ravens' call #59
DESCRIPTION
Tasmanian Pagan Alliance newsletter issue 59TRANSCRIPT
Ravens’ Call THE TASMANIAN PAGAN ALLIANCE, INC. NEWSLETTER
SPRING/SUMMER 2012 NUMBER 59
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www.taspainc.com Ravens’ Call - Spring/Summer 2012
The Pagan Alliance Ethic Love & Kinship with nature.
Reverence for the life force & its ever-renewing cycles of life & death.
Each individual is responsible for discovering & developing his/her own true nature in harmony with the greater world, & takes full responsibility for his/her actions.
Acceptance of the many-faceted nature of Divinity: Acceptance that divinity exists in many forms, & can be worshipped/respected as male, female, androgynous, or
in a form beyond human definition.
3 Editorial
4 Eye of Newt
6 Jo’s Crystals - Moonstone
7 Green Practical Magic
8 Feature Article - Eamrline’s Feast - Heather Jensen
11 Through a Sylvan Doorway - CD
12 AWC 2012 reports
15 TPA Friendly Businesses
16 Imbolc Review
17 Luna Journey
17 Burning Times
18 Traditional or Old Craft Witching,
an introduction - By Lee Morgan
21 Captain Corelli's Mandolin
21 Mulled Wine recipe
22 Lughnasadh - Harvest Festival
23 Moot Reports
27 Internet Interest
27 Treasury Report
28 SBA 2012
29 Familiar Friends - Ally
30 What’s On
31 PFB - Otherworld candles
32 The Herb Obsession
33 SC report
34 Workshop Report - Tricia Szirom
36 Pagan Profiles
38 Yule Ball 2013
Back Page - Membership Form
Co
nt
en
ts
the Team
Hobart - Allannah Turner Launceston - Mel Ell
North-West - Jo Corvinus
Jess Steers [email protected]
State Coordinator
Mel Dolliver [email protected]
Regional Coordinator
Mandhi Allen
Secretary
Terri Baran [email protected]
Treasurer
Moot Convenors Editor - Mel Dolliver
Proof-reader - Jan Walker Graphic Designer - Terri Baran
Printer - Mandhi Allen
Ravens’ Call
Disclaimer: The views contained within the Ravens’ Call newsletter are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or members of the Tasmanian Pagan Alliance, Inc. Likewise, the advertisements are placed in good faith and do not signify endorsement by the editor or members of the Tasmanian Pagan Alliance, Inc.
© Copyright 2012 Tasmanian Pagan Alliance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Postal Address PO Box 1127
Launceston TAS 7250
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Mel Dolliver - Editor
By now we’ve passed the time of Imbolc and the Spring
Equinox, I can feel the earth gaining momentum as we
hail the Goddess Flora who is arm in arm with the Green
man, weaving and winding the dance of love and joy
around the May pole. This surely is the most lush season
of growth and ever increasing light…
I have found great pleasure discovering bush trails in my
local area during this spring time and it’s just amazing
watching the Tassie bush landscape move through
seasons. I had never been aware of the diversity of colour
and wildflowers!
This connection to the realm of ‘out doors’ is working
beautifully in opposition to hours spent on the computer or
traveling in the car, I can feel my energy waxing instead of
waning *yay*
This issue is brimming to overflowing with pagan events,
either reports on festivals, invitations to Sabbat events or
opportunities to attend future workshops and festivals -
Even as you read this I’m probably at a pagan event!!
The Silver Broomstick Awards BBQ held in Deloraine this
year should a hoot, join us in appreciation of PA members
who’ve been an awesome help this year – and enjoy the
free Barby too :-D
Lughnasadh 2013 our annual harvest festival is kicking
off on the first weekend of February – details on page 20.
Our TAS PA calendar project was just completed, so any
lagging orders need to be finalised – I just can’t wait to pin
up my 2013 TAS Pagan Alliance calendar for the first time
– so exciting!!
This edition is #59…so…the next RC out will
b e … . . i s s u e 6 0 ! ! ! * w h o o p - w h o o p *
Can you believe it? 15 years of Ravens’ Calls.
So I have devised a masterful plan of awesome – for
this very special anniversary the whole issue will
feature our fantastic and spunky pagan men! All the
reports, reviews and articles will be man-made ;-)
Fellas send me your content…
Due Date for articles - 13th January
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Quinoa (pronounced Qin-wah or Kin-wah) originated in the Andean region of Ecuador, Bolivia,
Colombia and Peru, where it was successfully domesticated 3,000 to 4,000 years ago for human consumption. A similar species of quinoa, were grown and domesticated in North America as part of the Eastern Agricultural Complex before maize agriculture became popular, which has a widespread distribution in the northern hemisphere, produces edible seeds and greens much like quinoa, but in smaller quantities. The nutrient composition is very good compared with common cereals. Quinoa grains contain essential amino acids like lysine and good quantities of calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Quinoa has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (14% by mass), yet not as high as most beans and legumes. Nutritional evaluations of quinoa indicate that it is a source of complete protein. Quinoa is also a source of calcium, and thus is useful for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant. After harvest, the grains need to be processed to remove the coating containing the bitter-tasting saponins. Quinoa grains are in general cooked the same way as rice and can be used in a wide range of dishes. Quinoa leaves are also eaten as a leaf vegetable, much like amaranth, but the commercial availability of quinoa greens is limited. The Incas, who held the crop to be sacred, referred to quinoa as chisaya mama or 'Mother of all Grains', and it was the Inca emperor who would traditionally sow the first seeds of the season using 'golden implements'. During the European conquest of South America, the Spanish colonists scorned quinoa as 'food for Indians', and even actively suppressed its cultivation, due to its status within indigenous non-Christian ceremonies. In fact, the conquistadores forbade quinoa cultivation for a time and the Incas were forced to grow wheat instead. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration human occupied spaceflights. 2013 has been declared International Year of Quinoa by the United Nations.
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Quinoa Vegetable Pilaf
Quick - easy - gluten free - vegan Quinoa
casserole recipe
Total Prep and Cook Time: 45 Minutes
1 cup quinoa
1 celery stick chopped small
½ red capsicum chopped small
½ cup cooked chickpeas
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 - 3 garlic cloves
1 Tablespoon peeled & minced fresh ginger
½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon thyme leaf
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cup water or veg stock
Optional: 2 cups chopped spinach or chard OR
¼ cup chopped parsley OR 1/2 cup frozen peas
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Soak quinoa 5 minutes, rinse twice, leave to
drain. Heat olive oil on medium low heat in a
saucepan or sauté pan. Peel and mince garlic
and ginger, sauté with mustard seeds for 5
minutes. Chop celery and red capsicum; add to
pan and sauté another five minutes. Mix in the
bay leaf, turmeric, coriander & cumin. Turn the
heat to medium high. Add the quinoa and stir
until its dry and starting to pop. Add 1 ¾ cup
hot water or veg stock and salt. Bring to a boil,
cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the
optional greens, spinach or parsley or peas, and
fresh ground pepper.
Cover and cook 5 more minutes, then serve.
Feeds 4 good serves.
Quinoa Tabouli
This tabouli recipe is a bit different than the
regular tabouli recipe, instead of using split
wheat like traditional tabouli, this recipe uses
quinoa. It is a grain that is available at most
health food stores. It looks and, is said to tastes,
better than split wheat. Non vegetarian people
enjoy quinoa tabouli, it's a great meal for a hot
summer day and another fantastic recipe to
add to your cooking arsenal.
Recipe makes 4 servings
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1 pinch salt
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup lemon juice
1 clove garlic
3 chopped tomatoes
1 chopped cucumber
1 bunch chopped chives or 3 spring onions
1 cup chopped parsley
Directions
In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add quinoa
and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover
and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to
room temperature; fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine olive oil,
sea salt, lemon juice, garlic, tomatoes,
cucumber, green onions and parsley. Stir in
cooled quinoa.
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Moonstone
I have always liked the saying ‘when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.’ When I look back over the journey of my life so far I can see that this has definitely been the case, however at the time I have not always appreciated the opportunity and the lessons that were brought with it. The first time Moonstone came into my life was one of these times. I had not long moved out of home and in with my boyfriend and we were still in a period of adjustment when he gave me my first Moonstone crystal, in the form of a pendant. The gift was to help me to ‘deal with my mood swings at that time of the month.’ As luck would have it the beauty of the pendant saved the gift bearer the pain that would normally follow such a statement and I dutifully wore the pendant at the time I was instructed.
Perhaps it was the nature of our introduction or the fact that I wasn’t ready to learn this lesson but it took me many years to fully appreciate the gifts that Moonstone had to offer. Each month I would faithfully wear my Moonstone pendant in order to keep harmony in my household and not let PMS rule supreme. These were my conscious actions but as is the way with crystals the energy of Moonstone subconsciously began to reveal its other gifts to me. As the name suggests its energies are linked very closely with the Moon and as I became more aware of my own physical cycles I also became more aware of the cycles of the Moon waxing and waning. I started to feel drawn to Moonstone coming up to the Full Moon as it seemed to have a balancing and calming effect on my emotions at that time as well.
Later, when I started to explore my psychic abilities further, I was drawn to wearing Moonstone as I found it gave me the confidence to trust my intuition and to then be able to communicate this
clearly and truthfully in the world. Its balancing effects enabled me to confidently use my intuition on a day to day basis. As is the way with crystals the more that I
worked with Moonstone the more I found its nurturing feminine energy was what I needed in order to release some of the issues I had about expressing my emotions and creativity along with going willingly with the cycles of my body.
