Witches will gather this week in Albuquerque to celebrate the autumn equinox.
Wicca and other religions are participating in the Pagan Pride Day. Wicca is a religion that derives many of its beliefs from symbolism, connection to nature and the universe as a cycle of life.
Ashleen O'Gaea, one of the featured speakers, will also conduct a workshop called "In Service of Life," about Wiccan perspectives on death at the First Unitarian Church on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
"Death will always be sad, but it doesn't have to be scary," O'Gaea said. "Wiccans tend to believe in matter and energy. One cannot exist without the other. There isn't any place outside of the life cycle to go, so we reincarnate."
O'Gaea lives in Tucson, and has been involved in Wicca for the past 20 years after a friend introduced her to books and other Wiccan followers. From that point, O'Gaea said she thrived in a religion that focuses on the cyclical nature of all living things.
In 2000, O'Gaea helped found a neo-Pagan ministry in the Arizona state prison system called Mother Earth Ministries to open her beliefs to those that might benefit from Wiccan teachings.
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"It's put everything in a coherent spectrum," O' Gaea said. "It doesn't deny feelings. It's not based on shame and punishment. It respects everything and honors the physical life that we lead."
A life cycle is ingrained into the philosophy of Wicca.
"All of life feeds off life," she said. "Other life dies in order to support you, so your obligation is to keep a healthy cycle going."
O'Gaea said people have misconceptions about Wicca, assuming it is like witchcraft depicted on television. Movies and shows like "The Sorcerer and the Stone" or "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" depict characters with supernatural powers who use spells. In actuality, this does not correspond to Wiccan beliefs or practices.
"It's a nature religion," she said. "We look to the things that happen in nature as a guideline to what is holy. We give magic, but not that kind of magic."
O'Gaea said the best way to explore this religion is to seek information uncluttered with preconceived notions of witchcraft.
"Anyone that has questions should seek people of that religion and just ask about it," she said. "(Otherwise) it's like going to an auto mechanic to ask questions about your health."
Pagan Pride Day will feature festivities including an autumn equinox ritual as well as vendors, diviners, speakers, belly dancers and other workshops.
The First Unitarian Church is a non-denominational church. The Covenant of Universal Pagan, a subset, is sponsoring this year's parade. The cost of the event is a donation of a non-perishable food item that will go to the church's food bank.
Coming Attraction
Pagan Pride Day
Tiguex Park on Mountain Road in Old Town,
across from the Ntaural History Museum
Sunday 10 am to 6 am
