PaganFM Prayer List
Raymond, Steve, Mojo and his Mom, Beth, Janice, Danielle and JP.
Musical selections
Tuatha Dea, The Landing / Tuatha De Danaan, The Tribe
Tuatha Dea, Mishiamagu, The Tribe
Omnia, Love in the Forest, Wolf Love
Deirdre Hebert, Come my Child
Tuatha Dea, Sympathy for the Devil, The Tribe
Tuatha Dea, White Rabbit, The Tribe

News
Late last year, many Pagan luminaries’ Wikipedia pages seemed to be under a systematic threat, repeatedly flagged for deletion as not being “noteworthy”. With Wikipedia, the problem is that action can be taken under the cover of anonymity, and while many such pages were repeatedly threatened, nobody was quite sure who was taking this action, and why there was such a vendetta against so many Pagan authors and performers.

Many of the pages that were attacked were created by Jeff Rosenbaum, and the individual who was making these attacks was known as Qworty, but nobody knew who Qworty was, or what was the purpose of his attacks. The Wild Hunt posted some material from a Wikipedia discussion page that demonstrates a bit of Qworty’s attitude toward articles written by Rosenbaum. Here is one example: Regarding the band Transe Mission, Qworty writes: Excruciatingly non-notable band that abysmally fails WP:BAND. Article was created by a notorious wikispammer whose arbcom revealed these atrocities [1]. The guy has his own company, the Association for Consciousness Exploration, which hosts the Starwood Festival, and for the past six years he’s been creating and defending promotional articles about everyone who’s ever been associated with the festival. Incredibly, this article about Trance Mission has been tagged for lack of references for nearly five years now. That’s the way the guy operates–writes a bunch of completely unsourced articles about all of his friends, the articles somehow survive here for years, and then if anybody touches an article of “his,” he goes berserk per WP:OWN. It’s time to stand up for the integrity of Wikipedia and finally remove this WP:ADVERT. He likes to WP:CANVASS like mad, so the closing admin should watch out for meat puppets. Qworty (talk) 11:24, 12 November 2012 (UTC)

Well, one writer at Salon.com took it upon himself to discover just who Qworty was. It wasn’t the attacks on Pagans that caught the attention of Andrew Leonard, but rather, the attacks on numerous authors. In one example, Qworty made 14 edits to the Wikipedia page for Barry Hanna, removing links to interviews, obituaries, photograhs and literary prizes. He removed a number of praises for the writer, and changed the cause of death from natural causes to alcoholism. It was obvious that Qworty had a problem with Hanna.

But Leonard followed the story andn found revenge edits against Amanda Filipacchi, and seemed to be trying, as well as contributing revenge edits, to root out self promotion on Wikipedia. But someone approached Leonard with the possible identity of Qworty, as an individual who was himself engaged in the use of Wikipedia for self-promotion. This individual turned out to be Robert Clark Young, author of “One of the Guys” as well as some non-fiction works.

While, at first, Young denied any connection to Qworty, but in a series of email exchanges, it seems that Young send to Leonard an email intended for somebody else, in which he contradicted some of his earlier statements, and, essentially, accidentally shot himself in the foot. It was clear, at this point, that Young, is, in fact, Qworty, and has been banned from editing articles on Wikipedia.

Sources: http://www.salon.com/2013/05/17/revenge_ego_and_the_corruption_of_wikipedia/

http://wildhunt.org/2013/05/anti-pagan-wikipedia-editor-outed-by-salon-com.html

PaganFM almanac

Please note that all moon void of course data is courtesy of www.drstandley.com, and all astronomical or astrological times are in Eastern Standard Time. All other times are in local time.
Today is May 23, 2013. It’s the 143^rd day of the year. The waxing moon reached its ascending node at 7:40 pm, and is currently in Scorpio. The Sun entered Gemini on Tuesday.

On Friday, May 24, the moon will be void at 1:01 pm. It will enter Sagittarius at 10:37 pm.
On Sunday, May 26, the moon will be void at 12:43 pm, and enters Capricorn at 10:15 pm.
On Tuesday, May 28, the moon will be void at 12:54 pm, and enters Aquarius at 10:45 pm

Events:

Pagan Pizza Party at La Festa Brick and Brew, Thursday, June 13, 7:00 to 9:00

Cherry Hill Seminary’s Summer Learning Series, Foundations, Certificate and Master’s Level Courses will be offered from May 20 to August 25. Courses include Contemporary Global Paganisms, Goddess: Prehistory to Present, Introduction to Fundraising, Paganism 101, Goddess & God: Archetypes in Arthurian Legend and more.

