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In Memoriam: Grey Cat 1940-2012
Word has come to me that my old friend Pagan elder& author Grey Cat has died. She had a deep love of the Craft and shared experiences & perspectives in her book, Deepening Witchcraft. She was connected with a variety of groups, festivals, & communities over the course of her life, including the Pagan Spirit Gathering. I join the many who mourn her passing. She lives on in her writings & in the many individuals & groups she touched.
Blessed Be, Grey Cat. -
Selena Fox
More about Grey Cat’s passing is online at www.patheos.com/blogs/wildhunt/2012/04/grey-cat-1940-2012.html.
PSG News: Monday, April 02, 2012
Grey Cat was diagnosed with cancer in November 2011 with less than a year to live.
Grey Cat served as the editor of The Crone Papers for four years, and had held leadership positions within the Covenant of the Goddess and Ar n’Draiocht Fein. Grey Cat founded the NorthWind Tradition of American Witchcraft, and was an elder is several other American Witchcraft traditions.
Pathways Productions new Pagan talk-show
Circle Sanctuary is expanding its on-line social networking presence ....
FACEBOOK* Circle Cemetery now has its own Facebook page. Visit the page and click on "Like" ... from time to time, we will be posting photos, updates, media links:www.facebook.com/CircleCemetery
* Our Healing Circle Network also now has its own page on Facebook. "Like" this page & post requests for healing for yourself when needed. Stay updated on healing requests:www.facebook.com/CircleHealingCircle
* Circle Sanctuary Community has a group where you can get sent invites to events that we produce.
www.facebook.com/groups/10966466477* Selena Fox includes photos & news about her work with Circle Sanctuary at her main page on Facebook. "Like" this page to get updates:www.facebook.com/SelenaFoxUpdates
* Circle Sanctuary's main page on Facebook has a new user name: www.facebook.com/circlesanctuarycommunity -"Like" this page to stay updated on news, events, & projects.
MEETUP
* Circle Sanctuary & its events are now on Meetup - connect with us there via this site or via the Facebook link option.
www.meetup.com/circlesanctuary
YOUTUBE
* Circle Sanctuary has a YouTube channel where we post occasional videos from our season celebrations.
www.youtube.com/circlesanctuary
Wed. 4/25/2012
CIRCLE GUIDE
The new 2011 edition of the Circle Guide to Pagan Resources is available via digital download for only $13. The in-print version is also available for $16 postpaid for delivery in the US.
www.circlesanctuary.org/guide
Help Support Circle Sanctuary!
Help ensure that the many programs and services of
Circle Sanctuary are there for you this coming year and many more to
come! Please support Circle with your most generous donation today!
You can donate securely online --
and as always, donations to Circle Sanctuary are 100% tax deductible
in the United States.
Donations also can be sent as checks or money orders via postal mail.
Make checks payable to Circle Sanctuary and send to: Circle Sanctuary,
PO Box 9, Barneveld, WI 53507.
Your gift supports the many programs of Circle Sanctuary including:
• Circle Nature Preserve – 200 acres of sacred land, including
our 20 acre Green cemetery,
• Lady Liberty League – protecting the religious liberties of
Pagans across the Untied States and in other parts of the world,
• Circle Chaplaincies - support for Pagans in hospitals, hospices,
prisons, campuses, plus participation in interfaith events and other
endeavors,
* Military Ministries – support for Pagans serving and who have
served and their families, plus sponsoring 26 Pagan Circles at
military installations and on ships around the USA and overseas,
• CIRCLE Magazine - in print & digital magazine published for the
past three decades,
• On-line Resources - articles, rituals, social networking, & more,
• Numerous events, classes and festivals on Circle sacred land and
around the country, including Pagan Spirit Gathering,
• And much, much more!
For more information about Circe Sanctuary, its many programs,
services and activities in the past year, read the 2011 Circle
Sanctuary Annual Report
<http://www.circlesanctuary.org/aboutcircle/annual_report/>
– now available online!
Your support will keep Circle Sanctuary strong and help expand our
programs in the year to come. Please give generously!
We look forward to continued connection with you in 2012 – thank
you for your continued support of Circle Sanctuary.
New Year’s blessings to you!
from Selena Fox & all of us on the Circle Sanctuary Staff
PSG Park in Zoning Negotiations
Stonehouse Park has been in local news in recent months regarding the amending of their required Special Use Permit with DeKalb County, Illinois.
A required public hearing was held in February. At that time neighbors attended the meeting and expressed concerns, mainly over capacity, crowd control, noise, and traffic at the music festivals which have been held at Stonehouse Park. After this hearing, the Hearing Officer recommended approval of Stonehouse Park's application but suggested a 500 person cap per event.
Circle Sanctuary was notified of these proceedings and PSG Manager MoonFeather attended and spoke at a February Planning and Zoning meeting in DeKalb. The Planning and Zoning committee felt 1500 people would be a better cap per event and recommended another public hearing.
