I hope you will join me for a one-of-a-kind edition of Living Reciprocity; the Pagan Values Special.

What you are about to read is unlike anything I have ever written. As many of you know, Pax put the thought into the air; a month where pagan bloggers wrote about values. The writers here at witchmoot embraced the idea, and we have written some very good posts on the subject.

I knew that given the theme of the month, I wanted to write something very different for this months Living Reciprocity, but I didn’t know what.

I have been doing a lot of thinking over the last few months about community, and ethics, and how we as pagans interact with each other. I have definite beliefs about where we are going, and where we need to go as a community. I see parallels in other sub-groups that have walked these paths before us. But how could I be sure that what I was feeling and what I was sensing were really valid? What if in the diversity of the pagan community, everyone was fine with how things were? Could I really be off base?

The answer was simple. Living Reciprocity is not just about me, it is about the people who are out there doing things. What would they think is the most important ethical issue facing the pagan community? There was only one way to find out, so, I sent out a question, and waited for replies. I hoped that by reading the answers of others, I might be able to answer the question myself. The question, you may be asking?

What is the greatest ethical question or problem facing the pagan community today?

One of the very first replies I received was from the always warm Janet Fararr and Gavin Bone.

This has to be its movement into the mainstream! Many pagans simply don’t want this to happen - they feel it will ‘water down’ the belief structure and commercialize it. But, on the other hand, many pagans realize that this movement is necessary for acceptance from other religious groupings if we are going to avoid discrimination.

The whole issue brings up other ethical concerns as well, charging for teaching, making a living from paganism, acceptance of newer traditions etc. with out the watering down as mentioned.

It seemed to me that perhaps I was on the right track. The things Janet and Gavin mentioned were indeed a large part of what I was seeing as I looked about. Mainstreaming is a very good term for a whole host of issues. It really boils down to how well we stand together as we face the world at large. But is this the whole of the issue?

Bill “Strings” Hilton also gave a very thoughtful answer. Strings is the President of the Maritime WI BACA a very good organization for everyone to check out.

I can see a whole bunch of “ethical questions” that need to be addressed. Not only by the pagan community, but by society in general. But pick one? Hmmm…

This is going to sound odd, but I think the biggest “ethical question” would be how to address our differences, both within the pagan community, and between ourselves and the “mainstream". And it IS a thorny problem. I’ll take those as separate issues.

Relations between the pagan community and the mainstream have been strained many times. On the mainstream side, many Christians feel the need to proselytize to “the heathens". This creates ill-will, which can be exacerbated by irritated pagans lashing back at them: I’m sure you’ve seen the folks that would be easier described as “anti Christian” than “pro Wiccan": their lives seem composed of attempts to belittle Christians and their beliefs, baiting them into debates with no purpose but to try and humiliate them. We (as pagans, represented by these folks) come across as trouble makers, not as followers of a different path. This is enhanced by the number of people who use Wicca as a way to rebel against their parents during their teen years. I can expand on this concept more, if you’d like…

The challenge within the community itself is slightly different, and even more alarming. The “witchier than thou” thing can NOT be overstated: far to many people on the pagan path feel that THEY are “true Wiccans", while everyone else is “just a poseur". This creates strife within the community, straining bonds between people with wide-ranging beliefs. Add in the ease with which a pagan path and be co-opted by a cult (of which there are a few), and the divisions with the community can become deadly to all involved. All it takes is one or two “bad apples", and all of us are tainted in the eyes of our parent society.

We need, as a community, to learn to be accepting of other beliefs and viewpoints. I know, many say they are: but go into most pagan groups and try talking about the benefits of hunting, or a prolife stance regarding abortion. Show yourself as having beliefs different from the group, and you see the fangs barred rather quickly. So much for “tolerence", huh?

It’s a many-faceted problem, and one with no easy answers. Maybe learning to be truly “tolerant” would be a good first step…

I thought to myself that I saw a theme indeed forming. Here are some very diverse people all speaking about mainstreaming. Strings raised some excellent points about our image and how we project ourselves both within and without the community, points very similar in some ways to ones Janet and Gavin raised.

Feeling buoyed by the answers I was getting I thought I must be on t something. But I was temporarily confounded by the answer I received from a Facebook request I had randomly sent out to Ellen Bergstrom.