More information is available at www.cherryhillseminary.org

A Pagan Retreat During the Summer Solstice
A Midsummer’s Night Dream
Friday, June 21 – Sunday, June 23

Being a Pagan can be a lonely existence at times. Often, rituals are held in small groups or performed alone. Although your spiritual home is easy to find in nature, it can be difficult to find others with whom to be in spiritual community. Come celebrate Midsummer at Star Island, and create for yourself a spiritual community and a spiritual home. We will gather together in ritual, in workshops, and in community. Whether you define as Wiccan, Goddess worshipping, Druid, or Pagan, this is the retreat for you.

http://starisland.org/conferences/2013-conference-listing/a-midsummers-night-dream/

If you’d like to celebrate the Solstice with some marvelous music, Arborea, just returned from their European tour, will be performing at A Higher Energy in Somersworth on June 21. They’ll be playing from 7:00 – 8:30 pm, and doors open at 6:00 PM. This is a BYOB event – please drink responsibly. Tickets are available at http://www.ahigherenergy.com/Store/tabid/243/ProdID/5/Arborea.aspx#.UZ6nyj6HDgl

Pagan Spirit Gathering will be held this year at Stonehouse Farm in Northern Illinois from June 16-23

The Pagan Spirit Gathering (PSG) is one of America’s oldest and largest Nature Spirituality festivals. Since its inception in 1980, PSG has been bringing together hundreds of people from throughout the United States plus other countries, to create community, celebrate Summer Solstice, and commune with Nature in a sacred environment. Sponsored by Circle Sanctuary, PSG is open to long-time practitioners as well as newcomers of a wide range of Nature religion traditions, including Wiccan, Contemporary Pagan, Druidic, Heathen, Celtic, Baltic, Greco-Roman, Isian, Shamanic, Hermetic, Animistic, Egyptian, Native American, Afro-Carribean, Taoist, Pantheistic, Ecofeminist, and Nature Mystic. PSG is an opportunity for personal renewal, networking, education, and cultural enrichment.

Registration is now open and more information is available at https://www.circlesanctuary.org/index.php/pagan-spirit-gathering/pagan-spirit-gathering.html

The Orpheus Pagan Chamber Choir will be hosting their famous Orpheus Cup Mead Fest on September 28 from 4 to 7 pm at the Clubhouse at the French Quarter Condominiums on S. Monaco Parkway between Mississippi and Evans Avenues in Denver. More info can be found at http://www.orpheuspcc.org/orpheus-cup-mead-fest.html

The Moon Pool Coven in Salem, NH and Haverhill, MA has regular events. http://www.meetup.com/NorthShoreWitchesMeetup/

Book review

Complete Book of Correspondences
Sandra Kynes
Llewellyn

There are quite a few books of Magical correspondences out there, and just about any beginner’s book on Wicca or Paganism will include at least a chapter on the subject. Beyond this, there are literally dozens of web sites on the subject. So it seems, at first, a bit strange that an author would dedicate a significant amount of time to publish yet another book on the subject. But it seems that two things, in this instance, make for a successful book: Firstly, Pagans love books – I mean, we really love them, and when we find one that makes sense to own, we’ll snatch it up. Secondly, when you can find a new way to present a subject, one which not only presents things in a new, clearer, more understandable fashion, but one which also builds and adds to the body of knowledge, you’ve got the recipe for something worthwhile.

The Complete Book of Correspondences is a large tome. Including the index, which, in a book of this sort is an absolute necessity, it is well over 500 pages. Going far beyond the simple East, South, West, North tables with which we’re all familiar, author Sandra Kynes has compiled what must be one of the most exhaustive lists of correspondences this reviewer has ever seen. Of course the directions are covered, as well as the cross-quarters of North-East, Sout-East, South-West and North-West. But there are also tables for each of the signs of the Zodiac, for plants, animals, herbs, crystals, deities, intentions, issues and powers.

What does this all mean? Well, say you need to perform a spell to help you prepare for the SAT. You could realize that the SAT is pretty much a test which will guage your intelligence and learning. So you open the Complete Book of Correspondences to page 76 and discover that intelligence is related to the signs of Aquarius and Gemini, it’s related to the Sun and Mercury, the East direction, the Tarot Cards of the Magician and Swords, the colors blue, lavender, the Hazel and Walnut tree, to Peppermint, the Violet and Rosemary, to gems such as Agate, Aventurine, Emerald, Hematite, to the Goddesses Athena, Minerva and Sarasvati, to the Gods Apollo, Enki, Ganesh, Marduk, to the Cougar, Coyote, Rat and Wolf, to the Crow, Magpie and Raven, to the Dolphin, Octopus and Whale, as well as the thunderbird.