MoonFeather has been in close contact with Stonehouse Park owners. She also has talked with neighbors and other locals and has spoken with various government officials. Responses about Pagan Spirit Gathering being held at Stonehouse Park have been positive.
On March 29, another public hearing was held that MoonFeather attended and spoke at. We are awaiting the recommendation of the Hearing Officer who believes 2,000 or 4,000 people, as requested by Stonehouse Park, is too high but that 500 may be too low.
Another Planning and Zoning meeting will be held in April and they will send their recommendation on the application to the County Board in May. Until then, Stonehouse Park continues to operate on their old permit which includes a 2,000 person cap.
Circle Sanctuary is continuing to work with all involved to find a suitable resolution for everyone and to assure compliance with public health, safety, and welfare standards.
We are continuing to plan for Pagan Spirit Gathering 2012 to be held at Stonehouse Park.
Feminist Historian Max Dashu presents Webinar - April 22
Max Dashu presents her live webcast "Goddesses and Priestesses in Britain and Ireland," on Sunday, April 22, 2012 at 1 pm (San Francisco time)
See a visual survey (on your computer) of horned goddesses, Matres stones, Brigantia, Sul, Coventina, Rosmerta, and the Hooded Spirits,
proto-sheila-na-gigs, figurines, magic mirrors, and Roman influences. Also: the bronze age lunulae of Ireland and Britain, the Folkton Drums, Pictish stones, some sheila-na-gigs, Welsh goodies, and a taste of Irish goddess sanctuaries.
$15.-5. sliding scale donation. Register at http://www.sourcememory.net/webinars/2012.html After payment you'll be sent a URL to sign yourself up, and then a final URL to be used at the day/time of the webcast. (Smart to log in 10 minutes early.)
IMPORTANT: minimal System Requirements PC: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server Macintosh: OS® X 10.5 or newer Intel hardware now required. DSL recommended
http://www.sourcememory.net/webinars/2012.html Webinars with Max Dashu www.sourcememory.net
Cherry Hill Seminary welcomes new librarian!
Cherry Hill Seminary is pleased to welcome Scott Martin as our new librarian. Scott holds an MSI in Library and Information Services from the University of Michigan and an MS in Genetics from the University of Chicago. His research interests include medieval Irish literature and comparative Indo-European mythology, both of which strongly influence his spiritual practice.
Scott has been a full time librarian at the University of MIchigan for the last seven years and is pleased to bring his expertise and enthusiasm to the students of Cherry Hill Seminary and the wider Pagan community. I asked Scott what he thought his major function would be as the new librarian. His vision includes four major focal points:
- He wants to provide academic references and instruction on how to best utilize them - assistance in the research and navigation of the academic source material.
- The increased provision of available resources for use by CHS students. Direction and guidance on how to access available sources and/or how to obtain them if not currently available through CHS.
- He is also very interested in the creation of a technical infrastructure that will assist with ease of access to open-source material and be a gateway for access to more restricted material as well.
Scott's five-year goal is to have a robust library collection that serves CHS students and faculty and, secondarily, the wider Pagan community. The ultimate goal is to have a good set of references and instructional services available. This will partially occur through the collection and subsequent availability of journals, books, and other academic source material.
I asked Scott to share his opinion on the role of scholarship in the Pagan community. He replied that scholarship gives us a set of objective rules to reflect on the history and operation of the community. It's not the end game, but rather a lens through which we look at the world; the more education we have, the wider our lens and the more we can take in.
I also asked him to speak to the concerns of some Pagans that higher education will establish a hierarchy of control, reminiscent of Christendom. Scott replied that there is, currently, no institutional framework for people to excerpt authority even if they are educated. Our communities invest us with authority and they can just as easily take it away. We serve the community, and as a result, there is little in the way for abuse of power or authority.
If you have any questions regarding library material, need help locating source material, or have any questions at all for Scott, you can reach him here. His email address is librarian@cherryhillseminary.org
WRWSS ONLINE 555 FUNDRAISING EVENT
Attention friends and supporters of Wolf Run Wildlife and Spiritual Sanctuary!
We are kicking off the annual 555 donation drive for 2012. Our goal is to raise $ 3080.25 through our yearly 555 drive donations which is just $5.55 which is payable through our PayPal donation button which is located on our donation page at www.wrwss.org
*Each donation that is paid through the PayPal link will be counted as one (1) donation towards our goal. We are only asking for $5.55 from each person that is willing and able to make a donation to help with all of our various programs, projects and events here at WRWSS. This amount is only about the cost of your average fast food meal and is less then $.02 a day for the year.
As WRWSS is completely staffed by volunteers, and we are a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Public Charity, 100 % of all proceeds gathered goes directly to WRWSS for the many programs and events that we host.
In the previous year, our goal fell a bit short with less then 30 donations for the entire year. This year we know we can do better with your continued help and support Be the first to help show your support by making a donation today at wrwss.org for we could not do what we do without you. Thank you.
New Spiritual Service Project For Inmates and Military Personnel.
