Lyonel Perabo introduces readers to four of the Witch shops he has visited in the region of Cleveland, Ohio. Continue reading Explorations in the Witch Shops of Cleveland at The Wild Hunt.

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A coworker recently got married and, before the weekend of the ceremony, we held a smallparty for her in the office. As these things often do, we had snacks, games, and there were alsocards for others to fill out with … Continue reading →

The young Moscow street stray eventually known as Laika, was a 14 pound bundle of cute adored by her handlers and trainers. The three year old scrawny mutt suddenly found herself scooped off of the streets of Moscow in 1957 where she had endured a tenuous existence as a stray.   There were others.   She was taken to a military laboratory where for the first time in her short life she was well fed and warm.   Like the others she was poked and prodded, given all sort of medical examinations, and put through tests of her temperament and endurance under uncomfortable circumstances.   The men and women in the lab coats noted her easygoing personality, unaggressiveness to the other dogs, eagerly compliant to the wishes of her collective ma...

Content warning: image of a grief-stricken child It’s so hard to give my heart’s attention to what’s happening in Gaza and Israel: not to intellectualize, avoid, or take any of the other escape routes away from grief and despair, but just to be there with all of the feelings. I thought drawing some of the […]

Beacon Press has published a pamphlet about banned books. You can download a PDF here. I picked up a hard copy at Harvard Book Store in Cambridge, Mass. — presumably when bookstores buy books from Beacon, they receive some hard copies of the pamphlet. The best thing about this pamphlet is not the infographics or … Continue reading "Banned books pamphlet"

Whether directly shouted into our ears or subtly inculcated through culture, individualism runs deep. How many times have you heard (or said) “I don’t want your charity”? What’s wrong with accepting charity? The hand up is rarely masking condescension or … Continue reading →

  An all female coven practices a ritual.  Although there are male Wiccan, adherents are predominantly women--and overwhelmingly White.  Other neo-pagan traditions appeal to Women of Color. The story with the dramatic headline is a few years old and based on research on religion in America on even older data collected by the Pew Research Center in 2014 and additional studies by conservative religious think tanks, but it made the rounds again on social media as Halloween rolled around again.   Depending on your perspective the news was shocking, appalling, or an encouraging sign of a broadening of America spirituality. Of course, the Pew Center never made the claim that there are now more witches than Presbyterians—journalists extra...

For many, definitions of sin have been openly harmful as bad theology is used to control people. The fires of hell have long been a threat for any number of things many of us reject are “sins.” What were you taught was a sin that you have come to see as not one?

This month, as we explore the theme of Sin and Atonement, let us begin by wondering what, exactly, is sin? Different cultures, religions, and theologies have different definitions for “sin,” and some have no use for the concept entirely. Is “sin” a useful concept to you, and if so, how do you define it?

The text of a speech I gave calling on Representative Lizzie Fletcher to endorse a House resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The post Speech Calling for Representative Lizzie Fletcher to Call for a Ceasefire in Gaza appeared first on Colin Bossen.

Christian protests disrupt supermarket looking for Witches while in Salem they enter ritual space to stop Samhain public gathering. Continue reading Christians protest Samhain in Miami and in Salem where ritual space was violated at The Wild Hunt.

NOTE: As a one-time experiment, our worship service this Sunday starts at 4:00 pm (remember to set your clocks for Daylight Savings.)  A drop-in choir will gather at 2:45 with Robin and RE will run during the afternoon service. Families should start in the Sanctuary, as usual. We hope to see you there! Sunday, November 5   [ … ] The post Sunday Worship: November 5 ~ “Receiving Generously” ~ **4:00 PM** appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Just click on any photo to enlarge it All the photos in this post were taken using my Fuji X100V and a recipe which, in my opinion, does a pretty good job of producing images very close to those produced by the Czech film, Fomapan 400. The recipe used here is by someone who only gives us their first name, Sasha, who posted it on the Fuji X Weekly Community page a while back. You can find her excellent recipe at this link, or simply scroll down to the very end of this post. When I shot film (back in the 1970s on a Voigtländer Vitomatic IIa)  I only ever used Ilford films, simply because that’s what my dad used, so, I have no experience with actual Fomapan 400 film. But since coming across Sacha’s recipe, I’ve both enjoyed lookin...

