Greetings to all Full Circle friends and members,
In this April edition of our newsletter we have:
Arts and Crafts
Ancient Art: If when you come out of the sun (and do so at noontime at the very least) you are all charged up for matching the beauty outside with some interior renovation, you can find artwork worthy of your fervor only a mouse click away. You can now bring into your home environs both history and art from a time and place long ago and far away—without being guilty of archeological theft. Petroglyphs have an appealing, enduring quality that connect us to the sounds of distant drums and soft fluting in the night, and they can be yours now.
Maxine Miller: If lines on stone are a bit severe for your decorating scheme, you can find more color and complexity in the gallery of Maxine Miller where vivid hues will provide a mood lift on even the rainiest of spring days. The famed Celtic love of color and convoluted forms springs off the screen and onto your walls at your will.
The Art of Science: An interactive appreciation of art is offered at this science fiction themed gallery: games, political cartoons, and stories will keep restlessness at bay when spring fever strikes. Brilliant tones and themes that evoke mankind’s deepest quests will make your mind hum as your body rests. The artist ties his love of science fiction to the science facts of the American space race with his explanation of the painting “Jack’s House” in a way that tugs memory and heartstrings together. Enjoy!
Herbs and Gardening
The greening season is upon us! Soon even the most “indoor-ish” among us will be overtaken by the need to smell soil and see tiny green shoots springing up like belated leprechauns. (SnakeMoon chimes in: “It’s true, it’s true! I’m the world’s worst gardener, but even I was moved to buy ironite for my dwarf citrus and do a bit of pruning …”) Just as there are many sorts of gardens and gardeners, we wanted to give you several choices how to awaken the green within!
Herbal Tips: Have you always wanted to learn more about wild-crafting herbal remedies? Or like Eel Gibbons, do you want to know “is that safe to eat?” The Pacific School of Herbal Medicine wants you to satisfy the yen for herbal knowledge and will take you on a very different sort of “walk on the wild side” where the small cost is far outstripped by what you stand to gain.
Blooming Beauties: What do Betty Boop, Sweet Vivian, and Stainless Steel have in common with the Rainbow’s End? They are all that most romantic of blossoms—the rose! Although many gardeners shy away from the labor-intensive beauties, those who are seduced into the routine to maintain them know it’s a labor of love. Here are a hundred from which to choose, and surely there is one for every garden and time commitment; after all, who could resist a summer cocktail delicious to the senses?
Sound of Music in the Garden: Some of us have little space: only an apartment’s sunny window or tiny balcony to work with through the growing season. Space frustration needn’t ruin enjoyment of the season for those with no garden of their own. From May through October you can enjoy the sweet sights and scents of the garden in concert with arts and music. Study the calendar and mark your “gardening” dates. All the joys, none of the mess, and you can leave the gloves at home!
Stewards of the Earth? America isn’t the only place in the Northern Hemisphere reaching for the mud boots. Even among the misty hedgerows of the British Isles, Jack o’ the Green will soon rear his tousled head and he may be surprised by what he sees and hears this year. A new program in England will now reward farmers for environmental stewardship of their too often over-worked fields. The goal is habitat renewal for birds, bees, and more; the rewards should be sweet beyond the cash payment. Such a noteworthy experiment bears watching by those of us committed to the Green Man.
Bee Attractive: Did the efforts in England make you feel like getting a bit steward-like yourself? Then how about some subtle changes in your garden to attract those little flying gold nuggets: the bees? Bees, unlike some other insects, will not gobble up your flowers and decimate the vegetable bed; they will actually enrich your garden by pollination carried to the highest level. The plants they like will also attracts other living jewels: butterflies and hummingbirds, so plant the setting and await the flying sparklers!
Music, Dance, and Movement
Music and Ritual Workshop: Anne Hill leads a workshop on creating ritual and the significant role that music plays in ritual and ceremony. Participants will learn chants and songs suitable for many celebrations and for all ages. Come prepared to sing! Song sheets will be provided. A teacher and lifelong musician, Anne has been a part of the Bay Area Pagan community since the mid-1980s, and is co-author with Starhawk of Circle Round: Raising Children in Goddess Traditions. Through her music label Serpentine Music she has written and produced many albums of Pagan chant and song.
Chants: WiccanWeb is a great place to find the words to your favorite Pagan songs and chants.
Guitars for Women: Dean Guitars just launched a new brand of guitars for the ladies. Luna Guitars were introduced at the big trade show in L.A. last month. By the way, the IT guy for Dean Guitars is none other than Fritz Jung at The Witches' Voice!
