Naturalistic Paganism
Category: Bart Everson
[A Pedagogy of Gaia] My Fifth Decade, by Bart Everson
The task of looking back on my life has not always been easy. Pain seems to be a necessary component of all good stories. If I have emphasized the painful aspects of my life overmuch, it’s in the effort to tell a good story. However, the last ten years have been more about recovery than pain for me. Perhaps that makes for a less interesting story, but I’ll take it.
Read More[A Pedagogy of Gaia] The Worst Animals in the World, by Bart Everson
Which leads me to something else my daughter said, just the other day, which I found even more disturbing. She and a friend altered the lyrics of some song at school to include the following zinger:
“We are the worst animals in the world.”
Read MoreSpinning an Interview, by Bart Everson
Draw a circle to represent the year: one complete revolution around the sun. Make a mark at the top and the bottom, the left and the right, dividing the circle into four equal quarters. Let these represent the solstices and the equinoxes. Now rotate the whole thing about 45º and make the marks again. These marks fall midway between the others, dividing the circle into eighths. Call these the cross-quarter days. You’ve just sketched the Wheel of the Year……
Read MoreWill This Congressman Reflect on our Earth? By Bart Everson
This was not an angry protest. This was something gentler and more contemplative. I’m inclined to think we need more such actions. Will Scalise listen? Will he reflect? Time will tell. I’m not holding my breath, but the stakes are too high not to try everything in our power. Meanwhile, I call on our local “young faith leaders” to step up, add their voices, and stage similar actions.
Read More[A Pedagogy of Gaia] “The Surprising Results of Magical Thinking” by Bart Everson
Generally speaking, philosophical naturalists don’t believe in magic, so any invocation of the term is likely to be pejorative. For those with a naturalistic mindset, the phrase “magical thinking” is often a diss or a criticism, a suggestion of logical gaps or inconsistencies, similar to wishful thinking. But I think wholesale disavowal goes too far. So next time you’re down in New Orleans, come take a walk on this path made from dreams. See for yourself the glorious results that can come from magical thinking.
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Pagan Coming Out Day – May 2nd
Naturalistic Paganism 