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Pagan Community Notes: Week of December 12, 2022

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Image credit: NoName_13 from Pixabay

TWH – Today is the United Nations (U.N.) International Day of Neutrality 2022, was first adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in February 2017. The U.N. defines neutrality as, “…the status of a country in which it declares itself as a non-participant in war or conflict between belligerent states.”

The theme for this year is to, “Promote peace and avoid violence: war is not the answer to any challenging situation.”

The U.N. cites the humanitarian aspects and benefits of neutrality, “Neutrality not only serves the country that is implementing it but during times of armed conflict and war, it is also essential for NGOs [nonprofits] and other humanitarian agencies to take proper care of casualties. With the help of Neutrality, a country saves its nation because nations want peace, and peace is present in Neutrality.”

Some of the activities to celebrate Neutrality that the U.N. outlines include: Hosting discussions with others online and in person, writing and sharing articles on the subject, practicing mediation, and learning from history.

The concept of a world without conflict might be hard to fathom today considering the ongoing war in Ukraine, as well as other places around the world that are currently experiencing turmoil and a variety of social and political unrest. However, envisioning a lasting peace whether, through discussion, meditation, or ritual can be one way to observe the International Day of Neutrality.

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Image credit: Henrysz – CC BY-SA 4.0

Washington County, KANSAS – A rupture in the Keystone Pipeline last Wednesday, resulted in a major oil spill involving 14,000 barrels or 558,000 gallons of unrefined heavy crude oil. This is the largest onshore oil spill in nine years and the first for the Keystone pipeline. The spill occurred close to the state line of Kansas and Nebraska, 20 miles south of Steele City, Nebraska, and has contaminated nearby Mill Creek.

The exact amount of acreage affected is undefined in media reports and by TC Energy which operates and maintains the pipeline. The last spill from the Keystone pipeline that occurred in October of 2019 in North Dakota was 383,000 gallons and affected roughly 209,100 square feet, though at the time of the spill regulators said it only affected 22,500 square feet. This most recent spill is larger by 175,000 gallons.

Drone footage captured by Nebraska Public Media gives a bird’s eye view of the spill:


According to the most recent update by TC Energy on December 11:

TC Energy continues to progress our response efforts in Washington County, Kansas. We have entered Unified Command with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and continue to work in collaboration with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Association (PHMSA) and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

We remain focused on the following response and recovery activities, including:

  • A dedicated workforce exceeding 250 personnel, including third-party environmental specialists.
  • The product remains contained and multiple vacuum trucks, booms, and additional resources are onsite as we continue the recovery process.
  • Repair planning is also underway, as are shoreline assessments.
  • Continuous air quality monitoring has been deployed and, at this time, there is no indication of adverse health or public concerns.

Additionally, crews are beginning preparations for forecasted rain beginning Monday. We continue to work closely with landowners, the community, and local, state and federal regulators. Additionally, we are in discussion with the Tribal Nations and will welcome a Tribal representative onsite to monitor the progress.

As always, the health and safety of our onsite staff and personnel, our community neighbors, and mitigating risk to the environment remains our primary focus. We are working with local and state environmental agencies to develop incident-specific Wildlife Management Plans, including specialists to care for impacted wildlife.

We appreciate the patience and collaboration of the surrounding community and partner agencies for their support in responding to this incident. We recognize this is concerning to the community and commit that we will continue our response until we have fully remediated the site.

Our teams continue to actively investigate the cause of the incident. We have not confirmed a timeline for re-start and will only resume service when it is safe to do so, and with the approval of the regulator.

We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available.

In addition to environmental concerns, there is concern that the pipeline’s shutdown could cause another spike in oil and gas prices. How long the pipeline is shut down will depend on how quickly the cause of the rupture can be determined and repaired.

Announcements:

    • The Earth-based Spirituality Action Team (ESBAT) of Citizens’ Climate Lobby will hold its monthly Zoom meeting on December 12, 2022, from 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm (PST). Interfaith chaplain, spiritual mentor, and peace counselor H.E. Rev. Patrick McCollum will be sharing his thoughts on why “Eco-activism with indigenous peoples is peace work.” According to the press release, “McCollum works with indigenous leaders in various parts of the world including the Amazon. With over half a century of peace work and eco-activism, Patrick will share a bit about what he does and why.” The meeting will run 30 minutes. EBSAT defines itself as, “a group that welcomes anyone who holds the earth sacred to join us in our meetings.” And that, “As with all grassroots groups, we appreciate everyone that shows up and even those that spread the word.”

    • Cherry Hill Seminary will host two virtual events in the coming weeks. First, on Saturday, January 7, at 2:00 EDT, CHS executive director, Holli Emore, will talk about her recent trip to Egypt and her experiences as “an American Kemetic traveling in a Muslim country, the temples, tombs, wildlife, gardens, poverty, riches, beauty both lush and austere, the environmental danger to all Egyptian monuments, and everywhere the warmth and kindness of the people.” Emore’s talk, “Nile Pilgrimage” will be via Zoom, and pre-registration is required. The second event is part of CHS’ “Coming to the Center” lecture series and will feature noted English historian, Professor Ronald Hutton on Saturday, January 28, at 3:00 pm EDT. The event is free but requires pre-registration.