Listener’s Pleasure: The Festival Finder helps you find music festivals in your area. You can find out the latest details on more than 2,500 music festivals, and locate them by genre, date, location, performers, or festival name.
The Rose & The Briar: thisbook argues that the American ballad is "a major form—musically, perhaps, the major form—through which Americans told each other about themselves and the country they inhabited." The authors include a Princeton history professor, and well-known music critic Greil Marcus.
Musical Museum: The Museum of Making Music presents visitors with an interactive journey through a century of musical instrument innovations that helped shape American Popular Music from the 1890s to the present day.
Get into the Groove: From Magpyre we hear about two scientists’ battle against time to perfect a machine that will read old recordings (yup, we’re talking about records here folks!) and bring history to life.
Music and Magic: Northern California band Hecate's Riddle combines original music with classic rock to bring a fire to your belly and a lift to your step!
Sacred Dance: The Angela Center is offering a class on “sacred dance through the creation spirituality centered mass.” The Creation Mass was inspired by the Dances of Universal Peace, which use sacred phrases from the world's religious traditions set to music and movement in order to embody the Spirit. It has also been influenced by Matthew Fox's work on Creation Spirituality.
Green Tourism: We all know about ethics in magic, but how many of us have considered ethical travel? This article discusses the rise of ecotourism (a term which now encompasses cultural and political issues as well as environmental), and offers tips on how to travel more ethically with harm to none.
Freedom of Religion: Experiencing prejudice or intolerance because of your religious practice? Don’t stand for it. This site offers topic specific links for help and guidance concerning religious discrimination and its associated legal problems. Topics include, wearing a pentacle, dealing with the police, protesting and employment issues.
Time for Spring Cleaning: If you’re looking for another reason to tidy up your ritual space, check out these articles about a fire fighter who was tragically killed responding to an altar fire. Let’s all be careful out there . . .
Attention Deficit Disorder (Nation-wide version …) Despite plenty of serious subjects clawing for our attention (war, slumping economy, failure to ratify the Kyoto Accord, tornados in the Bay Area) a number of ostensibly “pro-family” groups are far more concerned with the allegedly gay messages they feel are being covertly sent to our children through popular animated movies and television programs. If this misdirected focus bothers you as much as it bothers me, feel free to e-mail these organizations (TVC, FotF, AFA) and gently remind them of one of Christ’s greatest messages: TOLERANCE. (Can I get an oy vey?)
Just for Fun: Check out this page of links if you find yourself the mood for some rumors and conspiracy theories regarding the paranormal.
A Note for Earth Day: Peter writes us: “I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but … For every ton of paper we recycle, we save:
17 trees
6,953 gallons of water
463 gallons of oil
587 pounds of air pollution
3.06 cubic yards of landfill space
4077 Kilowatt hours of energy
Visit the Earth Day Events Site for Earth Day celebrations in your area.
Check out Kids Domain and the Wilderness Society for ways to share this event with your children.
Teens might enjoy participating in the Earth Day Grocery Bags project.
Sia adds:
Our family just switched to a company that uses Green Power. By supporting renewable energy, our one little household will prevent 6,457 pounds of CO2 (a critical greenhouse gas) from entering the earth’s atmosphere each year. In terms of global climate change, this has the same impact as 7,264 miles not driven or 436 trees planted.
Sweet!
Ashland, Oregon Calls for Spiritual Change: John Darling’s column in March 25th’s online issue of the Ashland Daily Times discusses Jewish leaders call for a “new cosmology needed for planetary healing.”
Now to get us in the
mood for Beltane (coming soon!): Raven’s Flight is
looking for a few good poems.
They’re hosting their First Annual Beltane Poetry Contest 2005. Open
to all ages, the contest seeks original, never-before-published materials of
any length. Only one entry per
participant, please. To be considered,
submit poems to Raven Flight
by the April 15, 2005 deadline. Include
your poem, email address, and name (Magical or Mundane). Three winning works will be featured on the
front page for the Beltane season.
We have hundreds of events listed on our California Community Calendar.
Here is just a handful:
· All Fools Picnic
· Earth’s Treasure’s Gem Show
· Scottish and Scandinavian cultural gatherings
· Asparagus, Apple and Cherry Blossom festivals
· Earth Day Events
· Numerous drumming circles
· Classes on herbalism, magic, tarot, astrology
· The New Living Expo
· Lots of Beltane and May Day celebrations (including one with Morris Dancers!)
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.
The Three Sisters * The Transit of Venus * The Way You Wear Your Hat * Danke Shoen * The New World Order * Three Questions * Grounding & Closing the Circle * The Way You Look Tonight * What We Did After 9/11 * Who Does She Think She Is?
