Here we come upon the New Year on the Gregorian calendar. Even for those who follow the old ways, this moment reminds us of the passage of time.

The Celtic year begins at Samhain. The Roman year used to begin in March, but they moved it up to January to give more time for preparation for summer wars.

Time has been seen as circular in older cultures. We go around the wheel with every year. I feel that way. I am already planning sabbats and events for the summer. Here I go around one more time.

Linear time is a modern concept. Plus, our Christian friends move from Creation towards Judgment Day.

As for me, December 31st I will work a little magick to leave in the past things I don't like and to entice good things into the future. Circular or straight line, time is moving on.

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12/20/06

The holiday madness swirls around us. We can become as frenzied as the Muggles, but our events are coming too. Tomorrow, Thursday, at Study Group, we share Stories of Yule. Then we will plan and rehearse for Saturday's Ritual.

Tomorrow is also the evening of the Winter Tequesta Fire/Drum Circle. From 6 pm til Midnight at Hugh Taylor State Park, there will be drumming and dancing around the bonfire in celebration of the solstice tomorrow night. See MoonPathCircle.Org/tequesta.htm

Then Saturday, we celebrate Yule at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale. Some 55 have prepaid for the dinner/dance. For those who passed on this event, show up at 9 pm as we gather for the Open Yule Ritual.

So what do we do on December 25 when most everything shuts down? Order out Chinese and share an eggroll with your Jewish and Muslim neighbors.

To escape the remainder of the holidays, go to UU SWIM in West Palm Beach. See www.swimuu.org

Have a blessed Yule, Spelcastor

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12/12/06

I went online to TicketMaster Sunday and got myself two tickets to Wicked. A friend of mine is stuck with one ticket for the 2 pm Matinee, Saturday, March 17. It's for a 3rd tier box seat and retailed for $95.
Email moonstar61@adelphia.net with your offer.

Meanwhile, I have heard from the media, something to do with the Discovery Channel. Read below, and act fast if you are interested.

Dear CUUPS,

I am writing to you from the television show Miami Ink, which airs weekly on Discover Network's The Learning Channel. Miami Ink is a reality show that takes place in a South Beach tattoo shop and documents the stories of the tattoo artists and their clients. The reason I am writing today is because we are looking for some unique clients with interesting stories to tell and we thought that someone of the Pagan or Wiccan set of beliefs would be great to have on our show. Now, knowing very little about Paganism myself, I am just trying to get a lead in the right direction and thought that you might be able to help. Do you have any idea where I might find a practitioner of Paganism or Wicca who would be interested in getting a tattoo, telling his or her story, and appearing on the show? Is there a central forum for Pagans or Wiccans in Florida to send and receive messages or announcements? I would really appreciate any advice you could give me or if you know someone personally who you think would be interested, please send them in my direction.

Thanks so much for your time and possible help.
Sincerely,
Ellen

--
Ellen Lichtenstein
Associate Producer in for Barbettte Someillan
Miami Ink- Original Media LLC
ellen.lichtenstein@gmail.com
786.276.7761 (office)
646-283-1776 (cell)
786.276.7757 (fax)

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12/6/06

This Thursday we hear from Jessie about her 12 years of travels within the Craft. She started around age 10.

This Friday, Coyote Run plays at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale. If you Like Emerald Rose, check out this group. This weekend, there is a festival at All World Acres.

Then Sunday, tickets for the March production of Wicked go on sale at 10 am. Figure you have about an hour to score some.

The next weekend, we are offering a catered buffet dinner prior to Yule. RSVP if you like the idea. If not, show up at 9 pm and we will all be together in Ritual.

One more time, we have a busy weekend.

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11/28/06

This Thursday in Study Group, we do "Quick Mead." That's honey wine that takes only two weeks to make, just in time for the holidays.

Mead is a popular drink among Pagans. Sure, I see wine and beer, but mead is the "classic beverage." And scotch or bourbon Pagans are more discrete. Mead is made from fermented honey and is especially popular among Vikings and those on a Norse path. And let's not make wosie remarks about mead drinkers. Another part of their tradition is to carry swords, axes, shields, and a spare knife in the boot.

Confrontation? Don't hassle them. these are Pagans who Put the P in Pillage.

On a gentler note, we are planning a dinner dance for our Yule in Fort Lauderdale. What with the catering and all, reservations are essential. But we will open the doors to all for the Ritual after 9 PM. Yule is a time for us all to be together.

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11/19/06

Samhain is the time to pay National CUUPS dues.

Our MoonpathCUUPS chapter does not do dues. We pass the cauldron at meetings and events. But National CUUPS looks for $35 from members, $50 from families, to keep itself going.

CUUPS is all volunteer. They maintain a national website of chapters, events, online newsletter, and mail out membership cards. Sometimes the cards are slow to arrive. But CUUPS is worth supporting. It's a gateway into the Craft. Once you become a Lord or Lady MuckkyMuck, you might be tempted to stick your nose up at CUUPS. Yet it grows the Craft and CUUPS is growing faster than the Unitarian Universlaist denomination that sponsors it.

See http://www.cuups.org/content2/aboutcuups/membership.php for information and think about feeding an organization that feeds you..

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11/8/06

And so we move past Samhain and Florida Pagan Gathering. We have done our honoring of the final harvest and the departed. We have just ad a national election. It was another harvest, but not a final one. Were you a part of it? If not, maybe next time.

We are approaching Yule. Here is a different season. Last year, we tried Samhain at Yule thanks to hurricane Wilma and it really did not feel right. This year, we will make a party out of Yule with dinner and dance and such. For those who want just a ritual, we'll do that too.

But meanwhile at Study Group, we'll learn about Witchy Ways, and then Cherry Hill and Ardantane Pagan Seminaries. Then we'll take a break for the Muggle Turkey day. Actually, there is a Pagan side to that story too.

So, Happy New Year. Samhain was that turning point. We move into the dark time of the year. Just as the Celtic day began with sunset, our new year begins with the approaching winter. OK, so we are in Florida. Winter brings an end to hurricanes, more snow birds, crass commercialism, the close of a tax year, and an awareness of the passage of time as an aging Dick Clark wheels himself into Time Square.

I'd rather burn a straw man.

Blessed be.

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11/1/06

This Thursday, Ann Marie presents the Silent Supper, another honoring of the ancestors and our dead.

However, unlike Samhaim, you do not speak through out the meal. Each person should bring food, for all of us to share and eat, Pictures or trinkets of your dead (and your passed-on familiars) are placed in front of the plate on which you will be sharing a meal with them in their honor (the meal is also obviously shared with us as well at CUUPS).

The traditional day of the dead is November 4th. Before the silent supper we would do the usual grounding with the pentacle and candle. Also a black or white candle can be lit at each place as well (people can bring those). After the centering, AnnMarie will explain the silent supper and what it is. Then she will read a poem she wrote (A requiem). And play some music on my flute for a few moments as an offering and invite to the dead to attend our rites.

Then everyone can take a plate put what food or snacks that were brought on it. And sit down, light the candles by the places and the photos of their honored guest or guests (their dead). The room will be silent until the food is eaten. Speak not a word. Since this will be taking place during a meeting,

I suggest just snacks and dessert type food is brought. Normally a formal 3 course meal is eaten. Obviously we don't have time for that. After we are done eating the candles are blown out and speaking can resume. Then she will play the flute again as a hail and farewell to our spiritual guests. The end. How does that sound?

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10/23/06

Thank you everyone for making our wonderful 9th Annual Witches Ball possible. Costumes, music, food, haunted graveyard, readers, vendors, and rituals. The rituals are now all online at MoonPathCUUPS.Org/rituals/ If you are behind in your Bible reading, check out the Story of Lilith and look at Genesis 1-2:3 for the first of the two creation stories.

And when we finish reveling in the praise, I welcome feedback of all sorts. We had 300+ people this year instead of 700+ two years ago. This made it much easier on me as I could actually walk in the halls. We were a week earlier because of flapgan.org and raised the door price for the first time in eight years. There are many more witchie events around now than there were eight years ago.

We had a new wireless system for the rituals and, some year, the muggles will replace the 20-year-old air conditioner. Crystal Fantasy (5111 Coconut Creek Parkway (Cocogate Plaza, corner 441) Margate 33063, (954) 973-0903.) gave us some gift certificates for prizes and so did Bandora's Lair. Thanks!

Next year we will be back on the last Saturday of October, the 27th, the third night of the Full Moon.

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10/17/06

Here we come to Samhain and our Ninth Annual Witches Ball. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Come early and avoid the parking craziness.

Samhain is our High Holy Day and the Third and Final Harvest of the Fall. We reap what we have sown. The veil between the worlds is especially thin, so communing with the departed is most easy. This is also a time when the dead with unfinished business finally pass over. Some of this unfinished business might not be pleasant. That is why we carve jack-o'-lanterns and place candles in them. We would want to repel any spirit holding a grudge.

But as for the others, this is when we can commune with our loved ones. They may have advice or warnings to communicate with us. That why this is a good time for readings and the lighting of candles.

Thursday, we continue casting calls for our Rituals. We will rehearse the tricky parts. Yes, rehearsal is good. And then Saturday, there will be many spirits about. Do come out and play.

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10/11/06

The featured Goddess for our Fort Lauderdale Witches Ball is Lilith.

Lilith can be found in Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions as the first wife of Adam. She was created equal to Adam and would not submit to him. Eve came from Adam's rib and she was the second wife.

Go reread your book of Genesis and notice the story starts over at verse 2:4. There is much more in the legends than in Genesis. She is modeled after Eriskagal, the Mesopotamian Goddess of the underworld. Her totems are owls, snakes, and lions. She has claws for feet.

So Lilith is as uppity Jewish woman. (actually, she predates Abraham, so she is not Jewish) She's a role model for ex-wives.

There is the online Lilith Shrine at http://www.lilitu.com/lilith/

Google "Lilith" and find sites like http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/humm/Topics/Lilith/

Use Google Images and find a bunch of pictures.

On a lighter side, this Thursday in Study Group we hear about Stories & Myths Behind the Number 13 with Chris.

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10/4/06

This Thursday in Study Group, we do scrying.

Scrying is simply to focus upon an object and to see beyond what is there. A crystal ball is a classic example, but we will use smoked mirrors.

The idea of focusing is to project imagery from within so you can see and identify things that you might not be able to create within your mind alone.

Traditional scrying is often associated with a ritual to bless the tool and to ask for help in it's use. Dim lights and candles are a nice touch.

Scrying might also be done by staring into the coals of a fire or at clouds. Some use a silver coin in a dark bowl of water. Any way you do it, it's a tool to sharpen your psychic abilities. We will use mirrors, but bring your own tool if you like.

Also, we will continue planning for our upcoming Witches Ball.

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9/25/06

What a wonderful Pagan Pride Day and Ritual, following the Friday Tequesta Drum Circle.

Our Witches Ball, Saturday, October 21st will be upon us very soon. This Thursday we will begin our planning.

At the Ball, we have decorating to think about, security, fire tending, two rituals, an attunement, parking, gate, cleanup, DJ, Haunted House, and whatever else.

The ball comes a week sooner this year because of Florida Pagan gathering being early. It's so easy for us to put our feet up and revel in all we just did, but here we go again. And Samhain is our High Holy Day. maybe the press will be interested, unless we've become too main stream.

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9/17/06

We have a full weekend of Pagan events coming up:

Next Friday evening the 4th Tequesta Fire/Drum Circle happens at Hugh Taylor State Park at Sunrise Blvd next to the Beach. See MoonPathCircle.Org/tequesta.htm Bring the family, a picnic, chairs, blankets. Gates open 7 PM til Midnight.

