Tang dynasty (618-906) bronze mirror with moon goddess and rabbit design – Image credit: Hiart – CC0
TWH – Saturday will mark the beginning of the Chinese Lunar New Year and the Year of the Water Rabbit after the moon moves into Aquarius and phases into new on January 21, 2023, at 3:53 pm (EST) and 12:53 pm (PST). In China, the seven-day festival kicks off on January 21, New Year’s Eve, and runs through January 27.
According to astrologer Susan Levitt, “The year of the Rabbit is a time to create peace, calm, and rest after the actions of the previous Tiger year. Kind and understanding Rabbit is an alchemist, capable of mixing herbs and elixirs for curative healing. Therefore, this is an ideal year to focus on health and maintain equilibrium. Eat well to stay healthy and learn to cook, or take your food preparation skills to the next level. Rabbit excels in the healing arts, and is drawn to creativity in all forms.”
Levitt also pointed out, “At times, Rabbit is not practical. Rabbit, like Rabbit’s best friend Sheep, appreciates the finer things in life, gourmet food, and luxuries. Money can be made easily in a Rabbit year, but it can also be spent easily in a Rabbit year. Keep the focus on transforming your health, and offering assistance to others, especially when you can be a diplomatic peacekeeper.”
In Chinese astrology, the year of the Rabbit can be especially powerful for those people who were also born during the year of the Rabbit. For those individuals, the year ahead marks the beginning of a new 12-year life cycle that holds the potential for ample opportunities, as well as success and achievement in a variety of areas.
For a full description of what the year ahead might hold in general or other signs, Levitt has an entire section on her website.
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BOSTON – The 527 court documents that chronicle the 1692 Salem Witch trials have been relocated to their new permanent home at the Massachusetts Judicial Archives facility in Boston. The documents had previously been stored at the Essex County Superior Court before they were transferred to the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem in 1980.
In order for documents to be properly preserved, they need environmental controls that include being at or below 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius), 50% relative humidity, and low-light conditions.
Among the hundreds of court records are transcripts of testimony and examinations, depositions taken, and warrants issued for apprehension.
The Supreme Judicial Court Massachusetts’ highest appellate court was founded in November 1692 during the Salem Witch Trials and the first cases it heard were those of the 26 people accused of witchcraft. It was originally named the Superior Court of Judicature when it was formed.
Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly S. Budd said, “We are grateful to PEM for its capable stewardship of these invaluable documents and gratified that the state can now welcome the Salem Witch Trials documents home to the Judicial Archives.”
The Judicial Archives has been newly renovated and expanded to be able to house all of the historical legal documents.
“The Court deeply appreciates the extraordinary public service that the museum has provided in caring for this unique collection for more than 40 years,” Chief Justice Budd said. “We look forward to future partnerships between the SJC and PEM to help keep the teachings of the Salem Witch Trials alive.”
All of the documents from the Salem Witch Trials have been digitized and are available for viewing online by members of the public and researchers.
Peabody Essex Museum Executive Director and CEO Lynda Roscoe Hartigan said in a statement, “PEM is committed to telling the story of these events through exhibitions, lectures, and public programs as well as by making reproductions of the Salem Witch Trial documents available to the public on our website.”
Referencing both current events and the history of the Salem Witch Trials, Hartigan said, “In our culture today and in other countries, the struggle over social justice is very much on peoples’ minds. It’s a cautionary tale of how prejudices can really damage peoples’ lives and how we have to guard against that.”
Announcements:
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- In December, Spiral Moon Family Circle, based in Troy, Michigan, completed its first annual, “Toys for Yule” program. There have previously been other annual toy drives in the metro-Detroit community, but Covid-19 and pandemic precautions interrupted those traditions. Spiral Moon Family Circle opened applications for holiday assistance back in September and had two families apply. Both families received gift cards for groceries and toys/gifts for their children based on parent suggestions. Spiral Moon Family Circle issued a statement that said, in part, “We appreciate the support our community provided to make this happen, and we look forward to doing it again next year.” The group will be collecting donations to fund next year’s program beginning on Pagan Pride Day, which is tentatively planned for August.
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- The Society for Ritual Arts announced Coreopsis: Journal of Myth & Theatre has issued a Call for Papers for its 2023 Spring edition: Myths that Kill: Lies, Damn Lies and Urban Myths. The focus of the edition is described as, “Urban myth, internet rumors, social media memes, deliberate falsification of information in the media: these all have real-world impact. This issue will be devoted to how these myths spread and how they harm people, places, other living creatures, communities, and democracy itself.” Some topics offered by the Journal for consideration and submission are: “debunking and dismantling disinformation, the history and current use of ‘the blood lie,’ protests and counterprotests: how rumors become viral, and deliberate propaganda and how it is used” Categories for submission include: Papers for Peer Review; Art & Multimedia; Interviews; Reviews; Advertising; Announcements; and Letters to the Editor. Full guidelines for submissions can be found on the Coreopsis website, and submissions must be received by the last week of January. Coreopsis Journal is published twice annually, each Spring and Fall. The 2022 Fall Edition is titled, The Moon in a Sacred Tree: the Symbology of Tarot and Alchemy and is available online.
