Gebo: the rune of gifts, exchanges, and sacrifices. This morning I gave my physical body a gift: I went for a run. I could have spent the first twenty minutes of my morning in infinite other ways: sleeping in, reading,…
Do Norse Pagans Follow the Wheel of the Year?
Do Norse Pagans follow the Wheel of the Year? I’ll bypass the suspense and jump straight to the answer: “yes,” “no,” and “it depends” are all correct and acceptable responses. Ynglinga Saga tells us the ancient Norse pagans celebrated three…
Lughnasadh: How to Celebrate When You Live in a Hot Climate
Does anyone else struggle to connect with the festival Lughnasadh? I used to — it can feel strange and isolating seeing the greater pagan community celebrating the “early signs of autumn” on what is traditionally one of the hottest days…
Mage By Moonlight Has Raised $1,000 for the Equal Justice Initiative!
In July 2020, I announced on Instagram that I would be donating 10% of all sales from the Mage By Moonlight Etsy Store to the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit organization that provides legal representation to prisoners who have been wrongly convicted…
#PaganUPG Episode 6: Saturn
Am I the only pagan who venerates Saturn? It feels that way sometimes…alas, the world would be better with more Saturn devotees so let’s share some UPG. Quick refresher: Saturn is the Roman god of agriculture, wealth, liberation &…
#PaganUPG Episode 5: Selene
Given that I practice Norse paganism, some may be surprised to learn that I primarily venerate Selene (the Greek personified Moon) rather than Máni (the Norse personified Moon). The truth is, Selene was the first pagan deity I ever connected…
#PaganUPG Episode 4: Freyja
I feel that Freyja is too often reduced to something more akin to a sexual fantasy than a divine power. In my experience (and in the mythologies!), Freyja shares quite a bit in common with Odin, from claiming half of…
#PaganUPG Episode 3: Odin
The energy of Odin could not differ more from the energy of his son Thor, who I discussed in my previous UPG post. Unlike Thor, Odin does not always appear or answer my prayers; unlike Thor, Odin’s presence does…
#PaganUPG Episode 2: Thor
Thor’s energy feels, above all else, protective. Okay, that’s not entirely UPG—Thor is the Protector of Midgard, after all. But what I mean is that Thor is not just the powerful warrior who fights fiercely in battle & slays…
#PaganUPG Episode 1: Gaia
For some context, I tend to fall into the category of polytheistic pagans known as “hard polytheists,” meaning I believe there are many gods that are real and distinct (rather than archetypes, as “soft polytheists” believe). My one exception: Mother…
Introducing the #PaganUPG Series
(Note: You may have seen this series before over on the Mage By Moonlight Instagram. Given the extremely positive response, I have decided to share it here on the blog as well. Enjoy!) I am very excited to announce the start…
Joining the Ancient Order of Druids in America
On the morning of the Summer Solstice, I completed my initiation into the Ancient Order of Druids in America. The timing of this worked out quite perfectly; my application to the Order was accepted four weeks ago, and it took…
