I wanted to know . . . why the most ordinary scrap of meadow can rock us back on our heels in awe.[i] – Robin Wall Kimmerer Along the roadside, broad swaths of Queen Anne’s lace and chicory grace the… Read More ›
Spirituality
On Eikev: Whose Behavior Should We Emulate? by Ivy Helman
The Torah portion for 20 August is Eikev, or Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25. Eikev describes the importance of spirituality in one’s life and proscribes the actions of spiritually-attuned people. The portion returns time and again to whom one should be spiritually connected:… Read More ›
Taking it to the Cauldron, by Molly Remer
If I squint,I can almost see steam liftingfrom a cauldron in the forestand smell changedrifting through the air.I am looking at the shardsof the year,some new-broken,some re-collected,some shining with possibility,and I feel the call,the urge,the promise,to tip them all into… Read More ›
Untangling the Triad of Life Force, Spirit and Soul by Eline Kieft
Most cultures recognize an animating ‘life force energy’, such as chi, qi, ki, kundalini, n/um, ruach, prana and mana. Life force is very closely related to ‘soul’, and often indicates vitality, original nature, instinct, intuition or inner compass. Another term… Read More ›
The Magic of the Labyrinth by Janet Maika’i Rudolph
Labyrinths are magical. I’ve always been drawn to them. About two years ago, a local Episcopalian Church rebuilt their beautiful outdoor labyrinth and opened it to the public. In concert with them, I have been delighted and honored to offer… Read More ›
Crumbs of Our Souls, by Molly Remer
So, what trail of crumbs has your soul been dropping for you? And how might you savor and kiss these fallen crumbs, rescuing them from where they’ve been kicked under the table?
From the Archives: A Handy Spiritual Practice by Barbara Ardinger
Originally posted on February 7, 2021. You read the original comments here. Here’s a simple spiritual practice that I’ve been doing for longer than I can remember. During the regime of the Orange T. Rex, I started doing it at… Read More ›
The Magic of the Ordinary, by Molly Remer
“Nothing is so simple, or so out of the ordinary for most of us, then attending to the present.” — Ernest Kurtz & Katherine Ketcham, The Spirituality of Imperfection I often speak of being in the temple of the ordinary,… Read More ›
Finding Andraste in the Norfolk Landscape by Claire Bullion
Goddess Andraste is the embodied spirit of all of nature in Norfolk, England. We know She must have been a Goddess of Sovereignty to the Iceni tribe because Queen Boudica called on her to protect the people and their lands… Read More ›
Days Like These, by Molly M. Remer
Sometimes the best ritualsare those we cannot plan,requiring only pine needles and wind,open eyesand a long, slow-sinking sunsettling gently into shadows.Sometimes the best magicof all is made withwhat is exactly right now,bluestem grass and gray feathers,raccoon footstepsbetween the trees,laughter and… Read More ›
Andraste, Celtic War Goddess – a Non-violent Approach, by Judith Shaw
Mythology can be a helpful lens through which to view the march of history. The goddesses and gods are archetypes, illustrating the many facets of human experience for us, while at the same time lighting the path of connection between… Read More ›
Sappho in a Locrian Mode by Carolyn Lee Boyd
The world Sappho envisions in her poetry is one with many lessons for us in the 21st century about how to live. While ancient Greek society, especially in later eras, was deeply misogynistic and women had few rights, Sappho’s words… Read More ›
From the Archives: Beyond Clenched Teeth: Reflections on Forgiveness by Elizabeth Cunningham
Moderator’s note: This marvelous FAR site has been running for 10 years and has had more than 3,600 posts in that time. There are so many treasures that have been posted in this decade that they tend to get lost… Read More ›
From the Archives:“Vaginas are Everywhere!”: The Power of the Female Reproductive System by John Erickson
Moderator’s note: This marvelous FAR site has been running for 10 years and has had more than 3,600 posts in that time. There are so many treasures that have been posted in this decade that they tend to get lost… Read More ›
I Sing Asherah Exalted! by Janet Maika’i Rudolph
