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.

The Pagan community talks far too much about what we’re born with. Too many people look for some hidden identity that makes them special, so they don’t have to do the hard work of developing an authentic spirituality. And yet, some of us are born different.

Magical successes and magical failures. A search for knowledge and wisdom. A love of Nature, and the spirits I encountered in Nature. I couldn’t have known it at the time, but my childhood foreshadowed my Druidry.

Gods and spirits don’t wear nametags. Our first-hand experiences of them are usually subtle – they speak in whispers, not in shouts. But with good discernment, over time we learn who we can trust, who’s worth following, and who we would just as soon avoid. They learn the same about us.

What to do with offerings after you offer them, community priesthood, and how to learn about the Morrigan without getting drafted into Her army.

Is the surge in the popularly of Paganism and witchcraft causing them to get watered down? What about young people who are writing books and teaching classes without traditional foundations or credentials? And what can we do to make “baby witches” understand the dangers involved with hexing and cursing?

What is the proper mix of politics and religion? Both those who don’t see a difference and those who want to keep them in isolation are making impossible demands. There are many ways to balance the two. This is mine.

Animism is the idea that every being in the universe is not a thing but a person, with the inherent dignity and worth possessed by all persons. It has much to teach us about how to relate to the other persons in the natural world, and in the more-than-natural world.

Voting for real begins tomorrow in Iowa. Let’s trust in democracy – let’s trust that the candidate more of us want will be the best nominee. In November, vote blue no matter who. But in the primaries, vote with your heart.

If you annoy a writer they may write you into their next book and then kill you, or make you the bad guy, or both. Fellow Pagans, we have annoyed the writers of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

These are troublesome times. It is natural and good and right to be concerned. But it is not helpful to be inhibited by fear. We are not powerless, and we are not alone.

If you are a Pagan priest, feel called to become a priest, or if you rely on the services of those who function as priests, you need to read A Practical Guide to Pagan Priesthood.

There are plenty of books, blogs, and websites devoted to Wicca and to every form of witchcraft imaginable. There is less for Druidry but still quite a bit. For polytheism there is much, much less. And so here is my letter to beginning polytheists.

There are so many opportunities for Pagans to be legitimately offended. We don’t have to ignore offensive behavior – we just have to make sure we don’t let other people control the agenda.

A Catholic philosopher says that Paganism is about myths but Christianity is a true story. This is not correct. In any case, the stories of the many Gods are myths. But behind the stories lies the reality of the persons we call Gods.

A review of two excellent books for Pagans: one a hands-on guide to magic, the other an experiential guide to working with and for the Morrigan.

By now I imagine most of you have seen the cynical and offensive article “I spent a week becoming a witch and the results were worrying” by Ceri Radford on the UK tabloid site the Independent. For the new year, Radford says: I decided, for once, to seize the cultural zeitgeist. I picked up a […]

Recently I’ve heard several people who work with and for the Morrigan express sadness and regret that things haven’t gone the way they planned – that they haven’t always kept their commitments. After the last one, I heard a familiar voice behind my head say “I demand persistence, not perfection.”

I hadn’t planned on reviewing the new Dracula miniseries, but my Facebook comment got a little long, so I turned it into a blog post. The bottom line is that it tries to do too many things and ends up doing few of them well.

The new calendar year feels like a new start. For some of us, that means taking our religion and spirituality farther and deeper. Here are nine ways you can improve your Paganism, your witchcraft, your magic, your spirituality – however you describe those beliefs and practices that are most important to you.

We are still in Tower Time, but this year’s emphasis is on us: our dreams, our fears, our willingness to work diligently and effectively, and our commitment to fight with all the weapons at our disposal. What do you want most of all? Is your desire greater than your fear?

2019 has been another great year on Under the Ancient Oaks. It’s been a record year for readership, and I’ve been very happy with the conversations that have come out of the blog, both here and on Facebook. My second book Paganism In Depth came out this year. The on-line class based on it exceeded […]

While I’ve come to accept that sometimes the Pagan community just doesn’t care about something as much as I do, there are times when I find myself screaming “this is important! Why are you not reading this?!”

We’re ten days away from a new decade, so before I do my usual year-end features it seems appropriate to do a retrospective on 2010 – 2019. This is a personal retrospective of the 2010s. It may be too personal, but it’s my story and I want to share it.

Announcing a new on-line class from Under the Ancient Oaks: “Building a New Myth: Scientific, Animist, and Polytheist Foundations For the Future.” Registration opens January 2; the class begins January 23 and will run for seven weeks. Here are the details.