In the last few years I have come to realise that when I am drawn to Moonstone I am seeking a link to my feminine, creative and intuitive side. To me its milky blue or white surface reflects the Moon and all of the mysteries that She contains. I feel connected not only to the cycles of the Moon but to the Earth as well, as if the energies of the Moon are being grounded in the Earth through the crystal that was formed in her depths. Its colouring is mysterious with hints of other colours under the surface, like a still pool of water that runs deeper than is first thought. The blue flashes under the surface (officially called chatoyancy) remind me of the inner strength and resolve that is contained within us all, awaiting the time it will be invoked. A time that might feel like great darkness but we are
“When I am drawn to Moonstone I am seeking a link to my feminine, creative and intuitive side”.
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our own Moons containing the light that we need to find our way back to our paths. More recently I have noticed that when I wear Moonstone to bed I find that I have more lucid dreams that I am able to remember in the morning. Some are rather bizarre but others have allowed me to reflect on a problem or situation in my life by showing me a different way of looking at it. I have done a lot of travelling in the last few months and one of the stones that has come with me every time is my Moonstone. I found its calming and balancing energies kept me safe by providing a clear path to my intuition at all times.
Moonstone has also been described as the stone of new beginnings. When I look back on our journey together I can see that Moonstone has indeed played its part in awakening an understanding in me of my intuitive self and how I am linked to the cycles of the Moon and the Earth.
Moonstone
A plastic milk bottle can evolve into so much more! For those who are always looking for clever
ways to re-use everyday items. Shared by Lynda Whatley-Wood from her Facebook page.
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FEATURE ARTICLE
Ermaline’s Feast
As her wings shifted ever so slightly, the great beast
turned, heading for the sun. Ermaline looked down
on the people miles below and wondered that
something so small and insignificant could be so
tasty. Damn shame they fight back, she thought,
wincing at the fresh scar on her side that had
blistered from the heat of their torches. It was a bad
burn, and not for the first time did she wonder why
she was not fire proof outside as well as in. But it
would heal, and she would be back, these humans
were too good to resist.
***
It was a month before Ermaline had the chance to
return to the village. The wound they had inflicted
on her was worse than she had realised flying back
to her rocky home. It had been days before she had
the energy and strength to hunt again, and then it
was only that which she could reach from the shore,
snapping the odd sea bird out of the air or diving
her great head into the waters to scoop up fish and
otters and seaweed. But now she was well enough
to fly again. Though still tender, the scar was
healing, at least well enough so far as Ermaline was
concerned. But her diet of sea food and land animals
bored her and she longed for that tasty little snack;
loving the twiggy crunch their bones made as she
chewed, with just enough meat on them to give it a
mellow, subtle flavour. She was addicted.
Normally Ermaline did not bother with night time
hunting, not for these creatures who hid themselves
away in their little wooden caves as soon as the sun
disappeared. But today was the equinox, when day
and night were equal, and she had watched them
long enough to know that tonight there would be a
festival, the entire village gathered together around
a huge bonfire. She found herself salivating at the
thought – mouthful after mouthful of crunchy
deliciousness.
She had been sitting on this rock since dawn,
arriving in the early morning in the hope she would
not be seen and hiding amongst the trees. But now
her muscles were tiring. She arched her back, spread
her wings out as far as they would reach and gave
her whole body a little wriggle in an attempt to get
the blood flowing again.
Finally there was movement. The people began to
emerge from their dwellings, bringing food to the
large table that had been set up earlier in the day.
Ermaline watched from her hiding place, licking her
lips as the mingled scent of raw human and cooked
beast wafted up to her nose. She crouched low,
watching and waiting as the group grew larger, and
when she could wait no longer sprung herself
forward, head tilted, mouth open, her great jaws
closing on...
Nothing.
Ermaline opened her eyes to find the people still
running, only just out of her reach. She lurched
forward again, tried to spread out her wings for
extra propulsion but something had caught them.
She tried again, now aware of the sound of
something whistling through the air and then there
was an extra weight on her back, pulling her down.
Ropes covered her face and Ermaline twisted and
writhed, trying to lose whatever it was that was
hampering her movement. She twisted again, the
net getting tighter around her, and suddenly there
was a sharp searing pain in her side – her scar,
barely healed was torn open again. Ermaline roared.
She twisted, trying to see what caused such pain
and in doing so tripped and fell, landing with a
crash on the human’s just lit bonfire. The spear
poking out of her flesh was forced deeper as the
freshly lit embers burned her skin and Ermaline sent
another roar echoing through the valley, but the
sheer size of her body smothered the flames
preventing further damage.
A cheer arose in the crowd; the great beast had been
caught. People rushed forward, pitchforks at the
ready, when suddenly she rolled, her tail swishing
around and knocking half a dozen men to the
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FEATURE ARTICLE
ground. She shook her head, a great roar emanating
from deep within as she struggled against the ropes.
She belched a great flame from her mouth, instantly
killing two men, and severely singeing a third.
Everyone backed away. None could get near her
now – she was too wild.
“We should wait till she’s tired out from fighting so
much,” one man said. Ermaline swung her head
around and the people ran in all directions as
another flame burst from her mouth.
“Those bonds won’t hold her till then,” another
shouted, pointing to the dragons head. The net had
already burnt through around her mouth, and as she
wriggled her head the ropes under her chin fell
away.
“We’ve got to do something.”
Another net was fetched, and thrown over the
dragon’s head. A small group distracted her,
daringly dancing in and out of reach of her flames as
men on Ermaline’s opposite side weighed the net
down with rocks, before changing positions. It was
too late when Ermaline realised what was
happening. The gash in her side was tearing open
even further with every movement she made, and
now the weight of the rocks made the net heavy
over her, hampering movement even more. With the
last of her strength she stood, muscles straining,
then let out one last terrifying roar, leaving the
villagers scurrying for cover, and collapsed again
onto the earth.
Ermaline’s strength was gone. Still she had done
enough damage for the villagers to be wary of her
movements. They stayed away, watching her from a
safe distance.
It took two days before anyone approached.
Ermaline was rested, but hungry. She heard the man
coming and opened one large cavernous eye to
watch him.
“Not dead then hey dragon,” he said, stopping with
enough distance for an easy escape should it be
necessary. He looked at her one open eye, easily
taller than he. She watched patiently. These humans,
they treat all other creatures as though they are
inferior. Yet she could communicate with all the
creatures of the land and sea, and he, insignificant
being that he was, could not. She blinked once,
twice. He took it as a sign she was not able to fight
back and moved a few steps closer.
“Not long now hey.” He stepped forward into
something sticky and glanced down to see the large
pool of blood that had been seeping from Ermaline’s
wound. “Guess your death won’t be as pain free as
it could’ve been. That’s karma for you – kill us, and
we’ll kill you.”
Ermaline snorted, and the man jumped back
nervously. Silly little man she thought. I only kill for
food, unlike you. It’s your fault anyway for being so tasty.
She snorted again, laughing at the absurdity of her
thought. Her laugh turned to a whimper at the pain
that shot through her body.
The whimper he recognised. “You stop fighting, let
us get close, and we might make it a quick death for
you hey, nice and easy. Good long sword between
the eyes, you won’t know what’s happened.”
Except you silly man, I will. She thought. Gods forbid
that I should return to earth as one of you folk. I’d really
rather be a cockroach.
He nodded, apparently satisfied with his own
account of things.
“She’s still breathing fairly well,” he called to the
others gathered in the distance. “If we try now, I
reckon she’ll fight back. Best wait another day.”
“Alright. We’ll post some lookouts tonight; the rest
of us can grab a decent night’s sleep. We’ll put her
out of her misery tomorrow.”
“And have fun doing it!” The jibe was followed by a deafening roar, as Ermaline tried to convey that she understood. The men scurried away, the two left to guard her returning to their spot by a freshly lit fire. In the distance she made out a group of curious children, eager to see a dragon up close, yet terrified to get too near. One of the men caught sight of them,
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FEATURE ARTICLE
and she watched as the children turned and walked back to the village, clearly upset at the instructions
they had been given.
Ermaline closed her eyes, willing sleep. She hoped the next few hours would pass quickly. It took time,
but finally she drifted off. She dreamed of the villagers rushing her with pitchforks, of the axe that had
carved the deep valley in her side, of her last taste of human flesh, too good to resist. It was all worth it,
she thought. Nothing worthwhile comes for free.
Suddenly she felt a scratch on her back. It has started, she thought, waiting, but instead of cold metal
tearing through her skin, Ermaline felt the weight of the nets lifted, and then she too was being carried.
She opened an eye to see a shadow cover the ground, the two guard men running in terror. She did not
need to look up; she knew if she did she would see a creature even greater than she. One whose wing
span could easily cover her, and had on many occasions. Ermaline felt an overwhelming relief as the
massive talons enveloped her, carrying her up and away to safety.
“I have told you to keep away from the humans, Ermaline. Just because they are small does not mean
they are weak. You must not underestimate them.”
Ermaline nodded. “I’ll stay away from the village,” she promised her mother reluctantly, sad at the
thought that she would never again enjoy the taste of human flesh. She glanced down and spotted a
distant shepherds hut, and began to wonder. She had promised to stay away from the village, not the
entire human race. Perhaps she did not have to go without after all.
***
*Ermaline’s Feast received an honorary mention in Five Stop Story’s April Competition and was
published in June on their website: www.fivestopstory.com/read/story.php?storyId=2539
"Heather Jensen has been an avid reader and writer since before she can remember (says her mother),
though it has only been in the last twelve months that she has taken her writing seriously. Ermaline’s
Feast was published in June, and since then Heather has published a further seven stories, with four more
awaiting publication later in the year. She prefers to write fantasy, though she does dabble in other genres
as the mood takes her. Heather lives with her partner and children in rural Tasmania."
NEXT ISSUE
#60
Summer/Autumn
Due Date for
articles -
13th December
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New Double Album!!
Spiral Dance
Through a Sylvan Doorway
Our favourite Australian
Pagan folk-rock band Spiral
Dance have a treat for our
ears and tunes sure to get us
jigging on the dance floor!
