Naturalistic Paganism
“Vestals, Feminism & the ‘Evil Field'” by Debra Macleod
Note from the editor: Check out Debra Macleod’s forthcoming book: Brides of Rome: A Novel of the Vestal Virgins.
Despite the resurgence and richness of the Vesta tradition, many people who think “Vestal Virgin” still think of one thing: the fact that Vestals who broke their vow of chaste service to the goddess were buried alive. Let’s be honest. Who can blame people for going there? It’s a pretty dramatic image: a young woman being thrown into a shallow grave and trying to claw her way out while dirt is being piled on top of her. Read More
[A Pedagogy of Gaia] “Preparing a Ritual” by Bart Everson
Nothing tests one’s ideas like putting them in action.
I was recently asked to host the Lammas celebration for my local circle. I’m both enthralled and daunted by this prospect. Lammas has a special place in my heart, but I’ve never organized a ritual for group of willing and enthusiastic Pagans before. The creative process can be a sort of torture, but I’m determined to savor every moment. Read More
Call for essays: “Atheism and Meaning”
Friedrich Nietzsche died on August 25 in 1900. Nietzsche is perhaps best known for his declaration that “God is dead”. The statement is commonly interpreted as a declaration of atheism, but it as much a comment on what Nietzsche perceived as the nihilism of the culture of the time. In honor of Nietzsche, our themes for the month of August will be atheism and meaning. For those of us that are atheists, how do we find meaning in the world, in spite of, or perhaps because of our atheism?
Send your submissions to humanisticpaganism [at] gmail [dot] com.
[Starstuff, Contemplating] “Lunasa: The Power of Summer!” byHeather and Jon Cleland Host
We are assemblages of ancient atoms forged in stars – atoms organized by history to the point of consciousness, now able to contemplate this sacred Universe of which we are a tiny, but wondrous, part.
(Lunasa,* Lughnasadh, Lammas, or the Summer Thermstice: August 1)
Standing in a clearing in the woods one morning, with the air still cool around me, I felt the heat of the Sun on my back. I tell my kids, “Feel that Sun? It’ll be hot soon.” The cool nights are simply not long enough for the heat to dissipate, and the long hot days with direct sun mean it has been getting hotter since before Summer Solstice. Lunasa celebrates this heat at its peak: this is the hottest part of the summer. It is also the holiday to celebrate the fruits of summer’s heat with the first harvests of the year. Read More
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Pagan Coming Out Day – May 2nd
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