At a Certain Time…
This page lists articles I have written on witchcraft, paganism, and spirituality. Some articles are listed under multiple headings.
These articles were all written in response to particular circumstances or events going on at the time they were written, so they are not necessarily evergreen in the way many other articles are. Some will also appear on other pages, and some will only be listed here. These articles are listed from most recent to oldest, with the original publication date also indicated.
Between the Veils’ Public Apology
Between the Veils issued a public apology regarding their closing ceremonies on February 20, 2023, just five days after I called them out for failure to be accountable. It is a good start, and I am hopeful that BTV is trying do better, but I do have thoughts about the content of that apology. Read More…
February 23, 2023
Gathering Paths 2022 – Spoiled by Failure of Accountability
One of the community agreements of Between the Veils is accountability. When the closing ceremony of The Gathering Paths 2022 included aspects that were predictably triggering for those with Christian religious trauma, I expected BTV to adhere to its principles of accountability. Instead, here I am six months later, explaining how an otherwise amazing event was spoiled by hypocrisy and lack of integrity. Read More…
February 15, 2023
Revisiting 20-Year Gone Personal Practice
This past weekend a box was found in the back shed at my partner’s parent’s home. This box, thought long gone, had been missing since a move twenty years ago, and it contained almost all my magical tools and altar supplies at the time. I would have been homeless at the time if not for my chosen family. What belongings I kept went into the garage, apparently except for this one box, turning it into a personal time capsule of my magical practice at the age of 23. Read More
March 10, 2022
Do Your Magic – It is Worth It
Sometimes when self-doubt is at play, a witch ends up fucking around and finding out, which is what I did to myself this past week. Instead of doing my magic, I fucked around. I found out. Don’t fuck around. Do your magic. Read More
September 4, 2021
Speak Honestly of the Dead Even if it Means Speaking Ill of Them
How the concept of “don’t speak ill of the dead” is typically utilized is fraught with dismissal and erasure. Every time someone problematic dies, it is nearly inevitable to hear statements of “don’t speak ill of the dead,” but who does that idea serve? What benefit does it have? Certainly, if we want to learn from the past and honor those who have been harmed by people now deceased, we must speak honestly of the dead, even if being honest means speaking ill. Read More
February 20, 2021
Trauma Response and Trying to Find Joy
I am in a weird place emotionally right now, and in many ways I am struggling. I am wrestling with the demons of old trauma response as I try to find joy, hope, and brevity in my life. Like any time I struggle with trauma response, it is ugly, painful, messy, and difficult. There is no one answer to the problem of finding joy and alleviating the trauma, especially right now. Read More
February 17, 2021
Starting the 46th Presidency with The Fool Tarot Card
On the morning of the 20th I pulled The Fool. Is this is the beginning of an entirely new way forward for the USA and its presidency? I hope so. Read More
January 21, 2021
Working With Fear as a Positive Force for Good
No emotion is inherently good or bad, which is a fantastic thing, because we cannot simply will ourselves into not having the emotions we feel. If our emotions were inherently good or bad, we would not be able to escape that valuation because our emotions exist whether or not we want them to. Instead, what can sometimes be classified as good or bad is how we respond to our emotions, and the actions we take because of their presence. That means that if we are conscientious and deliberate in working with our fears, we can choose responses and actions which foster good instead of adding to the misery in the world. Read More
January 18, 2021
The Paradox of Estrangement in the Time of COVID-19
As cases of COVID-19 are surging throughout the United States, I cannot help but wonder about my birth family, how they are faring, and if they are safe. It is a strange thing to have no idea, to be aware that I may never know, to be glad for the estrangement which prevents that knowledge, and yet to wonder and hope that they are well. It creates a paradox of conflicting emotions, a cognitive dissonance, to be so concerned, and yet know that it is far and away in my best interest to retain the distance of estrangement I created. Read More
December 30, 2020
Looking Back – 2020 on The Balancing Path
There are quite a few articles on The Balancing Path in 2020 which are special to me, for different reasons. I would like to share those with you. Read More
December 28, 2020
Lament for the Lost
The Lament for the Lost commemorates different kinds of major losses that have been suffered, from lives, to livelihoods, normalcy, dignity, and sanity. Read More
December 14, 2020
Finding Confidence and Direction as a Pagan Blogger
Since I became a pagan blogger, at times I have drowned in doubt. I finally have a plan to tackle it, and the first step is sharing that plan with you. Read More
December 1, 2020
Heal the Nation? I am Braced for Wounds Yet to Come.
I desperately want this to be over, and to be able to move on to the long and hard work of healing the nation, but you cannot heal when wounds keep coming. Read More
November 4, 2020
May Samhain Blessings be Upon the World
I do not feel much like celebrating Samhain this year, but there is a great deal to observe, and there are still Samhain Blessings to give. Read More
October 31, 2020
Sigil for the Continuation of Democracy
May we be blessed with mass voting and the preservation of democracy in the USA, so that we may have the opportunity to build a new foundation for equality with an awareness of the fragility and mutability of both our democracy and our society. Read More
October 2, 2020
Tarot Thoughts: Hanged Man Vibes for Tower Times
If you find yourself thrown off your foundation and hanging by your foot, relax and take the time to see what that new point of view can reveal to you. Read More
July 10, 2020
What “The Balancing Path” Means
Life balance is never static. It is a moving target, which you might find briefly, but usually spins away again as life circumstances inevitably change. Read More
June 17, 2020
Spells for Black Lives Matter
We need to put effort and energy into social justice both now and into the future in order to achieve true equality for everyone. These links might help. Read More
June 9, 2020
Color Magic – White is Not Justice for Black Lives Matter
Color associations are complex, multi-layered things. In the context of Black Lives Matter, white color magic is not necessarily positive or beneficial. On Patheos
June 8 , 2020
No Wrong Way to Grieve
Grief is love with nowhere to go. There is a lot to grieve right now, and there will be a great many more losses before the COVID-19 mess is over. Read More
June 2, 2020
Meeting Aradia
An older looking woman looked up from stirring the cauldron to give me a warm and welcoming smile, while she cheerfully informed me that it was about time I came by for a visit. There wasn’t any real rush, and she understood why it had taken so long for me to come visit, but she had something she needed to give me. Read More
April 21, 2020
Productive Ways to Panic
What about when you can’t stop panicking, no matter how much you breathe and try to be compassionate with yourself? That’s not an easy question to answer. Here are some of my suggestions for how to refocus or otherwise provide an outlet to your panic and anxiety. Read More
April 1, 2020
Seeking Balance During Extremes
COVID-19 has dealt the entire world an unbalancing upset. Even in cases where this pandemic doesn’t strike to the very hearts of our daily lives, we are still seeing dramatic effects on our lives and the lives of those we care about. Here are some suggestions to help you find your balance. Read more
March 25, 2020
My Nonbinary Liminal Pantheacon Experience
Nonbinary pathways are often inherently liminal because they defy the standard paths and perspectives of our societies. I give my sincere and heartfelt thanks to everyone who was a part of the Nonbinary Ritual, and a part of my day at Pantheacon. It was an amazing experience, and I will treasure it always. Read More
February 19, 2020
Public Ritual Should Never be Exclusionary . . .
If you are involved in running an event that includes presentations and rituals given by a variety of people, watch out for anyone who seeks exclusivity. Read More
February 13, 2020
Resting in the Darkness…
This 2019 solstice season demanded that I stop, rest, and shelter in the darkness. I needed to stop doing in order to see how to do the things that are most important to me. I needed to rest in the darkness in order to more clearly illuminate my path. Read More
December 28, 2019