Ecology, Witchcraft and the Enchanted World

Abstract

Pagans, or more properly neo-pagans have been growing in numbers and influence over the past decade or so in the U.S. and Canada. This is evidenced in the feminist, peace, green (or ecology), and anarchist movements. Margot Adler, author of Drawing Down the Moon, an examination of contemporary neo-paganism, has estimated that there are about 100,000 people in the U.S. alone who describe themselves as pagan or neo-pagan. Over the past 5 or 6 years, I have developed a strong sympathy, more, an empathy with the neo-pagan sensibility and earth centredness. Apart from reading Dreaming the Dark by Starhawk, I had not studied paganism or ritual practice. This summer however, both at the North American Anarchist Survival Gathering and the North American Bioregional Congress the presence of pagans was very obvious to me. At the Bioregional Congress I had the chance to experience paganism directly, through earthbonding rituals which had a powerful effect on many participants.