Greetings! We want to announce our new spiritual outreach program, called the WICI Spiritual Service Database Project. The WICI Database is an outreach directory created to serve the spiritual needs of Wiccan, Pagan, and Heathen military personnel and incarcerated individuals, by referring them to sponsors who wish to offer their active support, via religious supplies and / or free education. Interested Sponsors (you) are referred to a Recipient (the soldier or inmate), for selected services. Once a Sponsor is matched to a Recipient, the service experience begins! We invite you to read our WICI Spiritual Database FAQ on our website at: http://wiccaninterfaithcouncil.org Then, if you’re interested in becoming a SPONSOR, please email us at: Wiccaninterfaithcouncil@hotmail.com Blessed Be, Paulette Reynolds WICI Director and the Council Board of Elders Wiccan Interfaith Council International, P. O. Box 80592, Austin, TX 78708
CHS announces the new Director of Pagan Community Education - Valentine McKay-Riddell, Ph.D.
Valentine McKay-Riddell is a graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute and a member of the Adjunct Faculty at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, CA, where she earned a Masters in Counseling Psychology and a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology. She has a private practice in shamanic healing and wellness counseling in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Descended from Scots, Irish, French, and Native American ancestors, Valentine developed a combination of shamanism and art making (Healing Art©) to heal herself from cancer and later founded a nonprofit organization, Orenda Healing International (OIH), devoted to promoting individual and community health and wellbeing. OHI umbrellas many of her research projects, which currently include the influence of the Goddess in Navajo spirituality; filmmaking as a catalyst for intergenerational healing among Native American youth and elders; the possibility of genetic inheritance as the inspiration for shamanic practice; and shamanism as a root philosophy for many of our modern professions, including medicine, religion, and art. She has taught art to young people and adults and Healing Art© to HIV-AIDS and cancer patients, challenged youth, developmentally disabled adults, and women in transition for over twenty years. She is a certified Reiki Master in the Usui Lineage. She has lived in Mexico, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, California, Nebraska, Oregon, and New Mexico, and has traveled in England, Ireland, the Virgin Islands, and the British West Indies.
A prolific writer, Valentine has published a number of articles in popular and scholarly journals and is celebrating the release of the first two books of her fantasy series for young adults, The Alyssa Chronicles: The River Goddess & Other Stories and Starfriends - to be released in 2012 by Cool Well Press.
I had the great pleasure of interviewing Dr. McKay-Riddell. She is an eclectic, motivated, and inspiring woman who is going to bring a wealth of attributes and experience to Cherry Hill Seminary. We are so pleased to have her on board! Valentine's vision is to inspire both Pagans and non-Pagans alike to see Paganism and Pagan Education as part of a continuum and a lifestyle of connecting to source and living with purpose. She sees the Pagan Community Education Program as part of a life-long learning process and as a set of life skills that allow us to evolve over time; she envisions a procreative effort towards community building.
Ultimately, Valentine plans to bring her experience as a shaman, a cancer survivor, and a transpersonal psychologist to breathe a new vitality into the PCE Program that can serve as both a gateway to degree programs at Cherry Hill and as a lifelong endeavor with learning to live in peace and harmony with the earth and the self. Welcome aboard, Valentine!
A big thank you to Jennifer Bennett for her interim role chairing PCE!
Lady Liberty League Action Call: Support for Ginger Strivelli & family
Please send blessings of Protection, Healing & Well-being to Ginger Strivelli of Weaverville, North Carolina & her family.
Ginger is co-founding priestess of The Appalachian Pagan Alliance. Her writings have appeared in CIRCLE Magazine and other publications. She lives with her husband and six children in rural North Carolina near Asheville.
Ginger challenged the policy that permitted distribution of Gideon Bibles at the local elementary school after her fifth grade son came home with one on December 19, 2011. When the school stated that any religious literature could be available for students to pick up, Ginger brought Pagan books to the school for distribution. However, the school refused to accept these books and have them distributed in the same way they had been distributing the Bibles, indicating that a new policy was being crafted.
This separation of church and state situation has been covered in various media reports for several weeks, and on Thursday was covered by national/global television news:
url That evening, Ginger received a death threat phone call while at home with her family. She immediately contacted the police who have begun investigating. A news article has just been published: url
Lady Liberty League is among those in the coalition that has formed to provide support to the Strivelli family and the quest for fair and equal treatment of students of all beliefs in the local school system. Byron Ballard, a writer & Wiccan priestess from Asheville, North Carolina, is coordinating the coalition and helping to administer the Strivelli Family Support page on Facebook.
HOW TO HELP:
(1) Do prayers, meditations, rituals of Protection, Healing, & Well-being to Ginger Strivelli & her family.
(2) Learn more & Post words of support for Ginger & her family on their support page on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Strivelli-Family-Support-Page/300249743360631?sk=wall
(3) Speak out in support of separation of church & state in comments sections of media sites carrying news and editorials about this issue.
