Thorn Issue 2 is now available. This issue, in observance of Barack Obama's historic election, we're delving into the racial makeup of our Pagan traditions-- who we are, which cultures we look to in borrowing (or appropriating?) our traditions and inspirations, and how we can preserve the vitality of our ethnic paths in an increasingly multi-cultural world. Including interviews with: T. Thorn Coyle, Isaac Bonewits, and S.J. "Sooj" Tucker.

Features

Fiction, Flakelore, and Fraud: Stephen Akins’ Lebor Feasa Runda
When we rely on written material for the transmission of our spiritual knowledge, fabricated lore is nothing short of toxic. Akins’ now-infamous “translation” is exposed for the fraud it is. | Phillip A. Bernhardt-House

In All Her Parts: A Conversation with T. Thorn Coyle
Coyle, author of the just-released Kissing the Limitless, talks with us about growing up Catholic, deepening the Feri path, and the most successful spell she’s ever cast. | Interview by Robert S. Curry

Cultural Borrowing/Cultural Appropriation: A Relationship Model for Respectful Borrowing
Modern Paganism bears the influence of a diversity of cultures—some of whom look unkindly on disrespectful borrowing of their traditions. Establishing a living relationship with the source cultures of our practices ensures both the vitality and integrity of our paths. | Christine Hoff Kraemer

Songs of Experience: Culture and Ethnic Based Spirituality in the 21st Century
Does your ethnicity determine your spirituality? Four stories of Vodou, Peruvian shamanism and Brujeria across racial lines show us that sincerity, not ancestry, is the key to cultural spiritual practice. | Natalie Zaman

Streams

Grapevines
They said that? A collection of recent quotes from and about the Pagan community.

Othala: Celebration
Exploring celebration through the inspired madness of Discordianism, the mature druidic path of Isaac and Phaedra Bonewits, and the dance of a priest of Dionysos.

I’m a Pope (And So Can You!) | Jeff Mach (Full Preview!)
High Days with the Bonewitses | Interview by Jeff Mach and Elena
Dancing with Dionysos | Sannion

Tarot Lab: Measuring the Tarot’s Accuracy
Comparing an intuitive Tarot read and one with traditional interpretations to the results, three weeks later. | Amy Wall

Phos: Visualizing Pagan Beauty
Spirits of the home might be helpful guardians, mischievous pranksters, or malevolent presences that must be appeased. What happens when the residents move on and leave them behind? | Photographed by David Watkins (above)

Facets

Clearing the Air: Some Practical Tips on Smudging with Sound
Allergic to smoke? One smudging technique uses nothing but sound to cleanse space, from clapping to ringing bells. | Catherine Kane

Natural Disaster: Does Nature Hate Us? (Full preview!)
Within a faith that venerates the gods and spirits of nature, what does it mean when nature lashes out? | Taylor Ellwood

Facing the Stormfront: Saving Paganism from Hate
A strain of white supremacists are seizing the symbols and tenets of Pagan paths such as Asatru and twisting them toward their own ends. How do we preserve our beliefs from those who would co-opt and corrupt them? | Robert S. Curry

From the Waters of Avalon
Glastonbury Tor, long rumored to be the site of legendary Avalon, still has the power to transform. This is the story of one woman’s unexpected journey of healing and reawakening at the Chalice Well. | Trish Reynolds (right)

The Loony Bin
The oddest assortment of magical items this side of the internet. | Anne Johnson

Recurrences

Creation Myth: Painting the Town Green
Spring marks the reemergence of ice cream stores, white pants—and handfasting invitations. Some specialty shops are reinventing the traditional trappings of commitment ceremonies with sustainable choices from recycled jewelry to organic gowns. | Chrissie Vazquez

The Wild Hunt
The voice of Pagan news explores the passing of a popular Pagan podcast, the Christian conversion of a Wiccan leader, and some unwelcome TV attention. | Jason Pitzl-Waters

Astrology for the Rest of Us
Mercury goes retrograde three times in 2009. Alright—but what astronomical phenomenon causes this, and how exactly does it affect us? | Elizabeth Morgan

Of Green and Glass: Where Down to Earth Solutions and a Glass Edge Meet (Full Preview!)
With the festival and campout season approaching, our advice columnist reminds us that not even Pagan events are free of physical dangers—no matter how much we wish they were. | Goewin GreenWitch

Building Pagan Community: Looking at Parallels
In the first installment of this new column, Stewart examines the parallel development of a very different community—the GLBT movement. | Geoffrey Stewart

Zeitgeist

Book Reviews
Reviews of the latest releases from the Pagan publishing houses.

Talking About the Elephant, ed. Lupa | Review by Christine Hoff Kraemer
The Living Temple of Witchcraft, Christopher Penczak | Review by Lupa

The Music in All Things: An Interview with Singer/Songwriter SJ “Sooj” Tucker
Dubbed “the Pagan Ani DiFranco,” S.J. Tucker enlivens our myths and writings with skillful acoustic guitar and primal drumbeats. | Interview by Bronwen Forbes | Photo: ©2009 Jeff Navarro - navarrostudio.com

Intrigued? Issue 2 of Thorn ships March 20th. Get your copy and help us continue delivering cutting-edge news and analysis for your Pagan community.

It's been an exciting few months for us! After three months in print, we've caught the attention of major Pagan bloggers and authors and garnered positive reviews from the likes of Chas Clifton, Ian Corrigan, and Isaac Bonewits-- the thinkers and movers of the Pagan community. Somehow, with your help we've managed to create the Pagan magazine we imagined months ago: full of substance, inspiration, correct grammar, and good-natured intolerance of lazy writing and thinking. To all the writers, readers, advertisers, and word-spreaders who made this possible: thank you.

Looking for Interview Subjects! Asphaltia & the New Gods

With this kind of momentum, we can hardly stop now. In the June 2009 print issue, we're exploring Pagan gods of a different stripe: the gods of the city, the internet, and our brave new world. When you're driving along a highway in the middle of nowhere and see a strange roadside attraction, do you stop and say a prayer to Asphaltia, goddess of the road? When the power goes out, do you find yourself murmuring a prayer to the god of the Grid? Or do you find yourself being 'followed' by popular media characters like Luke Skywalker and start thinking of them as a new kind of spirit animal?

Odd? Perhaps. UPG (Unverified Personal Gnosis)? Almost certainly, at least in the beginning-- but how else can our gods first make themselves known? Whether you think you've had a one-time encounter with a new spiritual entity, worship the ancient gods in an updated / modern worldview, or have followed the path of Asphaltia for ten years, we want to know how you've discovered, worked with, and related to the gods of the modern era. And if you think the concept of a god of electricity is grounds for involuntary hospitalization-- we want to hear from you, too.