Spending a moment to acknowledge Thanksgiving, a truly pagan celebration at heart
As those of us in the United States approach our Thanksgiving holiday on November 27th of this year, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the pagan roots of this national holiday. Though often portrayed today as a secular holiday observed out of tradition and remembrance of America’s settlement by the Pilgrims in the…
Offerings, or at least how I do them
Lately, I’ve been contemplating my offerings and their rituals. I don’t tend toward anything fancy. I have a small wooden bowl atop my altar into which I place dried fruit, bread, pastries, and other small morsels. Next to it—or in its stead—is a small wooden cup into which I pour libations now and again. Sometimes…
The Modern Spirit of Paganism
When I embarked on this journey a couple months ago, I wasn’t sure where it’d take me. I sought a spiritual connection with nature in my quest for self-discovery and personal well-being. Studying traditional Buddhism, meditation, Zen, and dipping my toes into the world of witchcraft on a whim, I discovered paganism and a spark…
Out with the Old, in with the New
Today marks a significant day in the history of this blog. My website “derangednomad” is no more. In its stead is a simpler idea grounded in my own spiritual priorities, free of distractions from unrelated photographic portfolios, news commentary, and meaningless ramblings. Beginning with my upcoming post, the Modern Spirit of Paganism, I’ll be focusing…
Some Things I’ve Noticed Studying Wicca
As I progress on my spiritual journey, I recognize the methods rooted in tradition, and their benefits proven by science. Though I try not to rationalize everything I read, I can see the science and psychology in so much of it. While this may kill a little of the magic, it is interesting all the…
Diana, Aradia, and Lucifer: Wicca and the Devil
Listening to an audiobook today by Margot Adler, Drawing Down the Moon, I came across an interesting, and as it were, cardinal pillar of Wicca: the Charge of the Goddess. The Charge typically takes place after the ritual where the book gets its name: Drawing Down the Moon. The Charge encompasses a promise that the…
Confessional: Leaving Christianity and Interest in Wicca
For twenty-plus years I’ve been an on-again off-again Catholic. I went to church almost every Sunday growing up, and in some hard times when I had nothing else to turn to, it got me by. But, as I left home I saw what the world was really like. I began to form my own opinions…
Let’s Talk Mindfulness, Meditation, and Mental Health – Mental Health Awareness Month
Life is busy and all of us have struggles that we deal with daily. We’ve all experienced things that have hurt us, both physically and mentally. We’ve been in relationships or situations that might have scarred us. What’s important is knowing we aren’t alone. True, not everyone at any given time will have someone there…
Letters on Nature-Worship – II What is Wicca
In Letter I, I touched briefly on Christianity and began threading a needle between it and Wicca. Here, I won’t yet tie the knot, but rather sow a little further. What follows is my synopsis of Wicca. Origin Wicca was founded in England by Gerald Gardner following the repeal of the British witchcraft law. Gardner…
PAGAN NOMAD 