‘Though a Sylvan Doorway’
moves into the realm of the
Goddess and the Green Man,
sings songs of the Horned
One and will dance into the
greenwood at Midsummer.
Haunting tunes of long
passed ancestors fade into the
deep melody of the spirit of
trees and the legend of
O d i n ’ s W i l d H u n t .
So far the ‘Spirit of Albion’
(track 3 CD 1) and ‘Feet of
Clay’ (track 5 CD2) take turns
playing in our head!
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What a lovely weekend! Arriving at the ferry and seeing so many
friendly faces gathered at the cafe - some familiar, some new - instantly
gave me a great feeling of joy. I attended three fantastic workshops - the
beautiful and deep Lucy Cavendish, an athame class with Ian Hamilton
chock full of fascinating info, and the always interesting and knowledgeable
Doug Ezzy.
The ritual felt energised and exciting, with everyone being divided into the
four elements to play our part. Being still relatively new to ritual myself, it
was a treat to participate. And the Morris dancers, the fire sword, and
more…Of course a major highlight of the weekend was Spiral Dance. What
a talented bunch, such a pleasure to dance to!!
The bush setting of the island was very special. Having trails to take a
momentary breather and connect with nature was a delight. But with all
that gorgeous sparkling water around, the desire to pop in a kayak was
very high :)
Having the opportunity over the weekend to meet so many new people and
continue conversations with those I already know...I'm feeling fortunate,
very blessed. I look forward to the years ahead, deepening friendships!
For me, that's the main reason I finally worked up the courage to get over
my remnant shyness and join the Pagan community for the first time at
AWC 2011, to make new friends of like mind.
The AWC seems to be such a perfect venue for this. Can't wait for NT
2013! Report by Alaina Nowak
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When I first saw Gede I wondered just what
kind of person he was. He was wearing a
blue dress – his witches robe and looked
rather young and – dare I say – naïve and
effeminate. I did not expect to see much of
him at the conference, but I was curious.
On Saturday I chose to go to the workshop
about working and teaching in cyberspace.
And, there he was. He started by introducing
himself as an ecstatic witch who practices
with aspects of the Fey and the Reclaiming
traditions. This was getting interesting
because I know little about either tradition.
I have experienced ritual with Starhawk, a
leader in the Reclaiming Tradition. She had
explained little and taken a very effective
ritual to finish her address in Hobart some
years ago. I had also read a little on the
Reclaiming website.
Gede talked about the programs he uses on the net, i.e. Skype, without the camera on, and
email. He emphasized the need to make a connection with the person he is teaching, and
mentioned the issue of personalities matching and being able to work together. He likes to
meet the person face to face at least once each year. He said that the voice is the
connection, so much is conveyed by speech, hence the use of skype.
Gede talked for a time then proceeded to demonstrate what he was talking bout by leading
a ritual. By this time I had concluded that he really knew what he was talking about and I
was impressed. I thoroughly enjoyed his presentation and felt I had gained from it.
On Sunday morning I decided to go to Gede’s ritual. The
reclaiming tradition emphasizes healing the earth and
this ritual was dedicated to that, rather than self healing.
Gede taught us two chants. We created the circle, and
then we proceeded to power raising. This was achieved
by holding hands, chanting, and dancing (running) around
the circle. The energy that Gede puts into ritual became
obvious, with the speeding up of the dance, and his
increase in volume and intensity. This so contrasted
with the more sedate ritual often practiced by many
wiccans.
Gede’s contribution deepened my knowledge of the craft
and led me to feeling deeply centred and at peace when
I was on the train traveling from the conference.
Report by Richard
Gede co-lead the Fire Group in the Main Ritual
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www.taspainc.com Ravens’ Call - Spring/Summer 2012
This year's AWC was a great weekend, and it was so nice to
spend the time chatting to people, attending workshops, and
generally relaxing - especially after last year!
The location was beautiful, and the weather was amazing, and it
was great to attend with so many Tasmanians - I think we had 9
in total!
As always there were many highlights for the weekend, and although many moments were amazing -
dancing to Spiral Dance, seeing a python up close, meeting authors such as Roxanne Bodsworth and Gede
Parma, the absolute highlight for me would be attending Lucy Cavendish's workshop. You never really know
what famous pagans are going to be like, and I was really excited to find Lucy to be a likeable, down to
earth, smart lady. Her workshop was called ‘Modern Primitives’, and she spoke about tribal people - about
our ancestors, looking after ourselves, and becoming aware of your history and how that affects the people
we are today, and most importantly, our magical practices.
Lucy's thoughts and ideas were practical, relevant, and very much in line with my own path and thoughts,
and it was an absolute pleasure to hear her speak and discuss her ideas. Even a month on, I'm still thinking
about that workshop and putting into place some of the ideas discussed in the circle. If you ever have the
opportunity to meet Lucy in the real, I really recommend that you do. Report by Jess
TPA Friendly Businesses Purchasing supplies, gifts or even a present for yourself is best done with our TPA Friendly
Businesses! Not only are you supporting those who support us, but you’re also ensuring these
great pagan friendly businesses can continue to offer great goods and services to the community.
If you would like your ad to be displayed on this page, please contact Jess: [email protected]
Jan Walker
Pagan Marriage Celebrant
Email: [email protected] www.wix.com/janwalker/janwalkercmc
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Phone: 03 6266 3685
Mobile: 0400 006 828
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Phone: (03) 6265 9405
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.wix.com/mikemaddock/
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Creators of quality hand poured candles made from 100% organic
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Stay tuned for more businesses
on the way, including:
Dragon’s Realm (Burnie)
Seppenfelts (Deloraine)
Babylon Bookshop (Hobart)
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Imbolc is a time of year I love. It marks the end of winter and the beginning of Spring. We are mid-way between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox and there are already snowdrops in the garden, glistening white amidst the dreary greyness, a reminder of the warmer months, and a signal of Spring as it stirs in the earth, awakening new energies. As the warming rays of the sun are starting to thaw the frozen earth, and new life is popping up everywhere, we had another great TPA event for Imbolc this year at the Carnacoo Scout Camp at Paper Beach. After all had arrived and organised themselves, we had a wonderful Imbolc ritual outside under an awesome starry sky with a wonderfully warm and glowing bonfire, led by Jo who had a communal healing well dedicated to the Goddess Brigid, that we all brought some water from our own areas to add to. We even had a cute little native animal, I think it may have been a potoroo, join us during the ritual (who decided that a candle was quite tasty and ate a fair bit of it!) Then we all had a wonderful feast of all kinds of goodies to indulge ourselves in. Then it was time for the movies. Mel put together an excellent variety of interactive, game playing, prize winning snippets from pagan movies. Great prizes were donated by some wonderful people, and lots of popcorn and drinks. Unfortunately I don’t watch much TV so I only managed to win 3 chockies for the whole night! The kids were a lot quicker than most of us adults – even with ones they shouldn’t have watched anyway!!! I may not have won any prizes but I do have lots more to watch – ones I haven’t seen and some I hadn’t even heard of. After a short and positive AGM on Sunday morning it was time to pack up and go back to the normal routine. I had a wonderful weekend in another beautiful spot in Tassie that I haven’t visited before and it was great to catch up with people and meet some new ones. So looking forward to the next event. Blessings Jan
Imbolc Review
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Spanish – Luna
French – Lune
German – Mond
Chinese – Yue
Japanese – Tsuki
Korean – Dac
Arabic – Kamar
Portuguese – Lua
Czech – Mesic
Dutch – Maan
Hawaiian – Mahina
Hungarian – Hold
Turkish – Ay
Serbian – Mesec
How do we say “Moon”
in other languages?
Fairy Moon Song
Have you ever wished to be
the very one you are
Have you ever tried to ski
a moon beam to a star
And have you dipped your fingers
In the rainbows pot of gold
Or seen the sun at daybreak
and watched a dream unfold
For I have heard the raindrops laugh
and whisper – ‘how are you’
And every day’s a moonlit day
when sharing it with you.
We feel powerful tides ebb and
flow in our emotions, our bodies,
depending on the phases of the
moon. We feel her push us and
then tighten the pull. The energy
of the moon is a personal
journey...
The Burning Times
I love a roaring fire in the winter time and my first task on arriving home is to cut sticks
for the fire and then to light it. I am not a person who reads newspapers but I still seem
to collect a pile of them to use as fire starters. One day recently I was setting my fire for
the night and scrunching up random newspaper pages to put under the sticks, when a
picture caught my attention. I un-scrunched the piece of paper and looking carefully at
the picture I realised that I had nearly burnt a picture and article about Cindy Watkins
and the opening of her new gallery space in Deloraine. How bad that would have been,
a witch burning a witch in this day and age! Sorry Cindy.
From Jo
With Leanne
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‘Traditional Witchcraft’ has to be one of the most
misunderstood terms in the pagan world. Some
people think it means any form of witchcraft that
follows ‘a tradition’ that you have to be initiated
into. Other people get it confused with Traditional
Wicca, which basically refers to the Gardnerian and
Alexandrian paths. For this reason a lot of people
like to say ‘Old Craft’ instead – though this itself can
open dispute with those who believe Wicca to
equally well represent an ‘old’ form of witchcraft!
So in this article I’m going to try and cut through
some of this confusion and hopefully find a positive
way of defining the path sometimes known as ‘Trad
Craft’ – one that doesn’t simply rely on ‘it’s not
Wicca’ to explain itself.
When the term ‘Traditional Witchcraft’ first
appeared in the pagan community there was a lot of
talk about who had it, what it was, and whose was
‘authentic’. Most people who used the term at the
time would have told you that unless you had an
initiation from one of a small number of authentic
lines (most of them in Britain) then you had little
right to be interested in it, let alone involved in
Traditional Craft. In fact don’t even bother being
curious, it’s not for you, just go away!
