Laura Perry's Blog

The world is pretty chaotic these days: political turbulence, hate crimes, pollution, economic unsteadiness. Some days it feels like the ground is slipping out from under our feet even as we try to walk forward - or just stand still.How can we find stability in times like this? What is there to hold onto?Folks in my grandparents' generation would have told us to turn to religion (Christianity, in my family's case). People did that during the Great Depression, and even more vigorously way back during the chaotic times of the European Middle Ages (plague, anyone?). But these days, people are leaving organized religion in droves because it no longer helps them, no longer supports their values.So what else is there? What if you're not religious, or spiritual, or anything like that? What is there to hold onto?For me, there are two constants: nature and the ancestors. A spiritual bent is not required for either of these, though of course they can also be powerful components of a personal spiritual practice (that's the case for me).Nature. Life will find a way, as Michael Crichton wrote. The dingiest, most concrete-ridden city still has dandelions forcing their way up through the cracks in the sidewalk. Yes, we're doing a pretty good job of denting nature right now, what with pollution and bee die-offs and endangered species. But I promise you, on a global scale, nature is bigger than we are. The Earth will survive (whether or not we do is probably up to us).So hang onto nature, whether you live in an urban, suburban, or rural environment. Look up at the sky. Watch the weather (it's far more than just a list of numbers on a phone app). Pay attention to your local wildlife, whether that's deer or birds or squirrels or whatever. Touch the soil. Go to a park. This is all the Earth, way bigger than all of us put together, with its (her) own cycles and powers.The Ancestors. My ancestors are a big part of my spiritual practice. But you don't have to be spiritual to recognize that your ancestors got you to where you are now. Hold onto them. They survived far worse times than you'll probably ever go through. You don't even have to know exactly who they were. They're in your blood and in your bones, literally.Every time you look in the mirror, your ancestors are looking back out at you. They're the ones on whose shoulders you stand. You're here because they survived. Their strength is your strength, all the way back to the very first human.So hang onto these things, nature and the ancestors. Let them give you strength. Let them be a firm foundation for moving forward, no matter how shaky everything else may be.You got this.

It's Spring Equinox where I live in the southeastern US, but in Crete where the ancient Minoans lived, it's harvest time. So for those of us who practice Modern Minoan Paganism, the equinoxes tend to be "fun with sacred calendars" time. More about how we handle this interesting issue on today's Minoan Path blog:The Equinoxes in Modern Minoan Paganism: A problem of locationTo join the conversation about Modern Minoan Paganism and ancient Minoan culture, head on over to our welcoming community at Ariadne's Tribe on Facebook.In the name of the bee,And of the butterfly,And of the breeze, amen.

Though I've been giving workshops and presentations about herbalism and natural health all along, it has been quite a few years since I've attended a Pagan gathering. The ones we had been going to for years had mostly degenerated into loud parties with a little too much public intoxication for my taste (and I had a small child to consider, way back then) so we just quit going. Mystic South promises to be a bit more grown-up, with more of the flavor of a con than a wild party.So I'm delighted to announce that not only will I be attending Mystic South this year - I'll also be giving a workshop on Modern Minoan Paganism. In addition to this being the first festival I've attended in a while, this is the first official "public outing" for Modern Minoan Paganism; up to now, the tradition has largely existed online and in private rituals and books. So I'll be sharing what we've created over the past few years in terms of pantheon and practices, along with many examples of the beautiful Minoan artwork that helps inspire our spiritual path. I hope the folks who attend will find it informative and maybe a little inspirational.Mystic South takes place in Atlanta, Georgia (USA) in late July. If you're in the area or able to travel, I hope to see you there!

Today on the Minoan Path blog, an exploration of Potnia, who turns out to be not one goddess, but many:Minoan Goddesses: Who is Potnia?To join the conversation about ancient Minoan culture and Modern Minoan Paganism, head on over to our welcoming community at Ariadne's Tribe on Facebook.In the name of the bee,And of the butterfly,And of the breeze, amen.

I don't repost other blogs very often, but this one really struck me as something you lovely folks would probably find valuable. Reading Daniel Quinn's book Ishmael was a profoundly moving experience for me; I haven't yet read The Story of B but it's now high up on my TBR list. Steve Andrews has written an in-depth, thought-provoking review of these two books. If you're the type who likes to ponder the meaning of life, they should definitely be on your TBR list.Daniel Quinn's Books: Ishmael and The Story of BMay all your reading be enjoyable and meaningful.

Today on the Minoan Path blog, I'm reviewing an inspiring book by Jane Meredith. Though her focus is on goddesses, the methods she details are useful for making connections with any kind of deity or spirit. And her stories of her own experiences with a number of different goddesses are quite moving.Book Review: Aspecting the GoddessMay your journeys with the divine be inspired and blessed.In the name of the bee,And of the butterfly,And of the breeze, amen.

