19 years ago I had a spiritual epiphany and it changed my life. And for that I am very, very thankful.

How do we know anything about Gods and spirits, and the non-material world? We know through our experiences.

In his victory speech, President-Elect Biden said “we must stop treating our opponents as our enemy.” While I want people to agree with me, if we agreed we would be allies, not opponents. We will all be better off if we respect honorable opponents and we conduct ourselves as honorable opponents… and if we refuse to tolerate dishonorable opponents.

I’m not a natural public speaker. I got started because my desire to lead rituals was greater than my fear of speaking in public. I’ve learned a few things over the past 17 years – these are my suggestions for anyone who wants to do a better job of speaking in ritual.

I want to go back to the beginning of my Paganism, and it all begins with Nature. I do not love Nature because I’m a Pagan. I’m a Pagan because I love Nature.

Trump’s false statements illustrate a key point about magic: no matter how powerful you are, when you deny reality you’re fighting an uphill battle that you’re likely to lose.

Finally, something good happened in 2020. Here are my thoughts on Joe Biden’s victory, starting with a huge sigh of relief.

Childhood dreams can be nostalgic, but we abandoned most of them because they didn’t fit. In any case, our future lies in front of us, not behind us.

The Craft: Legacy is a good movie with a good theme. It doesn’t have the edginess and gothiness of the original, but it has a much more satisfying ending.

A lot of people are having unusual dreams or seeing odd signs in Nature. So am I. So I did what I advise everyone to do when you’re hearing an unclear message – divination. This is what I see, for better or for worse.

If Biden isn’t the clear winner by the time you go to bed on Election Night, expect things to drag out for several days. If Trump claims victory, mock him. If he claims fraud, ignore him. Don’t panic – let the process play out.

The Veil Between the Worlds is a metaphor for the boundary between this world and the Otherworld. The term only dates to the 19th century. Knowing our history is important, but it’s also important to have a useful model of the universe, especially those parts that can’t be described directly.

The Under the Ancient Oaks Online Samhain Ritual will be Friday, October 30 at 8:00 PM CDT on YouTube.

We have an ethical obligation to be good guests when we travel, whether to ancient sites like Pompeii or to a neighborhood park. The land, the spirits of the place, and the various persons – human and otherwise – who we visit deserve our respect.

These are difficult times. They will not be over on November 3, or even on January 20. But we are strong and resilient, and we have powerful allies. We will get through them. This is now.

Doing bad things doesn’t mean we’re bad people – it means we’re human. But if we do the same bad thing over and over again, that says something about our character as people… and about who and what we are as a nation.

Traveling in sparsely populated areas, I experienced a quiet more silent than anything I’ve heard – or haven’t heard – in many years. That’s a reminder to keep silent, to practice silence, and to enjoy silence.

This is my October soundtrack – the songs I listen to and videos I watch when I want to get in the mood for pumpkins, horror movies, and dressing up like I wish I could (or would) every day.

Sometimes we focus so much on the lands of our ancestors we ignore the land where we are. These are my experience of Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas Panhandle, the second largest canyon in the United States.

I’m not going to tell you how to feel about Donald Trump having Covid-19. Instead, I’m going to tell you what I think about the situation, and remind you that we cannot expect Covid to remove Trump from office. We have to do that, by voting him out.

2020 has been a horrible year and it’s not over yet. But for now it’s October, and I intend to enjoy my favorite month. Neither Covid nor Trump can take October from me.

Facts can’t beat myths – people deny inconvenient facts, truth be damned. Rational explanations can’t beat myths – people jump to ad hominem, straw man, or other logical fallacies, or they just tune it out. If you want to beat a bad myth you have to tell a better story.

If you think four more years of Trump will finally bring the kind of cataclysmic change you’re hoping for, I urge you to abandon accelerationism and its apocalyptic thinking. Instead, embrace the art of the possible and the attainable, and help us move in a better direction.

We didn’t just respect Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s legal work, we loved her intellect, her determination, her wit, and her humanity. And so we mourn. But after we mourn, we act.

If you’re looking for something to do for the Fall Equinox – or if you just like the idea of joining in a ritual with people around the world – here are two good opportunities.

Public advocacy for a religious belief is an invitation to a debate. You can express agreement. You can express a contrary view. Or you can decline the invitation. But if you try to tell the rest of us we can’t have a debate, expect to get a debate of a rather different kind.

I understand that some Pagans are ambivalent – at most – about the Gods. That’s fine. Paganism isn’t Christianity – believing the “right” thing isn’t what’s most important. But I couldn’t stop caring about the Gods if I wanted to… and I don’t want to.

