Pagan Community Notes: Theoi.com, FaerieCon Seattle, BBC petition and more

The site Theoi.com is closing its doors. Run by Aaron Atsma, the site has been a go-to resource for polytheists since its opening in 2000. The site reads, “The Theoi Project profiles each deity and creature of Greek mythology on a separate page, incorporating an encyclopedia summary, quotations from a wide selection of ancient Greek and Roman texts, and illustrations from ancient art.” The site, which is considered to be based in the Netherlands and New Zealand, has reportedly had the support of the the universities of Auckland and Leiden, both of which Atsma said “were invaluable in the research of this project.”

Last week, Atsma announced his intention to shut down the site and his interest in finding a buyer. However, the brief notice has since been removed from the Theoi.com homepage, and there have been numerous reports that people have been attempting to contact him to express concern. TWH has reached out to Atsma and will report more on this story as information comes in.

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FaerieCon 2018 Seattle has been cancelled. The announcement came Jan. 2 through Facebook. Organizers said, “In reviewing the advance sales history of FaerieCon, we see the sales are significantly down from previous years […] While sales could pick up, we will not risk the chance that our valued guests and vendors will not have the best show experience possible. Therefore, after much discussion internally and with the hotel, we have decided to cancel FaerieCon Seattle 2018.”

Organizers speculate that the decline in sales is due to rebranding and a last minute change of dates. They wrote, “This is a very costly decision for us but it is one we must make in support of you, our guests and our vendors and our deep commitment to you both.” According to the announcement, the event will return in 2019. For those that already bought tickets to FaerieCon Seattle, organizers are offering multiple options, including converting their tickets to attend the music and arts festival FaerieWorld 2018, which is still scheduled for August.

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A U.K.-based petition has been started to urge the BBC to be more considerate of Pagan religious views. The petition, which is titled BBC should make Pagan voices heard, was started by Stuart Jeffrey and has garnered 698 signatures in one day.  He believes that the station should contain occasional programming that explores Paganism and that “they should feature a Pagan voice on Thought for the Day at least once a year.”

Stuart writes, “The BBC recently published a review of its religious programming however despite getting the views from a range of religious leaders, no Pagans were consulted. Thought for the Day (T4tD) goes out on Radio 4 and despite it being multi-faith it has no Pagan voices on it.”

In other news

  • In an update to a U.K.-based story that we brought to you in 2017, the proposed repeal of the Hunting Ban Act has been reportedly shelved. As our U.K. correspondent Liz Williams has noted, the Pagan community was vocal in their disapproval of prime minister Teresa May’s proposal. It was announced that she dropped the issue but has not changed her opinion on the matter.
  • A popular metaphysical store in Oakland and Portland is getting a new name. The Sacred Well is now called Raven’s Wing Magickal Co. The announcement came last week. Owner Barry Perlman writes, “In 2017, our company celebrated ten years strong at our Lake Merritt location in Oakland, and we marked our first amazing year in the Sellwood neighborhood of SE Portland.” In addition, the store has parted ways with one of its original founders. With those shifts, the store opted on the name change. Perlman says, “We love making magic with all of you every day, and we intend to keep doing it!”
  • For fans of the Satanic Temple, the organization’s Arizona branch is hosting an art exhibit Feb. 3 at Bar Passe in Tucson. The event is titled, “7 Deadly Sins.” The invitations reads, “Come one, come all for an artistic rendition of man’s greatest attributes featuring local Tucson/Arizona artists, as well as artists from around the country who are also part of the Satanic Temple.” The event is free, but donations to TST will be accepted. All art will be on sale or up for auction.
  • In Wild Hunt news, longtime team members Cosette Paneque and Cara Schulz have retired from service. Both Paneque and Schulz have dedicated their time and expertise to The Wild Hunt and its past affiliates, such as the former Pagan Newswire Collective, for nearly ten years.  During that time, they have both made outstanding and long-lasting contributions that have helped to grow the modern Pagan media field. Both have moved on to new project. They will be missed.

Tarot of the week with Star Bustamonte

Deck: The Sacred Circle Tarot by Anna Franklin, Illustrated by Paul Mason, Published Llewellyn Publications

Card: major rcana, number three (3), the lady

This card is the embodiment of the divine feminine. Our connection to nature, relationships with our families and communities, as well as our creative and prosperous endeavors, are all reflective of feminine energy and the spark of it we all carry within.

This week is liable to be full of reminders of to honor that internal flame by nourishing ourselves spiritually and examining our physical habits, especially where our general health is concerned. Are we getting enough rest? Are we feeding our souls, as well as our bodies properly?


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