The above are merely exerpts from the listing for intelligence, but anyone who has ever constructed a spell can see that we have more than the beginnings of the necessary symbolism to create some powerful magick. We could next look at the listings for the day and time of our exam for further ideas, and construct a spell utilizing the symbolism we find in each of these entries. Especially for beginners, this is an extremely handy tool.

If there is one criticism I have with The Complete Book of Correspondences, it’s that the rationale for the individual listings is not present. As a person who works with magic, I like to know WHY something is assigned a particular correspondence. But I’m also realistic, and recognize that if such explanations were included, this book would have required not merely many more pages, but many more volumes as well; it would have increased from merely “complete”, to a multi-volume, encyclopedic tome. While this would certainly be valuable to many, it would have been quite unwieldy, and unnecessary for the average practitioner.

In short, Sandra comes to a very realistic balance between the necessary and the nice to know, and has produced a book that is certain to be of value to those just starting out on their path. Certainly, there will be correspondences listed which some of us will disagree with – not everyone, for example, associates Water with West or Air with East. But for the majority of us, the correspondences are accurate, and we can certainly make whatever alterations we feel comfortable with in ample margins.

Perhaps, some day, someone will compile that multi-volume encyclopedic compendium of correspondences, and, perhaps, some day, some intrepid publisher will deem it of sufficient value to publish. But until that happens, Sandra Kynes’ Complete Book of Correspondences will remain my standard desk reference on the subject.

The Complete Book of Correspondences is published by Llewellyn and is available at Amazon.com, Kobo and other outlets in paperback or e-book.

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Omnia

Click Here: Jasper’s Page Update

Check out WSCA’s “Green Living Fair” & “Permaculture Concert”.

Find out more HERE

Musical selections
Featured artist: Frenchie and the Punk

Tuatha Dea, Bagabi, Kith & Kin
Chalice and Blade, City Magick, Chalice and Blade
Crow Women, Chalice to Blade, Crow Goddess
Tuatha Dea, Khawuleza, Third album
Frenchy and the Punk, Nevermore the Matador
Denean, Eagle Fly, The Weaving
Frenchy and the Punk, Specter of the Forest and Sea, Elephant Uproar

PaganFM prayer list

Melissa Murray, Mojo and his Mom, Nora, Trish and Paul, Raymond

News
Kyrja Withers

A couple of weeks ago, we let you know that the home of Kyrja Withers had been shot at, and one window was broken. This came on the heels of harassment, firecrackers being thrown at her home and other such nuisances. Unfortunately, it seems that the terrorism has not abated. The most recent event occurred in last week, when Kyrja’s daughter Heather arrived at the home and found two bottles in the yard, Noticing that they were expanding, she tried to get away, but wasn’t quite fast enough. The bottles exploded, and Heather was unable to get away from the chemical fumes from the explosion. She is okay, but the chemicals did cause some injury to her lungs, and she is using an inhaler and steroids to reduce the swelling.

Kyrja is the author of the popular Rupert’s Tales – books and Youtube videos that help to teach Pagan beliefs to young people. Heather, her daughter, is not a Pagan, but, she says, she loves one.

Bottle bombs, as they are called, are fairly common, and are dangerous, but amusing toys for some young boys. But many of them can be quite dangerous as they use caustic chemicals that can cause significant chemical burns. And the explosive force can be significant enough to cause real injury. Not one to hold a grudge, Kyrja says that she just wants whoever is doing this to understand Paganism.

Pagan Living TV
Dr. Todd Berntson, executive director of Pagan Living TV has announced that some changes are coming to the first Pagan television network. Citing a number of challenges that the organization has faced , Berntson said that the organization will take a number of steps to meet the challenges it is facing. In an email notice, he stated “There will be some changes in our name and branding, but we will still be working toward the same goal: to bring the Pagan perspective to the discussion of the social, economic, and ecological challenges that we face. I will be sending out further details over the next couple of weeks as they become available.”

Some of the challenges that the organization faced were access to production facilities, which necessitated the construction of a dedicated studio, fund-raising, and the lack of 501C-3 status, which prohibited Pagan Living TV from seeking grants.

