“The Book of Uncommon Rituals”
The Book of Uncommon Rituals (forthcoming series) is an adventurous collection of original submissions from practitioners from all over the world, spanning a wide range of spiritual paths and no spiritual path.
Experience Design
The Church of Burn
Introducing the Church of Burn: Art-Magic Cult? New Age Religion? Ritualists? Gnostics? Chaos Mages? When the Fitzwilliam Museum described Church of Burn as “organisers of special events that resemble religious ceremonies,” it felt like we were being observed through the lens of a Victorian anthropologist — as if our rituals needed some kind of official … Read moreThe Church of Burn
The London Magical Moon Pilgrimage
Advance notice of this ritual event in London, to take place overnight beginning on April 26th: Walking the Thames Serpent Dream Bridge With our brave, wild, beautiful imaginations, the grief and laughter of our bodies, the attention of our hearts and desire of our dreams A small and merry band of pilgrims will join in … Read moreThe London Magical Moon Pilgrimage
The Temple of Poetic Faiths
Here is the notional Temple of Poetic Faiths (ignore most of the text, it’s AI gibberish). Here is a place – perhaps an installation in a modern art gallery, perhaps a civic center in a nation that truly values things like art and imagination and religious pluralism – wherein are found the altars and shrines … Read moreThe Temple of Poetic Faiths
The Chapel of Awe: A Temporary Monastic Container (December 6-14 at Sky Meadow Retreat)
The Chapel of Awe is an abbey for earnest contemplation, meditation, and communal brother-/sisterhood before the holy Mystery of existence: (…) The daily itinerary will be sparse but not ascetic, structured but not strictly regimented, serene but not silent. Beginning with a meditation sit at 9 am, each day will be devoted to reading, contemplation, … Read moreThe Chapel of Awe: A Temporary Monastic Container (December 6-14 at Sky Meadow Retreat)
“Metamodern Spirituality Labs: The Vibe from Inside”
Host Aviv Shahar of the Portals podcast interviews Layman Pascal and Brendan Graham Dempsey, organizers of the Metamodern Spirituality Labs at Brendan’s Sky Meadow Retreat in Vermont. My own memoir of attending the Spring 2024 Lab is available here.
The Sky Meadow Mystery School, Harvest 2024 in a few words and many images
Taking place during late August of 2024, the inaugural Sky Meadow Mystery School was a free, week-long, residential immersion into wholesome permaculture practice and the mythopoetic mysteries of Life and Death. As an experiment in countercultural community-building, the Mystery School was also a time and place to learn new skills and perspectives. One of our … Read moreThe Sky Meadow Mystery School, Harvest 2024 in a few words and many images
“CultPunk, Death and the Art of Ritual”
In this episode of Brian James’ Howl in the Wilderness podcast, Brian and myself discuss the potentials of CultPunk and Poetic Faith as new arts of meaning-making, as well as the philosophy of memento mori ergo carpe diem – “remember death and therefore seize the day”.
The Sky Meadow Mystery School, Discussed
A conversation about this upcoming residential retreat event in Vermont.