Witches&Pagans #23 - Law and Chaos

Witches and Pagans #23
  Law & Chaos

This was supposed to have been the “Law & Chaos” issue but it turned out more like the “Law & Order” issue. That said, this issue could just as easily be titled the "Hero" issue — bringing together, as it does, some of the most stalwart, valiant, and just downright gutsy men in modern Pagan/polytheist culture.

In this issue, we highlight the work of Pagan chaplain and activist Rev. Patrick McCollum, whose two decades of ministry to the least among us — incarcerated Pagans — has resulted in real progress towards guaranteeing civil rights to all religious minorities. Patrick isn't one of the Big Name Pagans that tend to dominate Pagan pop culture — he hasn't written best-selling books or founded a burgeoning tradition. Instead, he's been slogging away in the depth of the California prison system, driven only by his unyielding thirst for justice. An unsung hero, we are very proud to make Patrick the subject of our cover interview in this issue.

Equally impressive, if less currently prominent, is another Pagan knight — activist, author, and Pagan law-enforcement pioneer Kerr Cuhulain. Kerr blew open the doors of the law enforcement Broom Closet way back in the 1980's when the Satanic Panic threatened to poison the culture against Pagans in general. Courage doesn't even begin to describe what Kerr did — putting his career on the line as the first openly Pagan cop — and he has continued his anti-defamation work, as well as founding an order of Pagan knighthood, in the succeeding decades. Kerr tells it like he sees it about Pagan manhood, discipline, law enforcement and much more in our in-depth interview.

There's other kinds of heroes profiled in this issue as well. Chaos magicians and pioneer thinkers Peter J. Carroll, Jaq D. Hawkins, and Andrieh Vitimus share their thoughts on the practical applications of results-oriented magick, and there's a visit with the ever-charming Pagan folk musician Damh the Bard that's sure to have his fans smiling. Plus the return of Wandering Witch (with a great tour of Pagan and natural sites in Pennslyvania), Tess Whitehurst on bringing your artistic imagination to your magick, a salute to Dionysis, R.J. Stewart on the laws of magic, Galina Krasskova on the virtue of discipline, a startling column from Kenaz Filan, Ruby Sara on the magic of flowers, and a look ahead to Mabon with Deborah Blake. Plus Pagan science fiction, poetry, a double-handful of reviews and much more! Ninety-six illustrated pages.

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Witches&Pagans #20 - The Animal Issue

Witches and Pagans #20
  The Animal Issue

Unraveling the conundrum of human/non-human relations begins with a simple question: how big is our family? If non-humans are existentially equal to humans, then we must treat them with respect; if they are as different from humans in kind, as, for example, a human is different from a chair, then our moral obligations to them are slight. I believe that most contemporary Neo-Pagans would concur with Ted Andrews when he writes, “When we learn to speak with the animals …the animals are no longer our subordinates. They become our teachers, our friends, and our companions.”

In this issue we wrestle with the messy, tangled, and even intractable questions of genuine relationship: honest ambiguity (“when are shamanistic techniques universal, and when are they forms of cultural exploitation?”), subtle definitions (“what is the difference between animal spirits and totems”), and surprise revelations (“what, you are my totem?”).

Join us as we meet far-ranging urban shaman and otherkin Lupa; explore the still-evolving Witchcraft of Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone; trip through the ever-shifting shoals of the urban Witch’s playground, New York City, and probe more deeply into how totems choose us (instead of the other way around.) We also feature musings on the benefits of relationships with companion animals, the mysteries of polarity, avoiding the perils of dualism, how to make your own witchy jewelry, promoting a healthy magical mindset, and even how to prepare for the disposal of your magical “stuff” after you die.

Plus two short stories, a triplet of poems, and a true-life tale of post-mortem animal magic. It’s a rich, even heady, curry of ideas, people, questions (and sometimes, but not always, answers). I hope it stimulates your thinking about these thorny, but fascinating ideas. Ninety-six illustrated pages.

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Witches&Pagans #19 - The Faerie Issue

Witches and Pagans #19
  The Faerie Issue

Join us on a fantastical tour of the world of Faerie with this, the premiere issue of our new magazine "Witches and Pagans." We begin with Phil Brucato's interview of fae songstress and minstrel S.J. Tucker, followed by a T. Thorn Coyle's visit with Celtic loremaster R. J. Stewart.

Then it's on to a comprehensive overview of the many worlds of Faerie in Maria Nutick's "Do You Believe in Faeries?" complete with an in-depth look at Faerie traditions, festivals, musicians and artists. If that wasn't fae enough, we offer Mara Freeman's profile of 19th century Irish Fae mystic Ella Young, Patricia Snodgras writing on the lore of the Cherokee Fae, Tess Whitehurts with magical spells for working with the Fae, Sharynne MacLeod NicMhacha on Celtic Faerie lore, R. J. Stewart reports on the Fairy and Human Relations Congress, Ashleen O'Gaea writes on fairies and children, and wordsmith Craig Conley (Magic Words, A Dictionary) on the Abracadabra of Faery.

Outside of our theme focus, we have Wandering Witch Natalie Zaman's take on the world of the Renaissance and Medieval Faire, Tess Dawson on the Pagan (Canaanite) roots of monotheism, short fiction by C. S. MacCath, and columns on astro-magick, lore of the forest, Judy Harrow on the importance of disciplined attention, Galina Krasskova on celibacy as a Pagan path and Kenaz Filan on finding the gods in your hometown. Plus Good Witch/Bad Witch, a double-handful of reviews and, of course, a vigorous readers debate in the "Give & Take" letters column.

Newly re-designed and relaunched, this issue is 96 pages of myth, magick and lore that you won't want to miss.

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