(4) Those with interfaith and/or law enforcement contacts in North Carolina interested in working with Lady Liberty League in providing support to the family and this situation should contact:liberty@circlesanctuary.org as soon as possible.
(5) Share this email & support page link with others - by email, through social networking sites, on blogs & websites.
Thanks!
Selena
Selena Fox
Lady Liberty League & Circle Sanctuary
www.circlesanctuary.org
(608) 924-2216
PO Box 9, Barneveld, WI 53507 USA
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Follow-up: Turner family Discrimination Case in Ga.
December 13, 2011
Statement from Bowdon Elementary School, Carroll County School District, and members of the Turner Family Support Task Force as represented by Lady Liberty League, North Georgia Solitaries, Covenant of the Goddess, Dogwood Local Council, and Circle Sanctuary:
The Turner Family, Task Force, and School District wants Bowdon School to be a positive, supportive environment which fosters the emotional and educational growth of all students.
With education, cooperation, and open dialogue, all things are possible.
At times, a lack of life experience and/or other circumstances can make it difficult to perceive how words and actions might cause offense or upset. The parties involved acknowledge that words and deeds can be hurtful even without the intent of making them so.
In an effort to reach a positive and collaborative resolution to recent events, an alliance of the parties involved has come to pass which will set the stage for future education for school staff, students, and parents on the topic of equality and respect for all students and families in the Carroll County School System.
First, a sincere apology for recent events and misunderstandings has been given by School Administration and accepted by the family.
Second, the Bowdon Elementary School guidance Counselor will educate staff and students about honoring and accepting the differences that make us individuals.
Third, procedures have been put in place to ensure classroom activities don't alienate students. As part of this, the administration and teachers will have yearly training about the District's Code of Ethics and the responsibilities of each staff member to preserve the integrity of every students' rights.
We appreciate the hard work and open dialogue of all the parties involved to create this positive resolution. The Turner children will return to school. The Carroll County School District will continue to strive to be a place that fosters the emotional and educational growth of all students regardless of religion, race, national origin, gender or disability.
Circle Sanctuary | PO Box 9 | Barneveld, WI 53507
Circle Sanctuary, Covenant of the Goddess, and other Pagan groups help to end discrimination in a GA public school
Pagan News Media: Monday, December 12, 2011
Statement from NGS, CoG, DLC, LLL, Circle Sanctuary:
Over the past week, a Task Force has been arduously working with the Turner family to assess the situation and generate a clear plan of action. Included on the Turner Family Support Task Force are a variety of professionals, Pagan clergy and other advisors who have committed much time and energy to standing with the Turners in their time of need.
The North Georgia Solitaries have welcomed the Turners into their Yule celebrations and continue to provide the much needed community support through volunteerism and the Pagan Assistance Fund <http://paganassistancefund.com/> . The Lady Liberty League, Circle Sanctuary and Covenant of the Goddess (Dogwood Local Council) have been relentlessly coordinating efforts to provide advice and guided action; all of which will hopefully lead to a peaceful resolution and a future of fair and equal
treatment in the school and school system.
However, the Task Force and the Turners are not alone in this
struggle, as is shown by the immense demonstration of Pagan solidarity through the Turner Family Support Facebook page <http://www.facebook.com/turnerfamilysupport>, phone calls to the lead organizations and a variety of other postings on the internet. The countless comments and heartfelt words of support have generated an immeasurable bounty of strength from which the family is able to draw.
And, the support is not limited to the Pagan community nor to Georgia or to the USA. The Task Force has heard from a number of non-Pagans who are concerned about the Turners situation and from members of the international Pagan community. The results have been unexpected and awe-inspiring.
This support, your support, has now become a vital part of the
struggle toward tolerance – for this case and into the future. And, at this time of year- a time of peace, giving and togetherness - we ask that all of you continue to stand together with each other, the Turners and the Task Force by continuing these efforts. The Task Force will provide updates as the process progresses.
Please send your prayers, your energy, and your personal messages through the Facebook page url . They are being read by the Turners throughout each day. And, secondly, if you would like to contribute funds to help alleviate the financial burdens that have been placed on the family, please make your donations via the Pagan Assistance Fund, operated by the North
Georgia Solitaries through the Church of the Spiral Tree. Donations are tax-deductible and will be used to offset a variety of expenses such as gas, child care, home-schooling supplies, and other related family expenses as they arise.
It is often said that “A little bit, goes a long way” - whether
that be a dollar, a prayer or a words of peace. The Turner family is grateful for all of it.
