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Archive for June, 2015

July 4th brings a unique opportunity to honor one of the lesser worshiped goddesses, Columbia-Libertas of the Roman pantheon who rules over liberty and justice. Hailed as the patron of America (U.S.), she watches quietly and stately at the bay of New York City. Her image has been on currency of the United States for well over two centuries. She has always welcome the tired, the poor, the hungry, and weak, and the oppressed, who yearn to be free. A symbol and beacon of freedom, she welcomes and bids all to rest in her presence.

The altar was decorated in traditional patriotic memorabilia. SLPS honored the Goddess on Saturday, June 27, 2015 at 8pm. The offerings included traditional July 4th food, hot dogs. Other traditional dishes at this time are hamburgers, baked beans, grilled chicken, potatoes salad, and green jello to name a few. Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa was the song of choice for the music.

The offerings were accepted and petitioned to continue her blessings on the USA.

June 2015 Full Moon, Rose Moon, Ritual for July 4th to Goddess of America Columbia, altar, Saturday, June 27, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

June 2015 Full Moon Ritual for July 4th to Goddess of America Columbia, Goddess Columbia, Saturday, June 27, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

June 2015 Full Moon Ritual for July 4th to Goddess of America Columbia, altar center with hot dog offerings, Saturday, June 27, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

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June 2015 Full Moon Ritual for July 4th to Goddess of America Columbia, altar, Saturday, June 27, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

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We are very happy about today’s ruling, June 26, 2015.  A 5-4 vote from the U.S. Supreme Court, making marriage equality the law of the land for all U.S. states. Congrats to all our LGBT friends and followers who fought and worked hard for years to make this day, this dream a reality!

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Each month brings the new phases of the moon, a chance to work powerful magic by the moon light and with the Gods and Goddess. Join today if you want to study the mysteries of nature and learn moon magic. We do spells and workings each month.

Flyber by Muad’Dib

Salt Lake Pagan Society

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Midsummer, also known as Litha, was celebrated on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at 8pm. The sun was setting in the west, but plenty of light abound as the longest day of the year doesn’t see a sun set till 9:30 pm. The ritual began with the song “Midsummer” by Heather Alexander.

The Gods and Goddesses were honored as Midsummer poetry was read. Each person set a goal to accomplish by Lughnasadh. The Holly King overtook the Oak King as the ruler of the next six months. This is because the sun reaches its zenith on Midsummer. Thus the power of the Oak King grew strong as all life returned after Yule. Now, as the days grow shorter and nights longer, life will peak and then begin to wane before dying and going to sleep during winter. This is the period of rule of the Holly King and natural dominance over the Oak King at Summer Solstice. The inverse is true at Yule, when the Oak King takes over to rule again.

Offerings included strawberry lemonade and fruits of the season. All were blessed of the Gods and feasted on bratwurst by a Midsummer fire.

Midsummer 2015, altar, Saturday, June 20, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2015, altar center with Queer God painting-Holly King dominating the Oak King, Saturday, June 20, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2015, fruit offering, Saturday, June 20, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2015, feast-bratwurst Saturday, June 20, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2015, fire, Saturday, June 20, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

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The Wheel has turned and Midsummer is upon us. The Holly King will overtake the Oak King and rule till Yule. The sun will reach its zenith and start its descent.

Flyer by Muad’Dib
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SLPS had an amazing time at the 2015 Utah Pride Festival June 4-7, 2015. The Society got in gear by changing up its logos for Pride month, celebrating the diversity of all individuals. Some new swag with the new rainbow logo got the members in the mood and excited about reading tarot and palm at the festival.

Saturday, June 6, 2015, brought the opening at 3pm. A steady line of folks popping in to take advantage of the $10 readings and free buttons and books wasn’t deterred by the heavy but brief storm and hail that passed over the festivities around 5pm. The Merqueen Lei Loni Tilley from the Mermaid of the Great Salt Lake was seen in full tail giving mermaid readings at the booth and around the festival grounds at the fountains.

Sunday, June 7, 2015 SLPS paraded down 200 S with the interfaith section of the parade in front of the big rainbow flag. Sikhs were spotted at the begging the route at 400 E and 200 S, offering “Take a pic with a Sikh”and free Pepsi drinks. With cheers and kisses and hearts overflowing, the crowd was overjoyed to see Pagans and mermaids taking up the rear. President Muad’Dib, in rainbow robe and pointy hat (made for him for the 2014 festival by Woman Between the Wolves), was so liked by the crowd, he yelled to the people “I’m the wizard at the end of the rainbow!” Back at the festival after the parade, members sported the new pride shirts. Swells of people descended on the booth, asked for information on Paganism and took all the free books Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions by River and Joyce Higginbotham on the information table. adorned with Herne, being given away by SLPS (much like free Bibles). A few skeptics rolled by, but they were dragged in and converted to believers!