Pagan Living TV still brings great, professionally-produced Pagan news to the Pagan community, and they can be found at www.paganliving.tv.

Trans-politics

The Trans-exclusion issue continues to raise its head in the Pagan community. The latest round is coming from disagreements between Ruth Barrett and Melissa Murray.

It was last year at PSG that Ruth and Melissa seemed ready to bury the hatchet, as it were. One of the events at the 2012 PSG that sparked some debate was a ritual that was womb focused and from which trans-women were excluded. A heartfelt apology was given by Selena Fox, who said that the reason trans-women were excluded was because of the focus on the womb. She felt that that focus during the ritual would have hurt the feelings of trans-women had they been present.

In another gathering at PSG, Melissa Murray and Ruth Barrett sat down, and discussed the idea of respect – in both directions. That seemed to go really well. Selena Fox asked Murray to lead a ritual for transgender women at this year’s PSG, and she agreed. Murray asked Barrett if she would be willing to help with the ritual, but Barrett said that she wasn’t sure of her schedule, but would help if she could.

This all sounded promising, and it seemed as if old wounds showed a potential to heal.

But things don’t stay the same – wheels turn – seasons change. The latest twist in the story involves the Michigan Women’s Music Festival, with which Ruth Barrett is also affiliated. Part of this comes about because a number of performers have boycotted the Michigan Women’s Music Festival because of their anti-trans policy. The Indigo Girls have stated that this year’s festival will be their last until the MWMF changes their policy regarding transgender women.

For Ruth Barrett, this is a bad idea. On her Facebook page, she posted a response to the artist’s boycott. As a transgender woman, it’s a bit difficult to read, but here is one particularly poignant and telling paragraph:
“For 51 weeks a year I have unlimited opportunities to engage with male-born men and trans-people. For one week out of the year I want to be with my female-born sisters, girls and women. I come to Festival to help create, contribute and experience an embodied female reality. I come to take in the joyous expressions on our young daughter’s faces who can run free on the land, and experience this freedom in a safe space. My need, and the need of other WBW, to spend time solely with WBW is not trans-phobic. We are not AGAINST trans-women. This accusation of trans-phobia is a distraction from what we are actually saying and asking for. I have great difficulty with those trans-women and their allies who refuse to honor the intention of Fest as a healing space for WBW and the boundaries we have set. I am heart sick and exhausted by their bullying tactics, their threats to my personal safety, my wife’s safety, the safety of our home and our livelihood. Over the past years we have ignored death threats as we choose to stand for sacred space for WBW and girls. Trans-women and their allies can’t seem to accept being told “no” by women. Why can you not respect our need to gather with our own kind to heal, to rest, to nurture and restore ourselves? What possible threat are we to you?”

So my questions to Ruth would be fairly simple – Do you accept trans-women as women? Are we, or aren’t we? And a further question might be this: If the point of feminism is the freedom of self-definition – the ability to make our own choices, then what gives you the right to define trans-women as something other than women?

Lisa Vogel, the owner of MWMF has stated that she believes that Women born Women are a gender identity distinct from trans women. She stated “ I believe that womyn-born womyn (WBW) is a lived experience that constitutes its own distinct gender identity…I passionately believe the healing in our community will occur when we unconditionally accept trans womyn as womyn while not dismissing or disavowing the lived experience and realities of the WBW gender identity.”

While that sounds logical, it fails to recognize that no two women are raised the same way. And the policy of WBW says NOTHING about how a person is raised. A girl could be raised as a boy, and still be granted admission to MWMF. A girl raised on a farm in Oklahoma will have a very different experience than a girl growing up in Connecticut studying ballet. A girl raised by two lesbians, one raised by two gay men, one by a single father and one raised by a single mother will all have different life experiences. A child born with androgen insensitivity syndrome – even if declared a girl at birth, will have a very different experience than an XX female who is fertile.

Barrett goes on to say “The boycott demand of MWMF performers is patriarchal in its bullying tactics, and only demonstrates further a power-over mind set by trans-activists who would destroy the Michigan Festival rather than respectfully help to protect and preserve the now rare female spaces left to us WBW.”

Well, I’m sorry, but it’s not a patriarchal tactic. What IS patriarchal is the need to define trans-women as “something else”. Trans women are not simply castrated males, as some trans-phobic activists have suggested. Our identity is female. And just as the mill girls struggled for fair working conditions, just as women are now struggling for equal pay for equal work, we are struggling for pure and simple recognition and inclusion – for the right of self-identification.

