Category: Paganism

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On Words and Practices, Groups and Solitaries

By Gus diZerega

For six years, I participated in a healing center in Berkeley that integrated African Diasporic practices and Buddhism. Sometimes, I did so several times a week. Those years were as demanding (and rewarding) as the previous years I spent getting a Ph.D. in Political Science at Berkeley, but they never involved writing or reading anything.

I had already become a Wiccan when I began to work at the healing center and explained my first commitment was to the Wiccan Goddess, but so long as that was acceptable, I would love to participate. And participate I did until a growing focus on Buddhism gradually squeezed out the African Diasporic dimension of its work. I left on friendly terms and regard those years as one of the most important spiritual experiences of my life. Continue reading On Words and Practices, Groups and Solitaries

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Libertarian Paganism: Freedom and Responsibility in Nature-Based Spirituality by Logan Albright

Review by Katrina Rasbold

The author uses only 224 pages to tackle two far-reaching and complex subjects but does so with a distilled finesse that leaves no stone unturned. Choices were made, make no mistake. He carefully curates which topics will best support his argument for a potential marriage between the camps of libertarianism and paganism*, which is no easy task since those two camps are not even remotely on the same battlefield.

Continue reading Libertarian Paganism: Freedom and Responsibility in Nature-Based Spirituality by Logan Albright

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Gaia: Saving Her, Saving Ourselves by Irisanya Moon

Book Review By Katrina Rasbold

Working as I do for Green Egg Magazine, founded by the King of Gaia theology, Oberon Zell, the subject of earth consciousness and stewardship understandably becomes an important focus. Irisanya Moon encapsulates this mindset perfectly in this beautiful homage to Mother Earth. As she puts it (paraphrased), Earth is our home, where our birth, life, and death all are contained. Continue reading Gaia: Saving Her, Saving Ourselves by Irisanya Moon

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From the Forum

The Green Egg Forum is a lively hotbed of thoughtful discourse, moderated by Cat Gina Cole. In this column, Cat shares some of the most interesting and interactive posts and threads from the forum. Want to get in on the conversation? We would love to have you! Go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1069823176940972/ to join.

This week in the forum there was this provoking post:

“I thought this would be a good follow up to Wade’s earlier post on Paganism and Christmas. I take issue with the smallest of facts here, they keep calling it a pentagram, when clearly it is a pentacle, point up! I do not endorse the Satanic Church on the whole, but they really have done a lot in getting us Pagans in the door and on the map with their push for equal representation for all religions. Their choosing Baphomet I am sure was for shock value, and it works. Continue reading From the Forum

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Ask A Witch: Patron Gods & Goddesses?

By Katrina Rasbold

How do you “get” a Patron God or Goddess or know who yours is? In this video, veteran Witch, Katrina Rasbold, discusses two different ways you can attach to a Patron God or Goddess for your spiritual development, guidance, and companionship. Continue reading Ask A Witch: Patron Gods & Goddesses?

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A Caveat of The Craft

By Rev. DeeDee Stinson, Priestess

It’s the Season of the Witch and it seems that folk still wanna practice the Craft without realizing it’s not just a fad, a silly way to pass time, or use to your advantage once or twice. I’m not gonna yuck someone’s yum but as a Witch of over two decades of experience and a recently Initiated First Degree Priestess, as well as an Initiate by my First Teacher and Initiator, … it’s my solemn Oath to speak logically and cautiously.

Why do I believe Witchcraft can be dangerous if not properly learned, practiced, and even taught? Two quotes: Continue reading A Caveat of The Craft

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From the Forum

The Green Egg Forum is a lively hotbed of thoughtful discourse, moderated by Cat Gina Cole. In this column, Cat shares some of the most interesting and interactive posts and threads from the forum. Want to get in on the conversation? We would love to have you! Go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1069823176940972/ to join.

This week in the Green Egg Forum Group on Facebook, the point was raised that Christmas has Pagan roots. In that post, some historical facts came up to prove the point and the question was raised:

“Should we, as Witches and Pagans, stop telling people that Christmas was originally Pagan?”

Here are some of the comments that followed that question: Continue reading From the Forum

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Amazing Grace

By Katrina Rasbold

When I saw this internet meme, I literally laughed out loud with this wonderful, surprised, soul-smiling bark of a laugh. Let me tell you, I give amazing grace. I can grace like a pro in non-denominational, Christian, Heathen… I just read the room and flood that table with grace. I am grace fluent to the extreme. I will also finish before your food gets cold. It’s an art. 😉

Saying grace or as we called it when I was growing up in Kentucky “Returning the thanks” or “Saying the blessing,” is one of the traditions that sadly falls away for most people who leave the Christian Church. Personally, I am a fan of blessing the food that we eat regardless of whatever religious subscription dominates our spritual mailbox.

How do you bless the food you take into your body? How do you honor the people throughout the supply chain who helped get the food to you? How do you pay tribute to the plant or animal (or scientist) that sacrificed so you could eat? Continue reading Amazing Grace

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Pagan Voices

By Katrina Rasbold

Hello Green Egg Family! I started reading Green Egg in the 1980s when the Pagan climate and experience was somewhat different than it is now. We were not then as connected with other Pagans without the internet to draw us together. We had a limited number of resources available to us and only a handful of voices in the wilderness guiding us through the experiences. Not all of us were fortunate enough to be born into hereditary Pagan families and our only recourse was to follow the breadcrumb trails left by the people we now consider to be pioneers of Neopaganism. 

There are amazing teachers out there now and we have greater access to them than we ever could have imagined four decades ago. People like Christopher Penczak, Thorn Mooney, John Beckett, Jon Drum, Judika Illes, and so many more continue the process of developing the various Pagan religions and providing guidance to the twenty-first century Pagan community. These contemporary leaders follow a trail blazed by the ground-breaking teachers of our past.  Continue reading Pagan Voices