This year was its best year yet for SLPS! Many people took away needed spiritual advice, friendship, love and magic after each reading. Many expressed their gratitude to having the Pagan presence and knowing that there are Pagans who believe in LGBT rights, equality, equity, and fairness for all peoples.

Utah Pride Festival 2015, SLPS booth Woman Between the Wolves (l) and Tanya Thorton, Saturday, June 6, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, SLPS booth l to r- Nikki Pitt, Shy Fox, and the mermaid Leil Loni Tilley of the Mermaids of the Great Salt Lake, Saturday, June 6, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, l to r- Shy Fox (glasses), Chris Newhart (standing) and Woman Between the Wolves (wizard hat), Tanya Thorton, Jackie Lit, and a client, Saturday, June 6, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, view from the booth of the festival looking east to the City Building, Mermaid Queen Lei Loni Tilley of the Mermaids of the Great Salt Lake (l) and Nikki Pitt, Saturday, June 6, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Pride Parade, unrolling of flag 400 E 400 S, Sunday June 7, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Pride Parade, Pride Pipers 400 E 400 S, Sunday June 7, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Pride Parade, SLPS lined up to march with the interfaith section, l to r Nikki Pitt, Mermaid Lei Loni Tilely of the Mermadis of the Great Salt Lake, Shy Fox, Woman Between the Wolves, and Muad’Dib, Sunday June 7, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Pride Parade with Shy Fox (l) and Woman Between the Wolves holding SLPS Banner, Sunday June 7, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Pride Parade, Muad’Dib, Sunday June 7, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Pride Parade, “Take a pic with a Sikh” along parade route 400 E and 200 S, Sunday June 7, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Pride Parade, protesters along 200 S, Sunday June 7, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Pride Parade, parade and crowd, looking west on 300 E and 200 S Sunday June 7, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Pride Parade, Grannies for Gays riding in cars in front of flag, Sunday June 7, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Pride Parade, festival attendees in the south east quadrant, Sunday June 7, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Pride Parade, Muad’Dib (black hat) giving a reading, Sunday June 7, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

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The 14th Annual Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition’s Interfaith service kicked off the 2015 Utah Pride Festival. Held at First Baptist Church of Salt Lake City, but hosted by the Community of Christ, it took place Thursday, June 4, 2015 at 7pm. This was the first year that service was not hosted at the host’s facilities. Part of this reason was due to the small space at the Community of Christ, not able to accommodate 300 or more people.

With the singing of the Buddhist singing bowl, the service opened and the faith leaders processed in. Russel Baker-Gorringe informed everyone that he would be retiring from the leadership as head of the coalition. An enthusiastic speech by Troy Williams, executive director of Equality Utah got everyone excited about the recent changes to the state with the recent passage of the anti discrimination bill. Some great music was sun in praise of the divine, a ritual for the honored dead of the LGBT community was performed, and $1200 raised for QSAs (Queer Student Unions) around the state of Utah thanks to a heartfelt and passionate awareness raising talk by Miguel Gallegos who works with local QSA groups in schools. Light refreshments were provided afterwards and guest and faith leaders mingled.

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 14th Annual Interfaith Service Muad’Dib (l) and Woman Between the Wolves before service Thursday, June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 14th Annual Interfaith Service, faith leaders before service, Thursday, June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 14th Annual Interfaith Service, faith leaders entering chapel of First Baptist Church of Salt Lake City,Thursday, June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 14th Annual Interfaith Servicem First Baptist Church of Salt Lake City opening ritual with Rev. Christopher “Myoshin” Lobow, Zen Buddhist Monk and singing bowl (center) and Maureen Duffy-Boose (r), Thursday, June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 14th Annual Interfaith Service l to r- Rev. Christine Swientek (2nd from left, Metaphysical), Mahan Singh Khalsa (Sikh), Angela Elsayed (Muslim), Woman Between the Wolves (Pagan), Rev. Patty Willis (Unitarian), Rev. Steve Klemz (Christian), Rabbi Ilana Schwartzman (Jewish), Thursday, June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 14th Annual Interfaith Service, Russell Baker- Gorringe (podium) Thursday, June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 14th Annual Interfaith Service, Rev. Curtis Price (Pastor of First Baptist Church of Salt Lake City) singing “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen, Thursday, June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 14th Annual Interfaith Service. Troy Williams-Executive Director of Equality Utah, (podium), deaf interpreter below, Thursday, June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 14th Annual Interfaith Service, Rabbi Ilana Schwartzman (Rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami), Thursday, June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