Sexism and meanness of Patriarchy. Too many Pagans are unaware of/or chose to ignore Goddess as the original Pagan religions as well as the initial matriarchy the once existed. So many also are unaware that Patriarachy is not the opposite of matriarchy. They are two different things.

We all need to do our homework on various things but this is a must know. And I am not interested in communing with people who identify themselves as pagans who chose to be sexist, mean, mealy mouthed, etc.

Ah, the Goddess moves in mysterious ways, but they are not ever without reason. The terms Ellen used confounded me briefly. And then I realized, that my conclusion was still, the same. Ellen’s concerns were differently expressed, but at the core they seemed to me to be very similar to what Strings answered. It was about tolerance. So then, I had to wonder, was I wrong after all? Was the grand and unifying answer tolerance, not mainstreaming? More answers were needed.

Luckily for me, more were coming, namely from Tommy-Elf, the host of one of my favorite podcasts From the Edge of the Circle.

This is a tough question to tackle. The supposition here is that a particular choice will be widely accepted as an “issue” of an ethical nature within the Pagan community as a whole. The problem with this is that the Pagan communities – smaller, regional groupings as well as even smaller communities within city and belief systems boundaries – may not view these same questions/problems as being anything to provide substantial concern. Priorities can be different amongst those groups, as well as social differences, which can drive the differences in what would be the greatest ethical question or priority facing the community at-large.

With that bit of a disclaimer out of the way, I would consider acceptance of other Paths to be the largest ethical issue facing the community at-large. Pagans discuss the need for acceptance in pain-staking detail, but then provide the same level (or sometimes greater) of discriminatory and exclusionary practice towards their own fellow Pagans. I cannot even begin to count the numerous times I have heard that one particular individual is not a “real” Pagan because their understanding of the concepts of Paganism are too “fluffy” or “white-light” to be considered “serious” Paganism. An interesting quandary arises there, as there are similar notations made against Pagans by individuals on a Christian path. The Pagan religion lacks a standard aspect of “authority” such as the Christians have with the Bible as written in the Old and New Testaments or as the Catholic faith has in their Papal authority. Pagans constantly rail against this concept, pointing out that the Pagan faith is a non-central position of religious faith, with no central figure of authority – and decry this as a position of strength. The degree of hypocrisy that this position applies when the “fluffy” aspects of the Pagan faith are sneered at and dismissed out of hand is quite telling.

As I noted previously, there will be various smaller communities that will take exception with what I am stating – providing ample evidence that their particular community does not tolerate or practice this kind of exclusionary measure. I am also quite sure that no matter the type of question or issue that is presented, there will be groups/communities that will provide the same position of exception for their position. Therefore, it would seem to me, that the question of what is the “greatest” could be up for open debate, no matter what the presented particular states.

Once again the theme comes forth. Tolerance. Acceptance. Could this be the answer I was seeking for my own? But then another answer came that pushed me even further. I knew the chances of hearing back from her were small, her office help told me so. She is on the road a lot, teaching for extended periods with limited internet access. So imagine my surprise when I opened my email and found a wonderful answer from Starhawk.

The greatest ethical problem at the moment, I think, for those of us who believe the earth is sacred is how to respond to climate change, to the immense potential loss of life and biodiversity it represents, to the personal and social challenges it poses. How do we both live with personal integrity and also help to galvanize a more effective public response? How do we make people aware of the urgency without plunging them into cynicism and despair? What sacrifices are we truly called to make, and how do we
formulate a truly pagan response, that avoids falling into quasi-Christian moralism, that lets us continue to value pleasure, joy and beauty, that seeks to create abundance, regeneration and healing?

Starhawk had sent me a very powerful note about the environment, and more so about what we as pagans might do in response to environmental needs. It talks about what we can do, and what sacrifices we can make. Once again my thoughts changed. Perhaps mainstreaming and tolerance were just aspects of a larger ethical call; coming together, and making sacrifices to protect the larger world and the Gaia? Should we be focusing on strengthening the community, mainstreaming and building tolerance so we could be a larger force for action?

Famed pagan academic Judy Harrow seemed to align with this thought stream.

I’m a bit leery of picking out the single greatest ethical issue before us. I think different issues become salient for different people depending on their own inclinations and situations – and that a Pagan perspective (or the perspective of any other religion) would be applicable to any of them.

For me, personally, it would be the challenge of living “green” in the City. Other people may feel more called to address other issues.

