Do you subscribe to any Pagan magazines?

[Flux]

Just curious and wondering if I'm missing any good ones.

I read and enjoy Pan Gaia.

ETA: I love reading a few choice magazines. With two kids I'm running after, it's nice to be able to read an article or two and not feel I'm losing my literacy altogether. It's not that bad, I'm actually reading a couple books at the moment, but it's sure slow going.

[Aidron]

No. I personally think magazines are garbage. The only one I've ever found that I can stomach from time to time is National Geographic.

[DracoJesi]

Just curious.

I read and enjoy Pan Gaia.

sounds interesting..... but I've never heard of a Pagan mag... other than the MysticWicks one I heard about, thats been around for awhile now?

I cant find it anywhere :(

Pan Gaia any good?

I'd love to read one...

[patch]

I get a couple of newsletters from the lists I'm on, and I did subscribe to white dragon for a time when I practice trad witchcraft.

But overall I'm not a fan. >.<

[Nitefalle]

I like Sagewoman and PanGaia. There's a new one I saw a few weeks ago, from the UK....but I forgot the name of it, though it looked interesting.


I used to have a gift subscription to NewWitch, but I quickly deciphered how useless that magazine was.

[RainInanna]

Nope, although I read some New Age/yoga magazines since they focus a lot on spirituality, self-improvement, meditation, compassion, and reflection. Of course there are yoga routines included, usually some interesting (often vegan) recipes, and other holistic articles. Right now I'm grabbing Body + Soul and Yoga Journal on a regular basis. Although I'm sure it'll make people cringe, I also love reading Oprah magazine for the inspirational articles on self-examination and improvement as well. While there are more mainstream subjects in that magazine (such as literature, music to listen to, interesting movies, fashion, etc.) there's a lot of articles on spiritual (non denominational) ideas as well.

[Crystal Raven]

I love O magazine! Wouldn't mind checking out some of those other ones though.

[Flux]

Dracojesi, I think it's good. I read and enjoy about 80%.

Nitefalle, I read Sagewoman, too. I really enjoyed the last issue!

Patch, love your av!!! He's amazing!



No. I personally think magazines are garbage. The only one I've ever found that I can stomach from time to time is National Geographic.

Thanks.

[Flux]

Nope, although I read some New Age/yoga magazines since they focus a lot on spirituality, self-improvement, meditation, compassion, and reflection. Of course there are yoga routines included, usually some interesting (often vegan) recipes, and other holistic articles. Right now I'm grabbing Body + Soul and Yoga Journal on a regular basis. Although I'm sure it'll make people cringe, I also love reading Oprah magazine for the inspirational articles on self-examination and improvement as well. While there are more mainstream subjects in that magazine (such as literature, music to listen to, interesting movies, fashion, etc.) there's a lot of articles on spiritual (non denominational) ideas as well.

I occasionally read Body + Soul, too. I've read the Oprah mag before, there was an article on Tori Amos. :D

[aluokaloo]

Llewellyn sometimes gives out magazines.

[Ulfurskona]

I read PanGaia and Sagewoman on occasion. The only "pagan magazine" I have a subcription to is "Idunna" from the Troth.

[Whitewolf]

Nope, I don't subscribe to any Pagan magazines. I usually just spend my time reading books on Paganism.

[childofbast]

I used to read New Witch but I got tired of how shallow it often seemed to be. Just my opinion.

I really like PanGaia. They're from the same mother company (Blessed Bee) but PanGaia seems more adult. The most recent edition had some really serious, interesting articles about the environment. They seem to be maturing even more.

[patch]

Do people find that magazines like pangaia and sagewoman 'generalize' a little?
Thats what repels me essentially from pagan magazines I've seen in the past.

I don't want to be told that all pagans worship 'the goddess' and 'the earth' when, alot of them don't. The articles never really apply to me.

[Darbla]

What happened with Green Egg starting again as an online magazine this past year? I need to look that up. I had forgotten it until you guys made me think of it. I bet Ben down in the Books forum would know.

Darbla

[RainInanna]

Ok recently I've been reading an online magazine anyway - Rending the Veil (http://www.rendingtheveil.com/magazine/), if only because some of the writers are friends (and two of the contributors - Taylor and Lupabitch - are members here at MW)

[Mesektet]

I haven't found any that held the interest.
Not to say that there is not good publications out there...

