Greetings to all Full Circle friends and members,
In this May edition of our newsletter we have:
A Short History of Full Circle
Dear Full Circle friends,
I am writing to you today to request your help.
Have you got $5 you can spare?
Because Full Circle needs immediate funding in
order to continue providing services to our community. While the Beltane Ball was a social &
organizational success, it was not the fundraiser we had hoped it would
be. In fact, with 100 + attendees, it barely paid for itself. (1)
Our Council can no longer afford to fund Full Circle ourselves, as we have done
in year’s past. Without the necessary operating
funds we will no longer be able to offer the
FCE Newsletter, the Calendar of Events, the annual Witches’ Ball or any of our
other services (all of which are listed on
the front page of our website).
People in the Earthwise Community are Givers – we’ve always known that. You find it in your hearts to give toanimal groups, social organizations, civil rights and political causes as well as various ecological concerns. Even in hard times, you continue to support the things that matter to you. Our question to you today is this: Do you believe that Full Circle is still a valuable resource? If your answer is “yes” then please help us continue our many services to the community.
You can help in one of two ways:
1) PLEASE BECOME A SPONSOR: We ask that our readers donate $5.00 - $13.00 (which
equal $1.00 a moon) to FCE via this web link for a year-long
sponsorship. If
everyone whoreads
this newsletter, reads the California Community Calendar or lists their own
events on our calendar pledges just a small
amount we would have the much-needed operating funds necessary to
continue this work. (1)
You can send funds:
Via PayPal:Please send donations to this email address: membership@fullcircleevents.org via the PayPal website at: http://www.paypal.com - You can use credit cards, debit cards or electronic checks to send funds. You do not have to sign up for a PayPal account - anyone can send funds now, at any time. It’s very safe and easy to do.
Via Check or Money Order: c/o Full Circle Events, 615 Malarin Ave., Santa Clara, CA 95050. Please make the check out to: Full Circle
AND/OR
2) PLEASE BUY A TICKET TO THE 2004 WITCHES’ BALL…NOW! If you wish to attend the 2004 Witches’ Ball (our annual fundraiser for the Humane Society) we ask that you buy your tickets now (while the price is still at it’s lowest point and when we need the money most urgently). It costs over $1,200 just to rent the hall for this event, not to mention insurance money for a good Dj. (Please note: If we cannot make the amount we need to rent the hall and we are forced to cancel the ball, we will return all of these funds to our attendees.)
Depending on the communities’ response, we’ll know by mid-July whether the Witches’ Ball is to go on or not.
*** PLEASE NOTE: FULL CIRCLE IS A NON PROFIT GROUP STAFFED ENTIRELY BY VOLUNTEERS ***
Full Circle began in August of 1999. At that time, we saw an urgent need for the events and services we provide. But times change and the needs of the community may have changed, as well. Volunteers are scarce these days, many people have left the area, many Pagan stores and groups have closed down or are closing as we speak, and money is tight for all concerned…...so, we ask ourselves ”What’s the right thing to do now, given the times we are in?”
If we need to end things here then we’ll have to ride off into the sunset, with the knowledge of a job well done and with gratitude for the many splendid people we’ve met along the way. We will cancel the ball, and close down the website and we will do this without bitterness, reproach or regrets. Sometimes it’s necessary for a Clan to fold their tents and move on to new pastures. Is that the case here? If so, we will abide by your decision.
It’s in your hands.
Thank you, all.
Sia & the folks at Full Circle.
HTTP://WWW.FULLCIRCLEEVENTS.ORG
(1) Our 501-C paperwork will be soon be approved. If we are still here, we hope
to offer you a tax
deductible membership by 2005.
A SHORT HISTORY OF FULL CIRCLE
August 1999 – Sia just wants to meet some nice Pagans and go camping. FCE Founded. Planning begins.
MUSE Camp, August 2000 – 75 people + volunteer staff spend 3 days at Pema Osa Ling for workshops, rituals, dancing, swimming, hiking, and drumming. We broke even, as expected, & had a great time.
Witches’ Ball October 2000 – 300+ attendees. (Lucy Stern Center - $1,200 for hall + usual expenses, including $800 for Dj & $500 for insurance costs) Vendors did well. $2,000 given to Humane Society. Council reimbursed - All expenses paid. Built 1st websites(s). Gaia’s Guardian Award introduced (A $250.00 cash prize awarded annually to individuals or small groups who work on behalf of Mamma Gaia and her creatures).