So if I had to reduce it to one question, it would be very generic. It would be “how do I live my everyday life in congruence with my values and beliefs?”

While Judy’s reply had an environmental theme to it as well, it too seemed to want us to focus on what we could do. How we lived our lives and the choices we made. How do we live what we believe? That statement alone is a very powerful one. Could that be the overarching theme I was seeking?

World renowned author Storm Constantine sent a reply which took this thought further.

My first reaction to it was that I don’t think Pagans are facing problems of an ethical nature any different from any other member of human society. We are all just humans facing the same mess that our world has become.

When I thought about it more, I considered that - and this is not so much an ethical matter but one of belief - many Pagans got into their various alternative belief systems in the 80s and 90s, and there was a strong conviction then that the world *could* be changed for the better, with a meld of New Age, Buddhist and Pagan views on compassion, tolerance, positive thinking, magic and respect for the planet. I do wonder now how many of those initiates feel jaded and hopeless in the face of what appears to be increasing estrangement from a possible hopeful future for the earth and humanity. Do Pagans still believe things can change positively, or do they have to accept that the majority of humans are fast asleep, unaware, lacking any sense of self-responsibility, and do not even *want* to acquire qualities to the contrary, and that beneficial change is therefore very unlikely?

As far as actual ethics are concerned, I think that the greatest one among Pagans (now, and always has been), is how much should you act to create change when it impinges upon the will of another, when certain action is regarded as expedient. And what constitutes expedience? That could tie into the question of belief also.

There was the thought again. Belief. If we believe we need to live it. Living it means showing tolerance, and acceptance. We need to build the community. We need to mainstream so we can become a larger for for action both in our own lives and in the world at large.

There it was. I had one more reply to read, one more that I hoped would complete the thought. And in a serendipity that was beautiful to behold, I happened to email Emma Restall Orr just as she was preparing to give a talk on issues facing the pagan community in London. What would this groundbreaking author share with me? Her generosity amazed me, as she shared more than I could imagine.

To answer this question with respect to the whole Pagan community, the broad diversity of that community risks invalidating any answer. It would be easy to address the environmental crisis, for example, as a key issue relevant to Pagans, but some within the broad Pagan community do not consider environmentalism an inherent or relevant part of their religious practice. Equally, in an overpopulated society with families dispersed and neighbourhoods no longer cohesive communities, the ancestor worship and social responsibilities important to some Pagans are dismissed by others, happy - even proud - to consider themselves detached from mainstream society.

The single word answer, then, that I would offer in response to the question is: integration. Risking disagreement from some quarters, with some confidence I propose that the vast majority of Pagans hold a similar belief about the fundamental construction of nature. The semantics differ from the metaphysical to the poetic, with notions such as the woven fabric, the web of threads, the coherent field of vibrations, and so on, but the essence is the same. It is this weave of connectedness that lies as the basis of Pagan practices from animistic devotion to the efficacy of magick.

Yet the Pagan community still presents a significant gap between the understanding of this notion, and any expression that fully grasps the comprehensive implications of this belief. Personal decisions, clearly revealing where we place our care, from simple daily actions of how we spend our money, what we consume in terms of food, drink and drugs, through to life decisions about employment, travel, family and social responsibility, too often do not reflect those beliefs asserted. Until they do, Paganism and Pagans will not and do not deserve to be taken seriously.

Integration begins with the achievement of an internal consonance. This requires study of one’s own beliefs, assumptions, attitudes and expectations, in order to clarify and hone one’s thinking, uncovering prejudices, hypocrisies and unconsidered conditionings that limit our willingness to learn or act in accordance with our religious beliefs. If we understand nature to be a web of interconnecting threads, the self and soul are equally made up of threads that need to be held in the ease of perfect tension if we are to be sustainably sane, functional, creative, peaceful.

Only once we have found some of that clarity are we able to integrate our beliefs with our actions, making decisions and behaving in a way that is ethical. Able to justify our actions by explaining our ethics, where we fail to act ethically we are aware of having done so. This integrated behaviour includes the willingness to show one’s face, to stand tall in one’s own shoes and express those beliefs through respectful communication: my own tradition would speak of acting in a way that makes our ancestors proud. The misuse of drugs, sex and ego, were the sabotaging features of Paganism in its twentieth century revival; in twenty first century Pagan communities, the internet allows interaction that is faceless, and so too easily dishonourable.