Yesterday the fifth Ask Isabel column hit the email inboxes. It’s getting more attention: more subscribers, more readers, and the first Like and comment! This week’s column asks whether God matters. You can see all of the columns here, and of course, subscribe (it’s free and spam-free) and also submit a question if you are […]

The Breath that Sustains Us On Sunday, May 15, 2022 over 300 Unitarian Universalists (UUs) across Canada attended a virtual national worship service like no other. There were no speakers, and it did not follow the traditional order of service.  Instead, rich, evocative music, images, and affirmations guided participants through a 15-minute, multi-sensory breathing meditation, […] The post The Breath that Sustains Us first appeared on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada. The post The Breath that Sustains Us appeared first on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada.

Taken with a Fuji X-T2 (with a SMC Pentax-M 1:1.7 50mm lens) using Kevin Mullin’s “Parr” recipe Just click on the photo to enlarge it

Chrissy Bushyager God of our ancestors, may we find the ways in which we can connect across generations. Continue reading "People Who Came Before Us"

This isn’t humble-bragging, this is outright bragging. My photo of the Cohasset Meeting House is in the latest issue of Classicist (no. 20), the peer-reviewed journal of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art. Not that my photo was peer-reviewed; the photos in this issue are merely illustrations for the peer-reviewed material. Still, I guess … Continue reading "Photo"

I enjoy the lengthening shadows of the fall. They invite me into reflections and considerations that the brighter times of the year chase away–reflections and considerations on the full spectrum from joy to grief. Recently, I allowed the shadows to … Continue reading →

“We honor and remember Those who have passed into the mystery. Their brightness lives on in our vision; their courage lives on in our commitments; and their love continues to bless the world through us.” -Florence Caplow Light a candle for the ancestors today.

  Gaily hand painted skulls on sale in a Mexican shop for  Día de Los Muertos . Note —Another blog perennial. Despite sharing some key common imagery—skulls and skeletons—and some cultural and religious DNA, Día de los Muertos, the two day festival from Mexico, is not just a Latino Halloween.   The two observations reflect two entirely different views of death—one reflecting terror and horror and the other welcoming acceptance.   That’s the shorthand for it anyway.   It is, of course, more complicated.   The Mexican holiday owes its unique vitality to the merging and mutual corruption of two cultures so alien to each other that at first the seemed totally incompatible. The Aztecs were the new kids on the block.   Just ...

A follow up to an earlier brief post on the deity Doumu. Doumu, a Daoist deity, is sometimes called “Dipper Mother” in English because she’s the goddess of the of the Big Dipper, Ursa Major. Her name is variously rendered Doumu, Tou Mu, Dou Mu Yuan Jun, etc. The illustration above shows a Qing dynasty … Continue reading "Doumu in depth"

Which will it be? Something big has taken up residence in our garage.

By Jess Zimmerman | The first thing you saw when entering the Dangerous Beauty exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art was a vintage dress from Versace’s 1992–1993 “Miss S&M” collection. Straps of quilted leather crisscrossed the throat and décolletage of a headless mannequin, each strap adorned with a dollar-sized brassy coin bearing the head of a howling Gorgon, a play on Versace’s usual logo of a placid Medusa face. The overall effect was oddly militaristic, a sort of four-star dominatrix look.

We are grateful to you, our readers, who shared ancestor altars and bovedas this year. TWH wishes its northern hemisphere readers a blessed Samhaintide and a merry Beltaine in the southern hemisphere. Continue reading Samhain Blessings at The Wild Hunt.

One of the amazing gifts of Unitarian Universalism is that we gather and worship and learn with people who have many different understandings and beliefs about our relationships with life, death, the existence of the holy or not, the source of our ethics, and so ... read more . The post November Theme: A House for Hope appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

It seems nearly impossible to put words to all of the horrors happening around the world. The attacks by Hamas on Israel, Israel’s military assault on Gaza, war continues in Sudan and Ukraine, gun violence in Maine and every other state, another Black man killed ... read more . The post Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – Oct. 31st appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

On Sunday, the walls of our sanctuary echoed with the unified voices of our community, both old and new. It wasn't just any Sunday service; it was a day that marked a new chapter in the lives of 71 individuals who, after their individual journeys of seeking and searching, decided to call All Souls Unitarian Church their home. The post More Than 70 New Members Welcomed To All Souls Family appeared first on BeyondBelief.