Pagan News Media: Monday, December 12, 2011
Lady Liberty League:
http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty
liberty@circlesanctuary.org
(608) 924-2216
Lady Liberty League Education Task Force
PRESS RELEASE During the regular publicly-held Meeting on February 2, the Buncombe County School System Board directly addressed policy issues regarding the presence of Bibles in North Windy Ridge Intermediate School. At the standing-room only meeting, the public was allowed to speak. Out of the 25 speakers, 20 were not in favor of the "Religion in Schools" Policy 652. However, there were speakers on both sides of the issue; including, Ginger Strivelli and Byron Ballard. But there were many other supporters present who did not speak before the crowd. The Board did not present Policy 652 directly; rather, it was acknowledged within a body of other pending board issues for its first reading. Furthermore, Policy 652 will not be voted upon until a meeting scheduled for mid-March. The Policy can be found in full form, here. It is noted as having its first reading on Feb 2nd. Late in January, Lady Liberty League was called in for assistance. Numerous reps from the Lady Liberty League Education Task Force have been working in the background to specifically monitor the media situation. Currently, Lady Arsinoe and Miraselena, out of Georgia, have been tracking the national media coverage, commenting directly within the news media blog sites and encouraging interfaith discourse on the matter in a variety of other public online forums. Statements from various sources: Lady Liberty League (as written by Selena Fox): "Having liberty and justice for all in this country may be in the Pledge of Allegiance, but it is not an automatic reality. The large volume and intensity of sectarian religious rhetoric in the February 2nd meeting proves the necessity to have a religiously neutral public school policy, It also demonstrates that, all of us, need to be vigilant and willing to work together to make this happen wherever discrimination occurs. And, we have been very pleased to see that Pagans and those of other beliefs have been collaborating, networking, and speaking out in favor of the separation of church and state in this Buncombe County public school situation. We ask that you continue to send support to Ginger, Byron, and others who are on the front lines of this quest. We will post any updates on the Strivelli Family Support and Lady Liberty League Facebook pages." Miraselena (Georgia-based Wiccan clergy, working on the LLL Education Task Force): "The presence of the Bibles and other religious teachings within a public forum, most importantly a school, does more than just violate the Constitution and threaten Religious liberty. It cracks the foundation of the beloved American Family structure. When one adult tells a child that his mother's teachings, religious or not, are wrong, it immediately undermines that mother's authority. The young child, unable to understand nuances in thought, immediately becomes confused and, prematurely, calls into question his family's values. I don't care whether we are talking about religious beliefs or political views or medical choices. Undermining parental authority, in any instance, tears holes in the very fabric of these so-called traditional family values - something that is so very central to Christian discourse. If the U.S. Constitution isn't enough an argument to keep religion out of public schools, perhaps the preservation and support of a healthy family unit will be." Byron Ballard (local Wiccan clergy, working on the LLL Education Task Force): The Earth religions community is gratified to see the Buncombe County School system addressing issues of spiritual pluralism. During the meeting last night, the Board of Education heard comments from the community regarding Policy 652-Religion in the Schools. Those comments overwhelmingly supported the status quo—a particularly insidious favoritism of evangelical Christianity—which gives an idea as to the deeply entrenched presence of favoritism that is both illegal and inappropriate. However, we are grateful to the Board for the strong first step being made by considering and, we hope, passing and implementing Policy 652. Every child deserves to feel safe in a public school setting — something that can be a challenge for children whose families practice a minority religion. Policy 652—the first of its kind within this school system—is a welcome format from which to engage these emotional and difficult issues. Our founders knew the pitfalls of state-religion congruence. They knew it because they had come from a European political landscape where there was no separation; where crosier and sword moved in tandem at the whim of whichever flavor of Christianity stood at the top of the hierarchy. To quote James Madison, "The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries." Lady Arsinoe Meri Ma'at (Georgia-based Wiccan clergy, working on the LLL Education Task Force): "I find it heartening that people feel very strongly about their faith. However, that fervor should not spill over into force and coercion. A school is not a church. Religious and spiritual teachings should be encouraged in the home or within the church to which one belongs, not within a public school, where many diverse beliefs come together." Ginger Strivelli: "Thanks to everyone who has been giving us support."
Oberon Zell and Kenny Klein
Cut Ties With
US American Council of Witches
The following was released by Oberon Zell:
Re: Oberon Zell and Kenny Klein, and the US American Council of Witches
In the past few months, there has been a good deal of concern over the organization and web presence of the “US American Council of Witches.” The original idea—as proposed by Kaye Berry of Illinois—was a resurrection of the old American Council of Witches that was convened in Minneapolis in 1973-1974, and which drafted and ratified the legendary “13 Principles of Wiccan Belief.” Kaye proposed reforming the ACW to re-examine the “13 Principles” for possible updating; and also to update the information on Witchcraft and Paganism for the US military and prison chaplains’ resources. To distinguish the current Council from the original one, it was retitled “US American Council of Witches.”
While some saw the reviving of this Council as a good idea, or perhaps as an interesting venture, in the weeks after its presence was announced on social networking sites those researching the project brought to light serious issues concerning the organizers and apparent misrepresentation of nonprofit status.
In various postings by representatives of the Council, and in various missives by those concerned about the Council, mention of Oberon Zell and Kenny Klein have come up several times. There seems to be an assumption that either or both Oberon and Kenny have some affiliation with the Council, or according to some posts, that either or both lead the Council. Oberon and Kenny would like to take this opportunity to voice their own positions on this matter.
