Today on the Minoan Path blog I'm adventuring into utopian territory. To be more specific, I'm focusing on the fact that the Minoans of ancient Crete, for all their wealth and peace, weren't exactly a utopia. But have no fear - they're still a culture from whom we can learn some valuable lessons that can make the world a better place. Good Guys, Bad Guys, and Utopias For further discussion of ancient Crete and modern Minoan Paganism, join us in Ariadne's Tribe. In the name of

The lovely folks at Outer Travels - Inner Journeys interviewed me about how traveling inspires my writing and art. Check out the article to find out which trip triggered me to write my first novel and where I'd like to go next: The Tao of Travel - The Way of the Spiritual Traveller with Laura Perry Where have you traveled that inspired you in some way? #spirituality #culture #maya #writing

Today on the Minoan Path blog, I'm exploring a bit about Linear A, the writing system the ancient Minoans used to record their native language. Even though it still hasn't been translated, it can give us some glimpses into Minoan language, religion, and life. Click the link to get to the full article: What can we know about Linear A? In the name of the Bee - And of the Butterfly - And of the Breeze - Amen! #minoan #spirituality #crete #paganism #culture

Compassion requires boundaries. I don’t mean putting boundaries on compassion itself; heaven knows, it’s hard enough to come by as it is. I mean that we need to clarify our own boundaries in order to feel safe enough to engage with compassion. You see, I’ve recently discovered that compassion requires a safe space in order to manifest. It’s easy to feel compassion for those who are downtrodden, ill, poor, far away, and otherwise no threat to us. Of course, that ease doesn’t m

Does capitalism encourage evil? That’s a thought that occurred to me after my daughter asked me about my personal definition of evil. So first I had to solidify that definition. Even though I grew up surrounded by Christians, I never quite agreed with the idea that there is some sort of disembodied evil ‘out there’ waiting to corrupt us. As far back as I can remember, all the nasty stuff in the world came from selfish choices human beings made, on a small or large scale. So m

During the winter holidays each year I choose a short saying that will be the focus of my meditation practice for the upcoming year, a bit of a twist on the idea of a new year's resolution. Every year I have found a great deal of meaning and depth in these simple sayings, from 'All life is one life' to 'Wherever you go, there you are.' This year I chose a sentence that is often repeated in the Pagan community: Thou art god/dess. (In other words, 'Thou art god' or 'Thou art go

The modern world is full of wonderful inventions, but one thing the ancients had but that is largely missing from our lives today is ecstasy. What does this mean and what can we do about it? I've shared my thoughts on the subject here: Are we ecstasy deprived? #crete #minoan #paganism #culture #psychology

Here in the northern hemisphere, it's the beginning of harvest season. We've just passed Lammas, the seasonal festival that is considered the First Harvest in several traditions. Where I live, that doesn't mean grain so much as watermelons, fresh herbs, and more zucchini than anyone knows what to do with (as well as the not-yet-mature hazelnuts you see in the photo). But of course, the concept of harvest is symbolic as well. It's common for people who follow earth-oriented sp

You've probably heard of polytheism, but henotheism may be a new one for you. This week on the Minoan Path blog, I'm diving into the concept of henotheism because it's how the ancient Minoans viewed their goddesses and gods. Click on the link below to get to the post: Handling Henotheism It's amazing how many different ways people use to understand the world. What's your favorite mental organization method for divinity? #culture #spirituality #paganism #cosmology #minoan #cre

While I was doing some research for the upcoming online course, I had an apostrophe...er, epiphany about Dionysos. He was so important to the Minoans that the Greeks equated him with their Zeus. Today I'm sharing a couple of his different aspects, functions he performed in the Minoan pantheon that made him so important to the people of ancient Crete: The Many Faces of Dionysos For more information about ancient Crete and modern Minoan Paganism, join the discussion over at Ari

As we approach Summer Solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere, we in the Pagan community celebrate the season with a wide variety of traditions. Today I'm sharing with you a way the ancient Minoans may have marked the season, with a mystery play and public celebration put on by the priesthood of the great temple complex in Knossos: Mystery at Midsummer, Minoan Style May all the gods bless you this and every Midsummer of your lives. In the name of the Bee - And of the Butterf

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

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 cultur

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