On Sunday November 5th we’ll have regular sessions of Religious Education (RE). Specifically: Everyone, except the 8th/9th grade OWL participants will gather in for the first part of the service in the Great Hall. After the story in the service, the elementary aged children will go to ... read more . The post Coming Up in Religious Education – Oct. 31st appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

SJAT will be hosting a table at the back of the Great Hall before and after services for the next few Sundays to share more about the Downstream Justice project and how you can get involved. We will gather after service onNovember 5th to walk along the park ... read more . The post Social Justice Action Team Downstream Justice Project Kick Off appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

As our world bears witness to the tragic and traumatic events unfolding in Palestine & Israel, many of us are yearning for a faithful way to discuss and engage what is occurring.  Why We Cannot Turn Away: Resources for UU Leaders Engaging on Israel and Palestine Monday, November 6 at 5pm PT / 8pm ET Join us for this session for religious professionals, where we will invite multiple expert voices to help us deepen our understanding in truth and possibility. Sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Association and hosted by Muslim and Jewish UU professionals, this session will feature guest appearances by experts who will share about the history of the region, how our world arrived at the current moment, some history about UU engagement wi...

Our reflections this month have centered around the theme of “the gift of heritage.” Our writers have shared with us a number of ways that they have opened themselves to their own individual and more collective experiences of heritage. They … Continue reading →

Hudson, MA Women’s Red Tent Gatherings: Celebrating over a decade of Sharing Our Stories and Creating Community! Date/Time: November 11, 2023, 12:30pm-4:30pm Location: Union Hall at the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson Facilitated by: Jody Zolli and Nan Rogers (Founder)   Welcome, amazing women! This tent will explore and celebrate our innate intuition. Intuition is   [ … ] The post SGCC: Women’s Red Tent ~ Getting Into Intuition! ~ November 11, 12:30-4:30 PM appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Today is Halloween, that wild holiday of ghosts and ancestors and gifts of sweets. Some say the veil between the worlds is thin during these days. Celtic Samhain, Mexican Dia de Muertos. The day midway between autumn equinox and winter solstice. This morning I woke to our first frost of the season. It is later […]

Second annual convening of climate justice partners brings renewed commitment to addressing the impacts of the climate crisis.

“I am my ancestors’ wildest dream come true, and I would not be here if it weren’t for their dreamings, their hopes, and most importantly their living. None of us would be here were it not for those who lived and won a fight that they were not meant to survive.” -from a reflection by … Continue reading Wildest Dreams

  Note —Our annual Halloween post. Halloween traces its origin to the Celtic harvest festival Samhain.   It was one of the four festivals that fell between the Solstices and Equinoxes and which celebrated the natural turning of the seasons.   Samhain was particularly important because it was the gate in time to the death and starvation season of winter, as well a time to celebrate the recent harvest.   This association with the death of winter also extended to the spirit world, which was considered to be closer to the mortal plane than at any other time of the year.   The Celtic priests—the Druids—marked the occasion with the lighting of bonfires and with gifts of food and drink for the spirits of the dead.   Some consider it...

The Rev. Anya Sammler-Michael, senior co-minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, New Jersey asked, “When did you become a UU?” What she meant was not when we signed our names to the membership registry, but to think further back. She gave us a piece of her history, including when she felt she became […] The post My Pagan path – a look back into when I started my journey appeared first on Nature's Sacred Journey.

In this week's Pagan Community Notes: various conservative Christian churches express annual concerns about Halloween and Wicca, Pumpkin explosion, Announcements and more news. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes Week of October 30, 2023 at The Wild Hunt.

According to economist Blair Fix, when the stock market rises, the only people who actually benefit are just a few top wealth/income percentiles: “…we set out to look at the stock market and ask cui bono: who benefits? We now have our answer. In the United States, the stock market takes wealth (and income) from … Continue reading "Whom does the stock market benefit?"