*** Solar Picnic, Wildlife Meet & Pagan High Teas held that year. FCE Newsletter introduced that year. FCE helps at Beach Clean up in Santa Cruz, and organizes drumming circle afterwards.
WB 2001 – 600+ attendees. Please Note: This was held only a month and a bit after 9/11 had occurred. (Scottish Rite Center - $6,000 for hall + usual expenses) $2,500 given to Humane Society. Vendors did extremely well. Council members reimbursed & all expenses paid. Brian & Wendy Froud are Guests of Honor & intend coming, but they decide not to fly from Britain at such a dangerous time & cancel all engagements. Brian sends signed posters to FCE, which are auctioned off at the ball.
*** Black Light Bowling, March Hares Charity Event & Earth Day Event held that year. Speaker’s Bureau introduced and is Chaired by Azeraeis. Scoutghost becomes Networking Coordinator.
WB 2002 – 450 attendees. (San Jose Civic = $2,500 for hall + usual expenses) - $1,800 given to Humane Society – Vendors did very well. Council reimbursed & all expenses paid.
*** Spiral Steps support groups begin meeting that year. Founded & organized by Dj.
*** Pagan High Teas & Solar Celebration are also held.
*** FCE organized 1st ever Official Pagan Meet at a WorldCon in San Jose of that year with Nimue as host.
*** Sia organized The California Seamstress Guild reception for Terry Pratchett with the help of some talented friends, such as Hawk, Nimue, Thalassa, Captain Lightning & other friends who decorated the room and dressed in costume. Over 500 people attended the reception which ran from 6 – midnight. An auction of Discworld items donated by Terry raised money for Orangutan Foundation in L.A. The “After-the-party-party” goes on with Terry & Party Staff until 3 am.
Year 2003 – The group was exhausted & the economy was very bad. We took a year off from giving events. All other FCE services were provided. Funding came via our Council as gift to community.
*** Introduced new on-line Community Calendar courtesy of Captain Lightning, with help from Sia & Scoutghost. FCE staff helps organize & run a book signing for Terry Pratchett in San Jose.
*** Several Senior Volunteers moved out of state and/or took sabbaticals in order to go to grad school, take new jobs, tend to their family, etc. New staff joined the group, including Snakemoon, our Editor in Chief. Other Staff were invited to join the Council and others were promoted for past service to new positions of responsibility.
2004 – We needed seed money to move forward. Held the Beltane Ball at Lucy Stern – 100 + attendees as a fundraiser using funding money from an anonymous donor & our Gold Sponsor, Xcentricities. The Vendors did very well. We kept all expenses ever lower than usual & we barely broke even.
*** Early that year we lost more Senior Volunteers & some Senior Staff to moves out of state
*** Shall we hold a 2004 WB? Still undecided.
2005? Uncertain.
There are so many possible ways to while away a lovely summer day: a picnic of strawberries and cream, a walk along the beach, yoga in a meadow, having a slumber party in the back yard, the list is endless. But here are two summer events you may not want to miss:
· Harmonize in health: The 26th Annual Health & Harmony Festival on June 12-13 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa calls on you to Activate and Celebrate! Listen to an incredible musical lineup with 70 performers on five stages, including Angelique Kidjo; Jai Uttal and The Pagan Love orchestra; Dave Mason and many others. Speakers include Starhawk, Kevin Danaher, Luisah Teish, and Ram Dass, and attractions such as the Eco-Village, the Well-Being Pavilion, the Goddess Temple, a Kasbah Tea House, and much more. For more information visit their website or call (707) 861-2035.
· Feeling a bit fey and want to scamper in the woods? The Faerieworlds Festival is held at Horning’s Hideout in the beautiful coastal forests of North Plains (near Portland), Oregon, on July 31 and August 1. The festival will feature artists, writers, and musicians from around the world who embody the faerie tradition in their work, including special guests Brian and Wendy Froud. The Frouds are creators of Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book and the Fairy Tarot; Brian was the conceptual designer for The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. For more information, visit the Woodland Realm.
