Resources for Earth Religions

Wiccan:

Circle Sanctuary is one of the largest and oldest Wiccan non-profit organizations, founded in 1974 by Rev. Selena Fox. The website http://www.circlesanctuary.org/ is bursting with information. Circle has a nature preserve, clergy services, a store, events including moon circles, holiday celebrations and a major festival – Pagan Spirit Gathering, held around the Summer Solstice; community work including civil rights, military resources and prison chaplaincy; a quarterly magazine, legal work through the Lady Liberty League, and classes and training for individuals and clergy. Rev. Selena and other members devote much of their time to raising positive awareness of Paganism and Wicca within the media. Circle is one of the best organized Wiccan groups. Note: You do not have to be Wiccan to be part of Circle Sanctuary or to attend their events… any positive Earth Religious practitioner is welcome.

Covenant of the Goddess: Founded in 1975 as an umbrella organization for solitaries and covens / groups, CoG has grown to become an international organization. Their annual gathering, MerryMeet is held in various locations around the USA. Covenant members attend religious and educational conferences and participate in interfaith outreach, community projects and social action. They provide clergy training and clergy services, youth awards, and sponsorship of college and university student groups. Read more about the Covenant of the Goddess at http://www.cog.org/ Note: You must identify as a Wiccan or Witch to be a member.

Aquarian Tabernacle Church: http://www.aquariantabernaclechurch.org/ Founded in 1979 by Pete “Pathfinder” Davis, the ATC has branched out to form many congregations around the country and the world. Membership is open to Pagans and Wiccans of any path or orientation. ATC been actively involved in support for Pagans in the military, interfaith work, clergy training and ministry through a theological seminary, holiday celebrations, life ceremonies, and an alternative Scouting program for youth called “Spiral Scouts”, revolutionary in its acceptance of all religious paths and lifestyles.

The Church and School of Wicca: Founders Gavin and Yvonne Frost have generated some controversy in the Earth Religious community over the years… please read their material and judge for yourself at http://www.wicca.org/ Founded in 1968, the Church and School of Wicca was the first Wiccan church to gain federal recognition of Wicca as a religion, including tax exemption for Wiccan organizations. Services include online training in Wicca; speaking, lectures and workshops at Pagan events, books, a newsletter, and ministerial services.

Dianic Wicca: Founded by Z Budapest in the 1970s, Dianic Wicca is for women only, and is focused on worship of the Goddess and feminist spirituality. Services include a network of covens, psychic reading and counseling, feminist activism, books, recordings, lectures, workshops and other resources, a magazine, and a Dianic University with online education, found at http://wicca.dianic-wicca.com/ Z Budapest was arrested for performing psychic readings in 1975, and has worked to legalize psychic work ever since. Many of our well-known Pagan chants were authored by her. The best way to find more information is by reading the website of author, teacher and priestess Z Budapest at http://www.zbudapest.com/

Reclaiming Tradition: http://www.reclaiming.org/ An international organization which fuses witchcraft, worship of the Goddess, and political and social activism. Reclaiming was founded around 1978 to 1980 as the Reclaiming Collective by Starhawk and Diane Baker. Services include holiday and life rituals, classes, lectures and workshops, books, a magazine, and the week-long “Witch Camp” intensive seminar. Important work includes M. Macha Nightmare’s books and discussions on Death and Dying, and Starhawks’ weekly column “On Faith” at the Washington Post, which brings an awareness of Paganism and Earth Religions to a wide variety of people. Note: You do not have to be Wiccan to be part of Reclaiming; members often self-identify as Witches.

Pagan:

Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS): http://cuups.org/ CUUPS is an independent affiliate of Unitarian Universalist Churches, dedicated to honoring Earth Traditions and the theology of respect for diversity found within UU congregations. CUUPS was founded around 1980 as a response to the emergence of feminist spirituality and goddess traditions. Members meet for worship and holiday celebrations, often within UU Churches. Other goals include networking, education, working for social justice, equality and tolerance, and bringing the joyful aspects of Pagan celebrations – music, dance, art, movement and poetry – to UU worship.

