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The Community Issue (Preview) #22 Winter 2011 W&P 1 BBIMEDIA.COM CRONEMAGAZINE.COM SAGEWOMAN.COM WITCHESANDPAGANS.COM Magazines that feed your soul and liven your spirits. Navigation Controls Availability depends on reader. Previous Page Toggle Next Page Bookmarks First Page Last Page ©2010 BBI MEDIA INC . P O BOX 678 . FOREST GROVE . OR 97116 . USA . 503-430-8817 witches&pagans Earthwise Spirituality for Today features this issue: focus on community 26 36 people 26 Selena Fox: Priestess of the People Michael Night Sky explores the cornucopia of projects, campaigns, festivals, 49 gatherings and communities nurtured by the legendary Pagan rights activist and Circle Sanctuary founder Selena Fox. 49 A Teacher and His Vision Diotima Mantinea explores the challenges of creating a thriving community and magical tradition with priest, author and organizer Ivo Dominguez, Jr. place 36 Southern, Pagan, & Proud Pagans in the American South, the “Buckle of the Bible Belt”? You betcha. Hank Eder takes us on a tour of this surprising hotbed of Pagan activism, home to a growing number of stout-hearted Wiccans, Witches, Heathens and Pagans. PLUS Pagan resources in the American South, a guide to over 130 Pagan-friendly stores and community groups in twelve Deep South states. practice 55 Weaving the Web: 30 Years of Building a Culture Deidre Arthen describes the challenges and triumphs of creating and growing an enspirited, sustainable magical home in the EarthSpirit Community. 58 Called to Lead Three steps from Lisa McSherry to creating a healthy magical group — one that lasts! 55 #22 Winter 2011 W&P 1 witches&pagans Earthwise Spirituality for Today departments 3 EVOCATION Letter from the editor 4 CONTRIBUTORS Meet our writers! 5 GIVE & TAKE Feedback from readers 13 ART & CRAFT DIY Magick Make Your Own Mojo Bag by Deborah Castellano 15 INSIGHTS Ideas for reflection Passing of a Modern Druid by Alan Salmi 17 CLIO’S CORNER Pagan poetry by Chris Hoffman, Caroline Misner, Hugh Eckert, and Lorraine Schein. 15 19 ENCHANTMENT Pagan short fiction The Sisters of Maria by Eli Effinger-Weintraub. 85 SPELL IT OUT Reviews with moxie. Plus Bespelled mini-reviews. 95 MARKETPLACE Products & Services 96 GOOD WITCH/BAD WITCH teachers & mentors 63 THE CRAFT Tess Whitehurst 67 CONNECTIONS Archer 69 UNDERWORLD R. J. Stewart 73 BEYOND THE CIRCLE Ashleen O’Gaea 75 WYRD WAYS Galina Krasskova 77 WILD CHILD Sierra Black 79 RITE BEHAVIOR Kenaz Filan 81 FIGS & HONEY Ruby Sara 83 MAGICK ON A SHOESTRING Deborah Blake 19 witches&pagans (ISSN 1546-2838) is published quarterly by BBI Media, Inc., P.O. Box 687, Forest Grove, OR 97116, and at additional mailing offices. Periodicals postage paid at Forest Grove, OR 97116 and at additional mailing offices. Yearly subscriptions: in U.S. $22, elsewhere $33. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to witches&pagans, P. O. Box 687, Forest Grove, OR 97116. Editor: Anne Newkirk Niven; Art Editor, Design and IT Support: Alan Niven; Editorial Assistant: Arthur Niven; Proofreader: Shanti Fader; Review Wrangler: Phil Brucato; Office Deities: Aidan & Andrew Niven. Cover image © 2010 EyeDance Photography. Office: BBI Media, witches&pagans, P. O. Box 687, Forest Grove, OR 97116 · USA · Phone 888-724-3966 or (503)430-8817. B B Office hours 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Pacific, M-F. Contents copyright ©2010 BBI Media, Inc. Printed by Ripon Printers, Ripon, WI. http://www.witchesandpagans.com · [email protected] · Order online at http://bbimedia.com/store/. On Facebook (fan site for Witches and Pagans), and Twitter http://twitter.com/WitchesandPagan (“Pagan” is singular not plural). Unless otherwise noted, all photography included herein are of professional models, for illustrative purposes only and do not represent any person(s) affliation with Paganism, Wicca, or other magical practices; or their participation in any activities or professions other than as photographic models. 2 W&P witchesandpagans.com EVOCATION Editorial Notes by Anne Newkirk Niven Nothing to fear but fear itself. The battle for Pagan civil rights begins at home. “We must hang together, gentlemen...else, It wasn’t her anxiety about being “outed” as a Pagan You see, the thing that most effectively fights we shall most assuredly hang separately.” that surprised me but the seeming contradiction between bigotry — kills it dead, really — is building personal — Benjamin Franklin the two parts of our conversation. “How,” I fulminated to connections. We humans are a clannish species, we divide Alan (my copublisher and husband), “can anyone expect up into our little cliques and don’t give a good gol-darn took a call yesterday from a subscriber that got me the media to take us seriously when we act like such, such about offending those “outsiders” — but if we become