Pagans for the Planet

A belated Happy Mabon, everyone!

Snowtember appears to be upon us once more.  Snowy Thanksgivings have been with us before, but we can only trust that there won’t be any lasting snowfalls until after Samhain.  That is, if any “weather normals” can be trusted anymore.

I write this at the end of a week of climate actions, with two local Climate Strikes Sep 20 and 27.  The timing of the actions this year is good, with youth activist Greta Thunberg’s chastising of the United Nations; the Federal Election; and a pre-election atmosphere in the U.S.  It’s definitely Thunberg’s moment in the sun, although she promises to be a lifelong leader of the movement.  Not to be forgotten are other youth leaders, such as Severn Cullis-Suzuki (daughter of David) who spoke at the Rio Summit in 1992, and Autumn Peltier, a young Anishinabe water activist who also spoke at the U.N. with Thunberg.  These and other local leaders will continue the environmental movement as the climate crisis deepens.

A friend at last week’s protest lamented that local pagans are a more than a little wanting in being politically or environmentally active in any organized capacity.  We’ll attend Pride Week, but to my knowledge we haven’t marched in it as Pagans.  The same applies to climate actions; we’ll be there, but not as Pagans Proud.  I understand there are several reasons for this.  Many of us are in the broom closet, and yes, several of us make or have made our livings through oil and gas, and/or have friends in the industry, and climate marches can be seen as a betrayal of those friends and values, and contrary to “corporate ethics”.  Many have busy lives, with only so much energy to give; for them and others, paganism is more a means for social and spiritual connection.  And yet, as pagans, we worship Mother Earth; the corollary is that we should be working for her welfare.  I know that “should” is a null word.  At the least, this means making proper life choices, but at the more advanced level, participating and organizing political actions and demonstrations can be a part of that too.  Much is made that “organizing pagans is like herding cats”; still, with proper motivation (like coordinated feedings), cats can in fact be herded; they just need to want to be herded.  And charismatic leaders like Thunberg can certainly motivate that desire for change.

A correction from last month:  After exchanging texts with the resourceful Vanessa Cardui, I now understand that I gave her a little too much credit in last month’s Almanack as a pagan liturgist.  Reading too much into a demo disk, which was essentially just the sound files, I didn’t give credit where credit was due.  The “Hymn to Ares” is in fact the Homeric Hymn.  The lyrics to “For Hestia…” are all hers, although I believe she took inspiration from Classical texts, and she admits “final credits are all to Hestia”.  Her skill as a liturgist is to take this historical material and give it new life in the 21^st Century, for an audience who may be unfamiliar with them.

October Events:

 Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement should be necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. All times MDT.

Oct 2-6:  Rocktober Rock and Gem Show at Westerner Park Parkland Pavilion, Red Deer.  https://www.facebook.com/events/1147999012049012/

Oct 4-6:  Calgary New Earth Expo at Big Four Building, Stampede Park.  https://www.facebook.com/events/396816184205928/

Oct 4, 7:00 pm:  Circles of Rhythm Drum Circle, Inglewood Community Centre.  https://www.meetup.com/The-Calgary-Drum-Circle-Meetup-Group/

Oct 5, 11:00 am:  Coven Collective YYC Bazaar at Tuxedo Park Community Centre. https://www.facebook.com/events/2550160918329283/

Oct 11-14:  HEX Halloween & Entertainment Expo at BMO Centre.  http://www.hex.ca

*Oct 11, 2:00 pm:  Brewing with Witches at The Stoketown Café +Cure, Lethbridge, hosted by Southern Alberta Pagan Association (SAPA).  https://www.facebook.com/events/535757773631480/

Oct 11, 7:00 pm:  Circles of Rhythm Drum Circle (see Oct 4).

Oct 12, 10:00 am:  Witches’ Brew Market at Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Association.  https://www.facebook.com/events/309619339661704/

Oct 12, 6:45 pm:  Calgary Cuddle Party at Scarboro Community Hall, hosted by Numinous Creations.  https://www.facebook.com/events/687289765110583/https://www.facebook.com/events/687289765110583/

Oct 13, 10:00 am:  Hempfest Cannabis Expo at Big Four Building, Stampede Park.  https://www.facebook.com/events/523455018163021/

*Oct 13, 11:00 am:  SAPA Chapters Hallowe’en Fundraiser at Chapter’s Lethbridge.  https://www.facebook.com/events/714733078998912/

*Sep 13, 5:00 pm:  Spirit Warriors at private residence, Lethbridge, hosted by SAPA.  https://www.facebook.com/events/508784149882279/

*Oct 13, 3:08 pm:  Full (Hunter’s or Blood) Moon.

Oct 14:  Canadian Thanksgiving.

*Sep 14, 2:00 pm:  Breathing Workshop at Gyro Park, Lethbridge, hosted by SAPA.  https://www.facebook.com/events/2311443525789234/

*Sep 15, 5:00 pm:  Playing with Pixies at Palm Park, Lethbridge, hosted by SAPA.  https://www.facebook.com/events/1412167332264553/

Oct 18-20:  Calgary Gem and Mineral Show at Big Four Building, Stampede Park.  http://www.calgarygemshow.com/

Oct 18-20:  Calgary Tattoo & Arts Festival at BMO Centre.  https://albertatattooshows.com/calgary

Oct 18, 7:00 pm:  Circles of Rhythm Drum Circle (see Oct 4).

Oct 19, 11:00 am:  Calgary Kinky Flea Market at Forest Heights Community Centre.

*Oct 20, 1:00 pm:  Calgary’s Witches and Wiccans Pub Moot.

Oct 21:  Federal Election.  Vote, or vote not.  There is no ‘try’.

Oct 25, 7:00 pm:  Circles of Rhythm Drum Circle (see Oct 4).

*Oct 25, 7:00 pm:  Cochrane Tribe Night, hosted by NRG Healing Works.  https://www.facebook.com/events/319428312022453

Oct 26, 10:00 am:  Enchanted Okotoks in Olde Towne Okotoks.  https://www.facebook.com/events/665428850535107/

*Oct 26, 7:00 pm:  Calgary Heathens Meet and Greet.

*Oct 27, 9:38 pm:  New Moon.  Lunar Month of Ngetal/Reed begins.

*Oct 28:  Celtic Tree-Month of Ngetal/Reed begins, according to Graves and Llewellyn.

*Oct 31, 9:41 am:  Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio begins 9:41 am (to Nov 20).

*Oct 31, 6:13 pm:  Sunset.  Traditional Samhain begins.

Nov 2, 7:00 pm:  “Witches Night Out YYC” Fundraiser for Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter, at Calgary Shrine Event Centre.  Women only; beware of Cowans/Muggles!