A witch describes his initiation into Gardnerian Wicca. Pagans in the military fight for their rights. And the transgender community within Paganism fights for theirs. It's Watery Wednesday, our weekly segment on news and commentary about the Pagan community! All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!
What goes into making a witch? Jason Mankey, who's written for our website previously, shares his initiatory experience at Patheos and why it felt so special to him.
Progress has definitely been made in the fight for religious equality here in the United States, but our work isn't over. In the military, Pagans continue to suffer discrimination. Retired soldier Eric Cooper and others are working hard to bring an end to it.
Is there a generation gap among Tarot practitioners? Benebell Wen, who believes herself to be somewhere in the middle, thinks there is. At her blog, Wen talks about differences of opinion and approach between young Tarot readers and old.
Although we Pagans often pride ourselves on being inclusive, we haven't always made it easy for transgender members of our community. Frequently excluded on the basis of their assigned gender at birth or perceived as unnatural, trans Pagans have been repeatedly ostracized unfairly. But there's evidence progress is in the works. The Wild Hunt has more.
When it comes to symbols of Heathenry few are more potent than the Viking berserker or the wolf. Indeed, the former is often identified with the latter. But why such a focus on martial prowess and animal ferocity? After all, the majority of ancient and medieval Norse were farmers and fishers. At Hüginn's Heathen Hof, Xander considers the reasons for Heathenry's favorite symbols.