Events
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Create Your Own Atheopagan Gathering!
What I know is this: the gatherings are lovely. Good people, good humor, intelligent conversation, kind values. The kind of people I am proud to call friends. The Atheopagan Society has now produced two in-person events for Atheopagans: the Suntree Retreats, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. We do them every two years*. The Suntree Retreats and the in-person gatherings of my local Atheopagan affinity group are precious to me because of how they feel. When I am there, I feel seen and open and surrounded by people who interest and inspire me. Nice as Zoom gatherings are, there is nothing like hanging out with people in person. Recently, while attending…
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Love Letter from the Foot of the Mountain
It had been two years, three months and and sixteen days. In that time, I had seen not a one of the amazing people I met at Suntree Retreat 2022 in person. Zoom calls with a few, social media exchanges. And now I am come back from the 2024 Retreat. I am brimming over, having seen some of them again and met newcomers to my world. We laughed a lot. We sang. We shared rituals of grief and joy, celebrated transitions, and spoke unguardedly of the important things in our lives. We told stories and shared lore. The love was palpable. Strange and wonderful, the unique and beautiful people of…
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Off to SUNTREE RETREAT!
It’s early morning, with the Sun just beginning to rise. My bags are packed, and I’m off to the airport soon to go to SUNTREE RETREAT 2024! I try to minimize my flying, but I don’t have the available time at work to drive this year, so here we are. I bought carbon credits to offset my travel, but that’s not much mitigation in my opinion. In any event, I’m off to Colorado to spend four days with fellow Atheopagans, sharing rituals and comradery, celebration and meaningful times. The last one was just amazing and I have high expectations for this one. I was just knocked out last time by…
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Come and Meet Us!
Suntree Retreat 2024 is coming up, and you’re invited! This biannual in-person gathering of Atheopagans will take place Aug. 30-Sept. 2, at the La Foret Retreat Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It’s a long weekend of workshops, rituals, celebration, socializing, parties and fun! The last Suntree Retreat, in 2022, was really a high point in my life: a time when, surrounded by like-minded folks, I could really be and express my deepest self. So many meaningful moments! For more details on what Suntree Retreat feels like, listen to the latest episode of our podcast, The Wonder: Science-Based Paganism, where we interview folks who came last time. Click here for the…
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Atheopagan Web Weaving 2023
It was virtual, but it felt great. 84 registered attendees. 15 presenters. 8 moderators and other volunteers. One keynote speaker. And a whole weekend of interactions, learning, socializing, fun and friendship. It’s been a couple of weeks now, but I wanted to say something about the Atheopagan Web Weaving 2023 conference before it got too distant in memory. Some thoughts: First, the commonly-available technology is just amazing. It is incredible that for less than $100, we could host that many people, hold workshops in simultaneous breakout groups, share slide decks, host a common keynote speech…even host a burlesque lesson for this month’s Adult Salon! Say what you like about Zoom–it’s…
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Ever Think,”I Should Be Doing Something?”
One of the things about spirituality is that without some effort, it can become a bit…navel-gazing. It’s not a failing, nor anyone’s fault. What we do through our religious paths helps us to grow, heal, and cultivate joy, all of which are internal things. They help us to build community, too, which adds to happiness and contentment in life. All great stuff, really important. I have always said, though, that Atheopaganism isn’t one of those paths that thinks that politics and activism “aren’t spiritual”. Working to make the world a better place isn’t some sideline or secondary concern in Atheopaganism–it is important, just as the rituals and Sabbaths and sense…