The Three Sisters
A tall set of pine trees graced our southeastern fence line for many years. They were a stately trio, planted as a group forty years ago, around the time our home was built. Since they had grown up together we called them “The Three Sisters”.
The Sisters gave us dappled shade in summer and offered a home to small birds and squirrels all year round. At night we'd sit around a backyard fire drumming with friends and watch the moon arch up and up and up, over our redwood fence till it seemed to dance in their branches. After a long day, we'd relax within their gentle shadows, sip tea, watch the birds at the feeders, and enjoy the breeze. If there is music more beautiful than wind song in pine trees, I have yet to hear it.
I planted a shade garden under the pines, using native wildflowers, herbs, and woodland plants. Over the years this little plot became a source of varied riches for our family. It offered soothing scents for us, pollen for the bees, food for the birds, digging spots for the squirrels and jays, a cool resting space for the dog, day long entertainment for the cats, and some glorious color; all of this in a small, magical place watched over by The Sisters.
One day my neighbor decided that she did not like these messy old trees. Since they grew on her side of the fence she had the right to cut them down, which she has just done. Now I know how the Ents felt.
Our shade garden won't last the summer. The birds and the squirrels will have to find new places to live. It is nesting season now, and there is less and less habitat for wildlife in Silicon Valley, so they'll have a hard time of it. People here just don't seem to understand what it takes to have a healthy local ecosystem, and how that, in turn, affects the whole. In fact, few people ever stop to consider how the environment they create, protect, neglect, or destroy directly affects the quality of their lives. Some of us are working to change that, but it’s a slow process.
I performed a simple ritual to bless and thank the trees. Then I pulled out my gardening catalogs to see what life giving plants and herbs I can grow under these new, much harsher conditions. Gardeners know that we can make only so many changes to the land and the soil around us. We love to create beauty and peace, but we have to work with what we have.
By now, Dear Reader, you've seen the metaphor loping like a wolf over the verbal horizon. It's come to rest, here. Like all animal totems it bears a message.
One of my very favorite things to do has been to create and organize the annual Witches' Ball.
The WB has been so successful that it has inspired other Pagans to host charity costume events in their areas, as well. These include some new, (and some very different) Beltane Balls, and various Witches’ Balls. We wish other groups much success in this work. We hope that they use these events as a way of “giving back” and supporting Pagan Pride, as we have done.
The Full Circle Witches’ Balls began in 2000. Overall, the WBs have raised over $7,000 for our local Humane Society. Full Circle has also awarded over $1,000 via the annual Gaia's Guardian Award. We've hosted over 1,790 attendees in total (not counting staff, volunteers, and entertainers). This work has only been possible with your help and support.
So, it is with some sadness that I must announce that we are canceling the Witches' Ball. The reasons being:
1) Not enough seed money to pay for the ball,
2) Not enough reliable staff to help make it happen.
It’s time to bless and release this event.
I have a large Gratitude List when it comes to the Ball. Since we're saying goodbye to this event, I'll share some it here, In Memoriam. This essay serves as a bit of modern Pagan history and as a teaching tool for other Organizers. It is also a chance to thank some very good people, so bear with me. After that, I ask you all to bless the WB, and let it go, so that new growth can take its place.
THE WAY YOU WEAR YOUR HAT -
Our Attendees:
I loved seeing Pagan people mingle with others from different Traditions, Paths, backgrounds, and faiths. I love how wonderful you all looked and how much fun you are to be with. I love your enthusiasm and your grace, your beautiful manners, and your generosity of spirit.
The Incredibles!
Our Volunteer Staff:
I've worked with over 30, very talented core volunteers and hundreds of general volunteers within the last 5 years and I have greatly enjoyed watching these funny, smart, hardworking people do their thing.
We’ve all grown as a result of this work. In fact, this experience has helped many of our staff add new tools to their life's toolbox, which they now use to great effect. I’m very proud of what they have accomplished, as individuals, and what we have done, as a team. We have been blessed to work with people who are both talented and responsible; a combination of skill sets every Organizer prays for.
This is Priestess work we do here. Part of our job is to empower others and help create more Pagan Doers. In the last five years, I have acted as a personal Mentor to eight of the senior staff. I am honored to have done so. I look forward to seeing how they make their mark in the world in the years to come.
Since our staff worked together so closely, I was able to see the tremendous strides they took, often in completely new directions. I've watched the courageous changes they have made and we’ve supported each other during some very tough times. It's inspiring to see the high levels of creativity, cooperation, joy and success that Earthwise people can achieve when they choose to do so.
