7.30.2008
Denessa Smith 1965 - 2008
On Monday, Denessa Smith, well known in the Pagan community for her activism and commitment to tolerance, passed away after struggling with complications relating to a recent gall bladder surgery. Smith is perhaps best known as the mother of Tempest Smith, and founder of the Tempest Smith Foundation, an organization dedicated to fostering tolerance and eliminating teen bullying.
Denessa and Tempest Smith
Smith's road to activism started with tragedy in 2001 when her daughter, Tempest, then 12, committed suicide due to unrelenting bullying triggered in part by her adherence to Wicca.
"Daily, students surrounded Tempest singing "Jesus Loves You" and other hymns in a mocking gesture. Her choice of clothing was scrutinized as being "Goth" though, according to Denessa, Tempest seldom wore black. Even taunts such as "Wiccan whore" and "Satan worshipper" were regular occurrences."
Smith, an Agnostic, partnered with the local Pagan community, and started speaking in public about the need to eliminate bullying. For schools, parents, lawmakers, and community members to work together to build a more tolerant world. A world where Tempest's tragedy isn't repeated. In turn, she became a pillar of support within her community, and a beacon of hope to teens feeling trapped in the nightmare world of bullying, intimidation, and intolerance.
In addition to Denessa Smith's work with the Tempest Smith Foundation, she has also spoke out for organ donation, supported charities benefiting Pagans in need, worked with the Order of DeMolay, and participated in the Meals on Wheels program.
"Her work in the community and with The Tempest Smith Foundation will be a lasting tribute to the difference one woman can make. Denessa devoted her energy and her drive towards making our community a more tolerant place and her impact will stay with us." - The Magical Education Council
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, August 3rd, from Noon to 8pm at the American Legion Hall, 1430 Southfield Rd, Lincoln Park, MI. The Magical Education Council has provided a comments area for those who wish to pass a message on to Denessa Smith's family.
May the gods bless her, may she be reunited with her daughter and know peace.
Labels: Denessa Smith, Passings, Tempest Smith, Tempest Smith Foundation, Wicca
7.20.2008
Pagan Soldier Killed Due to Shoddy Equipment?
The Indianapolis Star reports on a mother who is investigating the death of her son, Sgt. Joseph A. Ford, who was serving in Iraq’s Anbar province. The official statement says his vehicle rolled over and he died as a consequence, but fellow soldiers have told her that the turret Ford was riding in came loose, and that he was thrown from the vehicle.
Sgt. Joseph A. Ford
"Dalarie Ford, a wife and mother from the Northern Indiana town of Knox, had never been one to rock the boat. She voted, but not passionately. Never had she felt wronged. But now she senses injustice. She's on a mission to find out precisely what happened in Iraq's Anbar province on May 10, the day her son died. Sgt. Joseph A. Ford was 23, a soldier with the Indiana National Guard's 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He was a gunner in an Armored Security Vehicle, a sort of tank-on-wheels that's commonly used to guard convoys that haul food and supplies for U.S. troops. The vehicle rolled over. Ford was killed. That's the extent of the military's public explanation. Ford's mother says soldiers privately provided her with additional details. "They said the turret came loose and he was thrown out of the vehicle and the vehicle rolled over on him and it impacted his chest and face," she said."
Dalarie Ford, since launching this investigation, has discovered that ASVs are vulnerable to rollovers, and that this isn't the first time the gunner's turret has broken away. She has been contacting her state officials in an effort to make sure what happened to her son doesn't happen to other soldiers.
As for Sgt. Joseph A. Ford, the paper reveals that he was a member of Nova Roma, a group dedicated to reviving the "Cultus Deorum Romanorum" (the religion of Rome). The group's banner hung at his funeral.
"His friends and teachers describe him as intellectual, curious. He often had a book under his arm. He attended the University of Southern Indiana, where he majored in history. Ancient Rome fascinated him. He practiced the religion of Roman paganism. At his funeral, a banner hung on the lectern. "SPQR," it said -- shorthand for the Latin "Senatus Populusque Romanus," or the Senate and the people of Rome."