Over the past fifteen years this unfriendly approach
has softened somewhat, at least in some quarters,
probably due to the increased availability of
scholarship on the topic. Trial records from
historical witchcraft cases have been unloaded to
the internet, an increasing number of academics are
tackling the business of bringing together
information from all different countries and trying
to make sense of how our ancestors practiced the
Craft. There has even been a very honest and
profound attempt to separate out what testimonies
could be seen as useful and which ones were
contaminated through the use of torture – rather
than a blanket assumption that all the witchcraft
trial records are useless because everyone was
tortured into confessing.
In fact, it has only really been over the past ten years
that scholars have started to compare material in the
trial records with folklore and see that even if the
accused was making the story up to satisfy their
captors, they were often still drawing on the
folklore they knew about witchcraft in that era. In
Traditional or Old Craft Witching – an introduction By Lee Morgan
The Stang: A stang is often erected as the central point of
an outdoor ritual in Traditional Craft, it represents both the
Witch-father and the World Tree. Here is a link on the use
of the stang: http://afwcraft.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/
witches-stang.html
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this way even a faked confession can be a treasure
trove of information about beliefs and practices of
the era.
These days there are a lot of different ‘points of
entry’ into Traditional Witchcraft, or Old Craft.
There are still some Threads that believe initiation
via a reputable line is the only way to go. Yet in
reality most of the major writers on the topic,
including Andrew Chumbley whose work is one of
the leading influences on the movement, suggest
mysteriously that if a person is meant for that style
of Craft it will find them in some way. But before
we talk about how to pursue an interest in the topic,
let us look more closely at what this term has come
to mean.
Here are two definitions of ‘traditional witchcraft’
from two leading figures in the practice.
Michael Howard, editor of The Cauldron and
author of many books on the Old Craft defines it as:
‘any non-Gardnerian, non-Alexandrian, non-Wiccan or
pre-modern form of the Craft, especially if it has been
inspired by historical forms of witchcraft and folk magic.’
This is in fact quite close to my own definition, but does
still rely heavily on ‘non-Wiccan’. To cover all
perspectives I will add that of Daniel Schulke, the
successor of Andrew Chumbley and Magister of Cultus
Sabbati, another well-known writer in the field:
‘[Traditional Witchcraft] refers to a coterie of initiatory
lineages of ritual magic, spellcraft and devotional
mysticism.’
So as you can see from Schulke’s definition he
believes that you have to possess an initiatory
lineage. He also points out that Traditional Craft is
‘spell craft’, ‘ritual magic’, and a form of
‘mysticism.’ This is quite important because most
Traditional Crafters will admit to a mixture of
‘cunning folk’ practices and ‘grimoire material’ in
their traditions, and are often more inclined to
describe their path as a form of mysticism rather
than ‘a religion’. Though the term ‘devotional’ is
used to suggest that ‘devotions’ to deity may form a
part of that mysticism.
I would like to add to these definitions that Old
Craft is by its nature ecstatic. Some people will use
the term ‘shamanic witchcraft’, but as witchcraft
itself is the remains of European shamanism
anyway, so this is a little bit of a double up. To say
something is ‘ecstatic’ is to say it focuses on the
cultivation of trance states, either through dance,
drumming or other more ritualistic practices. The
witch leaves their body to visit the Sabbat, being
where we derive the concept of the witches’ flight.
And I think within this is emphasis on trance and
ecstasy is the core nature of Old Craft.
Magic at a working hearth.
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Wicca is a religion and provides a setting for
community worship along pagan lines,
acknowledgment of the seasons, and also practices
and teaches magic. There is certainly also some
‘folkloric material’ within Gardnerian Wiccan, the
extent of which is very open to dispute on both
sides.
Whilst some Traditional covens may also provide
some of the same things mentioned above the heart
of their magical practice is often undertaken in
‘flight’, and seeks to bring people up to the door of
deep shifts in consciousness. Only some people
want to or are capable of safely going all the way
with such techniques, others may only want to dip
their toe. Methods for achieving very deep altered
states of consciousness are often the main focus of
‘training’.
Some Old Craft traditions utilise Christian
symbolism in ‘heretical’ ways, some may not even
identify themselves as fully ‘pagan’, many do not
interact with the wider neo-pagan community, nor
see themselves as part of it. And yet more still are
secretive and difficult to contact!
With the aim of making Old Craft a little more
visible and sharing some of the ‘outer court’ non
oath-bound material with the wider community my
coven and I are planning on running some
workshops in the Hobart area. You do not have to
be interested in seeking initiation into Traditional
Craft to participate; you may simply wish to come
along to enrich your current methods or path or out
of curiousity. All persuasions are welcome.
The initial workshop will focus on making contact
with the ‘spiritual stream’ of Old Craft, we will do
this by studying the motifs of witchcraft in the old
world and applying them in practice through
seeking a vision in a guided format. I will cover
informative material on what we know about the
witchcraft of old, and look at some leading theories,
as well as explore a range of trance techniques to
find out if you have a Familiar spirit or attract one
to you. We will then learn traditional methods for
making offerings to such spirits, walk through some
on the day and discuss the Familiar/Witch working
relationship.
If anyone would be interested in being at such an
event some time in February 2013 please contact me
to let me know. I will create an events page on
Facebook very shortly that will have far more
information. Any other questions or queries about
Traditional Witchcraft are also welcomed, the vast
majority of us don’t bite. Please contact me at:
You can also access my Tradition’s website at:
http://andereanwitchcraft.yolasite.com/
- Lee Morgan – author of A Deed Without a Name:
Unearthing the Legacy of Traditional Witchcraft,
available January the 23rd, 2013 by Moon Books
Light between the horns of a goat or ram -
another important Old Craft symbol.
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Mulled Wine
Black Nettle Cottage is sharing their newest seasonal Mulled Wine recipe…
‘A delicious warming healthful brew, keep the flu at bay’
Spring Tonic
Dried ginger slice/crystalized ginger piece
1 teaspoon crushed cardamom pods
1 crushed nutmeg
2 teaspoons dried sultanas
2 heaped tablespoons brown sugar
Suggested garnish float: small slice ginger
*Place all ingredients onto a small square of muslin
and tie with cotton thread
How to easily make Mulled Wine
You will need,
1 small saucepan
1 clean empty bottle
1 mulled wine bundle
1 (litre) bottle (or equivalent) of red wine/juice
Add ¼ of the red wine into the small saucepan, pop in the mulled bundle, then place onto a
medium/low heat. Slowly heat the wine along with the mulled bundle – watching carefully the
whole time – until your mixture is very hot but not boiled, this is a very important step. If the
wine is allowed to boil the alcohol content will evaporate!
If you have time, let the brew sit for half an hour in the saucepan (lid on). Then simply squeeze,
remove and discard the mulled bundle and pour your mulled wine concentrate into the clean
bottle. Top up with the remaining red wine or juice, give a gentle shake.
Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Those that truly love, have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two. Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres Found by Jess for Beltane
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Lughnasadh Harvest Festival
February 1st – 2nd – 3rd 2013
This whole weekend event will be held on the Northwest coast at a bush retreat in the Forth
Valley, some improvements have been made to insure this weekend runs smoothly and the most
enjoyable experience possible – SO this events food will be catered for, the entry fee will be
greater but the food will be awesome, wholesome, fresh, suiting most dietary requirements and
the best part – all you need to pack in the esky - is your own drinks!
A variety of fantastic workshops will be running during Friday night and throughout Saturday,
and as dusk settles Saturday evening, join us for a magical harvest ritual and feast.
Share with us your musical, acting or poetry/storytelling ability for a ‘Bardic Interlude’ session
around the camp fire Saturday night. A market and trading table is scheduled for Sunday
morning before departure at noon. Further details will appear in the following RC and moots.
There are four ‘Passes’ to choose from, depending on your needs:
“Lugh’s Pass” = $60 ($30 catering)
Friday and Saturday night’s accommodation/workshops and a
whole weekend of catered meals
“Grain Mother’s Pass” = $35 ($15 catering)
Saturday night accommodation/workshops and Saturday’s
feast meal and Sunday hot breakfast
“Corn Dolly Pass” = $20
1 night accommodation/workshops. BYO food – no access to
kitchen facilities
“John Barley Pass” = $30
2 night’s accommodation/workshops. BYO food – no access to
kitchen facilities
**Please pre-pay your catering needs – before January 20th, via our website or moot convenors.
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Tasmanian Pagan Alliance, Inc.
