Local Pagans Celebrate Memorial Day
Posted by JRob Zetelumen in News & Reviews on June 4, 2010
Out of the clay and sandWe rose…out of the mist and darkWith our first breathWe dared…to sail beyond the Ninth Waveinto your future of mythic talesUpon our sturdy backsWe carved…in blood and bonethe history of your communityAs memories and dreams,We gifted…Our eternal legacyto your children’s childrenIn the circle of time,We are you!Remember us, we cry!
New Energy Technology
Posted by scienceboy in News & Reviews on June 4, 2010
For all you ecofreak and technophile pagans out This is a major game changer! They finally did it! A cheap fuelcell! NASA made it reliable, these guys made it cheap. Check out this YouTube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6DLyruTqHI
Coffee Cauldron Celebrates 15th Anniversary
Posted by JRob Zetelumen in Art & Culture on January 21, 2010
by JRob Zeteluman
It was a cold and blustery night 15 years ago. Teisha and Paul (who would go on to be the force behind the Sacred Paths Center) gathered with their first daughter (who was still a toddler at the time) and one other person at Susan's Coffee Shop, next door to Evenstar Bookstore. This was the first gathering of Coffee Cauldron.
Today Coffee Cauldron is the oldest and most popular Pagan gathering in the Twin Cities. On the first and third Wednesday's of every month, an average of 30 to 60 local Pagans gather to hang-out, chat, play games, network, make plans, perform spiritual healings, knit, work on chain-mail, or whatever they feel like doing.
The event defies structure. Early on there were attempts to have themes for the gatherings, but they never worked, attendees preferring to just hang-out. When asked for really good Coffee Cauldron stories, people tended to be at a loss. There were maybe a couple stories, but the event isn't about generating monumental occurrences, but rather about friends coming together and sharing the joys of their lives. New-born children are introduced to the community, as are new partners, new jewelry, new tools, new toys … stories are told at the gathering rather than stories being told about the gathering.
The Time Line of Coffee Cauldron
For Paul and Teisha, the history of Coffee Cauldron is interwoven with the history of their lives together. The dates their children were born are the landmarks to remember the timeline of Coffee Cauldron. Read the rest of this entry »
Northern Dawn Slates Guest Ritualists for 2010
Posted by admin in News & Reviews, Ritual on January 12, 2010
This article was forwarded to us, and we thought we'd share . . .
For the past 27 years, one of NordCoG’s major goals has been to serve both our gods and our community by providing incisive public ritual four times a year.
But lately it’s become clear that something has changed. Attendance at rituals is down, and increasingly it feels as though we’ve lost the creative edge we once had.
So this year, we’re trying something new.
Under the overall artistic direction of veteran liturgist Steven Posch, Northern Dawn has invited several of our most gifted local ritualists—Paul Rucker, Stephanie Fox, Robin Grimm, and Magenta Griffith—to create our roster of rites for 2010.
In preparation for each sabbat, one of our guest artists will work with community volunteers to craft and enact the ritual. This should not only provide us with some topnotch ritual, but will give us all an opportunity to work alongside, and learn from, some of our community’s most creative and experienced priests and priestesses. Read the rest of this entry »
2010 and 2009: In Celebration of Janus
Posted by JRob Zetelumen in News & Reviews on December 31, 2009
2010: Facing Forward
Happy New Year! This is a time when many people throughout the world consider that which will be and that which has been. So let's begin by looking forward and saying hello to 2010 before looking back and saying goodbye to 2009.
Here are some dates to mark on your new calendars (If you have not yet gotten your new calendar, go to your nearest metaphysical shop and get one right away before they're out of stock): Read the rest of this entry »
Pagan Parliament
Posted by admin in News & Reviews on December 6, 2009
If you haven't been following the ongoing Parliament of World Religions in Melbourne, Australia, Pagans at the Parliament is pretty much the definitive place to get updates. There's another three days (it runs through Dec 9th) for you to follow the event. Several BNPs (Big Name Pagans) are posting articles there. The Wild Hunt Blog is another of the best places to get a rundown of how pagans are being represented. If you aren't familiar with this event, the short version is that this is the great interfaith get-together which won't happen again for another five years. So it's kind of a big deal. The official Parliament on World Religions website says:
The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions was created to cultivate harmony among the world's religious and spiritual communities and foster their engagement with the world and its guiding institutions in order to achieve a just, peaceful and sustainable world.
To accomplish this, we invite individuals and communities who are equally invested in attaining this goal.