Ford had only been in Iraq for two months when the accident occurred. While some commentators are saying that such accidents are part of the package of military service, I can't imagine a turret breaking off and killing its rider should be considered a normal or acceptable situation. If shoddy equipment is indeed responsible, the military should take responsibility for Ford's death. It is the very least they can do to honor his sacrifice.
Finally, depending on burial plans, I do hope that Nova Roma enquirers with Dalarie Ford to see if her son would want an official emblem of his faith engraved on his military tombstone or marker. Perhaps this would be an excellent time for Nova Roma to join the growing coalition working for an expanded selection of Pagan and Heathen emblems of belief from the VA.
May Ford rest with his gods and ancestors, may his sacrifice be honored, and may his family find the closure and justice needed to move forward.
Labels: Iraq, Military, Nova Roma, Pagan Soldiers, Paganism, Passings, Veteran Pentacle Quest
6.04.2008
Paula Gunn Allen 1939 - 2008
Paula Gunn Allen, an American Indian scholar, poet, and founding figure in the Women's Spirituality movement, passed away on May 29th after a long illness. She is perhaps best known for her book "The Sacred Hoop: Recovering the Feminine in American Indian Traditions", which argued that women's central role in Native culture and spirituality was removed or downplayed by European settlers and colonizers. Paula Gunn Allen's work went on to inspire a new generation of feminist explorations within American Indian communities and beyond.
Paula Gunn Allen
"I have noticed that as soon as you have soldiers the story is called history. Before their arrival it is called myth, folktale, legend, fairy tale, oral poetry, ethnography. After the soldiers arrive, it is called history." - Paula Gunn Allen
Online tributes to Paula Gunn Allen have appeared at Women's Space, Medusa Coils, and T. Thorn Coyle's blog.
"I just found out that Paula Gunn Allen died a few days ago, on May 29th. A respected academic and poet, active in anti-nuclear and anti-war movements, she was an important voice in Native American and Lesbian literature and known as one of the founders of the Women's Spirituality movement. Needless to say, Gunn Allen was important to me during my formation as a feminist, Pagan, queer, poet and writer."
You can also read tributes from her son Suleiman Allen and others at a specially created guestbook. In addition, an online memorial site for Paula Gunn Allen has also been created. Her family and friends are asking that donations be made towards the establishment of a scholarship in Paula's name in lieu of flowers. A public memorial is being scheduled for mid-July.
"We have for all too long loathed the shade–shadows, night, the darkness of the Moon. We have found the shadows so repugnant, the darkness so repulsive, that we have given the Goddess only three parts — maiden, mother and crone — thoroughly repressing the fourth, that of mystery…Chaos, the Grandmother of all that is, now comes among us, just as we discover that she is the source of all order and that she is infinitely generative, infinitely fecund. It is as the old ones have told: the name of the Female Principle is “Thought,” and she is more fundamental and varied than time and space…." - Paula Gunn Allen, from her introduction to Gossips, Gorgons & Crones, The Fates of the Earth, by Jane Caputi, 1993.
May she rest in the arms of her gods, and be reunited with her ancestors.
Labels: American Indian, feminist theology, goddess, Native American, Passings, Paula Gunn Allen, Women's Spirituality
5.01.2008
Cora Anderson 1915 - 2008
Cora Anderson, a co-founder with Victor Anderson of what is now known of as the Feri Tradition, passed on this morning at the age of 93. Cora Anderson was known as a Grand Master of the Feri Faith, a prolific writer, and was a key influence in the lives of several prominent Pagans and Witches.
Cora Anderson, matriarch of the Feri tradition.
"In Initiation, you literally marry the Goddess, her dual consort and the Gods, whether you are male or female... Always remember that the person you love as life companion or in passing is your son, brother and lover, and should be treated with love and respect as yourself and other half." - Cora Anderson, "Fifty Years in the Feri Tradition"
Among her students were groundbreaking Pagan musician Gwydion Pendderwen, activist and Reclaiming co-founder Starhawk, author, artist, and teacher T. Thorn Coyle, and current Feri Grand Master Anaar, among many others.
