Author Archives: Major Arqueerna

How to use gender-inclusive language for pagan outreach

You’re planning a ritual or event and want to ensure people of all genders feel welcome. But our understanding of gender is ever-evolving, as is the language surrounding it. How do write your invitation language to be inclusive of nonbinary people, agender people, and people of other gender identities? Liminal gender as a concept AsContinue reading “How to use gender-inclusive language for pagan outreach”

“Queer: A Graphic History” (review)

Not everybody is interested in becoming a queer studies scholar. But everyone can benefit from having a better understanding of queerness and queer theory. Queer: A Graphic History was written by Meg-John Barker, illustrated by Jules Scheele, and published in 2016. It is a friendly, heavily-illustrated introduction to queer theory, a branch of study formedContinue reading ““Queer: A Graphic History” (review)”

Get the f*ck back to sleep with this brain-calming, magickal technique

My therapist once told me, “Anxiety is the flip side of creativity.” I think about that statement a lot, because it really hit home. My brain is a pinball machine, constantly zooming from one thought to the next, free-associating like wild. It makes me great at brainstorming and planning for worst-case scenarios, but unfortunately itContinue reading “Get the f*ck back to sleep with this brain-calming, magickal technique”

Gender-inclusive clergy structure in my Wiccan tradition

Recently, I was honored to assist the Wiccan tradition of which I’m a member, the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel (ASW), in updating its policies to be more gender-inclusive in coven leadership structures. Historically, Assembly covens were to have two leaders each: one High Priest and one High Priestess. When I, a feminine-presenting nonbinary person,Continue reading “Gender-inclusive clergy structure in my Wiccan tradition”

Queer Magick Must-Reads Roundup: August 18, 2020

Here are some must-reads from the queer pagan blogosphere in the past few months: Misha Magdalene: A Hole in Our Midst: On Moral Vulnerabilities in Esoteric Communities – July 13, 2020“The interlocking communities of Paganism, polytheism, and occultism have a serious asshole problem,” says Magdalene, and we need to stop tolerating them. Yvonne Aburrow: DialogueContinue reading “Queer Magick Must-Reads Roundup: August 18, 2020”

Lughnasadh 2020: What the #&%@ kind of harvest is this?

Fair warning: Links and embedded images/videos on this post have a fair bit of swearing. If that’s not your jam, skip on past ’em. Last week on Zoom, my coven celebrated Lughnasadh (AKA Lammas), a harvest/Thanksgiving ritual. My role for the ritual was to bless the cakes and ale. I’m pretty good at extemporaneous ritualContinue reading “Lughnasadh 2020: What the #&%@ kind of harvest is this?”

“Queer Magic: Power Beyond Boundaries” (review)

As a queer magickal practitioner, Lee Harrington’s and Tai Fenix Kulystin’s anthology Queer Magic: Power Beyond Boundaries was a revelation for me. My copy of this book is so marked up with underlines and notes in the margins, it’s become a personal artifact of my own journey as a witch grappling with my gender identity.Continue reading ““Queer Magic: Power Beyond Boundaries” (review)”

Self-care, self-discipline, and showing up for yourself

I’ve been working my way through T. Thorn Coyle’s book Kissing the Limitless, which is all about cultivating and aligning your life force with your will. This passage came up and punched me in the face: Everyone struggles to work. Practice requires a continuous sense of coming home to a self we may or mayContinue reading “Self-care, self-discipline, and showing up for yourself”

Tracking your daily practice: There’s an app for that. (Yes, really.)

As most pagans practicing with any degree of seriousness will tell you, daily practice is paramount for developing magickal skill and discipline. Even if you start with just 5 minutes of meditation a day, committing to self-work on a regular basis will make your magick stronger and help you deepen your relationship with all yourContinue reading “Tracking your daily practice: There’s an app for that. (Yes, really.)”