In this month’s newsletter we have:
The Witches Ball * Next Year’s Theme * Harry Potter Movie Parties * Meet Me at PantheaCon * Different Flags for Different Folks * The Monarch’s Return * Events of Interest * Back from Chaos *
THE WITCHES BALL:
As you may have heard by now, the Witches Ball was a rousing success. Over 600 people attended and a splendid, fun loving group they were, too. Everyone was friendly and kind hearted and it made us proud to see you all gathered together and enjoying yourselves.
The Dj this year was brilliant. He played the songs our people had requested and every type of music you can imagine. The dancers were all very happy and the three level dance floor was jumping all night long. My thanks go out to Corvid, our Chief Bard and to Chuck, our Dj for making the music selection so very special. We’ve asked Chuck to serve as our Musical Magician again next year and I’m delighted to announce that he said “Yes”.
The different Belly Dancers who entertained us at 7 PM and then at 9 were amazing to see. My thanks go out to Jamaica Sinclair; her elegant, magickal dancing opened the ball for us, and to the ladies from United We Dance for their outstanding performance prior to the Award Ceremony.
Best of all to my eyes, were the fabulous costumes worn by our attendees. The various Courts of Faerie were well represented, as was Ancient Egypt, Mythic Greece and many lands I wot not of. Surprisingly, neither of the fairy catchers were successful.
The pictures will be up on the website soon, so you can see for yourselves. Many of these photos come to us courtesy of our official Witches Ball photographers (http://www.avalonearts.com). Their booth was a huge hit – I saw people lining up to have their pictures taken all night long.
(Please note: We have been careful to put up pictures of folks when we
a) Have their permission or
b) If you can only see their costumes and can’t tell who they are.
If you had your picture taken there that night and you will allow us to to post it on the web, please write to us care of info@fullcircleevents.org and let us know that. And if you want your name mentioned, we recommend that you use your Craft Name.)
The Vendor Room was also very popular. Our 13 Vendors (http://www.fullcircleevents.org/ball2001/vendors.shtml) brought a variety of treasures and the large room was very busy as folks checked out the food, costumes, jewelry, clothing and gifts for sale there. The Food Vendor was very well received and they have been invited to return again next year.
There was plenty of seating this year so attendees could sit and watch the crowd whenever they got tired of dancing or shopping. We had chairs and tables set up inside the ballroom itself, in the large Vendor Room, in the hallways (an excellent spot for people watching) and out doors on the back terrace. The night was perfect, clear and cool, without being too cold and it was a pleasure to sit out there and watch the stars when we got hot from too much dancing.
The presentation of the Gaia’s Guardian Award to this year’s winner (http://www.fullcircleevents.org/ball2001/award.shtml) was great fun. Deborah Noel and her dog, Sheeba, had a splendid time and they send their love and thanks to you all. Deborah has now received her plaque and I now have my husband back. (Inside joke, folks: You had to be there).
My special thanks go out to our Decorating Committee who made it all look lovely and to our great volunteers who helped up put it all up and take it all down again when it was over. Our FCE volunteers worked wonders during Set Up and Break Down and they did it with great humor and patience. I would also like those attendees who lingered after the ball and lent a hand – your help was very much appreciated.
Word has gone out all over the California as folks talk and
write about the good time they had. YOU folks have made it a
success and you can be very proud of yourselves.
(Now I'm getting all verklempt. ....Talk amongst yourselves. Here, I'll
give you a topic....”Responsible Pagans are not a myth, nor is the phrase an
oxymoron”.......Discuss).
People came to the ball from all over California (including San Diego,
Sacramento, San Francisco, Marin, Santa Rosa and L.A.). They also came in from Oregon, Washington,
Nevada and Arizona. The crowd itself
was a wonderful mix of Pagans, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, New Age Folks,
Secular Humanists and a host of other Paths, Traditions, "Fill in the
Blank" and "None of the Above" types. All these people worked together and danced together in harmony
and joy. When you think about it, that
works out to Tolerance 1 - Prejudice 0 and, again, say I, you made us proud.