There are times when magic is a lot of fun. But this isn’t one of them, and if I wait for it to become fun again I may not be doing anything for a long time. That would make things even worse. Sometimes working magic is work. But sometimes work is necessary.

Every religion must have its non-negotiables, the things that make it unique and thus give it a reason to exist. But what do you want to make non-negotiable in your religion? A cultural norm that changed long ago? Or the values and virtues of our Gods and ancestors?

We feel what we feel, and if what we feel is rage, then we’re enraged. Naïve comments like “don’t let it get to you” or “just let it go” only make things worse. But we have an obligation to do everything possible to insure that our rage does not harm anyone.

More answers to questions: disruption of natural places, skills for Tower Time, Druid resources for kids, and the challenges of the contemporary Pagan community.

Answers to questions around polytheist beliefs and practices: validating UPG, finding appropriate offerings for deities, how many shrines can you handle, and should you offer your blood?

When I look at the most influential books on my shelf, I see science books right alongside books of history and religion. If you’re looking for advanced Pagan books, look outside the Pagan section of the book store.

This past Sunday I got up well before dawn and went for a long walk in one of the local greenbelt parks. It’s a poor substitute for real travel, but it’s all I’ve got at the moment. I’ll take it.

Basing your religious and spiritual beliefs on works of fiction is rarely a good idea. But some stories aren’t just made up. They tap into something deeper and more meaningful. Sometimes inspiration comes to us in the form of first-hand experience.

Christian fundamentalism in the United States is dying, and a decisive victory over Donald Trump in the upcoming elections will hasten its loss of power. But there are other things we can do to help end it, and to make our own lives better in the process.

Folklore, fiction, scripture, and myth. All of them can be helpful in building a strong Pagan worldview and practice. But they are not the same and we need to know which is which. We need to know if a story originates in imagination or in experience.

The big questions of life are not idle speculations. They’re a response to the realities of life that face us all. Do I have this all exactly right? Probably not. But the details will sort themselves out. Let’s embrace our immortality as deeply as we can.

History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes – and history is rhyming right now. It’s telling us that while things are difficult and dangerous, we are on the verge of a victory that will be monumental… if we will seize it.

For many of us, the Gods and spirits who have been strong presences in our lives have gone silent. We were so busy with the pandemic and responses to injustice and our own lives that we didn’t notice it right away. But eventually we did. And we want it back.

Do what you have to do to get by. But don’t abandon your dreams. Don’t restrict them. Don’t curtail them. When it comes to your life, don’t set small goals.

I don’t know when I’ll be able to eat in a restaurant or see a movie or attend a Pagan ritual in person again, so I’ll take a bit of beauty where ever I can find it. For me, that comes with darker mornings and earlier evenings.

Denton CUUPS Online Lughnasadh Ritual will be Saturday, August 1 at 8:00 PM CDT on YouTube.

When any religion claims ownership of a World Heritage Site that is significant to many people from different religions, it makes the world a little smaller and a little poorer. I am thankful I was able to see Hagia Sophia when it was a museum.

Have things gone quiet for you? Have certain Gods and spirits become conspicuous by Their silence? Are you starting to feel the need for something deeper, more ecstatic, more magical? And if so, what are you going to do next?

Much of our talk about evil is intended to comfort ourselves: to distance ourselves from people who do horrible things. It lets us tell ourselves that we could never do such things, even though history shows that given the right circumstances, we probably would.

Jason Mankey says he’s a know-nothing witch. While I completely agree that accepting the limitations of our knowledge – and of our ability to know – is a good and necessary thing, I can’t be a know-nothing Druid.

I overthink magic the same way I overthink mundane decisions and circumstances. The good news is that the same traits that cause us to overthink things can also help us confidently move from thinking to doing.

Good magic requires clear, tangible targets. But the fact that some goals can’t easily be turned into a precise target statement doesn’t mean you want them any less. What do you do when all you have is a dream?

An atheist blogger says “part of the case against God is the sheer absence of God.” His problem is the assumption that either the Christian God exists or no Gods exist. For those of us who follow one or more of the Many Gods, this is a reminder to never let other people set the ground rules of our religions.

New anthropological research demonstrates that performing religious rituals helps reduce anxiety in stressful situations. It’s nice to see science confirming what we’ve known all along. What’s not so nice are the materialist assumptions in the study.

Initiation is never required, but it is often helpful. And while self-initiation has limits, it can be quite effective. A true life-changing initiation comes from a God or other spiritual ally, regardless of who is officiating.

