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Pagan Community Notes: Week of May 9, 2022

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TWH – In the wake of the news of the leak of the Supreme Court’s first draft that would reverse the landmark ruling of Roe v. Wade a number of states have begun drafting legislation that would create further hardship for women seeking to avoid pregnancy.

Louisiana drafted legislation the “Abolition of Abortion in Louisiana Act of 2022” that defines “personhood” as the moment of fertilization. If signed into law, it would make the use of Plan B also known as the “Morning After Pill” illegal, and possibly IUDs since in addition to preventing fertilization, IUDs can prevent a fertilized egg from implantation to the uterine wall.

Perhaps more even concerning is the language in the proposed legislation that states the state legislation would supersede any and all other laws:

Treat as void and of no effect any and all federal statutes, regulations, treaties, orders, and court rulings which would deprive an unborn child of the right to life or prohibit the equal protection of such right.

Missouri is one of the states with a “trigger law” on the books that could become active if Roe were to be overturned. Despite a flurry of posts claiming that IUDs, Plan B, and even in-vitro fertilization in Missouri would be outlawed, abortion rights experts say this is false. At least for now.

Concern over access to birth control is limited or threatened was dismissed by conservatives and those in favor of Roe being overturned. However, if more legislation like what has been drafted in Louisiana happens in other states and becomes law, challenges to such laws could eventually make their way to being heard by the Supreme Court. How the Court might rule is uncertain at best, but such cases could provide a path to Griswold v. Connecticut also being reversed.

States like Michigan, which still has a 1931 law criminalizing abortion on the books, would become active if Roe were to be reversed. Michigan State Attorney General, Dana Nessel said on Meet The Press on Sunday, “I refuse to enforce this draconian law.”

How Republican prosecutors in the state might choose to act is uncertain, as Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido stated that he did not believe prosecutors have the “right to pick and choose laws in this state.”

“If the police present a valid warrant with those elements of a crime, a prosecutor must prosecute,” Lucido said.

Confusion over state laws and speculation on how they may be applied is likely to continue until a ruling by the Supreme Court is issued in June.

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ZAGREB, Croatia – Today, the Croatian Post released new commemorative postage stamps from this year’s “Europe” series on a common theme of stories and myths.

The design on the new Croatian stamps is the mythological “Tree of the World” or “Drvo svijeta,” from the Old Croatian myth about the structure of the universe. The creator of the stamp design and art is Zdenko Bašić, a multimedia artist, author, and illustrator from Zagreb.

Bašić defines the story as “a unique combination of Slavic beliefs that were assimilated with the indigenous Roman and pre-Roman peoples in this area.”

He goes on to explain the symbolism and representation of the “Tree of the World” that is likely to resonate for many Pagans, Heathens, and Pagan-adjacent practitioners.

The link between heaven and earth was the vast Tree of the World as the axis that held everything together: the stars, the planets, the clouds and the winds, but also everything else underground, in the bowels of the world.

This tree is most often mentioned as a giant oak, which is also the most valued in these parts when it comes to trees.

On the branches of the Tree of the World sit celestial creatures and gods, and on the very top the celestial Perun, lord of lightning and time.

He is the ancient righteous to whom all the birds, the stars, the sky, and all the air belonged. He often appeared in the form of a great eagle or hawk, and his kingdom at the top of the Tree of the World is called Prav.

On the other hand, the roots of the Tree of the World reach deep into the underworld where it holds the earth together, but also the water hidden under its roots, which keeps it alive.

There, at the bottom, sits the dark lord of the underworld and water: Veles – Perun’s brother. He rules the world of the dead, spirits and darkness, but also three kinds of treasure: the secular – monetary, treasure in the form of cattle, but also treasure that is wisdom and knowledge. He is often described as a horned dragon or a bear. His kingdom under the earth is called Viraj.

Announcements:

    • Pagan Spirit Gathering is set to hold its first in-person event in two years. Scheduled for June 19 – 26, at the Pulaski County/Fort Leonard Wood Shrine Camp close to Waynesville, Missouri, the event will include a variety of rituals, workshops, music, and other entertainments. The theme for this year’s festival is “Homecoming – Here Comes The Sun!” Full vaccination is required for all attendees. More information can be found on the Circle Sanctuary page for the event.

