The Heretic Speaks #6: Who do you say I am?

This episode we welcome Darnell Fennell, the founding pastor of Just Love, a radically inclusive church plant in Houstan, TX. We discuss what it’s like to create an inclusive church in an area that is seen as more conservative to the wider progressive community. What does it mean to be “church” and what are the difficulties in starting a new church in general? How do you bridge the conversation on race and privilege in a mixed congregation? What is the importance of doing the inner work outside of the worship space?  We also discuss how to pastor people through the ever shifting political and social justice landscape, and the difficulties, financially and emotionally, of being progressive clergy. 

 

Note: Apologies for some of the noise, Skype was being a bit cranky. Also, this was recorded at the end of May before the shootings in Orlando.

 

Darnell Fennell is a native Texan, from southwest Houston. He is no stranger to church having grown up in the Baptist tradition where he discovered a deep passion for ministry. In 2011 Fennell received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Religious Studies from the University of Houston followed by a Master of Divinity from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, Ca in 2014. As an ordained minister in Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), he has returned to Southwest Houston to begin work on a new church plant, Just Love. Darnell is over church as usual and desires to see a renewed Church, one that takes love seriously.

 

Links

Just Love: http://www.justlovehouston.org

Facebook: D. D. Fennell

Pacific School of Religion

 

In this episode we talk with Pat Mosley, a Gardnerian witch in North Carolina. We talk about how Wicca takes on the culture of where it’s at, and how it’s not that much of a stretch for people to be multi-faith practitioners. Pat discusses his coven, Granny Magick, and his involvement in CUUPs. We also talk politics and #HB2 (also known as the “bathroom bill”) and how, on the ground in North Carolina, there are more people who are against it rather than for it. Pat talks about the uphill battle in challenging their state government and the disconnect of their elected leaders from the people they represent.

 

Note: After recording this podcast in May, and after another blow up around  transgender women in women’s only spaces (primarily concerning Budapestian Dianic Witchcraft), Pat has announced a call for submissions for a anthology called “Arcane Perfection”. You can click here for more information.

 

Pat Mosley is a Weirdo Inspired to Create Here (WITCH). He writes semi-regularly at Patheos Pagan, but more of his work can be found at his website. Pat is a Gardnerian Witch, and is currently conspiring to author a book on one Appalachian coven's vision of Wicca in the next year or so. Pat is also a coordinator for Mountain CUUPs (Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans) in Boone, North Carolina--where everyone is welcome to share a meal and sing a spell.

 

Links

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/commontansy/

https://patmosley.wordpress.com/

https://mtncuups.wordpress.com

Denise Cicuto returns in this episode to talk about her call to study acupuncture through a visitation by Kuan Yin. We talk about her journey, not only through acupuncture school, but her spiritual journey with Kuan Yin and her current studies of the spiritual side of acupuncture . We also discuss the nature of Kuan Yin, and how compassion isn’t necessarily “fluffy”. We also talk about the importance of self care when doing activism and after major emotional events such as Orlando.

 

Denise Cicuto is a Witch and Healer. She is a third degree Priest in the Circle of Cerridwen. In another magickal tradition, she is a Gryffindor. Part of her spiritual mission includes leading an interfaith ceremony for those who have experienced pregnancy loss. The ceremony is called Spirit Babies and takes place at least once a year around the Winter Solstice (TWIH Episode 23: Mourning Pregnancy Loss Through Ritual). You can find some of her spiritual musings, which include incorporating Chinese Five Elements into Pagan ritual, at Through the Dragon Door.

A Licensed Acupuncturist, Denise is co-host of TCM Talk, a live show on Periscope focusing on different health issues and how Traditional Chinese Medicine can help. Denise is currently working towards certification in Alchemical Healing with Lorie Dechar and Benjamin Fox. She writes on her own acupuncture blog and also for AcuTake which is a great website for explaining acupuncture to people in a very down-to-earth way.

Links

Cicuto Acupuncture

Circle of Cerridwen (st4r.org)

 

Books

Five Spirits: Alchemical Acupuncture for Psychological and Spiritual Healing by Lorie Dechar

After a brief TWIH hiatus, we return with our guest Sharon Knight, a pagan musician who does both solo work and plays as a group with her partner Winter in Pandemonaeon. We talk about the art of performing, the magickal experience of being on stage, the future and past of pagan music, and how music influences her work, both spiritually and professionally. We also talk about her latest album and the work that goes into writing, recording, and making videos for an album.