Azeraeis asks me to give his special thanks to all those who helped out in the
Vendor Area during Set Up and Break Down. Our Vendors had a great experience at
the ball and they were very happy to have all the cheerful help from our
volunteers. Many of them have already
signed on for next year.
I would personally like to thank Molly and Uncle Jon at Hearthstone Circle
(http://www.hearthstonecircle.org) for acting as our Money Fairies all night long. As many of your know, Jon designed and constructed all the arches for the splendid Owl Arch and our scenic Backdrop and he also Chaired our Lighting Team. This Team did an amazing job with some very antiquated equipment. My thanks go out to Hawke, Sean, Captain Lightning and Jon for their hard work and creative “field modifications”.
Molly, Jon’s partner, was our Second in Command on the Decorating Committee and she did much behind the scenes these last 6 months to give us the “Froudian” look you saw that night. Molly and Jon also worked the Ball all night long. As a result, we have decided to award Molly and Jon our MVP (Most Valuable Pagan) Award for this year. Hazzah!
To my immense delight, Molly has agreed to be the Chair of the Decorating Committee next year. I can’t wait to see what she and her Team come up with.
The Fair Jennifer (of Purple Dragon House) and her Team from
our Decorating Committee also deserves special mention for the design and
decoration of the Froudian Owl Arch that greeted our attendees as they entered
the hall.
I would also like to thank Robert Tharp and the stylish members of FLARE for
taking such good care of our people that night. These were the 17th
Century pirates who roamed the halls that evening. (My personal favorite was
the handsome lad wearing the pirate scarf over the Mickey Mouse ears.) FLARE made all our attendees feel very safe
and welcome. Besides being such a
classy bunch, they are also generous. FLARE alone raised $600 for the
Humane Society from among its members - all of whom worked the ball, for free,
as well. We love you guys and gals! Come back next year - your Green Room
will be waiting for you.
Thank are also due to Brian and Wendy Froud (http://www.worldoffroud.com) for
donating the print that we used in our raffle and the signed print that we used
in our Silent Auction that evening.
Both prints were gorgeous and they added very nicely to the amount that
we will give to the Humane Society this year.
The raffle alone raised over $300 and folks went home with some fine
prizes, a cat candle lamp, a puzzle and a Witches Brew coffee cup. The last three were donated by Snapdragon
Gifts (http://www.snapdragongifts.com).
(1)
Our sincere regards also go out to the folks from the Santa Clara Humane Society (http://www.scvhumane.org) who staffed their information booth at this year’s ball.
We greatly admire the work you folks do and it is an honor to have you join us. It was especially nice to see our good friend, Officer Christine Franco, there with her fella. As many of you remember, Christine was our Gaia’s Guardian Award Winner last year. She was at the Humane Society booth (looking maaarvelous) and she and Monica (our Witches Ball Director) were the two lovely ladies who conducted our raffle on stage that night.
Thanks also go out to Lee Ann, our Ticket Queen, and to Fernalia, our Volunteer Coordinator. These ladies are as capable as they are wise and it is a pleasure to work with them both.
Last but not least, I have to say a few words about our Full Circle Council. Monica, Corvid, Azeraeis (and Captain Lightning, our Web Wizard) have worked long and hard for over a year to make the Witches Ball and our other events happen. Neither the Ball nor Full Circle Events would be what it is today if it weren’t for their creativity, their dedication and their many skills. I couldn’t think of a better group of people to work (and play) with. So here’s to you folks and to a new year that is rich and full and a lot easier on all of us.
As we speak, Azeraeis and I are still working on the final, yearly budget and collecting money from those 12 stores that were kind enough to sell tickets to the Ball. We hope to have the Full Circle budget ready in time for the December newsletter (as per usual). We will also make our donation to the Humane Society at that time and this, too, will be announced in that newsletter.
THE FOLLOWING THEMES ARE BEING CONSIDERED FOR NEXT YEAR’S WITCHES BALL:
Atlantis – The magickal kingdom comes to life
and beings from land, air and sea attend it’s great festival.
Danse Macabre - A “High Gothic” love story. The hall to be done in shades black, Victorian purple and blood red.