Church of All Worlds: Founded around 1962 by Tim Zell, who is now called Oberon, and Lance Christie, legally incorporated in 1970. CAW is based on the novel “Stranger in a Strange Land” by Robert A. Heinlein, utilizing the principles of earth stewardship, positive love and sexuality, and duality and imminence of Deity. Oberon Zell was the first to use the word “neo-Pagan” to describe Wicca and the Earth-based religions, a term that quickly became popular. Members of CAW are not only neo-Pagan but may hail from a variety of spiritual paths. Oberon Zell is also the founder of the Grey School of Wizardry. Morning Glory Zell, a priestess of CAW, was one of the first writers to use the word “polyamory’ to describe multiple partners. CAW services include an ordained priesthood, workshops, lectures and speaking, a network of “nests” or organizations, and an online version of the Magazine “Green Egg”, which was one of the first (and best!) periodicals geared toward the Nature Spiritual community. Find more about them at http://www.caw.org/

Druidic:

Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (ADF) is an international organization with over 4,500 members, devoted to creating a public tradition of neo-Pagan Druidry. Dedicated to scholarship, training and liturgy, ADF was founded by P.E. Isaac Bonewits, author of “Real Magick”. Seeking to reconstruct the ways of the ancient Celtic priesthood, ADF provides clergy training, rituals and ceremonies, study and a library / book list, holiday celebrations, festivals and gatherings and a quarterly magazine. Fine out more at http://www.adf.org/core/

The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBID) http://www.druidry.org/ Founded in 1964 by Ross Nichols as a revival of ancient Druidry, both the scholarly and Nature Spirituality aspects. Services include holiday celebrations, a home study course, a podcast, and the preservation and promotion of Celtic lore and legend.

Reformed Druids of North America(RDNA): http://rdna.info/ A light-hearted approach to Nature worship, billed as a “non-prophet organization”. RDNA began as a college prank to avoid attending conventional religious services in 1963. Some members hived off to form the more studious groups ADF and Henge of Keltria. RDNA pledges to keep it simple with their two tenets, both of which are “Nature is Good”.

Henge of Keltria: http://www.keltria.org/ A form of Celtic Reconstructionism, the Henge is devoted specifically to the Irish Druidic traditions. Well organized into paths of Seers, Druids and Bards, the Henge offers study groups and other networking, well-researched books and pamphlets, a blog, and outdoor worship rituals on holidays originally celebrated by the Celtic nations. The organization has sponsored gatherings and offered a presence at other festivals.

Heathen / Asatru / Northern Way:

Asatru Folk Assembly: www.runestone.org/ Founded by Steven McNallen in 1994, the AFA follows a Germanic-based neo-Pagan folkish tradition. One of their major goals is preservation and furtherance of Germanic and Scandinavian culture and religion. (Note – while folkism suggests that ancestral religion is vitally important, it does not advocate any type of racial supremacy.) The AFA sponsors gatherings for holidays and a major festival around the Summer Solstice. Their mission includes clergy training, education, promotion of Gods and Goddesses and positive values, and acceptance within the overculture.

The Troth: A universalist Heathen organization with non-profit status. (Universalism means that anyone can worship the Gods of any particular pantheon, regardless of national origin or ethnicity). Goals of the Troth include education, furthering the knowledge of the Gods and literature of Germanic and Scandinavian cultures, training clergy, promotion of interfaith dialogue, publication of learning materials, offering programs for children and youth, and sponsoring an annual gathering called “Trothmoot” which is held in different locations around the country in early June. Visit their website at http://www.thetroth.org/index.php

Sanctuary of the Stones: This smaller group is primarily Asatru yet offers rituals including holiday celebrations for all paths. It is family-oriented and has gained 501c3 non-profit status. Located in Newaygo / Fremont, Sanctuary of the Stones has been around for over 10 years. The website is: http://sanctuaryofthestones.webs.com/ Their major event is the Newaygo County Pagan Awareness Day, which features rituals, vendors, and workshops, more information found at http://nc-pad.webs.com/ This year’s Pagan Awareness Day, their fourth annual, will be held July 30th, held in Fremont, MI. The theme is “The Realm of Fairie”.

Hellenic:

Hellenismos: A reconstructivist approach to Hellenic polytheism, which is worship of Olympian deities, originating in ancient Greece. You do not need to be of Greek heritage to participate. Their discussion forum is at http://hellenismos.us/f/YaBB.pl

Neo-Hellenic Polytheism: Priest Christopher has written an excellent article on this tradition here in Magickal Media on the Resources page. PDF version: http://www.magickal-media.net/resources/Hellenic_Article.pdf This explains neo-Hellenism far better than I can. For the organization, Temple of the Greek Gods: http://templeofthegreekgods.org/