    Upcoming Seasonal Events:

    • EarthSpirit Community is holding its Yule Ritual to “celebrate the longest night and the rebirth of the Sun at the coming Winter Solstice” on December 17, at 5:00 pm at The Williamsburg Grange Hall in Williamsburg, Massachusetts. Attendees must arrive before 5:30 pm when the door for admittance closes. The event is family-friendly and will include a procession of light with children. Those wishing to participate in the procession need to arrive at 5:00 pm, and wear light-colored clothing, like white, silver, or gold. Attendees must wear masks, and home testing for Covid prior to the event is strongly recommended. Anyone feeling unwell is advised to not attend. Admission cost is on a sliding scale of $5 – $10, though no one will be turned away, and children under 10 years of age are free. Attendees are requested to bring “a donation of new warm basic clothing items: like new socks, gloves, underwear or toiletries, for the Survival Center as a gift to support others in our community through the dark time.” An informal finger-food potluck will follow the ritual and anyone attending may bring a food contribution to share–cookies, snacks, or beverages. Napkins and cups will be provided.

    • On Saturday, December 17, from 9:30 am – 5:30 pm (CST), the group will hold in person, its annual Yule Festival celebration at the Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve near Barneveld, Wisconsin. The Yule celebration will include the Wreaths Across America Rite, as part of the nationwide event and will take place at Veterans Ridge at Circle Cemetery. Additionally, Selena Fox will present the workshop, “Saturnalia Magic & Merriment” from 10:30 – 12noon (CST), which will be offered both in person and online. Those interested in attending the Yule festivities must register by Thursday, December 15.

    • On Sunday, December 18, Dark Nation Radio hosted by Jeffrey Weinstock, presents A DARK SOLSTICE,  an annual three-hour program of neo-medieval, pagan, Viking chants, and dark folk for the longest nights of the year (in the northern hemisphere). The live broadcast begins at 9:00 pm (EST) on Spirit of Resistance Radio.

    • On Tuesday, December 20, Circle Sanctuary will livestream, “Winter Solstice Eve Longest Night” from 7:00 – 8:00 pm (CST) on its YouTube Channel. On Wednesday, December 21, at 7:00 pm (CST), the group will participate in the “Solstice Night Multifaith Longest Night” an interfaith event held at the Fitchburg Memorial United Church of Christ, 5705 Lacy Road, Fitchburg, WI 53711-5321, located near Madison, Wisconsin. The event will also be livestreamed on the Fitchburg Memorial UCC’s YouTube channel.

    In other news:

    • The Satanic Temple (TST) installed their holiday display again this year in the Illinois state capitol rotunda. This year’s display features a mirrored square pillar base supporting a bowl of crocheted apples with a book open and a crocheted snake winding around the pillar, and its head resting within the open book. Minister Adam of the Illinois TST said the theme for this year’s display is in response to book banning.

    • The Miami nonprofit, Urban Paradise Guild (UPG) invited Floridians to come to harvest a live Australian pine tree the past two Sundays. The Australian pines were introduced to Florida in the 1800s due to their higher tolerance to salt and their ability to withstand high winds. However, they are not really a pine species and are an invasive species that release sap that can kill native plants or prevent seeds from germinating, which can have big impacts on the wildlife that rely on native flora for their survival. They can be a particular problem for sea turtles and other wildlife due to them often growing near water and their shallow roots can interfere with nesting. The group plans to replant the area with native plants like Mangroves, Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock depending on the elevation and needs of the various areas.


Positively Noteworthy

Yesterday, the uncrewed Orion capsule returned to earth, with the splashdown occurring in the Pacific Ocean off the coast west of Baja California at 12:40 pm EST. NASA declared the 25.5 day historic moon mission a success.

Orion was launched by Artemis I on November 16 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and traveled 1.4 million miles and around the moon before returning to earth.

“The splashdown of the Orion spacecraft – which occurred 50 years to the day of the Apollo 17 Moon landing – is the crowning achievement of Artemis I. From the launch of the world’s most powerful rocket to the exceptional journey around the Moon and back to Earth, this flight test is a major step forward in the Artemis Generation of lunar exploration,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “It wouldn’t be possible without the incredible NASA team. For years, thousands of individuals have poured themselves into this mission, which is inspiring the world to work together to reach untouched cosmic shores. Today is a huge win for NASA, the United States, our international partners, and all of humanity.”

The Orion capsule was recovered by the NASA Landing and Recovery team, loaded aboard the USS Portland, and transported to the U.S. Naval Base San Diego. Once there, it will be prepared for its return to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida where it can undergo post-mission analysis.

Two more Artemis launches which will be crewed missions are scheduled for 2024, Artemis II, and 2025, Artemis III. The Artemis III launch will be historic since it will not only be the first moon landing in 50 years but will also include the first woman and first person of color as members of the mission.


Tarot of the week by Star Bustamonte

Deck: Dreams of Gaia Tarot, by Ravynne Phelan, published by Blue Angel Publishing.

Card: Ace of Water

This week may offer new experiences or beginnings that incorporate what has been long-desired and are likely to be fueled by deep-seated passions and feelings.

There also exists the potential for becoming so entranced or infatuated with a new relationship or endeavor that warning signs are missed. An open heart free of undue fear but balanced by being grounded in reality is key to avoiding missteps.

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