Oberon was contacted by Kaye Berry simply to provide the “reformed” Council with documents and information from the original 1973-‘74 Council records, which he happily agreed to do. He also offered to try and reconstruct the roster of the 73 people who had met in 1974, and contact those who are still alive regarding their possible participation in a new Council. In the ensuing months, suggestions were made that Oberon was an actual member of the new Council, or that he was taking an active role in reforming the Council. Neither of these were true.
Kenny saw mention of the Council being “reformed” on a social networking site, and offered to help in what was being represented as the primary goal of the Council, an updating of the Army Chaplain's Manual entry on Wicca. Within a day or two of this offer, Kenny was asked to draft a press release, which he did, using the information given him at the time (this press release was to be represented as a document released by the Council, and was not to have his name personally attached to it).
In the next week or two, Kenny found that much of the information that had been given to him was erroneous, and when Kenny asked for clarification or simple answers, he received answers that he felt made no sense, or met with avoidance of resolution to important questions. The press release was also posted as being written by him. Kenny also found that various Council web sites named him as a member of the Council, a position to which he had never consented. And then Kenny began hearing from other Pagan figures that they too were “placed” on the Council without giving their consent. On October 18, Kenny informed the Council by e-mail that he was very upset with these actions, and was no longer to be considered as a member or a resource.
Unfortunately, two months have gone by, and both Oberon and Kenny still seem to be answering questions and clarifying rumors about their Council involvement. Therefore, please let it be known that while both Oberon Zell and Kenny Klein believe strongly in Pagan networking and organization, both of us also feel that there are already strong organizations serving the needs of our community. Further, neither of us have ever been official Council members; each of us have served in limited capacities (Oberon as adviser, Kenny briefly as editor), but neither of us has ever taken an active role or a leadership role in creating any official “US American Council of Witches” policy or program.
Kenny spoke out quite actively last month against certain Council activities on the Modern Witch Podcast, denouncing many of the posts and e-mails created by the Council, and he encourages any interested persons to listen to that episode of the Podcast to be aware of his views on the matter.
Oberon was in Australia for the entire month of November, and had no involvement with the Council during his absence from the U.S. Meanwhile, as he has learned, all manner of rumors had been wildly circulating regarding his alleged involvement with the Council, and his name had even been invoked in threatening admonitions to people raising awkward questions. Now that Oberon has returned, he and Kenny have consulted with each other and decided to draft this joint statement.
Considering the controversies and ill-will that this project has engendered within the Pagan community, it is our joint opinion that the US American Council of Witches can no longer be regarded as a viable enterprise, and we strongly recommend that the entire project be abandoned at this time and the USACW be dissolved.
Thank you for your interest, and please feel free to repost this letter in its entirety only.
Oberon Zell
Kenny Klein
P.S: Several other people who have been pulled into the “gravity well” of the US American Council of Witches have also asked that they be allowed to add their signatures to this letter to indicate their agreement with what Kenny and Oberon have written. We have agreed to this, and here they are:
Christina Nyx (Caffy, The Caffeinated Witch)
Sylveey Selu (Webmistress for the Green Egg)
Ariel Monserrat (Editor/Publisher of Green Egg; co-host of “Over to Oberon & Ariel” on blogtalk radio)
Steve Provost (publisher of The Provocation; co-founder of Pagans of California networking group)
Rowan Pendragon (co-host of The Modern Witch Podcast; author of One Witch's Way blog)
(Further history of the Council of Witches was posted to Oberon Zell’s Facebook Page)
In case anyone reading this is unaware of the history of the original ACW and the “13 Principles of Wiccan Belief,” lemme ’splain. Carl Weschke came up with all this, not me. The first Witchmeet was convened by Carl at the 3rd annual Gnostica Aquarian Festival, sponsored by Llewellyn and held in Minneapolis over the weekend of Mabon 1973. I was invited to be the keynote speaker—presenting several lectures on the subject of what has come to be known as “The Gaia Thesis.” It was there I met and fell in love with the incomparable Morning Glory—my lifemate from that day on.
The first Witchmeet I attended as a courtesy; I felt that since I was primarily identified with the Church of All Worlds—which is Pagan but not Wiccan—I probably shouldn’t have been part of a “Witchmeet.” But I had received training and initiation into the Craft, so I did meet the minimum requirement of Craft Initiation. And when I discussed this with Carl, he strongly urged me to participate, which I did. However, I don’t remember any of the details of that first meeting, as I was rather preoccupied with my intense new romance!
6 months later Llewellyn sponsored a “Spring Witchmeet” in Minneapolis over Easter Weekend of 1974. This time the major objective was to finalize and approve a document of common Wiccan precepts that Carl had initially drafted, and which he had been circulating round-robin among the participants from the previous Fall’s Witchmeet. Various of us gave our input and tweaking over the intervening months, and it appears that I seem to have done the final editing of the version that was presented at the Spring Witchmeet for final approval and signatures. Since I felt that my primary religious identity was CAW Paganism rather than Witchcraft, I deliberately limited my participation to an advisory and editorial capacity. This was acceptable to everyone, as my editorial skills and objectivity as the Editor of Green Egg were well-respected.