"It is Walpurgisnacht and my teacher is dying. There is a bale fire in my heart. We sing. We chant. We sit. We breathe. Every fire needs fuel. Every student needs a lesson. Her skin is translucent. There is blood in the corners of her mouth. Her eyes are clouded, barely open. She struggles to speak. "I love you," she says. "I love all of you." ... "I am going in and out," she says. We see her. Victor is there too, at the foot of her bed ... God Herself fills space and time. Fills the room. Including everything, we fall away." - T. Thorn Coyle, excerpt from "Bale Fire Need Fire Heart Fire (Cora)"
Her body will lie in state for 3 days, the Feri community asks that mourners and well-wishers burn a candle during this transition time for her. My blessings go out the Feri community and Cora's spirit. May she be reunited with Victor and be embraced by her gods.
Labels: Cora Anderson, Feri, Paganism, Passings, Witchcraft
3.29.2008
Robert Fagles 1933 - 2008
Professor, poet, and academic Robert Fagles passed on Wednesday, March 29th, from prostate cancer. Fagles is best known for his masterful translations of Homer's epics the Iliad and the Odyssey.
Robert Fagles
"He was a quiet man, diligent and decorous, yet one who was unexpectedly equal to the swagger and savagery of Homer's 'Iliad' and 'Odyssey' in a way no one had managed before him," - Princeton humanities professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon
Robert Fagles' contribution to translations of Greek and Roman classic literature and poetry can't be understated. His translations of Homer sold over 4 million copies worldwide, and helped re-introduce the greatness of pre-Christian epic poetry to a new generation.
"Homer gave me new modes of expression, but I wanted to capture as much of him as I could, making him available and, with luck, compelling to a modern audience. I set the same task for myself when I translated Aeschylus and Sophocles."
His most recent translation was Virgil's Aeneid, released in 2006, a project he wasn't sure he would be able to finish due to his cancer. When released, Fagles called it "unexpectedly timely and relevant".
"It says that if you depart from the civilized, then you become a murderer ... The price of empire is very steep, but Virgil shows how it is to be earned, if it's to be earned at all. The poem can be read as an exhortation for us to behave ourselves, which is a horse of relevance that ought to be ridden."
For any Pagan who has taken inspiration from the classics, Fagles performed a great service. May his virtuous soul find rest and joy on the Elysian fields.
Labels: classics, Greece, Homer, Passings, Robert Fagles, Rome
3.04.2008
Gary Gygax 1938 - 2008
Writer and father of the role-playing game, Gary Gygax passed away on March 4th after struggling with a string of illnesses. Gygax is best known for co-creating the role-playing game (and cultural phenomenon) Dungeons and Dragons.
Gary Gygax
Though not a Pagan, or formerly connected to the Pagan community in any way, it would be entirely remiss of me to not mention the passing of the man primarily responsible for giving us a game that has inspired, entertained, and enriched so many of us. A game that created Christian hysteria over occult recruitment long before Harry Potter came along. A game that answered important questions for budding polytheists, like how many hit points does the goddess Morrigan
Certainly my own pre-Pagan days were enriched by the idea that I could inhabit a character who lived in a world filled with ancient gods, wise Druids, mysterious Witches, and a preponderance of Chaotic Good crusaders for justice. A state of affairs not too terribly removed from my current reality. While I would hesitate to blame D&D for my path to Pagandom, I do think the game opened my mind and engaged me in a way that made my interest in non-mainstream manifestations of religion more likely. So here's to the Dungeon Master, may his journey to the Outer Planes be filled with adventure.
Tributes and obituaries: Boing Boing, Salon, io9, Slashdot, Reason, CNN, BBC, AP, Cinema Blend, more...
* She has 388 HP.
