The Planet Mercury via NASA
Welcome to the first 24 hours of Mercury Retrograde in 2026! So far, around here, we’ve experienced a 96-minute traffic jam that moved approximately 200 feet in that time, a dead computer, and more car warranty extension calls than you can shake a stick at.
Oh — and a cell phone keeps acting half-dead, refusing to connect to 5G without being coaxed and possibly offered Cuban coffee. The Wi-Fi went down during a flight last night. The captain announced, “Sorry, folks, the Wi-Fi isn’t working anymore. We don’t know why.”
“I know why, ” someone (Manny) on the flight reportedly said.
Mercury entered retrograde motion on February 25, 2026. In astrology, Mercury governs communication, travel, contracts, technology, and thought processes. During Mercury retrograde, astrologers associate the period with miscommunications, travel delays, technology glitches, confusion in agreements, and the resurfacing of past issues. At the same time, many practitioners remind us that this is not simply a season of chaos, but a valuable opportunity for reflection, revision, reconnection, and reconsideration — a time for those “re-” activities we may have been putting off: reviewing, revising, and rethinking.
A Message from Coreopsis
Coreopsis: A Journal of Myth & Theater is preparing to release its 14th volume (Congratulations to the team on this milestone!)
The journal has issued a call for submissions for its Autumn 2026 themed issue, “Biophilia: The Shape of the Future.” As Pagans have long been active participants in — and influential voices within — eco-spirituality, environmental justice, and re-wilding movements, the editors are especially inviting submissions from the Pagan community.
Coreopsis welcomes peer-reviewed scholarly papers as well as non-peer-reviewed essays, opinion pieces, and book or music reviews. The journal is published twice yearly by an all-volunteer staff of artists, scholars, and writers, and operates on a not-for-profit basis.
Those interested in contributing to this themed issue are warmly encouraged to submit their work. The Call is below.
Autumn 2026: Biophilia: The Shape of the Future
Ecological, spiritual, artistic, and psychological coping reactions to the global climate crises. From the genre of eco-fiction to internet chatter and conspiracy theories to the reality of the emerging science confronting all the peoples of the Earth: What stories are we telling ourselves about survival?
Submission Guidelines can be found here: https://societyforritualarts.com/coreopsis/submissions/
Send query to: coreopsisjournalofmyththeatre@gmail.com
This journal accepts papers from many disciplines and is welcoming of all faiths and philosophies. We publish 3-5 papers per issue that have been peer-reviewed according to academic standards, essays, opinion pieces, and reviews. Final submissions should be 3,000 to 10,000 words. If you have a finished paper ready for submission, send it directly to “editors” coreopsisjournalofmyththeatre@gmail.com.
Biophilia: The Shape of the Future
Why is it that, despite better knowledge, we have not been able to make the behavioral and political changes needed to avoid the unfolding ecological disaster? What in our personal and collective psyches makes us unable or even unwilling to do so? How do emotions weave into these questions? … German-American psychoanalyst and social theorist Erich Fromm (1900-1980) offers answers to these questions. … Fromm, who coined the term “biophilia” and devised a compelling theory about our psycho-emotional paradoxes long before “climate psychology” became a buzzword. Julia Ludewig “Erich Fromm’s Biophilia” Emotional Ecologies, # 7.
In the Arctic Faroe islands lívsandin means “the breath of life”. We struggle to breathe as the Arctic ice melts and the skies darken with smoke from ever more fierce wildfires, as the toxins from industrial pollutants increase the carbon in the atmosphere, and summers grow ever hotter and harsher. As stronger, more dangerous storms decimate the small towns and urban areas in North America’s tornado alley and regions in the paths of typhoons and hurricanes.
In this issue we invite papers and essays that explore the shape of the future and the psycho-emotional paradoxes as described above by Julia Ludwig that get in the way of a survivable future.
What stories will we tell each other that will seed the changes in how we live, where we will live, and how our children, grand, and great-grandchildren will survive and thrive?
We invite papers on the topics of interdependence, mutual aid, ecological activism, and what Erich Fromm called “biophilia” long before eco-psychology was coined.
“The passionate love of life and of all that is alive; it is the wish to further growth, whether in a person, a plant, an idea, or a social group.” Erich Fromm on “Biophilia”, 1973. The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness.
Please clearly label whether your paper or essay is submitted for peer review, as an essay or editorial, or as a music or book review. Papers submitted for peer review from scholars must be in APA style and prepared for blind review following these guidelines: http://societyforritualarts.com/coreopsis/papers-for-peer-review-2/. Visual art submission guidelines: http://societyforritualarts.com/coreopsis/arts-multimedia/
Coreopsis Journal is published twice yearly by The Society for Ritual Arts. Never for profit.
