Thorn is a new quarterly print magazine about paganism and modern culture. Through a combination of news articles and investigative research, photographic spreads and academic essays, comic strips, original illustration and historical analysis, we hope to illuminate the joys and complications of living ancient paths in the wired era.
**Inaugural December 08 Issue Now on Sale!**
Volume 1, Issue 1 Available

Our long labor is finished at last-- Thorn's inaugural December 2008 issue is ready to ship. Below, we've reproduced the entire Table of Contents of Issue 1 plus previews and, here and there, full reproductions of the articles in this issue.


THORN
December 2008
Volume 1, Issue 1

Features

Without a Watchmaker
Unsatisfied with the answers of mainstream religion, a longtime atheist turns his questions to witchcraft. Robert Koskulics

The Extraordinary Healing and/or Totally Fraudulent Powers of Orgone
A layman's attempts to navigate a fifty-year-old medical controversy. Jeff Mach

Food of the Gods: Kitchen Magic
With kitchen magic, even pouring cereal can become a sacred act. Dawn Hunt

The Ogham Alphabet: Hyperlink to the Gods
From an esoteric code language to the hodgepodge calendar of Robert Graves, the druids' tree alphabet has accumulated centuries of meanings. Edwin Chapman

'Story' Is Only Part of 'History': Re-evaluating the Work of Marija Gimbutas
As storytellers, we may long to believe in an ancient pacifistic matriarchy-- but as Pagans, we must examine our narratives above all for their accuracy. Christine Hoff Kraemer


Streams

Devotions: Hanging with the Gods(Full Preview!)
Forget ambrosia and distant clouds of light-- some gods swig beer down here with the rest of us. Tchipakkan

Primary Sources: "The Cauldron of Poesy" and "Source"
In search of "the root of poetry and every other wisdom"-- the "kind nothing at the core of time." Translation by Erynn Rowan Laurie / Poem by Mark Doty

Phos: A Feral Photospread
Our models showcase their handmade clothing in the landscape that inspired their designs.

Othala: Initiation
Our writers examine initiation from the context of their specific Reconstructionist paths.


Facets

Wyrd Science: A Lab Report
Science and magic, far from irreconcilable, can result in potent combinations. Try these simple projects and see if Home Depot has a place in your ritual supplies. Starwolf

An Evening with Uncle Chuckie: Psionics and the Ethics of Power
The pioneer of psionics details modern magic's quest to create the ultimate magical weapon-- but at what cost? Jack Lux

Practical Faith in Challenging Times: Some Thoughts for Yule
Why a faith-based approach to practical problems may not be such a crazy idea after all. Catherine Kane

Thorn's Top Picks for Yule
Can't afford that new Tarot deck for your friend this Yule? Why not try the time-tested divinatory powers of the 8-ball?

Riding the Golden Horse (Full Preview!)
Some of the old ways may be lost, but as inheritors of the past, we have the opportunity to combine the best parts of the old and the new. Jimmy Two-Hats


Recurrences

Contributors
The names & faces behind Thorn.

Creation Myth: Intelligent Designs from the Descendants of the Sun Gods
Eco-fashion hits the runways of haute couture armed with a new sustainable material: alpaca fur. Rachel Moran

The Wild Hunt
Paganism's favorite news blog breaks into print with a report on Pagans in the voting booth, the Supreme Court, and Hollywood. Jason Pitzl-Waters

Of Green and Glass: Where Down to Earth Solutions and a Glass Edge Meet
Our advice columnist takes on cities, clubbing, and that bum your sister is bringing to dinner. Goewin GreenWitch


Zeitgeist

Listening to the Voice of the City
Decades before the emergence of the modern Pagan movement, 20th century painter Joseph Stella saw the sacred in the Brooklyn Bridge. Bobbi Blackwell

Jukebox Heroes: The World of Phonogram (Expanded from the print edition!)
Goddesses of British pop. DJs who live forever by leeching energy from clueless clubbers. Thorn interviews the writer of Phonogram, a graphic novel series about the real magic in music.

Watch the Women: Women and Religion in the West: Challenging Secularization
As more modern women leave traditional religion behind, this British study examines their new focus: a more freeform spirituality. Lupa

Meddling in the Affairs of Witches: We Are Wizards and Hoopeston (Full Previews!)
In these two documentaries, magical fandom meets the mundane as small town Christians clash with the new witch school down the street. Justin Aier / Curtis Harding

Copyright 2009 by Thurisaz Media, LLC.