     

      • First Annual Kennywood Witches Day is scheduled for Saturday, June 25 from 10:30 am to 09:00 pm in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. The event is hosted by the Burgh Witches, a group that defines itself “as focused on connecting witches and creating local witchy events that may or may not be ‘witchy’ in nature!” The Kennywood Amusement Park established in 1898 offers a variety of both traditional and modern rides, which include seven rollercoasters.

      • This year’s panel on death and dying at the Conference on Current Pagan Studies generated a lot of discussion and interest. In fact, there was so much interest that The Virtual Symposium of Pagan Thought and Practice is calling for submissions for “Dying and Death: Pagans Engaging End of Life Issues.” Submissions opened on April 15, with the conference scheduled for July 23, 2022.

      In other news:

      • The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) beamed back photos of the neighboring galaxy and the Large Magellanic Cloud which offer an amazing amount of clarity compared to older photos taken by the retired Spitzer Space Telescope. These latest photos highlight the promise of the images JWST is likely to collect in the future. “This is a really nice science example of what Webb will do for us in the coming years,” said Chris Evans, the telescope’s project scientist at the European Space Agency, a partner on the mission. Evans continued, “We’ve done a lot of studies of star and planet formation in our own galaxy, but here we’re looking at it in the Magellanic Clouds, so small external galaxies, where they’re chemically less evolved than our own Milky Way. So this gives us a chance to look at the processes of star and planet formation… in a very different environment to our own galaxy.”


      Crossings of the Veil

      Randy P. Conner – May 5, 2022

      Randy P. Conner was an educator and writer, authoring several books that focused on the intersection between ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and the sacred.

      Conner held a Ph.D. in Humanities, Philosophy & Religion from the California Institute of Integral Studies. He taught at the University of Texas, Austin Community College, the University of California at Berkeley, as well as the California Institute of Integral Studies.

      He co-authored with David Sparks and Mariya Sparks, Cassell’s Encyclopedia of Queer Myth, Symbol and Spirit: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Lore (1998), which incorporated religion, mythology, folklore, anthropology, history, and the arts to form a “collection of queer spirit.” Conner and Sparks together authored, Queering Creole Spiritual Traditions: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Participation in African-Inspired Traditions in the Americas (2014), which examined and explored the roles of gender in African diasporic religions.

      Conner also wrote, Blossom of Bone: Reclaiming the Connections Between Homoeroticism and the Sacred (1993), and The Pagan Heart of the West (Vol I. Deities and Kindred Beings): Embodying Ancient Beliefs and Practices from Antiquity to the Present (2019).

      A scholarship is being created in Randy P. Conner’s name to support a LBGTQ student studying in the Fine and Performing Arts program at Moraine Valley Community College near Chicago.
      To donate to the scholarship:
      • Go online to donate via credit or debit card using this donation page dedicated to Randy.
      • Or Mail a check made payable to the Moraine Valley Foundation and write “Randy’s Scholarship” in the memo of the check. Mail to Moraine Valley Foundation, 9000 W. College Parkway, Palos Hills, IL 60465

      Conner is survived by his husband, David Hatfield Sparks.

      What is remembered, Lives!


      Positively Noteworthy

      Over the weekend footage of a group of turtles that went viral provided some positive and hopeful vibes after a week of turbulent and unpleasant news. We could probably all emulate a little more behavior like these turtles.


      Tarot of the week by Star Bustamonte

      Deck: Tarot of the Hidden Realm, by Barbara Moore, artwork by Julia Jeffrey, published by Llewellyn Publications.

      Card: Seven of Cups

      The week ahead is likely to offer some inspiration in the form of hopes and dreams. Creating space and time for envisioning the future that is desired, and then feeding that vision is highlighted.

      Conversely, focusing on feared possibly outcomes and actions has the potential to lead to despair, and prevent or stall any positive forward momentum.

      Decks generously provided by Asheville Pagan Supply.

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