  Rosa Parks' mug shot in Birmingham.  I echoed this frequently cited quote in slightly different wording, in my poem. Rosa Parks died on October 24, 2005 in Detroit , Michigan at the age of 93.   She is revered as the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement for sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott by refusing to give her seat to a white man.   A young minister named Martin Luther King , Jr . was selected to lead the long campaign that led to one of the first great victories in for the Civil Rights Movement in the South. After her death that year, she was widely celebrated including the then unheard of honor for a woman and private citizen who never held high civil or military office of being laid in state in the Rotunda of the United St...

The word Samhain (pronounced Sow-Inn) is a special time of the year where the veil between worlds is the thinnest, the world we are in, the world of faeries, and the world of the dead blend together as one. Many … Continue reading →

“For those who came before us, we offer gratitude and thanks. May their memories be a blessing. May we feel surrounded by their love. As we go forth from this time and place, let us be inspired by their courage, their wisdom, and their dreams. Let us honor them by doing the work of living … Continue reading Inspiration

I don’t have control over death, as much as I like to include it in my practice. No Witch does. Continue reading Trying to Bargain with Death at The Wild Hunt.

Part 3 of The Gift of Heritage: In our faith tradition, we've inherited the promises of the generations that came before. What's our role in making good on those promises? And what are we promising the generations that follow?

I didn’t get much hiking done this week between eye appointments and attending an online conference for retired UU ministers and their partners. It has been a week of thinking about ministry, and about beginnings and endings. I gave away some of my robes and stoles a few weeks ago to people still serving. Retired […]

Writing in the New York Times, Stephen King says: “There is no solution to the gun problem, and little more to write, because Americans are addicted to firearms…. Americans love guns, and appear willing to pay the price in blood.” Stephen King is a master of the horror genre. Of all his output, this is … Continue reading "Horror"

The Fall of the House of Usher is brilliant. It sets Edgar Allan Poe’s stories in our time, but remains faithful to them both in message and in atmosphere. It’s scary and entertaining, and it provides some of most apt social commentary I’ve seen in years.

        The Japanese Zen master and critical figure in introducing Zen to the west, Soyen Shaku (釈 宗演) died on this day, the 29th of October, in 1919. He was born Tsunejiro Ichinose, in 1859. His older brother wanted to ordain, but was unable to due to family obligations. At twelve young […]

Sometimes, thinking about our ancestors is a source of grief. Because we miss people no longer living, or because we feel a profound sense of separation from them. There are many ways to live with and express grief, and we can learn from each other as we do this. How do you express your grief … Continue reading Grief

Maybe it’s not such a great idea to turn to writers from 1,000, or 2,000, or 3,000 years before the United Nations publicly published the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for teachings on the universality of human rights. Continue reading Ásatrú and Human Rights at The Wild Hunt.

Please join us on Sunday (29 October 2023) at 11:00 AM for “As a Matter of Fact” by Rev. Barbara Jarrell. Rev. Barbara is back in the pulpit this Sunday. Members of the All Souls choir will sing and Rev. Barbara will introduce a new song. We will be meeting in the sanctuary for this … Continue reading "All Ages Worship (29 October 2023)"

For this Sunday (29 October 2023), our children (Pre-K thru Grade 5) will be using a program adapted from Moral Tales (a Tapestry of Faith curriculum by Alice Anacheka Nasemann and Elisa Davy Pearmain). The lesson for this week is “Give and Ye Shall Receive” on the theme of generosity (based on a story from … Continue reading "Pre-K thru Grade 5 Children’s Religious Education (29 October 2023)"

This class is an exploration of our eight Unitarian Universalist principles through artistic expression. On this Sunday (29 October 2023), we will explore the fourth principle (“the free and responsible search for truth and meaning”). The All8 curriculum is the creation of Jil Novenski (Director of Religious Education — Community Unitarian Universalist Church of New … Continue reading "Middle and High School Youth Religious Education (29 October 2023)"

