New Moon at the Close of Samhain

As we turn toward the dark half of the year, it is worth reflecting on how we can navigate the darkness without losing our way.

Another View of Samhain

Today is the first day of Samhain! This declaration may come as a bit of a surprise to some who think of the festival as a single-day event, but in my own practice I have come to think of it as a nine-day festival. Celebrating to the Nines Thinking of Samhain as a nine-day festival…

The Hel We Want

Truth has a kind of gravity to it. In the first decades of the ninth century as Alcuin was guiding Charlemagne’s Court School to greater feats of Roman hero-worship, he spoke out against the idea that “vox populi, vox dei:” ‘the voice of the people is the voice of God,’ but there is a truth…

Secret Paganisms in Beetlejuice

It’s been too long since I last updated the Pagan Sermon, but I could never let Samhain pass by without posting something. It seemed appropriate to begin the festival noting some distinctive yet unobtrusive paganisms in our current society. What better area than cinema? View from the Other Side It always amazes me how human…