Some days it was my job to set limits, ask the tricky questions, urge them on, and enforce deadlines. Some days it was my task to make sure their path was clear so they could do their jobs. I am grateful, therefore, for their patience, their honesty, and their sense of humor. We laughed a lot, even on the tough days. OK, especially on the tough days - that's how you get through the tough days. I am happy to say that I have learned as much from them as they have learned from me. It's been quite an experience.
The Families:
We designed the Witches' Ball as a family friendly, Pagan Pride event for all ages and faiths. So, I loved it when Pagan parents brought their children to the ball. I loved seeing these kids play and dance in complete safety and I loved watching them learn from the elders and adults around them. Our adults made them welcome and always treated them with kindness and that's how it's supposed to be. It's been great to watch well-behaved teens and children express themselves, without fear or shame. That too, is how it's supposed to be.
I also loved it (really, really loved it) when parents who were not Pagan let their teenagers come to this event. Over the years, we've met with several non-Pagan parents who just wanted to step inside the ball and see what it was like before they dropped their children off into our care. We would take them through the ballroom and into the vendor rooms, introduce them to our staff and let them see what Pagans are really about and every single time they left their children in our care, knowing that they were in good hands. Every single time, they were right.
Changing Minds and Opening Hearts - Prejudice and The Witches’ Ball
Several years ago Bay Area media reported a series of cat killings in the Silicon Valley. One local TV news station showed a picture of a pentagram on TV when they reported this story until we contacted them and convinced them to stop. Meanwhile, newspapers wrote about "Pagan rituals", “animal sacrifice”, and “suspected occult practices” even though they had absolutely no evidence (then or now) that Pagans were involved in any way or that these killings were “occult” in nature. In fact, the Humane Society investigators later determined that the cat killer was a coyote.
But no one knew that at the time. Some news stories suggested that the cats were “ritually disemboweled” and then left on doorsteps for their owners to find. Blossom Hill, the neighborhood where most of the killings took place, was in an uproar. Pagans and others joined in the work and passed out flyers warning neighbors to keep their cats in doors. Others set wardings and performed rituals of protection.
When we saw first those early news reports, we got angry. Then we got to work.
Through our work with the Humane Society, our Gaia's Guardian Award Winners and the press who covered this event we have changed minds and hearts. In other words, they came, saw, and were conquered, in the nicest possible way.
We've done enormous good for both Pagans and animals with this event. That was the point.
The Websites:
I loved researching each theme, finding the links, working with other writers and graphic artists and making something that was beyond the norm. We tried to make each website educational and fun in it's own right, and I think we succeeded. You be the judge:
2004 Witches Ball & 2004 Beltane Ball
My thanks go out to our creative and highly skilled Web Team for the hard work and the many late nights they spent working on these projects.
The Themes!
Each year we picked a theme that would excite the imagination and (slyly, stealthily) encourage our audience to think about Pagan history and culture. In 2000 we addressed the stereotype of the Witch with a sexy Art Deco theme. In 2001 we celebrated our love of nature and showed our wild side with the Fairy Ball. In 2002 we looked at the Bohemian Movement and how it affected neo-Pagan culture for both good and ill. In 2004 we very deliberately choose the Silk Road, a fascinating period in history when different cultures and religions mixed in relative peace and harmony.
For the Beltane Ball we picked a theme that was both naughty and nice. I’d like to thank all of the Fair Folk and the Fae (especially the little Fae) who came out to dance that night. I’ve never seen so many wings and horns and glitter in my life. Hazzah!
As an educator, I'm always on the lookout for that teachable moment. If we made people think, as well as party, I'm glad. As a Pagan gal, I loved getting my outfit ready every year and dancing the night way. (I, too, have several pairs of wings).
Performing Charity Work As Pagans:
It's been a privilege for us to help raise money for companion animals and wildlife rescue groups in our area, and to know we've made a difference. It's been splendid to award the $250.00 check to our Gaia's Guardian Award Winners every year and to model what "giving back" means to our community.
Supporting Pagan Pride & Networking:
The ball has been a real boon to Pagan Pride. It has created community awareness about the Pagan Path, supported interfaith work, enhanced networking, improved cooperation between groups and provided a safe, social evening for many Solitaries (who don’t usually attend to Pagan events.)
Sharing Power In Responsible Ways:
In order to make this ball a reality we had to have:
a Web Team Chair & Web Team - Writers - a Volunteer Coordinator & reliable Volunteers - a Director - a Vendor Coordinator & Vendors - A Ticket Chair and Stores to help sell Tickets -- Advertising staff - an Entertainment Chair & Entertainers - a professional Dj and a Music Chair – an Operations Chair & an Operations Team – A Networking Coordinator - A Decorating Chair and a Decorating Team - A Treasurer - Office help – a working Council (made up of people working at least one of the jobs above) – and Yours Truly, on call 24/7, as Ringmistress, Uber Mom, and Cat Wrangler.