[childofbast]

In my experience, yes, PanGaia and New Witch generalize too much. The most current issue of PanGaia featured an article by a prominent Druid. I know there was an issue in the past that featured Bonewits. And I do believe that he has his own column in one of them now. Otherwise, the magazines seem very Wicca/Witchcraft oriented, with only a slight nod to other paths.

In PanGaia this month, they did a toe-to-toe debate type article on whether or not men are discriminated against in Paganism. For the most part, the argument, and the responses, were Wiccan-centered. Outside of Wicca, I think, gender plays less of a role. I wish that had been addressed in the magazine.

[Brigid Rowan]

I dont, I havent found one I really like... I spend my time with pagan books, pagan/religious sources online (which can be iffy, you have to learn to avoid the silly sites), and by doing stuff like talking to trees, my dieties, myself, and giving a wave to the squirrels outside my back porch. And believe me, trees and squirrels are mighty fine teachers. :)

[CinnamonFaerie]

No. I've browsed through them at Borders but they didn't capture my interest enough to spend money on them.

[Lupabitch]

Here's a thought--instead of kvetching about the content of magazines--why not write your own article and submit it? I write quite a bit for newWitch, and also some for PanGaia, among others, and I know newWitch in particular tends to be pretty open about material. At least if you get your article published you can say there's something there you like ;)

[childofbast]

I've often thought about writing something, but I'm not sure what. I'm thinking of sending in a reaction to the toe to toe in the current PanGaia. Maybe that'll be a good way to break the ice. :P

[Hazel_BlueMoon]

....I love magazines of all sorts, especially Pagan types. I subscribe to Pan Gaia, SageWoman, and NewWitch. I absolutely love them, as a solitary Witch, I have to depend on my own studies and it's a great way to be introduced to new Pagan authors and movers and shakers. Also, the latest news in that area.

Blessed Be. ;-)

[Lupabitch]

I've often thought about writing something, but I'm not sure what. I'm thinking of sending in a reaction to the toe to toe in the current PanGaia. Maybe that'll be a good way to break the ice. :P

Write what you know--that's what I did. My first published article was one on menstrual blood magic for Sagewoman a few years back. I also honed my writing skills by blogging, first on my more informal Livejournal, and then with a couple more professional blogs. Ya know what they say about practice!

and good luck!

[Seshata]

Coming a bit late to this one - could the UK one referred to be 'Pentacle Magazine'? It has been sent to the USA and there are a few readers over there. They are always looking for writers of different pagan beliefs and would welcome viewpoints from other countries. :)

There are other magazines from the UK which are slightly smaller publications but good in the focus on specific paths (ie they might be for example for 'Traditionals' etc) and also others which are linked to an organisation eg Pagan Dawn the magazine of the Pagan Federation.

Hope the above helps! :)

BB

Seshata

[childofbast]

I was thinking about this thread again. I wanted to say that I do think I, and everyone else, has a right to critique the articles published in Pagan magazines. True, there is a point to saying that if one doesn't like what one reads, one should help to improve it, but that doesn't mean bad authors should continue to be published. Everyone within the Pagan community has a right to look at these magazines and say "Hey, wait, that's erroneous" or "that's biased", etc etc. I am planning on submitting an editorial to PanGaia about the Wiccan bias to one of their articles. It was probably not their fault - they probably only had Wiccans and the like submitting their opinions.

But I find other faults with the magazines too. For instance, I remember seeing a couple past articles citing wikipedia. From an academic standpoint (and trust me - if you want to be taken seriously by academics, religious scholars, etc) you do. Not. Use wikipedia as a reference.

If anything, while I still enjoy PanGaia, I'm finding archeology magazines much more helpful.

[Lupabitch]

I disagree on Wikipedia. While I think that one should not use it as your only source, I believe that limited use is fine. One Wikipedia reference in ten citations total is not the end of the world, especially if it's a popular rather than academic publication. While I believe strongly in citing sources regardless of where the article is published, I tend to be a little more relaxed if it's something as relatively casual as newWitch. Pomegranate or the Journal of Magical Studies, OTOH, are obviously held to much more stringent standards. While I think we should be showing our work, I don't think all our writing should be focused on impressing the academic establishment.

I definitely think there's room for criticism in pagan writing in general. However, when it comes to people complaining about anything in regards to the pagan community, writing or otherwise, I hear a lot more problems than solutions. That's why I made the suggestion of writing one's own article--it's a lot easier than starting a brand new publication (especially hardcopy, which takes a decent up-front financial investment). We need to bring up problems, to be sure; however, offering up problems without solutions tends to make people more cynical and less likely to try to do anything about it. I simply saw a lot of kvetching going on, and decided to add at least one potential solution to the conversation.