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Utah Pride Festival 2015, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 14th Annual Interfaith Service, Rev. Curtis Price (l) and Maureen Duffy-Boose performing the Ritual of Remembrance for all the honored dead of the LGBT community, Thursday, June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 14th Annual Interfaith Service, Miguel Gallegos (podium), deaf interpreter below, Thursday, June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 14th Annual Interfaith Service, Rev. Tom Goldsmith (First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City) giving prayer for the offerings of donations, Thursday, June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2015, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 14th Annual Interfaith Service, Pride Pipers coming in to lead the recessional of faith leaders, Thursday, June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

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Please join SLPS at the Utah Pride Festival for $10 Tarot and Palm readings. SLPS will be vending Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7, 2015 at the City building of Salt Lake City, where the festival is located. SLPS will also be marching the parade Sunday morning, so if you cant’ make it to the festival, come see us in robes and hats at the march!

Flyer by Muad’Dib

slps pride sign for tarot

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Blessed Be the Good Earth Mother and all her fertile soil. The new society garden has been planted and blessed this past week of May 24-31, 2015. Muad’Dib, Shy Fox, Woman Between the Wolves, and the house dog Freyja worked hard over the last week to weed, turn the soil for roots, add manure, plant the crop and water the garden. “It was back breaking work. Most of it was the weeding with hoes and turning the soil with the cultivating forks, that took the whole week.” Said Shy Fox. Gwen Allen made an appearance, “my African blood was pumping strong. We were out there working like slaves! Real strong, I was feelin’ akin to the brothas and sistas from home in the Deep South workin’ the plantations!”

The planting on Sunday morning went quickly and easily after the hard work was done. It was done over night and in the early morning hours so that the society members wouldn’t be bothered by the bees. All included are: bell, Anaheim, Tabasco and jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, tomatillo, corn, oregano, cilantro, parsley, butternut squash, yellow squash, cucumbers, Georgia collard greens, cantaloupe, watermelon, a blue berry bush and a grape vine. President Muad’Dib gave a druid blessings on the land “May the fire of life Nwyfre come up at this point and give life and fertility to everything present.”

New Society Garden, Wasatch Mountains overlooking garden area, Sunday, May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Shy Fox with cultivating fork, Sunday, May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Garden Area, Sunday, May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Shy Fox weeding, Sunday, May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, first dig into ground, Sunday, May 24, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, toadstools along the fence, Sunday, May 24, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, toadstools for the fae, Sunday, May 24, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Muad’Dib, Monday, May 25, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, weeded garden area, Monday, May 25, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Plants from Home Depot, Tuesday, May 26 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Shy Fox (l) and Gwen Allen, Thursday, May 28, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Shy Fox (l) and Gwen Allen on break, Thursday, May 28, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, l to r-Shy Fox, Gwen Allen, Woman Between the Wolves, Freyja, Thursday, May 28, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Blue berry bush, Thursday, May 28, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Grape vine, Thursday, May 28, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, weeded pepper area with blue berry bush, Thursday, May 28, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Freyja (l) and Shy Fox turning soil for roots, Thursday, May 28, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Shy Fox putting in manure, Sunday (morning), May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Shy Fox putting in pepper plants, Sunday (morning), May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, jumping spider visiting and blessing garden area, Sunday (morning), May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

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New Society Garden, corn, Sunday (morning), May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, planted tomatillo (front), tomatoes left going towards back), oregano (middle left), jalapeno, Anaheim, Tabasco, and bell peppers (back), corn (right coming towards front) and blue berry bush, Sunday (morning) May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, cilantro (bottom left), corn, cucumber, yellow squash and onions, (left and middle left), butternut squash and cantaloupe (upper middle), dill (middle), green onions and grape (middle right), Georgia collard greens (right and middle and lower right), Sunday (morning) May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Muad’Dib kneeling with dill plant, Corn in back, butternut squash and cantaloupe right, Sunday (morning), May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Muad’Dib standing proud in new garden, Sunday (morning), May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Shy Fox watering garden, Sunday (morning), May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Shy Fox with garden behind apricot tree, Sunday (morning), May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Shy Fox behind beehives in watermelon area, Sunday (morning) May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Shy Fox planting watermelon plants, Sunday (morning), May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

New Society Garden, Watermelon plants, Sunday (morning), May 31, 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

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