MOOTS
August Hobart Moot
Jung and the Shadow Self - Discussion group by Doug Ezzy: Doug gave a great discussion about Jung and his theory of the Shadow Self a few months ago It was interesting, and complicated, and you should have been there because I'm trying to type up the notes, but they don't make as much sense as Doug did. The discussion was on how Doug understands the shadow self and what it means. Paganism has a fundamentally different 'moral anthology' to monotheistic religions. "Paganism: e.g. Bad shit happens to you if you're in Thor's way."- Doug What's good for one person isn't necessarily good for another. Shadow Self: 1) Freudian move: Bunch of emotions that aren't logical. Rational thought won't get you where you need to go. There's an unconscious route you need to take. Jung: You need to work this thing out, not talk about it. Thinking about something to solve a problem, but there are some parts of yourself that you can't intellectually use to solve a problem. Rational - pass Irrational - fail A rational - cannot measure against the test of rationality (I have no idea what that last part meant!) Rationality of emotions, for example, you want to buy a house, and you're looking through one that is for sale, and your mind says, "Yes!" But your heart is saying, "No!" There may be a really good reason for listening to your heart. Feelings that tell you something true about the world, sometimes feeling something but it will never be verbal. There is an intuitive level of our hearts that we need to listen to and ritual allows us to engage with that. In ritual, we're doing, working with the symbolic. "Ritual and so on are like gateways to the parts of our self that we can't articulate." -Doug
Energy is the part of yourself that you cannot articulate rationally. E.g. If you have a paranoia/fear/anxiety, if you don't work with it, it will shape you. Jung calls that part of yourself, your Shadow-Self. Ritual is a way of engaging with that part of yourself, the shadow is the part of ourselves that make us feel uncomfortable. "...because we feel uncomfortable with something, we tend to call it bad... when in actual fact it may not be bad, just difficult."-Doug If you are scared of something, try to symbolize it and engage with it in a relationship. E.g. Samhain ritual, when we talk about the beloved dead, it makes us sad. Doug sometimes uses Rune Poems for this. "Open yourself to the shadow but don't let it overwhelm you." "...face the fear then... away, don't supress it." - Doug, on dealing with the shadow. Tim: "Fear adds more to something than may actually be there, for example, public speaking." "The secret is in the way that you breathe. Breathe a ball around you, your present self, and it provides a protective space." advised Doug. 1) Think about your shadow. 2) What are those paths that you fear? 3) In ritual, try to engage them in conversation. 4) To be present with them is a hard thing to do. E.g. Anxiety, depression etc. will come back, but you'll go past it. Ernest mentioned a fire ritual he took part in once. There was a preparation ritual which prepared the mind and made them feel it was possible, so they were relaxed when they walked across the coals and they didn't feel hot or burnt. Energy: Jung considers shadow powerful = if you can integrate it, you can do amazing things. Morgan: Fear saps energy out of you so if you de-energize it you get that energy to use on other things. September Hobart Moot There were some new faces at the moot this month, and nineteen attendees in total. Jess told us about Imbolc, what an amazing ritual they had by the sound of it! This moot's topic was Karl talking about his Pagan book club. Most people brought a book or several to share with the group. Karl is starting a monthly book club, primarily for each
Southern Moots
When: First Thursday of every month
Where: New Sydney Hotel - 87 Bathurst St
Time: 6:30pm onwards
Contact: Allannah - [email protected]
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person to bring a book along and help others with areas they do not already know. He wants to, "...help each other learn." Karl's books were one about the Futhark runes. It had four variations of each rune for the Eldar Futhark rune set and how to pronounce them. The book encompasses a lot of info and I'm sure if you ask he'll tell you the name. His second book was 'Spirit of the Witch by Raven Grimassi (2003), because according to Karl, "It's just a good book ok." His last book was 'Sabbat by Edain McCoy and he shared it because it is good for references when planning a Sabbat, and it has a lot of tasty information on the Sabbats in various cultures. Cheryl shared her book 'Shamanic Wisdom keepers: Shamanism in the Modern World' By Timothy Freke. It looks at Shamans globally, covering practices from all over the world, including an Australian Aboriginal Elder! There are practices for you at the end of each chapter, including West African, Celtic, Australian and more. Sabian suggested Scott Cunningham's book 'Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner'. He chose this because it is a great beginner book, looking at a natural, green approach and written in a simplistic language. Also, its written by a guy, which, at a time when there was an emphasis on women's power in the early 80’s. Sabian found it was a nice, fresh change to read. As the title suggests, it is for Solitaries, rather than assuming the reader will be in a coven. Next on Sabian's 'Must Mead' list was 'Coven-Craft: Witchcraft for Three or More' by Amber K. It is a great tome for beginners, and Google agrees, "The ultimate coven handbook, Coven Craft was written by a well-known and respected Wiccan High Priestess, who guides you through the workings of covens from Altars to Zoning. Over the course of twenty-seven chapters and forty-two appendices, Amber K shares with you her vast coven know-how, with plenty of veteran insights and straight-up advice..." Last but not least, Sabian recommended Janet and Stewart Farrar's book, 'The Witch's Bible'. It is full of tasty, well-written, helpful information. Morgan contributed several books, starting with Dion Fortune's book 'The Mystical Kabbalah'. A very interesting and comprehensive book about, that's right, the Kabbalah. Next on the list was 'The Egyptian Hermes', by Garth Fowden. The book demonstrates that Hermes was the first person to have this particular set of teachings. Last but not least, because it is a huge and very interesting text, 'MONVMENTS OF EGYPT: The Napoleonic Edition'. It contains intricately copied drawings of Egyptian temples etc Tim shared 'The Chicken Kabbalah of Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford' by Lon Milo Duquette. Chapters in this book include 'The Ten Command-Rants', 'The Divine Pecking Order' and many, many more, with more serious names, and information on how the Kabbalah interacts with Tarot and so on. Secondly, Tim shared with us 'SSOTBME', a book from the
70’s which is a bit of a thought experiment looking at the nature of magical theory. Ally shared 'Earth Divination Earth Magic: A Practical Guide to Geomancy'. Geomancy, Ali explains, is, "...sort of like Tarot, but drawing as you go." Ally also shared a funny book, which is very old , called 'Witches' Potions and Spells. It was published in 1971, I suspect by someone who has never met a witch, and it is a tad disturbing ;-) Next on Ally’s list was 'Bird Sense', which looks at how birds see through each of their sense. She suggested that it would be good if you were interested in shape-shifting as a bird, to see accurately. After all the book discussions, Torin, the Celtic harpist, played us some lovely music on his small harp. It was a lovely end to a lively evening. If you missed him, it's ok! He's playing at our Yule Ball on June 22nd next year *wink wink*
October Hobart Moot At the October moot we were lucky enough to have Matt, out Astrology extraordinaire, present to us on Astrology. It was very interesting, and cleared up a lot of confusion some of us had. Matt is planning to write a summary for the RC soon though, so I won't provide a spoiler. I will say, however, that we all enjoyed it and Matt's presentation style is very enjoyable and easy to understand. After Matt's presentation, we just chilled-out and Sabian, Jess and I brainstormed about Yule Ball 2013.
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Launceston Moots
When: Last Tuesday of every month (except Dec)
Where: Alchemy Bar, 90 George St Launceston
Time: 7:00pm onwards
Contact: Mel Ell - [email protected]
We've booked Spiral Dance, but it is going to take a lot of fundraising. We're also having Torin back down to Tassie to play for us. The Ball will be Masquerade themed and will be held on Saturday, June 22nd at Tolosa Street Hall in Glenorchy. We will have a registration process this time, including shiny tickets. Volunteers are, as always, very welcome, even if it’s as simple as helping sweep up after the ball - everything helps! **See Av’s article on page 12 and 13 for further info. Next year, in addition to the Ball, there will be a Yule Festival: a market from 11am-4pm and workshops during that time. Sabian has already volunteered to run a workshop on reading Tarot without a book. What interesting workshop can YOU run? Expressions of interest for a market stall can be sent to me over Facebook (Avril Holderness-Roddam) or via e-mail: [email protected]. Stalls will cost $10 per space and must be at least 50% thematic (Pagan/Yule/New-Age etc), the remaining 50% can be whatever you wish to sell. Groovy, all caught up ;-) Blessings, Av
July Launceston Moot
We had a great turn out for this month’s moot of
approximately 20 people.
Everyone had a lovely evening with dinner where we
caught up with each other, and discussed the successes of
the June Yule Ball.
It was great to hear about Terri's progress in her baby-bun
baking!
Following dinner we discussed the upcoming Imbolc movie
night preparations and plans.
Zahira shared all the info for her upcoming Belly Dance
Bazaar at St Ailbe's Hall.
Following the regular meeting we held our moot raffle!
Winner of the raffle prize was our very own Mel Dolliver
who won a copy of Scott Cunningham's Divination for
Beginners.
This prize was based on the theme for the evening,
Divination!
Attendees were invited to bring their favourite divination
tools and/or thoughts to the moot.
We circled the room, introducing our thoughts about
divination, with talk of tarot, pendulums, oracles, scrying,
and so on and so forth. Some people use it for discovering
the past, some for the future, and some for unearthing
subconscious inner knowledge. It was wonderful to have so
much enthusiasm and participation amongst the group!
In the coming months there are many good topics in store,
with some presentations to take place as well. If any
members are interested in doing a brief presentation, or
just have a topic they wish the group to discuss, please
contact myself at the moot email.
New and curious newcomers always welcome!
August/September Launceston Moot
We are still having a wonderful time at our Launceston
Moots.
I was unfortunately unable to make the August Moot this
year.
I heard from attendees that it was a great discussion about
methods, strategies, and ideas around "Raising Pagan
Children".
We had a great turn out for the September moot of
approximately 15 people.
Everyone had a good time, and with the newly updated and
expanded Alchemy menu dinner was highly enjoyable.
We welcomed a new addition to our regular membership
Brett, and everyone made him feel right at home!
For the first time attendees got to see the upcoming Pagan
Alliance Calendar sample (Where every month is
February!)
Everyone was so impressed the piles up the pre-orders
there and then!
Take a gander at Cindy’s doodle!
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North-West Moots
When: 2nd Thursday of every month
Where: Burnie RSL, 36 Alexander St
Start Time: 6:00pm
Contact: Jo on 0437 366 711 or
We talked about Zahira's upcoming Living Goddess
Workshops, next one in October 28th.
Cindy's annual WickerMan event is also to be held on
October 31st, rain or shine.
Heather and Kynan then told us about their adventures and
antics at the Australian Wiccan Conference 2012!
It sounds like they had a blast!
Following the regular meeting we held the moot raffle!
Winner of the raffle prize was our very own Claire who won
a Tasmanian hand crafted bowl made from local wood.
Looking forward to October, where we have Tasmanian
Pagan Alliance's own Jo who will tell us all about her pagan
discoveries during her recent trip to the United Kingdom.
More great presentations and topics to come in the future.
If any members are interested in doing a brief presentation,
or just have a topic they wish the group to discuss, please
contact myself at the moot email.
Newcomers are always welcome!
