LAS VEGAS – Hundreds of concertgoers and vacationers were sent running when a gunman opened fire into the crowds near the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Currently, there are at least 50 dead and more than 400 reported injuries, making it one of the worst shootings in modern U.S. history.
Seyani, a Wiccan from Atlanta, was there with her boyfriend. She said, “We heard gunfire as we were walking to the Bellagio. Police showed up, and we were like, oh shiz.” The couple then went into the casino and got “settled at the slot machines.” But shortly after, she says, “We looked up to see people running in terror toward us. [My boyfriend] and I took off and ran as we heard gunfire. We ran outside, stayed in cover.” That cover was some bushes outside the hotel.
Seyani added, “I have never been so scared in my life and I am still shaking.”
There have been no statements or other reports yet out of the Las Vegas area Pagan community. We will update this report further as needed.
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In other news, Puerto Rico is still facing a life-threatening living situation from the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. While the island was spared to some degree by Hurricane Irma, the second massive storm hit Puerto Rico directly. According to the most recent reports, only five percent of the island has regained electric power, fuel is running low, and communication is spotty. Humanitarian aid is flowing in the area, but not fast enough.
A number of Pagans and Pagan groups have been partnering with those on the ground to bring both the needed funds and supplies to the area. Wild Hunt reporter Terence Ward has been communicating with the team of people involved with the those efforts.
Ward will be bringing us that report tomorrow, along with how others can help speed Puerto Rico’s recovery efforts.
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The Wild Hunt Fall Funding Campaign is back! Every year we ask our readers to support our work as independent Pagan journalists. Every year, our readers come through, keeping the TWH team writing, researching, and bringing you daily news and commentary.
This year is no different. It takes resources to make this news site a reality, and to keep it independent and open to everyone.
Our fundraiser this year looks different. We have two options.
- Join our new Sustainers Circle. We will keep in touch throughout the year to let you know how your monthly donation supports The Wild Hunt news service – our Pagan corner of the Fourth Estate.
- Make a one-time donation through our streamlined and no-frills Generosity campaign. There you will find a few of our much loved media-based perks, such as the donor list and the graphic display.
But honestly, when you donate to The Wild Hunt using either method (monthly or one-time), the very best perk we can offer you is our solid, daily delivery of relevant, insightful, and useful content. You help us to continue what we have done and also support growth so we can get better. Thank you.
In other news
- The Open Hearth Foundation’s library has moved. After the organization closed in 2014, the library sat in boxes. Three years later, the library is being un-boxed by a local CUUPS chapter. The collection of Pagan and occult materials reportedly contains “2,449 books, 174 divination decks, periodicals, [and] reference volumes.” We will have more on this story in the coming week.
- Weiser Books is celebrating its 60th year. The site reads, “From the famous to the notorious to everyday seekers, many have gravitated to Weiser Books over its history of nearly six decades—searching for a different way of being in or looking at the world.” The publisher has created a special collection of notable quotes from the many authors have passed through its doors.
- The Pagans Tonight Radio Network will be airing Circle Sanctuary’s special two-hour tribute to author, priest, and visionary Raymond Buckland. As we reported last week, Buckland died Wednesday after experiencing heart problems. PTRN aired a show dedicated to him on Friday night. Circle Sanctuary’s program will be airing Tuesday 7-9 p.m. CST.
- In similar news, Lily Dale, a spiritualist retreat in New York state, will be reportedly hosting a public memorial to honor Raymond Buckland in the spring of 2018. Specifics have not been released. Musician Greg Ford, who was a good friend, will be sponsoring this event. We will bring you more on this as the details are made public.
- It’s October which means Halloween is fast approaching. Blogger John Beckett listed the six signs its getting “close to Samhain.” He listed three “silly,” including “Christmas decorations in Walmart,” and three more serious, including “our ancestors draw near.”
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Finally, we bring you a new Pagan Community Notes feature: a Tarot reading to inform your week. Drawn and interpreted by professional reader Star Bustamonte, the reading will contain a single-card interpretation, and we will feature different decks from different artists throughout the year.
Weekly Reading for Oct 2, 2017
Deck: Ancestral Path Tarot by Julie Cuccia Watts and Tracey Hoover (US Games, 1996)
Card: Five (5) of Sacred Circles
Element: Earth
This week’s card can indicate isolation, either enforced or self-determined, or can indicate a moving away from established community or practices. Circles represent wealth and resources, and the five (5) suggests loss or unexpected expenses. Five (5), being a pivotal number, is reflective of a change that may spring forward or reverse and slide backward.
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