Messages In This Digest (2 Messages)

1.: Dark Spirits of December From: Radiohawthorne

2.: BOOK REVIEW - Shades of Faith Minority Voices in Paganism From: gleason.mike@comcast.net

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1.: Dark Spirits of December

Posted by: "Radiohawthorne" radiohawthorne@yahoo.com radiohawthorne

Wed Dec 7, 2011 1:22 pm (PST)

This week's show starts with some thoughts on this new month December. Even though most of December is in the autumn, it's most often characterized as a Winter month. Sooner or later, Winter will own the land, as it becomes covered in a blanket of white, while the streams are silenced and stilled by ice. December is the darkest month, but has been known down the ages as a time of joy and renewal. At this time of Dark and Cold, we gather together to feast and to light beseaching fires, that the sun (and summer) might soon return.

And because December is such a magickal and important month, I want to talk about some of the Mythical Beings associated with Yuletide and Winter; including a more indepth look at the Goddess Louhi - the Fearce Goddess of the Arctic.

And, at 60-minutes into the show we are joined by Dawn Hunt - our very own in-house Kitchen Witch!I hope you enjoy this week's show! Let me know! spiraldance1@excite.com

Some of the music you'll hear on this week's show include;Serpentine: "Rock the Goddess II"; Inkubus Sukkubus: "Midnight Queen"; Trance to the Sun: "Slave"; Hagalaz Runedance: "Behold the Passionate Ways of Nature"; Marjorie De Muynck: "Ancient Aquifier" and more.
Please listen to The Spiral Dance with Hawthorne each week. It's an online Pagan radio show (Webcast & Podcast). The podcast gives you the option to either<BR>listen to right from the website or download to your
computer. It's FREE and it's fun. Your suggestions and comments are welcome!

Each episode is approximately 75 - 80 minutes. Podcasts remain posted for about 4 or 5 weeks, so you can go back and listen to the other episodes for some great interviews, information and fun!

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?
Maybe you've composed a new poem and would like to hear it on the radio. If you want to submit audio to The Spiral Dance, send me an email. There are basically no rules - just no harsh language, no commercial
self-promotion and no Christian-bashing. Please let me know what you think about the show. I'm always open to suggestions; email spiraldance1@ excite.com/radiohawthorne@yahoo.com

You can also catch The Spiral Dance with Hawthorne webcast and Podcast by visiting my website to find the links.
www.thespiraldance.weebly.com/home.html

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2.: BOOK REVIEW - Shades of Faith Minority Voices in Paganism

Posted by: "gleason.mike@comcast.net" gleason.mike@comcast.net gleasonm01915

Wed Dec 7, 2011 7:13 pm (PST)

Shades of Faith Minority Voices in Paganism by Crystal Blanton (Editor) © 2011 Megalithica Books ISBN: 978-1-950713-69-1 142 pages Paperback $19.99 (U.S.)

Twenty-six essays covering a variety of topics, each of which is a minority within the Pagan community, which is itself a minority with the larger religious community comprising our society; this is a book which has needed to be written for a long time. Written from the point of view of individuals of color in a dominantly white sub-culture, these are voices which often have a hard time being heard.

There are some actions and attitudes which, while not acceptable, are at least understandable in the newcomer to Paganism and which are neither in the case of those who consider themselves to be functioning as priest or priestess.

Quick, look around your next "public ritual". How many non-white faces do you see? Assuming there are a few, what is your first reaction to seeing them there? Do you make an effort to get to know who they are and what they believe, or do you just kind of tune them out? If you hear the words "Voudun," "Santeria," or "conjure magic" do you immediately think of blood sacrifice and move to distance yourself (physically and emotionally) from those practitioners? WHY?

Conversely, if you are a person of color and follow one of those paths, what is your reaction to seeing a white face at one of "your" gatherings? Do you assume they are consciously "slumming"? Or do you consider that their interest might be sincere?

If you stand on either side of the "color line" do you automatically assume that those opposite you cannot possibly understand your beliefs? Do you automatically assume that your way is superior? WHY?

The authors of these essays represent a fairly diverse segment of the minority population within the Pagan community. I wouldn't say that they represent the full spectrum, but by including those of mixed African, Latino, and Native American ancestry (in any and all combinations) they are able to convey experiences which the majority of Pagans will never encounter. Along the way, they hold up a mirror so that we, the majority of this minority religion, are able to see some of our own unconscious expectations and reactions when they enter our stores, circles, grove, and open rituals.

This is an eye-opening book and one which EVERYONE can benefit from reading. Forget the objections which naturally come to the forefront ("We only have Caucasians in our group," "They're happier among others who believe as they do," "They're of African descent, so their ways aren't ours." and any others). Expose yourself to a very different point of view.

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