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Facing death, inmates create art to reflect their spiritual outlook. A Jew talks about what the formation of his identity. And an explanation of some of the principles behind so-called Chinese "alchemy" (which is, in fact, quite different from Western alchemy). It's Faithful Friday, our segment on faiths and religious communities from around the world. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!

If your love life is lacking, if your wallet is empty, if you need a pure straight shot of luck, there is no one who can fix your situation better than Lakshmi.  That doesn’t mean she’s standing around with her purse, desperately hoping to give you everything you ever wanted.  Your mom doesn’t do that, Lakshmi doesn’t either.  She’s known for her capricious nature and she’s fiercely independent.  She also appreciates hard work, modesty and bravery and she’s known to bounce when you start slacking off.

Churning and Churning and Churning

“My love, we share the measure of the scales and we have danced in this embrace of veiled and light may times before. My time of command over this space of harmony is nearing its end and soon I will pass into a light that is darker and more intuitive in its work. But, tonight we move closer to one another, I am a blind lover in your darkness and you the holder of the key to that love.... “

Read more of Act One here…

One of the symbols of the American West, the jackrabbit lives in open areas such as grasslands and deserts. With his strange ears, this hare is one of the animals of the American West that people will often remember.  The biggest, fastest, and flashiest of this Family of Hares is the antelope jackrabbit, who can outrun run everything except the antelope (i.e. pronghorn).

The antelope jackrabbit is the source of jackalope (horned rabbit) legends. One joke that Westerners play on new people is to tell them about the jackalope (a large jackrabbit with deer horns). This legendary animal is often seen by people who have had too much to drink.

Since I began describing myself as a Quaker Pagan, I run into people who are suspicious of my claim to be both Quaker and Pagan. To these folks, Peter and I look like spiritual cheats, trying to sneak fifteen items through the clearly labeled Twelve Item Express Lane of a spiritual life.

“Cafeteria spirituality,” I’ve heard it described, expressing the notion that my husband and I are picking and choosing only the tastiest morsels of either religion, like spoiled children loading our plates with desserts, but refusing to eat our vegetables.

This isn’t the case. The term “cafeteria religion” implies imposing human whims over the (presumably) sacred norms of religion.  But Peter and I are both/ands not out of personal preference, but because we were called to our religion… twice.  By two different families of Spirit.

I can explain this best through my own story.

Deborah Castellano and Gordon White talk ritual, death customs, learning magic by doing magic and -of course- glamour in the twenty first century.

Ah, fall!  The time to do as our inherited Puritan (women) ancestors would do – drink excessively, wear some scarlet petticoats/yoga pants and invite our besties over to do some divination that we will all swear each other to secrecy about.  While Tarot was possible for our Puritan sisters, it was a lot more likely you’d get ratted out by your father/husband/brother for doing that.  No, instead you needed to keep it casual like you were just kicking back for some competitive Bible reading with your BFF.   So let’s get into the exciting world of Tasseomancy, also known as tea leaf reading!

The first thing you ideally need to do here is to pick out a teacup and saucer.  You could use a mug, but let’s get a little drama here.  If you don’t have one, a thrift shop is the perfect place to get one.  Select a loose leaf tea for your reading, I recommend something dark and juicy.  Put a teaspoon of tea at the bottom of the cup and pour boiling water over it.  Let it cool.  Drink the tea while not eating the leaves (it’s a little tricky, but with practice it’s doable).  While you are drinking your tea and holding your cup in your hand, think about whatever questions you have about the next year.  It may be easier for you to read your friend and for your friend to read you when starting out, so swap cups once you’re finished.  Point the teacup’s handle towards yourself.  Imagine the teacup divided into twelve segments like a clock.  The segment closest to the left side of the teacup is one month into the future and it goes around until you’re back at the handle at 12 months into the future.  Look at the tea leaves.  Do any of them look like a shape or symbol?  A heart or a number, perhaps?  Interpret the symbol however feels right to you.  A boat may mean a trip or journey for instance.  Don’t be afraid to be creative with it!  Tea leaves closer to the top of the rim means that symbol may be more important.  Take notes and see what comes to pass!