Labels: Dungeons and Dragons, Gary Gygax, Passings, Satanic Panic
2.12.2008
Passages
Alan Miller (aka Dr Christopher Hyatt) 1943 - 2008
Author, occultist, and founder of the The Extreme Individual Institute. Alan Miller was well-known in metaphysical circles as a former student of famed occultist Israel Regardie, and a member of the Ordo Templi Orientis, and the Thelemic Order of the Golden Dawn. In addition to his occult pursuits, Miller was a practicing psychotherapist for many years. Miller passed away on February 9th, after a long struggle with cancer. You can read full obituaries at Lashatal, and at Dr. Hyatt's web site..Susan Grace Falkenrath (aka Susan Wolf) 1954 - 2008
A longtime member and teacher within the Reclaiming community, Susan Falkenrath is perhaps best known as a writer and singer of songs. Her best known work within the Pagan community is the haunting lament entitled "Spirits", about a woman being consigned to the stake, which appeared on the "Best of Pagan Song" compilation from Serpentine Music. Falkenrath passed on January 12th from breast cancer. You can read moving tributes to Susan Falkenrath from Anne Hill, and M. Macha NightMare.
Brenda Henson (pictured on the right) 2008
Longtime feminist and GLBT-rights activist, Brenda Henson was a champion of equality and human rights. She, along with her partner of 24 years Wanda Henson, founded Camp Sister Spirit in 1991. Their subsequent battle against harassment and discrimination made national news, and prompted the direct involvement of the Clinton administration into the matter. In addition to hosting gatherings and classes aimed at women and lesbians, Camp Sister Spirit has also hosted numerous Pagan gatherings, and has become a pillar of support for the Pagan community in Mississippi. Henson passed away on February 8th due to complications from liver cancer. You can read a short obituary, here.
May they all rest in the arms of the Goddess.
Labels: Brenda Henson, Dr Christopher Hyatt, occult, Paganism, Passings, Reclaiming, Susan Grace Falkenrath, The Goddess, Thelema
1.10.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
The Baltimore Sun runs a touching obituary for Disney employee and Wiccan Heather Hurd, who died tragically in a car accident on January 3rd.
"In 2006, she entered an intern program at Walt Disney World, where she was an employment assistant for two years. This year, she was promoted to the diversity team. Last year, Miss Hurd received the Mousecar Award, presented by Walt Disney Studios, for her work. "She loved everything about Disney," said her father, W. Russell Hurd III of Abingdon. Miss Hurd, who was a Wiccan, enjoyed attending the theater and was interested in Celtic music and culture. "Her dream was to go to Ireland and visit Cork, where our family came from," Mr. Hurd said."
The family is starting a fund in her name to support other Disney interns who are having trouble making ends meet.
Today is National Vodun (aka "Voodoo") Day in Benin, the commonly acknowledged birthplace of the syncretic faith, where the country's 4.5 million practitioners, in addition to pilgrims from around the world, converge to honor their faith and remember the legacy of the slave trade.
"After Benin lifted a previous ban on the practice of Voodoo, it was declared an official religion in the former French colony in the mid-1990s and Jan. 10 is celebrated as National Voodoo Day, a public holiday ranking with Christmas and the Muslim Eid ... Such celebrations draw thousands of tourists each year to Benin, especially to the coastal city of Ouidah, from which hundreds of thousands of African slaves were shipped by European traders in past centuries to the Americas and the Caribbean ... Voodoo has a strong popular presence in Haiti and similar African-origin rituals are celebrated in Cuba under the name of "Santeria" and in Brazil as "Candomble"."
The Reuters article linked above also looks at concerns about the spread of "bird flu" virus (H5N1) through chicken blood used in traditional ceremonies, an issue I have discussed previously on this blog.
The Hallmark Channel is airing a new original movie entitled "The Good Witch", starring Catherine Bell (an adherent of Scientology, btw) as a mysterious woman who moves to small town and attempts to open a metaphysical store.
"Cassie is an enchanting beauty with a gentle spirit, an outrageous sense of fashion and a "wicked" sense of humor. She also seems to be something of an enchantress. She has a magic touch with men (although Jake is slow to respond, as he hasn't quite gotten over his wife's death several years ago); she has a magic touch with children (Jake's kids, Brandon and Lori, are drawn to her, maybe because she smells "like gingerbread"); she even has a magic touch with savage beasts (Cassie rescues the children from an attacking dog, then "tames" it with a few choice words). It seems that Cassie has the ability to charm everyone she meets, with the exception of Martha Tinsdale the mayor's busybody wife who also is the tsk-tsking head of the local Citizen's League. In fact, when Cassie opens a shop called Bell, Book and Candle - a "new-age" shop that carries Celtic, metaphysical and Wiccan items - Mrs. Tinsdale immediately launches a protest."
