“Dark green religion—religion that considers nature to be sacred, imbued with intrinsic value, and worthy of reverent care—has been spreading rapidly around the world . . . becoming increasingly important in global environmental politics. It motivates a wide array of individuals and movements that are engaged in some of the most trenchant environment- related struggles of our time. It increasingly shapes the worldviews and practices of grassroots social activists and the world’s intelligentsia. It is already important in global environmental politics. It may even inspire the emergence of a global, civic, earth religion.” – Bron Taylor, author of “Dark Green Religion”

Why do Pagans find their source in nature? What does that mean? Why does it frighten some religious groups in America? How do we live out a nature-based belief?

New Location:  Grecian Gardens, 2312 Sunset Blvd, West Columbia, SC, (803) 794-7552. This is very close to the I-26 exit beside Lexington Medical Center (the hospital).

Many of us were in love with nature and doing “Pagan things” long before we ever heard of a spiritual path by that name.  Lifelong nature lover James Wilson shares about his passion for the natural world, including a peek at some of the wild photographs he captures as part of his pilgrimages to sacred natural sites in our region.  From what Druids do, to Peachtree Rock, to Pagan “saints” Thoreau, Muir and Annie Dillard, to the temples in our back yards and parking lots, James walks his talk.  James’ nature spirituality evolved through many years of astronomy, walking in the woods and learning about the natural world.  His first love was birds, which later evolved into a love of wildflowers, butterflies, astronomy, and then into a love of the seasons of the year and eventually into Pantheism and finally Paganism.

Location: Grecian Gardens, 2312 Sunset Boulevard, West Columbia, South Carolina, 29169, 803-794-7552. Greek/family menu, plenty of parking. All are welcome.

March 20, 2012 6:00 – 8:00 PM

February 21st, 2012 – 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Listen to the words of the Great Mother . . . these beautiful words have been used by contemporary witches in ritual countless times for the past at least 50 years.  What does this sacred text mean to you?  What is “drawing down” the goddess?  How has the Charge been part of trance-possessory technique in ritual?  Who really wrote the Charge?

Topic:  Druidry-Green Way of Wisdom – January 17
Guest facilitators Lori and Shane share their learning from studies with OBOD (Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids).

Join us at our new location at Grecian Gardens!

It’s craft night at the Pagan Round Table! Bring a dollar or your own package of Femo/Sculpy polymer clay and we will make Egyptian amulets.
Every respectable mummy had numerous powerful amulets wrapped into its linen sheathing, and most Egyptian citizens wore an amulet around their neck – some for protection, some to help divination, many to increase virility and fertility. Our 2010 goddess amulet craft night was a big hit and you asked for another, so be there or be square!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011 6:00 – 8:00 PM

As we draw closer to Samhain, many of us consider the elders and ancestors who have made us who we are.  Indigenous people around the world have always honored their ancestors, but it seems we moderns have forgotten.  Who are our ancestors?  How do they interact with our lives?  Why and how do we reverence them?  Alicia draws on her Native American roots to lead the discussion.

Location: Mayflower Bistro (formerly called Queenstown Bistro), 1420 Colonial Life Boulevard (right by Dutch Square Mall, next to Melting Pot, across from one of the old Sounds Familiar stores which is now closed) plenty of parking.  All are welcome.

Bring a friend, and come prepared for a great discussion

Autumn is one of the most poignant times in the Pagan annual calendar. Harvests, hurricanes and Hallowe’en (or Samhain for many of us) make this a time for both solemn ceremonies and witchy fun. Bring your best ritual or party idea to share with the group. 6-8 PM at Mayflower Bistro in Columbia, SC.

Charleston artist and mystic Cookie Washington has imagined what life might be like as a water goddess, ruling the seas and the hearts of men. “African-American women don’t honor ourselves enough,” she says. “I don’t mean we should have beauty pageants every day, but we haven’t seen ourselves in art, history, or painting.” When she came across stories of black mermaids she thought, “These trace back to black goddesses. People worshiped them. They were strong. They could cause storms and bring fertility. They could be benevolent and bless your fishing harvest. I wanted little girls to see these amazing spirit beings.”

