This Week In Heresy

In this episode of TWIH we talk to Rabbi Mychal Copeland, editor of “Struggling in Good Faith: LGBTQI Inclusion from 13 American Religious Perspectives” and Director of InterfaithFamily/Bay Area. We talk about her decision to go to rabbinical school, the varied interpretations of the bible, and how to navigate being part of an interfaith couple. How does being an interfaith couple today compare to the past? How does talking together about people’s experiences with religious traditions help families work out how to get along spiritually? How do we heal from our respective church burn when one’s partner (or partners) is practicing a form of the tradition that caused it? How can community help significant others through the ups and downs of an interfaith family in our society?

Rabbi Mychal Copeland is the Bay Area Director of InterfaithFamily after having served as Rabbi at Hillel at Stanford for 11 years. She has worked with interfaith couples and families throughout her rabbinate, and her blog about interfaith family life can be found at InterfaithFamily.com. Mychal writes a monthly Torah column for the J: Jewish News Weekly of Northern California. She is the co-editor of Struggling in Good Faith: LGBTQI Inclusion from 13 American Religious Perspectives [Skylight Paths Publishing, 2015]. She is passionate about opening the doors of Judaism wider and leading people towards a profound spiritual and religious life that embraces all of their disparate identities. Mychal is married to Kirsti Copeland and they have two children.

Links

Website: http://strugglingingoodfaith.com/

Facebook for Struggling in Good Faith: https://www.facebook.com/strugglingingoodfaith/

Rabbi Mychal’s Huffington Post Blog

Facebook for Interfaith Family: https://www.facebook.com/groups/InterfaithFamilySanFranciscoBayArea/

Books

Struggling in Good Faith: LGBTQI Inclusion from 13 American Religious Perspectives edited by by Rabbi Mychal Copeland MTS and D'vorah Rose BCC

Heathenry is going through a difficult stage in it’s evolution, especially lately. In this episode, we talk to Alf Herigstad founder of the Hawk’s Hearth Kindred, about his tradition of heathenry and the various issues that are important in heathenry today. What is heathenry? Why is there racism in heathenry? What are people doing about it? What does Heathen lore say about difference, and how does racism go against the edict of hospitality? Alf also talks about doing prison ministry, being on a Norwegian reality TV show, and his tradition’s use of animal sacrifice.

Note: This episode talks about animal sacrifice and farm life.

Alf Herigstad grew up in Washington State where he and his wife still reside on a small farm. He is a veteran of the Army, a former owner of several construction businesses, as well as a former long haul trucker and real estate agent. His employment list is long and varied because, as he says...he likes to learn new things.

Raised as a Christian Alf at one time had an ambition to become an evangelical preacher and was very active in his local church. After life took several turns he found himself disillusioned with that path. Being descended from Norwegian immigrants he turned to one of his life-long interest; that of researching his heritage...that led to his discovery of Asatru

Alf first became interested in Asatru around 2005, he began attending a Kindred local to him. He took to it immediately and after intense study eventually attained a position in the kindred. He was ordained / appointed as a Gothi in 2008. Then, in 2011 founded a new Kindred; Hawk's Hearth, which currently consists of about 30 members.

Alf is the host of a new podcast; Being A Better Man. A secular program devoted specifically to the character of men. The idea is to be a better man today then we were yesterday...then do that every day. Although the program is secular in nature, his opinions are strongly influenced by his heathen philosophy and in that way he is infusing his listeners with a healthy dose of Heathen principles...which he says is basically just common sense.

Links:

Hawk’s Hearth: www.hawkshearth.com (website still being added to and updated)

Alf’s Podcast: www.beingabettermanpodcast.com

Alf’s email: [email protected]

Jenya T. Beachy joins us in this episode to talk about the Feri tradition, farming, and the importance of self care. What is it like to live with the land? What does it mean to be a Root Worker? What is the meaning and nature of Power? Jenya describes her journey into witchcraft, her experiences with Cora Anderson, and why she decided to go live on a farm with goats and chickens.

This episode is part of a series of interviews with people who will be presenting at Pantheacon 2016.