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- A call for abstracts to be published in the Theology, Religion, and Popular Culture book series on the subjects of “Theology, Religion, and Dungeons & Dragons.” but not limited to, the topics below for a volume on the intersections of academic disciplines of theology, religious studies, and the creative world of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). The deadline for submissions is February 15.
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- The Journal of Academic Freedom is seeking original articles that investigate the links between landscapes of social power and the historical development and contemporary status of academic freedom for its 2023 issue. From The Journal, “We invite consideration of how academic freedom serves as a touchstone for democracy and the ways that the death of academic freedom signals the atrophy of more inclusive and democratized landscapes of power. What is the relationship between democratic societies and the flourishing of academia and academic freedom within them? What kind of society would powerful forces working against academia and academic freedom usher forth if they had their way?” The deadline for submissions is March 20.
Upcoming Events:
- UPDATE: Due to unforeseen events, noted English historian, Professor Ronald Hutton will be unable to appear live as originally planned as part of the Cherry Hill Seminary continuing lecture series, “Coming to the Center.” Rather than cancel or reschedule the event, a recording of an interview that was conducted with Hutton just a few days ago will be broadcast with a live discussion to follow. The presentation by Hutton will still take place on Saturday, January 28, at 3:00 pm EDT. Hutton has published over a dozen books and numerous articles, relating to contemporary Paganism, British folklore, and pre-Christian religions, as well as being featured on a variety of British television and radio programs. The event is free but requires pre-registration.
- The International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture (ISSRNC) announces the hybrid conference, “After Earth? Religion and Technology on a Changing Planet” which will take place in Tempe, AZ, and online Feb 2– 5. Student registration is free; recordings of all online sessions will be posted on our website for later viewing by registered participants. The Deadline for online registration is January 30.
- Earth-based Spirituality Action Team (ESBAT) will hold its next meeting on February 13, 2023 from 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm (PDT). The meeting will feature John Beckett presenting, “Animism: A Foundation for Connecting to Nature.” A description of the presentation: “Unlike what some of us were taught in school, animism is not a ‘primitive religion.’ It’s a worldview: a way of understanding the universe, our place in it, and how we can relate to it all.” Beckett is a Druid in the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (OBOD), a member of Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF), a member of the Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, and a former Vice President of CUUPS Continental. He’s been writing, speaking, teaching, and leading public rituals since 2003. His books The Path of Paganism (2017) and Paganism In Depth (2019) are published by Llewellyn Worldwide. The meeting will be held via Zoom.
- According to recent reporting Michelle Donelan, U.K. Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport indicated that the U.K. had no plans to return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. The BBC reported last week that Donelan had said that other media reports of British Museum chairman, George Osborne being close to striking a deal with Greek authorities regarding the Marbles had interpreted his comments incorrectly. “He’s [Osborne] not about to send them back, basically. That’s not his intention. He has no desire to do that. There’s also been this concept of a 100-year loan mooted as well, which is certainly not what he’s planning either,” Donelan said. “He would agree with me that we shouldn’t be sending them back, and actually they do belong here in the UK, where we’ve cared for them for a great deal of time, where we’ve allowed access to them.” Despite these recent statements, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis remains hopeful, but also acknowledges that it is unlikely that anything will happen anytime soon.
Caren “Ren” Monson-deGrasse – December 11, 2022
Caren “Ren” Monson-deGrasse, Lycorennea, High Priestess of Successor Circle, Shapeshifter Coven left this world for the Summerland on December 11, 2022.The Shapeshifter Coven dissolved with her passing, and a Daughter Coven was formed by her students and the Priestesses received the Shapeshifter Coven’s Book of Shadows and tools on New Year’s Day.
Monson-deGrasse helped found The Society for Ritual Arts and was dedicated to volunteering at many events the group held and supported their journal, Coreopsis Journal of Myth and Theatre.
Monson-deGrasse is survived by her parents, Rey and Ray Monson, and her adopted son Bennie deGrasse. A memorial fund has been set up through PayPal Giving by The Society for Ritual Arts to help with the cost of funeral and end-of-life expenses.
The Community Memorial for Monson-deGrasse will be held on January 29, 2023, at 5:00 pm (PST) at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists in the Church Hall building, 1606 Bonita Ave, Berkeley, California, 94709. The memorial will also be livestreamed via Zoom and will be accessible via the Fellowship of the Spiral Path Facebook page and via the group’s website.
Fellowship of the Spiral Path, Darkmoon Circle Priestesses will officiate with Diana Paxson leading the rite.
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Tarot of the week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: African American Tarot, by Jamal R, artwork by Thomas Davis, published by Lo Scarabeo.Card: Six (6) of Chalices (Yumboe – The Night Fairies – Senegal)
The week ahead holds the potential for offering up opportunities to celebrate the simple joys of living, and indulge in recounting positive memories and experiences of the past. There may also be a desire to visit the places that speak to the soul and possess the ability to renew.
Conversely, dwelling in past or longing for a nostalgic past that may not have even existed can negatively impact the ability to embrace the present. A more productive approach would be to make peace with the past and learn from mistakes.
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