thinking about the media, Pagan civil rights, and, sitting ducks?!” When I finally wound down long enough friends, neighbors, even family with a member of that Ieventually, Pagan self-respect. to take a breath, he inserted sensibly, “It all comes down “other” group, well, that’s a different thing altogether. My caller began by telling me how angry she was to fear, my dear — the more fear rules us, the less likely However, it is very difficult, if not downright impossible about the ridicule being heaped on Witches (and, by we are to stand up for our rights.” for us to create these most essential connections on behalf reference, on Paganism in general) in connection with the Of course, he was completely right: fear causes of our faith whilst we are hiding in our wardrobes. campaign of Christine O’Donnell. paralysis. That’s bigotry’s not-so-secret weapon — divide Yes, Broom Closet denizens, I’m talking to you. O’Donnell — for those of you who turned off your and conquer. Want to take over a social group, especially I’m not saying that everyone reading this should run media feeds during the mid-term campaign this fall and, in a time of anxiety? Pick a little-understood minority, right out and put up a billboard with their photo that says, honestly, who could blame you — was the Tea Party isolate them, and when they are most vulnerable, attack. “My name is [your name here] and I’m a Witch. I’m not darling and Senate candidate from Delaware who “outed” Follow up by encouraging others to join in and don’t anything you’ve heard. I’m you.” (Although it’s a tempting herself as having “dabbled in witchcraft” as a teen. This forget to demonize the victims. Sadly, such primal bullies image, don’t you think?) Instead, what I’m suggesting admission didn’t work out so well; her first major TV ad prey on deeply-rooted parts of the human psyche. is much more simple: by Imbolc/Brigid/Groundhog Day focused on disavowing her past by declaring, “I am not a In his 1996 book, Emotional Intelligence, Pulitzer- “come out” (as Pagan, Heathen, Wiccan, or whatever you witch. I’m not anything you’ve heard ... I’m you.” Prize nominee Daniel Goleman coined the term call your path) to just one other person. Pick anyone — a Both establishment media and the blogosphere “Amygdala Hijacking” to describe an emotional response fellow volunteer at a local charity; your postal carrier, hair- didn’t let up on the Witch jokes for the remainder of the which is out of measure with the actual threat. As dresser, or dog-walker — it doesn’t really matter who. campaign. Some were mildly amusing (Saturday Night Goleman explains it, the brain processes stimuli by Don’t preach, teach, or screech; just drop your tidbit into Live’s “I am not a witch” parody ad) while others were directing sensory information to the neocortex (the the conversation as if you were talking about being a fan notably rude. First place in the latter category has to go to “thinking brain”), which then routes the signal to the of a college football team or a popular sitcom. Be drama- Keith Olberman’s bizarre October 5th Countdown segment amygdala (the “emotional brain”) for the proper reaction. free, and let it go. If your colleague, friend, or fellow featuring a green-skinned, cross-dressing comedian as a Perceived threats, however, can bypass the neocortex transit-rider wants to know more, they’ll ask. Otherwise, “genuine witch” who claimed to “have a broomstick up and trigger our most primitive responses. Goleman you’ve dropped your stone in the pond; let the Universe my a--.” In general, O’Donnell’s “witchy” past was treated comments, “Emotions make us pay attention and give us guide where the ripples go. as clear evidence that she’s a member of the lunatic an immediate plan … Do I eat it, or does it eat me?”1 I know just how scary this is, believe me; I have my fringe. (She lost, big time, on Election Day.) Today’s issues, however, are more subtle than facing Broom Closet moments almost every day when someone My caller hammered on for a good ten minutes down a sabre-toothed tiger; as a result, our instinctual asks me what I do for a living. about how Paganism is the Rodney Dangerfield (“I can’t emotional responses are rarely effective. For example, in “I publish magazines,” is my chirpy reply. get no respect!”) of modern religions. “Why can’t they the face of the mockery, veiled threats, and systematic “What kind of magazines?” comes the inevitable understand that we are a legitimate path?” she asked devaluation that we Pagans endure every year from follow-up. plaintively. Gently nudging her onto a topic that I thought Samhain through Yuletide, our instinctive reaction is to And that’s the moment when I have to decide just might be less emotionally loaded, I noted that her retreat into solitary hermitage until around Beltane.
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