Though my daughter doesn't have a formal diagnosis, it's pretty clear that she's dealing with ADHD symptoms on a regular basis (it turns out, ADHD looks very different in girls/women than it does in boys/men - go figure). Now that she's a college student, she has developed some coping mechanisms, but some days are still hard. So I ordered some aromatherapy rollers from Indigo Aroma, hoping for a little help. We were not disappointed. I'm sharing her experiences here since she asked that she not have to write up a review on top of all her schoolwork that she's already doing this semester. She's a straight-A student and I'm very proud of her, so I'm happy to do this writeup for her. :-)My daughter has been using the Anxiety roller regularly and it helps a lot, at least as much as the nasty-tasting herbal mixture she had been using. And obviously, it's much more pleasant to dab a nice-smelling essential oil mixture on your pulse points than to keep downing an herbal tincture that tastes like a combination of cheap perfume and old sweat socks (yes, that's what it tastes like - I've taken it).She especially recommends the Concentration roller. She has been using caffeine (coffee, mostly) to help with focus, and it does help, but not always as much as she would like. She told me that when she uses the concentration roller, she can sit down and read one of her textbooks for two hours straight. Amazing!She has also used the Anger & Frustration roller several times, and she says it helps defuse that issue. She hasn't had a chance to try the Moodiness roller yet, since most of her "moods" fall under the categories of anxiety or anger/frustration/irritability.She also hasn't used the Sleep Problems roller yet, though I'm sure that will happen eventually. Thankfully, for now, the sunrise alarm clock she began using a couple of months ago has taken care of her sleep issues. I, however, am in a constant state of menopausal insomnia these days (oh yay). So last night I tried the Sleep Problems roller and I had the best night's sleep I've had in several weeks. So yeah, good stuff, even if you don't have ADHD.I've used a lot of aromatherapy products over the years, and these are by far the most specific and effective I've seen. The woman who owns Indigo Aroma has ADHD herself and developed these mixtures to alleviate her own symptoms, so it makes sense that they would work so well. Indigo Aroma is in Canada but they ship worldwide; I'm in the US and my package arrived in just a few days.So if any of the symptoms I've described above are plaguing you or your family, I recommend these products. They really work.

The eightfold Wheel of the Year may be the most well-known Pagan calendar in the modern world, but it's not historical: it was created in the 20th century for modern Pagans. The ancient Minoans didn't use it. So what did they have? Probably, a very complicated year full of all kinds of festivals and sacred days, much like the later ancient Romans had. We've figured out what some of those festivals might have been and put them together into our sacred calendar for Modern Minoan Paganism:The Minoan Sacred Year: A Modern Pagan CalendarIf you'd like to join the conversation about Modern Minoan Paganism and ancient Minoan culture, head on over to our welcoming group at Ariadne's Tribe on Facebook.In the name of the bee,And of the butterfly,And of the breeze, amen.

The other day I realized that I've been sharing book reviews in my monthly newsletter for quite a while, but I haven't been sharing those same reviews on my blog. So I thought I would do just that, in case you might be looking for something new to read.I love to read, almost as much as I love to write, so it's hard to pick just one title when people ask me to name my favorite book. I usually name a handful. But this one - The Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O'Shea - is almost always on the list.I first found this one in my local public library. After I realized that I was checking it out again every time it came available, I bought a copy. I re-read it every couple years and every single time, I find new tidbits that I had missed in earlier readings. The story is that juicy.Though it's often billed as a book for kids or young adults, I think this is an all-ages tale. The main characters, Pidge and Brigit, are indeed children. But we were all once children, so everyone can relate. And these two particular kids find themselves caught up in quite a bit of magical havoc involving all my favorite characters from Irish mythology, from the Morrigan and her freaky hounds to the Dagda and the goddess young Brigit is named after.The story is exciting and entrancing, full of magic and adventure. What's more, it hews closely to the way the various gods and goddesses are portrayed in standard Irish mythology - well, except for the bit where the Morrigan, Badb, and Macha go riding around on motorcycles. But really, I think it's quite in character, and the story does take place at least partly in modern times, though the underlying tale is timeless.The Hounds of the Morrigan is usually billed as a fantasy, but if you know much about deities and mythology, you'll understand that it's full of much weightier truths just waiting for the patient reader to spot them among the shadows.Happy reading!

In modern life, we often take water for granted. All we have to do is turn on a tap to get all we want, hot or cold. It wasn't that easy in the ancient world, even in "high" civilizations like the Minoans.Modern Minoan Paganism is an evolving tradition, and we've recently added a new ritual to our sacred calendar: The Blessing of the Waters. It's based on the remnants of a pre-Christian tradition from Crete and neighboring areas. It's great way to connect with the water in your area, whatever form that may take.The Blessing of the Waters: Building Modern Minoan PaganismTo join the conversation about ancient Minoan culture and Modern Minoan Paganism, head on over to our welcoming group at Ariadne's Tribe on Facebook.In the name of the bee,And of the butterfly,And of the breeze, amen.