And while you’re out and about on those summer days, don’t miss the opportunity to engage in Markeroni, “the gentle art of Landmark-Snarfing.” The brainchild of White Raven, AKA Linda Gentile (who apparently has a goofy sense of humor and a stuffed penguin sidekick), Markeroni is a “friendly, informal and light-hearted online community about visiting and logging historical markers and historic landmarks.” The site includes three projects: a Journal where you log your own adventures in Landmark-Snarfing; a treasure hunt where you're challenged to find 25, 50 or 100 landmarks; and a landmark catalog.
The shortest night, the longest day, the summer solstice, and the inspiration for one of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays. Yes, it’s Midsummer, time for mischief and delight—and for the lovely Sabbat of Litha. Mysterious Britain says of the celebration of midsummer:
The festival is primarily a Celtic fire festival, representing the middle of summer, and the shortening of the days on their gradual march to winter … The importance of the day to our ancestors can be traced back many thousands of years, and many stone circles and other ancient monuments are aligned to the sunrise on Midsummer's Day. Probably the most famous alignment is that at Stonehenge, where the sun rises over the heel stone, framed by the giant trilithons on Midsummer morning. In antiquity midsummer fires were lit in high places all over the countryside, and in some areas of Scotland Midsummer fires were still being lit well into the 18th century.
Like four of the Wheel of the year celebrations, this holiday is based on an astronomical event, the summer solstice (from the Latin for “sun” and “standing still”). The Wikipedia says of the summer solstice:
At the time of this solstice, the earth is in that point of its orbit at which the hemisphere in question is most tilted towards the sun, causing the sun to appear at its farthest above the celestial equator when viewed from earth.
The Wikipedia also offers this interesting tidbit about the timing of midsummer holidays:
Midsummer-related holidays, traditions and celebrations … are found in Scandinavia, Northern Europe, Britain and elsewhere. Solstitial celebrations still center upon June 24, but the precession of the equinoxes has moved the actual astronomical equinox forward several days in the calendar, because the tropical year is about 20.4 minutes less than the period for the earth to make one complete orbit of the sun. Midsummer Night, or "Midsummer’s Eve," marks the beginning of the day, which today falls on June 21, though the hour varies because of perturbations. If it takes 700 years to shift the equinox forward a full day (1440 minutes), the difference, about 2100 years, gives a very rough estimate of the age of these celebrations
And then there’s Will’s wonderful frolic in the woods, which includes delightful love banter, meddlesome fairies, reckless mechanicals, and witty poetry. According to Gradesavers’ notes on the play,
A Midsummer Night's Dream is first mentioned by Francis Meres in 1598, leading many scholars to date the play between 1594 and 1596 … One of the more interesting changes that Shakespeare introduces is the concept of small, kind fairies. Robin Goodfellow, the spirit known as Puck, is thought to have once been feared by villagers. History indicates the prior to Elizabethan times, fairies were considered evil spirits who stole children and sacrificed them to the devil. Shakespeare, along with other writers, redefined fairies during this time period, turning them into gentle, albeit mischievous, spirits.
Hmm. Darling Will was responsible for so much that we take for granted in modern culture, but rehabilitating fairy folk? (Who knew?)
A blessed Litha to us all, sweet with berries and blossoms, tinged with the knowledge of winter’s distant but inevitable chill.
Books, movies, television, and popular culture
· For those suffering from Farscape withdrawal: SCI FI announced it will be bringing back Farscape with an all-new miniseries — called Farscape: Peacekeeper War—slated to air in the fourth quarter of this year. The four-hour miniseries picks up where the cliffhanger series finale left off and will reunite John Crichton, Aeryn Sun and the rest of the Moya crew.
· Women and Men and books: Cathy Hanauer is the author of The Bitch in the House: 26 Women Tell the Truth About Sex, Solitude, Work, Motherhood, and Marriage. She describes this as “the collective voice of successful women today-in all their anger, grace, and glory.” Hanauer has since turned her attention to men with The Bastard on the Couch : 27 Men Try Really Hard to Explain Their Feelings About Love, Loss, Fatherhood, and Freedom.
· Exhibition: The Occult Collection: Monash University Library. Monash is Australia's most internationalized university. It has eight campuses including one in Malaysia and one in South Africa, and centres in London, UK and Prato, Italy. (This comes to us curtsey of Captain Lightning.)