I wonder if they will actually make the character a Wiccan. Some of these movies end up with the character vindicated of all strangeness, and shown to be far more "normal" than the antagonists originally suspected. Maybe instead of a Witch, they will all discover she is really a Scientologist, and there will be free stress-tests for everyone!
In a final note, Religion Clause brings word of a court ruling that could have broad ramifications for Wiccans and other Pagans who wish to file as conscientious objectors.
"In Hanna v. Secretary of the Army, (1st Cir., Jan. 9, 2008), the U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in a 2-1 decision held that the Army's Conscientious Objector Review Board had no basis in fact for denying conscientious objector status to Army doctor, Captain Mary Hanna. It rejected the Army's reliance on the timing of Hanna's claim and its argument that Hanna's beliefs were not gained through rigorous training, study or contemplation. Chief Judge Boudin, dissenting, argued that pacifism is not a belief of Hanna's Coptic Church, that her position could not easily be described as reflecting rigorous study, and that the timing of her application could be considered as a factor. The majority's decision affirmed last year's decision by a Massachusetts federal district court."
This ruling would help address the problem of philosophic and moral diversity concerning objectors to military participation (or participation in wars believed to be unjust) for religions that aren't explicitly pacifist like Wicca (or Catholicism, for that matter). If this decision stands, it could make it far easier for pacifist Pagans to register for Conscientious Objector status in the case of a draft.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: law, Military, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Passings, Religion Clause, Television, Vodou, Voodoo, Wicca
12.30.2007
Top Ten Pagan Stories of 2007 (Part One)
As we reach the close of 2007, it is time to stop for a moment and take stock of the previous year. When you look at (and for) news stories regarding modern Paganism (and related topics) every day of the year, you can sometimes lose focus on the larger picture. So it can be a helpful thing to look at the broad strokes, the bigger themes, the events and developments that will have lasting impact on the modern Pagan movement. What follows are my picks for the top ten stories from this past year involving or affecting modern Pagans.
10. Important passages within the Pagan and occult communities: 2007 saw the passing of some highly influential and respected members of our extended community, the most notable being the visionary philosopher, author, and mystic, Robert Anton Wilson.
Robert Anton Wilson
Wilson is perhaps best-known for his work on "The Illuminatus! Trilogy" with co-author Robert Shea. The books incorporated elements of Discordianism, conspiracy theory, magick, and various 60s counterculture references to create a "fairytale for paranoids". Since then Wilson published several books exploring philosophy, science, and religion. Most notably his "Cosmic Trigger" series. But RAW was hardly the only notable passing in 2007, we also saw key Goddess spirituality movement figure Shekhinah Mountainwater (author of "Ariadne's Thread: A Workbook of Goddess Magic") cross the veil after a long struggle with cancer, and Tim Sebastion, chief of the Secular Order of Druids, who died after a long illness.
Other notable passages include artist Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge (partner to Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, and member of Psychic TV), influential Salem Witch and event organizer Shawn Poirier, and Starwood organizer, musician, and SubGenius, Chas Smith.
09. Witch School in the News: This past year saw quite a lot of coverage for the (in)famous Internet-based Witch School. The year began with news that the SCI FI Channel was planning a reality television series set in the school's campus (then located in Hoopeston, IL), but this development seemed to fall apart when Ed Hubbard announced he was selling the school through E-Bay.
"Imagine, if you could buy Harry Potter's Hogwarts? Well, the world's first and largest public school of Wiccan and Witches has become available for sale. Starting Tuesday, April 10th, WitchSchool.com will be auctioned off to the highest bidder during an eBay Auction. If you ever wanted to have your very own cyber school of magick and witchcraft, this is the auction for you. So you can own and run your very own Academy for Magick and Witchcraft. If you would love to become the next Dumbledore, this is your chance to do so."
