Carl
McColman
is
a
writer,
teacher,
and
spiritual
guide
based
in
Atlanta,
Georgia.
He
is
the
author
of
seven
metaphysical
books,
including
two
titles
in
the
popular
'Idiot's
Guide'
series.
Carl
is
an
ordained
minister
through
the
Metaphysical
Interfaith
Church
and
a
Certified
Professional
Tarot
Reader
through
the
Tarot
Certification
Board.
Affiliations
include
membership
in
the
Covenant
of
the
Goddess,
Ár
nDraíocht
Féin
Druid
Fellowship,
and
the
American
Tarot
Association.
Carl's
home
base
is
the
Phoenix
Psychic
Center,
located
at
the
Phoenix
and
Dragon
Bookstore
in
Atlanta.
There
he
is
available
for
Tarot
readings
or
spiritual
coaching
sessions,
either
in
person
or
by
phone.
He
also
teaches
classes
at
the
Phoenix
and
Dragon
on
a
variety
of
topics,
including
Pagan
and
Celtic
spirituality,
Tarot,
meditation,
and
spiritual
writing.
Carl
is
the
leader
or
co-leader
of
two
spiritual
groups
in
Atlanta:
Brigid's
Well,
a
public
Celtic
spirituality
study
group
which
meets
at
the
Phoenix
and
Dragon,
and
the
Earth
Mystic
Circle,
a
private,
Goddess-oriented
meditation
group
which
he
leads
in
partnership
with
his
wife,
Fran.
From
time
to
time
Carl
travels
to
other
areas
outside
of
Atlanta
to
speak,
teach,
lead
workshops,
or
do
readings.
Check
Carl's
Schedule
for
details
of
upcoming
appearances.
In
addition
to
his
books,
Carl
has
written
for
a
number
of
magazines
and
periodicals,
including
Aquarius,
Energyworks,
Pangaia,
New
Age
Voice,
New
Leaves,
New
Age
Retailer,
and
Oracle
2000.
Carl's
writing
also
appears
on
these
websites:
Anamchara.com—Mystical
and
contemplative
writings,
including
Carl's
original
website,
the
"House
of
Breathings"
along
with
interviews
with
a
variety
of
authors
and
musicians.
Also
includes
a
list
of
recommended
books
for
seekers
along
the
mystical
path.
Christopagan.info—Ideas
and
resources
for
those
who
wish
to
integrate
Christian
mysticism
with
Neopagan
spirituality.
Carl
lives
with
his
wife
Fran,
stepdaughter
Rhiannon,
and
several
cats
in
a
small
house
in
Stone
Mountain,
GA,
crammed
full
of
books,
CDs,
DVDs,
altars,
candles,
incense,
ritual
supplies,
and
love.
To
contact
Carl,
send
an
email
to
mccolman@anamchara.com.
As
more
Pagans
serve
in
the
military
will
the
Pagan
community
evolve
beyond
its
hippie
roots?
In
the
spring
of
1999,
Georgia
congressman
Bob
Barr
sent
shockwaves
throughout
the
Pagan
community
when
he
repeatedly
attacked
the
presence
of
Witchcraft
on
U.S.
military
bases.
Upset
by
the
existence
of
a
visible
and
apparently
successful
Pagan
organization
at
Fort
Hood
in
Texas,
Barr
introduced
legislation
to
prohibit
the
practice
of
Wicca
or
any
other
form
of
Witchcraft
at
Defense
Department
facilities.
Barr's
motion
went
nowhere
in
Congress--and
it
resulted
primarily
in
galvanizing
Pagans
to
become
more
aware
of
our
precarious
status
as
a
minority
religion.
But
the
Barr
fiasco
also
served
to
highlight
the
quiet
revolution
that
has
been
occurring
in
Paganism,
as
more
and
more
Pagans
enter
the
armed
forces
(and
increasing
numbers
of
military
personnel
embrace
the
old
religions).
I'll
admit
it:
I
didn't
always
think
"military"
and
"Pagan"
went
together.
As
someone
whose
first
encounter
with
Paganism
was
through
reading
Starhawk's
1979
ecofeminist
manifesto
The
Spiral
Dance,
for
me
being
a
Pagan
has
always
seemed
to
mean
something
similar
to
being
a
pacifist,
or
at
least
a
fire-breathing
liberal.
After
all,
the
Goddess
seems
so,
well,
nonviolent,
particularly
in
her
Aphrodisian
make-love-not-war
guise.
But
in
the
wake
of
the
Barr
controversy,
I,
and
many
other
granola
Pagans,
developed
a
new
appreciation
for
the
fact
that
our
spiritual
path
has
also
been
embraced
by
thousands--if
not
hundreds
of
thousands--of
U.S.
service
men
and
women.
These
Pagans
often
identify
as
warriors,
blending
ancient
or
earth-centered
spirituality
with
the
ethics
and
ideals
of
the
martial
arts.
A
leading
Pagan
warrior
is
Kerr
Cuhulain,
a
Vancouver
policeman
and
former
Air
Force
officer
whose
books
The
Wiccan
Warrior
and
Full
Contact
Magick
celebrate
the
ancient--and
still
relevant--connection
between
primal
spirituality
and
the
path
of
the
warrior.
Warrior
spirituality
recognizes
that
it
is
a
limitation
to
see
the
Goddess
as
some
sort
of
romantic
peacenik.
Try
convincing
mythical
Goddesses
like
the
Hindu
Kali
Ma,
the
Irish
Morrigu,
or
the
Greek
Athena
that
Pagan
spirituality
is
all
about
peace
and
love.
Each
of
these
figures
are
ferocious,
take-no-prisoner
warrior
queens,
far
more
concerned
with
security
and
self-defense
than
with
playing
nice
in
the
multi-cultural
sandbox.
And
it's
not
just
the
Pagan
Goddesses
who
are
tough.
Gods
and
heroes
from
ancient
myth
often
embody
the
heroic
ideals
of
bravery,
valor,
strength
and
skill,
all
woven
into
a
fierce
determination
to
defend
their
people
and
protect
the
land.
Indeed,
it
is
the
sheer
idealism
of
such
virtues
that
drive
the
warrior
ethic
in
modern
Paganism.
"We
live
in
very
dangerous
times,"
says
Hawk,
a
Pagan
woman
who
describes
being
a
warrior
as
central
to
her
path--and
who
feels
frustrated
at
the
attitudes
held
by
some
non-military
Pagans.
"Pagan
warriors
are
working
very
hard
to
keep
our
people
safe
and
our
borders
protected.
Many
times,
in
fact,
most
of
the
time,
not
only
is
it
a
thankless
duty,
but
it's
also
frowned
upon
by
many
in
our
own
magickal
community."
Others
seem
more
philosophical
about
the
tensions
that
sometimes
exist
between
peacenik
Pagans
and
those
in
the
military.
JoAnn
Lyman,
whose
husband
has
served
in
the
army
for
15
years,
embraces
the
warrior
concept
as
a
metaphor
for
personal
responsibility.
"Everyone
is
a
warrior
in
their
own
sense.
I
may
not
wield
a
rifle,
sword,
axe,
or
any
other
recognized
weapon;
but
I
know
that
I
am
responsible
for
my
actions...A
warrior
will
weigh
what
has
to
be
done
and
what
people
want
done,
then
do
what
they
know
is
the
right
thing
for
that
time."
This
article
appeared
originally
on
www.beliefnet.com,
the
leading
multifaith
website
for
religion,
spirituality,
inspiration
&
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