Herbs and gardening
· The green fellow himself: To learn more about the interesting history of the Green man, read Ruth Wylie’s article. (For example, did you know the name was coined as recently as 1939?)
· Solstice Potpourri:
4 cups lavender florets
1 cup mixed culinary herbs (oregano, basil, thyme & rosemary)
½ cup of southernwood
2 cups fragrant rosebuds and petals
1 cup of spearmint
½ cup of chopped orris root mixed with 1 tsp. lavender essential oil
Combine all ingredients and store in a glass jar or zip lock bag for 2 – 4 weeks to allow mixture to blend. Use in sachets or spell bags and/or on altars.
Note: This recipe can also be burned as traditional (AKA loose) incense when used with the proper charcoal tablets made for that purpose. Such tablets can be found at health food stores, New Age & Pagan stores &, most herb stores. Some people may have an allergy to certain herbs contained in this recipe, especially orris root. – Check with your family or Circle, before using this blend.
· California native plants: Originally formed in 1965 in the East Bay, the California Native Plant Society is a statewide organization of amateurs and professionals with a common interest in California's native plants. Activities include field trips, demonstration gardens, speaker programs, conservation projects, rare plant monitoring, and educational outreach.
· Pesky pests: It’s not all loam and lush foliage out there in your garden … there are a lot of obstacles between you and that homegrown pesto. Snails are cute (well, I think so) but they have generous appetites that make them “among the most bothersome pests.” That’s not all that’s creeping around in your garden, but Jennifer at “Welcome to my Garden” has some helpful hints on how to manage all your unwelcome guests.
· FREE! Gratis! No cost to you! Okay, now that I have your attention, I’m talking about free trees and plants that might be otherwise destroyed.
· Plant Medicine, Plant Magic: Two Belgian botanists have combed through old travelers' tales, fairytales, Greek classical writings, and medieval herbals, to produce the Compendium of Symbolic and Ritual Plants in Europe, an exhaustive survey of the role of European plants in agriculture, folklore, magic, religion, and herbal medicine.
Caring for the planet and its creatures
· Red squirrel refuge: The UK's dwindling population of red squirrels—struggling to compete with the imported (American) gray squirrel— has been thrown a lifeline with the opening of a forest refuge. (I swear, we Yanks are making ourselves unpopular across several continents, though my boyfriend tells me that red squirrels were rare even in the 50s and 60s, suggesting that it’s not all due to the incursion of those gray fellows …)
· I only have eyes for you: An owl’s eyes are one of its most distinctive features, and this is especially true of Minerva, a year-old owl who’s recently had cataract surgery! Minerva is now seeing and flying better, thanks to artificial lenses implanted by a Wisconsin veterinarian. (This comes to us via Mystic Hawk, a wildlife volunteer in Portland, Oregon.)
· “The Perfect Dog”: There is no such thing, so just stop looking for it, says author Jon Katz. Instead, figure out why you want a dog and what type of dog would be the best match for you—and accept that you will have to train it and walk it and carry around little bags of poop!
· Smart pet tricks? You bet! Apparently, that strange conviction you have that your dog can read your mind and knows when you are thinking of taking a walk … well, you might be right. A study in the journal Science suggests that something about the process of domestication seems to have given dogs the ability to read certain human social behaviors—something wolves, and even chimpanzees, can’t do.
· The earliest pet cat in history: Rowan sends us news of the discovery of a cat buried with what could be its human companion in a Neolithic grave. This suggests that the domestication of cats may have begun around 9,500 years ago. (My cat just murmured something about “… how very long it took to train you fur-less beasts …” )
· Free the bears! They had an unbearable life, but some of Bulgaria's famed dancing bears now have it made in the shade. (Our thanks go to Wren at The Witches’ ‘Voice for this article)
As Council Leader for Full Circle it is my happy job to announce that the Beltane Ball was a resounding social & organizational success. Our 100+ attendees and 30+ volunteers looked absolutely fabulous and everyone had a very good time. Pictures will be up on our website soon, (once we’ve all had a chance to rest!) Special thanks to go an anonymous donor and to our Gold Sponsor: Xcentricities Corsets; for making this event possible.