One of the reasons this apparently came to a head was that one pre-op trans person in 1999 attended Michfest, and apparently was seen in a shower by one or two women who were alarmed. I can understand the shock of those women. But there are ways to prevent such a situation that don’t involve an outright ban on trans-women.

In the penultimate paragraph of Ruth’s rant, she says “To trans-women who choose to violate the intention of the Festival, and the women who support their inclusion I say, “Stop. Stop. Stop!” May you learn respect for the needs of women and girls to have our time together. Stop making women who support the Festival your perpetrators and oppressors. We are not your oppressors. You are not our victims. If you really love and respect women, let yourself feel the needs we have. May you come to understand our need to have our time together once a year, on women’s sacred land. May those who have made the Festival their battleground, wake up. May they learn to respect the needs of women and girls that the festival has provided for 38 years.”

And this is the crux of the position. She asks trans-women to “respect the needs of women and girls to have their time together”. I have to ask this: What about the need of trans women to be accepted by women? She speaks of Michfest as a place of healing. But how can a place really afford healing for all women if it excludes women who don’t meet a particular definition?

Ruth says “If you really love and respect women, let yourself feel the needs we have.” Really? Ruth, please listen to that sentence. She says “We are not your oppressors. You are not our victims”. Well, Ruth, how can you ask us to love and respect a system that categorically defines us as “something other”. Our society struggled against the idea of separate but equal.

Women need Women’s space. As a trans-woman, I totally get that. And women who bleed need their space. And Crones need their space as well. I would certainly not wish to impose myself on such spaces. But this fantasy that women born women all share some common socialization that trans-women cannot understand is a falsehood.

I suppose that what really burns me is that nowhere – the last time I looked, is this exclusionary policy written on the Michfest website. Unless someone is aware of the policy, they won’t know. A trans-woman who hasn’t read the scuttlebutt could go to the website, and nowhere will they find that they are excluded. They can purchase a ticket, they can schedule time off, arrange travel, and then, arrive in August and left in the cold at the gate.

They want to appear like a fun, healing community. They don’t want to appear as if they are discriminatory. And that, to me, is the real problem with Michfest. They aren’t up-front and honest.

This is where I’ll draw a distinction between Z Budapest and people like Ruth Barrett. While Z has said some terribly trans-phobic and cruel things, she is clear. She doesn’t pull a bait-and-switch. She is honest and up-front, and I respect that. And this is a far cry from Ruth Barrett who says at one point that she wants to build bridges, and a few months later, burns them before the span was ever complete.

So, in the end, what am I saying? I’m suggesting that Michfest would have a better leg to stand on if their policies were clear on their web site. I’m suggesting that Ruth, trying to bash the women who wish for trans-inclusion is part of the problem. I’m suggesting that the ideas of feminism will never be achieved for as long as some of us are going to define the rest.

I can accept and love people who view me as “something else”. Hell, that’s how I viewed myself for many years. I knew I wasn’t a boy, but nobody would believe that I was a girl. I suspect that many trans-women had that experience. But I’ve had now, the experience of being accepted AS I DEFINED MYSELF, among a group of women. Interestingly enough, this was in a recovery group, and quite honestly, that group helped save my life, and I’m forever grateful for the power that a group of women can lend to another suffering woman.

As women, we can all heal, we will all heal, when we can all accept each other – whatever size, whatever shape, whatever color, we happen to be.

PaganFM almanac

All moon void of course data courtesy of www.drstandley.com

Today is April 25, 2013. It’s the 115^th day of the year. The Sun ins in Taurus, and the full moon is currently in Scorpio. There was a partial lunar eclipse today at 3:09 pm.

An Eclipse can only occur when the moon is either full or new. Here, on Earth, because of the relative sizes and distances between the Sun and the Moon, the Sun and Moon share the same angular diameter of the two bodies, as seen from Earth, are very similar. As the moon has a slightly elliptical orbit about the Earth, and as the Earth has an elliptical orbit about the Sun, these angular diameters can change, and as such, an eclipse may be total, partial or annular.

A Solar eclipse will occur when the moon is new, and passes between the Sun and the Earth. A Lunar eclipse, as we had today, occurs when the Moon is full, and passes directly into the shadow, or umbra, of the Earth.

The moon will be void on Saturday, April 27 at 2:40 am, and will enter Sagittarius at 12:24 pm.

The moon will be void on Monday, April 29 at 3:27 am, and will enter Capricorn at 1:17 pm.