Saturday Noon til Dark we celebrate Pagan Pride Day at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale. We start at Noon with workshops, vendors, and a Mabon Ritual at 5:30 PM. See MoonPathCUUPS.Org/ppride

Thursday night we plan the ritual at Study Group and do a casting call.

Sunday at 11 AM at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale the pagans present the Muggle Service. Muunpillow, dragnfli and friends present "Living the Magickal Life." Be sure to wear magickal garb.

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9/6/06

Nothing says lovin' like something from the oven. So sings the Kitchen Witch. In older times, an iron cauldron hung in the hearth and was always bubbling something. "Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot, nine days old."

The cauldron is a place of transformation and served as an oven before they were invented. Meats, grains, herbs, spices: they all went into the cauldron. They all came out different and as a blend for the better. There is room for skill here. What goes with what? What makes things more tasty? What makes people better? Here are opportunities for healing. "Have some chicken soup, my dear...."

Preparations go best with words and song. Stir in a few hopes and dreams, and let simmer for a while. And do be nice to the Kitchen Witch. She knows how to cook with mushrooms, and some of these are better for you than others. And perhaps, if your have been really naughty, she might make you a very special apple.

It's not nice to mess with a Kitchen Witch.

This Thursday we learn about Healing Herbs with Muunpillow.

Next Thursday we learn about the Pagan Seminaries: Cherry Hill and Ardantane

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9/4/06

I went and saw the new Wicker Man film.

Remember, this is a remake of a 1975 cult classic that was originally billed as a horror movie. The new plot parallels the old, but Lord Summerisle is replaced by Sister Summerisle.

What's missing are the songs and the many scenes of Pagan life and the Beltaine season. Gone is most of the verbal sparing that went on between the Pagans and the Christian police officer. That was the part that made the earlier film a classic. Back then, we did not have as many other films or festivals to show us what Pagan life might be like. This new version will slip quietly into obscurity.

There are no pentacles, but the Fundies will still be appalled. The men are reduced to a few subservient roles. This is a Chick Horror Flick, The police officer suffers a similar fate as before, but the real horror is that the women are in charge.

Meanwhile, last Thursday, we celebrated the Dedication of Cafell. The Ritual is online at moonpathcuups.org/rituals/cafell.htm Once again, the women were in charge.

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8/29/06

Here comes Ernesto: Tropical Storm or Hurricane, we'll find out later. Whatever happens. Rain and flooding could be the big problem. It ought to all be over by Wednesday night. So be safe and stay dry. Canals can look like roads.

Thursday, we plan the Dedication of Cafell. Folks like a rite of passage to acknowledge changes going on within them. We will swap stories of dedications and then learn more about Cafell. When we know the person, the ceremony is far more meaningful for everyone.

Then we plan to gather outside, set up an altar, and build a fire. There aren't many twigs available to collect, but the Goddess may soon provide.

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8/22/06

Spelcastor enjoyed MerryMeet. I met some very learned people

I played "What's Your Wiccan IQ? I found a difference between a talisman and an amulet. A talisman draws something to you and an amulet reflects something away from you. I have always heard the two words used interchangeably.

The meaning to enchant is to bind with song. I think it may have been the Druids who cast their spells by singing them.

Meanwhile, next Thursday, Rev Gail will come to Study Group and tell us about CUUPS and paganism within the Unitarian Universalist association. I have heard it said that UU growth is 0.8% but there are now 102 CUUPS Chapters listed online. Ten years ago, there were about 70.

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8/13/06

This is the week of MerryMeet, the Annual Gathering and Festival of the Covenant of the Goddess, www.cog.org. Here is an opportunity that will not come soon again to our area.

Meeting on Fort Lauderdale Beach at the Bahia Mar Hotel, 801 SeaBreeze Blvd. There will be workshops, rituals, networking and partying.

Visit MoopPathCUUPS.Org/mmeet and http://www.emlc.net/mm2006/mminfo.html

Specifically, for workshops: http://www.emlc.net/mm2006/mmworkshops.html

Schedule: http://www.emlc.net/mm2006/mmritualevent.html

Events: http://www.emlc.net/mm2006/MerryMeet2006Workshops.pdf

Free Drumming on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Friday & Saturday Nights at 9 PM.

Day Passes will be available for $25 until 10 am. We cannot take credit cards. Plan to park across the street in beach parking for $5 or at the hotel for an extra $7. Day passes are for all day and that evening.

Meanwhile, Thursday night at Study Group, our topic will be the History of Covenant of the Goddess, formed in 1975.

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8/9/06

This Thursday in Study Group we have Terryee the psychic. Terryee has been with us before, so we expect full attendance. We will learn something of growing our own psychic power. See MoonPathCUUPS.Org/terryee

Saturday is the Bon Festival, the Japanese Samhain.

The following weekend we have MerryMeet, The Covenant of the Goddess national gathering, this year in Fort Lauderdale. There is much Witching going on.

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8/1/06

We had a great Lammas Celebration and right before that our annual Chocolate Ritual. Thanks to everyone for making everything possible.

Now we move into a month without a sabbat. Covenant of the Goddess is holding their annual MerryMeet in Fort Lauderdale this month. See www.emlc.net/mm2006/mminfo.html That should keep us busy.

Meanwhile, there are still more local groups on the web:

West Palm Beach pagans have moved to apagansgrove.com/ from Yohoo Groups. Check out paganfreecycle.homestead.com/ That's Pagan FreeCycle. Perhaps you have too many old statues in your house?

Boys night out? There is a Men's Mysteries Study Group at www.geocities.com/nereus1956/

And then there's the Boca Meeting of Witches at moonpathcuups.org/bmw.htm

It's all happening on the web. Blessed be.

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7/26/06

This Thursday at 7:30 PM, we take over the Church Sanctuary in Fort Lauderdale for our annual Chocolate Ritual. We will honor all things chocolate. Bring your favorites and wear ritual garb. The color of the day is brown.

Then Saturday we celebrate the First Harvest, Lamas. Our HPS will invoke the Great Lion Goddess Sehkmet (because that is who she always invokes). We shall reap the first returns of what we have sown. Then we will feast, so do bring food to share and your favorite beverage. The colors of the day are orange, red, and black.

Spelcastor has returned from the Unitarian Summer Institute in Virginia where he led a Ritual of Return and a Ritual of the dark Quarter. Both were written by Shining Spirits. You have seen her at Beltaine. She's the bright one. Visit MoonPathCUUPS.Org/rituals

This week end there is also drumming, gaming, healing, and discussion. Do come out and play!

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7/11/06

Spelcastor went to Washington, DC for the 4th of July. Besides all the touristy things and the fireworks on the Mall, we went to Arlington National Cemetery.

There are many tomb stones, many famous people and many more I never hear of. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was impressive. The Honor Guard marches about out there rain or shine. They are so formal that they seem almost mechanical.

I do not come from a military family and I have never lost anyone close to me in any war. All this seems a bit foreign to my experience, but they take it so seriously, all this honor and death.

And so I thought about the push to get pentacles added to the symbols allowed on grave markers. Right not there are crosses and six pointed stars. I suspect there are new moons and stars of Islam too. I thought about the Covenant of the Goddess and their part of this crusade to add pentacles.

I haven't paid much attention to it. Perhaps now I shall pay more.

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6/27/06

And so we pass into the lazy days of summer. The faeries are flitting. Our next sabbat is Lammas at the end of July.

Next Thursday at Study Group we hear What Science Knows about Magick. I thought magick was a science.

A week from Saturday, we have a gathering of StoryTellers at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale. They are doing a benefit for Chloe Clunis. StoryTelling is an ancient art. It's how history was passed on, before the Internet. Come hear the Pros. Hear the difference between Good and Better. Come hear the difference between Better and Best.

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6/20/06

This Saturday, we celebrate Mid-Summers, or Litha at MoonPathCUUPS.

We do this one differently. We start gathering at 7 PM and then feast. Do bring something to share plus your favorite beverage. Then around 8:30 pm when it is finally dark, we start the Ritual.

Mid-summers is the time of faeries. Do read Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream to get into the mood. Then garb up with summer colors. Faery wings are a nice touch too.

We will cast the Circle, invoke the Quarters, and celebrate this turn of the Wheel of the Year.

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6/14/06

I found news of weekend events in my email.

If it's witchy, I include it in these broadcasts. If you know of an event that belongs here, do tell me. If you see information that's wrong, do tell me. I don't get to everything I post.

Each week I extract this calendar from MoonPathCUUPS.Org/coming.htm Events that repeat, I list only once. Events with unique topics, I list more often. Most all of these events are in Southeast Florida. This emailing goes to 500+ people and I don't know who most of them are.

Most folks are in Florida. Some are scattered around the USA. Some are international. Did I tell you that we witches are everywhere?

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6/06/06

It's June 6, 2006. Our Fundie neighbors are rather excited today.

The number is 666 and it can be found in the Christian Bible, the Book of Revelation (Chapter 13, verse 18, to be exact) to the "Number of the Beast."

So the folks who read much into numbers make much of this. (Actually, there are Pagans who are into numbers too.)

And then there are those who do not take numbers seriously.

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6/1/06

This past weekend I was at a labyrinth retreat and training led by the Rev Lauren Artress. As a model, she uses the labyrinth laid down in Notre-Dame de Chartres Cathedral in France. We were meeting in Delray Beach.

She explains how walking the labyrinth is a metaphor for life. You spiral in while letting go, ground at the center, and reclaim as you walk out. Lauren is very accepting of all traditions. She is an Episcopal priest at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.

Her goal is to bring the labyrinth into wider acceptance in main stream America. She is not targeting the folks that get labeled "New Age." Labyrinths are typically found on church property, schools, parks, and such. When visiting, be respectful of the path of who maintains that labyrinth and do not wear your largest pentacle. We get more tolerance when we offer tolerance.

For a list of the 15 labyrinths I have found in SE Florida, visit uucfl.org/list.htm and have a great walk.

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5/23/06

September, October, November, December are the 9-12 months of the year. One would think they should be 7-10.

In grade school, I had heard that the Romans had inserted July and August to honor emperors Julius Caesar and August and pushed things out of whack. This was not true.

The official Roman New Year used to be in March. Rome elected their consuls for a term of one year. In the second century BCE, Rome was fighting wars of conquest in Spain. Wars were fought during the summers and there was not enough time for the consuls to move their legions and finish their war before winter and then their terms were up. So "New Year" was moved back to January.

Although the days in the month and in the year have been a subject of recalculation, New Years would be celebrated in some regions in spring, others a Samhain, and for others whatever local tradition dictated.

This now makes it difficult for historians to figure out if November 14, 931, was not really November 14, 932.

Today, many Celtic Pagans celebrate their New Years at Samhain, even though they use the modern calendar in their mundane world.

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5/16/06

I have heard it said that we Witches don't evangelize.

True, Saturday mornings I do not go knocking on neighbor's doors passing out literature. True, I do not pass out bags of rice to the starving if only they will accept my deities.

But I do maintain some witchy websites and online calendars. I do have literature in the UU Muggles tract rack. I do welcome newcomers to public classes and open rituals. I do present to students at Florida Atlantic University. I do answer questions for people who ask.