Full Circle has a solid reputation for treating our people with respect, and expecting them to be responsible. It’s paid off. Every year we were lucky enough to find 2 - 4 new people to work with, while promoting others to new positions. That part has been a real joy for me. I love to see people grow, gain confidence and flex their talents, and to know that we had a hand in that.
The Cauldron of Changes:
Full Circle has always been a Cauldron of Changes for everyone involved. After working with our senior Staff members, 30 different core staff and hundreds of volunteers, I can say that FCE empowers people. In fact, we do this so well, that the staff work with us for a year or three, learn what they need to learn, gain new powers, confidence, experience and friends, and then go on to fulfill their dreams. This leaves me with a sense of great satisfaction, fulfillment, and pride....and the challenge of replacing really good, hardworking people.
DANKE SHOEN, ,
The Entertainers:
I remember, too, the wonderful dancers, performers, musicians, and DJ's we've worked with over the years and how much their work added to the experience of the Ball.
In 2004 in particular, we had over 30 tribal dancers and musicians in our performance space. What a wealth of talent, that was! They put on a show that will live in everyone's memory for a very long time. And they did these great performances to a packed room, in a small meeting hall, after being rained out of their lovely garden stage that afternoon. Amazing.
Some of the Entertainers in 2004 were Muslim. These performers gave generously of their time and talents to support a Pagan event, and they felt safe in our midst. Take a minute and think about that.
Thank you, all.
The Decorating Committee:
Anyone who has ever worked on a Decorating Committee knows that this is a tough gig. So, I'd like to take this opportunity to kiss the (collective) hand of our wonderful Decorating Committees (2000 – 2004) and to acknowledge all those who served on them.
I also want to thank (again) the wonderful gal from Santa Cruz who decorated the temple at MUSE Camp. She knows who she is.
You folks made magic on a budget and you showed grace under pressure. Plus, you were an awful lot of fun. Well done.
The Money Fairies:
A group of Senior Volunteers purchased tickets to the Ball every year, and then spent an hour or more of their time there working at our Ticket Table or selling Raffle Tickets in the hall. This experienced crew acted as our public representatives, and they handled the cash, as well. They are trustworthy, tactful and they always looked fabulous - we owe them a lot.
The Volunteers - Doing the Time Warp:
Other Volunteers came early to help with Set Up or stayed late for Break Down. Some of them did this work still wearing their corsets. How, I’ll never know.
We are grateful to you all.
With A Little Help From Our Friends:
I'd like to thank the other groups & individuals who worked with us on this event, especially the (sexy, classy) folks at FLARE who made up our Operations Staff. The FLARE staff kept us safe and their skills added immensely to the smooth running of our events. What a great and good group they are.
I’d also like to thank the folks at The Witches’ Voice for their constant encouragement and support, and those Sponsors, Stores and Gift & Food Vendors who took a chance on our event. Vendors work very hard for a living, and they have always been there when we needed them and supported us by buying advertising and Vendor tables and by selling tickets. Our Vendors were a huge hit and their presence added greatly to the fun experience people had at the ball. Bless them, each and every one.
Special mention should go to our Photographers who took and printed professional photos of our attendees in costume on site, which our guests took home as a very special memory of the ball. They presented Full Circle with a CD of these of these photos ever year, which you will see on our websites.
In 2004 we introduced our wonderful Face Painter from All That Glitters (Contact Info: 408-557-8131). She is a very talented Pagan gal I met at Bark in the Park. Her creative work added much to the “look” of our attendees at the Beltane and Witches’ balls. She and her partner were wonderful to work with, and we hope to work with them again on other events.
Special mention must also go to Xcentricities Corsets (and their staff, who traveled over 500 hundred miles to come and support us as Vendors at the 2002 & 2004 Witches Balls), to Anubis Engraving who produces our lovely Gaia’s Guardain Award plaque every year and to our good friends at San Jose Metaphysical bookstore who have promoted and supported our events since we started.
Our attendees and staff came in from all parts of California and from different states to attend and work on this event. We could not have done this without their support. Thank you all for traveling, for giving us your time, and for the pleasure of your company.
Thanks must also go to our Witches’ Ball Directors and our Council Members; people who accepted their personal power and used it for a good cause. To them I say this: You will find that everything you’ve learned here will prove useful to you down the road. The blessings, respect, and affection you have earned will go on to enhance your life in ways you can’t yet imagine. Thank you for your hard work, your courage, and your humor and for taking a whole year (or more) out of your life to do this very challenging task. May you reap well what you have sown, and may these blessings work always towards your Highest Good.