The moon will be void on Wednesday, May 1 at 5:15 am, and will enter Aquarius at 3:26 pm.
May 1^st is also Beltaine in the Northern Hemisphere, and Samhain in the Southern hemisphere.
Where Beltaine is the traditional start of the growing season, Samhain represents the last harvest. As they are celebrated opposite each other, while at the same time in the opposite hemispheres, some Pagans believe the energies of the two festivals are quite linked.

Events

Pagan Pizza Party at La Festa Brick and Brew, Thursday, May 9, 7:00 to 9:00

If you’re in the Denver, Colorado area, mark your books and get your tickets for Beltania, a weekend camping and festival event will be taking place May 9-12. Musical artists include S J Tucker, Tuatha, Wendy Rule, Pandora Celtica, Forests of Azure, Skean Dubh, Heartbeat, Orpheus Pagan Chamber Choir, Djembe Cowboys, Rain in the Face, Land of the Blind and Shining Wheel Pagan Chorus.

Events include workshops, sweat lodges, May Pole Dance and many others. One special guest this year will be Christopher Penczak who will be hosting the main ritual on Friday evening.

More information is available at http://www.beltania.org/

 Nemos Ognios (ADF) will be having their Beltane ritual on May 5, at 2:00 in Durham. We’ll be celebrating going from winter to summer, from inside time to outside time, making nice with the Land Spirits as we return to their area of control. We’ll also be burning away impurities we’ve picked up over winter. Songs, fire, feast — a good day.

More info at CeiSerith@aol.com

The Houston Pagan Conference will be held on May 18, 2013 at the Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Church in The Woodlands. The theme will be Magic and the Divine.

Topics to be addressed will include:

~ Divinity’s place in magic
~ Magic and its relationship to religion (various or single religion)
~ Magic as a conduit to the Divine
~ History of Magic
~ Foundations of Magic

This 2013 Pagan Conference is for those interested in the pagan approach to magic as an integral path to the divine. This will be the first pagan conference in the Gulf Coast area in over 30 years and is sponsored by Blackberry Circle, an eclectic Wiccan teaching coven located in Southeast Texas.

More information can be found at www.houstonpaganconference.com

RDNA reunion

The Reformed Druids of North America or RDNA is celebrating 50 years of open-source spirituality this Beltane! The main event will be at noon on Saturday, May 4th, 2013 on the “Hill of Three Oaks” at the Arboretum of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and is free.

This event also spans the entire weekend of May 3rd through 5th with numerous activities planned. Details can be found at www.rdna.info/reunion

A Facebook search with keywords “RDNA” & “Beltane,” with an Events search filter will also reveal a listing for the 50th Anniversary shindig with more information. Any questions can be posted there, and they will be answered relatively promptly. (http://www.facebook.com/events/531484026897262/)

The RDNA was founded at Carleton College in 1963 as a semi-serious protest to mandatory chapel attendance for credit. The founders described themselves as Reformed in that they condemned the sacrifice of animals, and because they initially had little knowledge of the practices of the ancient druids. It has since evolved into a meaningful open-source spirituality that has drawn seekers from a diverse range of faiths and philosophical backgrounds.

Cherry Hill Seminary’s Summer Learning Series, Foundations, Certificate and Master’s Level Courses will be offered from May 20 to August 25. Courses include Contemporary Global Paganisms, Goddess: Prehistory to Present, Introduction to Fundraising, Paganism 101, Goddess & God: Archetypes in Arthurian Legend and more.

More information is available at www.cherryhillseminary.org

Pagan Spirit Gathering will be held this year at Stonehouse Farm in Northern Illinois from June 16-23

The Pagan Spirit Gathering (PSG) is one of America’s oldest and largest Nature Spirituality festivals. Since its inception in 1980, PSG has been bringing together hundreds of people from throughout the United States plus other countries, to create community, celebrate Summer Solstice, and commune with Nature in a sacred environment. Sponsored by Circle Sanctuary, PSG is open to long-time practitioners as well as newcomers of a wide range of Nature religion traditions, including Wiccan, Contemporary Pagan, Druidic, Heathen, Celtic, Baltic, Greco-Roman, Isian, Shamanic, Hermetic, Animistic, Egyptian, Native American, Afro-Carribean, Taoist, Pantheistic, Ecofeminist, and Nature Mystic. PSG is an opportunity for personal renewal, networking, education, and cultural enrichment.