Please join us on Sunday (29 October 2023) for our adult religious education class at 9:00 AM. Our adult religious education class is now a dual-platform class — meeting in person in the church social hall and also on Zoom. We will continue reading the UUA Common Read for 2023 — On Repentance and Repair … Continue reading "Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education — 29 October 2023"

Every year, All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church presents the Ralph Waldo Emerson Award to an individual or organization in the wider community who best exemplifies the principles and values of Unitarian Universalism and liberal religion. For 2023, All Souls is proud to present this award to Madison Poche (Executive Director of the The Highland Center) … Continue reading "Madison Poche — 2023 Ralph Waldo Emerson Award Recipient"

George Cole & Susan Shaw in The Kite, 1948 A short  “ thought for the day” was offered to the Cambridge Unitarian Church as part of the Sunday Service of Mindful   Meditation.  (A recorded version of the following piece may appear here at some point . . .)   —o0o— During August, whilst working on translations of essays by the twentieth-century Japanese Unitarian and advocate of a creative, free-spirituality or religion, Imaoka Shin’ichirō (1881-1988), I came across a short speech called, “Know Thyself,” given in 1978 to the first-year students of the Seisoku High School (正則学院) where he was Principal. At one point in it, he asked his students a rhetorical question: “Have you ever experienced flying a kite?

                    Reginald Horace Blyth was born on the 3rd of December, in 1898. He was the only child of Henrietta and Horace Blyth, a railway clerk. During the first world war Blyth was a pacifist and in 1916 he was sentenced to prison. When the war […]

 This week's Maine victims--ordinary working folks out for an evening. This week the worst mass shooting of 2023 scarred Lewiston, Main leaving at latest count 18 dead, many more wounded and a community shattered.   Last night the body of the killer was finally found after nearly three days of searching and two days of an area-wide shelter in place order.   This time the shooter, a 40 year old Army Reservist armed with an assault weapon,   had a documented history of mental illness and recent hospitalization after threatening to shoot up his Army Base.   Under Maine’s loose gun laws, he was allowed to retain his firearms.   That may or may not change now.   Unlike other recent mass murders there doesn’t appear to be a hate cri...

Tuesday, October 17, 2023, the EPA removed 21 species from theEndangered Species List because they are now extinct.The stated purpose of the list is to help conserve the species that are on it,to bring attention to the fact of their … Continue reading →

Different cultures have different ways of being in relationship with the ancestors. Sometimes, what is emphasized is an ongoing relationship. Sometimes, it’s memory. What are your cultural traditions and teachings regarding ancestors?

The first webinar in Side With Love’s series toward Clean Energy as a Human Right: Visionary Approaches to Federal Clean Energy Funding, was offered October 25, 2023. While congregations are excitedly learning about federal clean energy funding, how can make sure we're prioritizing justice in our actions? How can put our faith into action to ensure those most impacted by climate disruption benefit the most? Featuring Just Solutions, Emerald Cities Collaborative, and Rewiring America , this webinar covered how your congregation can put your faith into action to advance visionary approaches to clean energy funding with justice at the center. View the recording View the slides This event was co-sponsored by Side With Love, Interfaith Powe...

Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF – A Druid Fellowship) invites you to a Samhain ritual on Saturday (28 October 2023) at 3:00 PM in the grove in front of All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church. The members of Thistle Grove invite one and all to this celebration of Samhain (pronounced SAH-wen) marking the turning of the year … Continue reading "Samhain Ritual (28 October 2023)"

Join us next Saturday (28 October 2023) from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM for our annual Trunk or Treat celebration. Decorate your car and bring treats and/or a game, craft, or activity for children who come trick-or-treating to your car. For this year, we are excited to have the Lip Service Trio playing for us. … Continue reading "Trunk or Treat (28 October 2023) — Now with Lip Service Performing Live"

Please join us on Saturday (28 October 2023) at 10:30 AM for our weekly meditation group with Larry Androes. This group will be meeting via Zoom and not in person. This is a sitting Buddhist meditation including a brief introduction to mindfulness meditation, 20 minutes of sitting, and followed by a weekly teaching. The group … Continue reading "Meditation with Larry Androes (28 October 2023)"

