The 8 social Sabbats

    As I  look at the various pagan communities, I  see many  great things and a few bad things about it. I  love being a part of the pagan community.  There is a level of disconnect within the pagan community for  each other and with  the rest of the world it seems in my eyes. This  goes for the solitary practitioner and those that  are members of covens. We have become entrenched in a cycle of  the life , that  we kind of forgot about living. What  I  mean is that  it  seams most pagans can tell  you about the 8  sabbats , the 13 esbats, their primary gods and goddesses, and recite the wiccan rede. This in a way  does bother me,  it is slowly turning into  a dogmatic  cycle of being pagan.

    When I  think  about dogma , I  automatically think  about the Christian dogma and all  the boring cycles it has and all the troubles that it has as well.  And if you have ever had to  deal  with  or witness the cold hearted approach that  some Christians have towards non-believers, you  might have asked yourself ..."Why  don't they teach Christians how to live in society?"  In my debate room days the frequent question was why  does the church  spend so much time preaching about dying and going to heaven, but no  time on being a part of society?  And I  started to  think  that  we as pagans are falling into  this same situation, and I  don't want that  to happen.

     Because paganism is an umbrella term, it covers a lot of ground and  groups. Odinists that  would carry an axe for some ceremony  work  are in the same group as "Harm none" Wiccans.   As in Christianity there are rifts between the different denominations, so  I  know we will have the same issue as the Pagan community grows and gets stronger.  And it is human nature to focus on the differences and forget what  we have in common with  others.  But for Pagans it is much  worse, there is a feel  of being head strong in beliefs and being shunned by others.  So  we separate and hide our pagan sides to  society, we can walk next to  another pagan and never know it.

     So I  was doing a lot of thinking on what  can be done to  stop  this and improve the pagan community. I  decided that  I  was going to  create 8 new sabbats for my practice that  focus on being a better person and a part of society.  No longer was I  going to  hide who  and how I  am. The eight traditional sabbats will  stay in place, and be treated with  the great respect they  deserve. I  will  refer to  these as the 8  Solar Sabbats because they  are based off of the solar year.  In between each  sabbat I will  be placing a Social  Sabbat.  These will  work on improving our personal and social lives and break us out of the ruts that  some of us are in.

1. Dec 21      Yule
2. Jan 11.      Resolution Day
3. Feb 2.       Imbolc
4. Feb 25.     Peace Day
5. Mar 21     Ostara
6. Apr 11,    Friendship  day
7. May  1     Beltaine
8. May  27   Homage Day
9. June 21    Litha
10. July  11.  Animal Day
11. Aug 1      Lughnasadh
12. Aug 27    Rustic day
13. Sept 21    Mabon
14. Oct 11     Sharing Harvest Day
15. Oct 31      Samhain
16. Nov 26    Day of Mourning

    I know that  the names of these new sabbat ideas may  sound corny, but they  are still  a work in progress.

    Resolution day  is a day  of self discovery  and evaluation. Taking a lists of good and bad traits that  you have , and thinking about why  you are that  way.  And making a 3rd list on who  you want to  be in the coming years. The ritual  that I have figured out is taking the good qualities list and the who  you want to  be list and place them in your  book of shadows .  The list of negative qualities  would be burned at  the altar , symbolizing you shedding the parts you no longer want.

    Peace Day is about resolving the conflicts in your life and your part of the world. The day is spent  thinking about who  you have issues with and why.  and when possible talk them out and end the hatred.

    Friendship  day is a day  devoted to  making new pagan friends.  With  the previous sabbats completed you are a better person and  worthy  of making new pagan acquaintances.

    Homage day, is a day  devoted to  honoring people that  have changed your lives. not just immediate family and veterans. This concept is about learning and honoring the great people of history and how  they  affected us today.  The ritual that I envisioned is a meal  with many images of the honored people and openly talking about them and to  them. Many  people love Robin Williams, you could have an image of him on a wall and talk about your favorite movie and how it moved you.

    Animal day is to  focus on the animals in our world. We as pagans focus on how the plants are growing that  sometimes we forget to  look  at  the animals.  It is summertime, so  spend time with  animals outside, maybe go  to  the zoo if you don't have any  pets.  Go  vegan for a day if you still  eat meat. Have a ritual  that  focuses on the totem animals and their  attributes.  Such  as the Bear is a symbol of the earth and strength.

    Rustic day is to  remind us that  the natural  world is not of computers and cellphones.  That  people used fire to  cook  and not a microwave.  Shun all  modern equipment the best that  you can and live life like  those back in the day.  I know that  we can never get back  to  the say it used to  be in the 400's.  I  plan to  live that  day  like it  was 1914 not 2014.