(It should be noted, however, that it was at that same Spring Witchmeet that Morning Glory and I were married in a huge public handfasting ceremony—and that was what occupied my primary attentions!)
It was at the Spring Witchmeet that Carl began referring to this group as the “Council of American Witches.” When I pointed out that the acronym of this, CAW, was the same as that of the Church of All Worlds, he agreed to change it to the “American Council of Witches” (ACW), by which it was known ever afterwards.
Carl tells me that there were 73 attendees at the 1974 Spring Witchmeet who ratified the final version of the “13 Principles of Wiccan Belief,” which was subsequently published in Gnostica News (edited at the time by Isaac Bonewits), Green Egg, and, over the past 38 years, in virtually every publication on modern Witchcraft.
Unfortunately, Carl no longer remembers who those original 73 participants were, but he told me that the full roster was published in a subsequent issue of Gnostica News. While he says he no longer has all those back issues, I do—in a box somewhere in my attic, which I haven’t yet had time to look for. I will turn my attention to this as soon as I deal with this immediate crisis. When I get the full roster, I will look up contact info for everyone who is still alive. My intention had been to then contact them about this current project, but the way things have been going in that regard, this is no longer on my agenda.
I hope this helps clarify matters as to the original ACW and the original authorship of the “13 Principles of Wiccan Belief.”
BB-OZ
The Witches Collective
Press Release: The Witches Collective. The Witches Collective, which can be found at www.thewitchescollective.com , is " a site geared towards the spiritual and intellectual enrichment of the pagan community " There are many features that our site boasts and I would like to take this time to share with you some information regarding them. One of the most popular things about our site is our *Book of Shadows*, found at www.thewitchescollective.com/BOS.html . It is fairly extensive and ever growing. Within its pages, one could find various rituals such as Cleansing, Banishing, Cakes & Ale, Esbat Rituals for the Full and New Moon, Sabbat Rituals, and a detailed "how-to" on proper Circle Casting and Quarter Calls. In addition to those things, you can also find a detailed lesson on the witch's altar and the tools of a witch; which is actually taken from one of the lessons given in our school. *(more on that later) *Aside for those staple BOS items we also have an extensive Deities of the World section where one can find information regarding deities from practically every continent. Our correspondence section is certainly nothing to shake a stick at and neither is our detailed information regarding Tarot, Scrying, and Runes. With over 100 chants and prayers, the would-be-seeker can't go wrong. We didn't forget those ever-present spell seekers either. Our BOS has over 300 spells. We are an excellent source of information for both the new and experienced alike. Our *Chat Room and Forum* are also quite popular. There is always someone who is willing to lend a helping hand or a sympathetic ear; one need only ask. With only being live on the web for just 4 months now, our having over 3,500 posts and over 150 members shows that we are on the right track! Our crowning jewel however is our school; *The Mysteries Of The Divine Apprenticeship Program*. Information regarding the school can be found at www.thewitchescollective.com/mdap.html Our school, which is hosted in our forum, is quite different then the majority of online schools.* Our class sizes are quite small, only around 10 students per class*, and this is because we are not interested in running a "*witch mill*". Instead, we are focused on turning out well educated individuals who demonstrate a strong desire to learn.* Our teaching is done by the supplying of a detailed lesson with assigned class/course work as well as homework, exercises, and class discussions. Students are required to take a final" exam before being allowed to pass onto the next class in the course; there are 13 total and the course takes over a year to complete. * Classes are done in a "forum" manner as opposed to live teaching in a chat room; as this is impossible due to various time zones and responsibilities of the students. *Students should expect each weeks lesson to take them around 5 hours in total to complete*. All necessary materials a student may need to complete their assignments are provided to them or utilizes items commonly found around the house or in nature. So there are no supplies for them to buy. *All of this is done free of charge as a courtesy to our community.* We feel that if we are not a part of the solution then we are only fostering the misconceptions, misrepresentations, and misinformation that is far to often taken as "gospel" by people who have limited resources. We also believe that education is something that should be free and readily available to anyone who seeks it and should not be withheld because of a person's financial situation. As previously mentioned, this is done completely free; *there aren't any special memberships or subscriptions to purchase or any "strings attached."*Our three teachers are volunteer teachers and are very dedicated to the site, school, and education. You may be saying to yourself, *"This is all well and good but what makes you at The Witches Collective qualified to teach?"* That is best answered by first telling you what we do and don't teach. We *do not* teach any specific tradition nor do we teach "*Wicca*" specifically; though we do teach from a *"Harm None"* stand point. *What we do teach is Witchcraft, Paganism, and Religio-Magick from a generalized perspective; adhering to the commonly accepted truths and practices of our people as a whole; while still providing information for the student to examine things from opposite or less commonly accepted perspectives. In turn, allowing for the student to be "well rounded" and capable of making informed decisions in the pursuit of their own personal truths as they apply to themselves, their beliefs, and the world around them.