Blessings Mel Ell
August Burnie Moot
After a general catch up over dinner and desert, we retired
to the board room to view pictures of a crop circle near
Silbury Hill, which I visited on my recent trip to the United
Kingdom. The board room provided us with a big screen to
view the photos on and a work space for the badge
machine. Attendees did a great job creating small badges to
be used for tokens at the Imbolc ritual and movie night.
September Burnie Moot
This moot saw the return of a couple of attendees who
hadn’t been to the moots for awhile along with an
interesting discussion on Sacred Sites. The question that
was posed was ‘What makes a site sacred?’ This proved to
be different for everyone, however some common criteria
for a site to be sacred included; a place of natural beauty, a
place of historic significance containing either an old
building or evidence of history like fossils or where
something significant has happened in general history or
the personal history of each person, a place where an
individual felt peaceful, a place where the veils between
worlds are thin – like the tops of hills, caves and water
sources. Many places in the local area were considered
sacred by attendees including Fossil Bluff and many water
sources in the local area.
October Burnie Moot
Lime cheesecake proved to be a big hit on the menu this
month along with Mel’s engaging retelling of her
adventures at the Australian Wiccan Conference in
September. Starting with pictures of travelling to the
Sydney venue via a scenic river cruise, under lots of bridges,
Mel described for us her experiences at different
workshops, catching up with old friends and making new
ones and the weekend’s entertainment which included
Morris dancers and Spiral Dance. Mel ended with a show
and tell of some of the purchases she made at the market on
the Sunday and a gift for each of us of a blessed sunflower
seed that were given out at the ritual.
BB Jo
St Helen’s Moots Our moots are very low key so don’t really know if they’re worth reporting! Six of us met at a Deb’s place on the 9th Sept. We talked about lots of things (food, mostly, from memory) and our Goddess of the month was Epona, the Celtic horse goddess. We also met for a BBQ at the Equinox where a good time was had by all. This month we are meeting at 12 noon on 14th October when our Goddess under discussion will be Sirona. We’re having lunch to celebrate Jen’s birthday and the venue is yet to be decided as the birthday girl is being indecisive! There’s the possibility of a picnic at the Winifred Curtis reserve as the wildflowers are putting on a wonderful display we’d all like to check out but it’s a brave Witch that would count on Tassie weather to be kind, so a back up plan will have to be hatched. Cheers Leanne
St Helen’s Moots When and Where: to be decided
Contact— Jess [email protected]
for further info
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Internet Interest Sacred Sites Delivered to Your Door...
Well, not quite... I was introduced to a fantastic
website recently called Postcrossing.com
You provide a little blurb about yourself and your
postal address, plus a list of the types of postcards
you'd like to receive. Next you click 'Send a
Postcard' and you'll be provided with a code, an
address and the profile of the person you'll be
sending a post card to. You send five postcards
before you start to receive them, and you end up
receiving a postcard for every one you send.
Well, my profile (Fencing-Music-Food) requests
castles, fantasy, sacred sites or beautiful
landscapes. Last week I received my first sacred
site! It wasn't a well-known stone circle, but a single,
phallic stone, with a bush wrapping itself around it.
The writing on the post card told me it was called
'The Gods' Stone', from an island near Madagascar.
It was a simple but beautiful photo, and it made my
day arriving home from work to find the post card
waiting for me.
Other postcards I have received include landscapes,
castles and even a Japanese fox in front of a special
mountain. It costs $1.60 to buy a pre-paid
International postcard at an Australia Post store, and
for that $1.60, you not only brighten someone else's
day, but in return you receive a postcard to brighten
yours. One 'Postcrosser' even sent me three
postcards, some Chinese coins and stamps in an
envelope as a thank-you for the postcard of a
Tasmanian Devil I sent him. As much as seeing the
pictures, I love hearing about the lives of others from
around the world, including Russia, Belarun,
Taiwan, China, The Netherlands, Ukraine,
France and Brazil.
Happy Postcrossing!
~Av
Treasurer’s reporT – October 2012
For the quarter July to September, the following was recorded:
Opening Balance of Account at 01/07/12 $517.69 Incoming Membership Renewals $455.00 Donations 5.00 Fundraising 360.00 Calendar Sales 50.00 Miscellaneous 0.34 870.34 Outgoing Website $19.00 Stationery 59.10 Imbolc Event 250.00 Annual Return 57.60 385.70 Closing Balance of Account at 30/09/12 $1,002.33
$
$
$
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$
$
$
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The 2012 PA members choice categories are: The Silver Broomstick Award - For the TAS Pagan Alliance member who has gone above and
beyond for their pagan community during the year. The Green Man Award - for the fella that keeps the beer flowing and the fire going! The Mother, Maiden and Crone Award - For the most inspiring pagan woman – who’s strength,
vitality and humour are magical Up and Comin’ Young’n – for the newest & youngest contributing member Wooden Spoon – for the biggest pagan dork!
& BBQ 2012
Date: Sunday 16th December
Time: 10:00am onward
Venue: Rotary Park Hut, Deloraine
Land Mark: Look for purple ribbons
Cost: Free for members - $5 for non members
Entertainment: Holly Lord vs Oak Lord
BBQ starts: 12:00pm
Award Ceremony Starts: 1:00-1:30pm
How the Oak king and the Holly King ride the wheel of the year...
The Holly King
The God of the waning year can also be called ‘The Summer Crowned King’ as he begins his
reign at the height of the suns strength at Litha and rules over the light decreasing half of the
year. He voyages the dark waters of the unconscious mind – of sleep and dreams, visions and
the journey to the realm of spirits. He guards the threshold that divides the unconscious from the
conscious, the gates of night and day, the gates of the underworld. The waning God teaches
responsibility, sacrifice and grief. While he is ever-dying, he is also ever-reborn and living in the
moment of his transformation.
The Oak King
The God of the waxing year can also be called ‘The Winter Born King’ as he is crowned at Yule
and reigns over the light increasing half of the year. His is the triumph of the returning light. He
is the seed of creation and the nurturing, healing force of the physical body. His is the wild spirit
of the quickening landscape, the embodiment of the growing season. The waxing God’s dance is
one of celebration, unity and growing conscious awareness. While he walks ever towards the
light the young God’s quest has been one of wisdom, virility and worthiness.
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Feathered Familiars...with Ally Meet my cockatiels, Skut and Roar. Skut is a 14-year-old female, and Roar is a 9-year-old boy. Skut is a pearl-pied, a mixture of grey and white, and her name comes from one of my favourite Tintin characters. Roar is short for Aurora, because he was a pale creamy colour when I got him. But, he is a boy, and Aurora didn't quite...fit. So Aurora became Roar. Much more fitting, as being male he has to voice his opinion about everything! Skut's the mischievous one, who once flew off and was found two days later outside the local pub. She can lift the cage door above her head and slip out, and loves trying to eat whatever I'm eating. Even if it's meat, she'll want to try a bit. She hisses at me if I make a popping sound, which makes me laugh, and is always keen to bob her head for a thorough scratch. Roar is more stolid. He doesn't like being petted, but he does love sitting in the crook of my arm and being blown on, and he gives little kisses in return. He's not as greedy as Skut, and likes to remind her of his masculinity by stretching his wings out and whistling to her. I did try doing some magick with them once – but they were oblivious to my chants and power raising. Skut even tried to hop off my shoulder and sit on my knee, which didn't work very well. Meditation is hopeless, as they are the only things I can focus on. But I can still achieve that sense of love and harmony by obliging to Skut's come-on-I-want-a-head-scratch! squawks. She has this habit of looking all cute, fluffing up and yawning while a tiny pleading cheep escapes from her beak. It's very hard to ignore.
Roar prefers to sit on my head, where he can see everything and pretend he's the King. Typical boy! Skut is heading into old age (cockatiels typically live between 15-20 years) and Roar doesn't mind a bit, happily proclaiming his love for her and hissing at me if I'm in the way. So while they don't help me with any
magick I do (which is once a year...!), I feel
complete and happy when I'm around
them. They are my kids, my best friends,
and I wouldn't have them any other way.
Spirit Animals – Understanding messages
from your spirit guide - Dr S. Farmer
“When an animal or a symbol of that animal shows itself
to you in an unusual way or repeatedly (more than three
times in a short amount of time) it is most definitely
trying to communicate a message from the spirit world to
you. An example of repetitive symbolic representation
would be when you have a vivid and colourful dream
about a bear, go to the market the next day
are overhear people taking about bears and
then that evening you happen to flick on the
telly to a documentary about bears. An
experience like this counts as much as three
literal sightings. As much of the population
of humans live in urban areas, it is unlikely
we would meet a grizzly bear in our day to
day journey, however representations are
valid encounters. “ Dr S Farmer
Messages from Parrots -
Be discerning about when to speak and
when to stay are silent and steer clear of gossip. It would
be the best time to study the effects of colour and light.
Be alert to any ideas that pop into your head, as these
may give you some ideas for growth or a new direction
for yourself.
It’s time to revisit and renew something you’ve always
dreamed of doing, as now is the perfect time to act upon
it.
Roar
Skut and Ally
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To submit your event, contact Mel on [email protected]
The above events are submitted by our readers and are placed in good faith. They do not necessarily signify endorsement
by the editor or members of the Tasmanian Pagan Alliance, Inc.
Saphira's Pagan Patchwork Radio Program - Huon FM
Friday - Weekly 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm http://www.huonfm.com/resources/ProgramGuides/HuonFMProgramguideSep2012.pdf
Living Goddess workshops Learn about an ancient Goddess and explore practical ways to incorporate her qualities into your daily life. Jo and Zahira will be your hostesses.
……………………….. Nov Sat 17th - Paper Beach
Dec - BBQ/picnic Port Sorrel January 18-20 Paper Beach
Contact: [email protected] Living Goddess: facebook …………………………….
…………………………………………………..
