LITTLE ROCK- The Troth and Black Bear Kindred held a Pagans For Peace: A Ritual for Peace and Justice last weekend on September 17, 2023. The ritual purpose was to reach out to Tyr and ask for guidance and strength to bring fairness, inclusion, justice, and peace to all people.
Pagans for Peace is part of Arkansas Peace Week, an event that celebrates non-violence as a means to instill justice, build stronger communities, alleviate poverty, promote ecological stewardship, end war, and eliminate the scourge of violence in our society; while seeking respect, inclusion and fair treatment of all people.
Lauren Crow, President and CEO of The Troth said “Pagans for Peace was an incredible chance to unite Arkansas Pagans across multiple traditions in our shared values of respect, inclusion, and fair treatment of all people. It was a significant moment for The Troth and Black Bear Kindred to be the first Pagan group to participate in Arkansas Peace Week and be included with the broader faith community, something our kindred has struggled to establish for many years. The Arkansas Peace Week committee has welcomed us with open arms and accepted us as part of the interfaith family.”
Crow added, “After attending the Parliament of World Religions, a fire has been lit in The Troth’s belly to continue building on interfaith work in our local communities. I am grateful to The Troth Interfaith Committee for supporting this event and encouraging all members of our organization to live our Heathen faith by being active and present members of our communities.”
The Black Bear Kindred shared some photos of the event:
Do you have news to share with our community? Elevations? Events? Let us know at pcn@wildhunt.org.
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Happening This Week:
Circle Sanctuary logo
Circle Sanctuary announced a series of Mabon-related events beginning this Wednesday:
Equinox Magic
Free online workshop by Selena Fox via Circle of Nature podcast
Rituals & Meditations for celebrating Equinox time
debuts on Wednesday, September 20 at 7 pm CDT
Welcome Fall Festival
Equinox Day
Saturday, September 23, 9:30 am-6 pm
rituals, workshops, Nature walks & more
Theme: Harvest Home: Sharing our Abundance
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve in SW Wisconsin
advance registration is required via Circle Sanctuary
Apple Lore, Charms & Rituals
with Selena Fox
online (livestreamed via Zoom) & in-person workshop
Part of the Welcome Fall Festival
Saturday, September 23, 1-2pm CDT
advance registration is required via Circle Sanctuary
Happening This Weekend:
Western MA Pagan Pride Day is one of many Pagan Pride Day events that take place worldwide. As a nonprofit organization, we strive to establish awareness of earth-centered spiritual traditions in our local communities. People of all faiths (or none) and walks of life are invited to join us on Saturday, September 23, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m. There is no admission fee to the event, however, we ask that you bring a cash donation for our charity drive.
We will be collecting cash donations for our favorite charity, the Northampton Survival Center. You can come expecting to find information about paganism in many of its forms, experience an open harvest ritual, musical entertainment, workshops (classes), and many vendors for a fun, family-friendly community-driven event. There are several restaurants and cafes in the area, so plan to come and stay a while! Updates are also available on their Facebook and Instagram sites.
Earthspirit Community announced it will hold its Autumn Equinox Ritual and Sacred Land Walk on September 17 at Glenwood Farms.
At the Autumn Equinox, we begin our turn inward, like the trees in the Sacred Grove, letting go of what is finished while sustaining what has been gained during the growing season. We will help the Sacred Grove do the same – putting our hands to weeding and mulching the young trees, and raking the path for the little stream which will flow again in the Spring. This working ritual ends with us singing the circuit of the grove, and celebrating ourselves as a community giving and receiving, with an apple dance and honey. A delicious potluck picnic feast finishes the afternoon!
If you have not attended a Sacred Land event before, please be sure to arrive at 1 PM for the Sacred Land walk and open house. The event schedule is:
- 1 pm we walk the Sacred Land, visiting all the sacred sites, opening to them, and learning their stories.
- 2:15 pm You are welcome to join us to learn the songs for the ritual (it’s very fun and makes the ritual richer when a lot of people know the songs.)
- 3 pm the Autumn Equinox ritual begins with a procession to the Sacred Grove for a celebration of the fullness of the growing season, a blessing of the trees in the circle, and of all trees, and the coming of the dark time.
This is in part a working/blessing ritual, in which we will weed and mulch the five young trees in the circle and otherwise love up the trees, ephemeral stream and pollinator garden, all within the sacred grove.
PLEASE BRING:
- yummy food that is easy to carry and share, (such as chicken wings, bread, fruit, veggies & cheese… or a cut up roast!)
