FORT BRAGG, N.C. – This Saturday, October 2, 2021, the Fort Bragg Open Circle will be celebrating its 20th Anniversary.
The Fort Bragg Open Circle is one of the first and oldest Pagan Circles to be established at a US Military installation that has been in continuous operation.
Christine Ahrens, who leads the group is one of the longest-serving Distinctive Religious Group Leaders (DRGL). Ahrens has been the leader of the Fort Bragg Open Circle since just a year after its founding in 2001.
The 20th Anniversary Celebration on October 2 is slated will begin with a formal ceremony with the Chaplains at Pope Chapel at 4:00 pm eastern and will be followed by an outdoor ritual at 6:00 pm.
While the celebration is open to the public, an ID is required in order to obtain a visitor’s pass to be admitted and attend the ritual.
DRGL and Military Pagan Circles Program is coordinated by Circle Sanctuary Minister Tiffany Andes, supporting and sponsoring groups at military installations all over the U.S. and abroad, including war zones.
Circle Sanctuary provides DRGL training and endorsement, and the Circles they sponsor offer study, spiritual fellowship, and ritual for a variety of Pagan practitioners. The number of Circles in operation number in the dozens and spans all four branches of military service.
♥ ♥ ♥
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Satanic Temple held a demonstration on Saturday on the south steps of the capitol building to protest legislation in the state of Utah that would go into effect if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned by the Supreme Court.
Thomasin Rite, spokesperson for the Utah congregation told the Salt Lake Tribune, “We are asking for the state of Utah, as well as the United States, to understand that just because one group of people believes that abortion is wrong, does not mean that [the state] has any constitutional right to excuse that right from anybody else.”
Rite went on to say, “Bodily autonomy is one of our deeply held religious beliefs. It is one of our tenets; one’s body is inviolable subject to one’s own will alone. And one huge part of that is reproductive rights. We believe that anyone with the uterus has the absolute right to choose what they do with it.”
TST had held a fundraiser in 2019 that promoted the Religious Reproductive Rights Rally in Utah. The demonstration was originally scheduled to take place in the spring of 2020, but due to the pandemic and concerns overspreading the SARS-CoV-2 virus, it was postponed until this past Saturday.
Counter-protesters from Pro-Life Utah and Utah Patriots joined forces and showed up bearing yellow flags that said “Life” in black lettering. At one point during TST’s demonstration, the counter-protesters attempted to disrupt the speeches being given by moving up the steps but the event remained peaceful.
TST also held a celebratory event, “Licentia, The After-Party” on Saturday evening at The Complex, a local entertainment venue. TST required attendees to show proof of vaccination and the strict wearing of masks during the event.
TST announced its goal to raise $200,000 to continue its work to fight for reproductive rights on August 11. Within less than two months, they had reached their goal.
TST has currently joined forces with Salem Horror Fest to offer a six-day film screening event with all of the proceeds to be divided equally between ten organizations that provide abortion support: Texas Equal Access Fund, The Bridge Collective, Fund Texas Choice, Jane’s Due Process, Support Your Sistah at the Afiya Center, the Lillith Fund, Frontera Fund, Whole Woman’s Health Alliance, Inc., West Fund, and Clinic Access Support Network.
♥ ♥ ♥
BRISTOL, Penn. – The Urglaawe kindred of Distelfink Sippschaft held its election and announced in a press release that Adam Izquierdo was elected as Vice-President of the Sippschaft. The organizational structure is now: Robert L. Schreiwer, President; Michelle Jones, Secretary; Ralph Young, Treasurer; and Adam Izquierdo, Vice-President.
The organization also named their ordained clergy or Ziewer that serve the community as, Robert L. Schreiwer, Michelle Jones, Larry Goble, Jr., Ralph Young, and Jennifer Milby. Stacey Stewart was named as the editor of the Hollerbeer Hof, the organization’s digital publication.
Beck Spille, Robert L. Schreiwer, Michelle Jones, and Larry Goble, Jr. of Distelfink Sippschaft will be performing the main ritual this year at the South Jersey Pagan Pride Day (SJPPD) on Saturday, October 2.
SJPPD will be held this year in Cooper River Park in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and runs from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. In addition to the main ritual, the event features workshops, vendors, food, music, and activities for children. Admission is free, but the event is also collecting nonperishable food items for the Food Bank of South Jersey.
In other news:
- Seven Norse gold pendants, or bracteates, were discovered by archeologists in a field in Østfold, Norway. Bracteates are thin, flat, single-sided gold medals that were worn as jewelry or adornment and date to the German Iron Age, roughly between the 4th and 6th centuries. The bracteates uncovered are said to be in unbelievably good condition and feature images of Norse Gods and of stylized animal depictions. The high gold content of the bracteates is likely why they have survived intact, though the metal is extremely soft and prone to bend, making them particularly delicate to handle. The research team that discovered them, date them to the 6th century and well before the Viking Age by a couple of hundred years. They believe they correspond to what is termed the “Migration Period” when there was widespread migration happening in Europe between the 4th and 6th centuries. They also think the reason for the bracteate to have been made as offerings likely correspond to Fimbul winter, 536-540. During that period volcanic eruptions had a marked impact on the climate. Norse literature cites that the sun did not shine for over a year, causing crops to fail, animal deaths, and widespread starvation.