This journal and her editors, referees, readers, staff, and Advisory Board members work, to the best of our abilities, under the guidelines for scholarly publications as set forth by The Committee for Publication Ethics Code of Conduct for Journal Editors. Download the PDF “Code of Conduct for Journal Editors” to learn more: https://publicationethics.org/
2026 Virtual Symposium of Pagan Thought and Practice
The Commons of Modern Pagans and Spiritual Seekers (COMPASS) is pleased to share an exciting opportunity with the broader Pagan community: the 2026 Virtual Symposium of Pagan Thought & Practice, taking place July 26, 2026, via Zoom.
This year’s theme, “The Notion of Balance,” invites scholars, practitioners, and creatives to explore how balance is understood, experienced, and expressed within Pagan traditions, practices, and philosophies. The symposium is designed as a space for vibrant discussion, thoughtful exchange, and meaningful community connection.
COMPASS encourages community members to share this announcement widely and to consider participating in what promises to be an engaging and intellectually rich gathering.
Key details follow below.
About the Symposium
The Virtual Symposium of Pagan Thought and Practice focuses on the intersection of ideas, beliefs, and practices within Contemporary Pagan spiritualities. This year’s theme, “The Notion of Balance,” offers a broad and inclusive platform for exploration.
Potential topics include:
- Balance in ritual practices, magical workings, and relationships.
- Dualities: light/dark, chaos/order, life/death.
- Ecological balance and Pagan responses to environmental crises.
- Gender identity and evolving notions of polarity.
- Balancing ancient traditions with contemporary innovations.
Call for Papers
We invite members of your community to submit abstracts and participate in this exciting event. Presentations, panels, creative workshops, and personal reflections are all welcome!
- Abstracts: 300 words.
- Bio: 100 words.
- Deadline: June 30, 2026.
- Email: compasspagansandseekers@gmail.com (Subject: “Submission: Pagan Balance CFP”).
More details can be found at: https://www.pagancommons.org/symposium.
Crossings of the Veil
Rev. Mari Powers
Wiccan Priestess Rev. Mari Powers (1956–2026) has crossed the Veil into the arms of the Goddess. She crossed at her Wisconsin home on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
A longtime member and Minister of Circle Sanctuary, Mari was a poet, chant singer, ritualist, teacher, and writer. She was widely respected as a gifted Tarot and Oracle card reader whose insight and compassion touched countless lives in Wisconsin and beyond.
Mari served for several years on staff in the Circle Sanctuary office and co-coordinated childcare, family center activities, and programming at Pagan Spirit Gathering during the 1980s and 1990s. Her writing appeared in Circle Network News, Circle Magazine, and other Circle Sanctuary publications. She was active in prison ministry and contributed meaningfully to Circle Sanctuary’s interfaith work.
Rev. Mari with Rev. Selena Fox
Throughout the years, Mari presented workshops and led rituals at Circle Sanctuary festivals, Pagan Pride events, and other gatherings. She was a devoted practitioner of the Feri Tradition and a longtime Member-at-Large of the Covenant of the Goddess.
Many who worked with her remarked, giving thanks for Mari’s bright spirit, enduring friendship, and decades of devoted service to the Pagan community, and are deeply grateful for her many contributions to Circle Sanctuary, Pagan Spirit Gathering, the Craft, Feminist Spirituality, and the broader Pagan movement.
What is remembered lives.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
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The Earth-Based Spirituality Action Team Announced a New Meeting!
Events and Announcements
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More Events at our new Events Calendar
Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Tarot of Mystical Moments, by Catrin Welz-Stein, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Card: Major Arcana, (XXI) The World
The week ahead holds the potential for fulfillment, success, and recognition of accomplishments. There is also likely to be serious contemplation and reflection of the spiritual aspects of the journey that led to the completion of achievements. For those projects not yet fully realized or finished, there is likely to be intense energy towards making sure they are successfully concluded. Opportunities for travel, if that is on one’s dance card, are also more possible.
Contrarily, delays, obstacles, and distractions have the potential to delay sought for and desired outcomes. The temptation to indulge in apathy by giving up and withdrawing may be extremely strong, especially when faced with disharmonious situations. At the very least, feeling stuck or unable to move a project forward is possible. The best advice for those situations is to take a break, re-evaluate, and then decide on the course most likely to overcome any obstacles to success.
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And Finally….
The Old Church With The Purple Door
One of our amazing readers sent this remarkable video to The Wild Hunt. The caretakers of a historic church property in Horton, Michigan, share an update on their ongoing transformation of the site into a thriving Pagan haven. Once nearly hidden beneath years of ivy and overgrowth, the church’s brick façade and arched windows are gradually being revealed through careful restoration and dedicated garden work.
Viewers are invited on a walkthrough of the evolving landscape, where cleared pathways wind through reclaimed grounds and natural “dead-hedge” boundaries define the property while preserving privacy. The project reflects a deeply held belief that the land itself is sacred, as vital, if not more so, to spiritual life than any building.
The video offers a look at newly formed arbor-ways, gathering circles, and quiet meditation spaces, along with a broader vision for creating a nature-based place of worship rooted in beauty, intention, and reverence. Those interested in historic renovation, garden transformation, or contemporary Pagan practice will find inspiration in this unfolding journey.
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