  

Note: Please excuse the audio weirdness. We were having a bad Skype day.

 

Festival Favorites Sharon Knight and Winter are internationally touring musicians in the mythic-Celtic vein. Their penchant for combining fierce and gutsy bravado with ethereal beauty, a hearty dose of fantastical lyrics, and an obvious love of storytelling has inspired their own style, “Neofolk Romantique”. This often sounds less Celtic and more “Folktales that ran away with the Faeries at the turn of the century and took cover in an old trunk bound for the circus, which was then commandeered by pirates.” This suits them fine.

 

They have shared stages with mythic music favorites such as Faun, Omnia, Corvus Corax, SJ Tucker, Tricky Pixie, Heather Dale, Wendy Rule, Stellamara, and many more. They have recently completed a 100% crowd-funded CD and music video featuring several of these artists, called Portals, which they are touring to support now.

 

 

Links

 

http://www.sharonknight.net/

 

http://sharonknight.bandcamp.com/album/portals

 

https://www.patreon.com/SharonKnight

 

Irene McCalphin joins us this week to talk about the intersections of fat liberation and marginalization. Why is it important to have representation in spiritual imagery, both in regards to race and body size? Why is the language of our rituals important? How can we move through learning about these issues of marginalization and come to a place where we can see outside of ourselves to a more inclusive community? Why is it important to keep the language of the diet industry out of spiritual space? How can kink (BDSM) be used as a spiritual tool and a pathway to a positive self image?

Note: This episode discusses BDSM used as a way of spiritual expression and as a spiritual tool.

 

Irene McCalphin is a Bay Area writer, performance artist and eater of food in public. She blends modern movement and words with neoburlesque to create socially conscious art pieces that add voice to marginalized communities and celebrates the human body.   A published author and poet Irene draws attention to the ever evolving intersections of fat, feminism, kink, spirituality and human sexuality.

She has facilitated and spoken at events such as NOLOSE, Fat Activist Conference: Tools for the Revolution and Fatty Affair. She has spoken at several universities including Berkeley, Stanford, Mills College and San Jose State. As a producer and presenter she consciously centers marginalized groups for spotlight appearances at events such as BayCon, Folsom Fringe, Red Hots Burlesque and Hubba Hubba Review.

Connect to her on social media and find out about all her shows and presentations via facebook, twitter and instagram or follow her at her sorely mismanaged blog.

 

Links

Website: theungratefulfatbitch.com

Twitter: @MagnoliahBlack

In this episode, we talk to Cara Freyasdaughter, where we discuss her journey to Heathenism, her introduction to Freya and Freyr, and some of the issues that are challenging modern Heathenism. What are  CUUPs and ADF? What does the lore say about racism and other issues that have been being dealt with within the Heathen community?

 

Cara Freyasdaughter is a devotional polytheist dedicated to Freya and Freyr who works within a "reconstructed-ish" Heathen tradition. A current member of The Troth and ADF, she writes a biweekly blog on Patheos' Agora channel called "Happily Heathen". Currently, Cara leads Heathen rituals and Runes 'n Lore classes for the White Oak Grove CUUPs group and is a member of the Sinnissippi Tuath ADF Grove in northern Illinois.

 

Links

Email:  cara@goldandredthread.com

The Troth (http://www.thetroth.org) The Troth is the largest International heathen organization. They are open and welcoming to people from all backgrounds.

Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (https://www.adf.org)—While this is officially a “druid” fellowship, all Indo-European mythologies are honored. ADF has a large, active, and diverse Heathen contingent.

Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans: http://www.cuups.org/

"Happily Heathen" on the Patheos Agora Channel (http://www.patheos.com/blogs/agora/author/cfreyasdaughter/)

"Huginn's Heathen Hof" (http://www.heathenhof.com)

"A Community of Gods Surround Me" (communityofgods.wordpress.com)

"Freya: The Gold Thread" (thegoldthread.wordpress.com)

 

Books

Modern Heathen Practice:

Original Sources:

 

In this episode we talk to Dr. Chandra Alexandre about her journey with Kali Ma and her experiences with the Divine Female. Not only through her travels and learning in India, and her current work in the Bay Area. What is Tantra and the SHARANYA practice? Why is daily practice important and how do you keep up a daily practice? How do we approach the everyday to support our own practices?

