I spent an afternoon with Paul Ridlon, who also goes by Magnus de Rhuddlan, to make images for a Maine Monitor story about the rise of Paganism in Maine. The article, by Sean Scott, is linked above. My edit of the images is visible below.
The gate leading to Paul Ridlon’s backyard is illuminated by his breaklights at his home in Portland, ME. The Norse runes on the gate read: “Speak friend and enter,” a phrase adopted from The Lord of the Rings.Paul, who practices a form of modern paganism and also goes by the name Magnus de Rhuddlan, wears his “Moss Bear” suit as he stands inside his yurt in Portland, ME. Paul is a member of the Maine Pagan Clergy Association, and “Moss Bear” is one of several suits he constructed for use during shamanic rituals and community events. Deer masks hang on the ceiling of Paul’s home in Portland, ME. He made the masks for a Winter Solstice ceremony.Paul shovels the walkway of the Portland New Church, a Swedenborgian Spiritual Community where he serves as Council President, and co-leads a monthly “cosmic mass,” in Portland, ME.Paul wears his “Moss Bear” suit as he stands outside the yurt where he lives in Portland, ME.From left, Paul, William Huntington, and Ally Meeks eat dinner at Ridlon’s home in Portland, ME, as his dogs “Athena” and “Blue” wait for table scraps. Huntington and Meeks both rent from Ridlon.