Links
Central Illinois Resources
Allerton Park
This park contains miles of forested trails for hiking. Its main feature is an array of gardens plus a selection of statues scattered throughout the grounds. Many of these features have kind of a Pagan flavor.
Common Ground Food Co-op
You are what you eat. Shop here for safe, healthy food. This is a good place to find products with such traits as locally grown, organic, free-range, vegan/vegetarian, whole foods, etc. Support small and local businesses and farms.
Fox Ridge State Park
Enjoy campsites, picnic pavilions, lots of hiking trails, scenic views, and other features. Various Pagan groups have successfully reserved space here for activities.
Browse the Illinois Department of Natural Resources page for Fox Ridge.
See the park's Facebook page.
Urbana's Market at the Square
This is the big farmer's market in the parking lot outside Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana, IL. It features vegetables, herbs, fruit, sometimes live plants, flowers, jewelry and other craft items, baked goods, clothing, art, all kinds of stuff produced mainly by local folks. Occasionally there is magical jewelry to be found, but the main attraction is the produce -- ideal if you're doing kitchen magic with herbs, or just cooking for your own enjoyment. It's also worth a look for native plants in spring, if your Earth-worship includes a butterfly garden or other habitat restoration.
Main Page (times, information on vendors/groups/etc.)
Follow the Market on Facebook.
Read the Market's blog.
Witch's Honor
Connect with other Pagan and Pagan-friendly folks in Illinois through this email list. Traffic waxes and wanes over time. Topics usually include local Pagan activities and other stuff that might interest the same sort of people. Asking a question about Pagan practices will usually get a response or few.
Community Skills
Fellowship for Intentional Community
Extensive treasure trove of resources for living in community and interacting with other people. Includes a Wiki about communal living, information on Communities magazine, articles, a directory of communities, and more. This material can help to create and maintain a healthy long-term Pagan community, whether or not any of you share a roof.
"How to Start Your Own Coven or Study Circle"
This article covers the basic steps; it also includes links to other online sources and recommends some good books.
MindTools
Although aimed at the business world, this material generalizes well to a personal context. Browse leadership skills, problem solving, decision making, time management, communication, and other techniques.
Pagan Clergy Network
A database of Pagan clergy who will perform handfastings, funerals, and other rites of passages. There are also tips for choosing the right officiant and for making ceremonies go well.
Pagan Leadership Institute
This program takes place at Pagan Spirit Gathering, as a series of workshops on topics relevant to Pagan clergy and other group leaders.
Succeed Socially
An archive of articles and advice on various people skills, with attention to such topics as meeting new people, making plans, conversations, and nonverbal communication.
Suzette Haden Elgin's Verbal Self-Defense Home Page
Basic resources on how to identify hostile language and deflect it harmlessly, with pointers to the author's books and other materials for further study. This is seriously a good study area for coven leaders or people who are not into the farming of Drama Llamas.
Interfaith & Tolerance Organizations
Religious Tolerance
Read about different religions, their beliefs and practices, how they interact, etc. on this site. It's very useful for interfaith study or spiritual seekers.
Teaching Tolerance
Primarily aimed at educators, this site also speaks to parents, community leaders, and other folks in influential positions. It encourages people to work and play well with others while reducing racism, sexism, religious intolerance, and all the other "isms" that should be "wasms."
Pagan Chants and Songs
Beth's Pagan Chant Page
This batch of Pagan chants includes MIDI files and sheet music.
EarthSpirit Pagan Chant Library
Connected with the MotherTongue singers, this is a collection of popular Pagan chant lyrics.
Pagan Chants of the Month Archive
This project no longer updates monthly, just occasionally. It has a large collection of Pagan chants with lyrics and MP3 files. There's also a section listing other Pagan music links.
Pagan and Wiccan Songs and Chants
Here there are short chants and longer songs in lyric form.
Willow Firesong's Pagan Yule Carol Collection
Many of these are repurposed Christmas carols, but some are original. They are very convenient because most people will know most of the tunes already. There are lyrics, and some of the entries also have MP3 files of the tunes.
Pagan References
The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum
Looking for other Pagans? Here is an online community that spans many faiths and topics. There are chat venues, forum boards, reviews, articles, and other resources to explore.
Circle Sanctuary
This Wiccan church includes a 200-acre nature preserve in southwestern Wisconsin. Classes, Full Moon circles, sabbats, and other gatherings draw in a lively Pagan community. They also publish CIRCLE Magazine, a popular periodical with articles, poetry, and other goodies.