Silver Broomstick Awards BBQ Sun 16th December— see page 26
Lughnasadh 2013 Harvest Festival February— Frid1st – Sat 2nd – Sun 3rd see page 20
Autumn Equinox 2013 Camping Event St Helens—Bay of Fires—East Coast Fri 22nd– Sat 23rd-Sun 24th March Further info see #60 Ravens’ Call
Workshop opportunity: with Lee Morgan ‘The Old Craft—Witchcraft’ February 2013 see page 16
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At Otherworld Candles we create quality beeswax candles, using locally sourced Tasmanian Beeswax. Our candles are individually hand poured and have a delicious honey fragrance – on a warm day, the candle will scent the room even when it is not burning! Beeswax is ideal for candles: it has a higher melt point than other waxes which means it lasts longer than other candles, and is a natural air purifier. As a by-product of honey beeswax is a sustainable product and has been used to make candles for generations. Beeswax is a bit like chocolate – if it’s left too long it will bloom, which is that white frosty sort of look. If you like the look – great! Otherwise just give your candle a gentle wipe with a soft cloth and your candle will be good as new! To get the best out of your beeswax candle it’s important to keep your candle away from drafts. When you burn pillar candles (such as our Fern Pillar, and Crystal Cylinder candles), each time you light it allow it to burn until there is a wax pool covering the top of your candle. This will help to prevent tunnelling (where the flame burns the down the centre leaving wax ‘walls’).
All our candles are available in a variety of colours, and we are more than happy to take custom orders! Wholesale prices also available.
To see more of our candles visit www.facebook.com/OtherworldCandles, or visit our Etsy store, at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/OtherworldCandles. OR email us at [email protected]
www.facebook.com/OtherworldCandles, http://www.etsy.com/shop/OtherworldCandles [email protected]
TPA members receive a 20% discount on the regular
retail price.
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www.taspainc.com Ravens’ Call - Spring/Summer 2012
Balm of Gilead is native to the Canary Islands, although suited to warm climates this hardy herb grows well in Tasmania when kept in a sheltered site, against a rock or brick wall to maintain a temperature above 1 degree Celsius. The beauty of Balm of Gilead is not found in the blossoms or general appearance – but with its distinctive aroma, releasing a sweet and strong very perfumed almost eucalyptus fragrance. Choose a place in your herb bed with care; Balm of Gilead will grow 1m wide and 2m tall at maximum. Summer blooms grow in clusters of mauve cone shaped petals upon long stalks, followed by black seed heads. Leaves are dull, deeply veined, long three-lobed serrated edged holding a pale to medium green tone. Site: Plant this herb in a warm sunny north facing position with well-drained soil. Lots of compost will promote many flower heads that attract bees into your garden.
Maintenance: Keep cutting back after flowering to encourage new growth and better shape, prevent long leggy growth. Cut to ground level at the end of autumn. Harvesting: Pick leaves to use and dry just before the plant flowers, at this time the leaves contain the highest amount of essential oils. To save seeds, pick flower heads when petals have dropped. Smudge sticks: Use stalks, leaves and flowers in smudge stick making, harvest during the early afternoon when morning dew has evaporated. Pack the Balm of Gilead tightly and leave to dry for 10 days (out of sunlight) before burning. The original Balm of Gilead ‘commiphora Opobalsamum’ is a small tree residing on both sides of the red sea. This is the variety which many mystical associations have gathered, Balm – Balsam is derived from the Hebrew word bot smin ‘chief of oils’ and balsamum means “a sweet smell’ and Opo-balsamum states ‘juice that flows’ . The tree was first brought to Rome by the generals of Vespasian, some stories say it was taken from Arabia to Judea by the Queen of Sheba as a gift to Solomon. There being cultivated for its juice, particularly on Mount Gilead, it acquired its popular name. Gilead is a common name for several plants belonging to different taxonomic families. The American balm of Gilead is a species of poplar (Populus candicans) of the family Salicaceae (willow family) which has large balsamic and fragrant buds. The poplar is closely related to, and sometimes considered a variety of, the balsam poplar (P. tacamahaca), which has also been called balm of Gilead and tacamahac. The name balm of Gilead has also been used for the balsam fir. The historic Old World balm of Gilead, or Mecca balsam, is a small evergreen tree (Commiphora gileadensis, also once called C. opobalsamum) of the family Burseraceae (incense-tree family) native to Africa and Asia, it is also referred to in the Bible in Jer. 8.22. The Ishmaelites from Gilead were bearing balm when they bought Joseph from his brothers.
Balm of Gilead
“Cedronella canariensis”
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Medicinal Use:
Left buds are considered to be a stimulant and tonic,
antiseptic and expectorant. When used internally Balm of
Gilead is used to treat bronchitis, coughs and laryngitis -
used externality to relive arthritic pain cuts and bruises
when made into a cream or ointment. The buds contain
the aspirin substance, salicin, which is useful for minor
aches and pains.
The leaves of Balm of Gilead can be rubbed directly onto
the skin and used as a mosquito repellent – always test
on a small amount of skin (wait for 30 min) to check for
sensitivity before a more thorough coverage.
Magical Use:
Ritually used in the form of oil, traditionally for
anointing candles, also makes a wonderful addition to
loose incense and smudge-sticks.
Sacred to the fire element and the planet Jupiter, Balm of
Gilead is high in masculine energy so to super charge any
magical activity or spell work requiring a potent
masculine aspect - second only to the sacred oak is this
handy herb.
Powers of—inspiration, sex magic, knowledge, strength,
virility, protection, and wisdom.
Known as an aphrodisiac, a nice bunch of Balm of Gilead
by the bed will smell divine and possibly stir your lovers
interest!
Hot tip—combine Balm of Gilead with hawthorn and
parsley (picked by feminine hand) woven into a head
garland for a Beltane jig around the may pole, not only
will you be walking bowlegged the following day
(bonus) but, most likely adding to the family in nine
months time!
I absolutely love this time of year! Fresh mornings on the walk to work are a joy, and the evenings grow longer thanks to daylight savings.
The smell of BBQing is in the air, and I’m finding a host of new flowers and plants springing up in my garden thanks to the previous owner.
The Australian Wiccan Conference, as with any large and fun pagan event, has given me a great boost in creative energy and enthusiasm,
which is lucky because we’ve got so much happening! Pre orders for the Calendar have now closed, although there’s still time to order a copy
if you want one. The first batch will be available very soon, and it’s looking amazing – I hope you all love our new creation! Jan is hosting
a great Beltane event in the South, and I’m looking forward to dusting off the tent! It’s going to be a great night of feasting, dancing and
spending time by the fire. The wheel will turn in a blink of an eye with The Silver Broomstick Awards just around the corner. We’ve given
this event a bit of a revamp, so I hope you can join us in lovely green Deloraine for a great day by the river. Bring the kids! Plans are also
well underway for Lughnasadh – we’ve been talking about this event for months already so I hope you’ve got it in your calendar – in fact it
is on our calendar so you can’t miss it!
In other news, the website is currently undergoing a revamp as well (we’re Spring cleaning like mad this year) – I can’t wait to show you all
the result. Terri is an amazing web mistress goddess for sure!
Also, I’m really excited that next edition is going to be our
60th Raven’s Call. SIXTY!!!! Can you believe it?! Mel’s got
something amazing in store – ladies, put up your heels and
grab a mead or three, because the men are doing all the work
this time around! I can’t wait for our masculine edition; it’s
going to be spunky indeed!
As always, a huge thank you to each and every one of you for
supporting us with your memberships, attendance at moots and
events, and contributing content to the Raven’s Call. The
pagan community in this State is just amazing – you all rock!!
Brightest Blessings Jess
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www.taspainc.com Ravens’ Call - Spring/Summer 2012
Sitting in the dining room of the local scout camp
on a very chilly Sunday morning with the sound of
sing bowls in the next room as the group does a
meditation; I think back over the past twenty four
hours of friendship and community. We have been
here since Friday night – fifteen women who love
the Goddess – finding new ways to express that
love. We have danced, meditated, shared ritual
space, talked and shared our knowledge and
experience in the creation of a new and vibrant
community.
Zahira Atkins and Jo Corvinus have been running
monthly Living Goddess workshops here in
Northern Tasmania for six months and this
weekend brought a larger group together for a
full weekend event. [with Tricia Szirom—author of
Goddesses in the Sothern Hemisphere from Gaia’s
Garden]
Friday night commenced with a practical session
on divination and prayer beads where everyone
made a pendulum and/or a strand of Goddess
prayer beads which were then dedicated to the
Goddess through visualization. Some even took
their beads to the ocean and dipped them in the
salty water for purification.
Back in the dining room there is one long table in
the centre, which has been decorated with moss
and holly from the surrounding grounds. On
either side are long tables ladened with a mix of
pre-loved clothes and books, handcrafted candles
and herb pillows books and oracles cards and
other tools of the craft. A lot a bartering and
bargain ing occurs on the weekend.
On the Saturday we think about the need for
connection to the land and knowing of our own
place so that we can create a wheel of the year
and rituals which speak to our own experience
rather than that of the northern hemisphere. The
afternoon is given to messages from the ancient
Goddesses through images, tarot and stories; a
wonderful sharing.
The ritual on Saturday evening brought a
commitment by a small group to create dedicated
Goddess space, perhaps ever a Goddess temple,
here in northern Tasmania. What an amazing
development and such a visionary group.
One of the women shared a prayer that she wrote
when she was sixteen (she is now 51 years old)
and has said every night since then not realizing
that she was connecting the Gaia Goddess and
Earth Mother.
Winter-Weekend-Workshop
“Tricia Szirom”
REPORT
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Ode to Gaia
I answer to the Earth
For She and I are one
Her knowledge is within me
She is who I will become
Her longing in my heart
Her fire in my veins
I will be Her resurrection
When she dies within the flames
I can feel Her power stirring
As our spirits mix and blend
We are racing for the start
And running from the end
I am a child of dreaming times
New age that must begin
I am the gate that opens
To let forever in.
