TWH – We know that there are many cat parents and family members in our community, so Happy International Cat Day!
International Cat Day is an annual celebration dedicated to cats, observed on August 8th. It was created in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) as a way to raise awareness about the welfare of cats and to promote their care and protection.
International Cat Day is an opportunity for cat lovers around the world to celebrate their feline friends, share photos and stories, and learn more about responsible cat ownership, including proper nutrition, grooming, and veterinary care. It also serves to highlight the importance of adopting cats from shelters and to support initiatives aimed at improving the lives of stray and feral cats.
National Cat Day varies by country. In Italy, it is celebrated on February 17, and in Japan on February 22. Russia celebrates it on March 1 as cats symbolize spring in that culture. In the U.S. and Canada, National Cat Day is an awareness day focused on promoting cat adoption. It is observed on August 8 in Canada and October 29 in the United States.
Barrister and environmental activist Paul Powlesland via X
LONDON – “Thou, Nature, art my goddess. To thy law/My services are bound” so says Edmund in Shakespeare’s King Lear.
Last week, attorney and activist Paul Powlesland may have become the first person to actualize Edmund’s statement in court by being the first juror to swear a legal oath on a river.
Instead of a Bible, Constitution, or other document, Powlesland, while being sworn into jury duty, produced a vial of water from the River Roding. Powlesland is the founder of the River Roding Trust, a charity dedicated to cleaning up the London area’s third-largest river.
Court officials were confused. When Powlesland requested to swear his oath on the water, the judge and usher at a London crown court—located within the River Roding’s catchment area—were taken aback, as they had never encountered such a request before. After some discussion, Powlesland was permitted to likely become the first person to swear a legal oath in a British court based on his reverence for a river, after providing a secular affirmation to meet standard legal requirements.
“I explained that nature is my God, and I hold the Roding sacred. My actions for her are expressions of love, and swearing on the river would be a deeply meaningful promise to me,” Powlesland recounted. “I dipped my finger into a cup of Roding water and vowed, ‘I swear on the River Roding, from her source at Molehill Green to her confluence with the Thames, that I will faithfully try the case and deliver a true verdict according to the evidence.’”
Powlesland said court officials recognized his sincerity. “I felt the judge saw the truth in my words; it wasn’t just me playing games.”
Powlesland also co-founded Lawyers for Nature, a group advocating for the legal recognition of natural elements in Britain, cited examples of rivers, lakes, and rainforests being granted legal personhood in countries like New Zealand, Spain, Ecuador, and Australia. He hopes his oath will inspire others to take similar actions.
“It’s a way to reintroduce the concept of nature as sacred into our legal system, creatively showing the world that nature is alive, sacred, and deserving of our responsibilities,” he said. “I believe this is the first time a juror’s oath has been sworn on a river, and I hope many others will follow, bringing animism into our courts more regularly.”
Bryce Woyak, M.Div. via Cherry Hill Seminary
COLUMBIA, South Carolina – Bryce Woyak, M.Div., became a board-certified chaplain with his credentials from Cherry Hill Seminary. Woyak is the first CHS Seminary “graduate to earn this coveted professional distinction,” wrote CHS in a press release.
Woyak graduated from Cherry Hill Seminary in 2024 with a Master of Divinity degree, specializing in Pastoral Counseling & Chaplaincy. Earning this degree is just one step toward board certification, a rigorous, competency-based process that also requires at least 800 hours of clinical training (such as Clinical Pastoral Education, or CPE) and a minimum of 2,000 hours of subsequent experience as a chaplain. Board certification is recognized as the standard of excellence for professional chaplains.
“Bryce’s achievement reflects the dedication he showed during his studies at CHS,” said Holli Emore, Executive Director of the Seminary in a statement. “His ability to turn his education into both a vocation and professional employment is a testament to the vision our early Seminary leaders had.”
