If You're Not A Metaphysical Shop, Why Act Like It?

You know, I don't miss updating this blog at all...

A new shop opened up in Omaha called The Conjure Shop. I held my breath because I don't have a good experience with occult-type shops, but the first visit went rather well with just minor problems. Then the second visit was...well, "Diet Racism" type of things that are still racist but not necessarily worth boycotting. But on the third visit I saw something that made me contact CAORANN: a book by Momma Starr entitled Black Hawk: Working with His Spirit. 

Ugh.

Sky's Intervention, UU's Response, and Banning

I may have to hang this picture up on all the UU buildings...

I'm Really Getting Irritated

...but I guess I shouldn't try to post information about cultural appropriation, eh?

Under the cut: Facebook "conversation" about Cultural Appropriation with EarthSoul

ADF and My Final Comments

I got an email from ADF asking to renew my membership. Since I wasn't going to renew it, they asked if I could fill out the survey instead. So...I did. Here's what I wrote:

click for larger view

And submit.

The second question really made me pause. In a way, I think I wouldn't be opposed to joining the local ADF if the tolerance of cultural appropriation went away. It would be something I'd be open too for community, though since I know the local grove is Norse-based anyway, I'm not holding my breath.

It was an experience while it lasted

With the UU Group becoming yet another pagan space that permits racism and inappropriate eclecticism, I think I've exhausted all the in-person pagan groups that are available in this area. I won't go near the local occult store, which lead to being kicked out of Pagans of Nebraska, which means I don't want to be involved with ADF since the person who runs that in this region is part of Pagans of Nebraska. I was part of a pagan group on Facebook, but got banned after I asked for racial slurs to not be allowed. And now, with the entire debacle that is the UU group and church... What is left? The only other group I knew of is a branch of Silver Ravenwolf's Coven. Not touching that. The Pagan Pride Day in the area was started by Pagans of Nebraska and is sponsored by the local occult shop. I have no reason to want to go to that.

I don't like being in some antagonist role whenever I go to these groups. I don't want to worry about cringing at something racist. I don't want to silently sit by while people talk about the "Pagan Wheel of the Year" that bastardizes the Gaelic festivals. That isn't fun. It isn't enjoyable. It isn't how I would want to spend my weekend. Every pagan event I have ever gone to caters almost specifically to NeoWiccans. I have to ask to be included in the subculture I am supposedly already part of.

So... I'm done. Unless something twists my arm or I stumble into it, I am not actively seeking out pagan communities. I think I'll still transverse the online forums and blogs, because I'm not so outnumbered there. In fact, I have spaces designated to my beliefs on sites like Tumblr or The Cauldron. As for in-person spaces though? Bah. Unless I make my own space, I doubt I'll find any.

Basically, the I'm suck of living in a house that keeps throwing parties without inviting me. I'll find a new house.

Therefore, this blog will continue to archive any pagan community news, but I am moving my spiritual and religious posts to a new blog: Daughter of the Storm on Wordpress.

Continuing the UU Conversations...

Well, I emailed the Reverend of the UU church. Here are the copy and pasted conversations thus far. Feedback about how I am handling the situation is always welcomed.

And goes on and on...

I support CAORANN.

Well, after three weeks of silence, I get a message from the UU Pagan group's organizer about a decision they reached about me, my actions, and the issue...at a meeting they knew I wouldn't be at. The conversation isn't done, but I want to post what I have so far have collected so I can show it to the Reverend of the UU church (reasons will be given at the end.)

And it continues...

Well, I got responses from my remarks on the Facebook group page.

Before I post the screenshots, I want to mention that I changed methods in how I screen-capped these conversations about half-way through the events. Typically, I block out names. As much as I'm for public scrutiny on people who have problematic opinions and practices, I do realize that employers and communities hold prejudices against non-Abrahamic religious beliefs that fall under the pagan umbrella. This Facebook group I am screen-capping is actually private for those reasons. So, I block out names for that reason.

However, green-blocked guy from all these chats is public about his beliefs. He legally changed his name to reflect these beliefs. So I think Kevin EarthSoul doesn't need this type of protection when he is willing to be public about his ideas, beliefs, and teachings. (This extends to his wife.)

And in fairness, I also unblocked my legal name (typically hidden with the purple blocks). My online life and offline life are so intermingled that it hardly needs to be a secret. I'm open about my spiritual beliefs too. So after I unblock his name, I also unblock mine. (Spoilers: my legal name is Marcella. "Allec" is my nickname backwards, "Cella.") And I also want to be under scrutiny for my actions. I am a white middle-class person. I am speaking as an ally, not as an oppressed person, in these conversations. Therefore, if I misspeak in any way please tell me.