- Your own picnic items if you can: plate, cup, utensils, and napkin as we move toward an ethic of “re-usability”
- A blanket to sit on
- Layers of clothing, sturdy shoes, sun and tick protection are recommended for this day on the land. It can get chilly this time of year as the sun wanes in the west.
THE SITE: The Sacred Land walk takes about 90 minutes, and goes up a couple of small hills, then down one hill in the woods. The ritual is held at the Sacred Grove which is up a small hill. Sturdy shoes are recommended, along with some comfortable clothes for the part of the ritual which is working together to tend the trees. It is fun and satisfying! Bring your hand gardening tools and gloves if you can.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Go to the EarthSpirit Community Facebook page or the Google Calendar event listing for the most up-to-date details regarding the weather, or call the EarthSpirit office at 413-238-4240. For Directions: email openhouse@earthspirit.com
Announcements & Upcoming Gatherings:
Carolina Pagan Fest (formally known as The SC Upstate Pagan Pride Day), sponsored by the non-profit group Carolina Pagans with a Purpose, will take place on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at The Maynard Community Center, 1135 Jamerson Rd., Easley, SC 29640.
This is a festival to gather as a community, to celebrate our religious diversity, and to celebrate the harvest. Our mission is to produce an event for the purpose of education, networking, and living in harmony with one another. We strive to dispel any erroneous misconceptions of Paganism. We will do this through workshops, music, speakers, rituals, drumming, and the many vending booths throughout the grounds.
The cost for the event is free with a nonperishable food item, for either people or pets. You might also want to bring a chair or blanket, so you can take in a class and enjoy the entertainment.
Our workshops and speakers this year include Rev. Selena Fox and Dr. Denis D Carpenter of Circle Sanctuary, Lady Rhianon Martin of Serpent Stone, Lady Mia of RavenWood, and our local celebrity drum facilitator and Sonic Artist Jeff Holland. We truly believe that nothing could be finer than to come together and celebrate each other, in our beautiful home of South Carolina!
Lehigh Valley Pagan Pride Day will take place on September 30, 2022. They wrote “Our event is Lehigh Valley Pagan Pride Day in Easton Pennsylvania. There will be vendors of all kinds, classes, and food. We also have guest speakers who are authors.”
Event information and updates are available on their website.
Open Coven is running the following in-person events in Western North Carolina this Fall and early winter. Open Coven is run by TWH writer Liz Watkin, a fiber artist and educator with an online learning background.
Open Coven provides resources on using fiber art for magick. This includes embroidery and fiber art kits, classes, and online workshops. For more info. visit their website:
- 10/14 – Magick Talisman Class: 2 – 4pm at Asheville Raven and Crone (640 Merrimon Ave #207, Asheville, NC)
- 10/19 – Pop-Up: 5 – 7pm at Of Wand and Earth (20 s Main Street, Marshall, NC)
- 11/18 & 11/19 – Pop-up: 11 am – 7pm at Asheville Raven and Crone (640 Merrimon Ave #207, Asheville, NC)
- 11/25 – Magick Talisman Class: 2 – 4pm at The Well (3 Louisiana Ave, W.Asheville)
- 12/9 – Tarot Bag Class: 2 – 5pm at The Well (3 Louisiana Ave, W.Asheville)
- 1/13 – Altar Cloth Class: 1 – 5pm at The Well (3 Louisiana Ave, W.Asheville)
Washington State’s Pagan Pride Day is Sept 30/Oct 1, 2023, at the LaQuinta in Tacoma, WA.
This is our 17th year, and after two years of broadcasting online events with some of the most respected names in the Pagan community, we are back in person! Please join us and the many vendors, readers, and a fantastic lineup of presenters.
Special guest presenters include @ThatWitchLife podcast, who will record an episode for their internationally-known weekly podcast. The show is hosted by Kanani Soleil, Courtney Weber, and Hilary Whitmore and focuses on living as a Witch or Magickal person today.
We are delighted to have Brittany Jones, a presidential candidate for the US 2024 election. Brittany Jones is an unaffiliated candidate for the 2024 presidential elections. She is taking the knowledge she has learned from her campaign and helping educate people across the United States about how elections work. She has been a practicing Pagan, primarily doing dream work, for the last ten years. She also practices candle magic and energy manipulation. Please visit her website to learn more. Puget Sound Pagan Pride has invited other presidential candidates in the spirit of openness and fairness to all. Organizers said they also need volunteers. Contact them for details.