          RECORDANDO A ROSITA LA REMACHADORA Y Otros Pensamientos Que Surgen por el Día de Igualdad de las Mujeres James Ishmael Ford (Women’s Equality Day & That Image of Rosie the Riveter traducido por Miguel Acevedo)   Ayer, 26 de agosto, marca un día de gran impacto en la historia estadounidense. […]

The Asian Museum of Art in San Francisco has a polychromed wood sculpture of Aizen Myo-o, the Japanese name for the esoteric Buddhist deity of love and passion. His original Sanskirt name is Ragaraja. I have very little understanding of esoteric Buddhism, so rather than get some details wrong, here’s a 1916 description of Aizen … Continue reading "Aizen myo-o"

My father began asking me to go home sometime in August. He started with subtle hints – the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, random old music, and snapshots of shared memories. But I should mention that no embodied being in my home drinks coffee, and my dad left this realm 16 years ago. Continue reading The Ghosts of Home at The Wild Hunt.

I found the original lego that I'd printed to test whether or not my sketchup illustration instructions (precisely followed) would print a lego accurately enough to fit a real lego. The blue one is an official lego block The clear one is one that I printed using PLA filament on a MakerBot in 2015. It is satisfying that they fit so well. Make, fix and create...

By Aviva Chomsky | Few predicted that the peace accords and neoliberal reforms of the 1990s would lead to a flood of out-migration in the following decades, as flight would increasingly become the last resort of people desperate to survive, and ties to the United States made it the obvious destination. Migration has been an inherent aspect of all human history, including Central American history.

The horrible dangers of Kindergarten, led  to it being outlawed by the Kaiser in 1851, as was later noted in  KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION,  a pamphlet from the US Department of the Interior  By  ALMIRA  M.  WINCHESTER, 1919 No other phase of education · is more completely democratic and American  than  the kindergarten.  In  this respect the prophecy  of  the founder has been fulfilled  that in  America, the new world where new life was and is unfolding, the new education of the human race would take firm root.  In  Germany, the geographical birthplace of the kindergarten, little more than the outer form and the name is discoverable; the essence is missing. The kindergarten is not at home in Germany. The edict  of  the Pru...

Dylan Thomas in a characteristic pose before a bookstore reading. A few years ago, I noticed that Dylan Thomas and Sylvia Plath shared a birthday, October 27—1914 in Wales for him, 1932 in Boston for her.   They had little in common except that they wrote poetry—although poetry very different in form, theme, style, and substance—and died young each in a kind of pitiful squalor.   Each had crossed the ocean and died in the other’s country, a nice cosmic balance. That year—2012—their common birthday also coincided with a new moon and where I was, at least, a howling storm of darkness.   Sylvia Plath in a similar venue battling her invisible demons. You know me.   I am a sucker for cosmic coincidence.   So, I scribbled a po...

Miki and me in the Cambridge Unitarian Church, Sept. 2023 At the end of September 2023 my friend, dharma-friend, and meditation teacher, Miki Nakura, visited Cambridge both to lead a Seiza (静坐 — literally, “quiet sitting”) meditation session at the Cambridge Unitarian Church and to conduct my Kikyoshiki service. For those who are puzzled about why this style of meditation was being taught in a Unitarian setting, it’s helpful to know that Seiza meditation was the preferred form of meditation practised by the Japanese Unitarian movement thanks to the great twentieth-century advocate of free-religion (自由宗教 jiyū shūkyō), Imaoka Shin’ichirō-sensei (1881-1988). Imaoka-sensei knew and studied with Okada-sensei personal...

I received a contributor copy today of Make Magazine, volume 87, their November 2023 issue. It includes my article about making super-sized Froebel blocks representing gifts 3 and 4. And introduces readers to a bit of Froebel's philosophy of learning. The article introduces the maker community to the wonders of Kindergarten, some perhaps for the first time since Kindergarten is no longer what it once was. If you like making cool things involving chips, wiring, solder, 3D printing and LEDs, you are probably already familiar with Make Magazine. The company sponsors Maker Faires across the US and around the world. The book stand is one I made for an article in Woodwork Magazine years ago. Make, fix and create....