* Now with what we teach better defined I can further by telling you why our teachers are qualified. Our three teachers come from various backgrounds, magickally speaking; some of whom have been "traditionally trained" to a 3rd degree elder level. *Collectively, we have over 45 years experience in witchcraft and paganism and our unique experiences, mistakes, and years of study coupled with our dedication to bettering the world around us and the light in which witchcraft is seen by, allows for us to be excellent teachers and positive role models for the would-be-seeker.* Our program is definitely not a program for just anyone; though the information IS provided in a fun and easy to understand manner. Instead, our program is best suited for people of all ages who are determined to learn and strive for excellence. Students should not come to us expecting to receive their diploma just for showing up. We are not here just for the heck of it. We are here because we want to make a difference in the world; one student at a time. If a student cannot complete or be dedicated to their studies they are removed from the program. It is not a program to be taken lightly. We would be happy to furnish you with sample copies of some of our lessons should you be interested in reviewing them. Our site also has a *Seasonal Sabbat Newsletter* which comes out about a week before the date of each commonly accepted sabbat of the wheel of the year. It is filled with unique rituals, spells, correspondences, crafts, recipes, tips and tricks, as well as member submissions all pertaining to the sabbat and/or season at hand. Actually, the Yule Ritual in this years newsletter has been accepted by your team to be featured on your site! We also have 2 pay services which are really only there as an attempt to defray the cost of web hosting and advertising. They are our *Custom Spell Writing Service* and *Psychic Readings*. We also have a store that features some products from zazzle and cafe press but we are currently discussing taking them down. We would be elated if you would be interested in reviewing our site and seeing for yourself if we have what it takes to make it into your listing. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, in relation to our site, school, or practices, please do not hesitate to ask. We pride ourselves on being "transparent" and do not mind at all explaining who we are, what we do, or why we do it to anyone that asks. I hope this email has found all of you well and we at The Witches Collective wish you all the best this holiday season! Bright Blessings, The Team @ The Witches Collective
Obituary:De-Anna Alba
Beloved Pagan author De-Anna Alba has passed away. Rev. Selena Fox writes: In Memoriam: De-Anna Alba, Pagan priestess, writer, singer, author of “The Cauldron of Change”. De-Anna, also known as Wendy White, died Tuesday night. Blessings to her as she journeys in the Otherworld. Thanks to her for her help with Circle Sanctuary in its formative stages. And from “SageWoman”: I am sorry to report that De-Anna Alba, SageWoman's most dedicated columnist (she wrote for us for an astonishing 22 years!), passed away on Tuesday after a long bout with breast cancer. Her partner, Lea Pierce, writes: "Watch the SageWomen Facebook page* for specific information on memorial services for De-Anna Alba. In lieu of flower memorials, Lea suggests contributions be made to De-Anna’s favorite charity, The Women’s Project of water.org, or the SageWoman Recovery Fund."
De-Anna was a forthright and wise woman, who had planned to switch from writing on ritual and solitary spirituality to being our resident Crone columnist. Her first column (an interview conducted by her partner, as De-Anna was too weak to write) will be published in our upcoming March issue, appropriately titled "The Wise Woman." De-Anna, we will miss you deeply. (from Anne Newkirk Niven)
Historical Library Of Witchcraft And Magic:
Experience the Magic of Holding History in your Hands
Imagine the spirit of unity gained from hearing your own ideas echoed in the written work of centuries old authors. Reading books from the past can be a powerful source for inspiring your own inner light and faithful practices. The excitement of rediscovering ancient wisdom, of never knowing what secret method, ritual or magic words you might uncover is unbound in the Historical Witchcraft and Magic Library app on the Apple iPad.
While the web has made obtaining old texts easier, and some dedicated souls have created fantastic bibliographies for those of us interested in the spiritual realm, the experience of reading online has been lacking which is why I was surprised to become enthralled with the Historical Witchcraft and Magic Library app on the iPad. The app creates an intimate reading experience that inspires inquiry and reflection. The tactile interface of the iPad beautifully displays pages, bindings, plates, engravings and illustrations from the original publications. A reader experiences the book much as the publisher intended and can even view author inscriptions and margin notes. It’s like perusing the shelves at your favorite antiquarian bookshop with all the time in the world to read the books.
Favorite texts include The Magic Staff: An Autobiography of Andrew Jackson Davis, The Witch, The Magic of Jewels and Charms, Modern Magic, A Short History of the A Salem Village Witchcraft Trials, Mysticism and Magic in Turkey, and many more.
Exploring historical writings penned by the hands of people loving, writing, rejoicing, learning, struggling and defending their beliefs can encourage you to voice your own truths and celebrate the beauty of your own beliefs. It is true magic that we can experience today.
Dabble in a little bit of witchcraft and magic literature. Find out more about the app here http://www.bibliolife.com/witchcraft.
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