THE NEW WORLD ORDER
In the last few years we’ve all been hit by a Perfect Storm composed of a bad economy, September 11th, many thousands of job losses, a shift in Pagan demographics, threats to our religious freedom, divisive national politics, and war. (Please keep your seatbelts fastened, folks, it's still a bumpy ride).
The economic downturn alone has devastated the Earthwise community in this area. Many of the good, responsible people who made up our support base have moved away to find jobs elsewhere. The folks who are left have circled the wagons.
Many people are trying to make ends meet until better times come along. Even so, I’ve known our people to buy a ticket to the ball even through they were out of work at the time, because they believed in what we were doing. Seriously, how can you ever say a proper “Thank you” for support like that?
Like everyone else we tried to roll with the punches. We lowered our ticket price to $15 - 20.00 per ticket, took a smaller hall, and cut expenses. 270 good people came to the ball last year and we thank them all for their support. But Contrast this with 600 who came in 2001 and who paid $25 - $35.00 a ticket. The event hasn't changed, but the environment here has changed. It was time for yet another reality check.
We are part of a bigger trend. Non-profit groups across the U.S. have suffered since 9/11 and it has become very difficult for all sorts of groups and causes to raise funds or host events.
In the past, my partner and I and some of our Council members would put all of the WB expenses (some thousands of dollars) on our credit cards. Last year, FCE borrowed money from three supporters and my partner and I fronted the rest in order to host this event. The money was paid back, of course, but we don’t feel it’s wise to continue funding the ball in this way.
On a spiritual level: I made a promise to the Powers that Be that I would continue to organize this event if we were given the means to do so and that I would take it as a clear directive if we did not have those means. As things stand, we simply did not have enough attendees last year to give us seed money to pay for a hall this year, and we do not have enough (reliable, dedicated) staff available to us this year to host another ball.
On a practical level: Times have changed and I would be a poor Council Leader if I did not take that into account.
So, one journey ends. We are proud and happy to have been a part of it all and we thank you for your support.
Another journey begins……
So now, like any good Organizer, I ask myself these questions three:
What matters?
What matters is that we do the work that best aids our community with the money, staff, and resources we have.
What Works?
What works is to do more with less.
We will concentrate on doing more projects via the Internet, such as
· The Pagan Voting Project - Which helped over 5,000 people find voter information and register to vote on-line in 2004. The PVP also helps groups across the country to set up voter registration tables at their events)
· The monthly Newsletter - A rich source of news, information, and inspiration for our members.
· Our Pagan Speaker's Bureau – Wherein the members on staff visit local schools, universities, police stations, government agencies, and neighborhoods in order to speak on matters pertaining to Earthwise Spirituality.
· The Earthwise Community Calendar – a vital source of networking and connection in California.
· Spiral Steps Support Groups – Earthwise Support groups for healing and empowerment, which are open to all traditions and faiths.
· Education: The FCE Staff write articles for on-line and print publications on various aspects of Earthwise culture, ethics, practice and history.
These efforts combined take far less staff, require far less money to produce, and use up less time spent organizing then just the one, expensive, large scale, complex and very public party that is our Witches' Ball.
What's Next?
You never know. Someone may be waiting in the wings to do a unique event of their own. This change may now leave space and energy for them to do that. We wish them all the best.
As for FCE, well, we have a few ideas:
1) We will introduce a serious of on-line Pagan Surveys in order to see where the community is now, and where it's going.
2) We will incorporate new fundraising ideas to so that we can keep awarding the annual Gaia's Guardian Award.
3) We will expand the capabilities of our website and our calendar.
4) We will reinstate our on-line charity drives sometime in the future.
For our family it is now time to take a bit of rest. My partner and I plan to see more of our friends and try out this thing they call “free time”. I also plan to do a lot more writing this year and we are going to do some traveling abroad.
GROUNDING & CLOSING THE CIRCLE:
Whenever I feel blue about canceling the Witches' Ball I think about our wonderful volunteers and about all the great people who've come every year to raise money for charity, and how much love and laughter and strength they have brought to it and I’m so very glad to have these memories. It has been an honor to know you and to work with you. May the magick of this event continue it’s work as an inspiration and as a positive force for change in your lives, even after it’s gone.
Know that we will take what we've learned from you all into the next phase and that nothing of this experience will be wasted. I promise.
Thank you. Thank you, all. It's been quite a ride.
