Around Circle Sanctuary - Fall 2003Festivals We held our Welcome Summer Festival at Circle Sanctuary land on Saturday, June 7. We made a thousand spirit bags for participants in this year's Pagan Spirit Gathering and also did other gathering preparations. We energized the spirit bags in our afternoon ritual.
Saturday began with Pagan Gregorian Chanting led by Joyce Higginbotham. This was followed by our annual Community Mugwort Harvest (see page 44). This year, Don had Mugworts Academy hats made for our Mugwort harvesters, and he and I presented the hats at the start of the harvest. In late morning, Amra guided the Newcomers' meeting, and then Helen Bond showed videos and talked about her experiences in Guinea in West Africa earlier this year. After lunch, Turner gave a harp concert, and then guest Pagan authors Joyce and River Higginbotham spoke about Paganism, ecology, and science in their talk on The Living Universe.
In early evening, Wildflower told a Green Man story, and then Peter Conover gave a concert. He was accompanied on some songs by his wife Sarah on drums, by Erycka on bass, and by Judy singing harmony. After the concert, Helen Bond facilitated a Community drum circle, with much exuberant dancing and drumming. On Sunday morning, I guided a Coming of Age ritual for four young women (see page 54). We had our farewell ritual at midday, followed by a farewell lunch. Staff Update We have begun reviewing applications and doing interviews for the
Editor-Administrative Aide position. We also are now accepting applications
for an Center Assistant position. More information about both positions
is on-line: www.circlesanctuary.org/staffopening.
Gwyn continues to work full time in our office and Mari part time.
MoonFeather, StarSong, Feather, Ruth, and SunDogStar continue to
volunteer help part time. Sylvia, MoonFeather, Windwalker, and Lyssa
assisted Dennis and me on this issue of the magazine. Randy and
Skywolf have assisted with mowing and groundskeeping this Summer.
Buildings & Grounds At our May and July workdays, we did trails upkeep and added additional trails to the Fairy Shrine area. Workday projects in May, June, July, and August have also included woodcutting, grounds keeping, vehicle maintenance, and cleaning and organizing of the barn and farmhouse. In late July, through the fundraising efforts of the Garden Circle, we purchased four new heavy-duty picnic tables for the Barn Garden area. Richard assembled them during the Green Spirit Festival preparation workday and we used them throughout the festival. Teaching, Media, & Networking I have continued to facilitate the Craftway Circle and Goddess Circle study groups each month. An account of July's Goddess Circle appears in this issue (see page 35). This Fall, the Men's Craft study group facilitated by Skywolf will resume. Mari plans to resume presenting workshops in Madison. I continue to do media work, and most recently spoke about Lughnassad and our Green Spirit Festival on the New Age Corner segment on Triple MMM radio in Madison. In late May, Bonnie and I were at the Gaia's Womb Summer retreat in Illinois. I helped with rituals and Bonnie staffed the Circle booth. Mari, assisted by family and friends, staffed a Circle booth at the CAST Picnic in St. Louis, Missouri. In June, Cecilia helped with the Circle booth at the Summer Solstice fair in Baraboo, Wisconsin. In July, Dennis and I spoke at the Sacred Space Conference in Maryland, and Cygnus and Kyra joined us in staffing the Circle table. Pagan Spirit Gathering This year's Pagan Spirit Gathering went well. Although we had quite a bit of rain, and therefore mud, during the first part of the week, the Sun came out in time for several days of Summer Solstice rituals at week's end. We already have begun working on next year's PSG. MoonFeather is coordinating feedback compilation and planning. Please send your feedback and ideas for PSG 2004 to her c/o the Circle office as soon as possible: circle@mhtc.net, with PSG 2004 in the subject line. PSG 2004 will be held June 20-27 at Wisteria in southeastern Ohio. Articles and photos about happenings at past PSGs are on-line: www.circlesanctuary.org/psg/memories. Other Upcoming Events Our Welcome Fall Festival happens on Saturday, September 20, and our Samhain Festival will happen on the weekend of October 31-November 2. We will be celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the founding of Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve at Samhain and welcome contributions of photographs and writings for our memory book and displays. In addition to these festivals we are sponsoring, Circle plans
to take part in both the Madison Pagan Pride Day (September 6) and
the Milwaukee Pagan Pride Day (September 21). We also are preparing
for the next Parliament of the World's Religions, happening in Barcelona,
Spain, July 7-13, 2004 (see page 57). Center Assistant More details: www.circlesanctuary.org/staffopening For more info, contact:
staff@circlesanctuary.org |
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This
year's Green Spirit Festival was held August 1-3 and included a
variety of workshops and rituals. The Festival began at midday on
Friday with the start of our Lammas Faire. At noon, I led a Green
Spirit Invocation in the center of Mugwort Circle. In the afternoon,
Reed guided a Nature walk to the restored prairie, and Mary Ellen
and Diana facilitated a spiritual path banner making workshop. In
late afternoon, Turner Collins taught tin whistle playing, and then
we had a delicious dinner. In early evening, I led our Festival
blessing ritual and gave a presentation on Lughnassad traditions.
Some Craftway Circle members contributed Lughnassad symbols and
poetry to the rite, and we kindled a Lughnassad bonfire. The evening
ended with a Bardic Circle, emceed by storyteller Cecilia Farran.
In
late afternoon, we had our main Lughnassad ritual. Turner and the
festival tin whistle players led the procession to Festival Circle.
Helen and Community drummers guided our rhythm making, Tessa and
Community singers led our chanting, and I facilitated the ritual.
The Garden Circle honored the Land and the start of our harvest
season. Kristina Wildflower invoked the Corn Mother and Peter Conover
sang a song of the God. We chanted thanksgivings to the Divine as
we placed grain offerings on the altar. Accompanied by the tin whistle
players, Turner guided us in a spiral folk dance for prosperity.
The ritual also included a celebration of passages and a joyous
feast blessing by WillowHawk and MoonFeather. A sumptuous potluck
feast followed the ritual.
Carol
and other members of the Garden Circle have been busy with garden
upkeep and fundraising.