Series: Pride | Publication Date: September 1, 2004
"Who wouldn't be proud? Pagans have given us art and architecture, customs and crafts, philosophy and poetry. Clearly and concisely, Macha NightMare offers a delightfully diverse overview of the world’s pagan heritage." --Patricia Monaghan, author of The Red-Haired Girl from the Bog: The Landscape of Celtic Myth and Spirit
"Applying the revived and newly meaningful term ‘Pagan’ to a wide variety of human cultural activities, Macha NightMare makes us look at our history with fresh eyes, letting us see the connections between religious polytheism and artistic creativity, political innovation, and freedom of thought." --Chas S. Clifton, Colorado State University, Pueblo
"M. Macha NightMare has assembled an impressive collection of Pagan accomplishments spanning thousands of years of human history. Modern Pagan readers will rediscover their heritage with pride, while non-Pagans will acquire a new appreciation for the contributions of their Pagan forebears (and contemporaries) to our shared culture and society." --Elder Donald H. Frew, Covenant of the Goddess National Interfaith Representative; Trustee, Global Council of the United Religions Institute; editor of Sacred Spaces: 2004 Sacred Space Design Competition
"From The Aenead to the White Horse of Uffington, Pagan Pride includes both well-known and nearly unremembered examples of pagan objects and ideas. Treasure Macha NightMare’s compilation and welcome to our strange and wonderful world, where minority religions can point to so many contributions to the majority culture." --Grey Cat, author of Deepening Witchcraft: Advancing Skills and Knowledge and founder of the North Wind Tradition of American Wicca
Born in New England, raised in the Delaware Valley, and a Californian for half a century, M. Macha NightMare, Priestess & Witch, is among the founders of Reclaiming Tradition Witchcraft, and an initiate of (Anderson) Faery/Feri Tradition as well. As a Witch at Large, she has circled with Witches of many different traditions as well as with people of other Pagan paths throughout the U.S., and in Canada and Brazil.
An internationally published author, Macha co-authored, with Starhawk, and edited The Pagan Book of Living and Dying: Practical Rituals, Prayers, Blessings, and Meditations on Crossing Over (1997), voted #1 of the most significant Pagan titles by the reviewers of PanGaia Magazine; Witchcraft and the Web: Weaving Pagan Traditions Online (2001), and Pagan Pride: Honoring the Craft and Culture of Earth and Goddess (2004). Contributor to anthologies Irish Spirit: Pagan, Celtic, Christian, Global, Patricia Monaghan, ed., The Green Egg Omelette, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, ed., Celebrating the Pagan Soul: Our Own Stories of Inspiration and Community, Laura Wildman, ed. and Exploring the Pagan Path: Wisdom from Elders, Kristin Madden, ed.
Macha's writing has appeared in periodicals and she has contributed encyclopedia entries. In addition, she frequently speaks about Paganism to journalists, at colleges, universities, and seminaries, and in the context of interfaith activities.
In 2008, she spoke on behalf of Pagans at Peoples of the Earth, a conference of Earth religions practitioners (Heathen, Hindu, Shinto, Mayan, Native Californian (American Canyon), Orisha, Buddhism, et al.) at the Interfaith Center of the Presidio.
Featured in a year-long study (2002-03) of religious leaders in Marin County, CA called "Women in Leadership in Faith: Voices of Hope and Healing in a Troubled World," Macha has spoken and/or performed rituals at the Center for Multifaith Education at Auburn Theological Seminary, New York City; Pacific School of Religion at Berkeley's Graduate Theological Union; Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto; Claremont Graduate University; Stanford University, UC-Berkeley; Sonoma State University; St. Lawrence University, NY; Cornell; Eastern Michigan Univ., Ypsilanti; St. Mary's College, Moraga, CA; College of Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont, CA; New College of California and California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco.
A member of the American Academy of Religion, the Marin Interfaith Council, the Nature Religion Scholars Network, serves on the Boards of Directors of Cherry Hill Seminary, the first and only graduate-level education for Pagan ministry in the modern world, and the Foundation for the Advancement of Women in Religion, and on the Advisory Boards of the Sacred Dying Foundation and PEARL (Pagan Elders Assistance & Resource League) and was Pagan participant in The Biodiversity Project Spirituality Working Group.
Since 1981, Macha has held Elder credentials through the Covenant of the Goddess (CoG), the oldest and largest non-denominational organization of Witches in the U.S.
Her matron "deity" is Kali Ma. Her magical practice is inspired by feminism and a concern for the health of our planet, and is informed by Celtic, Hindu and Tibetan practices, and the magic of enchantment.
She lives Marin County, California, with her partner Corby and two felines, Oona and Fernando. Her beloved daughter Deirdre lives nearby.
When the opportunity presents itself, Macha travels the broomstick circuit, where she enjoys immersing herself in the diverse community that comprises contemporary American Paganism. Macha is circuit priestess and an all-round Pagan webweaver.
