Naturalistic Paganism
[Rotting Silver] “Haiku Collection: Crows in Winter” by B. T. Newberg
When winter descends
The somber-veteraned crows
Do not fear the cold
Undisturbed by gust
Nor gale, the well-entrenched crows
Stare down the north wind Read More
“Cities and Nature” by CrafterYearly
(Above: Design and think tank group, Rollerhaus, re-imagines an eco-centric future vision of Chicago.)
Since I was small, I have always loved cities. When I am in them, I feel a kind of expansiveness that is unique to my experience of a city. When I walk down streets surrounded by tall buildings, or when I wait for a train, I feel small in the best possible way. Human activity feels big. Limitless. The impossibility of knowing everyone or everything happening in that moment is humbling and exciting. Like there are possibilities too numerous to even consider. Thousands of lives I could choose for myself, magnified and made more intoxicating because of my close proximity to thousands or millions of others, each with their own set of impossibly diverse opportunities for building a life and a self.
I am an advocate for cities. And given the option, I would choose living in a city over the suburbs or even rural or isolated areas. Since I have such a strong preference for and love of cities, people are often surprised when I tell them I practice a nature-based spirituality. Loving cities and revering nature are, it would seem, for most people mutually exclusive endeavors. Read More
[Pagan in Place] “Numina loci” by Anna Walther
Editor’s Note: I am excited to announce that Anna Walther, who has been a contributor for a while now, has joined HP as a regular columnist. The name of her column is “Pagan in Place”. Please join me in welcoming her!
shoal creek
Pagan in Place is a column devoted to place-bound paganism. My goals are active engagement with my environment via meditation, walking outside, ritual, journaling, storytelling, and acts of social and environmental justice. Being pagan in place is about getting out of the house, putting foot to ground, and doing my holy work directly, at the closest creek, at my neighborhood park, at the community garden, and in my own backyard. Read More
“Sacred Ecology” (with a new introduction) by Dr. Adrian Harris
Editor’s note: I am grateful for Dr. Adrian Harris granting us permission to republish his seminal essay here and honored by his offering of a new introduction for the essay.
A New Introduction by Dr. Adrian Harris
This paper was presented at a Newcastle University conference in 1994 and was published as part of a collection of papers in Paganism Today (Harvey and Hardman, 1996). It’s been popular ever since and has been republished several times, both in books and on the internet.
Revisiting it now, nearly 20 years later, I find much that I still passionately affirm. But in many ways I’ve moved on and now believe my emphasis on ritual misses something. While ritual can be very powerful, there are many ways to access the wisdom of the body and some – like Focusing – are arguably more reliable. Read More
[Starstuff, Contemplating] Celebrate the Earth! by Heather and Jon Cleland-Host
Beltane (Spring Equitherm): Celebrate the Earth!
The Earth is a-bloom on Beltane (May 1 in the Northern Hemisphere). The days are getting warmer. Trees are budding and beginning to flower. Tulips are poking up through the soil and unfolding into color. Historically, in Gaelic communities this was a fire holiday. Bonfires were lit in celebration and for purification. Herds were taken to their summer pastures, and before they left, they were led between the Beltane bonfires to protect them. Beltane was also a time to celebrate new life emerging and growing. In Germanic tradition, this holiday is May Day and a celebration of fertility, when May Pole dances were held. Life on earth is in full swing, with flowers, buzzing insects, and chirping birds. Beltane celebrates the full regeneration of life and our own human sexuality. Read More
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Pagan Coming Out Day – May 2nd
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