With this season of the festivals of light upon us (Hanukkah, Christmas, Solstice, Kwanzaa), I wanted to focus on the more joyful aspects of our lives. For that, I have been diving into passages about joy and singing in the… Read More ›
Asherah, Blessed, Asherah by Janet Maika’i Rudolph
Once upon a time, the Great Goddess was the spiritual focal point of ancient culture. Her worship included honoring women, living in harmony with the earth, and cherishing the processes of the cycles of nature. Asherah was one of those… Read More ›
Rituals for Our Sons, Part 2, by Molly Remer
Five years ago, I wrote an essay for Feminism and Religion musing about rituals for our sons. I wondered aloud how we welcome sons in manhood, how we create rituals of celebrations and rites of passages for our boys as… Read More ›
Farewell to Carol Christ at the Kamilari tholos tomb, Crete by Laura Shannon
September 7, 2021 1. At the gate On a hilltop between the horned peak of Mount Psiloritis and the wide blue expanse of the Libyan Sea, Ellen Boneparth, Tina Nevans and I prepare to enter the Kamilari tholos tomb. This… Read More ›
A Mystical Journey: Psalm 93 by Janet Rudolph MaiKa’i
Sometimes I’m asked where I get my inspirations for verses to explore. In this case it was from the God Squad’s Rabbi Marc Gellman who discussed Psalm 93 in a recent column. In his analysis, he used Psalm 93 to… Read More ›
Occult Adventures with Walter Troll – A Truly True Story Part 2 by Barbara Ardinger
Read Part 1 of this story here We want you as our earth slave. I put the pendulum away. I went into Charles’s bedroom and watched TV with him. But I was addicted. First thing Saturday morning—back to the pendulum…. Read More ›
Occult Adventures with Walter Troll -A Truly True Story Part 1 by Barbara Ardinger
I was born into a Republican, Calvinist, working-class family in Ferguson, Missouri, and was a teenager during the 1950s. Nothing remotely “spooky” or occult about my life. I was fortunate to discover the Unitarian Universalist Association during my freshman year… Read More ›
Meditation in July – Weekend of July 4th by Sara Wright
I offered up morning prayers at dawn this July morning to the song of cardinals, rose breasted grosbeaks, and just barely rippling waters. The air was sweetened by water. Peace filtered through the green – seedlings, lichens, mosses, grasses, ferns,… Read More ›
More Biblical Poetry by Janet Maika’i Rudolph
This is the 3rd in a series of Biblical poetry where I am “translating” verses of the Bible. You can read the first two here: Biblical Poetry and Biblical Poetry, Part 2. One of my primary purposes of doing this… Read More ›
Singing Is a Sacred Power by Carolyn Lee Boyd
A moss-soft ballad sung from a mountain top to the sunrise. A parent’s lullaby to soothe a newborn to sleep. Thousands of voices rising together to banish injustice from our planet. A single wavering melody infusing inspiration into a moment… Read More ›
Biblical Poetry, Part 2 by Janet MaiKa’i Rudolph
Last month, I wrote about a new project I have been playing with which is to re-write biblical verses as spiritual poetry rather than follow along with stricter translations (although truth be told, my translations have never been strict). My… Read More ›
Finding the Antler, by Molly Remer
May you witnessa growing trustin the guidance around you.May you allow magic to find youwhere you are. Seven years ago, I did a drum-guided meditation in which I journeyed deep into the forest. On my head as I walked, antlers… Read More ›
A Handy Spiritual Practice By Barbara Ardinger
Here’s a simple spiritual practice that I’ve been doing for longer than I can remember. During the regime of the Orange T. Rex, I started doing it at bedtime to calm my mind so I could go to sleep. We’re… Read More ›
Mother Goddess and Mothers Hold the Key
I am of my mother – from the swirling stars of the cosmos through the long passage, contacting and expanding – birthed of her body, nourished by her love.
Delilah Reclaimed by Janet Maika’i Rudolph
*This post includes a call for stories at the end. In my previous blogpost, I wrote about the Biblical tale of Samson and Delilah and why it was likely written in a manner to hide older pagan mythos. You can… Read More ›
Mary’s Return by Sara Wright
Yesterday I learned (NPR) that a third of the oak trees in this country will be dead within 50 years; I also read that our sugary harbingers of spring, the Maples, are dying confirming my own observations. I try to… Read More ›
feminismandreligion.com 