[RainInanna]

I must agree with Lupa. There's a time and place for academic standards, to be sure, but they need not prevent the publication of a valuable perspective.

Personally I tend to grab a Wikipedia reference first while in the midst of a lively forum discussion and it's annoying to be chastised for it. It isn't completely useless.

[serenarian]

I read a few - Pagan Dawn, as I'm a member of the PF, also Touchstone, the journal of OBOD. Also The Hedgewytch and Pentacle Magazine.

[childofbast]

I just think it's better to rely on academic research and such when talking about history and mythology. Not so much in regards to topics like visions, meditation, spells, or astral projection. But historical things should be better cited. Otherwise you have people claiming that the Burning Times happened (as in the most recent PanGaia) without any historical backing. Thus misinformation is continuously spread rather than nipped in the bud. There are some very serious people, myself included, who look at sources to see whether or not an article on history/mythology/linguistics should be taken seriously.

[childofbast]

But I totally agree with you about doing something rather than just complaining. :)

[Lupabitch]

I just think it's better to rely on academic research and such when talking about history and mythology. Not so much in regards to topics like visions, meditation, spells, or astral projection. But historical things should be better cited. Otherwise you have people claiming that the Burning Times happened (as in the most recent PanGaia) without any historical backing. Thus misinformation is continuously spread rather than nipped in the bud. There are some very serious people, myself included, who look at sources to see whether or not an article on history/mythology/linguistics should be taken seriously.

Okay, I'll agree with you for the most part. I do think that ultimately the information needs to be accurate. However, I don't think we have to go to an academic journal every time; if there's a well-researched book from a pagan-specific publisher that has the same info, and the writer has access to that book and not the academic book or journal, then I don't see an issue with citing the pagan book.

[David19]

I brought one or 2 Pagan magazines when I was first getting interested in Paganism, at the time, I thought they were really cool (can't remember what they were called, they're probably still under my bed somewhere) but now, from what I remember, a few of the articles did seem good, but some kind of just seem crap, to really be honest, or not my style.

I've read some online articles from different Pagan magazines (again, can't remember exactly which ones, but I think Pomegranite was one) and they seemed to have some very cool articles.

A lot of the magazines I've seen in shops round here all seem either really New Age or Wiccan or Wiccan-esque (like they'll talk about The Goddess for about the 1000th time or talk about how "witches don't worship Satan", forgetting about Satanic witches, thinking we all follow the "3 fold law", etc).

I'd like to find a Pagan or occult magazine that didn't go into that, that had some cool articles, that is something I wouldn't feel embarrassed about looking and reading in the shops or taking to the counter and buying ('cause I do remember when I brought the ones I got ages ago, praying no one I knew, or even didn't know, would see me buying them).

Some of the stuff I'd like to read about:

articles that don't treat the Gods as all being part of one god, one goddess or all being the "same" (like saying Thor, Indra, Zeus, etc are all the same thunder god, or Inanna, Aphrodite, Hather, etc are the "same" 'cause they're love gods (leaving aside, that they have complex personalities and are one-dimensional).

Magic that isn't New Age - in other words, not too much focus on visualization ('cause I'm really sorry, but I don't think visualizing a circle of white light is really magic, or even a protective magicle circle, that has more to do with psychology than magic, IMO). Maybe some stuff that talks about darker style magic (necromancy, summoning demons and/or demonic entities, blood magic, etc) or magic involving taboo topics, e.g. BDSM, gay style sex magic (or a combination of the former 2), etc.

Good and detailed articles on mythology, and not just limiting them to psychology (I believe myths have different levels, psychological being only one of them, yet a lot seem to have read too much Joseph Campbell and focus purely on that level).

Maybe articles on different supernatural beings, from myth, folklore, etc such as vampires, demons, ghosts, etc.

Good history articles (especially ones on witches, like characteristics of them in ancient times and medevial/Middle Ages, which weren't the "persecuted followers of the Goddess", etc).

Anyway, there's probably more I'd like to see, but if anyone knows any magazines that might meet some or all of my requirements/needs/desires, please feel free to let me know :).

[IvyWitch]

I subscribe to NewWitch. Despite the criticisms, I find it it very interesting.