Registration is now open and more information is available at https://www.circlesanctuary.org/index.php/pagan-spirit-gathering/pagan-spirit-gathering.html

The Moon Pool Coven in Salem, NH and Haverhill, MA has regular events. http://www.meetup.com/NorthShoreWitchesMeetup/

Arborea, Upcoming European Tour Dates:

France
April
(29) Paris/Espace B
(30) Lille/Minor Place Records

May
(2) Lyon/le Sonic
(3) Nantes/le Lieu Unique

Spain
May
(5) Barcelona/Vermuth Session
(7) Manresa/El Vermell
(9) Madrid/La Faena
(12) Madrid – Radio 3 (Radio Session)
(13) Castellon/House Show
(14) Valencia Teatro/La Rambleta (Supporting Low)
(15) Zaragoza/Teatro de las Esquinas (Supporting Low)
(16) Madrid/Joy Eslava (Supporting Low)
(17) Valladolid/Lava (Supporting Low)
Portugal
(18) Aveiro/Mercado Negro/
(19) Porto/’Bodyspace Presents’ Café au Lait
(18) Aveiro/Mercado Negro/
(29) Paris/Espace B

PaganFM prayer listbr /

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Musical Selections

Tuatha Dea, Tuatha De Danaan, Tuatha Dea
Mojo Kemp, Valhalla
Heather Alexander, Gypsy Bardic Tinker People, A Gypsy’s Home
Mojo Kemp, Vinny
Doug Cox, Rain On, Without Words
Kenny Klein, Jugband Blues, Kenny Klein
Emerald Rose, Pagan Girl, Bending Tradition
Tuatha Dea, Ye Jacobites by Name, Tuatha Dea
Tuatha Dea, The Sky is Falling, Tuatha Dea
Big Green, All the Loons are there, International House
Emerald Rose, Chicken Raid of Cymru, Fire in the Head Live
Kellianna, Daughters of the Earth, The Ancient Ones
John McNair, Burning Ritual, Tears for Lucifer

PaganFM Prayer List

Kyrja and Randy, Jacquelyn’s Dad and Joseph.

News

North Carolina lawmakers have positioned themselves to attempt to defy the United States constitution. In a resolution entitled “Defense of Religion Act of 2013, two lawmakers are hoping to permit that state to establish a state religion. This resolution reads:

Whereas, the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States reads:”…Congress shall make no law respecting an Establishment of 4 Religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;…”; and

Whereas, this prohibition does not apply to states, municipalities, or schools; and
Whereas, in recent times, the federal judiciary has incorporated states, municipalities, and schools into the Establishment Clause prohibitions on Congress; and

Whereas, the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”; and
Whereas, the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States prohibits the federal government and prohibits the federal courts from expanding the powers of the federal government beyond those powers which are explicitly enumerated; and

Whereas, the Constitution of the United States does not grant the federal government and does not grant the federal courts the power to determine what is or is not constitutional; therefore, by virtue of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the power to determine constitutionality and the proper interpretation and proper 18 application of the Constitution is reserved to the states and to the people; and
Whereas, each state in the union is sovereign and may independently determine how 20 that state may make laws respecting an establishment of religion; and

Whereas, Rowan County, North Carolina, asserts that the protections afforded to citizens of the United States under the First Amendment are not in any way to be abridged when such citizens become government actors by virtue of their appointment, election, contract, employment, or otherwise engagement; and

Whereas, Rowan County, North Carolina, requests and encourages the North Carolina General Assembly to pass a resolution declaring that the State of North Carolina does not recognize the authority of federal judicial opinions arising from the exertion of powers not granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States; Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

SECTION 1. The North Carolina General Assembly asserts that the Constitution of the United States of America does not prohibit states or their subsidiaries from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

>SECTION 2. The North Carolina General Assembly does not recognize federal court rulings which prohibit and otherwise regulate the State of North Carolina, its public schools, or any political subdivisions of the State from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

So, basically, what these two representatives believe is that any part of the Constitution they don’t like, doesn’t apply to their state. Rulings by the Supreme court or Federal courts don’t matter in North Carolina. Obviously, this is more of a political ploy than anything that is likely to pass – even in a backwards, Republican controlled legislature, but it is the type of activity that is becoming more and more common among Republican-controlled bodies. From blatant attacks on Roe V. Wade, to proposed laws that would eliminate not only minimum wages, but overtime pay as well, the rights of individuals are being eviscerated, while the GOP goes about trying to enshrine their own religion and to hold business unaccountable to the American people.