    Sharing the Harvest Day  is about sharing the good foods ands wealth that  we may  have. The foods are being harvested in the fields, this should be a day  to make sure that  nobody goes hungry. Have a ritual  for some food that  you can give to  charity.  Maybe you know a family that is down on their luck,  cook  them a meal  and give it to them. For those that  are also  having economic issues, I  thought about setting up  a potluck for friends and family.  If everyone brought one dish, the group  will have a good meal and good friendship.

    Mourning day, Homage day  was to  celebrate all  the positive moments and people in history during the waxing time of the year. Mourning day is to  show respect for those that  lost and suffered .  A ritual  to  send out energy so  that  these people would not be forgotten for  what  they  did or went through.

 I  think  that  this  would be a great journey for us pagans to  take. With  resolution day  we are reborn. We  make peace and friendship as we grow in the year. As the year matures we show respect to  those that made our lives possible and to  world around us.  Then we learn about work  and sharing with others. Finally as the year  starts to  end we mourn those that  paid a high price for what  they  believed in.

    I  would love to  hear some feedback  from others about this idea of mine. And do  you know of any  other pagans that  have similar ideas. Take Care and Be At Peace.

Evangelical Pagans and Shunning..

     I  was greatly disturbed yesterday  when I  quickly peeked at Facebook  before I  headed off to  work. I  have Shauna Aura Knight on my friends list and she recently posted a comment that  bothers me greatly.  Shauna is upset that  the Frosts are invited guests to  the Michigan Pagan Pride Day,  and she has decided to campaign to remove the Frosts from this  event. Here is the post she made:

There are a many issues here that  just upset me greatly. Shauna lives in Illinois and is from Wisconsin. Why is she getting involved with  what is going on in Michigan. If a group in Michigan want to  have the Frosts  as guests, they  should be allowed without  some out of state person complaining.  Shauna is just as  bad in my eyes as the  American Family Association. This is one of a few groups that  sent Campaign money to Iowa after Iowa legalized Gay marriage. They made it their mission to  oust the judges that  voted in favor of Gay  marriage.  Shauna is wanting to  campaign to oust the frosts.

One of my Favorite aspects of Paganism is the freedom that we all  have in following the path  that  we want. You  can place 200  pagans in the same room and not find two  that  share the same exact beliefs. There is really no  wrong way  to  be a pagan. But Shauna is basically telling these people in Michigan that  they  are wrong in  wanting to  have the Frosts to  be at their event.  A couple of pagans must have wanted to  meet the frosts and they are being told be Shauna that  this is wrong.

Shauna is saying that  her problems aren't with  the Frosts, but  with  the pagans that  support them.  That it is 'water under the bridge". If it is actually water under the bridge, why is she getting so upset about  this?  But  she did  mention that  the Frosts were "wrong" with  what  they  wrote TWICE.  Everyone including Shauna can have an opinion, but  there is a difference in having an opinion and trying to enforce it one others. Shauna has become an Evangelical Pagan, she has decided that  her  moral  standards are above others.  Because everybody that  doesn't  agree with  her must change their  way of handling of the Frosts.  Shauna wants you to  SHUN the Frosts.  There is no  way  of spinning this to not look like shunning.  Shauna is very  descriptive to  the level of interaction she wants the Frosts to  get... NONE!!!

     When did  Shunning become a part of Paganism?  Up until  this  year I  have never heard of any  pagans be told that  they  are to  be shunned. With  Shauna's demand that  the Frosts receive no  hospitality, this makes it the second time for me to  see Shunning used in Paganism. The first was a few months ago when a lady  that  I  was in a disagreement with  said that  she would block me from attending a any  pagan event  within 300 miles.  And what  makes this situation even worse is that  both these people are members of a pagan leadership group on Facebook.  And that  should  make you  see some red flags.  It is also  how organized religion works, Paganism is going to  face some growing pains very  soon. Name a religion that is famous for shunning people?............ I  bet over half of you said Christianity.  Didn't many of us Pagans leave Christianity because of things like this?

     Shauna is upset  with  the Frost's writings , calling them unethical.  Which is something that  I  find hypocritical. Shauna is asking for the Frosts to  be shunned by the pagan community.  In her eyes they shouldn't be a part of any  events and nobody should attend their classes.  This is how pagans earn money in the pagan community. Thus Shauna is openly blocking the Frosts  from employment in the  Pagan community. Shauna is Blackballing the Frosts, and that is an illegal action.  And the legal  definition for Blackballing in Iowa (my State) is: Preventing or trying to prevent, either verbally or in writing, a discharged employee from obtaining other employment.