After a flurry of controversy, mixed-signals, and announcements concerning them leaving their physical campus in Hoopeston (due to the alleged unfriendliness of the town) Witch School was sold to a coalition of buyers from the Correllian Nativist Tradition with Don Lewis at the head. I thought that would be the last we head from the school in 2007, but Witch School ended up gaining national press attention after the tiny troubled town of Rossville, IL went on the offensive following the school's relocation there. While tensions have since eased up, it was certainly a PR coup for the Internet business. It remains to be seen if Witch School will manage to gain the publics attention in 2008, or if they will return to relative obscurity sans tales of persecution. But they certainly made a mark on Pagan-related news in 2007.
08. "Bunky" the Multi-Millionaire: The media became positively entranced when Wiccan Ellwood "Bunky" Bartlett won over 30 million dollars in the Maryland State Lottery "Mega Millions" drawing. This encouraged witty bon mots like "Dude, talk about blessed be" and "Christians who pray for lucky lottery tickets but never win might consider switching over to Wicca." Of course the press soon wanted to know how he was going to spend his newly-won loot, and Bunky announced that he plans to build a Pagan-run seminary. While there have certainly been rich or well-off Pagans before (though they are most-often "in the broom closet"), Bartlett is the first to gain a high-profile, and will certainly continue to gain press attention if (or when) he starts spending that money to benefit his religion.
07. Pagans in Prison (and the books they can read): Incarcerated Pagans and Heathens made the news in increasingly large numbers this past year. I personally blogged eight such stories, and I know for a fact that more occurred that I never got a chance to report on. Virtually all the claims regarded the issue of religious free exercise and what materials a Pagan prisoner should/would be allowed. But while those legal struggles mainly happened on the journalistic sidelines, Pagans, prisons, and their religious rights hit center stage when the Federal Bureau of Prisons enacted a controversial new policy that purged every religious book in Federal Prison libraries that wasn't on a then-secret list (in order to inhibit "extremism").
"Government does have a legitimate interest to screen out things that tend to incite violence in prisons," Mr. [Douglas] Laycock [professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School] said. "But once they say, 'We're going to pick 150 good books for your religion, and that's all you get,' the criteria has become more than just inciting violence. They're picking out what is accessible religious teaching for prisoners, and the government can't do that without a compelling justification. Here the justification is, the government is too busy to look at all the books, so they're going to make their own preferred list to save a little time, a little money."
Massive controversy ensued amongst religious groups both liberal and conservative, which only intensified when the amazingly flawed lists leaked to the public. The BOP soon reversed their actions and restored the pulled books, but the policy has only been postponed, and come early 2008 we could be faced yet again with the majority of books for (Federal) Pagan prisoners being pulled, and an approved list made by unnamed "experts" put in its place. So expect the rights of Pagan prisoners to continue to make the news in 2008.
06. Paganism (Ancient and Modern) Continues to Influence Pop-Culture: Pagan and occult themes continued to make headway into popular culture in 2008. The television series "Rome" (which had one of the most accurate portrayals of Roman polytheism to date) aired its second (and final) season, the masterful adult fairytale "Pan's Labyrinth" took home three Academy Awards, while films like "300", and "Beowulf" looked to a pre-Christian era to find its heroes (while a certain Pirate franchise invoked a goddess to help wrap up their story). 2007 also saw the release of documentaries concerning notorious occultist Aleister Crowley, and cultural appropriation within New Age communities, and a new-found emphasis on occult and supernatural themes in television.
"The prevalence of supernatural plots 'is reflective of increasing anxiety - personal, economic and national' that pervades the American mood, said Mr. Rash, who was in New York last week to attend the networks' presentations ... Most of the coming new shows 'are playing to viewers' desire to be in fantasyland,' said Shari Anne Brill, senior vice president and director of programming at Carat USA in New York, part of the Carat division of the Aegis Group, adding, 'The real world has become such a horrendous place that people are looking for magic to avoid the tragic.'"