Lastly, integration means no longer living on the edge of family and society, but becoming a responsible part of the societies within which we live. Many religions are populated by those seeking meaning, guidance, healing, and this is equally true of Paganism. However, while self-discovery and self-development have their place (as I have stated above), and many Pagans would deride altruism with a Nietzschian sneer, Pagans and Paganism must learn to serve more than themselves.

Individualism and anarchic self-determinism is too much a part of Paganism: it is still too often expressed through a selfish lack of integration. Its heritage of protest and alienation may be something to be proud of, but only in that perhaps it nurtured and welcomed innovative thinkers and radicals who have at times provoked conventional society to reconsider its habits and complacencies. Where such a stand is not in accord with the fundamental tenet of nature’s integration, what results is a disintegrating ethics, and the kind of behaviour that does Paganism no good at all: political grandstanding and theatrical protest, robed in hypocrisy.

Secular society is, some would say, so entirely unsustainable that we are heading for annihilation. Whether that happens next Tuesday or in another two millennia, or indeed if human ingenuity does find a pathway through the crisis, we cannot know. It is no good simply to blame the rapacious nature of secular society. If Paganism is to develop and grow healthily, becoming a valuable component in society and its uncertain future, it must learn how to share the best of its values, those based on the core belief of nature’s inherent connectedness. The only way to do this is through improving our ability to integrate those beliefs into each and every action.

I think we all have to take a moment and appreciate the depth of that answer. I’m not sure I could ever say it better or in a more coherent way.

But that would not be fair would it? That would not be living in reciprocity myself. So to be fair, to honor all those that so generously answered me, I have to answer my own question. What is the greatest ethical question or problem facing the pagan community from my point of view?

The greatest ethical question facing the pagan community IS pagan ethics.

Ethics: The science of human duty; a particular system of principals and rules concerning duty, whether true or false; rules of practice in respect to a single class of human actions

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Reading the replies I received, talking to the people I talk to, I sense that the pagan community is ready for a change, a change to a new level as a community and as individuals. To be taken more seriously, to find greater acceptance, and to take our role of prominence in the coming centuries. We are looking to become mature.

Paganism seems to be coming full circle, what started as small groups with definite rules and structures went to the opposite extreme, becoming groups of nihilistic individuals. Rebellious teens in a sense, willing to challenge and push all the boundaries just to see if we could, just to see what was there. But the challenges of finding ourselves, of finding our identities are moving into the past. We have new considerations now, new goals, and while there will always be new individuals joining, new individuals seeking their own way, I sense that all the pagans I talk to are willing to accept some sort of common framework in which we can all operate.

We seek a common set of ethics.

No matter what is before us, be it the “table manner” issues of how we act at rituals and festivals, the larger questions of how we deal with and extract sexual predators, or the very complex issues of why so many of our teachers and elders struggle financially while people still spend generously on themselves, these are all ethical questions.

While some may fear this coming, fearing that standards might create judgementalism, I say there is a vast difference between judgementalism and using good judgment. It is past time that we stop the constant rebellion, and step into a new role of leadership.

Ethics demands that we take a constant inventory of ourselves, to examine our standards to see that they are reasonable and well rounded. It is the attempt to set a code of conduct for ourselves and to make sure that we are living up to those standards though our actions. And I say to you my fellow pagans that it is our community’s shadow self. We are in denial of vast aspects of our own power because we fear what it might take. We fear the will to stand up to abuse. We fear that we might be called to sacrifice some of our resources to care for others in the community, because of the responsibility it brings. We fear we might have to justify our actions to others.

But I sense as well we are ready. That there is a movement out there, an unspoken in some cases, passion to confront this shadow, to accept our power, and to step into this new phase of life as a community. Thus I say my answer again. The greatest ethical question or problem facing the pagan community IS ethics. The solutions, the options will have to come for all of us. Are you taking part in the conversation? Are you ready to help confront this shadow?

Well, that’s about it for this issue. I hope you like it, and find it useful. Please share this link with others, and pass it around. And come back and check, I’m hoping for some lively comments, and if I get late replies I am hoping to either add them to the article, or I will post them in the comments section.

Blatant and Shameless

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I Can’t Do It Without You!

Living Reciprocity won’t work without your help! Send me people to talk about. Send me businesses information to promote. This is a community building exercise and you are needed!