Federations

Federation of Circles and Solitaries: FOCAS is a large grouping of individuals and smaller groups / covens / circles who meets for holidays, rituals, drumming, and a coffeehouse chat night. They serve the “downriver” Detroit area, but members come from all over Michigan. There is a fee for membership -- $35 for families or covens, less for individuals. Some events may require an entry fee. Two major gatherings at Bealtaine and Samhaine include a campout, very focused ceremonies, crafts, fun and frolic, and collections for charitable contributions. It’s well worth the drive. Our family has had so much fun at FOCUS events, and it’s also very spiritually rewarding. FOCAS is involved in several causes, including “Pagans in Need” which provides food and clothing to anyone who is experiencing serious adversity; an animal shelter and animal rescue mission; and they are also involved in causes dedicated to preserving Nature. FOCAS is also affiliated with the Tempest Smith Foundation. For more information see their website at http://focasmi.org/index.htm

Other Goups:

Transitions Initiative: Not specifically Pagan, actually an environmental group focused on surviving after the end of petroleum, yet incorporating principles of Earth Based Spirituality. Transitions came from a movement in England, based on a book called “The Transitions Manual” which is available in the public library. There are two local groups, Transitions Van Buren Allegan and one in Richland. The national newsletter is on Facebook.

Past events for Allegan / Van Buren have included two “Re-skilling” meetings where attendees learned things like permaculture gardening, bee keeping, food fermentation techniques, cheese making, and creating a sustainable dwelling. There has also been a lecture by a nationally known author and a contribution to the “Tillers” gathering. Donations are accepted. The first meeting of Transitions Van Buren Allegan this year is Jan. 16, 2011 from 2-4 pm in Bloomingdale, probably at the Town Hall, located on CR 388 just east of the blinking light at the center of town on the north side of the road. “So far we want to talk about potential changes to the constitution, program planning, promotion and meeting structure. We are looking for people willing to present something related to transitions, permaculture, gardening or anything about local food or services. About a half hour or so presentation would be ideal. We are also looking for other places we might meet for an informal social gathering.”

Full Moon Drumming Circle: This is neither an “organization” nor specifically Pagan. The only purpose is meeting at the Full Moons to drum for peace, fun, personal spirituality, and meditation. There isn’t any other agenda. There is no website. Occasionally a flyer is printed listing dates. Free-form as this is, it’s amazing to note that it’s lasted for over 20 years. Meets at People’s Church in Kalamazoo beginning at 8:00 pm on the dates of the Full Moons. Check an almanac. A donation is requested to cover the cost of the venue, which has bathrooms, a large meeting area, and an outdoor fire ring. All paths and all ages are welcome. Bring percussion instruments… some are available there.

Hearth and Grove Fellowship: Specifically the Choir, which attends events around the locality, bringing song and spirituality to Pagan and secular gatherings. They have participated in fundraisers and the local winter holiday celebration. Other Hearth and Grove events and rituals have a mixed rating from me… some have been wonderful and magickal, others have been inconsistent. The Choir never fails to please. There is no fee to participate but some events may require travel money. Located in Kalamazoo, age group limited to adults and mature teens. If you are talented, enjoy singing and presenting original music, contact them on their Facebook page. They also sponsor a community brunch on the second Sunday of the month at Papa Pete’s / Blue Dolphin restaurant in Kalamazoo.

Pagan Families and Friends of West Michigan: A smaller group out of Grand Rapids, which offers rituals, child-friendly events and a family campout. Their mission statement: “PFFWM strives to involve entire families in the Pagan ways. We believe that passing on the knowledge of our paths to future generations is the only way to ensure growth and further development of the Pagan movement. It is only through education and knowledge that we can make choices of our own as to what path to follow. We are a West Michigan based support and social group of pagans and pagan-friendly families and friends. Our members are from all over West Michigan with different social and economic backgrounds. We have families with children ranging from newborn to teenagers, some with no children, and some single adults.

“It is our mission to support and present educational opportunities for our fellow pagans, children and adults, as we make our way down our own spiritual paths. We are dedicated to presenting opportunities for our families to learn more about what it means to be pagan through family friendly, hands-on public rituals, gatherings with other pagan families. We are also dedicated to developing a pagan-centered curriculum to be used as a supplement to home or classroom schooling.”

I have attended a few events with these nice folks, and have always felt welcome and encouraged. Their campout was fun and spiritual, with a child-friendly ritual, storytelling, fireworks, a potluck dinner and a scavenger hunt. Their Facebook page

Grey School of Wizardry – mentioned above under Organizations, Pagan, Church of All Worlds http://www.greyschool.com/ Information and training available for all Pagan paths.

Church and School of Wicca – mentioned above under Organizations, Wicca http://www.wicca.org/ The oldest distance-learning education facility for Wicca.