Yours,
Sia
--------------------
THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE WITCHES’ BALL:
When we started hosting our Pagan charity costume ball in 2000 nothing like it existed on the West Coast. (1)
We thought we’d be lucky if some of our friends came. Then 370 people showed up. We raised $2,000 for the Humane Society that night and gave out the very first Gaia’s Guardian Award to Officer Christine Franco.
At two that morning the volunteers gathered together in a hotel bar to celebrate. One staffer turned to me, raised his glass and said “Sia, we’re going to need a bigger boat.”
With that in mind, we rented a much larger hall in 2001. This center offered better parking, a three level ballroom, a great stage, lots of space inside and out for people to rest and mingle and a room next door that could serve as a much larger Vendor room. Then September 11th occurred. People everywhere were traumatized and grieving and Pagans were under attack by Jerry Falwell, among others.
We took care of our community and continued to work on the ball. Frankly, we thought no one would come and we'd loose the $6,000 we’d paid for hall rental, the Dj, and insurance fees. But we took care of our people, first (2) and didn't worry about the money we'd invested. To our complete surprise, the 2001 Witches’ Ball was a huge success.
It seems to me now that something wonderful was at work that night. After all the shock and sorrow, our people wanted some something life affirming and upbeat. They wanted community and connection. We gave them that.
And they gave a great deal to us. Many people we didn’t even know came early to help set up and stayed late to help break down. Everyone was generous, kind, and helpful. The weather was perfect, the crowd was gorgeous and friendly, the Dj played all the right music and the decorations were lovely and the dance performances were outstanding. We raised almost $2,500 for the Humane Society, after expenses, and the Vendors did very well, indeed. The Award that year was given to trainer, Debra Noel and her service dogs.
Brian and Wendy Froud were scheduled to be with us that night as part of their book tour. Sadly, they had to cancel the tour after 9/11. However, Brian sent us 3 signed prints, which we auctioned off for the Humane Society. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them again for their generosity and support.
To sum up: The whole event felt blessed and we went away tired, enthusiastic and happy.
2002 was a horse of a different color. The economy tanked, businesses failed, and thousands of people in Silicon Valley alone were laid-off and finding new jobs was hard to impossible. A general sense of unease and depression entered into the Earthwise community. Hundreds of our regular supporters had either moved away or were out of work. Volunteers became harder and harder to find.
Despite all of that, the Witches’ Ball was a success. Over 400 people came and they had a great time. The hall looked wonderful, the vendors made money, the raffle went very well, and the Dj did a very eclectic dance mix while taking requests. The costumes worn by our attendees were, as usual, amazing. The Humane Society was thrilled and happy for the third year in a row. We raised over $1,400 for them and we gave $250.00 to Wildlife Rescue of Silcon Valley. Our community, our Director, and our group can be proud of what we accomplished that night.
You should know that our volunteers worked their butts off
to make things run smoothly. I still
can’t believe how few people managed to make the hall look great and still
manage to run the ball so well.
It was a very long day. The core
staff worked from 8 am to long after midnight.
As we loaded the last of the decorations in the truck at 2 am, I watched
the faces of our people as they rubbed their aching feet and joked with one
another before giving hugs and saying goodbye.
I could see that we were all exhausted, not just from that night, but from
the stresses of the entire year. We had
paid back all our expenses, but we had very little left to fund the next
event. I knew then that we had to find
a way to make this easier on all of us.
So we canceled the 2003 ball, went on with our other work for FCE. Later that year we planned a smaller, less expensive event for 2004.
The Beltane Ball was introduced in May of 2004. As far as we know, this was the first Beltane Ball organized in the U.S. It was intended to act as a fundraiser for the Witches' Ball and as a Pagan social event to celebrate spring. It succeeded beautifully as a social event, with over 100 great attendees, but it failed as a fundraiser.
The Witches Ball in 2004 was hosted on in a smaller hall, with a smaller budget, a lower ticket price and with fewer volunteers to help. It too succeeded wildly as a social event. We hosted 270 attendees plus 30 incredible Tribal dancers and musicians along with some wonderful Vendors. We made almost $1,400 for the Humane Society that year and gave out the Gaia’s Guardian Award to the California Bat Conservation Fund. Our staff and our Director did a tremendous job and they can be proud. However, we needed another 50 - 100 more people to attend in order to make seed money for next year's ball. We also needed more new staff, lest we burn out some very good people. Neither of those things was available as of this writing.
Endnotes:
(1) Pagan charity work is still in its infancy. Pagan costume balls on the East Coast were usually attached to conventions and did not raise money for charity; when that was done, it was by other means. A West Coast precursor to our ball was offered once, by BAPA, in Palo Alto, 20 years before. It was paid for byyearly dues collected by their members and it hosted as a gathering for their own. It was not open to the public or the press, and it did not raise money for charity. Since we began our charity event, the idea has caught on with other groups. We wish them all the best in this work.
