Blessed winter solstice

TWH — This week, many Pagans, Heathens and polytheists in the Northern Hemisphere are marking the winter solstice with celebrations, feasts, and rituals. The solstice will occur on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 16:28 UTC. It is a day traditionally celebrated for being the longest night and shortest day of the year. This time of year is held sacred within many different modern religious and spiritual traditions, and has a rich history in ancient pagan religions. The solstice time was important to prehistoric peoples in both Ireland and England.

Column: Yule in Mexico

Spanish Version
Mexicans, religious or not, usually refer to the holiday season as Guadalupe-Reyes. It starts with the Virgin of Guadalupe Day December 12 and ends with Día de los Reyes Magos (biblical Magi) January 6.  This often includes a feasting and drinking marathon. Therefore, Pagans and Witches usually celebrate the winter solstice before the exact solstice date because we are busy with family gatherings or we are on vacation. Conjuring up my first Yule always puts a smile on my face; it was the first ritual I participated within a coven. I will never forget the High Priest opening the door, welcoming me with a warm smile, and the smell of pine, cinnamon, rosemary and myrrh in the house.

Columna: Yule en México

English Version
Los mexicanos, seamos religiosos o no, usualmente nos referimos a esta temporada de fiestas como Guadalupe-Reyes, que inicia con el Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe el 12 de diciembre y termina con el Día de los Reyes Magos el 6 de enero, y comúnmente alude a un maratón de comida y bebida, por lo que los paganos y brujos usualmente celebramos el solsticio de invierno antes de la fecha exacta del solsticio, ya que después estamos ocupados con reuniones familiares o salimos de vacaciones. Siempre me hace sonreír el recordar mi primer Yule, fue mi primer ritual en el que participé en un coven. Nunca olvidaré al sumo sacerdote abrir la puerta, darme la bienvenida con una cálida sonrisa y el olor the pino, canela, romero y mirra que salía de la casa. Todos me saludaron con palabras gentiles y por fin pude entender lo que ‘feliz encuentro’ realmente significaba. Al mismo tiempo, todos tenían una expresión de curiosidad preguntándose qué hacia ese niño de 16 años ahí, a lo que el sumo sacerdote les diría “no juzguen a la gente joven por sus edad, la mayoría de las veces son más sabios que nosotros.” Aunque no me sentía nada sabio; al contrario, sentía que no sabía nada y que quería aprenderlo todo y participar en todo en lo que pudiera en el ritual.

Pagan Community Notes: TDoR 2017, Interfaith Podcast, new Pagan survey, and more

TWH – Today marks Transgender Day of Remembrance. People around the world are honoring those people that have been lost in 2017 due to transgender-related violence.  There services and rituals that are being held specifically within Pagan communities. Trans woman Brianne Ravenwolf of Circle Sanctuary will be co-facilitating a ritual, which will live stream on Facebook at 1 p.m. central. We spoke with Ravenwolf in 2016 for our annual TDoR article. She said, “For me [TDoR is a] very solemn day and has been.

Pagan Community Notes: Robin Fletcher, the Pagan Collective of Victoria, Pagan candidates and more!

VICTORIA, Aus. – It was decided Friday that convicted sex offender Robin Angas Fletcher would be released from his court mandated supervision. As we reported in February, Fletcher was convicted in 1998 of five different counts of sexual crimes. After serving his jail sentence, he was released to live in Corella Place, a special community with mandated supervision. On Feb.