The Woolsten-Steen Theological Seminary: Aquarian Tabernacle Church – mentioned above under Organizations, Wicca http://wiccanseminary.edu/ Offers free classes, as well as an online college. The first state-recognized Wiccan school.

Dianic University – mentioned above under Organizations, Wicca http://wicca.dianic-wicca.com/ Focus is on feminist spirituality and Goddess worship.

The College of the Sacred Mists: http://www.workingwitches.com/ Affordable classes in Wicca and other neo-Pagan faiths and related subject matter. Also has a store, information about holiday celebrations, and other features. Gets my vote for prettiest Pagan website, and most accessible.

Cherry Hill Seminary: Aimed primarily at Wiccan, Pagan and Polytheistic ministers, clergy, and leadership, the seminary is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Cherry Hill Seminary offers workshops and seminars as well as online courses, including the only existent Masters Degree for Earth-Religions clergy. Goals include state licensure and accreditation. Educators and clergy have made many positive efforts at interfaith education and acceptance of Polytheistic and Nature Religions within the overculture. Cherry Hill Seminary is a non-profit organization. Their website is http://cherryhillseminary.org/

Witch School International: Witch School provides many services besides an online school of witchcraft, Wicca and magickal techniques, including networking, a chat room, a library and a store. Witch school is associated with the Correllian Nativist Tradition, one of the largest Wiccan organizations worldwide. Magick TV is the first “new media” resource for Wiccans and Pagans, offering vlogs, videos of events and classes, and the popular podcast “Pagans Tonite” hosted by Traci Logan Wood and “Ed the Pagan” Hubbard and other notable people. View their website at http://www.witchschool.com/

Pagan Educational Network: This organization began as a small, dedicated group of people working with a college to promote a positive image of Paganism to greater society. It has now grown to encompass charities, military Pagan services, rituals and the sponsoring the Chrysalis Moon Festival every July. PEN has 501-3-c nonprofit status and continues with educational efforts, disseminating information about Pagan news, as well as human rights issues and environmental concerns. There is a fee to join, yet many events and services are free. Their website is: http://www.paganeducationalnetwork.org/

About.com Pagan / Wiccan pages: http://paganwiccan.about.com/ News articles, sabbat celebrations, classes, beliefs, rituals, explanations of divination tools, general information. The best place to point out to those who are new to the Pagan religion. “Guide” Peggy Wigington is helpful and friendly. As with any basic neo-Pagan / Wiccan site there is some tendency to generalize; however, there are many portals for beginners to find additional information. My favorites: The Tattoo Gallery and arts & crafts for families. Visit them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/About-PaganWiccan/47380727943

The Witches’ Voice: http://www.witchvox.com Networking, announcements, essays, resources. “Witchvox” has been online since 1996 and is a true labor of love. People can look up others in the Earth Religious community in their town, find local and national events, access stores, websites, writers and discover many other resources. The daily news of interest to Pagans has been moved to the Facebook site at url My favorites: Commentary and musings from new writers as well as “celebrity” Pagans.

Pagan News: http://www.pagannews.com/ Articles, essays, resources, art, book reviews, sabbat information and rituals. Sometimes the news can be very out of date, and there are many commercials. The best part is the moon phase generators and the divination generators for Tarot, Runes and Horoscope, which are free, and in my experience, work quite accurately.

Facebook, of course! Look up the Magickal-Media site at http://www.facebook.com/MagickalMedia

Pagan Space: Social networking by and for Pagans, with profiles and personal pages, group pages, businesses, forums and chats, and other information. It can be challenging to navigate for newbies, so there is a “help” page for new members. The discussions are many and lively. As with Facebook, you can “like” or comment on pages and discussions. http://www.paganspace.net/

Llewellyn Worldwide: The most well-known publisher of Pagan, New Age, alternative health, divination and self-improvement books. Also publishes Tarot cards and other products. The website : http://www.llewellyn.com/ offers the extensive Llewellyn book catalogue, author bios, and a free magazine with topical articles by notable Pagan writers. My favorite feature is the online encyclopedia of all things occult or metaphysical.

New Page: Books on Earth Religions and alternative spirituality, paranormal studies, UFOs, the occult and metaphysical, and alternative knowledge. http://www.newpagebooks.com/

Red Wheel / Wiser: Books on spirituality, personal growth, esoterica, metaphysics and health, as well as Earth Religions. Their website, http://redwheelweiser.com/ also contains a blog.