Shapechangers – What animal, tree or being do you
change into? Inspired by the work of Susan Sidden Boulet
The Silk Road – A celebration of that period in history (10 – 15th centuries, C.E.) when the empires of the Franks, Turks, Arabs, Tibetans, and Chinese, the Eastern Roman Empire and India all came together to mingle and trade in peace and harmony along the famous Silk Road.
Let us know what you think. Send your comments and ideas to Full Circle at info@fullcircleevents.org
HARRY POTTER MOVIE PARTIES:
The Harry Potter movie opens this Friday. I’ll bet you knew that.
Some Pagans are organizing Harry Potter Movie Parties. As a service to our community, Full Circle has set up a Harry Potter Party Bulletin Board on our website. If you are organizing a party or if you would like to attend one, please go to our website at http://www.fullcircleevents.org and click on our events page. Use the link you find there to go to our Harry Potter Message Board and check out the parties listed there. Currently, there are parties listed for both family groups and adults. These take place on different days and times.
We will do the same for “Lord of the Ring” parties, when that film opens in December.
For you Pagan parents: I’ve also found a Potter page from an elementary school in England that has some cute Harry Potter artwork by their students. It also shows some of the student’s letters to Harry and has some Harry Potter lesson plans and links: http://www.edleston.cheshire.sch.uk/projects/harry/harry2.htm
These might help you and your family do some Hogwarts-inspired artwork of your own. Have fun.
Enjoy the movie, everyone!
MEET ME AT PANTHEACON:
For the first time in many years, PantheaCon will be held in San Jose. I would ask that the South Bay and Santa Cruz Pagans in particular come out in force to help support this important conference (AKA Pagan party, ritual event, shopping spree and meet). If you’ve never been to a PantheaCon before, I would urge you to go this year – it’s a fun time and a great way to meet other Pagans.
The folks who organize this conference are asking for your input. Do you want more family friendly events and workshops? More rituals? More drumming circles? More musical acts? More Pagan authors? Some Techno-Pagan meets? A Pagan job board? If so, make your voice heard. This event is put on by our community, for our community and these people can use your help, your input and your skills.
For example, the folks at Ancient Ways (who sponsor this conference) have asked for members in our community to teach workshops, craft classes, rituals, academic courses, etc. The Full Circle Council will offer to host a workshop this year titled “Finding Your Tribe: Networking within the Pagan Community” and DJ (the founder of Spiral Steps) is going to offer a workshop on “Pagans in Recovery: Creating your own Support Groups”. Other Full Circle workshops may be announced later on.
I personally feel that Santa Cruz and the South Bay have skills and points of view to offer that are important and unique. It’s time these areas added a bit more of their own flavor to this crazy salad of a conference. Contact the organizers at the link below and let them know that you plan to attend. These are good people and they are working hard to make this conference into something that represents a wider variety of Pagan lifestyles and concerns. They can’t do that, if they don’t know what you want.
Here is the basic info: February 15-18, 2002 - PantheaCon, a Pagan gathering of workshops, lectures rituals and vendors. This event will be held at the Double Tree Hotel in San Jose. For more information, contact Ancient Ways at 510-653-3244 or www.ancientways.com
DIFFERENT FLAGS FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS:
Like everyone else, Pagans are flying their various colors to show how they feel. Contrary to rumor, some Pagans are flying traditional American flags with pride. Flying the official U.S. flag is not a pro-war statement nor does this flag belong to any one political party. Many Pagans fly an American flag to remember the men and women who died on September 11th. Some do it as a way to celebrate the fact that they live in a free country; one that allows them the rights of free speech, freedom of religion and equal rights. Others fly the flag to honor a friend or relative currently serving in the military. http://www.milpagan.org/.
Some Pagan feminists I know fly the U.S. flag as a statement to those in the U.S. and abroad would like to force us back into veils and keep us in our houses. These women would like the Gadsden naval flag, the one that showed a rattlesnake (goddess?) coiled in a spiral. On the front it says: “Don’t’ Tread on Me”. http://www.interesting.com/stories/gadsden/
And did you know that there was once a Tree of Life or a “Liberty Tree” Flag? (I could wish they had kept that one.) Click here for a picture of the Liberty Tree flag and for more history on the American Flag: http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagtale.html
Alternatively, some Pagans are flying what is known as the Peace Flag http://www.peaceflags.org/. It is an traditional American flag with the stars arranging in the form of a Peace Symbol. It’s a lovely symbol and a nice alternative for those who choose not to fly the U.S. flag.