     Why is Shauna so  upset? Because the Frosts wrote a book " The witch's bible" later named "The good witches bible". Chapter four has some writings that  can be taken in a unethical manner. It is talking about sex in the coven, and that  new members should be prepared to  be sexual within the coven. In the original edition no  age was stated and thus a few people like A J Drew took  it as targeting children. Shauna states in her post that  the Frosts have done nothing about this problem. When in fact they have done all they  can do to fix the situation.  They have revised the book, calling the revised version 'The Good Witches Bible" In which  they have added a disclaimer stating   "No formal initiation into a group that practices the great rite should be done before the candidate attains the age of eighteen."   18 is the legal age of adulthood, thus no kids would be brought in to  this act.  The reason why  this issue won't die is because there are still  copies of the original book still out there and that is what  people are looking for. The Frosts can't go out  and find every single copy and destroy them. And the revised edition was printed over 25 years ago.

     Evangelical Shauna has decided that  the many many  pagans that have moved past this one book are wrong as well.  Shauna is upset that  these pagans have swept this issue under the carpet.  Remember that  wonderful aspect about Paganism, how we can each  find our own unique path. Shauna thinks you are wrong for not  punishing the Frosts as much as she thinks they  deserve.  Should it be up  to  the individual  to decide who  they wish  to  be friends with and learn from?  Shauna has decided that she is the moral  standard and that  you apparently need to  follow her desires when it  comes to  the Frosts. I  have ideals and ethics as well, but I  can't and won't campaign to  have them imposed on others.  I am not perfect, and my  ethics are ideal for my culture and location. Paganism is a world wide blanket term for various earth based religions, covering many  cultures and nations. Who am I  to  say that  my ethics can be put on the world,  I  would be an ASS is I  tried that. But Shauna is doing it by  telling others that  the Frosts should be shunned and receive nothing from the Pagan community.

     I  did my research on the Frosts. I  double checked sources looking for anything that  was questionable about them.  If they  were molesting children,  I  wanted to  see the proof of it. And that is the thing,  The Frosts have never be charged with  molesting children.  There are people like A J Drew that have accused them of it, but  they  are innocent of child molestation.  I seen people on Shauna's post call them child molesters, and Shauna never corrected them on the name calling.  The Frosts are being punished for a crime they  did not commit.  They  are only guilty of poorly writing and explaining their ideas about sex in the coven. I  read the Wild Hunt that  said the same thing I  am saying,  The Frosts have never been found guilty or charged with  child molestation, but  some people  assume that  they  have.

     Then I  have been asking myself a very important question. Why is Shauna doing this? The Book in question has been out of print for over 25 years. The Frosts have added the disclaimer, thus editing and removing the  parts in question.  It is my opinion that  Shauna has gotten a little too  big  for her britches and is still  working on building her name.  I  call  her an Evangelical  because she is trying to impose her ideals on others,  showing little regard to  the individuality that  pagans love.   Most evangelicals need something to  preach  against. Christianity has satan and sins, Shauna as it seems has picked the Frosts.  The Frosts are 84 and 83 years old, it is a canned hunt. Just like the crude trophy hunters that  spend money  hunting an old or injured tiger, Shauna is 38 years old with  a large online fan base of young people that  have probably never read any  book  by the Frosts. In my opinion , Shauna is just as bad as A J Drew when he decided to  burn the Frosts in Effigy.

     I  am going to post my blog on Shauna's facebook  page.  I  am blunt and to  the point, some of these questions need to  be answered. Shauna, when did shunning become an acceptable practice in Paganism? Who  gave you the authority to  decide which people need to  be shunned?  Shouldn't the  Pagans of Michigan be the ones to  decide who will  be the special guests at their Pagan event? After all, it is Michigan Pagan event and not Shauna Pagan event.  Are you going to  create a list of all  pagans that  are not allowed to  be special guests at Pagan events? So  that  next year Michigan doesn't have to  ask you before they  pick that years special  guests.  Shauna is out doing a witch  hunt on two people that done a lot for  the pagan community. It  was their church  that  was the first federally recognized pagan Church. They  have written many  books, and have helped teach many  pagans. I  remember there being discussions about respecting older pagans for all  the knowledge they have is important to  share,  I  guess you missed those discussions.

      Those two pagans wrote the very first pagan book I  ever read,   I  do  respect the older pagans that  have so much  to teach us.  They are not guilty of any  crimes against children.  So if you are looking for a fight,  you now have one with me.