Please contact me using the comment link above, visit my MySpace page, or PaganSpace.

I have heard the complaints (and written some) about the media and how they misrepresent the Pagans they interview, twist their words and make them look silly. For this reason, I always dreaded the idea of being in the media despite my dream of being a writer. I would certainly never be on one of those reality shows. So when I got a request for an interview the other day I hesitated, but not for long because after all, it was a huge ego stroke. Besides, the interviewer was a fellow Pagan, so surely I'd be safe.

Check out my interview at examiner.com

I received an email a few weeks ago asking for an interview. I thought that the interview was going to be about my various projects, but that was honestly just an assumption based on the fact that the request came through the email tied to one of them. I responded that I would be delighted and awhile later received a list of questions with a request that I include a picture in my reply. I did so with a note saying: I have attached a picture of me last Beltane and also a picture of our altar to Zeus and Hera as it appeared on our wedding day with our handfasting cord there and the wreaths we wore in our hair.

Her response did not include any comments or additional questions, it simply said: Wow, thanks a lot Dawn. Love the photos. Interview is refreshing. You looked beautiful.

Later the interview appeared on examiner.com with a bunch of comments added after the fact. Comments that I would have loved to respond to; some of which showed a complete misunderstanding of what I said and some of which I found quite rude and in some cases patronizing. So, in the interest of full disclosure, and to make myself feel better, I am going to answer these comments here!

First off, the Title: 13 Questions for Dawn Black, an Eclectic Witch. I am a Hellenic Druid or a Neo-Hellenic Polytheist and a Kitchen Witch, three titles she could have chosen from. Eclectic Witch doesn't describe me very well I think I'm too anal retentive to be eclectic. But more on that later.

Comment 4 An academic Pagan is rare, but we certainly need more of them.

I beg to differ. The Druid and the Hellenismos communities are both full of academics. Many of us came to our the Pagan community through academic channels. I myself came to my path in college where I studied anthropology and religion. Many Hellenismos study Greek so as to read the old texts in the native language while many Celtic Druids also study Gaelic. We also like to travel if we have the means.

Comment 5 Understandably, but when you’re ready to chose a proper magickal name, the confusion will end.

I beg to differ again. A third name will only be more confusing. Besides, I have no intention of choosing a "magickal name" as I think they are silly.

Comment 7 Well, you’re not a Santera or Yoruban either and Voodoo practitioners don’t perform blood sacrifice at wedding ceremonies.

Actually, my father is Yuroban. Yes, there are Yuroban Pagans and there are many synchretic movements that can trace their roots to Yuroban Pagan belief, but Yuroba is a cultural language group centered in Western Africa (My dad was born and raised in Nigeria), not a religion. There are Pagans, Muslims and Christians among them. My dad is the latter. This is, of course, the source of his comment.

Comment 8 Essentially, you’re an Eclectic.

No, I'm not. I am a NeoHellenic Polytheist and an ADF Druid. It is true that my ritual style is a blend of Hellenic reconstruction and the ADF ritual style, but the only Gods I call upon are Hellenic. I do not believe in crossing Pantheons and if I did I wouldn't because I am very devout and attached to my personal Gods. I do celebrate the Druid Feast Days (with the exception of Yule) but I attach them to Hellenic practices. It frankly isn't practical for me to follow the Attic ritual calendar in my modern life.

While the Sacred Hearth Circle is necessarily somewhat eclectic due to the many personalities involved in it besides my own the only Gods we call are Hellenic. My Circle mates are eclectic enough to allow me that idiosyncrasy. So while my Circle may be eclectic due to necessity, I am personally not.

Eclectic Pagans take bits and pieces from different paths and call Gods across pantheons. While I am willing to allow that some Gods may exist in multiple pantheons with different names, I do not call different names and I never mix pantheons.

Comment 9 Well, as an eclectic, you really don’t have to label it all, since what your practicing is borrowed here and there from many cultures and traditions.

No it is not. It's very easily labeled, straightforward and clearly defined within the realms of Hellenic ADF. The adaptations that we have made to the liturgy of the Sacred Hearth Circle are still more Hellenic and Druidic than anything else, we have merely simplified them and made them more entertaining for the kids while adding elements that make other people more comfortable. This does not make me eclectic but flexible- and grudgingly so. My personal practice contains none of these elements and they stand out to me a great deal in group practice. I do admit a great deal of what I do comes from personal gnosis, journey and discussion with my personal Gods but I still wouldn't call it eclectic... Why I am so concerned about being called eclectic... I have no idea.