I encourage others to do workshops and polish their presentation skills. I do perform Witchy rites of passage for some. I do talk with the press. I do spread the word about an opening in a local coven. I do wear my largest pentacle at the Renaissance Faire. I do answer email inquiries, from either WitchVox or my own websites. I tell others about festivals and national Pagan organizations. I do speak on the history of the Craft. I did register as Wiccan clergy in Virginia. I did encourage other Witches to get on Florida's list of premarital course providers. I did contribute an article on solitaries to an anthology book on Wicca.

It's just that I don't evangelize. That would not be a witchy thing to do.

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5/9/06

I am back from Beltaine Florida Pagan Gathering and had a fine time with old friends, new friends, nifty workshops, and big Ritual. Festivals like this are what make being solitary more than solitary. See www.flapagan.org

The Samhain Florida Pagan Gathering is scheduled for the last weekend in October, so I am looking to move our Fort Lauderdale Witches Ball back to Saturday, October 21st. OK, Samhain is half way around the wheel of the year, but now is the time to make plans so we can secure the space and let others adjust their schedules.

With two great events, I see no reason for unnecessary conflicts. But it's not like there aren't enough witches to go around. Do speak up quick if anyone sees a big problem with this change. We are a community.

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5/3/06

Thank you every one for making Beltaine a wonderful experience for us all.

Valan's Ritual is now posted at moonpathcuups.org/rituals along with all the others we have done this year. There are even notes on our Fuzzy Bunny Banishing.

This weekend is Florida Pagan gathering. See www.flapagan.org There is still time to decide to go and see how the new location works out.

Now we move into June. Our next Open Ritual will be Midsummer's or Litha. Perhaps there will be another fire celebration at Hugh Taylor State Park.

June? There's something scary about June. And just when I was thinking about relaxing.

Have a blessed Beltaine!

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4/26/06

Here comes our Gala Beltaine Celebration from noon til Dark.

At Noon we have walking on our labyrinth. At 1 PM we have a storytelling session with Sandy W. At 2 PM we drum. Then comes the Sadie of the Hawk case where the women pursue the men. Then we have our May Pole Dance followed by our 5 PM Beltaine Ritual.

Wear your ritual garb and bring your drum, your favorite beverage and a picnic. Brenda our African Chicken vendor will be here too.

This Thursday at Study Group we share stories of Beltaine and work out details for Saturday. We have a casting call and rehearse our ritual. Come one, come all!

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4/19/06

The The 2005-06 Wiccan/Pagan Poll Results are now available online at cog.org/05poll/poll_pre.html

Every five years the Covenant of the Goddess conducts this poll. I posted a notice of it a couple months ago.

In case you were wondering, 74% of those they counted in the craft are female and 89% are registered to vote. 46% have degrees and 36% have some college. Gray-haired old wizards make up only 3% of the survey.

Solitaries make up 62% with another 12% claiming community connections. 26% are covened. The Witches and Wiccans make up 55% of the respondents. 35% call themselves Pagan.

What else does all this mean. Draw your own conclusions. We are not alone.

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4/12/06

The Wheel of the Year turns on towards another great passage. Deep within the Earth, a rumbling becomes a stirring. It has been going on since before Imbolc. There are thousands of them going about their tedium in the dim light of their catacombs.

It's an annual cycle but they know they soon they will break free. Through twists in the modern calendar and tribal customs, they will be delayed two full days, but they know their time is coming.

On April 17th, all those accountants will break free into the light of day. Any that see a shadow anywhere will immediately file for an extension and plunge back into the Earth for six more months.

It's a strange way to live and perhaps it appears empty to some, but thus trudges the path of accountants.

Hope your shadow will be well hidden next Monday. Drive by the main post office near midnight and watch other ancient rituals unfold. Later, I will tell you about notaries.

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4/5/06

We have just passed through another seasonal Earth transition. It's called daylight Savings Time and marks the coming of summer.

It's a human made event. It's not like the Sun's path rose above the Equator or that six weeks have passed since a furry rodent saw it's shadow.

Think of the rebellion that would follow if our government told us to get up an hour earlier. But tell us our clocks are an hour fast, and we obey.

But it's still a passage. It's not that the High Priestess of the Temple has just joined with the King of the Land and prosperity is now assured for one more year. But we will party. Beltaine is coming.

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3/29/06

There was a solar eclipse going on yesterday. solar eclipses are a shadow that sweeps over parts of the Earth. This one went from Brazil to Mongolia at 5:33 EDT. We would not be able to see it in Fort Lauderdale.

There was a lunar eclipse last Full Moon at 6:49 pm. Again, I did not notice. It was 8:30 pm before I started looking at the Moon.

They tell me that eclipses mess up magick. The energy changes. Results are different from one expects. Some call that an "Aunt Clara" thinking back to the Bewitched TV series. Me, I was not working any magick so I did not notice. I did resolve to pay closer attention to my Llewellyn Witches Calendar.

I don't much care what's rising or descending, but I do see myself as a Moon Child. Actually, I was born on a Full Moon, July 5, 1944. Those NASA Moon Tables are really handy for such research. Have you seen aa.usno.navy.mil/data/

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3/17/06

Today we celebrate St Paddy's Day. Tomorrow we celebrate Ostara at MoonPath. Sunday there is a Pagan Picnic on Fort Lauderdale Beach. This is the last weekend of Ren-Faire. Monday there is drumming and a bonfire at Hugh Taylor State Park.

Tis the season. Let's everyone be Celtic. Let us celebrate our roots in a culture that honored women and the earth. A culture that had it's heroes and looked for deity in Nature and within.

If you travel to England, you can search for witches. Some are real and some ply the tourist trade. In Ireland, these values are within the culture. They are not something set aside for a subgroup. It's just part of being who they are.

I can track most of my kin to Ireland. Some came from Germany. I wonder if a DNA search for a genetic marker peculiar to Native Americans would turn up anything. Part of my ancestors lived along the North Carolina - South Carolina border back when most folks weren't sure where the border was and didn't care.

Looking at the family charts, I could have a great, great, great grandmother recorded as Sarah with no last name. That sort of thing would happen with women. Perhaps she was Cherokee and saved from the Trail of Tears by her new family. Perhaps she brought her own traditions into the family.

Interesting story. I wonder if it could be true? It would be just part of being who they were.

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3/05/06

Well, my world imploded. All these busy things came at me at once and now I am finally digging out. has that ever happened to anyone else?

I try to get a broadcast out once each week, preferably around Tuesday. In the meantime, I add events to moonpathcuups.org/coming.htm as I find out about them. When they go out of date, someone tells me. When a repeating event falls off my calendar, someone tells me.

I heard about a university Witchcraft and Paganism class looking for guests and got all excited. Then I figured out it was in Tampa.

Some folks who are not even local say that like the broadcast just for my musings. How nice. Keep those cards and letters coming.

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2/21/06

Today I have a bunch of public service announcements:

Covenant of the Goddess, a national Wiccan organization, is holding their annual festival, Merry Meet 2006, in Fort Lauderdale this summer on August 17-20. Lean more about CoG and MerryMeet at http://www.moonpathcuups.org/mmeet/

Nova University is offering a Family Ministry Program for clergy, including Pagan clergy. They are hosting a "Show & Tell" March 24, 12-2:00 PM. Visit moonpathcuups.org/ministry.htm

One more thing:

Shining Glades consists of individuals in the Ft. Lauderdale area who are currently students in the Dedicant Program of Ar nDraiocht Fein, A Druid Fellowship. Our goal is to form a proto-grove in this area. Anyone interested in ADF Druidry may join us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shining_glades

Things are happening all over.

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2/12/06

Spelcastor took last Thursday afternoon off from work to see the play Wicked. I sat in a side balcony with a young family plus two daughters perhaps dropped off by Mom.

This is the story from Oz of how the Witch of the West was Framed. Galinda is a ditzy cheerleader. The Wizard is a fraud. Remember that the winners get to write the history. See http://www.playbill.com/news/article/85023.html

This story is woven around the one we all know as "The Wizard of Oz." The special affects were amazing. The music is delightful. The flying monkeys are in the air. The sight gags are a hoot. The conjuring gestures of Elsaba, the Witch, are something I want to learn. So I will buy the CD and the book.

One facet of the story is the relationship of two women: Elsaba and Galinda. It is not as it appears. And there is a magical twist in the ending. As you might expect in a chick flick, the story finishes well. No, this is not a "chick play," but recall that 2 out of 3 in the Craft are women.

And speaking of magick, tonight is the time of the Full Moon and Tuesday is Valentine's Day. There's so much spellwork to do!

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2/1/06

Greetings from Sandra Richardson, visiting HPS for our recent Imbolc Ritual:

"It is always a pleasure to see you and to share sacred space for Imbolc. James and I felt honored to lead the ritual and we enjoyed working with your group. Finn did terrific as the Sergeant of Arms. He was a big help to us. The Quarters and their minions were incredible! Each one of them adapted beautifully with their invocations. We could feel the presence of each Sacred Element. Spelcastor was great as the Sabbat Sage. And the drummers! What can I say!! These amazing people are truly in tune to the life beat of our planet! We were so comfortable with what they did and the telepathy that we seemed to share!"

Thursday we continue the season with Brigid's Fire as our Topic at Thursday 7:30 PM Study Group. Learn about the ancient Celtic Goddess who morphed into Saint Brigitte with her sacred day on February 2nd? Hail Britannia!

And what's this about Ground Hogs? It used to be snakes that went into the earth and returned with wisdom for the coming year. Once you run off the snakes, what you have left are fuzzy little rodents.

Have a blessed First Light of Spring!

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1/24/06

This Saturday we celebrate Imbolc, the Candle Festival of the Maiden Goddess. Sandra Richardson and her coven will lead us. Wear ritual garb, white is the color of the day, and bring beverage and food for the feast to follow,

Sandra will join us this Thursday for a casting call for supporting tasks in the ritual.

The program Thursday is "Images of the Goddess" which will be art through the ages depicting the female aspect of divinity. Valan is putting this together and she will use PowerPoint and a projector. (She's turning into a real techno druid.)

The following Thursday we do "Brigid's Fire" and talk about the Goddess who survived Christianity to become a Saint.

'Tis the season.

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1/17/06

Faerie Elaine was magickal one more time. Faeries danced about, Moon Water was sprinkled, and the music was beautiful. The script is posted at http://www.moonpathcuups.org/rituals/elaine06.htm In two weeks, we celebrate Imbolc. We expect Sandra Richardson and her folks to join us. See http://www.moonpathcuups.org/scr/

Before that, we have a Pagan and Muggle work day at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale. We need chain saws to turn big branches into small that still litter our worship area. Some will gather at 8 am. Others will show up around 10 am. Since free pickup is over, these branches will slowly find their was into our "ritual fires." Someone will be selected to hold the marshmallows, just in case the neighbors complain.

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1/10/06

This Saturday is Full Moon and we will have a Sung Ritual at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale. We will gather around the bon fire as "Faerie" Elaine Silver sings with guitar quarter call, castings, invocations and more. Here is not your usual Ritual. See http://www.uucfl.org/faerie/

We start with a concert at 7 pm. We charge $10 at the door, kids free and faerie costumes encouraged. Then we close the cash box at 8:15 and go outside for the Ritual. We do the concert because that is how Elaine makes her living. All are welcome to come to both or either.

Here is Elaine's sixth visit with us for this very popular annual event.

Announcement:
The Coven of the Sacred Flame in Fort Lauderdale has openings for new students. Visit http://www.witchvox.com/vn/vn_detail/dt_gr.html?a=usfl&id=26506 and then email lunacerridwen@earthlink.net

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1/3/06

Happy Gregorian New Year to everyone. Even though my new year starts at Samhain, I cannot ignore the passage of time during January 1.