Earthspirit Community announced dates and open registration for Twilight Covening, a continuous 3-day ritual from October 6-9, 2023 that holds and shapes an institute of Earth spirituality and a time to develop our collective wisdom in a shared sacred space as we move into the dark time of the year.
Each year since 1986, members of the EarthSpirit Community gather deep into ourselves and into communion with this time of year and with all of Nature. We explore the depths of a range of spiritual practices, learn new skills together and experience the joy and power of a living community ritual. We invite you to join us.
The rituals include Releasing Fire Ritual on Friday night, Rituals for Dreaming, Healing and Trance on Saturday night, A Visioning Ritual on Sunday night, and Four “Attunements” each day which marks the solar quarters of the day.
Many participants have found that Twilight Covening provides a model for maintaining an earth-centered practice on a daily basis and is a wonderful opportunity for developing strong and lasting connections with others on a similar path.
They note that Twilight Covening is a demanding physical experience. The schedule is intense, the terrain rugged, the weather unpredictable and the facilities limited in creature comforts.
The Michigan Witches Ball 2023 has announced dates! It will be held on October 28, 2023, at the Ukrainian Cultural Center, Warren, Michigan, USA.
Are you ready to immerse yourself in a world of enchantment and mystery? Look no further than the highly anticipated Michigan Witches Ball, where magic comes alive and dreams become reality. This extraordinary event is not to be missed, as it promises an unforgettable evening filled with spellbinding music, captivating people, and a bewitching atmosphere that will leave you mesmerized.
Step into a Realm of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Prepare to be transported to a realm where witches and wizards roam freely. The Michigan Witches Ball is a celebration of all things mystical and supernatural, where attendees can embrace their inner magic and indulge in an evening of pure enchantment.
Indulge in Delectable Delights
No magical evening would be complete without delectable treats to tantalize your taste buds. The Michigan Witches Ball offers a wide array of culinary delights that are sure to satisfy. Savor mouthwatering food. Indulge in desserts. And of course, no witch’s gathering would be complete without a selection of potions and elixirs to quench your thirst at the open bar.
Dress to Impress in Your Finest Witch Attire
The Michigan Witches Ball is the perfect occasion to unleash your inner witch or warlock. Embrace the opportunity to dress up in your most extravagant and spellbinding attire. From elegant witches’ gowns adorned with intricate lace and velvet to dapper warlock suits complete with top hats and canes, let your imagination run wild.
Meet and Support Michigan Pagan Charities
Be dazzled by the shining stars that are the volunteers who staff Pagans In Need food pantry, Wolf Run Wildlife Spiritual Sanctuary, and the Michigan Pagan Scholarship. Chat with these magical altruists adept at the conjuring of compassion.
Tickets and information about the Michigan Witches Ball are available on their website via Eventbrite
If you have an announcement to share with the community,
send it to
The Wild Hunt at pcn@wildhunt.org
Positively Noteworthy
As the Fall North American great bird migration begins, the Audubon Lights Out program goes into full gear. The program is an initiative launched by the National Audubon Society in collaboration with local Audubon chapters, conservation organizations, and volunteers to reduce bird mortality caused by nighttime light pollution in urban areas. The program aims to protect migratory birds, which can become disoriented and collide with buildings and other structures that are lit up during the night.
Here’s how the Audubon Lights Out program asks building owners, managers, and the public about the importance of reducing light pollution to protect birds. This often includes information about bird migration patterns and the hazards of artificial lighting. In some cases, the program may provide guidance on bird-friendly building design and lighting solutions that reduce bird collisions while maintaining necessary illumination for safety and security.
Volunteers also assist in monitoring and recording bird collisions with buildings, especially during peak migration periods. They collect data on the number and types of birds affected.
By implementing these strategies, the Audubon Lights Out program seeks to reduce the number of birds injured or killed by collisions with buildings illuminated at night. It contributes to broader conservation efforts aimed at preserving bird populations and their ecosystems, especially in urban areas where artificial light can be a significant threat to bird species.
Several States participate by offering guidance. Here is an example of a private company, KPMG, a leading professional services firm, participants and advocates for the National Audobon Society’s Lights Out Program.
Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Modern SPellCaSteR’S Tarot, by Melanie Marquis, illustrated by Scott Murphy, published by Llewellyn Worldwide.
Card: Ten (10) of Cups
The incoming week holds the potential for celebration, joyful collaboration with friends and family, and merely enjoying simple pleasures. Another influence could reflect support from an unexpected source that helps boost feeling appreciated and secure in one’s place.
Conversely, a sense of disconnection and even dissatisfaction could threaten to overshadow the week and result in a temporary delay of a desired outcome.
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