It was a wonderful evening. The dance music was great, the weather was perfect, and the Art Décor Ball Room, our Vendor room and the Craft Room looked lovely. Our wonderful photographers brought their gorgeous background and they kept busy taking pictures of everyone all night long. They even took a free photo for our Costume Contest winners, all three of whom also won free tickets to this year’s Witches’ Ball. (1)
The Face Painter (a new offering this year) was a huge hit. She is a delightful gal and a very talented artist and we’re thrilled that she was such a success. I don’t think she had more than a few moments' rest from the time her booth opened to the time she closed 5 hours later. The afternoon before the ball, she painted many of our Staff at the pre-ball party and we all felt very magicakal as a result. Our senior staff are now her devoted followers and we will be wearing her work again at the WB.
Our Food Vendor had an array of tasty treats ranging from healthy and vegetarian goodies to offerings for carnivores, not to mention chocolate decadence for us all. He also offered bottled water, tea, and coffee (bless him!). He did a bang up business, not just from us, but also from the many theatergoers next door. We are very glad that he choose work with us this year and delighted that his booth was such a success.
In fact, all our Vendors were financial successes and this makes us very, very happy. When they buy a table from Full Circle, they trust us to make it worth their while, and we try very hard not to let them down!
I would also like to thank our Director, Ravensong, our Senior Staff, and all our Volunteers who made Set Up and Take Down such a breeze. My thanks also to the Volunteers who worked the Ticket Table and to the hardworking Staff who ran the ball. They made everyone feel welcome and appreciated. This was one of the best-run events we have ever put on. My compliments to everyone on jobs very well done.
I would also like to thank the brave and sexy band known as FLARE who act as our Operations Staff. We always feel safe with you folks around, and it’s a pleasure to know you.
While our ball was going on, the Children’s Theatre at the Lucy Stern center was offering their version of The Phantom Tool Booth. At the same time, a light opera company was performing “Joseph and the Technocolored Dream Coat” at the Stern’s Musical Theatre. Some of my favorite memories from the Beltane Ball include watching our children play with the other kids in the garden courtyard under that beautiful moon, and seeing the upscale opera crowd wander through our halls, munching on Pagan treats, chatting with Pagans about their costumes and watching (somewhat wistfully) as adult Pagans got their faces painted. (Yes, folks, this Path is as much fun as it looks). I would like to thank our attendees and our FLARE folks, who were, without exception, gracious and friendly to all, and who represented our Pagan Tribe to curious outsiders with kindness, patience, and good will.
Finally, I would like to thank all those who attended. You were charming, friendly, and courteous. We couldn’t ask for a nicer crowd. Our special thanks go out to those friends who came in from L.A., Idaho, Oregon and Arizona for this event, to our “regulars” who always give us such great support, and to the newcomers who trusted us to give them a good time.
As I said, the Beltane Ball was an outstanding success, both socially and organizationally. But! … it did not raise any seed money.
We had 100+ attendees (we usually have 300 people at such events), and basically, we broke even. Believe me, our group is organized and we know how to do great, great things “on the cheap”. We’ve never had such a small turnout at a ball before, so this was a surprise; especially as so many people expressed an interest in coming in the last year, as we’ve been planning this. To be fair, the Beltane Ball was a brand new event, which came during May; a month full of events. It occurred right after tax season, in the middle of an economic downturn, during a war, in a depressing election year, while the state is cutting jobs and services, as gas prices were rising… again! (…am I missing anything?) When we look at it that way, we feel grateful and pleased that so many folks came out to support us (and we have to be glad that we didn’t loose our shirts!). The turn out may have been small by our usual standards, but the people who were there that night were fabulous, which is why it was so much fun for all concerned.
Over the years we’re realized this truth: In Boom Times, people want to party, so our events were a success. In previous years, people ached for well run Pagan events, especially the social kind where all are welcome and courtesy is the norm. These were few and far between, so again, we had great success. In times of national tragedy, people want to come together and they need something life affirming and safe. This is why we had 600 people attend the Witches’ Ball in 2001 (only a month and a half after 9/11) and we had a huge success. But, in times of economic hardship, people tend to “circle the wagons”, and the mindset is “Katie, bar the door.” People are worried and anxious these days, and no wonder. We all try to save our money and we tend to keep to ourselves. This is why all non-profit groups have been hurting, and why so many good stores and groups have closed their doors.
