Laura Perry's Blog, page 20

Popular words and cultural appropriation

We have a problem in the Pagan community, particularly the branches that point toward indigenous European Paganism, and that problem is terminology. No, I’m not talking about the endless debate as to which labels are correct for which practices or what the difference is between a witch and a Wiccan. I’m talking about the unfortunate lack of terms for some kinds of ancient practices and the resulting tendency to borrow similar wordss from other cultures and traditions.     Here’s the thing: Due

The ancient Minoans: another knotty problem

Today's post over at the Minoan Path blog focuses on the twined and knotted snakes so often found in Minoan art.     In addition to the sacral knot, which may be related to the Egyptian tyet symbol, snakes show up in a knotted form on figurines and in frescoes from ancient Crete and its colonies. Explore the possible meanings of this unusual sacred symbol:   Another Knotty Problem   To learn more about the ancient Minoans and modern Minoan Paganism, join the discussion at Ariadne's Tribe on

Ancient Crete: Tying a Sacred Knot

Today's post over at the Minoan Path blog explores one of the more unusual aspects of Minoan religious symbolism: the sacral knot.     This kind of knot appears on the famous snake goddess figurines, frescoes and seal rings. It may be related to the Egyptian tyet symbol associated with Isis. To learn more about this intriguing object and how it can be incorporated into modern Paganism, click on over to the article:   Tying a Sacred Knot   For more information about ancient Crete as well as

Review: Flower and Crystal Essences

One of the great things about being part of the Pagan community is that I get to meet people who have a wide variety of interests and skills. One of those people is Lady Charissa, owner of Charissa's Cauldron. In addition to devoting a great deal of her time to supporting the community through the Pagan Business Network, she makes her own crystal and flower essences. She recently sent me several bottles to try and I have to say, I'm delighted with them. They are every bit as good quality as the

Toilet Snobs and other Modern Problems

OK, that's not a typical title for my blog posts, but it gets to the point. We modern folks have tended to be snobs about our culture and beliefs for quite some time, and that snobbery colors our interpretation of the ancient world. In other words, it keeps us from being able to see what's really there.     Click on over to the Minoan Path Blog to read the full post:   Toilet Snobs and Other Modern Problems   If you'd like to discuss ancient plumbing or other aspects of Minoan culture and

Brew Your Own Mead!

Late in the summer of 1993, I flipped through the Lughnasadh issue of Keltria Journal and was inspired to try my hand at mead-making. To be honest, I wasn’t all that thrilled with the few types of store-bought mead I had sampled; there weren't very many choices at the time and they were all expensive. But being a Pagan of northwestern European descent, I figured I owed it to my ancestors to give it a proper try. It was enough of a success that I decided I liked mead and kept on with the brewing,

The Milk of Human (and Divine) Kindness

Today's post over at The Minoan Path Blog was inspired by a little cream pitcher.     Libations (poured offerings of various liquids) have been a common practice since ancient times, but wine isn't the only choice. As the ad says, got milk?     The Milk of Human (and Divine) Kindness     To join the discussion about modern Minoan Paganism, hop on over to Ariadne's Tribe.      

A Few Thoughts on the Concept of Binary Gender

When I was a kid, I learned that there are two sexes: male and female. Simple, easy to remember, black-and-white. But when I grew up, I discovered that there are people who feel like they are somewhere on a spectrum between the two as well as folks who feel like their body doesn’t reflect their true gender identity. I also discovered that failing to fit into the one-size-fits-all notion of clear-cut binary gender is nothing new; people have dealt with this issue since ancient times, all over the

Equality for Minoan Men!

  Today's post over at The Minoan Path blog addresses the inaccurate assumption that the Minoan world was ruled by women who dominated the men of that culture in much the same way that men have dominated women in western civilization for centuries. Sometimes it's hard to consider that there are paradigms that look radically different from the ones we're used to. Click on over to read the post here:   Equality for Minoan Men!   If you're interested in Minoan spirituality, please consider this

Changing Light Bulbs and Making Resolutions

I was recently reminded of an old joke: How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb? Only one, but the light bulb has to really want to change.       The joke is funny because it hits upon a truth that we don’t really like to look at; we laugh at least in part because it makes us uncomfortable. This particular joke popped up in my mind when a friend asked me about the herbalism and naturopathy practice I used to run. She wanted to know why I had quit and turned to writing instead.