Naturalistic Paganism

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No-Nonsense Paganism: Why the Wheel of the Year doesn’t make sense to me anymore

The seasons just aren’t what we think they are. If you’re paying attention, and you can let go of preconceptions, it’s obvious. There’s not four of them. And they’re all different lengths. And they each have their unique quality. It’s not just about temperature. There’s precipitation, humidity, wind, storms, cloudiness, the smell of the air. It’s still more or less predictable. But it’s a lot more complex. It’s not even a wheel. It is circular-ish, but it’s not a circle. It weaves and bobs, ebbs and flows.

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No Nonsense Paganism: Lughna-say-what?

This August 1st, forget everything you have learned about Celtic myths and the agricultural customs of 18th century English peasants. Forget even the word “Lughnasadh”. Instead, go outside. Look. Listen. Breathe in and breathe out. Bend down and touch the earth. And ask what the world is speaking to you. 

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No-Nonsense Paganism: One pagan’s calendar

This is my own working pagan calendar.

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No-Nonsense Paganism: Thinking About Winter Ritual

To live a pagan life, we need practices, rituals and observances which saturate everyday life. They don’t need to be demanding, but the frequency is important. We need daily practices, but we also need more than eight special days.

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A Pedagogy of Gaia, by Bart Everson: “Spring in the Subtropics, Spring in the Self”

How do we cultivate a “spring in the self,” a season of renewal and rebirth within. Spring and the equinox are experienced differently at different places. The body is, of course, the ultimate localization. All our dreams start here. Let’s aim to change the world, starting with ourselves.

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