So, how did the Conference go??

I had a lovely time at the Scottish Pagan Federation Conference.  I'm glad I went.  Many thanks to the organizers for all their work!  

Somewhat at the last minute, a group of us, all from Reclaiming, tabled together with and for a handful of things:

• A Winter Solstice Singing Ritual, my book and CD: http://stasa.net
• High Jinx -- "High quality, unique magical products crafted by fey witches in Scotland." They even have a few fragrance-free items, which I sniff-tested at our table and now lust after. http://www.etsy.com/shop/highjinxcrafts
• ahamsa, Elinor's ministry and business: http://www.ahamsa.com/
• bread and roses spiritual nurture, my ministry and business: http://stasa.net
• Reclaiming Scotia (of course!): http://reclaimingscotia.wordpress.com/

This was nice, because it gave us a "home base"; the chance to meet people who came by, for those of us who hadn't been before; a chance to visit with each other between workshops and talks; a place to store supplies for later; etc.  It was also fun. :)

For me, it was also the least-stressful experience tabling I've ever had.  I think this was due in large part to the wonderful people I was tabling with, especially the ever-creative and highly-practical Lady of the East Wind.  (That's how I've decided to refer to her here, for now, especially as she stood East in our circle.)

I did not make it to all the talks, workshops, and performances I wanted to, but the ones I did make it to, I really enjoyed.  It was also lovely just to meet people and talk to people, and watch the crowd, watch people greet old friends and watch people greet newcomers...

There was also something else a little unexpected, perhaps because it hasn't happened for me in a long time in a group with other Pagans: that feeling of being with my people, among my tribe. Sometimes when I hang around with other Pagans, even when they're a great group of people or wonderful individuals whom I like, I feel like a space alien. But last weekend, I had a feeling of homecoming, and I appreciated that. 

We packed up our table and got ready for ritual.  How did that go?  I'm not ready to say too much about it yet, because we haven't had our debrief/processing meeting yet, but I can say that I had a lot of fun, I had a deep experience, I loved working with this Priest/essing team in circle, and that the folks who came and participated in the ritual were a pretty great group.  I had some moments of awe and magic.  I feel like I was faithful in my service to the Goddess.  Oh, and the ribbon wands were great! 

And Margot Adler can dance.  

Oh, yeah, and you know what else?  I'd never been part of a circle before where there was impromptu ceilidh dancing during energy-raising, but I have now! Hurrah, Scotland!

Ritual with Reclaiming Scotia this Saturday

I am going to be part of presenting what has the chance to be a pretty spectacular ritual with Reclaiming Scotia this Saturday at the Scottish Pagan Federation Conference here in Edinburgh. 

Reclaiming Scotia is putting on the late afternoon ritual, in the time slot just before dinner -- I believe our talk-through will start at 4:30 pm (and really at 4:30 pm, not at Pagan Standard Time, *laughing*). 

Lots of pageantry, appeals to the senses, Mystery, and an opportunity for some deep work both within and out in the world. 

This will be my first time at the Conference, so I have no idea what the rest of it will be like -- though I'm looking forward to Margot Adler's talk and to learning more about other presenters. 

(For more on Margot Adler, here are two bios of her: http://www.cherryhillseminary.org/about/leadership/board-of-advisors/margot-adler/ and http://www.npr.org/people/2100166/margot-adler.) 

So if you're in Edinburgh this Saturday, or near enough to come to Edinburgh this Saturday, I invite you to our ritual. 

Crafting Magic (and Magic Crafting) with Reclaiming Scotia

Last fall, I began to go to the monthly socials put on by Reclaiming Scotia, the local chapter of the Reclaiming Collective.

One of the things we talked about at the socials was that Reclaiming Scotia had been asked to present the late afternoon ritual at this spring's Pagan Federation Scotland Conference, and who wanted to be involved in ritual planning and in doing the ritual?  And, what would the ritual be? 

I didn't particularly expect to be part of the planning or presentation -- I was so new, for one, and I wasn't even sure I was going to the Conference, even though it's only one day and it's here in Edinburgh -- but over time, I found myself first drawn into conversation, and then actively involved.  

And this has been a delightful, growthful, and deeply satisfying experience.

I love crafting magic.  And I am loving working with these particular people, individually, and all of us together.

Every single one of us has brought something this event wouldn't have had if that person wasn't part of this.  Every single one of us brings wisdom.  Every single one of us has knowledge and experience the others don't, and every single one of us respects and honors the others' experience.  This has been just wonderful for me. 

This interweaving, this whole-greater-than-the-sum, this collective creativity, this everyone-bringing-something-essential, has happened over and over -- from initial brainstorming; to discerning the big-picture concepts of what we want to offer in this experience; to determining finicky details like what to bring and who needs to be where, when; to buying craft supplies; to just about everything in our crafting afternoon last weekend when we made the ribbon wands we're going to use at the Conference ritual. 

This is not the ritual any of us would have planned ourselves.  These are not the wands any of us would have made ourselves.  And that's been a delight, because that's one of the things Reclaiming Tradition does best, at its best: working collectively. 

I have no idea how people will respond to the experience we are offering them.  We are preparing a container where people will have the opportunity to encounter Mystery; we're not actually in charge of what happens.  Based on 20-odd years of experience, some will think it's fabulous, and some will think it's awful, and some will be in between.  :)

No matter what other people's reactions, the process itself, the experience so far, has been magical and a blessing for me.

This brings me joy.  

Thank You, She-Who-Is; thank You, Hecate, Aengus, Bridhe; thank you, E, S, J, S; thank You, Spirits of Place.

Blessed be!