Another flag of choice among Pagans is the wonderful Earth Flag International which features a picture of our blue planet as seen from space. You can see this flag by going here: http://www.earthflag.net/. It serves as a nice reminder of the fact that we are all here on the planet together and that what we do affects life all over the globe.
My favorite flag comes from my buddy Michael at the San Jose Bookshop. He made up a flag on his computer that shows the various religious symbols from around the world in the blue square and he has put this up in front this store. On the bottom it says: “We are all one”. Way to go, Michael.
And did you know that the symbols on the Islamic flag come originally from Goddess worship? Here is a page that explains the history and meaning of the Islamic star and crescent: http://users.erols.com/ameen/crescent1.htm
Some people prefer to fly Prayer Flags. For those of you who are interested, here is a page on the history of the Tibetan Prayer Flag:
http://www.uwec.edu/academic/curric/greidebe/BMRB/culture/student.work/schulall/ and one on the flags flown by the Native Peoples of the U.S.
http://hometown.aol.com/Donh523/navapage/index.htm
This page is for the wonderful Rainbow Flag Project.
http://www.rainbow-project.ch/e/regenbogenfahnen.html
Whatever your reasons for flying or for not flying a particular flag, I would ask that everyone in our community show tolerance and respect the rights of your brother and sister Pagans to express themselves as they see fit.
As for me, I’m looking for a Hogwarts flag…….
THE MONARCH’S RETURN:
The monarch butterflies are back! You can enjoy their beauty without disturbing them at various sites around California from mid-October through February. This site http://gocalifornia.about.com/library/weekly/aa121100.htm
has information about places to visit locally, butterfly facts and free butterfly screensavers and wallpaper, plus a link to a wonderful butterfly website called The Butterfly Palace. Enjoy.
…and BABY ELEPHANT SEALS:
This is also a great time to visit the Elephant Seals at Ano Nuevo State Park. The website below will tell you how to get there and when the guided tours will take place. It also has facts about this magnificent animal that was once so close to extinction. The baby elephant seals are born around this time and you can usually see them if you visit the park between December and February.
http://parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=523
…and A RAPTOR SLIDESHOW:
These pictures come to us care of Shawn, a Techno-Pagan who volunteers as a Raptor Rehabilitator at the UC Davis Raptor Center: http://www.mysticporticodesigns.com/personal_html/slideshow_raptors.html
These are some of the birds the Center is currently caring for. Thanks, Shawn!
EVENTS OF INTEREST:
November 14, 2001 -
Linking Circles, 7-9PM. Santa Cruz.
Linking Circles will be a time for Pagans to meet each
other in a safe, comfortable environment in hopes that solitaries can meet
groups, groups can meet groups, solitaries can meet solitaries, etc.
November 14, 2001 - Celebrate the Goddess Lakshmi,
Indian Goddess of Prosperity and Wealth – Lafayette at 7:30.
The flyer says: Lakshmi is the Hindu Goddess of wealth, fortune, beauty, pleasure, and abundance of all the good things in life. Bring a white candle that will burn all night, pillow to sit on and a snack to share. Please phone Leilani at (925) 256-8109 for reservations. This is not a drop-in circle.
November 14 & 16, 2001 – Class: Ancient Energies
in Modern Times – San Jose
The Flyer says: presented by Hearthstone Circle. Class I is Wednesday, the 14th and Class II is Friday, the 16th Classes are being held at Hearthstone Home in San Jose. Price is $20 per class. Please go to http://www.hearthstonecircle.org/California/energyclass.html for more information.
November 16 – 18th – Yuletide at Villa
Montalvo – Saratoga – 10 - 4
The flyer says: Lots of great handcrafted gifts—from holiday wreaths and ornaments to cookies and breads. Mustards, jams, chutneys, pickles, and sauces will also be available for sale. Performances of Aladdin and Hansel and Gretel will be performed in the villa’s dining room. (Editor’s comment: We can only hope that the Beautiful Witch is able to evict the evil trolls from her house this time). Call 408- 269-8206 for tickets and information.