And my friends are getting older. Some are not holding up very well. I wonder what they are not doing that I am?

This Thursday, I will present "Elements of Ritual." This will be the "how and why" of what I do, and then others will share from their own traditions. We will touch upon which end of the staff does the lightening come from and other related concepts. There is no chance that we will agree upon everything.

Speaking of Ritual, have you ever seen one sung? January 14 we will have Faerie Elaine Silver here for her annual visit to show us how that is done. Oh, yes, and her music is beautiful.

Happy New Year!

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12/21/05

We had a delightful Yule Masquerade Ball. Much thanks to everyone for making it possible and making it happen. The Energy was different from Samhain, but why would be Earth People be surprised about that?

We ritualized at 10:30 in a Strega Tradition. Then back to the music or drumming and the drawings at midnight.

We had door prizes and contest prizes, gift certificates from Crystal Fantasy [5111 Coconut Creek Parkway (Cocogate Plaza, corner 441) in Margate] Thanks Phil.

Cleanup went quickly. Many folks stuck around to help and our professional cleaners were a tornado.

This Thursday at Study Group we will do our own Yule gathering, share Yule stories from many traditions, and maybe even go out side and burn stuff. After all, this is a fire festival. Have a Blessed Yule!

Repeat Announcement:
The Covenant of the Goddess, a respected international organization of Wiccans is conducting a poll. Visit www.cog.org and make an anonymous submission of your practices.

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12/14/05

The lights are on our Labyrinth. Committee tasks have been assigned. We are ready.

This Saturday at 7:30 pm, the doors open for our Witches Yule Masquerade Ball. There will be DJ music, readers, one food vendor and one stuff vendor. The Yule Ritual begins at about 10:15 PM. At midnight we will hold our costume contest and and our raffle drawing. Prizes are $25 gift certificates from Crystal Fantasy (5111 Coconut Creek Parkway (Cocogate Plaza, corner 441) Margate 33063, (954) 973-0903)

So wear ritual garb or whatever you might have left over from Samhain. Bring your favorite beverage. We will have ice, cups, chips, salsa. And we will all have a marvelous time. $10 at the door.

Announcement:
The Covenant of the Goddess, a respected international organization of Wiccans is conducting a poll. Visit www.cog.org and make an anonymous submission of your practices.

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12/6/05

Here is an update with more local programs.

Women's Drum Circle Tuesday night. Wednesday, December 21, even more drumming at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park,

This Thursday we make masks for the Yule Ball and perhaps tell stories of The Mask. I wonder what Google would turn up on that search?

Yes, preparations continue for our Yule Masquerade Ball. We are moving into red & green colors, evergreens, logs and stars. There is magick in the air.

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12/3/05

As I get closer to our Witches Yule Masquerade Ball, I can feel the energy shifting and realize that this not Samhain. I see pentacles appearing on the Yule Tree.

Ours will be a Masked Ball. Costumes are preferred. If they are left over from Samhain, fine! We have done much cleaning on our grounds. This December, Florida Muggles do not wait for Santa, they wait for "the Claw." These are the county's debris pickup vehicles that scoop branches, stumps and roofs into waiting trucks.

Tis time to party and welcome the first light of the New Year. We have been through a lot and it's time to move on.

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11/23/05

Thanksgiving is a secular harvest feast and celebration. The pictures we see are of Pilgrims (Calvinist Christians) and Indians (Native Americans) sitting down to dinner together in New England.

But there were harvest festivals in other colonies, like in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and South Carolina. Where are the paintings of these peoples coming together? And then there were the European settlers who "went native." These were men and women who paired with the less-patriarchal locals. These were locals who included a female aspect of divinity in their belief system and who revered the Earth.

Perhaps this Thanksgiving, some us will have opportunity to gather with others with whom they do not typically socialize. Some of us might even be among Christians. Here is an opportunity to share the bounty of the Earth and enjoy what we can like about others. This is a time to eat the (maybe tofu) turkey and not point fingers at them.

And to work off all that bounty you will eat, Saturday we are having another work day at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale to clear our worship space. Bring chain saws and trailers from 7:30 to 1:30 am and beyond.

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11/14/05

This Saturday we have a Pagan Work Day at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale. Bring your chain saws and trailers from 7:30 to 10:30 and beyond as we clean up downed trees for our Yule Masquerade Ball December 17th.

There is still such a mess to clean up. Although the storm season is hopefully over, there is an emergency meeting of the Hurricane Naming Committee to correct the laxness of the governments naming of hurricanes in excluding letters Q, X, Y, Z. Obviously the polo-playing Republican cronies do not read the name badges on the checkout people at their local supermarkets.

While Anglos favor only certain letters of the alphabet in the naming of their offspring, other cultures in our diverse world are not so inhibited.

Although Quincy might we acceptable in Wasp circles, what about Xena, Yolonda, or Zelda. And since storms are getting bigger as well as filling all available letters, what about Hurricane YoMamma.

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11/7/05

I hope everyone is recovering from Wilma.

We are now planning our Fort Lauderdale Witches Yule Ball for Saturday, December 17th. We can't let this time go by without some sort of Ball. The energy will be different but we will continue the same format: deejay, readers, food & stuff vendors, lights on the Labyrinth, an Attunment and a Yule Ritual. $10 at the door, accompanied kids free. We are a family religion.

This will be a time to gather together and have some fun. Planning continues. There will be prizes for costumes and such. First step will be a cleanup day Saturday, November 19th, 7:30-10:30 am and later. We need chain saws, trailers, and lot's of worker bees. Lights are back on and the water is good, but there are still trees down all over the property.

The time is coming to let go of Wilma, say good-bye to visiting ancestors and to move towards the first light of the new year.

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11/1/05

Our Fort Lauderdale Witches Ball did not happen.

What with no electricity, undrinkable water, downed trees all over the properties, few working traffic lights and an evening curfew, it was neither doable nor safe.

We are looking at our scheduled Yule on Saturday, December 17 and wondering what we could do then. The energy would be different. The Grinch that Stole Halloween?

So I did my personal Samhain devotional. With my Disk of Shadows powered down, ad-libbing is good. There are reasons to practice working without scripts. I can be thankful for still having a roof and loosing only screens. Power finally came back. I was missing my comforts. I was thinking of going over to Broward General to pose as a chaplain to get some hot coffee.

This Thursday evening, Study Group will meet. We may have candles and water bottles, but we will hear about Asatru. Perhaps we will burn what's in our fire ring to banish Wilma. We'll plan some about Yule. Later we will need a workday with chain saws.

Last night the History Channel had an hour program on the history of Samhain/Halloween. It was very well done and included modern Pagans. Half way through, it occurred to me that I should be taping it. If you have not had enough Samhain yet, come to Florida pagan Gathering in St. Pete Nov 10-13.

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10/18/05

Preparations continue for our Witches Ball.

The sign up sheet went around last week and it will go around again next Thursday. There are still many ways to be involved. Doors will open at 7:30 PM. the Deejay music starts at 8:00 pm. There will be lights on the labyrinth. There will be an attunment at 9 am. At 10:15 pm, the Druid Ritual. At 11:45 pm, we will award some prizes. at Midnight we start our playlet, process through the Memorial Garden, and on to our Samhain Ritual.

We expect spirit dancers, a fire twirler, and quite a few wizards. That's our theme: The Way of the Wizard.

We will have readers, one food vendor and one stuff vendor. The posters are up in the shops. Tee shirts are available at www.moonpathcuups.org/teeshirt/

There will be more planning this Thursday, and then we will hear about Alchemical Healing with Dream Rider.

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10/13/05

Now we start planning for our Eighth Annual Witches Ball. We will do this at the upcoming Study Groups.

There are many ways to contribute. There's setup, take down and many things going on during the evening. There is a sample of our signup sheet at http://moonpathcuups.org/signup.htm

The casting call for the rituals will be next week. (I am still writing.) Yes, there will be a rehearsal. Players must be present to win.

This event gets bigger each year, and we will work hard to keep it fun and safe for everyone.

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10/4/05

This Thursday by popular demand, Daniel returns to Study Group to share with us "The Seven Faces of the Soul." The following Thursday, we will do a spontaneous ritual. The suggested theme has been, "The Banishment of the Fuzzy Bunny."

Also that Thursday, we will start planning for our Eighth Annual Witches Ball. There will be many ways to be involved for this all evening event. See MoonPathCUUPS.Org/wball.htm We expect to be mobbed by 600-700 people so planning together with make things go smoother.

Also coming up is the Magickal Fair in Miami, Saturday, October 22. Many of our local leaders will be showing off their talents and wears. Make sure both your visa and visa card are current and then head South of the Boarder to drop in for a spell and see all the doings. Visit www.mysticalflorida.com/minifair.html

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9/27/05

Thank you everyone for such a wonderful Pagan Pride Day. Thank you Valan for such a wonderful Ritual.

Many people passed through our doors. Folks got to meet each other, take a few workshops, shop, and hang out with fellow Pagans for an afternoon.

This Thursday at Study Group it's "Show Us Your Book Night." Bring a book to describe that you have found to be an excellent teaching. Bring a book that you've been meaning to read and hope someone else will tell you what it says. Bring a book to trade. Bring a book to give away.

Books are a gateway into the Craft. New folks are typically assigned books to read. This way they get to learn some basics and demonstrate that they are willing to work to learn. People who have been around for a while read to broaden their knowledge and fill in some gaps.

Some folks copy their most essential notes into their Book of Shadows (BoS). Good handwriting helps here. Otherwise, a Disk of Shadows (DoS) might be a better idea.

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9/20/05

The Hurricane passes us by and we move back to our regular lives. This Saturday we celebrate Pagan Pride Day. This Thursday we plan the day and the ritual. We will have workshops, vendors and networks. Do come out and play.

A public service announcement:
Our orborus is looking for sincere seekers interested in the teachings of Stregheria (Italian Witchcraft). We are a traditional hereditary group following the Antonian line of Stregheria (originating from Benevento, Italy). We have become public in order to pass on this ancient tradition to individuals who will respect and cherish it as much as we do. Ours is a committed path and those who feel the Streghe in their blood are welcome to walk the path with us. You don't have to be Italian to join. For more information please contact Mary at ocs156@yahoo.com

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9/13/05

This Thursday we do another spontaneous ritual. We will look for a common focus among us. Maybe this time a little rebuilding of energy will fit. Maybe something with life savers and a little splash. Do bring your drums.

The time is drawing near for Pagan Pride Day and our Mabon Celebration. The Thursday before, we will do casting for the Ritual. Ticket holders must be present to win. We will figure out parts for those who show up and then do a rehearsal rehearsals are good.

We will also plan the other events of Pagan Pride Day. Planning is good.

But this Thursday, we have extra debris for the fire.

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8/31/05

Everyone seemed to have the good sense last Thursday into the hurricane to get to Study Group. This Thursday we do Hungarian Wicca. We will rescheduled book night.

This Thursday we host the homeless. I have yet to hear back from anyone with offerings to feed this group of ten. Do let me know so I don't duplicate anyone. Also, we are looking for a couple people to camp out at the church Thursday night in case our guests need anything.

What else? There is a new exhibit called "Witch Hunt" at the ArtCenter on Lincoln Road (South Beach) in which four artists explore myths and folklore surrounding witchcraft and the difficult legacy of the 17th - 18th century witch trials in Europe and America.

The show is on now through Sept 4th and is (best of all) FREE. The center's gallery hours are Monday thru Wednesday 11am - 10pm and Thursday thru Sunday 11am -11pm. The ArtCenter web address is http://www.artcentersf.org and phone number is 305-674-8278.