Our success has led other groups throughout the state to copy some of our events and ideas and to form groups of their own. That’s fine. If you can do something well, and you serve the community, we will honor what you do. Meanwhile, our FCE calendar has helped other groups grow and expand, it’s put thousands of people in touch with each other, and it’s helped to get new groups started. We’re glad of that, too. But then what do we do if we need support from the people we’ve helped along the way? Well, I guess we ask for it, which is what we’ve done here.
Will we do another Beltane Ball? Will we even be around in 2005? I honestly don’t know the answer to that. We’d like to do it again. Frankly, it was a lot of fun. We’d like to do it at the Lucy Stern Center, too. It’s beautiful center, and (by comparison to the other 20+ halls we’ve considered over the years) it’s very cheap. With your help and support, we’ll offer this year’s Witches’ Ball there, and we will offer all our other services, as well … as I said above, it’s up to you folks now…
Once again: My thanks to all those who came and to all those who planned and worked the ball – you were lovely company throughout, and we were honored to have you with us.
With feelings of gratitude and pride,
Sia & the folks at Full Circle.
(1) Note: If we are unable to offer a Witches’ Ball due to lack of funds, we will compensate our Costume Contest winners in some other, wonderful way.
Magic with a plug
· Big Brother is emailing you: Mountain View’s own Google hails its new e-mail service as a breakthrough in online communication, but consumer watchdogs are attacking it as a invasion of privacy that threatens to set a troubling precedent: scanning of e-mail content so Google can distribute ads alongside your message. Creepy.
· Sweatin’ to the pixels: DDR (for Dance Dance Revolution) is an arcade game that involves synchronized dancing moves instead of joy stick manipulation. (If you are a Malcolm in the Middle fan, this is the sport Hal and Craig recently competed in, wearing very fetching outfits right out of an Abba reunion.) To many aficionados, it is considered to be a sport—and it is about to be registered as such in Norway. (Those wacky Scandahovians, which for those of you know raised on herring and frikadela, is another way of saying Scandinavians!)
· Break free of foreign oil: It’s official: gasoline-powered gas-guzzlers are not only powered by dinosaurs, they’re beginning to look like soon-to-be-extinct beasties (especially these Hummers). Toyota offers the Prius, Honda the hybrid Civic and the popular Insight—and they’re all selling well. It’s just a matter of time before every maker has a hybrid, and then, eventually, fully gasoline-free cars. Yeah—let’s leave the dinosaurs in the ground, not roaring along on top of it.
· And, in the “too much time on his hands” department: Apparently, Jimmy Or of Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan has not been busy enough with his studies. In his free time, he invented a belly-dancing robot inspired by Lucy Liu and the characteristic wriggling of a lamprey. (!)
· Installing Linux on a dead badger: Actually, after a lead like that, there’s really nothing more for me to say … Except that no badgers were harmed in the making of this link and you should also note that zombie badgers are banned in many municipalities in California and Wisconsin, and must remain leashed at all times in Texas.
WITSEND RETURNS:
This just in from Sia:
Snapdragon Gifts is currently undergoing a major redesign and we are happy to announce the following:
· The return of the infamous WitsEnd Quote Button Factory - 2,200 quotes and counting - 60 different Topics. Quips and quotes for Digerati and Literati alike. Topics range from Paganism to Politics, from Science Fiction to Shakespeare, and from Cats to Computers. We hope to offer these quotes on t-shirts, coffee mugs, and more the months to come).
· During our re-design, we are offering a Close-Out Sale on all Greeting Cards and Gifts. The greeting card section contains hundreds of fantasy, Pagan, and classic designs. Goddess, Cats and Dragons…oh, my. Supplies are limited – get them while they last.
Everything else
· The National Pagan Leadership Conference is a “National Gathering for Intensive Pagan Leadership Skills Training.” Held July 15 to July 18 in Richmond, Virginia, it’s a chance to gain the basic skills of community organizing and development. Training will be offered in five tracks of intensive skills-building courses with instruction in topics ranging from grant writing to 501(c)(3) formation.
