There was some part of me that almost craved a sense of wonder and magic — something existing just beyond the humdrum of everyday life — all my life. I remember being a kid and imagining that I could feel the flow of magical energy all around me.
Why I like being a Pagan: Exploring a journal prompt from Chapter 8 of “Changing Paths”
Changing paths
ExVangelical solidarity
Fantastic article from John Beckett (polytheist UU Druid) on the rise of the ExVangelical movement and how to get the tentacles of Christianity out of your brain.
Reblog: My religious deal-breakers
My religious deal-breakers: Exploring a journal prompt from chapter 5 of “Changing Paths.”
Hello readers and happy Friday! Time to tackle another journal prompt from Changing Paths by Yvonne Aburrow. This week, we’re looking at chapter 5, …
Before I start pulling out my “laundry list” and discussing it, I should note that this is today’s list of my deal-breakers. I’m not sure everything would have been on my list back in 1998 when I was making my break from Christianity. After all, my only goal in 1996 was to make peace with the fact that I was gay. I didn’t plan on changing any other aspect of my faith at that time. But that’s the thing about such lists. They change and grow as we do. We need to allow them to change. Maybe we’ll add new items to the list. Maybe we’ll take some items back off it, or at least clarify what exactly it is we’re opposed to. But let’s get on with my current deal-breakers.
My religious deal-breakers: Exploring a journal prompt from chapter 5 of “Changing Paths.”
Reblog: A weird boy, but definitely a boy
A weird boy, but definitely a boy: Freestyling it again for chapter 4 of “Changing Paths”
This Friday, I’ll be blogging some of my thoughts from reading Chapter 4, “Religion and Gender” of Yvonne Aburrow’s book, Changing Paths…
It’s been interesting for me as a man primarily dedicated to and working with Freyja. It seems in some Pagan and witchcraft circles that it’s typically thought that men will dedicate themselves to a god and women will dedicate themselves to a goddess.
A weird boy, but definitely a boy: Freestyling it again for chapter 4 of “Changing Paths”
Alanah Sabatini
Beautiful music for deconstruction from toxic religions by Alanah Sabatini, who has just released an EP of reclaimed hymns. It’s available on Bandcamp and YouTube now, and on all the major streaming services next Friday:
It’s very calming and could be sung as a group. It would work well in Unitarian, Unitarian Universalist, and Pagan settings, as well as at atheist events.
You can find her on instagram & threads as @alanah.dont.wanna
Reblog: Ritual style preferences
Reblogging Jarred the Wyrdworker who is writing blogposts using the prompts from Changing Paths.
Ritual style preferences: Exploring a journal prompt from chapter 1 of “Changing Paths”
I find all four styles — or at least elements from them — appealing. I certainly like the familiarity of certain liturgical elements whose symbolism and meanings I can fall upon. Yet I’m not big on “avoiding outbursts of emotion” or embracing a total lack of spontaneity. So I prefer repeating a ritual structure that has been carefully thought out and contains deep meaning for me, yet leaves space for moments from the heart and the interjection of Divine (or human) ecstasy into a particular rite as well.
Ritual style preferences: Exploring a journal prompt from chapter 1 of “Changing Paths”
I think Pagan traditions often mix different styles together (liturgical plus magical, or creative + magical). I liked Jarred’s thoughts about ceremonial rituals to create or strengthen community cohesion too.
Just to note that the ritual modes or styles were originally categorized by Ronald Grimes.
Reblog: Reflections on chapter 3
Being gaily religious and religiously gay: Blogging freestyle for chapter 3 of “Changing Paths.”
This week, I want to blog about chapter three of Changing Paths by Yvonne Aburrow…
My relationship with my sexuality when I was an evangelical Christian was a complete mess, and not solely because I was gay. For those who may not be familiar with evangelical culture, purity culture is often a huge part of that, and my upbringing was no exception.
Continue reading: Being gaily religious and religiously gay: Blogging freestyle for chapter 3 of “Changing Paths.”
In The Magick Kitchen
Check out my conversation with the wonderful Elyse Wells (writer and podcast host) on The Magick Kitchen podcast, series 5, episode 9.
At the crossroads
Changing Paths challenge day 28 — the crossroads
“Only one heart had to find its true position and travel on from there and all the rest would follow, for no matter how isolated the one felt itself to be, in the deeps of all life all were united and no one could move accurately without all ultimately moving with it…”
—Laurens van der Post, A Far-Off Place, p 304
“The crossroads is a liminal place, an in-between place. It is often seen as uncanny, the place where criminals and suicides were buried, a place that might sweep you off your feet and carry you to some unknown destination, a place where you went to sell your soul to the Devil in exchange for some great talent. The crossroads is a profoundly uncomfortable place to be. So is sitting on the fence between two positions. But the ambiguity of the crossroads gives you freedom. You have at least four paths to choose from, plus the option of staying where you are.”
— Changing Paths, chapter 5: At the crossroads
Changing Paths is published by 1000Volt Press and is available from all the usual online stores. Ask your local bookseller or library to stock it!
The goal of the book is to help you decide your own path by guiding you through the perils and pitfalls of the terrain, and asking questions to help you deepen your understanding of the reasons for your desire to change paths.
Change
Changing Paths challenge day 27: change
My favourite times of year are the transitional seasons of spring and autumn, when everything is changing rapidly. In spring there are new blossoms and new leaves emerging, and the days lengthen rapidly. In autumn, the leaves turn red and yellow and orange and are blown away in the wind. The smell of bonfires is in the air, symbolising the transformation of decay into the bright energy of fire.
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Changing Paths 