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8/28/05

Hope every one is dry and powered up after the hurricane. I thought for sure it would be civilized and not show up until midnight so we could do Study Group. Guess again. But we are inspired to draft a new "Eye of the Storm" Ritual.

Next week the Muggles at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale host a homeless family. I would like to see us prepare dinner like before. Email me your offers and plan on 10.

We have new events on our calendar. There's Mystical Gaming plus two classes at our UU Church: one on exorcising ghosts from your past religion and another on the religions of the world. Pagan AA continues. Do tell all your friends who belong there.

Remember Lady Cara and the Enchanted Forest? She is opening up shop in Largo, Florida. See www.enchantedshop.com

We had a fine Spontaneous Ritual last week. We get better and better at working without scripts, and, yes, there is drumming.

Did I mention the West Palm Beach Pagan E-Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WestPalmBeachPagans/join

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8/18/05

One of the things that amaze me about leading a Study Group is the tendency of some folks to continue talking long after they have run out of things to say.

It's like walking a large dog that sees a squirrel and takes off running after it. The dog walker is dragged along. With the speakers, it's like their mouth takes off and they are dragged along.

I have a rather loud and garish bell named "Gentle Gwendolyn" which I ring to get the group's attention when they degenerate into random conversation.

There have been times when I have brought in a Craft elder of many years and some newbie wants to stand up and make a long, droning speech. Another job for Gentle Gwen.

But it's all part of running an open program. Gracefulness makes topics flow smoothly. Talkers are happy when I silence other talkers. Few grudges are held. A talking stick would be another solution, but as facilitator I get to move the program and the energy around. What looks like conversations to some is really theater.

Sometime I am not at a meeting and the difference is obvious. There really is a role for a facilitator, or otherwise the group would degenerate into random babblings.

And things are going well. I m just sharing my observations for leaders elsewhere.

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8/10/05

We found a dancing spoon in our cupboard. It was crashing about and disturbing the office staff. It was a black spoon with drain holes in the scoop and I remember someone looking for it after Lammas. So now it's in the freezer. It moves slower and the office folk can barely hear it at all.

Harvest is upon us. The Bon Festival is going on at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. That's Japanese Halloween, if you are wondering. There is a Sandpiper Circle starting in Miami. There is an E-Group for West Palm Beach Pagans for sharing and networking. Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WestPalmBeachPagans/join

Our Thursday evening Study Group continues with a different topic each week. And the casting call is out for our September Pagan Pride Day. There are many ways to get involved and a Ritual to put on.

Happy Harvest!

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8/2/05

Thanks to everyone for making our Lammas celebration a wonderful gathering.

Thanks to Sophia for her Ritual. Thanks to the drummers for their enthusiasm. Thanks to all the players for doing their parts. Thanks to everyone for cleanup.

We had many sorts of people in attendance. Pagan got to network. Solitaries and covened folk got to mingle. I hear is said, "I'm glad to find I am not the only person who thinks the way I do." Because we are here and so public, people connect and spin off to do their own thing. Thus grows the community in South Florida.

Our Thursday Study Group will continue during August. Come September we have the Fall Equinox and Pagan Pride Day.

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7/26/05

This Thursday we perform our annual Chocolate Ritual. Something this is a satire. Others know it to be deeply spiritual. We found this ritual through an online Google search. We honor the copyright, and keep it moving.

This Saturday we celebrate Lammas and the First Harvest. It's that time on the Wheel of the Year already. Lammas comes from Loaf Mass, a Christian ceremony. It's easier to say than Lughnassadh, which means the honoring and remembering of the god Lugh. It is our tradition to honor also the Egyptian Goddess Sehkmet on this day. Sehkmet is similar to the Caillach, only not quite so fuzzy bunny.

What else is going on? I am getting more inquiries on legal handfastings. There are many among us with "marrying credentials." I noticed that my webpages on this topic were scattered across three domain names, so I linked them all together at moonpathcuups.org/marriage.htm This page will grow as we do more.

The word for the day is currfuffle. The Ker part comes from the Gaelic cur meaning twist or bend. I don't know where fuffle comes from. I can't imagine a Viking using a word like fuffle. Maybe a Roman diplomat, but certainly not a Viking.

Anyway, curfuffle means a disorder, a commotion, or perhaps a Celtic brouhaha.

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7/21/05

Our word for the day is Brouhaha.

It means an uproar, a hubbub, loud confused noise from many sources, or a confused disturbance far greater than its cause merits. My sources tell me that it is found in French from the sixteenth century on and that an earlier origin might be Hebrew.

I wonder. Bruja is Spanish for witch. Brujo is the male form. This is different from the words for magician: mago and maga.

So I wonder: what might a gathering of witches have looked like to a male outsider and Christian? What would a bunch of brujas do but make a big brouhaha.

I can't prove this one, but it makes a nice story.

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7/13/05

Here we are in Mid-Summer. It is a time of faeries and foolishness.

Pagan events continue around South Florida. The big ones come in the fall, but we don't all get three month's vacation. People are still out working their magick, meeting one another, and doing whatever.

We celebrate Lamas at the end of this month. There are classes going on. Study Group continues as usual. Have a magical summer.

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7/6/05 Next week a Wicca 101 Class starts at Crystal Fantasy. It will be taught by Penny and Lucan who are covened folk working towards their third degree. Here is a real opportunity for people looking to start out.

At Study Group, we address topics in no particular order. Stick around for a year and get a big spread of exposure. This week Nereus is presenting on "The Migration of Karma" That would be earlier interpretations of what it means and how they have changed. Karma isn't what it used to be.

This Sunday at 11 AM, Spelcastor is preaching at the Muggle Service at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale. The topic is "Pagan Love." That's how matters of love and sex have been dealt with through the ages and outside of the Judeo-Christian umbrella. Do show up in either robes, garb, or business attire.

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6/28/05

Last Thursday we went inside for our spontaneous ritual, what with all the thunder boomers. In spite of it, we cast a circle, invoked the quarters, and burned stuff. It was really great. After we were done, the fire truck showed up.

Boundaries are magical. Last Sunday I was on the beach with some very witchie folks. We were there for the summer solstice, a boundary between summer and winter. We were there at dawn, the boundary between dark and light. We were standing in the surf, the boundary between land and see. We cast gifts into the sea and gathered water for our coming rituals. Oh, yes, there was also a saining (blessing) of a child. Yes, we do like newborn children.

This week in Study Group we do Pagan Song, a sharing of our traditions that we hear at festivals and other such places.

A Public Service Announcement: Nereus' and Fionn's look to form the pagan men's group in Fort Lauderdale and that their focus will be on what it means - spiritually - to be a man on the pagan path, and not an excuse to bash women or go out with a bow & arrow to kill things. Also that women's' input is quite welcome - we want to know what they would like to see in pagan men.

We are only in the first phase of exploring how this will work, so we have no schedule or anything yet. We just would like to get an idea of how many men would be interested in this type of group. Thanks for your help!

Please email your interest and encouragement to finnstormwing@yahoo.com and nereus1956@juno.com

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6/22/05

This Friday the remake of Bewitched premiers. I really hope they did well.

Nichole Kidman was in Practical Magic and that's now a cult classic. I hope this becomes another one. I will sneak off from work early to see what this creation will be.

Yes, I do like movies and a review will follow. Look for other pointy hats lining up at the box office.

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6/15/05

This Thursday we hear from Ellen, former owner of Inner Wisdom, on the workings of a metaphysical shop. These places do more than sell bells, books, and candles.

A good shop is a community center. There are classes going on and perhaps teachers selling merchandise part time. There are notices of events, either on the bulletin board or under the counter. These are places where the regulars are known and where it's bad manners to just sneak in and paste your flyer on the wall when you think no one is looking.

What do these shops look like, from the other side of the counter? What is the Internet doing to such shops? Was Lirio's Shop in The Craft all that peculiar? What's selling big besides black nail polish and black candles?

This Saturday we celebrate Litha at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale. We gather at 7 pm and feast at 7:30 pm. Bring enough beverage and food to share with a friend. Around 8:30 pm we will start the Ritual. The Feast is early, so we get home before midnight. It's too early in the season to become a pumpkin.

One more thought on the side? What would be involved in incorporating your coven? Visit http://moonpathcuups.org/incorp.htm

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6/6/05

Fifteen Minutes of Fame!

There is a new book out: Exploring the Pagan Path: Wisdom From the Elders by Kristin Madden and friends. Ms Madden assembled many Big Name Pagan and others to contribute to this reference on Paganism. Everyone wrote for free as a fundraiser for Ardante Pagan Seminary www.ardantane.org

Among the others is Spelcastor being interviewed about "The Solitary Pagan" on pages 155-165. Yes, As a celebrity, I am awaiting gifts of morning coffee and afternoon mead.

I saw the invitation to write on a Covenant of the Goddess ListServer. I responded, received guidelines, and submitted 3,000 words. The editors turn this into an interview.

The editors took many other people's good words and spun then into a useful reference for newbie and the experienced. There are five "Top 10" lists plus references and websites. There are explorations o" what the Craft is about, there are sections on organization and leadership, and more on living the Pagan life in community.

Look for Exploring the Pagan Path by Kristin Madden in your local metaphysical store. The publisher is New Page Books and the ISBN is 1-56414-788-6.

This Thursday, wear white to Study Group. We are initiating one of our own, Red, into her tradition.

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5/30/05

There is a Pagan 12-step Program starting up Thursdays at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale. To learn what this is all about, visit www.pagansanctumrecovery.org/Intro.htm

These 12-step programs started in 1939. They have proved successful in dealing with many forms of addiction. The appeal to a higher power does not have to be Christian, and the people who have been there before you have already heard all the stories.

From Stephanie, we hear: Everyone planning to attend next Thursday 6 pm, please look this over so we can discuss meeting format. At the beginning, we agree on how we will do things and who may join us.

I hope that everyone interested will come. We are going to need support. Please help get the word out. Also, an Al-Anon asked about coming. I said, yes We can decide if it is a open to all people with addictive disorders or closed to just alcoholics/addicts too. Please come.

Peace, Stephanie the FoxyOwl. Visit MoonpathCuups.Org/recovery

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5/26/05

This Thursday at Study Group we will have our own Rev Gail Tapscott presenting.

We will hear about folk traditions of Gail's maiden aunts in the low lands of Mississippi. They make poultices to cure anything from gout to a bad marriage. The neighbors would talk and complain about them, and then show up on their doorstep for help.

(A poultice is A soft moist mass of bread, meal, clay, or other adhesive substance, usually heated, spread on cloth, and applied to warm, moisten, or stimulate an aching or inflamed part of the body.)

Do you wonder about seminary? There is a big push for more credential within the Pagan community that would be recognized in the outside world. Gail graduated from Harvard Divinity School. She can tell of what goes on in such lofty places.

We shall also hear about the impact that CUUPS and Paganism is having within the Unitarian Universalist denomination.

Come and bring your questions. This will be a rare program. ***************************************************************
5/17/05

The Full Moon approaches and this Thursday we do a Spontaneous Ritual.

These are the opposite of our scripted rituals. We build a common purpose among ourselves, assign parts, go outside, build a fire and do it.

It's not that preparation is bad, but these rituals give us an opportunity to think on our feet and feel the energy flow. We will be looking for drummers to fill in the dead time and accent what we are doing. And we do things like calling quarter energies, invoking deities, anointing, expunging, blessing, dancing, and raising a little energy.