The end of one decade is a good time to look forward to the decade ahead of us. This isn’t divination or prophecy so much as it’s projection. This is what I expect the next decade will bring to the Pagan movement.

The Winter Solstice may be humanity’s oldest holy day. It’s a reminder that long nights don’t last forever, and neither do difficult times. Whatever else the Winter Solstice may teach, it teaches us hope and persistence. And you don’t have to be a Pagan to see and feel that.

Adults in our society have very little time that’s truly free. But many of us have a day or two or twelve between the Winter Solstice and the day after New Year’s. Let’s make the most of them.

Unprecedented metaphysical changes. The crumbling of power structures, and extreme efforts by those with power to cling to it. A growing interest in magic and witchcraft, with resulting magical effects. Increased encounters with Otherworldly persons. This is the environment in which we work. Now, what are we going to do about it?

How do we make our Paganism work for us, without grounding it in false or inauthentic narratives? The answer is to ground it in our own first-hand experiences of the Gods, our ancestors, and the land where we are.

Magic and witchcraft in politics is nothing new. What’s new is that it’s all out in the open, which brings the inevitable response from those with different goals and different values. Large numbers of people are involved in open magical conflict. But I don’t know how many of them understand just how complex the battle lines actually are.

There have been times when I felt stagnant, or when I knew I needed to do something but couldn’t figure out exactly what. Or how. These practices have kept me going, and I expect they’ll continue to do so.

On one hand, gratitude is an important part of my spiritual practice. On the other hand, too much gratitude can lead to stagnation. And we have no right to expect gratitude from anyone.

Last week’s post on Gods claiming people generated a lot of conversation. Some of that conversation was good, some of it needs to be explored in more depth, and some of it was an arrogant dismissal of people’s most intimate and most traumatic experiences.

People who say certain Gods insist they follow only Them based on a DNA test are misusing DNA and misinterpreting UPG. While I understand the desire to find roots, some roots can’t be discovered. They can only be grown.

Most people can tell a God “no” and go on about their lives. Most people, but not everyone. When it comes to serving the Gods, not everyone has a choice. Sometimes the Gods take what They want. And sometimes what They want is you.

The 1920s were not a decade of non-stop party and fun, particularly for those who weren’t young, rich, and white. The 2020s won’t be either. But I hope that when 2120 arrives and people look back to us, what they find is inspiring. And if it’s also fun and beautiful and maybe a bit whimsical, so much the better.

The final post from the last Conversations Under the Oaks: what makes a Druid? What about pop culture Paganism? The challenges of contemporary polytheism, how to balance the requirements of priesthood, and some recommendations for beginners.

If you choose to avoid magic that’s your decision and I respect it. You don’t have to be a magician of any sort to be a good Pagan or a good polytheist. But I want all the tools in my toolbox that I can get, and magic is one of them.

We all have to choose the spiritual and magical risks we’re willing to take and the risks we won’t. There is a place in Paganism for everyone who wants it, regardless of the lines they’re willing to cross. But I encourage everyone to continue your search for truth and meaning, even when it gets scary.

Starting a new Pagan group is a big job and a big responsibility – do not undertake this lightly. But it is sacred work. If nothing else is available, someone has to build it. Why not you?

There is value in learning the languages of our ancestors. At the same time, the Gods are older than any language and older than language itself. We do not need language to speak with the Gods.

Several of my psychically sensitive friends have checked in on me recently. My Tarot readings are troublesome. Something’s going on – I’m just not sure what it is.

Morgan Daimler has a new book on the Queens of Fairy. It includes a biography of six Queens from folklore, a discussion of Fairy Queens from literature and pop culture, and guide for meeting the Queens and working with and for them. Highly recommended.

Regardless of why, the Gods occasionally employ humans as oracles to deliver messages for Them. What do you do when you have to give someone a message from a God?

What’s even more frustrating than a bad ritual is a good ritual that’s “just one thing” away from being a great ritual. Usually the main event is very good. But the leaders put all their efforts into the main working and neglected to build a complete ritual around it.

The end of Pantheacon is the end of an era in the modern Pagan movement. Or perhaps, it’s the official notice that an era ended a few years ago. The future of Pagan conventions is more, smaller, local and regional gatherings. And that’s a good thing.

Lately I’ve seen some Pagans saying they don’t believe in real Gods. It is neither my place nor my intent to tell these people they’re wrong – “right belief” is not of utmost importance. But it is my place to offer a differing viewpoint.

Paganism in its broadest sense offers the ability for you to participate in the circle or circles that call to you. Is this where you belong, or are you a vegan and this is a pig roast? The zucchini and hummus circle is down the street.

