NordCoG Beltane 2011

May 9, 2011May 9, 20111 Comment

Beltane 2011: Earth’s Passion: A Rite of Spring
A Journey to the Otherworld

The Procession from Indian Mounds

Earth

LUNA tantalizes EARTH

“Welcome everyone to the Northern Dawn chapter of the Covenant of the Goddess’s celebration of Beltane for this 5th day of Hare Moon, in the year 34,255 Skystone Wiccan Reckon Calendar, that’s May 7th in the Christian year 2011. We all know that Samhain, Halloween is when the ancestors leave the Spirit World and join the living. In symmetry today we will journey to the Otherworld and visit them. We will hear the stories of their lives. We will journey into the woods and meadows of dreams. But first we honor the Ancient Chiefs.”

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Paganicon Opens Friday! – Interview

March 24, 2011March 24, 20112 Comments

Elysia, LLewellyn Senior Acquisitions Editor

Elysia is the Senior Acquisitions Editor for Witchcraft, Wicca, Pagan, and magickal books at Llewellyn. She spoke with me about the new Pagan Conference this weekend, Paganicon.

You are representing Llewellyn Publishing at Paganicon, what is their role in the event?

We are one of the sponsors. This is the first time that we are stepping in as a sponsor for an event. What generally happens with regard to Pagan conferences, is sometimes I will be sent to them, and we’ll have a table or a display. We often provide items for a raffle or a charity cause. For many years I have been going to Pagan conferences, and it has been a loss that we haven’t had one here, in the Twin Cities.

When I heard that there would be one here, I let the management at Llewellyn know, and said, “We really should get involved in this”. It is our community, and we want to support it, and hope it grows to be huge! For myself, I want to be involved in the future so it is just as much a success as others I have gone to. This year we are supporting by bringing John Michael Greer as Guest of Honor. We are providing his transport and meals, and Twin Cities Pagan Pride (TCPP) is providing his housing during his stay. This was a great way that we could work together, getting someone really interesting, and a “Big Name Pagan” (BNP) into the Twin Cities.
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John Michael Greer – Interview with Paganicon Guest

March 23, 20111 Comment

John Michael Greer

John Michael Greer is the Guest of Honor at the launch of Paganicon this weekend. He will be giving a keynote address at 8pm Friday night, to open the event. I got the opportunity to interview him, and listened spellbound to his articulate thoughts. I first asked about the path that brought him to be Archdruid of the Ancient Order of Druids in America (AODA). He treated me to his personal history from age 10, fascinated with UFO’s, Unexplained Mysteries, Magic, and reading the Lord of the Rings. He said he was a boyhood, “Geek before being a geek was fashionable.” His many books are references that are a must for every bookshelf. He is a gentle, polite, and soft-spoken man, but one with a passion, clarity, and eloquence that show through his writing, and promises a keynote address, not to be missed! His areas of mastery and expertise are lengthy, varied, and impressive. If anyone can be called a Pagan Visionary, I would say it is John Michael Greer.

What can you say about your keynote address Friday night at Paganicon?

There are two ways you can take a talk about Paganism and the future. One is what is going to be the future of Paganism, the other is how is Paganism going to deal with the broader future, that is breathing down our necks at this point. I will be talking about both. We are moving into a future that a lot of people are going to find very challenging, especially if they have bought into the attitude, that “Our ancestors were stupid. We are smart, and we are going to go zooming off to the stars. We know the truth, and no one else has ever done so.” Continue reading →

Recall Petitions – Resolution Efforts in WI 10th District

March 14, 2011March 14, 2011

Local Resolutions of support for Wisconsin worker rights, and petition efforts for the recall of Sheila Harsdorf, Wi. 10th Senate District Republican Senator are taking place across the district. The 10th District (map) runs from Burnett county in the North, to Pierce county in the South, and extends along the I94 corridor to Menomonie. This includes towns; Grantsburg, Frederick, Luck, St. Croix Falls, Amery, New Richmond, Clear Lake, Hudson, River Falls, Prescott, Baldwin, and Ellsworth.

Events are listed and information about aiding these efforts through recallharsdorf.com, and the AFT – Wisconsin, local coordinator:

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Pagan Union Steward Reaction to Wi Senate Action

March 10, 2011March 10, 20113 Comments

At approximately 4pm yesterday, March 9^th, notice was given of an impending “special committee” hearing, by Republican Senators in Madison, of a bill to separate state worker collective bargaining rights from budget issues. A budget issue needs a 2/3 quorum where non fiscal issues only require a majority in the Wisconsin senate. The 19 Republicans met at 6pm, and by 6.45 the vote had been taken, eighteen to one, to approve the ‘plan’.

I called Dennis, a Madison Pagan and state employee, and AFT union steward, for his thoughts.

What is your reaction to tonight’s Republican action eliminating collective bargaining for State workers?

” The Republicans admitted tonight that was their goal. They clothed real intent in their budget repair bill, but it is pretty obvious what they were after from the beginning. I can’t say I am surprised. I am surprised it took them this long to do something. They were using the budget bill to provide themselves with cover, but it was pretty transparent. ”