Laura Perry's Blog, page 19
July 29, 2015
Handling Henotheism
You've probably heard of polytheism, but henotheism may be a new one for you. This week on the Minoan Path blog, I'm diving into the concept of henotheism because it's how the ancient Minoans viewed their goddesses and gods. Click on the link below to get to the post: Handling Henotheism It's amazing how many different ways people use to understand the world. What's your favorite mental organization method for divinity? 
July 22, 2015
Minos the Moon God?
Today over at the Minoan Path Blog I'm sharing some thoughts about the legendary figure of Minos. Demoted to a mortal king by the later Hellenic Greeks, he started out as a full-blown god among the ancient Minoans. But what kind of god dies and descends to the underworld every 9th year? A lunar one, apparently. Check out the post here: Minos the Moon God To join the conversation about modern Minoan Paganism, find us at Ariadne's Tribe. In the name of the Bee - And of the Butterfly - And of
July 15, 2015
Either-Or Thinking: A Logical Fallacy
These days, between the political debates and religious arguments online, I’m seeing a lot of either-or thinking. This is nothing new, of course; it’s just more visible now that we’re electronically in each other’s faces all the time. The thing is, either-or thinking is a false dilemma, a logical fallacy. It’s an inaccurate representation of a complex world. Sometimes it’s a false set of choices that are laid out on purpose so people will think there are no alternatives: If you’re not with us,
July 8, 2015
The Many Faces of Minoan Dionysos
While I was doing some research for the upcoming online course, I had an apostrophe...er, epiphany about Dionysos. He was so important to the Minoans that the Greeks equated him with their Zeus. Today I'm sharing a couple of his different aspects, functions he performed in the Minoan pantheon that made him so important to the people of ancient Crete: The Many Faces of Dionysos For more information about ancient Crete and modern Minoan Paganism, join the discussion over at Ariadne's Tribe. 
July 1, 2015
Dionysos, Bulls and Funerals
Today over at the Minoan Path blog I'm exploring some of the symbols associated with Dionysos at different times of the liturgical year. I have an interesting theory about how the practice of bull-leaping and a particular type of knotted cloth might be associated with Dionysos' death at the Feast of Grapes. You can read the post here: Dionysos, Bulls and Funerals To join the discussion about modern Minoan Paganism, head on over to Ariadne's Tribe. 
June 24, 2015
Pagan Radio: Listen In
This week I’m sharing some great resources for connecting with the Pagan community, in the form of radio shows and podcasts. Most of these are live shows but they also have archives you can listen to after the fact, if you miss the showtime. It’s wonderful that we have these resources that are accessible from all over the world, so let’s take advantage of them. If you have a favorite that I haven't listed here, please let me know and I'll add it. ATC Pagan Information Network
June 17, 2015
Mystery at Midsummer, Minoan Style
As we approach Summer Solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere, we in the Pagan community celebrate the season with a wide variety of traditions. Today I'm sharing with you a way the ancient Minoans may have marked the season, with a mystery play and public celebration put on by the priesthood of the great temple complex in Knossos: Mystery at Midsummer, Minoan Style May all the gods bless you this and every Midsummer of your lives. In the name of the Bee - And of the Butterfly - And
June 10, 2015
A Midsummer tipple, Minoan style
Summer Solstice is coming up soon. This season always makes me think of fuzzy honeybees meandering from flower to flower, sipping the nectar and carrying it back to the hive to make honey. People have loved honey for millennia, and the ancient Minoans were no different. They brewed the honey-wine called mead to drink at festive occasions such as the Summer Solstice. I've been brewing mead since 1993, and today I'm sharing my recipe with you. It's surprisingly simple to make. The hardest part
June 3, 2015
Be healed!
Wouldn’t it be great if we could make other people heal? Then that insecure, paranoid co-worker would quit blaming you for their foul-ups. The woman in your coven with the victim complex would become a helpful, functioning member of the group. Your father-in-law would stop bullying the male members of the family for not being ‘real men.’ Funny how we can always find something to fix in other people when, so often, we’re sure we’re fine ourselves. The fact is, you can’t make anyone heal.
May 27, 2015
What's in a name?
Today over at the Minoan Path blog, I'm exploring possible pronunciations of ancient Minoan deity names. Sounds are important in ritual and magic, so figuring out how the ancient Minoans probably said the names of their goddesses and gods can bring us closer to those deities. Click on the title below to get to the post. What's in a name? In the name of the Bee - And of the Butterfly - And of the Breeze - Amen! 
