Pagan Community Notes: Week of February 20, 2025

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Rare Planetary Alignment to Grace the Night Sky on February 28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (well, really everywhere on Earth) –  The ongoing planetary alignment, which began last month, is approaching its grand finale. On February 28, all the planets in our solar system will make a rare simultaneous appearance in the night sky. While not all will be visible to the naked eye, a telescope or binoculars can help bring the dimmer ones into view.

Since early February, six planets have been aligned, with Mercury set to join them on February 28. This will be the last such event until 2040.

The term “planetary alignment” is not a strictly scientific phrase but a general term used to describe when multiple planets appear together in the sky. While these alignments always follow the same arc—known as the ecliptic—because all planets orbit the Sun on roughly the same plane, they will not form a perfect straight line as often depicted in illustrations.

Astronomers define planetary alignments as occurrences when planets cluster closely on one side of the Sun. Such events can involve anywhere from three to eight planets. A five- or six-planet alignment is considered significant, but a seven-planet alignment is particularly rare.

NASA explains that while the planets may seem to line up across the sky, this is simply a result of their orbits along the ecliptic. Their apparent closeness is an optical effect, as they move along their respective paths in the vast three-dimensional space of our solar system.

For skywatchers, February 28 presents a fleeting opportunity to witness this celestial spectacle before it disappears for another 15 years.

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World Social Justice Day

World Day of Social Justice, observed annually on February 20, emphasizes the global commitment to promoting social justice by addressing issues such as poverty, exclusion, gender inequality, unemployment, and human rights violations. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007, this day serves as a reminder of the necessity to build fair and inclusive societies.

In 2025, the theme for World Day of Social Justice is “Strengthening a Just Transition for a Sustainable Future.” This theme highlights the importance of ensuring that the global shift toward low-carbon economies is inclusive and equitable, particularly for vulnerable populations. It emphasizes the need for policies that integrate environmental sustainability with social justice, ensuring that workers, indigenous peoples, and marginalized communities are supported through retraining, job creation, and robust social protection measures.

The UN writes. ” The five key principles of social justice are often defined as:

• the recognition that different people have different needs and circumstances (equity),
• ensuring that everyone has access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed (access),
  enabling all individuals to play in role in the political, economic and social life of the communities (participation),
• protecting the human rights of all individuals (rights) and
  valuing and respecting differences between people, such as race, gender, and sexual orientation (diversity).
• Social justice is a cornerstone of the United Nations’ mission to promote peace, security, and human rights worldwide and is enshrined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an international blueprint for peace and prosperity.

To commemorate this day in 2025, several key events and initiatives are planned:

1. United Nations Headquarters Event: On February 20, a significant event will be held at the UN Headquarters in New York, focusing on the theme “Strengthening a Just Transition for a Sustainable Future.” Organized by the Permanent Mission of the Kyrgyz Republic to the UN and the International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the event will explore how inclusive policies can ensure that climate action leads to more and better jobs, reduces inequalities, and fosters sustainable development.

2. Inaugural Forum of the Global Coalition for Social Justice: The ILO will mark the occasion with a series of five events held in major cities worldwide. These events will bring together high-level speakers from across the world of work to discuss how to place social justice at the center of international, national, and regional policy agendas.

The events can be viewed live on the ILO site.

These events aim to foster dialogue and collaboration among governments, employers, workers, and civil society to develop strategies that promote social justice in the context of environmental sustainability. By focusing on a just transition, the 2025 observance seeks to ensure that the benefits of a sustainable future are shared equitably, leaving no one behind.

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ConVocation 2025: Exploring Malkuth

ConVocation, organized by the Magical Education Council, is an annual gathering designed to “cultivate a vibrant and knitted community for individuals who honor and align with mystical and esoteric paths.” ConVocation is one of the largest mystical gatherings in the country.

This year, the event moves to Ypsilanti Township for the first time, taking place February 22-25 at the Ann Arbor Marriott at Eagle Crest. Originally held in Troy in 1995 before moving to Dearborn, the shift to Ypsilanti reflects the event’s continued expansion. ConVocation Board President Moira Payne describes the venue change as a natural progression in response to growing interest and attendance.

The 2025 theme is Malkuth, the final (or first) Sefira on the Tree of Life, which serves as a bridge between the earthly and the divine. For years, ConVocation has explored the Sefirot, and now, with “Malkuth: Explore and Build Pathways to the Divine,” attendees will engage in discussions and practices that connect spiritual work to the material world. Malkuth is unique—it does not emanate from the divine but from us. It is the foundation of all magickal practice, linking the seen and unseen, and shaping how we build and grow our spiritual paths.