Pagan Educational Network
Activists in this organization have produced useful materials for explaining Paganism and religious rights to non-Pagans, dealing with challenges at work or school, celebrating Pagan identity, etc. If you're having problems, look here for resources that might help.
Pagan Pride Project
Behind Pagan Pride Day and related activities in September, this organization also supports other aspects of Pagan culture and community. Search for events near you.
The Witches' Voice
Here is an all-purpose Pagan hub. It features articles, news, networking, and just about anything else you could want. There's also a regional search feature to help you find other Pagan individuals, groups, and events near you.
Publishers & Booksellers
ABE Books
Looking for a rare or out-of-print book? This site connects thousands of booksellers offering new and used books. Their search functions are very sophisticated and detailed.
Chelsea Green
This small publisher focuses on sustainable living, gardening and ecology, natural foods, social awareness, and local viability. The website is also loaded with free articles, book excerpts, interviews, and other useful stuff. While not explicitly Pagan, the subject range meshes well with an Earth-based belief system.
Inner Traditions
This medium-sized publisher of Pagan and New Age books puts out some of the more solid titles available, and also has an interest in indigenous religions.
Llewellyn Worldwide
Here is one of the biggest and best-known publishers in the Pagan/New Age field. They have a massive selection and cover most topics. They're particularly good for novices and offer many books that are easy to get into. Llewellyn also puts out a set of annual almanacs and calendars dealing with magic, astrology, herbalism, and other themes.
New Page Books
Another medium-size publisher, this one covers alternative spirituality and transcendental topics. They offer some good educational and textbook-style titles.
New Society Publishers
If you don't like the way the world is going, look here for alternatives. This press puts out books on natural living, sustainability, social responsibility, philosophy and spirituality, community, and similar topics. They have a very connected and thoughtful perspective that fits well with a Pagan worldview.
Shopping
AzureGreen
Magical, spiritual, and occult tools and supplies for a wide range of traditions.
Black Cat Lucky Mojo
Altar tools and supplies: candles, incense, washes, etc. with an emphasis on voodoo and folk magic.
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab
Essential oils, perfumes, and related products -- many with magical uses.
Sacred Source
Icons, altar statues, plaques, and other devotional images from many faiths. Both famous and obscure Pagan deities may be found in effigy here.
Allerton Park
This park contains miles of forested trails for hiking. Its main feature is an array of gardens plus a selection of statues scattered throughout the grounds. Many of these features have kind of a Pagan flavor.
Common Ground Food Co-op
You are what you eat. Shop here for safe, healthy food. This is a good place to find products with such traits as locally grown, organic, free-range, vegan/vegetarian, whole foods, etc. Support small and local businesses and farms.
Fox Ridge State Park
Enjoy campsites, picnic pavilions, lots of hiking trails, scenic views, and other features. Various Pagan groups have successfully reserved space here for activities.
Browse the Illinois Department of Natural Resources page for Fox Ridge.
See the park's Facebook page.
Urbana's Market at the Square
This is the big farmer's market in the parking lot outside Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana, IL. It features vegetables, herbs, fruit, sometimes live plants, flowers, jewelry and other craft items, baked goods, clothing, art, all kinds of stuff produced mainly by local folks. Occasionally there is magical jewelry to be found, but the main attraction is the produce -- ideal if you're doing kitchen magic with herbs, or just cooking for your own enjoyment. It's also worth a look for native plants in spring, if your Earth-worship includes a butterfly garden or other habitat restoration.
Main Page (times, information on vendors/groups/etc.)
Follow the Market on Facebook.
Read the Market's blog.
Witch's Honor
Connect with other Pagan and Pagan-friendly folks in Illinois through this email list. Traffic waxes and wanes over time. Topics usually include local Pagan activities and other stuff that might interest the same sort of people. Asking a question about Pagan practices will usually get a response or few.
Community Skills
Fellowship for Intentional Community
Extensive treasure trove of resources for living in community and interacting with other people. Includes a Wiki about communal living, information on Communities magazine, articles, a directory of communities, and more. This material can help to create and maintain a healthy long-term Pagan community, whether or not any of you share a roof.
"How to Start Your Own Coven or Study Circle"
This article covers the basic steps; it also includes links to other online sources and recommends some good books.
MindTools
Although aimed at the business world, this material generalizes well to a personal context. Browse leadership skills, problem solving, decision making, time management, communication, and other techniques.
Pagan Clergy Network
A database of Pagan clergy who will perform handfastings, funerals, and other rites of passages. There are also tips for choosing the right officiant and for making ceremonies go well.
