What is this? Who am I?

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I am a 30something academic working and living in California. I am an atheist, a dog lover, a leftist, and a pagan. I've started this open journal because as I move through this spiritual journey, I want to create a place to record that journey; which necessarily turns into a part of the journey itself. All my life I've been a writer, so this is a great way for me to pursue and share. 

Sharing is particularly important; when I discovered there was such a thing as atheopaganism (or nontheist-paganism), that has its own community, publications, art and discussions I was elated. I had already been trying to enter into paganism for months but felt alienated and insecure because for me, believing in literal gods and goddesses and other supernatural phenomena was just not an option. So what was I doing? Did it have meaning?, or was it either ridiculous or masquerading? Discovering the depth and breadth of those who already understood their spirituality in the terms of paganism and atheism was an epic discovery -- and so I want to contribute to the growth and availability of that community, both for those who've long been a part of it and, perhaps especially, to ones like me who are just starting out. 

I'm not going to being publishing my name here, not because I do not want this information public (and really if anyone wanted to figure it out it couldn't be that hard) but because I already have a (small) public profile that is intertwined with my work, and I want this space to be as separate from my ego as it can be and geared first and foremost towards the atheopagan community. 

I'm so happy to have arrived at this place, and excited about all the thoughts, feelings, and discoveries that await me. 

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