#paganistan

[lowkeynando]

while on the road. [2] In 1992, Katz (as Tzipora Klein) published Celebrating Life: Rites of Passage For All Ages through Delphi Press. Klein published The Flowering Rod: Men, Sex and Spirituality in 1993, also through Delphi Press.

Minnesota's Twin Cities region is home to a large community of Wiccans, Witches, Druids, Heathens, and a number of Pagan organizations. [1] Some neopagans refer to the area as "Paganistan."[2][3][4][5] In her book Handbook of Contemporary Paganism, Murphy Pizza characterizes the Minnesota Pagan community as "eclectic" and comprising "many different groups - Druid orders, Witch covens, legal Pagan churches, ethnic reconstructionist groups, and many more solitaries, interlopers and poly-affiliated Pagans". [6] Ishvara (Sanskrit: #2a, romanized: Isvara) is a concept in Hinduism, with a wide range of meanings that depend on the era and the school of Hinduism.

[1][2] In ancient texts of Hindu philosophy, depending on the context, Ishvara can mean supreme Self, ruler, lord, king, queen or husband. [1] In medieval era Hindu texts, depending on the school of Hinduism, /shvara means God, Supreme Being, personal God, or special Self. [2][3][4] /shvara is primarily an epithet of Shiva. [5][6] In Shaivism, Ishvard is an epithet of Shiva. [7][8] For many Vaishnavas, it is synonymous with Vishnu, like in his epithet of Venkateswara. [9] In traditional Bhaktis CLONES

[minnesotadruids]

Upcoming Events for Oakdale Grove

For those who are in Minnesota, particularly the Twin Cities area, we've got a bunch of different things lined up; if interested you're welcome to participate in as many of these events as you'd like. Here is the current list in chronological order:

Volunteer event: Northfield, MN: Carleton College Arboretum litter cleanup: (registration required) Saturday September 17, 9 AM to 12 PM (be sure to select "Northfield Carleton Arb" as there are multiple locations doing a cleanup that day). Where to meet at Carleton should be sent in a mass update prior to the event for those who register.

September casual meetup: Bonfire: Como Park Fire Pits, Sunday September 18, 1 PM to 4 PM, 1340 Como Ave, St Paul, MN

Autumnal Equinox grove officer elections and ritual: Oakdale Nature Preserve picnic shelter, 4444 Hadley Avenue North, Oakdale, MN, Saturday September 24, 2022, 1 PM

October casual meetup: Tree & Plant identification walk: Locke County Park, 840 71st Ave NE, Fridley, MN, Saturday October 1, 2022, 1 PM gather at picnic tables for coffee (near restrooms), walk is 1:30 PM to 3 PM

Zen Buddhist Meditation and Teaching: Skinner Memorial Chapel, Carleton College: 1 North College Street, Northfield, MN, October 9, 5 PM to 6 PM. Masks recommended.

Samhain ritual: Roseville Central Park fire pit (next to Jaycees picnic shelter from Lexington parking lot) Saturday October 29, 2022, 1 PM

I'll add that the two events in Northfield, the litter cleanup in the Carleton Arboretum and the Zen Instruction are not organized by Oakdale Grove, but are put on by Carleton College (and litter removal partnership) and the general public are invited.

If any of these align with an open space in your calendars or schedules, you are invited to join us if you like. Let me know if anything needs clarification as I've sometimes forgotten to include important details like times & locations. Since we've got these scheduled out to the end of October, it might be advisable to set up reminders for yourself if it helps :)

[pagansquare]

Some Thoughts on a Contemporary Cernunnos

That the Horned God speaks directly to contemporary needs and sensibilities may readily be deduced from the hundreds—if not thousands—of contemporary visual images that He has inspired.

Read more...

[themori-witch]

Yule  & The Winter Solstice 101

Summer is over, Winter is in full swing, and Yule is upon us. 

Yule, pronounced “yool”, falls on the 21st of December in the Northern Hemisphere, a date that is also known as the Winter Solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere (below the equator), Yule falls on the 21st of June.

The Winter Solstice is the day of the year when the night is longest and the day is shortest. After the solstice, the days begin to grow longer and the nights shorter.

Some Historical & Cultural Stuff:

Yule is the time of the year when the “dark half” of the year ends and the “light half begins”. 

Until the 16th century, the winter months were infamous for being times of famine in Europe - most cattle were slaughtered during this time so that they did not need to be fed during the winter. The feed was needed for the mouths of the farmers and the people. This meant that the solstice was a time when meat was plentiful, and is the reason why a lot of the celebrations surrounding this time of year centre around feasting and merriment.

In pre-Christian Scandinavia, there was a feast (named the Feast of Juul) that lasted for twelve (12) days. It celebrated the rebirth of the sun, and from this feast came the custom of burning a Yule log.

In ancient Rome, the Festival of Saturnalia (famously referenced in an episode of The Big Bang Theory) was the pillar of solstice celebrations. It was used to honour the God of agricultural bounty, Saturn and lasted around a week. Saturnalia was characterised by feasting, debauchery and the exchanging of gifts. Does that sound familiar? Well, it should! Many of these customs were absorbed and assimilated into Christian Christmas celebrations upon Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity. This was done to make the conversion less of a shock.

Yule Associations: 

Colours:  Red, green, gold; white; silver; yellow.

Herbs & Plants: Mistletoe, Snowdrop, Lemongrass; Chive; Cinnamon; Sage; Rosemary; Ginger; Garlic; Orange Peel; Dill; Basil; Black Pepper; Bay Leaf; Ash; Thistle; Evergreen; Cedar; Frankincense; Holly; Ivy; Juniper; Mistletoe; Oak; Pine; Sandalwood; Yew; Cypress; Fir; Comfrey; Elder; Chestnut; Myrrh.