BBI Media: (Blessed Bee Incorporated) Publisher of magazines for Wiccans, Witches, Pagans, and Gaians including SageWoman, Crone, and Witches and Pagans, which is an amalgamation of NewWitch and PanGaia. http://www.bbimedia.com/ “The most popular Pagan magazines in the world”.

The Pagan Pride Project: National sponsors of Pagan Pride Day celebrations worldwide, http://www.paganpride.org/ Designed for Pagan worship and celebration of the Autumnal Equinox, raising money for charities, and for education of non-Pagans. The Pagan Pride Project helps to coordinate events, provides learning materials, and raises the level of awareness about our faiths. Their listing of events isn’t very effective – much easier to navigate on The Witches’ Voice (above). However, if you wish to participate in a Pagan Pride Day event, this resource is invaluable. E-mail local coordinators from your region, who are listed on the site.

The Midwest Witches’ Ball: All paths. A masquerade ball held once per year around Samhaine in the eastern Michigan / Ann Arbor / Detroit area. Adults only. Entry fee for event. Besides the event itself there are networking opportunities through Facebook and their own website. Sponsors are encouraged to advertise on the site and in their program. One of the facilitators is Gordon Ireland who also moderates the Michigan Pagans Yahoo list and presents all kinds of Pagan networking opportunities.

Their statement: “The Midwest Witches' Ball provides a place for the community to get together and socialize. It is a chance for like-minded people to meet, exchange ideas and network. It is also a chance for people to have a good time, take a break and let their hair down in the middle of one of our more spiritual seasons. We provide the food, beverages and a DJ so everyone can have a good time without worrying about the details.” Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Witches-Ball/125955090787549 Web Page http://midwestwitchesball.com/

ConVocation: A major Pagan convention which has been held annually for 16 years. All mystical paths, activities for all ages, some activities not appropriate for kids. Entry fee. Their blurb reads: “ConVocation is an annual convention of esoteric and spiritual knowledge. Over 4 days we'll present over 140 classes and rituals to over 700 people. Our classes cover the range from Asatru to Voodoo, and nearly every form of Paganism in between.” Convocation is held in a hotel in the Detroit / Ann Arbor area. It can be pricey, including lodging, convention fees and food, but it is well worth it. Besides the informative classes and high-energy rituals, there are many other events: drumming, speakers, merchants, impromptu street theatre, an art show, book signings, good conversations, a masquerade ball, room parties, and more. This event is extremely well-organized, has a comprehensive program booklet and a hospitality room staffed by courteous people willing to answer questions. ConVocation attracts several knowledgeable teachers, authors and Pagan leaders. A truly rewarding experience. For more information contact the Magickal Education Council at http://www.convocation.org/ for more information.

The Witches’ Voice has news items posted daily on their Facebook page,
http://tinyurl.com/3qdsgog

The Wild Hunt Blog: News and commentary of interest to Pagans, Polytheists, Wiccans and others who practice nature spirituality. Blog owner Jason Pitzel-Waters finds the hot topics of the day, makes thoughtful observations, and opens the subject to debate in the comments section. The Wild Hunt also contains a listing of the best Pagan and Polytheistic blogs, networks with the Pagan Newswire Collective (below) and interacts with podcasters and other new media. www.thewildhuntblog.org Will soon be moving to the Patheos Pagan Portal (below).

Pagan Newswire Collective: News bureaus and Pagan blogs from around the nation, a few written in Spanish. http://pagannewswirecollective.com/ News items of importance to Earth Religious people, and blogs with interesting content such as “The Juggler” which is currently exploring folkloric religions in Appalachia, “No Unsacred Place” which finds magick in everyday events, and “Warriors and Kin” for Pagan military families.

Patheos: A collection of religion blogs which include Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and other religious perspectives, and all the various varieties therein, which is fascinating to read. http://www.patheos.com/Religion-Portals.html Pagans have our own portal, http://www.patheos.com/Religion-portals/Pagan.html which is a collection of blogs from such notables as T. Thorn Coyle, Galina Krasskova, Drew Jacobs and “The Daughters of Eve”, which is written by several women of color. In addition, there are news snippets and resources such as “The Future of Paganism. The grand dame of the group is Pantheon, the Pagan Blog at Patheos, http://tinyurl.com/3nbyu5l edited by Star Foster. Yes, it’s a bit confusing, until you learn to navigate your way around, but it’s worth it to read the intelligent posts and commentary on everything from legal and cultural issues, comparative religions, Gay Polytheism, pop culture events, and the latest in music and art from a Pagan perspective.