This year’s Guests of Honor include:

• Benebell Wen
• Chris Allaun
• Christopher Penczak
• Clifford Hartleigh Low
• David Shi
• Devin Hunter
• Enfys J. Book
• Frater Barrabbas
• Ivo Dominguez, Jr.
• Jacki Smith
• Jason Mankey
• Kenn Day
• Kenya T. Coviak
• Mat Auryn,
• Oberon Zell,
• Sara Mastros
• Sundance Living Waters

The Covenant of the Goddess will also begin its celebrations of its 50th anniversary with a panel session.  Since its founding at Samhain in 1975, the Covenant of the Goddess (CoG) has worked to advance the rights and recognition of Witches and Wiccans across the U.S. and internationally. This panel brings together members of CoG to reflect on the key challenges and accomplishments they’ve achieved over the past 50 years, working across traditions in areas like interfaith dialogue, prison ministry, and the legal recognition of clergy. What lies ahead for the Covenant of the Goddess? What challenges will national organizations face as they continue to bring Witchy and Wiccan clergy together in an ever-changing world? Join CoG clergy for a lively, reflective, and insightful discussion on the pressing issues confronting our community.

With a diverse lineup of speakers, workshops, and rituals, ConVocation 2025 promises to be a transformational experience for all who seek to deepen their understanding of mystical and esoteric traditions. Whether attending for scholarly inquiry, spiritual growth, or community connection, participants will leave with new insights and pathways to explore.

For more details, visit ConVocation’s official website.

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Call for Submissions: 2025 International Contest for Minority Artists

The 2025 International Contest for Minority Artists is now open for submissions, inviting artists to explore the powerful themes of belonging, place, and loss. This year’s contest focuses on the intersections of environmental degradation, cultural loss, and the ongoing struggle for a just and equitable future grounded in human rights.

Organized by UN Human Rights, Minority Rights Group International, and Freemuse, with the City of Geneva as a key partner, the contest is a central part of the Minority Artists for Human Rights Initiative (2024-2028). This initiative seeks to empower minority artists as human rights defenders, expand engagement with diverse audiences, and strengthen their connection to the UN human rights system.

The 2025 contest examines the deep and complex relationships minorities have with identity, home, and displacement, particularly in the context of environmental justice and climate change. It highlights issues such as attachment to place, the loss of community, language, and culture, and the rights of minorities to preserve their heritage in the face of external threats.

Environmental harm disproportionately impacts minority communities, disrupting essential lands, resources, and ecosystems crucial for their survival. Environmental racism—the placement of polluting industries and hazardous waste in minority-dominated areas—exacerbates these injustices, often forcing displacement and deepening social marginalization. Rising hate speech and stigma further alienate individuals from their homelands and cultural roots.

Minority artists have a vital role in shedding light on environmental injustice, cultural loss, and systemic discrimination. Through their work, they can challenge environmental racism, amplify the voices of affected communities, and create impactful narratives that resonate globally.

The contest celebrates the unique perspectives of minority artists in connecting human rights, environmental justice, and climate action. It also aims to showcase solutions led by minority communities to combat climate change while illuminating the realities of displacement, loss, and resilience.

For more information on eligibility, submission guidelines, and deadlines, visit the official contest website.

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Call of Papers

Magic and Witchcraft Conference 2025
June 24 & 25, 2025, University of York

Theme: What is a Witch?

We are delighted to invite paper proposals for the CREMS (University of York) Magic and Witchcraft Conference 2025. This year’s theme is inspired by conversations begun at a conference on Witchcraft and Authority, held in Copenhagen in October 2024. Drawing together scholars from across Europe and North America, it quickly became clear that while understandings and the prosecution of witchcraft were indisputably bound up with questions of authority, what was meant by a ‘witch’ varied considerably between regions, and even between decades. The result is that, at times, we speak across each other in our research, drawing conclusions based on conflicting definitions and parameters of what we study.

We therefore propose to re-open the discussion on what we, as scholars, mean when we refer to witchcraft. In short: what is a witch?

Papers are invited that address this question, particularly those looking at the period from Antiquity to 1850. Suggested sub-themes include, but are not limited to:

• Legal definitions of witchcraft: intra- and international comparisons particularly welcome
• Folk conceptions of witchcraft: What constituted the crime of witchcraft in popular perception, and who were perceived as its practitioners?
• Maleficium: is real-world harm a necessary component of the definition of a witch?
• Magic beyond the Christian paradigm: is the term ‘witch’ meaningful outside Christian cultures?
• The feminist lens: Does the identification of historical witchcraft as “gender-based persecution” remain applicable to the definition of the historical witch?
• Literary/cultural portrayals of the witch

Abstracts of 200-300 words should be sent to magicwitchcraft2024@gmail.com by the 14th of March 2025. Please include your name, institutional affiliation (if any), and your intention to attend in person or online.