Comment 10 Interesting. I was referring to deities and spiritual beings that may have inspired you or guided you, not actual people you’ve known in your mundane life. It appears you have many favorites.
I know what you were referring to. I was simply making the point that I don't feel it is very respectful to offer deities less respect than we do humans. No, I do not have favorites. I respect the Gods too much to pick favorites. They are not colors or ice cream flavors. Perhaps you mean to ask which Gods I am closest to? If so, I have answered that- Eos, Hermes, Hestia and Aphrodite in no particular order.

Comment 11 Well, you sound very busy within the confines of your nest. However, perhaps a deeper spiritual connection with a specific deity could help you with your paranoia.

I was not aware that granting an interview constituted a request for advice. As I mentioned, I have close personal relationships with several deities. In fact, a deeper connection with a single deity would probably lead me to further avoid events that weren't directly related to Him or Her. I don't think it's appropriate for a polytheist to worship a single deity to the exclusion of the others.

I'm not paranoid. I am actually very trusting. But perhaps I should have used the word "comfortable" rather than "safe". I have a strict code of ethics and morality tied to my own belief system and I am uncomfortable around those who do not also adhere to it and many Pagans do not simply because many feel that stated morality equates to being judgmental. Further, I am as uncomfortable at a Wiccan ritual (or any ritual that doesn't relate to my own Gods) as I am at a Christian church though I will attend either for weddings, funerals and the like. Since there are few Hellenic Druid events around that doesn't leave me with alot of options.

At home I feel "safe" that I will not be exposed to anything that makes me feel uncomfortable and that I'll have something edible to enjoy while I'm at it. When people come to my house I can maintain control over the rules, kick out the drunks, keep the smokers outdoors, ensure there are plenty of vegetarian options on the menu and choose who to invoke and how to do it. I do go to events, especially when I'm bound by reciprocity (part of that code of ethics), but I choose the events I go to carefully.

Finally, the picture of my altar to Hera and Zeus was labeled my "love altar" which is ridiculous. It's an altar to Hera and Zeus! It is true that the picture was taken on my wedding day and they were invoked to strengthen the marriage and observe the contract and offerings were given to them to encourage their good will... But it remains an altar to Hera and Zeus and love doesn't have much to do with it.

Although I don't particularly like them, I have done email interviews in the past and I have always sent a followup email with questions and clarifications. One-sided interviews are never a good idea. You have to have that back and forth to really get your meaning across. That being said, perhaps I should learn to choose my words more carefully. I think I fell prey to the idea that, since she was also Pagan, she would "get" what I meant and I didn't have to choose my words as carefully with her- though using "safe" instead of "comfortable" was kind of a huge gaff on my part. Lesson learned. I was also thinking at the time that I should try not to be too verbose, so I perhaps didn't explain as well as I could have.

It is annoying to see small excerpts of interviews inside of an article, out of context and mixed in with the journalist's opinions but in this case she didn't even try to write an article, she just cut and pasted my answers and added little comments here and there that could have been followup questions. It's enough to make a girl not want to give interviews anymore. It's one thing not to trust the main stream media, but I'd like to be able to trust the Pagan media.

Methinks I protest too much. In reality, looking back on it, I think perhaps this journalist is falling prey to the same issue as the mainstream journalists we have complained about in the past and so did I. She is looking at this interview through her own worldview lens. She sees magickal names as the norm, I see them as frankly silly- though I did point out that I have a pen name and unnecessary- no one in my Circle has one. She sees choosing a favorite deity as normal and perhaps admirable while I see it as sort of disrespectful to all the rest. I was appalled at the question due to my view of it as disrespectful and she's obviously concerned that I have somehow aborted my spiritual growth by not picking a favorite. It just goes to show the diversity of the Pagan community.

So the interview wasn't that bad. I'm just a little irritated that she got things wrong when they were explicitly stated. But whatever. She hasn't done anything worse than I've done on my own blog or in person. I can put my foot in my mouth just fine by myself, thanks. And it's not as if she actually twisted my words she just added comments that made me feel like she was patronizing me. Ohhh there's that ego again.

