Pagan Musings From A Pagan Person

 I've lived by myself for quite a few years now, and I've learned a lot.  Not just about myself but about the people in my life, my kids, and the world in general. First, I'm lazy.  Granted, if you know me at all in real life, then you know that's not exactly news.  I've been lazy my whole life.  No surprises, there, right?  But I didn't realize just HOW lazy I am!  It's amazing what you can live with when there's no one to hold you accountable. Second, every single person in the world has their own crap they're dealing with.  Again, no surprise, but I don't think we really take into account how much we allow our personal baggage to influence how we interact with other people.  If you're in a bad mood, do you lash out at others just for existing?  When you're in a good mood, do you ignore the signs if someone else is having a devastating day?  Do you even listen when someone else is talking?  Or do you just rattle on with your own thing a

 Wow, sometimes it's just amazing how quickly time goes by! I was puttering around the house, getting ready for tonight, and I realized it's been a minute since I said anything here, so.....here I am! I'm sure summer is busy for everyone, and I'm no exception.  Part of my summer is spent at a renaissance faire, being a Traveler and entertainer.  We get to spend our weekends in the 1400s, antagonizing the townsfolks, avoiding the Queen, and dancing for patrons.  It's great fun, and it's also quite warm! Because of the timing of that particular ren faire, my coven generally does Summer Solstice each on our own.  We do try to come together for sabbats and esbats, but life happens, and we don't always manage to do it.  But as we come towards the end of summer, we almost always get together for Lughnasadh, and as the director of a public Pagan entity, I also organize an open ceremony (we don't do formal ritual for open events).  And tonight is our ceremony! W

  Now let's take a look at the other side of the coin at what some may consider "dark magic." If it is true that all you send out will return to you, then it would make sense that anything dark sent out would return as well.  Everything is subjective.  What you might think is bad may not be bad to someone else.  If you were to do a spell for revenge, it would very much depend on the circumstances involved.  For instance, many years ago I was being harassed by obscene phone calls from a disturbed young man.  I was fairly certain I knew who it was, so I attempted to have the police intervene.  Evidently, in my town, that's not a real priority, so I decided to take care of it myself.  I was pretty angry, and I created a ritual to protect my family and myself.  It just so happened that the person I suspected of making the calls was in a class I had been teaching at a local store.  I decided to use my next class to teach everyone how to do a simple candle spell for protect

  When I was a kid, I was taught, “What goes around comes around.”  Basically, what you send out will return – like attracts like.  You can call it karma, the Law of Return, whatever you choose.  It’s a pretty basic principle in just about any religion or spirituality.  I always felt it went along with the idea of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.  It’s a fundamental tenet for even existing on this planet with all these different personalities and egos.   I was also taught as a youngster that you stand for what you believe and don’t turn a blind eye to injustice.  For a couple years in the late Seventies, my mom worked for a local organization that helped rescue battered women and their children, helping them with counseling and safe houses.  It was a harrowing experience sometimes.  Being a kid with a big mouth and an impulse to say whatever I was thinking, I would say things about beating those abusive guys up or worse, and it made me nuts when the cops wouldn’t a

  Change IS good.   There will inevitably come a time when it’s needed, and I don’t think we should run from that.   It’s a mistake to think that, once you find that “sweet spot” in your life, everything is going to stay the same forever – because it’s not.   People change.   Situations change.   We all change – we learn, we grow, and we move on. One of the worst things I’ve ever tried to do is maintain a group’s practice when it was evident that the group had outlived its purpose.   Often, the reason I did that was because someone else thought we should keep going.   My intuition would be telling me, “let it go – it’s time,” but for whatever reason, I let other people persuade me otherwise.   Probably because I’m a people-pleaser, which sucks, and I’m trying to break that habit. Anyway, I’ve recently been working on listening to my intuition more, and not relying on other people to tell me what’s going on – because, unfortunately, people are not always trustworthy.   I have diffic

  Does there come a point in our lives as Pagan Elders that we should remove ourselves from teaching and/or leading? I’ve been a part of the Pagan community for many years.  I’ve taught, led public groups and private covens, been a face and a voice (and a target), organized events, done all the things that are expected of someone who calls themselves “clergy.”  More than once, I’ve questioned whether or not I’ve worn out my welcome, as it were. I’ve tried to step down before.  I know there are plenty of smart, capable people in my local community, and I know my absence wouldn’t cause any problems.  I’m sure many would welcome my absence!  But with every attempt to return to a private life, someone asks me to come out again, to help organize an event, teach a class, speak to a group.  I appreciate that some folks out there want my input with projects.  However…. I’m tired.  I’ve spent most of my life as a public figure in the Pagan community, which has had it’s ups and downs, joys and d