· Magic for Marriage: It’s something heterosexuals take for granted but this basic right—the right to marry your loved one and thereby become a family—is denied same sex couples. Spirituality teacher Christopher Penczak, author of Gay Witchcraft, is encouraging practitioners from all traditions to do a spell for gay and lesbian couples to have the right to marry. For more information, visit Magical Activism.
· Quilting Bee: Eight times a year—on the Wheel of the Year holidays—Willow’s Place hosts a Pagan fabric swap for Quilters around the world. The theme for Litha is “What will you find at the seashore?” and for Lammas it’s “Colors of the grains, some touched with gold.”
· Choice in all its iterations: Gloria Steinem is worried about the George Bush’s position and policies on women’s rights, in particular the right to a legal abortion. But if some mothers in George’s Texas town have their way, their daughters won’t have the right to join the Girl Scouts either, thanks to concerns about the relationship between that service group and Planned Parenthood.
* A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Pyramid: A recent series of lectures on ancient Egyptian humor given by a leading historian reveals that people thousands of years ago enjoyed bawdy jokes, political satire, parodies and cartoon-like art.
· We get letters: After my April essay on the sudden death of our kitten, I received many lovely letters sharing stories of loss, and offering condolences. My family thanks you for your thoughts. We still miss Skadi and think of her often. Our neighbor, who works at a local vet’s office, noticed the gaping, kitten-sized hole in our household and determined to fill it. Hence Katherine, a small tiger-striped person that we recently adopted from her foster mother. Katherine is enchanting all three of us, and has managed to get on Blaize’s good side as well. (Always smart to charm the big kitty …) We honor our lost beloved's best when we open ourselves yet again to the joy of loving.
We have hundreds of events listed on our California Community Calendar.
Here is just a handful:
· Ancient Ways gathering
· Courses on reading runes and tarot
· A Vestal Virgins ritual
· Wiccan herbal and Herbs for Healing
· 10th Annual Wildside Open House
· Heart of the Forest Renaissance Faire
· Buddhism and the 12 Steps
· Several Gay Pride celebrations
· Health and Harmony Festival
· Various celebrations of the Summer Solstice
· Lavender Festival, Celtic Festival, and Highland Games
· Witchcamp
· A Women’s Healing Retreat at Isis Oasis
And there are lots more, with new events are added every day. Click on the Full Circle California Community Calendar to access the list. If you want your event listed, please go to our calendar page and click on the link that says “Submit Event.” The on-line form is simple and very easy to use. Questions? Please contact our Networking Coordinator ScoutGhost at scoutghst@sbcglobal.net
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The Inside Story!
The Earthwise community is a little like Baskin-Robins—there’s always a minimum of 31 flavors at any given time. Under this umbrella, we embrace Buddhists, practitioners of Native American, Polynesian, or African religions, shamans, and people who simply identify with the earth as sacred.
Even among those Earthwise folk who self-identify as Pagans, there are lots of different “brands.” Several web sites use humor to note these differences. Among them is my personal favorite, the “Redneck Pagan” checklist. Sia is known to have a weakness for excruciating puns and Light Blub jokes.
If you’ve been in the community for more than a minute, you’ve probably encountered many of the sub-specialties listed in the laugh-out-loud Field Guide to the Modern Pagan. Like all clichés, these exist because there’s a dash of truth to them. Indeed, there are those in our community capable of rituals that have an almost mathematical precision, and others for whom it’s all about fun, costuming, and picnics (and I must say, this last group has the best eats!). Some focus on honor, rules, and ethics familiar to warriors as diverse as the Myrmidons and the Klingons. Others intently research form and language, and have no problem bringing a ritual to a grinding halt to correct a priestess who’s doing it “wrong!” (I know, because I was the priestess—and it during a public ritual!)
Feminist spirituality was my introduction to Wicca, so I’ve been in plenty of circles where the Horned One was definitely unwelcome, though ultimately, I developed a great love and respect for the Untamed God. Some experience the Craft as extension of 60s rebellion and counter-culture cool; these “granola” Pagans host relaxed hippie ceremonies that ooze patchouli (at least, I think it’s patchouli…) and feel like a Dead tour. Indeed, there are about as many different types of Pagans as there are reasons for setting foot on this path.
