CAYA’s public statement leaves more questions than answers

SAN FRANCISCO –When leaders of Come As You Are coven (CAYA) released a statement last month announcing that presiding high priestess Yeshe Rabbit had resigned her membership during an investigation into allegations of abuse at her hands, a storm of online discussion ensued. Several former members of CAYA affirmed their experiences, while other individuals staunchly defended Rabbit’s character. This week, members of four other Pagan groups in the Bay Area (Solar Cross Temple, Strong Roots and Wide Branches, Coru Cathubodua, and Black Rose Witchcraft) released a joint statement of solidarity with the alleged victims. The statement reads in part, “We have watched with concern as word of this misconduct has spread.” They go on to call the handling of the situation and the reported lack of public clarity or of accountability by “spiritual leaders” and Matthews as “dismissive” and “unacceptable.” The entire statement is available on Facebook. The group ends the statement:
We, the undersigned, believe and support those survivors who have come forward.

Pagan Community Notes: solidarity statement, Mother Grove, Sandy Artisfair Kucyk and more

CALIFORNIA — On March 17, several organizations located in the Bay Area published a solidarity statement that addressed the allegations reported against Yeshe Matthews by her former coven, CAYA. “We have watched with concern as word of this misconduct has spread,” the statement reads. They go on to call the handling of the situation and the reported lack of public clarity or of accountability by “spiritual leaders” and Matthews as “dismissive” and “unacceptable.” The entire statement is available on Facebook. The organizations represented are Solar Cross Temple, Strong Roots and Wide Branches, Coru Cathubodua, and Black Rose Witchcraft.

Pagan Community Notes: Kathryn Hinds, Society for Creative Anachronism, Michael Harner and more

DAHLONEGA, Ga. — Author and teacher Kathryn Ann Fernquist Hinds died Jan. 30 from complications after a series of heart surgeries. Hinds was a well-known, beloved, and longtime member of the local Georgia Pagan community, as well as the national one. She was a regular attendee of large Pagan events, such as Pagan Spirit Gathering and Paganicon, as well as the local Atlanta Pagan Pride and similar festivals.

Pagan merchants continue to wrestle with occult bans

TWH –It’s still not a good time to accept credit cards while Pagan. As was reported in March, terms of service forbidding fortune telling and other “occult” practices are enforced arbitrarily, and sometimes without warning. A new twist in the tale was discovered by Yeshe Rabbit, who was advised that not using a particular processor for the forbidden transactions is not enough. She was told to remove the offending services from her business web site. The Sacred Well, her shop with two West Coast locations, now uses a different provider, but she’d like to work on clearing this climate of uncertainty once and for all.

Culture And Community: Losing Harbin to the Valley Fire

MIDDLETOWN, Calif —  Lake County, California has been on fire since September 12, 2015. This fast moving and powerful fire has swept the county at remarkable and horrifying speed, burning over 67,000 acres in the first three days. According to the Cal Fire website, in those first three days, there were 585 houses lost, 9,000 structures threatened, and only 30% of the fire was contained. As of September 17, 2015, three deaths have been confirmed and the fire is only at 35% containment. The devastation has become insurmountable.