Kyrja Withers, the author of the Rupert’s Tales series of Pagan books for children, announced last Thursday that her home was shot at. In a statement on her Facebook page, she writes “Someone shot at me tonight – and though they missed, The Glitter Dome is a bit more …. holey … tonight. We’ve had intermittent problems with someone honking their horn outside our house at very late hours and screaming obsenities. Once, they threw a firecracker in our front house. Last night, they screamed “F’ing WITCH” – quite clearly. No mistake. Today, we received several telephone calls where the caller said something unintelligible and then hung up, as well as an inappropriate post on one of my Rupert videos. This is obviously personal. And now, they have crossed the line and have caused property damage. And yes – the first window they hit is where I sit. It is time to deal with this. And so we shall. We ask for your assistance in calling for swift justice.

Another item I noticed this past week involving discrimination, included a school in Georgia that still has segregated proms – with one for white students only. Racism, and religious bigotry are still alive and well in the “land of the free”, with a number of groups paying lip-service only to equality and liberty.

In Arts news, Both Tuatha Dea and Telergy are in the process of producing new albums. Tuatha Dea is currently producing their third album, The Tribe, and have set up a kickstarter project, where supporters can get some really cool premiums. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/516442245/it-is-time-to-record-our-third-album?ref=card

Telergy (and we had a great visit from Robert McClung – who is the brainchild of Telergy on last week’s show) is finishing up their last album. This album is called The Legend of Goody Cole, and it’s the true story a New Hampshire witch who was jailed for 15 years, well prior to the Salem Witch Trials. If you’d like to support that project, you can find it at http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/telergy-the-legend-of-goody-cole-album

PaganFM almanac

All moon void of course data courtesy of www.drstandley.com

Today is Thursday, April 4, 2013. It’s the 94^th day of the year. The moon is waning crescent and is currently in Aquarius.

On Saturday, April 6, the moon will be void at 3:43 am and will enter Pisces at 2:20 pm.

On Monday, April 8, the moon will be void at 9:33 am, and will enter Aries at 8:34 pm.

On Wednesday, April 10, the moon will be void at 5:37 pm.

On Thursday, April 11, the moon will enter Taurus at 5:09 am.

Events:

Pagan Pizza Party at La Festa Brick and Brew, Thursday, April 11, 7:00 to 9:00

The Magickal Marketplace and Psychic Faire will take place in Nashua, NH on Saturday, April 13 from noon to 7:00 PM at the Radisson hotel. Musical acts at the faire include Featherscale, Jenna Greene, Chris LaFond, Windborne and Owl and Eagle, Brothers.

Many vendors, including Cuccina Aurora, The Haunted Wood, Heather’s Handmade, MoonDragon designs and others will be presenting their wares. A number of readers and psychics will be present to help you with whatever questions you may be seeking answers for. More information about this event may be found at http://themagickalmarketplace.com/

If you’re in the Denver, Colorado area, mark your books and get your tickets for Beltania, a weekend camping and festival event will be taking place May 9-12. Musical artists include S J Tucker, Tuatha, Wendy Rule, Pandora Celtica, Forests of Azure, Skean Dubh, Heartbeat, Orpheus Pagan Chamber Choir, Djembe Cowboys, Rain in the Face, Land of the Blind and Shining Wheel Pagan Chorus.

Events include workshops, sweat lodges, May Pole Dance and many others. One special guest this year will be Christopher Penczak who will be hosting the main ritual on Friday evening.

More information is available at http://www.beltania.org/

The Houston Pagan Conference will be held on May 18, 2013 at the Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Church in The Woodlands. The theme will be Magic and the Divine.

Topics to be addressed will include:

~ Divinity’s place in magic

~ Magic and its relationship to religion (various or single religion)

~ Magic as a conduit to the Divine

~ History of Magic

~ Foundations of Magic

This 2013 Pagan Conference is for those interested in the pagan approach to magic as an integral path to the divine. This will be the first pagan conference in the Gulf Coast area in over 30 years and is sponsored by Blackberry Circle, an eclectic Wiccan teaching coven located in Southeast Texas.

More information can be found at www.houstonpaganconference.com

Cherry Hill Seminary’s Summer Learning Series, Foundations, Certificate and Master’s Level Courses will be offered from May 20 to August 25. Courses include Contemporary Global Paganisms, Goddess: Prehistory to Present, Introduction to Fundraising, Paganism 101, Goddess & God: Archetypes in Arthurian Legend and more.

More information is available at www.cherryhillseminary.org

The Moon Pool Coven in Salem, NH and Haverhill, MA has regular events. http://www.meetup.com/NorthShoreWitchesMeetup/