The clichés-cum-truths become problematic, however, when I start hearing them from people outside our community—and they think that this one small glimpse is in fact the whole picture. I’m also uncomfortable with the “central casting” view of Pagan/Wiccan/Witch culture that results from occult “pulp fiction,” movies like The Craft, and the recent reality TV show Mad, Mad House. It’s quite startling to meet a self-described Pagan whose definition involves pentacle piercings, hexes, and drinking blood. (This would simply not fly in my coven, where I get in trouble for bringing blueberry juice because it might stain the rug.) I’m also surprised when newcomers are nonplused to discover that many consider this practice to be a nature religion. (Who knew?) Also troubling are the folk for whom Pagan is synonymous with, “I like having sex. Are you ‘Pagan’ too?” Hey, if we were into proselytizing, we’d have no trouble converting large parts of the population with a marketing slant like “Hi, I’m Pagan, ask me about my sex holiday.” (1)
Me, I’ve sampled quite a few of these flavors in my 16+ years of practice, but in truth the various distinctions—while interesting—never made much sense to me. I’m a content-over-form girl from way back, probably the result of a lifetime as a bad speller. Because of this bias, I stumbled naturally into a simpler and less glamorous category of Earthwise practice: the OP—Ordinary Pagan (or Practical Pagan, but PP is a bit too precious…)
For me, it’s not about what I wear—I don’t even have a cloak (though I do have a fetching black velvet Jessica McClintock jacket that works for both Samhain and a romantic restaurant). No robes either (other than the bath variety), and the flowered dresses I favor for Eostar, Beltane, and Litha are also perfect to wear into the office on a hot day. My magical tools are likewise workaday: for years, my athame was a particularly attractive item that led a double life as a letter opener. (Hey, I cast a few good circles with that baby.)
Frankly, like many of my OP brethren (and trust me, there are quite a few of us), I lead a decidedly mundane life. Despite the image of the Witch as tarot reader or astrologist, I have a wonderful job as a Communications Director for an innovative company. I live in a forested condominium community, drive a late model Honda, volunteer at my son’s school, and seldom need to demonstrate my spiritual path by lambasting Christians or wearing what one Witch’s Voice writer humorously termed her “Pagan bling-bling” (oversized Pentacles visible from ten yards away).
In short, I’m no match for the nubile Fiona Horne from SciFi channel, and would undoubtedly fail to get cast in “Witches: the Inside Story!” (Doubtless in development right now at Fox…) Thanks to years spent toiling in the entertainment industry, I can easily imagine the casting session, producers looking over my sensible, middle-aged mother getup, my briefcase, laptop, and business cards, and smirking: “Okay, so, you’re an Ordinary Pagan. And what exactly does an Ordinary Pagan do?”
Oh, nothing much, just this:
Honor the Goddess and The God, and try to see them in every one and every thing. Celebrate the Sabbats and the Moons—the continual changing of the seasons and the universe—with meaningful rituals. Experience all things as sacred. Treat the Mother’s living body with awe and respect. Lovingly create altars of gratitude and joy. Continually seek transformation though trance, spell work, music, and dance. Work magic—the act of changing consciousness at will—to change my state of being, and my state of mind. Seek enlightenment—transcendent knowing—but seek also what my friend Cerridwen calls “endarkenment”—the wisdom of one’s own unconscious mind—because in truth, only the Shadow does know.
Work straightforward magic every day, with little fuss or ado, just because it needs to be done. Work magic at home, in the yard, in the car, in the office. Work alone, with lovers, children, friends, family, pets, and even strangers. Work though grief and fear and loss, and also work magic to celebrate, to thank, or simply to delight. Invoke and create new insights, new jobs, new homes, new loves, and new lives.
Work magic to heal.
Work magic to protect.
Work magic to connect.
Work magic to survive.
Only that. And nothing more.
SnakeMoon
Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, Create the Future
(1) My thanks to WitsEnd for the pithy quote
FCE Newsletter Staff:
SnakeMoon is the Editor-in-Chief of the Full Circle Newsletter. She can be reached for comment at snakemoon@comcast.net.
Sia is the Publisher of the Full Circle Newsletter and the Council Leader for Full Circle Events. She can be reached at info@fullcircleevents.org.
Scoutghost is the Networking Coordinator for Full Circle Events. She can be reached at scoutghst@sbcglobal.net.