Woyak expressed his gratitude, stating, “I’m thankful to have received my board certification in chaplaincy. This wouldn’t have been possible without the education and support I received from Cherry Hill Seminary. The MDiv program in Pastoral Counseling and Chaplaincy equipped me to dive into the field of clinical chaplaincy and transform my passion for spiritual care into a career dedicated to nurturing the human spirit.”
Cherry Hill Seminary is the leading institution within Pagan and Nature-Based spiritualities for education and practical training in leadership, ministry, and personal growth. The seminary empowers spiritual leadership, scholarship, and ethics through theological and pastoral education, fostering interfaith engagement in a diverse society. More information about Cherry Hill Seminary is available on their website.
Congratulations Bryce and Cherry Hill Seminary!
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Happening Tonight!
New Orleans Alexandrian Grand Soiree (August, 8, 2024)
The New Orleans Alexandrian Grand Soiree is hosted by The New Orleans Coven, the Ponchartrain Coven, and the Salem Coven and will be held at Potions, a magical speakeasy located above Fritzel’s Jazz Bar at 733 Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. You’ll need a password to get in, which is “Rose Ankh!” Enjoy this nighttime party with Alexandrian High Priesthood Brian Cain, Christine Stephens, Levi Rowland, and Elie Barnes, and meet the Covens. Alexandrian Witchcraft is a Priesthood that follows the teachings and practices of Alex and Maxine Sanders. As one of two traditions within the line of succession, we are not eclectic; we are a Priesthood with power and purpose. We are Witches of the Book and occultists who belong to a rich tapestry of the Craft. As occultists, we are innovative and curious; as witches, we do not mix our drinks. Alexandrians focus on and are known for dedication, good manners, and good training. Join us in our nocturnal revelry of witchcraft, wine, and revelation.
Happening this weekend!
HexFest (August 9 -11, 2024)
Tales of the magic of the Crescent City of New Orleans stretch back over centuries. It is an enigmatic place where Voodoo, Hoodoo, Witchcraft, and even Christianity blend at a crossroads of spiritual power. On August 9 to 11, 2024, the Witches of New Orleans present HexFest: A Weekend of Witchery held in the heart of the historic French Quarter. The conference opens with a Riverboat Ritual and dinner, held on an authentic steamboat on the Mississippi River, followed by two full days of workshops, drumming, and ritual at The Bourbon Orleans Hotel, a venue riddled with a history of hauntings. HexFest has gathered Witches, rootworkers, Voodoo priests, and other magical teachers from within New Orleans and around the world to offer their time-honored wisdom. More information is available on the HexFest site.
Happening next weekend!
Friday next week, #Midgardtalks explore the mystical north, sex, and the supernatural, plants, and bloodletting. We find the past endlessly intriguing, but our panel asks: “Are the sources lying to us about the supernatural past?”
Midgardsblot takes place in Midgard, a place for all human beings, no matter what nationality, cultural background, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation ❤ Our festival and our community are neutral grounds where we welcome you all to meet, to bond and to build friendship across all borders. A place where we celebrate all our different roots and our diversity so we all can share wisdom, learn from each other and learn to accept our differences 🔥 To do so we have a zero tolerance on politics and harrasments of any kind so you must all leave that at our Gates before entering
Join them at #midgardvikingcentre and top up your knowledge for future quiz battles. More information on their Facebook site.
Upcoming Conferences and Events
Enchanted! Metaphysics & Mystics Market (August 23- 24, 2024)
Artists, crafters, makers, readers, energy healers, witches, fairies, dragons, and oddballs… join us for a weekend of MAGIC in Fayetteville, AR! Learn about esoteric and healing arts, and metaphysical practices, and meet mystic-minded friends. Discover a world of spiritual tools, paths, and wisdom. Ask questions about yoga, tarot, crystals, and energy healing. Support unique, uncommon artists and crafters, and live musicians! Everyone has a little bit of magic inside… come and discover yours! This is a family-friendly, indoor, rain-or-shine event!