And it's all fun. I have heard it said that a Ritual performed perfectly will speed the end of time. So far, we have not threatened.

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5/10/05

And now we move on past the Beltaine season. Florida Pagan Gathering had record attendance, somewhere above 600+.

One of the events that I enjoyed at our own celebration was the "Sadie of the Hawk" Chase. The men tape upon themselves leaves made of paper. The more leaves the better and all locations are acceptable but where a guy might feel most vulnerable.

That is because the ladies will chase the men for their leaves. First the men take off running, and then the women start out after them. She who gathers the most leaves is named Queen of the May. And the women are quite aggressive. All orientations are set aside. They want the men for their leaves and nothing else. They are ruthless.

And the women work in packs, tackling the men or chasing them up trees. They are not troubled by competition. They join together in sisterhood with a single focus. It's really quite terrifying.

There were no fatalities this year, only a few collisions, scrapes and bruises. And the Queen of the May emerged victorious.

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5/1/05

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful Beltaine we had in Fort Lauderdale. The Dance of the Maypole, the Sadie Hawk Chase, the Beltaine Ritual, the vendors, the music, the worker bees...

There was much mingling of many geed people, as the season proscribes. I saw no disruptive sorts in need of consciousness raising. And, the clean up crew put the church back together. They never new that they had sever hundred guests and got right back to complaining that so few people come around

So now we enter the summer season. There will, of course, be more faeries about. Our next Open Ritual comes at MidSummer. In the meantime, Study Group will continue, and there will be a spontaneous ritual once a Full Moon. This May we shall learn about the Science of Breath (Think Chanting), How a Metaphysical Shoppe Works, and then a little folk wisdom from our own very credentialed Rev Gail Tapscott.

Oh, yes, it's summer time. That will mean that there will be a little foolishness about too. Sometimes our folks slip off and do things on their own that are not published in the program. Is that inclusive? No. Is it secretive? Maybe. After all, we are witches!

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4/18/05

Here comes Earth Day. We are of an Earth Religion. We are supposed to like that sort of thing.

The idea of Earth Day started in 1962 with Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. The first official Earth Day was November 30, 1969. It has since been moved to April 22 in 1970. Earth Day was a milestone in rising awareness about the environment, and many good programs have been spawned from this energy.

This Thursday at Study Group, we will share stories of Earth Day and then go outside to do a spontaneous ritual.

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4/13/05

We have seen all the Pope funeral coverage in the news and next comes the election. We are getting to watch Pagan ancient ceremonies with a Catholic covering.

One of the earlier Popes was Julius Caesar. At the beginning of his career, Caesar got himself elected Supreme Pontiff in the College of Pontiffs. Their job was to make sure worship was done correctly in the state religion of the time. Supreme Pontiff was a prestigious position and the role was to correct other ruling people's behavior.

Caesar, and his successor Augustus, were later named gods. They were popular and did things that other people liked. Sounds like sainthood to me.

St. Peter's Basilica is built on the site of the stadium where chariot races were once held. Remember the movie Ben Hur? Inside is a big statue said to be St. Peter. Pilgrims touch it's foot and have warn it smooth. Under the previous management, this statue was seen as Jupiter, or was it Neptune?

Yes, here is old time religion on a grand scale. I will watch closely and take notes for my next ritual.

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4/4/05

This Thursday at Study Group, we conjure The Morgann. Finn and Dragnfli will lead us.

Everyone is asked to wear black, show up on time, and behave in an appropriately solemn manner. The Morgann is a Celtic Goddess associated with death, war, and fate. She reigns over the battlefield and she is associated with crows and ravens. Although she is often portrayed in her crone aspect, she has been known to shape ship into the maiden. She rules over prophesy, revenge, banishing magick, overcoming enemies, and witches. She is not a Fuzzy Bunny Goddess.

Meanwhile, there is a big sale on at the Enchanted Forest, 9907 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines, FL. Phone 954.885.9763. They are moving to Tampa, and what they sell, they to not have to lug.

And thanks for the outpouring of concern for Spelcastor and his Mom, and the hazardous number of candles that are now lit. We are all part of a great community.

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3/29/05

Spelcastor's Mom has been diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas and has chosen to move directly from the hospital to hospice. Two weeks ago she was running through an airport.

The docs give her 3-6 months and at 86 she has no interest in chemo. Money is not an issue. She is presently looking quite chipper sitting up and holding court for a parade of family.

I will experience a roller coaster of emotions and a swirl of memories as I go through this and take part in shutting down her home. There are many pictures and memories.

I have heard it said that, "If one does not know how to die, one does not know how to live." I hope that I do as well as she. What do I need? Hugs and lit candles are nice. This is an exit strategy and a celebration of a life.

So I will be flitting back and forth to Virginia. I will be around for our CUUPS doings.

What does all this have to do with the Craft? Nothing and everything. Next week I will have a different topic. Bless.

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3/23/05

This week is the time of the Christian High Holy Day of Easter. It betrays it's Pagan roots in that it's date is always the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Spring Equinox. The other Christian holidays are solar, each has a fixed date on the Wheel of the Year. Easter is Lunar.

Some Pagans have issues with Christianity. This time of year we encounter another source of Pagan disapproval: "Fuzzy Bunnies." Nature loving is nice, but there is also a dark side to the Craft. Those who neglect this aspect are labeled "Fuzzy Bunnies." There is even a Fuzzy Bunny Ritual online at http://www.cuups.org/content/liturgy/ritual/bunny.html

One would think that some of these people are not quite serious. There is even a reverence for Monty Python's conception of "The Killer Rabbit." See http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=TYV15025

I have yet to see a Killer Rabbit Ritual. (Groaning pun intended.)

Have a Blessed Ostara, Easter, both, or neither. But please don't serve up roast or deep-fried Thumper.

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3/16/05

This Thursday is a company holiday for my business. I will camp out at McQuire's Hill 16 in the afternoon to listen to music, drink beer, and eat corned beef and cabbage.

In spite of that, I will show up a Study Group that evening where our topic will be "Reclaiming the Shamrock and the Snake." I will bring stories to share. The snake was an early symbol of the Pagans and that is who Patrick was said to have driven out. Who knows about the shamrock? Everyone is invited to bring their stories. We are a Study Group and not a lecture series, so participation is welcome. We have many good resources among us.

This Saturday, we gather at 7:00 PM at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale to celebrate Ostara. I suspect that the ritual will begin around 7:30-7:45 PM. Do bring ritual garb and food & beverage for the feast to follow. Our friends from Silver CUUPS of Holly will be leading us in ritual. Thanks and welcome to them. We are fortunate to experience so many styles of ritual right here at home.

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3/8/05

One of our own resident Elders has written a book, "The Witches Heart, A Book of Shadows: EarthGuard Wicca."

Lady Cara has been a leader in the South Florida Wiccan community since 1978. She moves mostly in Gardnerian Circles, so not everyone may have met her. Me, nearly 10 years ago, I used to go out to Magickal Forrest for the Monday Night "Meet the Witch" Sessions.

The Book starts with the Lady's personal search, connecting, and the feeling of coming home. It goes on to meeting with Patricia Crowther, trips to England, and the forming of the Path of the Pentacle Coven.

And then there are Guides to Seekers, the Ancient Ones, Discovering Self, and more. I read through the how to's, looked at the pictures, even recognized some of the people, and felt a warmth between the lines.

Although this is a guide for practicing as a solitary or working as a group, it is more than just another Wicca 101. We find so many of those these days. Here is a guide for self-discovery and practice, and not how to become a Gardnerian HPS. These are real and caring people practicing the Craft.

The Pre-published version is available at Enchanted Forest Books and Gifts, 9907 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines. 33024 954/885-9763 The published version will be printed in England, of course. The Witchvox.com link is http://www.witchvox.com/vn/vn_detail/dt_sh.html?a=usfl&id=5124

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2/28/05

On Thursday nights at our local UU church, we Pagans meet at one end of the hall and a Buddhist meditation group meets at the other.

As people enter our building, some turn left and some turn right. I wonder what the distinction is? Perhaps Buddhists are into emptying and we pagans are into filling. Both options are good, even though I could do with a little emptying now and then.

When UU groups look to explore spirituality, I see them flee their Christian roots and move fare enough away to feel safe. Some explore Buddhism and some explore the pagan world.

Not all UU churches have both to offer. It depends upon who on the inside has taken steps in this direction. I have seen parents drop their teen off with the Pagans and then go down the hall to visit the Buddhists.

I generalize, but I do ponder over these differences and what else they might be clues to.

Some Buddhists use circular breathing in their chanting. With this technique they are never silent but don't pass out from lack of air. That sounds like a useful skill for my Pagan chanting. There is something at both ends of the hall for me.

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2/15/05

This Saturday at 7 PM, we invite "Faerie" Elaine Silver here for a Magickal Concert. This will be Elaine's fifth visit to CUUPS. Tickets are $15 at the door, kids free. There will be cookies and beverages for sale, as well as Elaine's CDs.

Following the concert, we will close the cash box and go outside for a musical ritual around the fire. There will be Faeries and Children of the Moon. We will call quarters, invoke the Goddess, and raise energy, all to live music. See http://uucfl.org/faerie/

Come out and enjoy the magick!

This Thursday at Study Group, Arawann will be presenting on Energy Transfers. Arawann recently celebrated his dedication. See http://moonpathcuups.org/rituals/arawann.htm No, I did not write this one.

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2/9/05

Perhaps by now the furor has died down over the Channel 7 feature on the Festival of Fire. Going public, in a forum where one does not have complete control, is challenging.

Thus this Thursday's Study Group topic seems quite timely: An Annotated Viewing of the 1996 film, "The Craft." We will introduce a segment, view it, and fast-forward on to the next. Having the CD, I have researched the interviews and the director's notes.

What to look for are the visuals and workings that we may not have experienced on our own. The film had a Wiccan Technical Consultant, Patricia Devin, who the director located through the Covenant of the Goddess.

The film is not without its own controversy. That might have something to do with the 3,000 snakes used in the final scenes. Ms. Devin did get a lot of grief, and she did not have complete control. But, there is value to this film, and that is what we will be studying.

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2/3/05

Channel 7 News did their broadcast inside their 10 PM news show last night. See the transcript at http://www1.wsvn.com/features/articles/specialreport/DBM983/ You can send them comments from that page.

It seemed accurate. Yes, they like to get a bit sensational, but the story line seemed accurate. I don't recall any baptisms that night, but there were infants around.

I saw many faces I know on camera. They all wanted to be there. Included was a sound bite rebuttal from a Bill Schnoebelen. He looked like either Santa Clause or Michael Angelo's paining of God. You can find him through Google.com

There was no mention of CUUPS or the UU Church. That's fine. It was not our story. It looked like good press to me. No reason to hex their TV towers. It will upset the Fundies and get even more people interested in us.

The feature screens again at 6 PM tonight on Channel 7.

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2/1/05

Last Saturday, we had a delightful ritual led by Sandra Cheryl Richardson from Miami. See moonpathcuups.org/scr/

We invited Channel 7 TV News to join us. They were very respectful of our space, plus some of our people are closeted. As agreed, they watched the ritual looking for ideas for the photo op we would provide later. Then, after we warned everyone, they went outside to video our spiral dance. Following that, they interviewed the willing.

I see us Pagans involved in a public relations crusade. Thus, I am polite and professional with them. I know TV likes visuals and sound bites. I know a photographer/videographer does best with a personal escort, so only willing people are photographed.

