Pagan Pride Day dispels myths

DOVER -- Donna Jackson has divined the metaphysical spectrum for 35 years, for more than 10,000 people, in person, over the phone or via the Internet.

By passing her hand over the body, a technique she calls a body scan, Jackson can sense minute vibrations that are imperceptible to all but a very few blessed with a psychic gift.

"I can tell if you have problems or are hurting in an area," she said.

Her tools include tarot cards, runes, herbs and numerology.

Her newsletter, "Psychic Times," has more than 1,000 subscribers.

Jackson gave tarot readings Sunday on Dover's Legislative Mall, during the fourth annual Pagan Pride Day. The event, which is growing larger every year, honors beliefs about spirituality and provides an opportunity for community.

Workshops focused on tarot, rituals, kabala, herbs, drumming, chanting and how to create a sacred space.

Pagan Pride Day is a national organization with events in most major cities. Dover was chosen because of its central location, said Helen Haughey, founder and organizer of the event.

Paganism, she said, is broadly defined as any nature-based polytheistic spirituality, including: Wicca, Druid beliefs, Buddhism, gnostic Christianity, shamanism, many American Indian beliefs and more.

"We're benevolent. We're very peaceful. We're your neighbors. We're your doctors and nurses. We're your shopkeepers. We're totally normal," Haughey said. "That's what Pagan Pride Day is all about -- bringing all kinds of people together. Even people who aren't pagan, who are curious about us and want to see how we worship, are wel-come. It's all about unity."

Pagans suffer from negative stereotypes and a host of misconceptions, Haughey said.

"There are tons of them," she said. "The biggest one is that we're satanic or worship the devil. That's absolutely not true. Satanism is an offspring of Christianity. Paganism has nothing to do with Satanism or human sacrifices. People think that everything they see coming from Hollywood is true. Of course, none of it is true."

Pagan Pride Day was as diverse as its definition.

James Marker, known as "Three Eagles" to the Cree people, and his partner, Miro, took a break from following the powwow circuit to sell leather goods and American Indian crafts. Some were decorated with Yakima beadwork. He had several dream-catchers fashioned from antler.

"The day is wonderful," Marker said. "It's a good turnout for a cloudy day, and the people are very nice -- like those at a powwow."

Patrick Folsom, of New Castle, was stripping jute cord Sunday afternoon to use as kindling in a traditional fire-making class. Folsom teaches wilderness skills, emergency preparedness and survival.

"The event is way bigger than when it started," he said. "Four years ago, there were only five tents. It's getting bigger every year."

Cat Coley was teaching a group of 15 about the healing benefits of drumming.

Her husband, Chet, makes the drums from elk or deer hide stretched over an octagon-shaped wood frame.

Things weren't going according to plan Sunday, though, because of frequent showers and high humidity.

"These things need to be as tight as guitar strings," he said of the loose rawhide straps on the back of a drum. "Because of the weather, all the drums are flat. We're trying to dry them out now in our van."

Wiccan Mary Fitzcharles, of Lincoln, was browsing the booths with her children, wearing a ball cap that described her as a "White Witch."

"Wicca is not evil," she said. "Wicca is an ancient form of medicinal practice. A lot of doctors are becoming more accepting of traditional medicine."

Fitzcharles has seen the event grow and become more diverse.

"We're starting to see different people," she said. "We're starting to see more older, straight people."