Note: Apologies for the Skype issues towards the end of the show. Skype was not cooperating well at the time. 

Dr. Chandra Alexandre is a Tantric Bhairavi, an initiator in the tradition of Kali, and founder of SHARANYA.  She holds a PhD in Asian & Comparative Studies from the California Institute of Integral Studies, a Doctor of Ministry degree, and an MBA in sustainable management. She accepted the non-dualistic path of vamacara Tantra at Kamakhya in Assam five years after her initiation on the dakshinacara path in 1998 in Orissa. Her life's work is dedicated to personal trans-formation in service to social justice.

 

Links

www.SHARANYA.org (home site)

www.KaliVidya.org (an online mystery school)

In this episode we talk about death and dying with Rebecca Lynn Scott, founder of the Polytheist Death Guild. She talks about her own experiences that lead her to creating the Guild and the importance and necessity of death rituals in our society. How do we talk about death in our society? How are we able to express grief? Do pagans (of any traditions) have a healthier view of death than other traditions?

 

Rebecca Lynn Scott is the founder of the Polytheist Death Guild and author of A Litany to the Many Dead, a set of prayers to those who have died. She is an Hellenic polytheist, a Hekatean, and a Dionysian. She is currently engaged in writing the funerary and mourning rituals for the Starry Bull tradition of Bacchic Orphism. She lives with her wife and assorted critters in Seattle.

 

Links

Email: polytheistdeathguild@gmail.com

Polytheist Death Guild: http://www.polytheistdeathguild.org/

GYST - Get Your Shit Together

The Green Burial Council

The National Home Funeral Alliance

My Gift of Grace card game

Where to join Bacchic Chat for PDG chats

Spring Mysteries Festival

 

Books 

A Litany for the Many Dead

This week we talk to Megan Manson, a pagan who also practices Shinto, the indigenous religion of Japan. Megan talks about her path to Shinto, some of the history of Shinto and how it relates to the other religions practiced in Japan. We also talk about how religion co-exists together in Japan and how it differs from how religions get along in the West. What is the difference between Japan and the West in regards to religious identity? What does it mean to be multi-faith, and how do we explain it to others? 

 

Megan Manson is an eclectic Pagan from the UK who also practices Shinto, the Japanese “Way Of The Gods.” She is actively involved in the field of Japan-UK relations, interfaith activities, and  her local Pagan community.

 

Links

Email: trellia@gmail.com

Patheos Blog: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/pagantama

 

 

Robin Lynn Griffith joins me in this episode to talk about death and dying. Both of us are called to minister to the dying and while, for the two of us, this is a normal process, for most people in our culture, death is something you just don’t talk about. Why does our society tend to try and banish the idea of death? Why are we so afraid of something that is inevitable? Are we doing a disservice if we don’t allow someone to really grieve in their own way or telling people to just “get over” their grief? When does one’s grief need more professional help? Should we be talking a lot more about end of life issues than we currently do?

 

Robin Lynn Griffith is a Spiritual Woman, a Clergywoman, a Fire Dancer, A Priestess of Queen Isis, an Herbalist, and a Grandmother.  Robin’s personal, spiritual, and professional experiences provide for her to be a conscious, aware, and mindful End of Life Midwife or Doula. 

Robin lives in the San Francisco Bay Area of California and has been active in her local Spiritual and Religious Communities for well over 18 years. She has a vast network of community and many valuable resources at her fingertips.

As a Spiritual woman, and a successful Coach, she has supported individuals, family, and friends as they find themselves facing sacred moments in a person's earth journey. 
Leveraging song, stories, simple Presence, honorable rituals, and intimate connection Robin hopes to provide her clients with openings for Love, Peace, Empowerment, Release, and Forgiveness. 

 

Links 

Email: robinlynn.griffith@gmail.com

Website: https://about.me/robinlynngriffith

Kaiser Santa Clara Volunteer Services (To inquire about No One Dies Alone)