The New Moon in Cancer is Monday, June 22 at 3:36pm EST
This is a great time to do a house cleansing ritual and for healing of the stomach and breast areas.

The Moon goes void of course at 7:24am Wednesday, June 24th.

One Wednesday, June 24th at 12:51 pm the Moon will enter Leo
This is a good time for auditions and interviews. If you can't do either today due to scheduling conflicts, do some spell work to support your future efforts. Also, healing to the heart and back.

The Moon goes void of Course at 8:28am EST on Friday, June 26th

The Moon enters Virgo at 1:47 pm EST on Friday, June 26th
This is a good day for a detox fast or to start a new diet program. Also, healing to the abdominal area.

On Sunday, June 28th at 11:25am EST the moon will go void of course.

The moon enters Libra on Sunday, June 28th at 5:25pm EST.
A good time for a romantic getaway or a cross-my-path spell. Good time also for business trips. Healing to the lower back & kidneys.

The moon will go void of course on Tuesday June 30th at 5:59pm EST

The moon enters Scorpio on Wednesday, July 1 at 12:19am EST
This is a good time for business pursuits that will consume much of your time, especially if they affect your lifestyle completely. Also for healing of the sexual organs, pelvis, colon and urinary tract

The moon will go void of course on Friday, July 3 at 6:03am EST

At 10:11am on Friday, July 3rd the moon will enter Sagittarius
If you've made a promise you feel you may have difficulty keeping, now is a good time for spell work to help you in your resolve. This is also a good time to plan your vacation and for healing to the hips and thighs

On Sunday, July 5 at 3:17 am, the moon will go void of course.

On Sunday, July 5th at 10:08 am, the moon will enter Capricorn
A good time for spells related to fatherhood and male fertility.

The full moon in Capricorn will occur on Tuesday, July 7th at 5:22am
A good day to begin training your pets and home improvement projects. Also, jobhunting.

If you have an iphone, check out this ap to keep track of the lunar cycles.

It is hard to put Pagan values into a classification.
And I sooo cringe when I hear “Harm none do what you will”.

The way I see things is that there is a natural order to things. We all believe energy is there weather or not a person chooses to recognize it. We have tried to explain to many “muggles” that there is simply a natural order to the way the Universe works things. We pagans just tap into it on a more visual and conscious level, trying to kick out the unnatural roadblocks.
If our religious path is a way of flowing with the energy then why should values be any different? Values are, after all, no more than discovering the natural order of what works for us and those around us. The bottom line is there are things that are good and there are things that are bad. We do the best we can. None of us are a complete version of either good or bad. For the most part we are trying to dance with that universal order and finding where we fit.
And then there was grey. Should healings be done without asking the person being healed? Is getting tanked before and after ritual a good idea? Should it really be accepted that there is usually a “pagan” around that seems to use the word to see how much sex they can get? The list goes on. I can even tell you my point of view (no, no and yes) but it isn’t even what my values are that make a difference to anyone but me and those I love. In essence it isn’t even worth more than a grain or two to this concept that I have values that would be considered pagan to begin with.
Moral code is a way to connect with what is right. Pagans are trying to connect with what is ingrained into being human. There are just some things you don’t do (bad attracts bad) and some things you do (good attracts good) if you want to lead a happy, well adjusted life.
So what are those things? They really don’t need explanation. We all innately know them; it’s part of the human code. You shouldn’t let anger get the best of you. You should appreciate the beauty everywhere. You should help the ones you love and stand up for what is right. There are a few more but that is basically the end of the story.
Or is it? There are good people and bad people everywhere, even in the pagan community. I think that is where the true discussion over pagan values comes from. How do we cope when we smell bullshit? What do we do now that we are so disconnected from our neighbor? There should be a level of acceptance of the fact that there are jerks in every crowd but never an acceptance for what a “bad person” does that is wrong. If anything, pagan or not, we should do some more standing up for what is right and stop hiding behind the fact that we are all trying to better ourselves. Is bettering yourself hiding out from a confrontation when you know of an injustice? I don’t think so. I think it is just self-preservation. But where did we get this idea that to preserve our light we have to avoid calling someone out on what is dark? And the fact is that a person will hide the bad stuff they do. They know it’s wrong too. So I am not talking about stopping a rape, beating, injustice if you see it happening. It happens in private.
What do we do when we know there is someone we know of that did something really bad? We chose to either not hang out with them or avoid talking anywhere near their close circle about it. Ohhh that takes a bite out of them. How could they ever live with our snub or silence?
The behavior continues.
We continue to be ok with it because we do nothing to stop it happening again or help heal the victim. Why? Because we don’t know the victim that well or it isn’t our place. It’s gotten so bad that it’s become taboo for people who have been wronged to even talk about that wrong to anyone except a close, secret circle.
Most of us are doing pretty good at doing the right thing. I have that confidence in the readers here. But what can we do to prevent the bad to come or heal from that which was??
And has anyone ever noticed that it is strongly human to do something? The more we preserve self in avoidance the more that part of nature tells us to reach out against something wrong. If the only wrong we are left exposing ourselves to is who picks whose nose then we’ll be overly critical.
Society says --
We should never, ever cry in public.
We should actually control every extreme emotion in public.
No PDA, no arguing with the SO.
We never even talk about politics at parties for crying out loud.
Keep everything a secret. Only let people in when you have to.
Donating time and money regularly is good but not necessary.
Is this pagan? This is normal? It seems it is. How very sad.
After the complaints are blogged what do you do to right that wrong??