So this Thursday at 10 PM, and again on Friday at 6 PM, this feature is scheduled to air on Channel 7 Fox News from Fort Lauderdale. We hope for the best and a positive spin. We will keep our fingers crossed and our wands ready.

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1/26/05

This Saturday we celebrate an Open Ritual for Imbolc, the Candle Festival of the Maiden Goddess. Our special guest High Priestess will be Sandra Cheryl Richardson. See moonpathcuups.org/scr/ The published gathering time is 7 pm. We will start some time after that.

This Thursday at Study Group, we will share stories of Imbolc, the quickening of the lambs, Brigid's bed, and the first hint of summer. This festival has been supplanted by Ground Hog's Day. Instead of snakes returning from the Inner Earth with prophesy, we have a furry rodent telling us how much winter is left.

I prefer the old ways. Saturday, we will light 200 tea candles inside. (Please don't knock any over.) Our altar will be set and our ritual will begin. Yes, we welcome HPS Sandra.

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1/9/05

This week at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale, we host two homeless families. On our Study Group night, some of will come early at 5 PM bringing salad, soup, bread, or spaghetti and sauce. Later, the guests will be otherwise entertained and we will go down the hall for Study Group.

The topic is the Ritual of Diana's Bow. Men are asked to wear black. Women wear white. We will start with stories of the traditions of Diana and the symbolism of the New Moon with its New Beginnings. Diana, the Roman Goddess of the Hunt is rather feisty and quite popular in feminist circles. The first sliver of the moon resembles a bow, the bow of the huntress.

Then we will move outside and celebrate our ritual. Do bring a gift for the Goddess: a flower, a stone, or some such thing.

I wonder if our guests will notice what we are up to?

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12/28/04

Here we come upon the Gregorian New Year. That's the mundane calendar we use, set up by Pope Gregory.

The Celts placed their new year at Samhain. I prefer that one, but I cannot help but be swept along with this Muggle passage. And passage it is: for a brief moment at midnight, I will be reminded that time is passing. From that, I can ask how I am living and how much time I have left.

Salt is a purifier. I like to toss a pinch of salt into the air at the stroke of midnight. The gesture is to block negativity from following me into the new year.

There are other customs, like house cleanings. There are special foods for new years in some cultures.

What are your customs? We will share these in Study Group this Thursday.

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12/21/04

Tomorrow evening at Study Group, we celebrate the Year and a Day, First Degree Initiation of a Solitary.

And if you enjoy that oxymoron, I will tell you more. We are a band of solitaries. If any of us may have undergone a First Degree Initiation anywhere else, we would be sworn to hold it secret.

But a passage is a passage, and we do like spontaneous rituals. We plan to light a fire, burn a few things, use no scripts and act out. We will start inside and talk about our sources and purpose. But then we will go outside and just do it. How close will we be to what others do? Can't say! It's a secret.

Symbolic gifts for the dedicant are welcomed as he begins the next phase of his journey.

In religion: remember, and, failing that, invent!

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12/15/04

Here comes Yule:

This Thursday in Study Group, we will share Yule stories and traditions. Do bring yours. Yule is a solar festival signaling the longest night of the year. Typically we begin in darkness and then light torches and bonfire.

Then we will plan and rehearse our Yule Ritual for Saturday.

Saturday 7 PM we will open our doors and then celebrate our open Yule Ritual. Wear ritual garb if you have it. We will follow this with a pot luck feast and some deejay music. A few of us might exchange gifts, but that's optional. We have some Yule carols. We might even go carol our Muggle neighbors.

'Tis the season!

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12/6/04

This Thursday at Study Group, Ray is bringing us a "Show and Taste" Presentation on Mead Making.

Last week I passed around a signup sheet for email addresses of folks who wanted to bring stuff to make some mead. I put that list in a very safe place. I am sure I will find it by Friday.

If you were on the first email list, email spelcastor@aol.com and when I hear from Ray, I will pass the instructions on to you. Otherwise, show up and learn something.

Mead is a popular beverage in Pagan circles. OK, some like merlot, cabernet or honey lager, but mead really is popular.

We shall see how this program unfolds.

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11/30/04

This Thursday I will talk about Celtic Music and show the 20 minute video, No Journey's End by Loreena McKennitt. Where other religions have scripture, some might say that we have song to carry our sacred stories.

And speaking of sacred, the following week, we are planning a Mead Making Show and Taste. For the uninitiated out these, mead is a fermented beverage made from honey. It has been known to attract Vikings.

We are moving on around the Wheel of the Year towards Yule. On the darkest night of the year we gather to bring back the sun and the light. You can tell your Muggle relatives that you are going to a Yule Party and they may even feel glad about that.

'Tis the Season!

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11/24/04

Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving. This is a secular harvest celebration. It was proclaimed a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln in an effort to foster unity. It's legend is drawn from the Puritan Pilgrims in the 1600s celebrating with the Native Americans.

Not everyone onboard the good ship Mayflower was a Puritan. Many had reason to come to the New World. Many sought freedom, religious or otherwise. Perhaps there were a few on paths closer to our Pagan ways. Perhaps a few had more of a respect for women and a reverence for the Earth. Sometimes, the tradition lives on after the origins are forgotten.

Perhaps there were more than two sorts of people around that table near Plymouth Rock. Perhaps that is what we will do tomorrow.

Gobble, Gobble!

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11/21/04

Florida Pagan Gathering attracted nearly 500 people last weekend, making it the biggest Pagan gathering in Florida.

Isaac Benowitz was presenting among the celebrity authors. He has been doing Pagan things since the 70s. He offered multiple workshops on historical, ethical and contemporary topics. His tip on deciding which spellwork is ethical, he suggested we substitute baseball bat for spell and then think about the ethics. The idea is that the same values apply in the mundane and metaphysical worlds.

The theme of the Saturday night Main Ritual was Gathering of the Clans. Along with the high tech pageantry, we all got to line up and raise some energy with old-fashioned torches.

There was also partying, networking, vendors and mead drinking. The next FPG in St. Pete will be May 508 for Beltaine. Y'all come.

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11/11/04

Here we come up upon a big weekend of activities.

Some of us are going to Florida Pagan gathering in St. Pete. Others are going to the Camelot Days Festival in Hollywood. The local shops are also putting on programs.

This evening at Study Group, we shall experience "The Croning of a Druid."

We are closing out the Samhain season. Four hurricanes and the election are behind us. It is time to resume our journey around the Wheel of the Year.

Blessed New Year!

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10/31/04

Our Witches Ball was a big success. We counted 700+ people attending. There were Grand Ladies of High Degree, Solitaries, seekers, the curious, and everyone in between. Last year, we had 400+.

My thanks to everyone who made it possible. Our Ritual Players, our Gatekeepers, our Drummers, our Handfasting Party, our Vendors, our Door Prize Donors, our Haunted House, our Deejay, our Cleanup Crew and Everyone who participated. Thanks you! Thank You! Thank you!

I am looking for feedback on what went well and what we might improve upon next year. Our Witches Ball is a work in progress. For one thing, the idea of multiple rituals has really caught on. The Midnight Ritual is posted at MoonPathCUUPS.Org/rituals/

I have a cell phone with the name Whisper on it. We shall see what else turns up in Lost and Found. We shall see what else turns up.

This Thursday we will talk about the Ball and then move on to Kwan Ying with Becky. The Wheel of the Year continues to turn. We are moving on to Florida Pagan Gathering and Yule.

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10/26/04

This Saturday we celebrate our Seventh Annual Witches Ball. See the article published in last Sunday's Sun-Sentinel at moonpathcuups.org/why.htm and some history about our event. It's our High Holy Days.

Doors open at 7:30 PM. DJ music starts at 8 PM. We will have lights on our labyrinth and rituals at 10:15 and Midnight. There will be attoning with the dead at 9 PM. $10 at the door. We will be accepting canned food for the homeless feeding program. Come early. Parking will get crazy. Bring your favorite beverage and act responsibly. There will be some food and munches. Costumes will be outrageous.

Among us will be Elders, Newbies, Seekers, Muggles, the Curious and the Watchers.

Visit moonpathcuups.org/wball.htm for more info. Most of all, we are a community. Come, mingle, be thoughtful and courteous, and enjoy.

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10/19/04

To Will, to Dare, to Know, to Keep Silent.

That's a popular phrase explaining an entry into the Craft. It takes will to begin the journey. This is not a spectator sport. It takes crossing lines to connect with Crafty things, to find people and to claim labels that are not universally popular. It takes a while for it all to come together and suddenly you realize you know. And once you know, you may loose the need to enter into every debate, or to share with just anybody.

Four neat words. Then turn them around: To Keep Silent, to Dare, to Will, to Know.

To sit in silence and then dare to act on your feelings, to muster the will to continue, and to finally know.

Four neat words. Then turn them again: To Dare, to Keep Silent, to Know, to Will.

To dare to act on your feelings, to keep silent and nurture your growing awareness, to dare to continue, and finally the will to act.

Four neat words. Then turn one more time: To Know, to Will, to Keep Silent, to Dare.

To know in your heart, to decide to do something about it, to keep silent while preparing, and then to dare to act.

Perhaps we could build a whole Book of Shadows out of the 24 possible combinations of these four words. Neat, huh?

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10/11/04

We are starting our planning for the Witches Ball. We will do our first ritual walk thru Thursday after we hear about the Mystical Mind from Nereus.

Samhain is our High Holy Day (Night) and marks the Celtic New Year. The "third harvest" has come in and the veil between the worlds is especially thin. It's a good time for divination and community with the departed. It's also a fine time for networking. All sorts of people are out and about. One never knows whom one might be standing next to.

And now for a public service announcement:

Lady E is proud to announce the forming of The Order of the Chalice and the Serpent, a magical order encompassing both the Grail Tradition (Welsh/Celtic DruidCraft) and Traditional Hereditary Stregharia (Italian Shamanic Witchcraft). Anyone interested in more information on either tradition (different magical systems), can contact Lady Eilonwy at ocs156@yahoo.com or lady_eilonwy_ocs@yahoo.com You are also welcome to join our e-group for discussion and learning at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TempleoftheCrescentMoon/

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9/29/04

This Thursday in Study Group, the topic will be Mythologies. Come and explore.

Next week we will describe seminaries: how they work in other religions, what is happening in the Pagan world, and how they might be of value.

Starting a week from Wednesday at the Fort Lauderdale UU Church, their will be a 10 week class on "Building Your Own Theology." It's for folks who want to clarify their current thinking and match some academic words to it. It's for Muggles and Pagans too.

Other people are doing atonement. Here we have opportunities to view our place along our path. Then, we move on to our Seventh Annual Witches Ball and the High Holy Night of Samhain.

Happy New Year!

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9/20/04

We had a fine turnout for Pagan Pride. We gathered food for the homeless and made some money for the Muggle church. This does keep us welcome.

Thor's chariot rumbled about the time of our ritual and the call to the West was especially answered. The Ritual went on. Thanks to everyone for making the day possible.

Now our attention will move around the wheel to the Seventh Annual Witches Ball. Tee shirts are already available. Ritual writing has begun. casting calls and volunteer lists are next. Meanwhile, we keep do our Thursday Evening Study Group. This week's topic is Transferring Energy with Arawann.

There is NO HOMELESS FEEDING this Thursday. We will reschedule for later as plans crumbled. If you offered to bring food or cook next Thursday, wait. Thanks, and we'll do it later.

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9/14/04

This Saturday we put the storms behind us and celebrate Pagan Pride Day at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale. Even if it rains, most of the events are planned for inside. There will be vendors, workshops, ritual and more. Price of admission? A few canned goods for the Cooperative Feeding Program.