Pagans continued to make appearances on reality television, and exploitive daytime talk-shows, while a film full of Scottish myths and folktales (shot entirely in Gaelic) gained rave critical reviews. In addition, production news surfaced about a feature film concerning Aleister Crowley, a re-envisioning of the classic cult-film "The Wicker Man", and a possible television show starring Greek gods. Meanwhile, Walden Media learned that if you cut the pagan elements out of a classic story, the movie will flop.
This has been a great year for Pagan-themed music, from Wyrd-folk compilations to Bjork and Tori Amos. Loads of great Pagan and occult books came out this year as well. Oh, and the last Harry Potter book came out, but didn't you hear it was all a Christian allegory? But in any case, popular culture continues to become increasingly Pagan-friendly, and I don't see the trend slowing down any time soon.
--
Tomorrow I will post the top five Pagan stories for 2007. In the meantime, I invite you to check out the top religion stories from some different perspectives. Time magazine's top ten religion stories, the 2007 Top Religion Stories as selected by Religion Newswriters, the Barna group's four "mega-themes" from their 2007 research, Christianity Today's top stories of 2007, and Terry Mattingly gives us his vote for 2007's top religious story.
Labels: Ellwood "Bunky" Bartlett, Paganism, Passings, pop-culture, Prison, Religion, Top 10 religion stories of the year, Witch School
8.14.2007
Shekhinah Mountainwater 1939 - 2007
Author, musical performer, and key figure in the early Goddess spirituality movement Shekhinah Mountainwater, after a long struggle with uterine cancer, has passed away at the age of 67.
Shekhinah Mountainwater aka Ellen Adler
"She was surrounded by friends and family. On Monday they recalled her impact. They said it was not only in the way she lived her life, but in the way she left it: courageous in the face of pain. Then, finally, peacefully. She was a healer, a tarot reader, a teacher, a singer, a musician, an author, a goddess, a pagan, a witch. "She was dedicated to her work and changing the world," said son Frey Faust, who followed in his mother's artistic footsteps by becoming a dance teacher. "She was a creative mother, and she was very disciplined as an artist herself. Nature was important to her. Values were important to her. She was never interested in monetary wealth" While thousands of Santa Cruz residents could fit that very descriptibon, what made Mountainwater's life so interesting is that she dedicated her life to empowering women long before it became fashionable. And she never let up."
While well known on the West coast, the wider community most likely know her from her book "Ariadne's Thread: A Workbook of Goddess Magic". A book that is considered a classic within the Goddess spirituality movement. In addition, Mountainwater was a pioneer of what we would now call "Pagan music". She had started folksinging during the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 60s and would tour and do performances with her two children who would dance ecstatically to the music being played. In the mid to late 60s she was approached by a woman who advised her to read Robert Grave's "The White Goddess". This lead Mountainwater to a religious awakening and a synthesis of her previous endeavors in meditation and spiritual practice.
Shekhinah Mountainwater performing with her children.
"We had no idea that we were invoking the Goddess until we met a very special woman. Sara was a closet poet and a retired school teacher who had literally lost her voice. When she saw us "performing" at the Troubador down in Los Angeles, she said in her whispery croak, "You're the hope of the world!" What on earth did she mean, I wondered. "Read The White Goddess by Robert Graves," she kept insisting, whenever I asked, in her unforgettable croaking scratchy voice...Graves taught me that all poetry, all theater, began as invocation of the Goddess. In our openness and innocence we had stumbled upon a spiritual practise that had once been the sacred rites of thousands."
After this awakening, Mountainwater proceeded to lead Goddess-workshops and sing songs in honor of her new-found religion. In the process she inspired several other artists, including Pagan author and performer Ruth Barret, who along with Cyntia Smith released a Goddess-influenced folk album called "Aeolus" in 1981, and "Copperwoman" (Carolyn Saso), who started out doing albums of children's music before switching to Goddess-inspired songs and chants.
According to those by her side at her death-bed, Shekhinah Mountainwater's last words were "It's better now." May this pioneer find peace and solace in the arms of the Mother.
Labels: Paganism, Passings, Shekhinah Mountainwater, The Goddess