I constantly emphasize doing what must be done. You don’t have to like a bad situation, you just have to deal with it. But “dealing with it” includes having enough good experiences to remind you that life is more than trying to stay alive. We need moments of joy and pleasure.

Some Pagans have been doing online rituals for years. Most of us are trying to learn how as fast as we can. I can’t wait to get back to in-person group rituals, but the more ways we can honor our Gods, work our magic, and connect with like-minded folks, the better off we’ll be.

Those of us who’ve been talking about Tower Time and The Storm for years should not be surprised by anything going on. Let’s quit trying to act respectable and become the strongest, most competent witches, Pagans, and other magical people that we can be, that we need to be, and deep down, that we want to be.

I’ve been doing public ritual for 17 years and I’ve yet to do one perfectly. I’ve learned two things. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. And also, do everything you can to keep from making a mistake. Here’s how to do both.

Even if your worship is a private thing, it brings you closer to your Gods. That will cause you to bring Their values and virtues into the world, and help restore Them to a place of prominence and honor in the wider society.

I do not believe in an actual purgatory. But purgatory is an apt metaphor for the intermediate state in between open conflict and real peace. What we do here and now will determine if we can build a world that is fair and just for all, or if we will yet again descend into the hell of war.

The Under the Ancient Oaks Online Summer Solstice Ritual will be Saturday, June 20 at 8:00 PM CDT on YouTube.

For those of us who are called to the practice of magic, nothing can take its place. And if you’re going to learn magic, work magic, and make magic a part of your life, why not turn it all the way up?

In his eulogy, Rev. Al Sharpton preached against the systemic injustices that led to the death of George Floyd and many others like him. But then he said “I’m more hopeful today than ever.” I think Rev. Sharpton is right.

Religion is far more than belief. Politics is the collective expression of our highest values, and ignoring politics is supporting the status quo. I serve a Goddess of Sovereignty who demands I help build a more just society, but ultimately, devotion comes first for me.

Are you better off than you were four years ago? If you are, that’s a very good thing. If you’re not, what can you do to make 2020 look better in December than it does in May? And if that’s not possible, what can you learn from this year that will make 2021 better than 2020?

An Instagram post insisted that “you need tons of training from established witches before you cast your first spell.” While training from experienced witches and other magic users is great, the only way to truly learn magic is to do magic.

A city official who only selects prayer leaders who meet his own religious criteria is not representing all his city – he’s subtly trying to establish his own religion, in fact if not in law. If Eric Hogue won’t select women to lead civic prayer he should resign.

Good art helps us understand the bad times in which we live. It comforts us, inspires us, and challenges us. Let’s share the good art we find. And if we can’t find what we need, let’s go make it ourselves.

As a Pagan I’m committed to the idea that while life is difficult and often painful, ultimately it’s beautiful and good.

Announcing a new on-line class from Under the Ancient Oaks: “Operative Magic – Theory, Strategy, and Practice.” Registration is open now; the class begins June 4 and will run for six weeks. Here are the details.

Any living religion is a product of the interactions of the people who practice it, their Gods and spirits, and the place and time where they live. So of course the pandemic has changed my Paganism – how could it not? But my Paganism is helping me get through this, and for that I am very thankful.

The many Gods are not relics to be locked away in pretty boxes and brought out for show on special occasions. They are living persons with Their own sovereignty and agency who do Their own things for Their own reasons – at Their own time.

Here’s the rest of this cycle of Conversations Under the Oaks: Pagan leadership roles, the limits of interfaith activities, Pagan monotheists, and how to have our own temples.

It’s a mistake to assume Gods or spirits could not have caused the pandemic, even if we conclude they did not. We need to respect the findings of science and the scientific method and also respect the agency and activity of the Gods. Not one over the other. Both.

Three questions on Pagan prayer: one from a former atheist, one from a former fundamentalist, and one from a new Pagan.

This round of Conversations Under the Oaks had lots of questions about beginning spiritual practices. While these are basic practices, they aren’t just for beginners. As we learn and grow, we don’t outgrow prayer and meditation and such – we maintain them and we build on them.

This year the Beltane fantasy is running smack-dab into the brick wall of quarantines and social distancing. The hype of Beltane as the time when all good Pagans should be having sex has been in decline for some time – this year we know we’re not missing out on anything.

The Under the Ancient Oaks Online Beltane Ritual will be next Friday May 1 at 8:00 PM CDT on Facebook Live.