Southern California Divination Conference (August 24, 2024)
Anaheim, CA – Mark your calendars and secure your tickets, divination enthusiasts! The Commons of Modern Pagans and Spiritual Seekers (COMPASS) is thrilled to present the 2nd Annual Southern California Divination Conference, an exclusive event that will immerse Southern California in mystical insights and spiritual connections!
The portals will open on August 24, 2024, at our new location, the Crown Plaza Hotel, Costa Mesa, CA. This year, our theme is Dispelling Myths, Rumors, and Fantasies of Divination.
Join us for a transformative journey into the realm of the mystical, where seasoned practitioners and curious novices will explore ancient arts, modern techniques, and everything in between.
This year’s speakers include a diverse range of experts such as Thalassa, Jennifer Morris, Orion Foxwood, Juliet Kurth, and many more. Whether you’re drawn to Tarot, astrology, runes, or other forms of divination, this conference promises to ignite your intuition and deepen your connection to the unseen forces guiding our lives.
Don’t miss out on our early Bird Tickets, available online for just $75 and including a buffet lunch. On the day of the event, tickets will be $80 at the door. Secure your tickets through the COMPASS website before August 18 to enjoy this special offer.
Take advantage of this opportunity to immerse yourself in a weekend of magic, wisdom, and community. Save the date and get ready to unlock the mysteries of the universe at the 2nd Annual Southern California Divination Conference!
Swamp Mystics (September 7, 2024)
The Temple of Limitless Light has been serving the Tallahassee area by teaching the basics of magical energy techniques. We strive to empower people curious about the unseen and mysterious depths of the world and present ancient concepts as tools that can be used to consciously cultivate an abundant life out of the malleable material of energy. We focus on grounding, creating sacred space, and the elements. We offer our services freely.
Magic is alive and rising out of the humidity of the Southeastern USA. We call together Mystics, Witches, Sorcerers, Spellcasters, and Practitioners of the Ancient Paths for a Convocation! Magic will be the focus of all of our presentations culminating in the Mass of the Goddess Community Ritual. This year’s featured headliner is Frater Barrabbas.
Twilight Covening (October 11-14, 2024)
The Earthspirit Community announced the Twilight Covening event last month and that they “have already filled more than half of the available spaces! Thank you. It feels good to know that so many want to attend again this year.”
They said “Again, we are prioritizing Clan assignments by week so that everyone has a reasonable chance of getting into one of their top choices. The first week filled up one Clan already, but there is space in many others – and frankly, all of the Clans that are on offer will provide something special to those who attend.”
The Earth Spirit Community wrote,
Twilight Covening is a continuous 3-day ritual that holds and shapes an intensive learning experience 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.
Twilight Covening is held in the autumn during the strong natural transition taking place all around us from light into dark, summer into winter, and outward focus to inward contemplation. During the gathering, we use this current of change, along with our focused practices, to find inspiration and insight that can feed us in the dark months to come and motivate us to make changes that we can use to deepen our own spiritual practice.
The intensive work of Twilight Covening takes place in practice-specific Clans of 10-15 people and in full-community rituals that flow together through the weekend.
More information is available on the EarthSpirit website.
Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Tarot Familiars, by Lisa Parker, published by Fournier.
Card: Major arcana III (3) – The Empress
The week ahead is likely to place the focus on feminine energies as expressed within the natural world, as well as how it is embodied in others. Elements of abundance, fertility, nurturing, and prosperity have the potential to figure prominently. Feminine aspects apparent in those who are considered high-profile on the world’s stage are equally likely to be exalted.
Conversely, feeling disconnected from the natural world, the inability to concentrate and pay attention to details, in addition to a general sense of disillusion and dissatisfaction are possible. In many cases, the remedy is to take a step back, enlist some serious self-care, and reconnect with both the self and nature.
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