Location: Mayflower Bistro (formerly called Queenstown Bistro), 1420 Colonial Life Boulevard (right by Dutch Square Mall, next to Melting Pot, across from one of the old Sounds Familiar stores which is now closed) plenty of parking. All are welcome. Questions, 803-798-8007, or sekhmet@osireion.com, or visit Pagan Round Table online.

Bring a friend, and come prepared for a great discussion, keeping in mind the following group agreements:

• We’ll announce the topic and/or guest for the evening at 6:30. We recommend that you order your food as soon as possible since we start discussion at 6:30.
• The facilitator will introduce the topic for the night with a question. After this introduction, all are invited to participate by sharing comments and/or questions of your own.
• Please limit your comments to no more than two minutes . A facilitator will call on people, if needed, e.g., if many try to speak at once or we have a very large crowd.
• No personally-affrontive comments are tolerated. Open disrespect of others, or of other religions, will earn you an escort out of the room for the rest of the evening.

From winning the first annual Vista Queen pageant in the 90s to training in 2010 at the Iraqi Police College, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott has set a standard for community involvement that is matched by few elected officials in the Midlands.  Sheriff Lott is passionate about serving crime victims and has often been in the forefront of addressing needs that others did not recognize, for example, forming a department LGBT task force in 2004 and in 2006 designating a special contact for Pagan and other religious minority victims’ concerns.

Sheriff Lott will be joined by another bright light in our community, Veronica Kunz, Executive Director of the S.C. Victim Assistance Network.  Kunz has tenaciously fought for assistance and support for victims of crime, their families and those who serve them, for more than a decade.  SCVAN advocates on behalf of victims of crime, establishes a communication network, enhances public awareness, facilitates research and evaluation, serves as technical support, facilitates quality training, coordinates policy development, and administers six grant-funded programs providing direct services to crime victims. Ms. Kunz serves as Vice-Chair of the SC Victim Services Coordinating Council, USC’s Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice Advisory Board, SC Criminal Justice Legislative Coalition, and has served as an instructor for SC State Victim Assistance Academy and the Carolinas Institute for Community Policing, and many others.  A survivor of family and sexual violence, Veronica is a passionate advocate for the rights of crime victims.

Bring your questions, ideas and suggestions for Sheriff Lott and Ms. Kunz, and bring your support for what may be the first time an elected official has attended a Pagan event!

Open facilitated discussion group at Mayflower Bistro,  1420 Colonial Life Boulevard, Columbia (near Dutch Square Mall) , 6:00 – 8:00 PM. Questions, 803-422-4565.  www.paganroundtable.org

Location: Mayflower Bistro (the recently renamed Queenstown Bistro), 1420 Colonial Life Boulevard (right by Dutch Square Mall, next to Melting Pot, across from one of the old Sounds Familiar stores which is now closed) plenty of parking.  All are welcome.  Questions, 803-798-8007, or sekhmet@osireion.com, or visit the Columbia (and the Surrounding Areas) Meetup atwww.meetup.com

Bring a friend, and come prepared for a great discussion, keeping in mind the following group agreements:

• We’ll announce the topic and/or guest for the evening at 6:30. We recommend that you order your food as soon as possible since we start discussion at 6:30.
• The facilitator will introduce the topic for the night with a question. After this introduction, all are invited to participate by sharing comments and/or questions of your own.
• Please limit your comments to no more than two minutes. A facilitator will call on people, if needed, e.g., if many try to speak at once or we have a very large crowd.
• No personally-affrontive comments are tolerated. Open disrespect of others, or of other religions, will earn you an escort out of the room for the rest of the evening.
• If you are not Pagan, thank you for coming, and you are very welcome to participate, but you may not evangelize or proselytize, or you will be asked to leave.
• At 7:45 PM, the facilitator will begin to draw the discussion to a close. If necessary, the facilitator will say how many more people have time for a comment, or point to the one, two or three people who may speak in the remaining time.