If you need a house cleansing, you can probably do it yourself. This is some of the most straightforward magic there is. Plus nobody knows your house as well as you do, and nobody is more invested in getting it good and clean.

Ah, October! When pumpkin spice is everywhere, the temperatures finally get cooler here in Texas, and the movies on TV get tons better. Here are 13 classic horror films I’m going to watch this month.

If you want to dismiss Greta as a pawn, think again. Just because you couldn’t have done it at age 16 doesn’t mean she can’t do it. Because she’s doing it.

A prominent doctor says life after 75 isn’t worth living. While he has a couple valid points, his reasoning is disturbing. In any case, the time to contemplate your old age is when you’re still young and healthy.

The core of a holy day is what we celebrate, what we commemorate, and what we do. If that core is important to us – if its story is meaningful to us – then people will come to our rituals and read our blogs. And if they’re not, then they won’t, no matter what we call it.

Every year people die because they try to climb mountains they’re not ready to climb. Sometimes we need to dive into new spiritual work head first. Sometimes we need to go slowly and deliberately. And sometimes we need to step back and make sure we’re really ready to climb this particular mountain.

The Paganism I practice is a deep, robust religion. It is not a religion primarily concerned with our comfort, but it addresses the immensities of life and it does so in an honest and straightforward manner. It provides me with all the comfort I need – and trust me, I need plenty.

This book will seduce you and it will frustrate you. It will frighten you and it will inspire you. If you want your Paganism to be bright and clean and happy, this book isn’t for you. If you understand that Nature has teeth, you may find it helpful. Because you have teeth too.

I could tell you you’re good enough but you wouldn’t believe me. Instead I will tell you that the work needs to be done and there is no one else to do it. And I will urge you to listen to that voice deep within that says “I want to do this.”

When we talk about “the Universe” there are almost always unstated assumptions behind our words, assumptions that are not in alignment with the religion we practice. We’ve just always assumed they were true, and when someone challenges us on them, we get defensive.

The Sola Busca Tarot is one of the oldest decks in existence, and the oldest deck for which we have all 78 cards. There’s a new edition now available – this is my review.

Sooner or later you’re going to get a call from someone in spiritual or magical distress. You may feel like you’re unqualified to help them, but it’s entirely possible that despite your very real shortcomings, you’re the best they’re going to find.

We don’t talk much about curses we place on ourselves. Most times we don’t realize what we’re doing even after it’s done. But they happen – I’ve done it myself. Here’s a ritual to remove them.

The readership for blogs isn’t fixed. Good writing motivates people to look for more good writing – the more good Pagan blogs we have the better we all do. There’s room for you too.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to follow the religion of one specific set of your ancestors. As a modern Druid who draws inspiration from Celtic ancestors, I understand this desire. It’s a good and honorable desire. But it’s got nothing to do with DNA.

How do we recognize signs and omens in nature? How can we make sure we aren’t seeing something where there’s nothing? How can we figure out what something means when we don’t even know what it’s about? I had to do that last week – this is the outcome.

Our spiritual and religious experiences are unquestionably real – the challenge is to interpret them accurately and authentically. If our experiences are really experiences of the Gods, there should be some noticeable change in our lives.

Repetition helps us learn. It’s how we build traditions. It’s how we build community. And you never know when one more seemingly-needless repetition will cause something to click and you’ll finally understand something in the depths of your soul.

Most of us are convinced Epstein was murdered to silence him. And if you believe that, then there are some other things you believe. Things you haven’t thought about, because you don’t want to think about them.

Many Pagans and polytheists have an uneasy relationship with sacrifice. But sacrifice has been a part of religious practice since before religion was organized, and sacrifice embodies the two greatest Pagan virtues: hospitality and reciprocity. This is the story of a beautiful sacrifice made at our Lughnasadh Ritual.

You didn’t become a witch so you could find a parking space at a crowded mall. You became a witch because it brought a bit of power and autonomy into your life. It’s time to put that power to use.

I frequently see the idea that older is better, particularly when it comes to religion and spirituality. I want to challenge us all to think about these things mindfully, and to consider each situation on its own merits rather than automatically assuming “older is better.”

“Do Gods call people to Their service or not?” is a theological question. My theology says the Gods do these things. My religion says I need to respond. My heart says I need to say “yes.”

The Halloween & Costume Association wants to move Halloween to the last Saturday in October. I say we leave it where it’s always been.

Thunderstorms, Pagan ethics, words of power, Tower Time, and fairy propaganda. And a new home for Mystic South in 2020.

Telling someone they should change their religion is like telling them they should change their family, their nation, or their language. Everyone has the right to choose their religion, but such a choice must be truly free and never coerced.