The other place to check for info about the pagan presence there is a new blog added to our links. It's the Covenant of the Goddess Interfaith Blog.
Omega Artworks Rises from the Ashes
Posted by Jane Hansen in Art & Culture, Tools on November 24, 2009
Like many people in Minnesota, I bought my Athame at the Minnesota Rennaisance Festival years ago. It is a true piece of craftsmanship. Unfortunately, these folks were unable to continue to have a booth at fest, and we were without a supplier of custom ritual blades. Well, the good news is, that this year (2009), they are officially back doing custom work through an online store. Of course, we have added them to our Artist Website Links. Here's the description from their website:
Omega Artworks is owned and operated by Gary and Suzy Zahradka. All work is done by us in our studio in St. Paul, Minnesota. For over 25 years we have been designing unique and original swords, knives and sculpture. We offer a wide range of options for custom designed swords and knives, but also maintain an inventory of items you can purchase today!
Our objective is to combine beauty with functionality — to create a work of art that is beautiful to the eye, thrilling to the hand and inspiring to the imagination. As you look through our website let you imagination go, then contact us and let us know what you are thinking.
We're thankful to see they are working again!
I also have to mention that there is also a Pagan Forge which has been firing up the forge, training up apprentices, and creating ritual tools which you may have seen at various festivals or at Pagan Pride. Founded and guided by long-time priest and smith Ken Ra, it's called Underhill, and we will be doing a full feature on them in the coming months.
Pagan Protest of Bath and Body Works
Posted by Jane Hansen in News & Reviews on November 20, 2009
Those of you following the Pagan Blogosphere have probably heard about the Wiccan who was fired from Bath and Body Works because she was Wiccan. The best article I've seen so far on the issue is one written by Ellen MacInnis: Wiccans Don't Deserve Scorn, maybe because it gets into how one person was shocked by this illegal move and a little about her story of coming out as Neo-Pagan. This was also reported at: about.com.
Yes, the person is suing the company, and their official position is not to discriminate, but since it is a court case, they aren't making a statement. Though I'm sure they would if it were such a clear case of discrimination against someone who was Jewish or Muslim. But we're fringe and don't have much power. Or do we? It seems pagans are writing into the company and boycotting the store. The Wild Hunt talks a bit about the boycott and provides a handy link for contacting the company to state your displeasure.
Why am I writing about this old news? Well, I think if you are boycotting Bath and Body Works during the gift-giving season, you should tell all your friends and family that you are doing so and do not want gifts originating from them.
Three New Resources
Posted by admin in News & Reviews on November 12, 2009
A trio of new resources were added in our general resources links section, and I thought I'd highlight them. They are all wiki-based.
The first is Tarotpedia: A collaborative development initiated by the Association for Tarot Studies.
The second, is Witchipedia: The Witchipedia is a collaborative informational website dedicated to providing information to new Pagan, Heathen and magical seekers and serving as a reference for more experienced individuals. We welcome the contributions of anyone with wisdom to share.
The third is Pagan Theologies, which doesn't seem as comprehensive of the other two, but still shows some promise.
They join the existing wiki-type site we currently list, Thelemapedia: The Encyclopedia of Thelema & Magick The original open-source encyclopedia of Thelema and Magick, including topics on Qabalah, astrology, yoga, godforms, biographies, and the works of Aleister Crowley.
If you know of any other pagan wiki-type resources which should be added, please comment at the end of this article or simply suggest a link using the form on the bottom of our links page.
What Would Bacchus Say? Stolen Vines in MN
Posted by admin in News & Reviews on November 7, 2009
One of a kind grape vines were stolen from the U of M test fields.
Everything indicates it was someone who knew a thing or two about the program, and even that these vines had been marked as particularly promising. My guess it is someone who is hoping to profit from either the sale of the vines, or more likely, planting, growing and harvest the fruits of someone else's labor. The police are treating it as a theft of intellectual property. I know it isn't uncommon these days to hear about companies trying to patent or trademark a particular plant variety, but I just find it hard to believe any plant is someone's intellectual property. Those particular vines were, but not their DNA. I think this is a place where nature and modern science seriously clash, and what do pagans think of it? Big companies are not only trying to claim ownership of strains that they have created, but some are trying to claim heirloom strains and require royalties for planing and harvesting.
In this case, the theft is clear, but not the way it is framed. Personally, I think the concept of ownership has gone to far. But I don't know where to draw the line, either.
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