November 16th – Holiday Lights Celebration
– San Francisco
The flyer says: Watch as the switch is flipped and 17,000 lights outlining the high-rise buildings of Embarcadero Center are illuminated. Festivities begin with a holiday fair featuring carolers, school bands, kid-friendly activities, and edible treats like popcorn and roasted chestnuts. The focus then shifts to Justin Herman Plaza, where an ice show precedes the lighting ceremony. The plaza is home again this year to the seasonal Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink, open November 14 to January 6 from 10 a.m.–10 p.m. (11:30 p.m. Fri. and Sat.). The skating fee is $6 adults, $3 children; skate rental is $3. For ice rink information, call (415) 956-2688
November 17, 2001 - The 4th Annual Sacramento Pagan "Craft" Faire
The flyer says: Come buy your Yule presents and support
the local Pagan community - books, scarves, incense, statues, candles, wands,
herbs, robes and lots more! Last year's Faire was our biggest ever, and this
should be even better! Sacramento, CA. Amateur and professional vendors
welcome, please contact paganfaire@yahoo.com
or call (916) 737-7733.
November 17, 2001 - Waking the Goddess: a Prayer for
the Women of Afghanistan. – San Rafael at the Open Secret Bookstore
The Flyer says: as a prayer. We'll involve the audience in visualizations, Goddess chants, and dedications of our music and dance energy for strength and healing for these brave Afghan women. This concert begins to raise awareness about a benefit concert that Pandemonaeon and Trance Jam will produce in February for RAWA, an Afghan women's organization (http://www.rawa.org) Information about RAWA will be available at the show. Jill Parker from Ultra Gypsy will dance, and we have a speaker and some other guest artists as well. Open Secret Bookstore, 923 C St, San Rafael, CA. Doors 7:30PM, Show 8PM Tix $15
November 17 – 18th – American Indian Market
– Pacific Grove
The flyer says: Native American artist Black Eagle—whose
work includes Shoshone-inspired artifacts like elaborate breastplates and war
shields, turquoise beaded jewelry, and warrior knives—joins a host of other
Native artists in this exhibition and sale. Primary Phone: (831) 648-5716. Web site: www.pgmuseum.org
November 18, 2001 - Women Wisdom Circle. – San
Francisco
The Flyer says: An integral part of meetings will be the
use of tools, e.g. talking stick, dream- and drum journeys, movement, dyads,
journaling, drama theater and energy work. Pre-registration is required for
attendance and 48-hrs advanced cancellation highly appreciated. The meeting
place in San Francisco will be announced to registrants. For more
information/registration, please contact (415) 339-7888, or e-mail: lilith@dragondream.com
November 18th
– Dance of the Sacred Circle - Cayuga Vault
1:30 PM-4:30 PM
Facilitated by Makai Powell and
Gabrielle Laney, the purpose of this workshop is to encourage everyone to dance
and move with freedom and confidence. Advance registration recommended.
Go to www.communityseed.org/sacreddance
for more details.
November 24 - Dance of the
Feast at Tuva - Berkeley at 8PM.
The flyer says: Pandemonaeon
is a San Francisco Bay Area band that fuses Rock, Celtic, and
Middle-Eastern influences to create an experience that can only be called
magical. For more information, contact 510-655-9755.
November 24th –
St. Andrews Day Dinner – South Bay
The flyer says: If you want to enjoy a fine evening with the kilted laddies and lovely lassies of the South Bay Area, come and enjoy the fare and fun of Scotland for the St. Andrews Day Dinner at the King's Head Pub and Restaurant on Saturday, November 24, 2001. Tickets are $25. http://www.macleodpacific.org/standrews2001flyer.htm
The Flyer says: This is a
3-part workshop which includes: Mythic Maskmaking:11/4: Your Totem
Shield:11/11: Symbolic Art & Tarot: 11/18. 1PM-6PM, $45 + $10 materials fee
per class, $120 + $40 materials for series. Class sizes limited, to register or
inquire: (831) 335-9064, or e-mail: gentarot@pacbell.net.
Held at Gendron Studios in South Felton.
