I’m still friends with several Unitarians, either in person or on social media. Last September two of our longest-standing Unitarian friends from the UK came to visit us in Canada and we had a great time together. A quote from one of them found its way into the book too.
Continue readingAlthough Unitarianism * / Unitarian Universalism wasn’t my path, I still value many of their ideas and values. They’re green, they’re LGBT+ inclusive or at least welcoming, they were the first to ordain women ministers (the Universalists in 1860, the English Unitarians in 1904), among the first to welcome LGBT+ people (1970 in the UK). Many 19th century Unitarian ministers were opposed to slavery, most notably Theodore Parker. They don’t believe in original sin. They frequently refer to God as She or Mother (and have done since the 19th century). They respect other faiths as valid paths to the divine. They characterize their path as a free and responsible search for meaning. They also have really nice hymns. And they welcome Pagans and have an organization for pantheist, Pagan, and Earth-based spirituality. Iolo Morgannwg, whose prayer is used by OBOD Druids, was a Unitarian. There are many connections between Unitarian and Pagan ideas.
* in the UK they’re called Unitarians; in the US they’re called Unitarian Universalists.
Why it wasn’t my path: it healed me of my wounds from Christianity, for which I am forever grateful; it’s a kinder, more rational, more liberal form of church—but despite the inclusion of ideas from other faiths, it still is a form of church.
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.
Changing Paths challenge 7 — devotion
“devotion (n.) c. 1200, devocioun, “profound religious emotion, awe, reverence” (also relates to vow)
—Etymology Online
What provokes awe in me is immensity — the immense depths of space, the infinite number of stars, the dancing curtains of light in the Northern Lights, or a huge sweeping mountain range; but also the infinitesimal, like atoms and molecules and the spaces between them.
Continue readingCandle flames flickering, incense smoke curling in the twilight, standing in a circle of firelight, chanting sacred words. Deep in the woods where everything is transformed by the moonlight. Where the warm summer rain falls softly on the leaves.
The atmosphere of ritual is like no other: electrifying, life-enhancing, comforting. It can jolt you out of your complacency and reconnect you with your deepest desires, your authentic self, sometimes both at the same time.
Continue readingHappy Cinco de Mayo! I didn’t know anything about this festival so I looked it up, and apparently it’s a minor holiday in México celebrating the defeat of an invading French army by a small Mexican army at the Battle of Puebla (1862).
But it’s celebrated in the USA by the Mexican diaspora. Originally this was because their defeat at the battle of Puebla prevented the French from giving upgraded weapons to the Confederate army in the Civil War, and Latin American countries had abolished slavery once they got their independence and so the Latin American diaspora was opposed to slavery and the Confederacy which would threaten their rights if it won the Civil War. Now it has become a general celebration of Mexican culture. Both of these are great reasons to celebrate.
Continue readingI’ve met some lovely new people in Canada — in the Wiccan and Pagan community, at pottery class and also Morris dancers. Plus we’ve joined a (secular) choir recently.
Well I’m not sure that Paganism is my “new” path any more as I’ve been a Pagan for 38 years now… but what keeps it fresh? Seeing the beauty of nature, and when humans interact with nature harmoniously. The changing round of the seasons. Seeing the trees burst into leaf and the flowers coming out every year.
Continue readingI love the Spring, it’s one of my favourite seasons. Spring in England starts in February with the first snowdrops and lasts until the end of May when the bluebells are over.
In Canada, signs of Spring are hard to find in February as everything is still covered in snow, but some trees do start budding and you might see the occasional brave Robin (the North American Robin, not the same bird as the European Robin).
Continue readingMay morning seems an appropriate time to start a new writing project. It’s one of the four quarter days of the year, when traditionally there were fairs (often hiring fairs) and celebrations. I always feel like Imbolc / Candlemas is a great time to start groups — when the green shoots are mostly still gestating in the earth (depending on where you live—in Canada everything is still covered in snow).
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Changing Paths 