- The Irish legend of Cú Chulainn is soon to be the basis for a new graphic novel, titled Hound. Drawn and co-written by film animator and storyboard artist, Paul J. Bolger, and writer Barry Devlin, whose film credits include “A Man of No Importance” and the documentary “U2: Making of Rattle & Hum.” The colorist for the work is Dee Cunniffe. According to an article on GamesRadar online the story is “Set in 50 BCE, Hound follows Setanta, the young ward of the war goddess Morrigan. Originally pressed into service to stir wars after a long period of peace in Ireland, Setanta at first does that by killing the demon-hound of Cullan, which earns him the name Cú Cullan – the Hound of Cullan. But as he grows older, Cú Cullan realizes the immense power he has (and darkness) and decides to lay it all down to become a farmer. Enflamed by this rebellious act, Morrigan begins a full-on invasion of Ireland which Cú Cullan is the only one able to lead a resistance against.”
- Yesterday marked the beginning of Banned Book Week which runs from September 26 through October 2 this year. The annual event was first launched in 1982 as a response to a sudden increase in the number of challenges and objections to some of the books available in schools, libraries, and even bookstores. Banned Book Week seeks to shine a spotlight on the importance and value of free and open access to information. The Top 10 Challenged Books of 2020 were:
- George by Alex Gino. Challenged, banned, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting with a religious viewpoint, and not reflecting “the values of our community.”
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds. Banned and challenged because of the author’s public statements and because of claims that the book contains “selective storytelling incidents” and does not encompass racism against all people.
- All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. Banned and challenged for profanity, drug use, and alcoholism and because it was thought to promote antipolice views, contain divisive topics, and be “too much of a sensitive matter right now.”
- Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Banned, challenged, and restricted because it was thought to contain a political viewpoint, it was claimed to be biased against male students, and it included rape and profanity.
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and allegations of sexual misconduct on the part of the author.
- Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story about Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin. Challenged for “divisive language” and because it was thought to promote antipolice views.
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Banned and challenged for racial slurs and their negative effect on students, featuring a “white savior” character, and its perception of the Black experience.
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Banned and challenged for racial slurs and racist stereotypes and their negative effect on students.
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and depicts child sexual abuse.
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Challenged for profanity, and because it was thought to promote an anti-police message.
In honor of the International Day of Peace, Yusuf/Cat Stevens released a new version of his 1971 Top Ten hit, “Peace Train,” that features over 25 musicians from 12 countries.
Among those featured in the video with Yusuf/Stevens are Five-time Grammy winner Blues/Americana artist Keb’ Mo’; Grammy-nominated Senegalese artist Baaba Maal; Grammy winner Silkroad’s Rhiannon Giddens, and musicians from the Silkroad Ensemble in Rhinebeck, New York; Ghassan Birumi playing the oud in Ramallah, Palestine; Pat Simmons of The Doobie Brothers, and James “Hutch” Hutchinson, bass player with Bonnie Raitt, both performing in Maui, Hawaii. From regions that have seen conflict, Tushar Lall plays the harmonium in Delhi, India, and Joshua Amjad plays the Kartaal in Karachi, Pakistan.
The video was produced and sponsored by Playing For Change, a Certified B Corp or Social Purpose Organization, that seeks to use music as a way to unite people and break down social barriers around the globe. Hundreds of artists have signed onto the Playing for Change mission.
Playing For Change is a movement created to inspire and connect the world through music. The idea for this project came from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people.
Additionally, a separate 501(c)3 nonprofit organization was created, the Playing For Change Foundation. The focus of the organization is on creating hope and inspiration for the future of the planet and is dedicated to building music and art schools for children around the world.
In 1981 the United Nations General Assembly established the first International Day of Peace, and in 2001 the U.N. General Assembly voted unanimously to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire. Each year on 21 September it is observed around the world.
Tarot of the week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Phantasma Tarot, by Paulina Fae, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Card: Nine (9) of Wands
The coming week is likely to hold signs of serious trouble ahead and signal a need to be prepared and aware. The key to continuing to move forward rests on recognizing inner strength and the desire to persevere.
Conversely, stubbornness and the inability to step away from battles that are long lost can lead to fatigue, exhaustion, and burnout that ultimately is for naught.
Decks generously provided by Asheville Pagan Supply.
The Wild Hunt is not responsible for links to external content.
To join a conversation on this post:
Visit our The Wild Hunt subreddit! Point your favorite browser to https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Wild_Hunt_News/, then click “JOIN”. Make sure to click the bell, too, to be notified of new articles posted to our subreddit.