Keynote speakers

• Julian Goodare (University of Edinburgh) – What is a Witch in Scottish Literature?
• Rita Voltmer (University of Trier) – Beyond the Village Witch: The many faces of the witch in European witch trials
• Ceri Holbrooke (University of Hertfordshire) – Unstoppering the Witch Bottle
  Organisers
• Debora Moretti (University of Hertfordshire) and Tabitha Stanmore (University of Exeter)

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Events and Happenings

Marshall University’s Humanities Department (Classics, Philosophy, and Religious Studies) is hosting a conference in celebration of 150 years of Classics at the university entitled Goddess at the Crossing Place March 6th- 8th, 2025 in Huntington, WV.

Pagan priestess and Witch Caroline Tully will be presenting a discussion titled Unsubstantiated Personal Gnosis and Hekate.”

Other discussions include: “A Girl’s Transition Through the Various Rituals of Artemis in the Ancient Greek World”, “Crossing the Goddess: the Cosmic Power of Female Anger”, “The Goddess as the Crossing Place: Styx, the Dread River of Oath”, “The Hindu Goddess Comes to America”, as well as a virtual Q&A session with NYT bestselling author Madelline Miller (Circe, Song of Achilles).

 

More information is available at Marshal Univerity’s Department of Humanities.

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Restored Rites of Eleusis to Return for 39th Year at Spring Mysteries Festival

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There’s a new Pagan even in town!  Well, actually in Portland, Oregon… 

Spirit Northwest is the West Coast Pagan conference in Portland, May 1 – 4 2025.

Spirit Northwest is a transformative and new format gathering for seekers, offering 90 and 120-minute immersive workshops on Paganism, witchcraft, and natural magick.

We heard from many in the occult community that people longed for in-depth workshops and rituals, hands-on learning, and make-and-takes with well-known speakers, ritualists, and practitioners.

Amy Blackthorn is the award-winning author of the best-selling Blackthorn’s Botanicals series.

J. Allen Cross is an accomplished author and folk magician known for his book American Brujeria: Modern Mexican American Folk Magic and The Witch’s Guide to the Paranormal.

Maria Minnis is a tarot reader of 20+ years who teaches people about blending their spirituality with magic, liberation work, and eroticism in their everyday lives.

We took action and are bringing it to you all in one weekend!

🧙 Opportunities to raise your visibility:

Be a Speaker: Share your wisdom! Applications are closing soon—don’t miss your chance to lead.

Become a Sponsor: Elevate your brand to a highly engaged, diverse audience hungry for magickal tools, insights, and connections. Five sponsorship levels offer options with vendor spaces to hotel suites.

 

📅 Mark Your Calendar:

• Vendor Applications Open: January 15, 2025.
  Schedule Launch: Coming soon via Sched.
  Hotel Reservations: Available now.
  Saturday Night Entertainment: Stay tuned for the big reveal!
  We are excited to learn and meet you all one-on-one in-person conference for Witches and Magickally-Minded people.

🔮 Let’s make magick together in Portland May 1 – 4th.

Your Hosts: Courtney Weber, Kanani Soleil, Hilary Whitmore, and Silent.

More information is available on the Spirt Northwest website 

 

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Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte

Deck: Afro Brazilian Tarot, by Alic Santana, artwork by Guiseppe Palumbo, published by Lo Scarabeo.

Card: Queen of Pentacles

The next seven days are apt to have a focus on stability, financial independence and security—both within the home and at work. While there may be a tendency to concentrate attention internally, compassion, kindness, and practicality when it comes to the needs of others cannot be understated. There is also an emphasis on considering the alliances in play, how family is defined and supported, and how resources can be best applied to resolve potential issues.

Conversely, the potential to place too much energy and attention in one area and completely ignore others is likely to create an imbalance. The potential for inner conflict is also liable to be highlighted. If there is difficulty in managing everything that requires attention, it may be time to ask for help before the situation becomes entirely overwhelming.

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But wait!  There’s more! tis the season! 

The mesmerizing Firefall at Horsetail Fall in Yosemite National Park will be visible for just one more weekend before it disappears until next year. This natural spectacle, which occurs in mid-to-late February, transforms the waterfall into a glowing cascade of fiery orange and red as the setting sun perfectly aligns with the flowing water, creating the illusion of molten lava.

The phenomenon is highly dependent on perfect conditions—clear skies, the right angle of sunlight, and sufficient water flow from melting snow. According to the Yosemite Conservancy, Horsetail Fall -an ephemeral waterfall on an eastern ridge of El Capitan- is only active during the winter months, making this fleeting event even more special.

Details on how to see the Firefall are available at the Yosemite Conservancy.

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