Pagan Leadership Institute
This program takes place at Pagan Spirit Gathering, as a series of workshops on topics relevant to Pagan clergy and other group leaders.
Succeed Socially
An archive of articles and advice on various people skills, with attention to such topics as meeting new people, making plans, conversations, and nonverbal communication.
Suzette Haden Elgin's Verbal Self-Defense Home Page
Basic resources on how to identify hostile language and deflect it harmlessly, with pointers to the author's books and other materials for further study. This is seriously a good study area for coven leaders or people who are not into the farming of Drama Llamas.
Interfaith & Tolerance Organizations
Religious Tolerance
Read about different religions, their beliefs and practices, how they interact, etc. on this site. It's very useful for interfaith study or spiritual seekers.
Teaching Tolerance
Primarily aimed at educators, this site also speaks to parents, community leaders, and other folks in influential positions. It encourages people to work and play well with others while reducing racism, sexism, religious intolerance, and all the other "isms" that should be "wasms."
Pagan Chants and Songs
Beth's Pagan Chant Page
This batch of Pagan chants includes MIDI files and sheet music.
EarthSpirit Pagan Chant Library
Connected with the MotherTongue singers, this is a collection of popular Pagan chant lyrics.
Pagan Chants of the Month Archive
This project no longer updates monthly, just occasionally. It has a large collection of Pagan chants with lyrics and MP3 files. There's also a section listing other Pagan music links.
Pagan and Wiccan Songs and Chants
Here there are short chants and longer songs in lyric form.
Willow Firesong's Pagan Yule Carol Collection
Many of these are repurposed Christmas carols, but some are original. They are very convenient because most people will know most of the tunes already. There are lyrics, and some of the entries also have MP3 files of the tunes.
Pagan References
The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum
Looking for other Pagans? Here is an online community that spans many faiths and topics. There are chat venues, forum boards, reviews, articles, and other resources to explore.
Circle Sanctuary
This Wiccan church includes a 200-acre nature preserve in southwestern Wisconsin. Classes, Full Moon circles, sabbats, and other gatherings draw in a lively Pagan community. They also publish CIRCLE Magazine, a popular periodical with articles, poetry, and other goodies.
Pagan Educational Network
Activists in this organization have produced useful materials for explaining Paganism and religious rights to non-Pagans, dealing with challenges at work or school, celebrating Pagan identity, etc. If you're having problems, look here for resources that might help.
Pagan Pride Project
Behind Pagan Pride Day and related activities in September, this organization also supports other aspects of Pagan culture and community. Search for events near you.
The Witches' Voice
Here is an all-purpose Pagan hub. It features articles, news, networking, and just about anything else you could want. There's also a regional search feature to help you find other Pagan individuals, groups, and events near you.
Publishers & Booksellers
ABE Books
Looking for a rare or out-of-print book? This site connects thousands of booksellers offering new and used books. Their search functions are very sophisticated and detailed.
Chelsea Green
This small publisher focuses on sustainable living, gardening and ecology, natural foods, social awareness, and local viability. The website is also loaded with free articles, book excerpts, interviews, and other useful stuff. While not explicitly Pagan, the subject range meshes well with an Earth-based belief system.
Inner Traditions
This medium-sized publisher of Pagan and New Age books puts out some of the more solid titles available, and also has an interest in indigenous religions.
Llewellyn Worldwide
Here is one of the biggest and best-known publishers in the Pagan/New Age field. They have a massive selection and cover most topics. They're particularly good for novices and offer many books that are easy to get into. Llewellyn also puts out a set of annual almanacs and calendars dealing with magic, astrology, herbalism, and other themes.
New Page Books
Another medium-size publisher, this one covers alternative spirituality and transcendental topics. They offer some good educational and textbook-style titles.
New Society Publishers
If you don't like the way the world is going, look here for alternatives. This press puts out books on natural living, sustainability, social responsibility, philosophy and spirituality, community, and similar topics. They have a very connected and thoughtful perspective that fits well with a Pagan worldview.
Shopping
AzureGreen
Magical, spiritual, and occult tools and supplies for a wide range of traditions.
Black Cat Lucky Mojo
Altar tools and supplies: candles, incense, washes, etc. with an emphasis on voodoo and folk magic.
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab
Essential oils, perfumes, and related products -- many with magical uses.
Sacred Source
Icons, altar statues, plaques, and other devotional images from many faiths. Both famous and obscure Pagan deities may be found in effigy here.
Photo used under Creative Commons from g_kat26