UU Group and Cultural Appropriation Articles

(image source)

While on Tumblr, a person I follow posted a link to a really insightful article on cultural appropriation on Jezebel's website. The article is titled: "A Much-Needed Primer on Cultural Appropriation" by Katie J.M. Baker. I thought it had some really informative parts as well as helping people who want to wear Native-inspired clothing. (Hint: you should buy from Native Americans.) I reblogged it on Tumblr, linked it to my Facebook timeline, linked it to OPPSG (which needs to be changed over into PAGBAH, I think), linked it on Cross Quarterly's Facebook, and finally decided to also link it to the UU Facebook Group.

Which brings me to this: I haven't been removed from the Facebook group! Even though I have decided to stop attending monthly meet-ups, they haven't removed me from the Facebook group. I would like to go back to the monthly meet-ups once the current organizer steps down.

Anyway, after I posted that article from Jezebel, the guy declaring he should be able to use the word "Shaman"--whom I've dubbed MoonSpirit--decided to make another post after mine about his views on cultural appropriation:

(trigger warning: racism below, though thankfully no slurs.)

Goodbye to the UU Group (For Now)

xkcd: "Slippery Slope"

I think I've mentioned this before, but I don't like being an instigator for problems. But I am hopeful for resolution and hopeful that if I bring up a problem, others will acknowledge it for its problematic aspects. This...hasn't been the case so far in most of the pagan groups I've visited: (see here, here, and here.) I was hopeful with the UU group, though, but I've already had a couple of cringing moments. The remark made by the group organizer towards including Shamanism made my skin crawl. I decided to try to nip it in the bud before it even became a thing.

It didn't go so well. (Warning: Uncensored slur below. I'll give a warning again when the image comes up.)

[Pagan Blog Project 2014] A for Authors

Specifically: magic, occult, new age, and/or pagan authors.

Early November Celebrations

My Home Jar

The end of October and beginning of November had a few key events I took part in. First was my own Gaelic Polytheistic celebration of Samhain, followed by a Dia de los Muertos festival put on by the Mexican Historica Society, and then lastly a NeoWiccan Samhain ritual at the UU Pagan Group. There was...quite a lot going on between all three of those events that I wish to share.

It's Not About Being Right

My veil--Dedicated to Lugh.

Last weekend, I went to the local Unitarian Universalists' ritual for Mabon. I hadn't been to the monthly meetings since Lughnasa. Prior to going to this ritual, I wondered if my presence would be unwelcomed. Not outwardly, but because I don't practice in the way the rituals were conducted and my growing resentment towards how the Wiccan Wheel of the Year is constructed.

But I did end up going, and I have a lot of commentary about the entire experience.

Woe is Me: Celtic Culture and Eclectic Paganism

This is an article I have been itching to write, but I don't really know how to go about it. Perhaps it is because this is probably the most opinionated piece I have so far written; these are more about my thoughts about something that irks me, but isn't necessarily unmoral or a call to movement.

My problem boils down to this: a lot of people in the pagan community tend to use terms, practices, and holidays removed from their original cultures.

For example, pretend that someone in Europe is celebrating Fourth of July. They have fireworks and are eating outside--but why call it Fourth of July? Why celebrate another country's national holiday when that person is outside the country?

So... Why celebrate Lughnasa without understanding of the culture that created it?

Critique: Next Millennium's Newsletter

taken from the newsletter email

I forgot to unsubscribe from the Next Millennium newsletter that is sent out via email once a month. On June 2nd I saw it in my email inbox and out of curiosity decided to peruse it. Who knows? Maybe they made a mention of my petition and/or boycott.

While they didn't, I found more troubling misinformation being spread. I am spending this email, as well as emailing the store back, with why certain parts of the email are very, very concerning. Even if you are not a customer at Next Millennium, these are still problems to look out for at any other occult store you may shop at.

Update: Next Millennium Boycott and now Petition.

Just an update on the boycott article I posted a couple weeks ago.

My position still hasn't changed on how the store should conduct itself. While this is considerably an opinion of mine, I have started a petition to help the owners see that I am not the only one of this opinion.

Here are some remarks to the boycott and petition with my answer:

The Local Pagan Community--Summed up in Facebook?

This is probably the easiest article post I will ever have to publish. All I am doing is copying over screenshots from a group I was apart of, called "Pagans of Nebraska." I'm going to avoid adding as the entire discussion can speak for itself. Also, it's going to get lengthy.

A Call to Boycott.

Boycott Next Millennium--a local Omaha store.

I'm not happy about this.

The Power of Belief

There is a quote I heard years ago that I never fully understood until recently. It's by Richard Dawkins, of all people. While I don't agree with a lot he says and some of his views, I do find some truth in this quote he made:

"By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out."

What could he mean by that? Well, I don't know what he meant, but let me tell you what it means to me in regards to paganism.