Symbols: Mistletoe, pillar candles in any associated colour, evergreen boughs and wreaths; fruit studded with cloves; wassail; Yule logs; holly.

Food & Drink: Yule log, wine (mulled), cider; turkey; lamb; venison; beef; cranberries; stew; pork; nuts; oranges; clementines. Seasonal vegetables. Wassail. Apples. Fruit. Cakes soaked in alcohol.

Stones Crystals & Metals: Gold, silver, diamonds; rubies; emeralds; bloodstone’ quartz.

Activities & Things to Do: Carolling. Wassailing, feasting, exchanging gifts; burning fires/candles; decorating a Yule tree and making decorations to put on it, such as Witch Balls, clove pricked fruit; make Winter potpourri.

Spells, Magick & Rituals: Cleansing, taking down old wards and putting up new ones, divination; reflective workings; workings related to new beginnings and fresh starts. Workings for goals and ambitions. Earth based magick.

[sandcastlewitch]

[thewickedwilds]

I need to find a coven of wise old witches in the woods to bless me and I’m only half kidding because it’s like I’m the human embodiment of Murphys Law at this point

[flame-point]

I had a TON of fun at the TC Pagan Pride Festival! I'm definitely going back next year. If I get my ducks in a row I'll even be selling some prints and original art :D #tcpaganpride #paganistan #msp #minnehahafalls #paganpride #pagan #neopagan #eventscouting

[gifts-of-heimdall-runes]

Rune Art:

Runic Prayer Plaques - Part 1

This collection of rune art entitled RUNIC PRAYER PLAQUES FOR THE ELDER FUTHARK was created by Donald L. Engstrom-Reese in 2013 and posted by via:

http://wearewalkinginbeauty.org/Walking_in_Beauty/Runic_Prayer_Plaques.html

These vibrant images are loaded with symbolism to assist rune meditations.

It was appropriate to post Donald’s own words here as an introduction to his work:

“…I am, among other things, an artist, gardener and Heathen Witch. I have been consciously involved with the Mysteries and the Spirit Peoples for over thirty five years. My roots spring from the balance between the wild and the domestic, art, gardening, Queer Spirit, Hedge Witchery, runes, hiking, deep dreaming, spirit visioning, cooking, clan-hold magics and the exploration of the sacred realms of sex and pleasure. I am committed to the growing and nurturance of the emerging Cultures of Beauty, Balance and Delight. I suspect that it is high time that we choose to take on the continual acts of shaping-with (co-creation) needed to manifest these sustainable ways of life. I know in my bones and blood, that we all have the power to bring these emerging cultures into our daily lives. I also know that we are all shapers-with (co-creators) of the Multiverse. I am no longer willing to wait for some nebulous future revolution or revelation to begin to live a life fully awake, aware and rooted in the Earth, embracing pleasure, love and wonder.

I begin each day with this prayer:

‘I dare to dwell in beauty, balance and delight.

I dare to see with clear eyes and an open heart.’

Change is the only constant in the multiverse.

Love and compassion are central to everything.

I have lived my whole life in my beloved Prairies. My husband Mark, and our current home and gardens (it names itself Hector) is in Paganistan (the Twin Cities), Minnesota, North America, nestled in the arms of the Upper Mississippi Valley.

May we all dare to dwell in Beauty, Balance and Delight.”

It is with due humility and respect to Donald’s beautiful words that gifts-of-heimdall-runes was able to share his images.

[sokerikeiju]

One of my favorite things at home ❤️ My sister got this for me from Lapland 12 years ago.

[lowkeynando]

while on the road. [2] In 1992, Katz (as Tzipora Klein) published Celebrating Life: Rites of Passage For All Ages through Delphi Press. Klein published The Flowering Rod: Men, Sex and Spirituality in 1993, also through Delphi Press.

Minnesota's Twin Cities region is home to a large community of Wiccans, Witches, Druids, Heathens, and a number of Pagan organizations. [1] Some neopagans refer to the area as "Paganistan."[2][3][4][5] In her book Handbook of Contemporary Paganism, Murphy Pizza characterizes the Minnesota Pagan community as "eclectic" and comprising "many different groups - Druid orders, Witch covens, legal Pagan churches, ethnic reconstructionist groups, and many more solitaries, interlopers and poly-affiliated Pagans". [6] Ishvara (Sanskrit: #2a, romanized: Isvara) is a concept in Hinduism, with a wide range of meanings that depend on the era and the school of Hinduism.

[1][2] In ancient texts of Hindu philosophy, depending on the context, Ishvara can mean supreme Self, ruler, lord, king, queen or husband. [1] In medieval era Hindu texts, depending on the school of Hinduism, /shvara means God, Supreme Being, personal God, or special Self. [2][3][4] /shvara is primarily an epithet of Shiva. [5][6] In Shaivism, Ishvard is an epithet of Shiva. [7][8] For many Vaishnavas, it is synonymous with Vishnu, like in his epithet of Venkateswara. [9] In traditional Bhaktis AND

[pagansquare]

The Astounding Pagan Revival

Really, in the long history of human religion, the Pagan Revival has got to be one of the most surprising—and unforeseen—developments of all.

Read more...

[themori-witch]

I know of paganistan, which is a weird name for the twin cities in Minnesota, USA, but this is the first time I've heard of pagypstan

I tried to do some searching on Pagypstian and a few Facebook profiles and pages came up with the name but there was no solid definition or description.