Jenya T. Beachy is a Teacher, Preacher, Rootworker, Farmer, and Writer of the popular blog, “Dirt-Heart Witch”. She has been walking the Twisted Path of the Craft for over 25 years, studying the old ways and forging new ones. Her Work combines the clean, simple magick of the Kitchen Witch and the dark, wild magick of the Mad Poet, all mixed up with a wild devotion to the Heart of the Cosmos. One of Jenya’s favorite forms of Witchery is concerned with connecting to the myriad consciousnesses of the worlds, from microcosm to macro-, in all their forms and powers.

Links

Jenya’s Facebook

Website: http://jenyatbeachy.com

In this episode we talk to David Shorey and Chase Powers, both members of the Unnamed Path, a magickal tradition for Men Who Love Men. What is the Unnamed Path? Why is single gendered space important to some people? Why do people get stuck on the gender binary, and why do people get bent out of shape when people want more inclusivity in single-gender spaces (i.e.: inclusion of transgender, bisexual, multi-faith, etc.)? What is the importance of language in gendered space? And…what about Beltane?

Note: Apologies for the Skype noise. Skype was not being our friend during the interview!

This episode is part of a series of interviews with people who will be presenting at Pantheacon 2016.

David Shorey is an Initiate and Teacher of The Unnamed Path, a spiritual tradition for men-who-love-men. In addition, David is a student of Druidry and member of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids. He is also an Apprentice in Faery Seership under Orion Foxwood. David lives in San Diego with his two partners, Tommie and Virgil, and their dog Murphy.

Chase Powers is an Initiate and teacher of the Unnamed Path, and a student of Anderson Feri, currently living in Houston, Texas. Between spiritual work, video games, and graphic design, he still finds time to fight

with people on the internet and make bad jokes.

Links

David’s Email: [email protected]

Website: www.unnamedpath.com

The Unnamed Path Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/unnamedpath/

In this episode we talk to Angus McMahan about the role of humor and storytelling in society and in the pagan community specifically. What makes you laugh? What is it about humor that helps us understand things that we may not know about it? How can humor help us make breakthroughs when other things can’t? What is the line between the humorous and the political? We also talk about our most interesting experiences doing tarot…

This episode is part of a series of interviews with people who will be presenting at Pantheacon 2016.

Angus McMahan is a gregarious solitary who can usually be found playing strange drums strangely at various Community Seed rituals. He is a lego sculptor, a cross-country marcher, a crop circle inspiration, a breathtakingly slow triathlete and a writer of no great renown.

Links

Email: [email protected]

Angus’ Website: www.angus-land.com

Angus’ Patheos blog: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/askangus/

Books

The Witch's Athame: The Craft, Lore & Magick of Ritual Blades (The Witch's Tools Series) by Janson Mankey

Laine DeLaney joins us in this episode to talk about her journey from her childhood religion of Islam to her current Heathen and magickal traditions. What does it mean to be a Heathen? Do you have to be of Northern European descent to be a “proper Heathen”? Is there really such a thing as an “unbroken” tradition? Why is hospitality important? We also talk about how accepting people as they identify themselves and accepting their humanness is important in accepting the “Other.”

This is part of a series of interviews with people who will be presenting at Pantheacon 2016.

Laine DeLaney was born in Western New York and has spent much of her life trying to escape its pull, but recently has made a new home in San Diego, California. She has been a member of several traditions and has acted as a clergyperson, spiritual guide, and seeress for various groups and communities. Laine writes for pleasure (science fiction on her Empyrean Dreams blog and other random fiction), for profit (as a custom content creator), for activism (in her columns in various LGBT publications), to discuss Pagan issues (on The Lady's Quill on Patheos Pagan and Pagan Church Lady on WordPress), and because she has difficulty stopping.

Links

Email: [email protected]

Website: Pagan Church Lady

Pagan Church Lady on Facebook

Shauna Aura Knight joins us in this episode to talk about ritual practices that can make our public rituals more inclusive. What do we mean by inclusivity? How do we make the welcome clear so that others know that they are welcome into the ritual? Why are people so averse to using more inclusive language or making accommodations for allergy, disability, and gender issues? What is the responsibilities of public priests to ensure that their rituals are inclusive as possible? How do you take ownership, as an ally, of your process, especially in admitting when you’ve done something wrong even if it was unintended? What happens when you realize that the pagan community isn’t a monolith of belief?