Someone asked me what it felt like when I left fundamentalist Christianity. My response was that it was a process that took almost 40 years. Your journey out of fundamentalism doesn’t have to take that long. My prayer is that it moves as swiftly and as surely as possible.

There is power in ritual language. But too many people try to grab that power and they mistake “foreign” (to themselves) for “inherently deep and meaningful” without thinking about what they're doing. They end up like the white folks who get Asian character tattoos that don’t say what they think they say.

If the only role you can fill right now being a good ordinary Pagan, then that’s enough. But some of you can take on more, and some of you need to take on more, if only keep your mind off all the things you can’t control. Consider these six roles.

Let’s treat our heroes with honor and dignity, but also with respect for the difficult things they have to tell us. Clap for them but then listen to them, and use what they tell us to make the world a better place.

Numerous people have died recently while alone in quarantine. There are things we can do for them, and there are things we can do to make our own crossings easier, whenever they come.

The three-part model the soul is popular because it’s familiar and because it’s useful. But ultimately it’s a psychological model. Psychology is not religion and religion is not psychology. This is an alternative that’s intended to begin a conversation, not to establish dogmatic beliefs.

As someone who worships a Battle Goddess and a God of the Wild, I’m very sympathetic when deeply religious people tell me “this is what my God wants me to do.” But if your God tells you to do something that endangers thousands of vulnerable people, the proper response is “no.”

Psychic Witch is a beginner’s guide to psychic perception and energy work. It’s the best book I’ve found for that purpose. It’s the book I wanted when I was 13 and trying to learn about psychic skills and magic in a straightforward, non-religious way.

I pray that this pandemic and its related suffering will end. Will my prayers be effective? I don’t know, but that’s not the point. I’m a Pagan and a polytheist and praying is what I do.

Ten or a hundred or a thousand years from now, someone is going to want to know what the effect of the pandemic and the response was on ordinary people. They’re going to want to hear from people who never wrote for The New York Times or appeared on Fox News. Let’s leave good notes for them.

Gatekeeping is what happens when people without authority arbitrarily decide who is and isn’t worthy of being in a movement. But other times what seems like gatekeeping is really a legitimate boundary that needs to be respected. and sometimes what we encounter is less gatekeeping and more an entrance exam.

I’m trying to strike a balance between staying informed and not obsessing about things I can’t control. But in this upheaval of ordinary life, I see some things I need to pay special attention to. And I suspect most everyone else does as well.

Why am I writing about a fictional character in a TV show that ended four years ago? Sometimes something gets into my head and I have to write it out, and once I do I might as well share it in case someone else is thinking along the same lines. Because usually someone is.

As Pagans and polytheists, we don’t need universal religion. We search for truth in many realms, and our religions are the beliefs and practices that bind us together with each other and with our Gods and spirits. It’s not all the same, and that’s a good thing.

I do not intend to provide running commentary on COVID-19, the Coronavirus. There’s plenty of that going around. But before I can get back to ordinary blogging, there are some things I need to say.

People who get into stressful situations often fall back on the religion of their childhood, even if they left that religion for a very good reason. There’s no shame in experiencing a crisis of faith. Address it rather than trying to deny it.

This is my Pagan Bucket List… or at least, part of it. These are the Pagan things I’d like to do before I take up long-term residence in the Otherworld. You can check back in 30 or 40 years and see how I did.

If being an Instagram witch or Pagan works for you, great. I’m genuinely happy for you. But if you feel called to something deeper, to something more, just remember: it’s out there, waiting. This is how you can find it.

The costs of Daylight Saving Time outweigh the benefits. But if a significant majority of people really want that extra hour of daylight in the summer, just leave the whole country on DST year-round. I prefer standard time, but I’ll be happy to compromise if it means not losing an hour every spring.

We don’t talk enough about our magical successes. The more we share the stories of our magical successes, the more we’re reminded that magic is real and the more likely we are to work magic again in the future – and to encourage others to do so as well.

Why do some people insist that their call to devoted service is a call to exclusive service? Because they’ve always been told that the Christian God is a jealous God, and they unconsciously assume all Gods must also be jealous Gods.

Maybe there’s no such thing as second sight or first sight. Maybe there’s just true sight. And true sight can be grown and developed. What follows is not UPG. It’s what I’ve done, and therefore what I can teach. This how you develop the true sight.

Otherworldly persons are influencing the stories we write, tell, hear, and see. And in at least a few cases, they’re pretty much writing the scripts themselves. Our best option is to see things as they really are, and then make what alliances are necessary.