(2)
This letter was sent out to the general membership on 9/15/2001
-
WHAT WE DID FOLLOWING THE 9/11 DISASTER:
When disaster struck on Sept 11th, Full Circle immediately began a Pagan
Blood Drive. We then called our Pagan contacts in other groups to see what
was going on in our area. We took this knowledge and sent out announcements to
our mailing list during the week. These announcements included information on inter-faith
vigils which were organized to handle the huge outpooring of grief and
concern engendered by this event. (1) We knew that you were shocked and
grieving and we wanted you to have a place to go where you might find comfort
and support.
During the two weeks that followed the attack, we sent out information about
websites for
- FEMA,
- the Red Cross,
- Grief Counseling,
- sites that promote Tolerance.
- We also made our folks aware of the Disaster Forum up at The Witches Voice and
- Sent them to website that would help them explain this tragedy to their children.
-
-
Sia also wrote a Pagan response
to 9/11 for The Witches’ Voice. (2)
Our Counsel Members responded calmly, civilly and firmly to the Rev. Jerry
Falwell’s remarks on the 700 CLUB. You can read an essay on his remarks and
his subsequent “apology” by clicking here.
http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0920-02.htm
Immediately following his remarks, we wrote directly to him, to his bosses at
the National Baptist Convention and to our local, state and national
representatives in government as well as to the local and national media. We
stated our horror and sadness at his hate-filled rhetoric (which did NOT
represent the views of the general Christian population).
We stood up for our community and against intolerance and we reminded those in
power that we had the sacred right as citizens of this great country to freedom
of religion. We pointed out that we vote and that we would be watching with
great interest to see their reaction to these or any future remarks that
attempt to link our community to acts of terrorism or that threaten our civil
rights in any way.
Since we’re not empowered to speak for you, we’ve written these letters as individual
members of the Pagan community. We hope that you, too, will take the time to
let your government representatives know how you feel about important matters
like free speech, freedom of religion, tolerance and civil liberties.
Be well, go safe,
Sia
(1) No open Circles or public Pagan rituals were available to list – at least not in California. Pagan ritual groups and Circles here seemed to handle this event very privately. The only open ritual that dealt with the tragedy at all was extremely political in nature and designed for one, specific point of view, and thus it was not open to all who were grieving at that time. As a result, we recommend interfaith vigils to most members who asked for referrals.
(2) The U.S. went to ware in March of 2003. On April 5th, Sia published a response to the War In Iraq
WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS?
Sia has 25 years of experience working behind the scenes at a variety of
conventions and gatherings mostly in the neo-Pagan, Science Fiction, and
Feminist communities. She has also
worked with 7 different non-profit groups on a variety of social &
educational issues, including a term on the Board of Directors of the Wildlife
Rescue Effort.
Her academic background is in renaissance literature (which makes her fun at
parties) with a further emphasis on women's studies and art history. (Some people just don't know when to quit). She went on to a teaching credential before
they could stop her, but we're pretty sure she's over it.
Sia has worked since she was 16 and she paid her own way through college and
graduate school by working full time and going to school at night. She believes that money is simply another
tool; one that can be used for either good or ill. She’s been prosperous and she’s been poor. Prosperous is better.
Over the years, she has worked as a teacher, writer, and manager at various corporations and university campuses, doing what she likes best: bringing order to chaos and information to them that needs it. She's been called an "Uppity Female" for so long, she finally chose that as her job description. These days, she is the co-owner of a small software business.
Sia lives in Silicon Valley with
her partner, a pride of felines, and a three-legged dog. In her spare time, she gardens, hikes, and
works as a volunteer rehabilitator for various wildlife and companion animal
groups. She is currently writing a book
based on her experiences with Pagan groups titled Herding Cats.
For the last 10 years Sia has presented lectures and led workshops on such
topics as wildlife preservation, conflict resolution and neo-Paganism. She practices in a Green Tradition with
Taoist flavors.
Sia has studied Earth Based spirituality since 1980 and she hopes some day to
pass the test. Her motto is: "If I
can't laugh, it's not my religion."
She is the Council Leader and Founder of Full Circle Events.
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.
Arianna G. is our Copyeditor. Thank you, Arianna!
Once again we enjoyed the assistance of contributing writers Arianna G, Juliaki, Labrys, and Nualilith. Thank you all!
ScoutGhost is the Networking Coordinator for Full Circle Events. She can be reached at scoutghst@sbcglobal.net.