This is a first in a series of interviews with people who will be presenting at Pantheacon 2016.

Shauna Aura Knight is an artist, author, ritualist, presenter, and spiritual seeker, Shauna travels nationally offering intensive education in the transformative arts of ritual, community leadership, and personal growth. Shauna is passionate about creating rituals, experiences, spaces, stories, and artwork to awaken mythic imagination. She is the author of The Leader Within, Ritual Facilitation, and Dreamwork for the Initiate’s Path. She’s a columnist on ritual techniques for CIRCLE Magazine, and her writing also appears in the anthologies Stepping in to Ourselves, A Mantle of Stars, Calling to our Ancestors, and Bringing Race to the Table.

She’s also the author of urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels including The Truth Upon Her Lips, A Fading Amaranth, A Winter Knight’s Vigil, Werewolves in the Kitchen, Werewolves with Chocolate, and more. Shauna’s mythic artwork and designs are used for magazine covers, book covers, and illustrations, as well as decorating many walls, shrines, and other spaces. http://www.shaunaauraknight.com

Links

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://shaunaaura.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShaunaAuraKnightRitualist

Pantheacon 2016 Schedule

Storm Faerywolf joins us in this episode to talk about the Feri Tradition, being a public witch (or warlock, in Storm's case), and the role of secrecy and privacy in modern witchcraft. What does it mean to be a public witch? Why do humans have a need to define what other people's paths are and hold absolutist attitudes about what is "right" and "proper"? What is the role of secrecy, and what is the difference between secrecy and privacy? Is secrecy still necessary in the age of the internet? We also talk about cultural appropriation, privilege, and the power of walking between the worlds. Storm Faerywolf is an author, teacher, artist, warlock, priest, and initiate of the Faery/Feri tradition of witchcraft. With nearly thirty years experience practicing the Craft and teaching for more than twenty, Storm has lead open circles, given lectures, and taught both public and private classes in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the U.S. He holds the Black Wand and is the founder of BlueRose, his own school and lineage within the Faery tradition, offering classes both in-person and online. He is the author of The Stars Within the Earth, and the forthcoming Betwixt and Between: Exploring the Faery Tradition of Witchcraft. For more information about his classes, books, CD's or art visit his website. Links

Website: faerywolf.com

www.feritrad.org

The Mystic Dream (Storm's store)

In this episode we talk to Elly Hadaway who is a musician, Druid, and Quaker, who is disabled. We talk about the intersections between Druidism and Quakerism, accessibility and sometimes lack thereof, in the pagan community, and her recently released EP "Tell Me Where the Ocean Went" (which you can buy through the BandCamp link below). The song at the end of the show is "I Am The Mountain" from her new album.

Elly Hadaway is an English folk singer, ukulele player and songwriter, who's also been a jazz bass player, classical soprano and choral composer. They are a Christo-Pagan Druid, and their work draws on a deep love of nature and a fascination with the stories that lie in landscapes. They spend rather too much time being stuck inside due to their disabilities, and far too little time yomping up mountains and engaging with the Gods."

Links

Bandcamp page: https://ellythefolk.bandcamp.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EllyTheFolk

Twitter: @ellythefolk

In this episode we talk to Esther Bamberg, a pagan atheist. What does it mean to be a pagan atheist? How does conversion contribute to misunderstandings? Can you be an atheist and still work magick? Does spiritual work necessitate a actual belief in a deity in order to give fulfillment? If someone identifies as part of a tradition or spiritual path, why do people tend to question a person's identity just because they don't practice the same way? Esther Bamberg is very much into the virtue of action. The rewards of virtue are many, but the one she likes most about action is having done it. She gets a lot out of it personally. This is why she has volunteered for Pcon for almost two decades, and why in 2015 she helped organize and participated in a pagan atheist awareness event at Pcon. It was this work which led to this interview. Esther's credentials, memberships, ordinations, associations, degrees, etc. are private. She knows it is expected to list them in a bio like this, but she'd rather talk about how she can help. It isn't that talk is cheap. Conversations matter. But discussion and debate are activities. They are something you do. Links Email: [email protected]