Beth Stewart
This is the first time that Beth has been in a
Goddess gathering and she described it as
‘coming home’.
Sunday morning we worked on the concept of
abundance with remarkable insight and new
learning. This is a fantastic group of women, which
is growing every month and finding support from
each other in their spiritual quest.
If you live in Tasmania and would like to connect
to other Goddess women contact Zahira:
0418139826 or Jo: 0437366711
Report provided by ‘Gaia ’s Garden ’
Kew East, Melbourne
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How did you find your way onto the Pagan path? I think I was always a pagan at heart but was brought up as a Christian. I
was always wandering off into the bush – with the faeries and other mythological creatures and from a very early age I read heaps of fantasy
books, especially ones about dragons. I left the church when I was about 14 because I was feeling very disenchanted with it all and I wanted nothing
to do with any religion for a long time. I was then busy with kids and work
but when I had time I was learning about astrology, tarot cards and meditation and stuff, then every book I picked up seemed to be about
paganism and I was being drawn back to it again and again. Wicca resonated with how I was living anyway – a love of and connection to
nature so I guess it found me, and I’m very happy that it did!
Favourite Sabbat? Why?
Hard to choose between Yule and Beltane. My birthday is 23 June so Yule is a double celebration for me, but I think Beltane would win – I love
this time of year with nature starting to bloom and grow, and the maypole is so much fun.
Which moot do you most regularly attend?
Hobart
Favourite ritual tool? Why?
I think it would be my Athame. It just feels so good to hold and the energy is really strong. I do like my wand too as I made it myself from my
favourite wood, black-heart sassafras.
What would be your advice to someone new to paganism?
Don’t take everything that you read or hear at face value. If someone claims that Paganism requires you to do things against your morals/
ethics, don’t do it. Always check your sources, and double check any assertions your source makes, especially historical facts. There is a lot
of bad information out there, and it’s easy to be misled. And meditate a lot J
What is the best thing about being a Pagan? All the great people I’ve met, and it has helped me to be a better person –
I think!
Do you have a recent pagan interest/activity? Or an event or
workshop attended?
Spending a lot of time on astrology lately. We had a wonderful talk by
Mathew at the October Hobart moot and he got me looking further into it.
The first Pagan book you were given or purchased?
Dawn Hill – “Reaching for the Other Side” was given to me by a medical scientist I worked with and I then read all of Dawns books. The first book
on Wicca was “True Magick” by Amber K and that got me started on looking more into Wicca.
If you could meet a famous Pagan person (author, singer or other)
who would it be? Why?
I like what I’ve read of Raven Grimassi and I think he would be very interesting to talk to. I’ve already met my favourite Australian singers –
Wendy and Spiral Dance. It would also be nice to meet the band Inkubus Sukkubus as I love their music.
Favourite Ravens’ Call article? I like them all, it’s hard to choose a favourite one, but I do enjoy reading
“Profiling Tassie Pagans” and “Familiar Friends” as well as “The Herb
Obsession”.
If you had a spare weekend to do any activity you wanted, what
would you do? I’m lucky enough to have lots of spare weekends these days - If it’s winter
and cold, I like to curl up in front of the fire with a good book. I do enjoy a 5 star resort, being waited on all weekend :-)
Skyclad, robed or casual?
Too cold for skyclad here most of the time J but I do like to wear robes
for sabbats as they help me to get into the right mood, but am happy to go casual too. I don’t think it’s all that important how you are dressed –
or not!
How would you liked to be remembered? Caring; Honest and real and not afraid of being herself; Always tried to
see the best in everyone. Cared deeply about the environment, people
and animals; Appreciated the simple things in life; Lived and learnt as much as she could ;-)
Thanx so much Jan for sharing your thoughts, with our 13 pagan profile
questions - ED
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What kind of spiritual path do you follow?
I follow the path of the Goddess and also the path of being true of who I
am.
Do you have a favourite gem stone or crystal?
Yes I love Moss agate because it clears the throat , also aventurine
because it has a lovely colour and makes me feel happy!
What was your most recent spiritual activity?
Once a month my Mother and I go to the Living Goddess workshops that
Jo and Zahira put on and we learn about a different Goddess every time, I
learn a lot and it’s so much fun.
Do you think a spiritual path is important for kids and teenagers?
Probably more for teenagers, because they understand what they are
doing more than kids do and have more of a understanding of what path
they are taking—but its always your choice.
Do you have a favourite Goddess?
Artemis—because she is a warrior, a real fighter, also she looks after
animals. She is really kind.
What is your favourite movie?
I’m not sure what my favourite movie—I have tonnes, but some are;
Harry Potter, Bridge to Teribithia also Narnia and heaps more!
Who is the biggest influence in your life at the moment?
My parents, they are my biggest influence and roll models, because they
are caring, loving and are always there when I need them.
What is your favourite time of year?
Summer time. I love swimming and jetty jumping, also it is lovely to go to
parks and beaches and just sit there!
How do you spend your weekends?
I have ballet class on Saturday, then I go home and help Mum and Dad, or
I might visit friends houses or for a skate also some weekends we go for
family drives and other fun stuff like that :-)
What’s your favourite colour?
Blue, green and purple!
They are colours that make me happy and they look good on me.
When was the last time you had the best day?
My life is always fun! But the last time I had the best day of all time was
when I was on holidays at Coffs Harbour with my family. We all just sat by
the pool and just chilled out.
Do you have a favourite spiritual book?
Lots! Example: Legends of the Guardians the Owls of Gahool.
Tell us what you would love to do when you’re an adult…
When I grow up I would like to be an architect.
I love to draw and design and I love building stuff too!
Thanx Shannon for letting us interview you with the 13 pagan profile
questions - ED
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“What?” you may ask. We aren’t even up to the
Summer Solstice yet! You’re as bad as the stores
who’re already selling Christmas goodies!”
And I guess you’re right. But for awesome things to
happen it takes lots of planning, preparation and
also, I can be a slack bugger so we’d best start early!
First of all, the details:
WHAT: The 2013 Yule Ball’s theme will be
MASQUARADE! Break out those robes and dresses,
make yourself an epic mask, and come and dance
the night away.
WHEN: 6pm-11pm
WHERE: Tolosa Street Hall, 146 Tolosa Street,
Glenorchy.
WHO: Open to the public, and the more the
merrier, but as far as advertising, we’ll be targeting
the pagan, new age, folk and medieval
communities.
SPIRAL DANCE!
TORIN THE CELTIC HARPIST!
MULLED WINE!
ROASTS!
WINTER DESSERTS!
MASKS!
That got your attention. Spiral Dance have agreed
to come down for Yule Ball 2013, on June 22nd.
They’ll play their wonderful music and we’ll eat,
drink and dance to our hearts’ content. We’ll also
have Torin, the lovely Celtic harpist, doing his
thing, and I suspect he’ll get us singing and dancing
too.
I’m picturing a yummy hot dinner followed by
moreish desserts. Washed down with delicious
mulled wine and to complete the night we’ll dance
like the crazy party pagans we know we are. This
time we’ll have some lovely Yule incense burning to
enhance the atmosphere, and the best bit about the
hall is complete privacy from passers-by.
I’m toying with the idea of making it part of a Yule
Festival: 11am-4pm for stalls selling predominantly
awesome items and several workshops, including a
mask-making one for those who don’t know where
to start. Yule is cold and I want everyone to forget,
for one day and night, about the cold tiles when
they go to the loo at night, and the dark mornings
as they trudge to the bus.
For 2013, the venue will be in the Northern
suburbs. I use the hall for fencing club and it’s
gorgeous; Newly renovated, nice hard flooring,
heaters, a state of the art kitchen and nice clean
loos. There isn’t a bar though, so unfortunately you
may need to BYO ;-)
Yule Ball 2013 ??
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www.taspainc.com Ravens’ Call - Spring/Summer 2012
However. It isn’t cheap flying six musicians plus a
sound guy down to Tassie and providing them with
all they’ll need for their trip. Luckily the band is
comprised of lovely people who are willing to do
some extra gigs while they’re down here to help
cover some of the costs and so on.
Your magical mission, should you choose to accept
it: Fundraising!
Jess and I put our heads together at the October Pub
Moot in Hobart and she had some great ideas for
fundraising. One of which was to have a stall at the
Cygnet Folk Festival (January 11th-13th, 2013).
Ways you can help:
Donate items that we can either raffle or sell
at the stall.
Volunteer to help out at the stall for a couple
of hours on one or multiple days.
Suggest a venue who would love to have
Spiral Dance for a gig or two.
Spread the word to friends and rellies about
the Ball and our epic reason for fundraising.
Now, for the Ball itself, there is quite a lot to
organise too and volunteers would be greatly
appreciated:
I need volunteers to cook a dish or two each,
and they will be reimbursed for ingredients;
The idea is to cater as nicely as possible
without hiring someone who’ll charge a lot of
money for sub-par food. I’m thinking stews,
pies, crumble, stewed fruit and maybe a
couple of roast chickens, plus any talented
vegan chef is welcome to cook something
awesome for our vegetarian and vegan dudes
and dudettes.
Several helpers in the kitchen to prepare the
food on the night.
Several helpers to serve the food to everyone.
Prize contributions – we also need prizes for
the Ball, so if you own a business, or know of
one, please don’t be too shy to contribute a
product or service as a prize.
Setting up is always made easier when several
people help, so a couple of hyperactive people
to help decorate and move tables etc would be
fantastic!
I think I’ve covered everything. In conclusion, the
Yule Ball will be awesome next year but it will take
some awesome people to pull it off. I promise it will
all be worth it once we have full bellies and we’re
dancing to Spiral Dance!
Blessings, Av
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www.taspainc.com Ravens’ Call - Spring/Summer 2012