Pagan Community Notes

Pagan Community Notes: California fires, Raven’s Loft, Elaine Coleman, and more

By |

CALIFORNIA – For a second time this year, massive and catastrophic fires are destroying parts of California. The Thomas fire, which is the biggest, is currently being called the “fifth-largest in the state’s history,” and it reportedly continues to force “new evacuations in towns as far north as Santa Barbara.” The state’s famous Santa Ana winds have only made the situation worse. The state boasts a large Pagan population from south to north. The last set of fires, which occurred in the fall, brought local Pagans and many distant friends together to perform water magic in order to help curb the damage and stop the flames. As columnist Crystal Blanton wrote, “Rain magic and other forms of weather related workings have a long history in many different cultures.

Pagan Community Notes

Pagan Community Notes: Women’s March, Chaplain Conference, Jerry Fandel, HUAR, and more

By |

WASHINGTON D.C. — Beginning 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, women will unite and march on Washington to, as organizers say, “stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families — recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country.” Although it is called the “Women’s March on Washington,” organizers say that everyone who supports their purpose is welcome. They wrote: “In the spirit of democracy and honoring the champions of human rights, dignity, and justice who have come before us, we join in diversity to show our presence in numbers too great to ignore. The Women’s March on Washington will send a bold message to our new administration, Congress, Senate, state and local governments on their first day in office, and to the world that women’s rights are human rights.”

Pagan Community Notes

Pagan Community Notes: EarthSpirit Community, Katharine A. Luck, Exodus 22:18 and more!

By |

GLENWOOD, Mass. — EarthSpirit Community announced that co-director Andras Corban-Arthen and member Donovan Arthen have traveled to North Dakota in an effort to help the protesters at Standing Rock camps. According to a press release, EarthSpirit “sent its delegation in response to a call to religious leaders from Chief Arvol Looking Horse.” While at the camps, the delegation “met with some of the organizers of the camps and [performed a] ceremony with some of the indigenous Elders.” Additionally, they carried EarthSpirit’s own statement of support as well as documents of support from the Parliament of the World’s Religions and the European Congress of Ethnic Religions.

Pagan Community Notes

Pagan Community Notes: Open Halls Project, David Bowie, Spirit Festivals and more.

By |

The Open Halls Project has announced that “the Department of Defense has requested, reviewed and accepted [its] Heathen Resource Guide for Chaplains.” For over seven years, the Open Halls Project, headed by Josh and Cat Heath, has been working diligently to have Asatru and Heathen added to the U.S. Army’s religious preference list. During that process, as Josh Heath explained, his working group was asked to “produce a document explaining the basics of Heathenry.” Heath said, “We produced a document for him modeled on the Army Chaplain’s Handbook excerpt for Wicca. This basic framework assisted us in developing information that was generally applicable to the largest amount of Heathens possible.”