It seems all the cool kids have a YouTube channel these days, so I’ve revamped mine and started putting regular content on it.
Paganism
Pagan Leadership Course
I will be delivering a course on Pagan leadership with the Raven Academy of Mystical Arts.
Books I read in July
The absolutely outstanding Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender, about a trans teenager in New York. A book on Tolkien’s Oxford. Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild. And the brilliant anthology Queer Magic.
Artemis of Ephesus
The news that Hagia Sophia possibly contains eight green marble columns from the temple of Artemis at Ephesus reminded me of this poem I wrote in 2008.
Books I read in June
Two books by Doreen Valiente, a history of antifascism, a collection of SF shorts by N K Jemisin, and some light porn involving Morris dancing.
How to set up a Wiccan altar
There are as many different ways to set up an altar as there are Wiccans, but I can give some useful hints and tips for a working altar.
BIPOC Pagan Reading List
A reading list of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) authors covering Paganism, the occult, astrology, Tarot, and Indigenous spirituality.
Note that the deities of African diaspora religions can only be contacted through those religions and not via other religions. And that Indigenous life ways and spiritual practices are specific to their cultures and should not be culturally appropriated.
I’ve put out a call on Twitter and Instagram for more books to add to this list, and I will post updates (as I do with the Queer Pagan Reading List).
Frederic Lamond, 1931 – 2020
Frederic Lamond, 1931 — 24 May 2020.
Very sad news. I first met Fred in the 1990s and I have many happy memories of him. I also have all of his books. We had great conversations about Wicca and other things and he told me stories about the early days of Wicca. Usually this was around the campfire. I have lit a candle for him. I was also on several mailing lists with him (in the era before Facebook). We wrote a piece together on secrecy in the Craft, which is included in my book (with credit to him).
He will be warmly greeted in the Summerlands by those who are already there. Condolences to Hildegard and the coven. Blessed be.
My Magical Thing
As mentioned in Notable and Quotable 22, Julian Vayne is doing a series of interviews in which magical practitioners share the story of one of their magical things.
Happy Beltane
Happy Beltane everyone. Up the May!
Idylwild Morris performing Bonny Green Garters for your viewing pleasure!
My first “public” Morris dance
UPDATE: and here we are performing Hal-an-Tow, a traditional May Morning song from Padstow, Cornwall.
If you enjoyed this post, you might like my new book, Dark Mirror: the Inner Work of Witchcraft.