November 24 – December 23rd
– The Great Dickens Christmas Faire – At the San Francisco Cow Palace
Exhibition Halls
The flyer says: Enjoy a
Victorian Christmas Card come to life.
Visit http://www.dickensfair.com
for more information.
November 25 - Gaia's
Gateway, an open public ritual – Palo Alto from 6 – 9
Call 408-559-GAIA for more information
or visit http://www.batnet.com/bapagan/bapa.html
December 1 - The Way of the Cauldron: The Power of the
Celtic Goddess - UCSC in Santa Cruz.
The flyer says: Explore the
realm of the ancient Celtic goddesses who are the keepers of the Cauldron, a
powerful vessel of transformation, inspiration and rebirth. Travel by the Old
Ways
through story, poetry, song and inner journeying to the Otherworld. For more
information, contact 800-660-8639, or visit 222.ucsc-extension.edu. The
course code for this workshop is EDP012W65.
December 1-2, 2001 - Faery
Ritual Magic 2, The Magic of Three Sticks with RJ Stewart – Berkeley from 10 – 5 PM.
The flyer says: Please note:
Previous participation in at least one workshop with RJ is mandatory for
attending this event. Contact: Arishe, (707) 769-1785, e-mail: awenneson@vom.com
December 7, 2001 -
Pranic Healing with Billie Jane Scott
– Ancient Ways Bookstore in Oakland
The Flyer says: Learn to sense and transmit energy in the ancient art of non-touch energy healing. Experience a Pranic Healing treatment and practice Twin Hearts Meditation. 7:30PM, cost $5-$10 open to both men and women. Advance registration by phone is not required, but is advised for priority seating. Call (510) 653-3244.
December 8 - Yuletide Craft Fair – Willow Glenn from
11 – 5 PM.
The flyer says: The Solstice will be here before you know it. Sign up now to show your wares at this fun holiday event. Even if you¹re not the crafty type, reserve this day to start your quest for the perfect Yule gift. To reserve a vendor table, call Michael at the San Jose Book Shop, (408) 446-0590 or e-mail: sjbookshop@mindspring.com. Takes Place at the Divine Science Center, 1540 Hicks Ave., San Jose (Willow Glen area). 11AM-5 PM admission is free
December 8th – Victorian Ornament Making Workshop for Children – Benecia State Park The flyer says: The Victorians loved Christmas, and nowhere did that show more than in the ornaments they hung on their trees. During this workshop, volunteers are on hand to help kids create the beaded stars, cornucopias, candy canes, and bird nests that decorated Victorian-era trees. Refreshments are provided, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Call 707-745-3385 for more information.
December 9, 2001 - “Modern Pagans” Book Release
Party & Book Signing at Ancient Ways Bookstore in Oakland
The flyer says: Local pagans are featured in the book. Enjoy meeting the many local pagans from Reclaiming, Gardnerian Wicca, CAW, COG and NROOGD interviewed in this book from older to younger pagans. Get your books signed! 1-4PM. Advance registration by phone is not required, but is advised for priority seating. Call (510) 653-3244
December 11 - Dance and
Consultation Ceremony – Berkeley at 7:15 PM.
Ceremony begins promptly at
8:00 PM, lasting until 9:30
PM. This month's dance will be in honor of the Twins, Our Divine Children.
Share the living presence of the African Powers with our community, in faith
and charity. Umbanda is always free. For information, contact
amuh-events-owner@yahoogroups.com
More information on these and
other events, please visit:
Bay Area Pagan Assemblies: http://www.batnet.com/bapagan/bapa.html
Full Circle Events: http://www.fullcircleevents.org
The Index: http://www.cyprian.org/Index/
The Witches Voice: http://www.witchvox.com
(Go to their California
Events Page. )
BACK FROM CHAOS:
“Reality is what you make of it”. That is what my friend, Bruce, always says. I thought about that this week when I decided to do a little “reality tweaking” of my own.
