Practices
On Contemplative Practices
Contemplation is any practice designed to quiet the mind and cultivate a capacity for deep concentration and insight. While usually practiced in silence, some types of contemplative practice involve voice or other use of sound. Types of contemplative practice include prayer, meditation, mindful walking, yoga, vision quests and council circles. Read More
[The Dionysian Naturalist] “Nature Religions and Revolutionary Social Change, Part 3” by Wayne Martin Mellinger, Ph.D.
Part 3 of 5: Praxis
Praxis
To do the right thing I sometimes stop what I’m doing out of habit, contemplate the (often unintended) consequences of my potential course of action and consider the ethics involved. When I change my behavior and put my values into action, I’m engaging in a process philosophers sometimes refer to as praxis. Read More
[The Dionysian Naturalist] “Nature Religions and Revolutionary Social Change, Part 2” by Wayne Martin Mellinger, Ph.D.
Part 2 of 5: Social Change
A Practical Theology of Social Change
I draw upon a practical theology of social change in which faith communities and other groups engage in grassroots community organizing to empower displaced, marginalized and silenced groups to transform their own lives and the structural conditions which deny them justice. Read More
[The Dionysian Naturalist] “Nature Religions and Revolutionary Social Change, Part 1” by Wayne Martin Mellinger, Ph.D.
Part 1 of 5: Nature Religions
Introduction
By far the greatest challenges that humanity has ever confronted are global climate change and the other environmental problems created by modern industrial civilization. Monthly the news seems to get worse as we learn that the ecological crisis is far bigger than we first thought and the time left before we face a potential environmental collapse is far shorter. Some well-informed researchers say that it is already too late to avoid catastrophic destruction of civilization or to “save the planet”. Read More
Early Autumn Theme: Ancestors and Descendants
In Deep Time, early autumn can remind us of the Cretaceous extinction event – the cataclysm of fire, tsunamis, and earthquakes that banished the (non-avian) dinosaurs to extinction and led to you looking at your computer today. Gone were countless forms of life, giant sauropods, tyrannosaurs, and pterosaurs – and even many mammals. Yet, a tiny, thin thread of many types of animals and plants survived – including the Ancestors of you and I. They then shaped that ruined world into the world we have today – we owe our world and our very existence to them. Can we call on their perseverance and effort to spur us to make the world a better place for future generations? As with all themes, this just an optional muse.
Late Summer (September 22 – October 31)
Cosmic event: The Cretaceous Asteroid Impact (65 million years ago)
Theme: Ancestors and Descendants
Questions: How can we show our gratitude for our Ancestors? What Ancestors especially speak to you today? How can our spirituality spur us to make the world a better place for future generations, who will count us among their Ancestors?
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Pagan Coming Out Day – May 2nd
Naturalistic Paganism 