Today I was on Facebook, a service I joined reluctantly last year to attempt some networking. It quickly has become part of my regular routine, especially since my lovely wife joined. I am currently addicted to the Castle Age application, and seem to be on it far more than I ever intended. Today some of my friend requests were granted, and now the renowned Raven Grimassi is part of my newsfeed.

Times have sure changed. As I wrote about before I remember being so excited when those “magic tones” sounded and the modem connected to AOL. I could check on bulletin boards, read my email, and go into chat rooms to talk with other pagans. Being out in the countryside it was hard to find pagans any other way. One of my first screen names was TwoSnakes. I became known to rooms filled with people using their pagan name, their “Witch Names” as screen names, or in my case vice versa; my screen name became my witch name.

I have friends that I eventually met face to face that really only know me by that name. “Hey, it’s TwoSnakes calling.” I have loved and hated the name over the years, finally coming to accept it. I have tried using others, but it always returns to TwoSnakes.

Now, my experience might be different, and maybe people are using a “public” version of the witch name along with a private one, but it seems like over the years my case is not uncommon. I have come to know more and more people by at least nicknames if not witch names. Buckland wrote “your witch name need not be a solemn secret, but at least respect it. Use it only with other Witches or, at least, only with those close to you.” We have been taught that names convey power, and people knowing our names gives them power over us. Along with written codes and vows of secrecy, hidden names have been ways of preserving our powers for ourselves.

There will always be reasons to keep some things hidden. Whether it is a name, a special item, a location, or some teachings. Certainly in times past there was a much more hostile environment toward minorities, religious minorities included. Even now there are elements that are not exactly favorable to paganism, as witnessed in some recent quotes by conservative talking heads.

But as I saw the notice to accept a new friend, a thought came to me today. I now know more pagans by their “real” names than I know by their witch/pagan or nicknames. I know Randy and Doug. I know Karen and Amanda. I have seen their quotes, read about their jobs and favorite books. I have looked at vacation photos and pictures of their kids. And whats more, by and large, I am not looking at a nickname like they would use on other sites. I don’t know them by the name they gave me at a party.

We pagans, who have always valued secrecy are doing something I’ll bet we never thought we would be doing; we are mainstreaming. For pagans, Facebook is an amazing tool. It allows us to list our religion in whatever terms we see fit, and not be limited to predetermined terms. We can list ourselves as Wiccan, pagan, neo-pagan, animist or whatever suits us as individuals, and then expose those terms to non-pagan friends and coworkers. Without a bit of proselytizing, we are showing our humanity, and helping the rest of the country and world to understand and accept our ways.

“Pagans are ruining our country!” does not stand much of a chance against “Oh, I know some pagans. Jim on Facebook is a pagan. He works a regular job, and has some cute kids. His son is a boy scout.”

The days of needing secret signs and symbols to find other pagans are, thankfully, rapidly fading into the past. It is easier to meet other pagans than it ever has been. We are a growing thriving community. And without the least bit of coordination, without any planning or intent, we have taken up the task of making sure that it will be even better for our children, and all while uploading pictures and chatting with friends. Which is not a bad trade off at all.

I’m a proud Facebook pagan, how about you?