Of all the things I remember most about mom, it is her hands. She had strong hands, I remember the crease and lines. As a child I would hold her hand and trace the lines of her veins down to … Continue reading →

“Some people are your relatives but others are your ancestors, and you choose the ones you want to have as ancestors. You create yourself out of those values.” -Ralph Ellison What are the values you have created yourself out of? Where did they come from?

I really love Halloween, and in my neighborhood, it’s the occasion for the year’s best block party. Most of the businesses on the commercial street, Cortland Avenue, stay open late and post someone out front to give out candy or, in the case of The Good Life grocery store, apples. Some turn their spaces into […]

We site down for a conversation with Coby Michael and his work, and what set hm on the poison path. Continue reading Walking the poison path: An interview with Coby Michael at The Wild Hunt.

Pro-choice groups will be protesting anti-abortion “crisis pregnancy centers” (CPCs), or “fake clinics,” this Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, from 10 am to 12 pm, near Focus Women’s Center in McHenry, Illinois, 409 N. Front Street, Route 31. “If you’re pregnant and want accessibility to all your options, including abortion care, don’t go there!” said Dee Darling, President of McHenry County NOW. “It’s time we expose these fake clinics in our county—they’ll do anything to stop you from getting the abortion you may need and want.   Instead, you can find safe and confidential referrals to verified healthcare providers at ineedana.com or plannedparenthood.org.”                               ...

I won’t ramble on about my upbringing, but it’s not a secret that I was abused. I feel there are many children of the 80’s that inherited trauma from being raised with the saying “it’s just how it was back … Continue reading →

“My ancestors include Monahwee, who was one of the leaders in the Red Stick War, which was the largest Indian uprising in history, and Osceola, who refused to sign a treaty with the United States.” -Joy Harjo How might your ancestors have participated in resistance against oppression?

Nancy Ann (Nellor) McDonald, a community leader and civil rights advocate, died Tuesday, October 24, 2023, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at age 87. The post Celebrating the Life of Nancy McDonald appeared first on BeyondBelief.

Sabbatical Activity No. Umpty-Ump is, of course, making art. I’ve been doing art almost every day, which is a major accomplishment. A lot of what I’ve been working on is nothing I want to show yet: more explorations of the Tower of Babel and several themes that cluster around it. I’m working on one right […]

Our correspondent Liz Williams shares a list of Samhain an Halloween events happening in the UK this coming week. Continue reading Samhain Events Round-up: UK 2023 at The Wild Hunt.

A Q&A with Bill Ong Hing | I have seen children as young as two separated at the border from their families. When I interviewed these traumatized children in border patrol detention, I was ashamed of our what our nation does in the name of border enforcement. When I said goodbye to a fifty-year-old undocumented man at his home the night before he was deported, it was impossible for me to explain the rationale behind the removal of a twenty-five-year resident with no criminal problems to his US citizen children for whom he had served as soccer coach, homework tutor, insurance provider, driver to after-school programs, and loving father.

Yesterday I learned that the planned publication date for my new book, Designing Boxes , is April 16. In my shop I'm finishing some work that I'd put aside for various reasons. With the completion of the book, I have lots of clean up to attend to, and finishing of unfinished work is part of that. Make, fix and create...

Jeff Milchen Many states are exploiting the opportunity created by the U.S. Supreme Court having gutted the Voting Rights Act. Unitarian Universalists believe democracy must be both accessible and equitable.

 My experience at the CUC Young Adult Retreat I was floating in water so clear I could see the bottom. I sat on a paddleboard and relaxed on the pond. Dragonflies danced around me. There was occasional splashing from fish leaping out of the water, and there was laughter in the distance. I felt […] The post My experience at the CUC Young Adult Retreat first appeared on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada. The post My experience at the CUC Young Adult Retreat appeared first on Canadian Unitarian Council Conseil unitarien du Canada.

Christin Green I believe that we are all "life drummers" just waiting to join in the rhythm. Continue reading "Life Drummers"

“Welcome, welcome emigrante, welcome, welcome to my home……” BuffySainte-Marie, 1965. Earworm, me, 2023. As a child of early and recent immigrants, I have wondered about thewelcome they received when they arrived in this country. The welcome ofthe 19th century immigrants … Continue reading →