I’m very organized as a rule. Or at least, I was, until six months ago when work for Full Circle took over so much of my life. Once the Witches Ball was over, I took stock and found that piles of paperwork belonging to my writing life, my personal life, my priestess life and my business life had been too long neglected and had gotten way out of hand. So, I put out a call to my friend, Maggi (the Owner of Chaos Consulting) and my other friend Tammy (who teaches classes in Organization for Magickal People) and I asked them both to come over and help me out of this terrible hole I’ve found myself in.
It’s a week later and amid much laugher and a lot of caffeine, we three have gotten to the point where we can now see the top of my desk. Gods, I love organized women – there’s nothing they can’t do. I feel better going into the Pagan New Year knowing that my house and my life are more in order. Give me another week and I’ll be ready to host Thanksgiving for those eight friends of mine. (Note to said friends: Please pay no attention to the stuff that’s currently hidden inside certain closets – I’ll get to it…I’ll get to it….)
So, life is looking good. We’re not done, of course. It’s going to take weeks before I’m back to what I (as Scotch/German woman) consider to be normal. I’ve still got to get my office back into shape and then more of my household needs to get under control and then my writing life. Don’t even get me started on the garden…or those closets. Full Circle dropped a house on this Witch’s life this year and it’s going to take a while before I can get out from under. But thanks to Tammy and Maggi, I’ve got some hope of daylight and that helps a lot. (See you ladies next week!)
As I get older, I find that I value simplicity more and more. This is best served by organizing my life so that things run easily and smoothly. When things are in their place, I have more time to read, write, love, dance and work. I spend less time worrying about what I need to do and more time living my life. It’s a busy life and I need all the space I can get for it. Thus, the need for order.
Mind you, I’m very respectful of Chaos. I do some of my most creative work that way. There are times when you just have to go into the cauldron and trust that the strengths you have will come together in an alchemy that produces a better you. I’m comfortable with that process and I understand the necessity for it.
What I don’t like (and never have) is a constant state of drama, craziness or stress. It’s bad enough when the world spins me about – it’s worse when I do it to myself, either because I didn’t set certain boundaries or because I didn’t have things in place before one of life’s tornadoes hit town.
This might sound strange to some of you, but I find that I’m a much more spiritual person when I know where my garden trowel is. I like my tools (both practical and magickal) to be in their place so that I can find them when I need them. Hunting about and worrying dissipates energy that I need for other things. Why stress over finding the paperwork for my business taxes when I have this sexy and very interesting partner to pay attention to? A gal’s got to have her priorities. So I keep the paperwork in it’s place and then I have time to make a candlelight dinner for my beloved. Uncle Sam and I both prefer it that way.
I used to joke that I was anal retentive but I’ve stopped doing that. As a Pagan, I know that I can create and shape much of my reality. My friend Bruce’s quote reminds me of that. So, with that in mind, I’ve stopped using humor to denigrate my skills. I’ve stopped speaking about my love of order as if it was some form of character flaw and I’ve begun to accept it for what it is, which is a Magickal Talent. These days, I see people like Maggi, Tammy and myself as Mages. In my Tradition, a Mage is a magician (either male or female) who works to bring order out of chaos. Usually this work is done for the greater good of the tribe or for the spirit of the people involved. In a larger context, it involves a commitment to creating a life and to living it as fully as possible. This year, I think I’ll take more time to honor that side of myself.
I meditated on this fact recently and I saw that, overall, it was going to be a good year for me and for Full Circle and I’m looking forward to it. We’ve done a great deal of the back-breaking ground work here at FCE and next year is going to be much easier then the last two have been.
As for my personal life. Well, good stuff is already starting to happen. For one thing, when we cleared one of the paper piles in my house, we found the phone. I think I’ll use it to call some friends and see who wants to get together. There’s this Harry Potter movie I’ve been waiting to see ….
Here’s to the simple life and here’s to the friends who stick with you and who help you find your way back from Chaos.
Blessed Be to you and yours,
Sia
Full Circle Events
http://www.fullcircleevents.org
“Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, Create the Future”
(1) In the interest of Fair
Disclosure, I should state here that I am part Owner of Snapdragon Gifts. It was our pleasure to donate these items
and we’ll be happy to do so again in 2002.
I will be soliciting items for next year from other Vendors and Stores
for this raffle, as well. If you are
interested in donating an item, please contact me via my store at info@snapdragongifts.com