And these have been trying times. Just last week I spotted a band of women roaming my street waving hair dryers and extension cords. One does not know hardship until we experience it.

I am so tired of watching the Weather Channel, but grateful I had power. The patio furniture may go back out real soon, but my hard-to-reach shutters are staying up until Yule.

Yes, things will not be pleasant in the panhandle, but life goes on here.

Thursday at Study Group, Nereus will present "The Mystical Man." No feminist jokes here. This is Craft stuff. The Inquisition did not get all of us.

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9/3/04

Be safe!

I did not make it to Study Group last night. Sophia and Ken did, but they were the only ones. I was putting up shutters in preparation for Francis, and it took longer than I figured.

Now I am hunkered down at home with ample supplies of batteries, videos, candles, books, and wine. My big problem is boredom. This storm appears to be drifting north. Earlier, it was aiming for my house and I was appropriately terrified. Now I would lament loosing my reading light as I eat the frozen stuff in my freezer.

Being a person who darts about trying to do too much at once, here is a quiet time of opportunity in which I can read, meditate and give thanks that I am not trapped in a shelter.

The most dangerous part of this storm will come when it is past, what with downed power lines, puddles containing hazards, and canals that will look like roads. Take your time and finish that book.

We can put our lives and our CUUPS schedule back together next week. In the meantime, be safe!

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8/31/04

One of the bonds among us Pagans is performing our Rituals. The invoked Goddess may vary, and the HPS may not always be at her best, but Ritual, as well as community, is what we keep coming back for.

So after the novelty wears off, what is it about Ritual? Here is a time when we suspect belief. We may trance out and flow. We forget our mundane world of hurrying and cell phones. The more rituals we attend, the more we learn how to flow with the energy. When the HPS places elements other than those which we expect at the quarters, it just keeps us flexible.

We are learning an art that we take with us to bad rituals and other places too.

Our culture comes out of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment in which the intellect triumphed. We rose above superstition and the ways of primitive peoples. We were better than them and thus we were entitled to take their land and ravish their buffalo. We were better than they were so we turned them into colonies.

Perhaps we Pagans are reclaiming the ecstatic states that were part of earlier cultures. Perhaps we are coming around full circle to what it means to be fully human.

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8/26/04

This week we plan and do a spontaneous Ritual in Study Group. We will honor the Fire King and the more focused we get, the better the energy will be.

This is the weekend of the rescheduled Bon Festival. What's that got to do with witches?

I have a warm place in my heart for things Japanese, but that is a different story. Here is a culture with its own knights, legends, ancestors and cast system. There is patriarchy, with women running the home while men do politics and war. There is even a special place for the fox.

Yet here from half way around the world is a fire festival of the dead. It is harvest time all over the Northern Hemisphere. Within our interconnected web, others besides ourselves pause to remember the departed.

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8/17/04

People ask what is the story of these broadcasts.

I started in 1997 using AOL to send out a thought plus a schedule of my own and other people's pagan events. The list has grown to 550+ people. I don't know who they now are, and I do not share the list. Some are outside Florida and some are outside of the US. The broadcast is picked up by a Yahoo Group over which I have no control. I drop email address that are reported as invalid, and I add people upon request.

People seem to like my words. I post an archive at moonpathcuups.org/archive.htm Sometime a volley of replies is provoked.

I gather events and post them at moonpathcuups.org/coming.htm I know people like this, because I hear from them when theirs are missing. I would much rather hear how much extra traffic I bring. I really am limited in space by AOL and I have long since had to split the list into two broadcasts.

The best way to get things included is to email them to me in the format that I will use. Sometimes I get busy and forget where I filed things. I do pick and choose what looks "witchie" to me. I do not have time to prowl around websites looking for schedules.

I compile a broadcast by cutting and pasting from moonpathcuups.org/coming.htm and starting it off with a thought. Sometimes I wax philosophical, and sometimes I am pushing an event.

It is all a labor of love and may have had something to do with the growth of the Craft in South Florida. Blessed Be.

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8/11/04

There is a new book out by Cheryl Richardson entitled Magicka Formularia, a Study in Formulary Magick. It's available at your local metaphysical stores and is ISBN: 0-9726309-0-2. Rev Cheryl is of the Mystical Aamulet in Miami and we are inviting her up for our Pagan Pride Day. This makes much more economic sense than flying someone in from Salem. Support our local talent.

This book would be appealing to folks on multiple paths, and the Karma of ethics is a frequent reminder. Remember when dabbling in spelwork, to start a notebook so you can remember what you did, just in case something works.

I like making up my own spells, but I am not above borrowing. Not everyone has a steamer truck in the attic holding a Book of Shadows from her great grandmother. Some words work better than others, and these are worth collecting.

A formularia goes into how to build spells and why. There is the moon to be aware of, plus colors, symbols, stars, days, moon water, and such. And there are so many occasions for spells, like house blessings, protections, cleansings, prosperity, love, healing, and banishing.

Speaking of banishing, does anyone have a spell to fend off hurricanes? Be safe.

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8/2/04

This week in Study Group we will have an open discussion of "Whatever." Debra, our presenter got a paying booking, so we will amuse ourselves.

A while ago, we talked about vouching. Vouching for another person is a big deal within the Craft. The Inquisition is past, mostly, but there are still risks for outed Pagans. Also, why mess up a fellow Pagan's event by bringing along someone who dies not know how to behave.

Such behavior is not a big Craft secret. It's things like, don't touch stuff on the altar. Be respectfully quiet during a Ritual. Do not dive into the food for the feast claiming you are having a medical emergency. Don't come back later and steal the TV set.

These are simple lessons everybody's mommy should have taught them. Perhaps some mommies don't know either. There are many traditions loose in the world.

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7/30/04

Craft. In two weeks we do The Wisdom of the Celts: who they were, their impact, and what they have to do with Witchcraft. In three weeks, we do the Kabalah.

The folks at Florida Pagan Gathering are looking for workshop leaders for Samhain. I will dig out BoomBoom's email address.

Next week I will include an updated schedule. The complete version of what I have is always online at MoonPathCUUPS.Org/coming.htm

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7/25/04

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, any clergy looking to perform a legal wedding must first register with a Clerk of the Court. This is a once-in-a-lifetime requirement, and registration in one county is valid all over Virginia.

This is different from Florida which has a 400 year history as a haven for fleeing Seminoles, French, Spanish, British loyalists, escaped slaves, poachers and rum runners. For centuries in Florida minority leaders have been unwilling to identify themselves inside any government building.

I perform handfastings in Florida using my Covenant of the Goddess credentials, but I attend events in Virginia too, and I wanted to be ready.

So it was that I strode into the basement of the Montgomery County Court House and found the Clerk's office inside what looked like a bank vault. I informed the two nice ladies there that I had come to register as clergy. They said, "Fine, we do that here," pulled out a form, and asked for my ordination credentials.

They were momentarily puzzled by the CoG certificate, but then we moved on to the first blank on their form: "Name." I gave them my mundane name, because that was what they wanted. Next came "Title." I choose "Reverend" because I was there to fit into the system and not look weird. I know other CoG Elders who use reverend for the same reason. For "Affiliation," I put "Covenant of the Goddess." This was gentler than "Witch," and more to the point.

I asked if I got a receipt and they said no, but they would confirm my registration to anyone who asked. In the Craft, I know what it means to be vouched for. Then they asked if I married people outside my community and, if so, would I like to leave some business cards with them. It seems that there was only one person in town who married the unchurched, and he could charge anything he wants.

The ladies were quite pleasant, and I thanked them but admitted I was rarely in the area. As I drove out of town, past the white steeples of Christiansburg, Virginia, I mused that they had registered (perhaps) their first witch, and that I had missed an opportunity for evangelism.

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7/13/04

This Thursday in Study Group, I have invited Lady B and Friends to share with us about Covenant of the Goddess. CoG is a national umbrella organization of covens and solitaries including such notables as Margot Adler, Starhark and Amber K.

CoG.org is for folks who have already completed their year and a day and who make themselves known to local members.

Lady B is a "Traditional Witch." She has risen through a degree system that takes several years. Her teacher made the same journey before her and so did her teacher.

One thing to listen for is the importance of vouching. When one member of the Craft vouches for another, that means something. Another thing to listen for is silence. Some topics will not be covered.

Do bring your questions. Interviewing helps.

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7/5/04

Today is Spelcastor's Birthday. Happy Birthday to me!

There is a new group forming called "Green Earth Coven" this is part of EarthGuard Tradition. It meets every last Saturday of the month at Enchanted Forest Books and Gifts at 7pm. This group is open to new students who are interested in learning how to connect to earth spirits, how to work with their personal ancestral guides, how to work with ritual and create it as well as working with the pentacle for balance through the elements. If someone would like to learn more about the tradition they can pick up the book "The Witches Heart" at the Enchanted Forest. Email Lady Cara at esmith7082@aol.com.

There is also a couple guys who come to our Study Group who are looking to form a group. It is not so clear to me just what they have in mind.

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6/22/04

In my travels, I hear people muttering about wanting more spirituality. I hear this especially in the Muggle world.

So what is spirituality? It's the connection I make between me and the Great Whatever. This Great Whatever could be the Goddess, Hern, Jeeezzus, the Oversoul, Panet Earth, the people around me, or whatever.

Perhaps in attending a ritual led by an especially gifted High Priestess, where she would weave words, song, chant, story, music and gesture, I would feel something I would call "spiritual." Maybe so, but I would be riding upon her gifts and her magick.

This connection, for me, is really something to make myself. I might choose a direction taking me far from past religious wounds. I might move towards something that has more balance than patriarchy and a beauty all its own.

Yes, this spiritual stuff, I see to be an individual quest, but I really do like taking a ride with a gifted HPS.

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6/18/04

No one believes our ritual start times anyway, but we are moving this Saturday's Summer Solstice published start time forward to 7:30 PM. The actual Celtic Faerie Ritual will start at dark.

So who are the Faeries? Some say nature spirits that have always been around. Some say the Old Goddesses and Gods, now exiled in the Christian era.

They are not all cute little dragonfly creatures. There are pookas and banshees and elves and assorted other critters. Some are not very nice. Some just hide your car keys.

The come to us from the Otherword, through springs, rock mounds, and other gateways. Welcome to the Faerie, most of them.

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6/9/04

I am reading about Celtic Wisdom in a book by Carl McColman. It's the Complete Idiot's Guide, I find the analytical structure to be helpful in exploring a world that prides itself upon its knot work.

I see that I am more druid than ovate. My prayer life is not dazzling and I do not tend towards a shaman path. I am more bard than druid, as I do tend towards stories, teaching, and a good performance. A bard, "is the custodian of an alternative vision. He or she helps us to see that the world is not just the way the government or the church or big business wants us to think it is."

I do not claim titles that others have worked long and hard for. We can all wonder what and who is authentic, but that is part of the daily choices of life. I do like the many-fold path. I see folks upon the "only" path get a bit harsh with their neighbors.

This week I am wandering about green trails in Virginia, a fine place for either a druid or a bard.

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6/2/04

This Saturday the Covenant of the Goddess (www.cog.org) presents the Religious Freedom Festival & Interfaith Celebration. The Everglades Moon Local Council is setting up shop at the UU Church of Fort Lauderdale from Noon until 11 PM.

There will be speakers, musical entertainment, bellydancing, a drumming circle, Tarot readers, vendors and voter registration. The CogKin do more than just bring together covens and solitaries, offer ministerial credentials, and not-so-public events. They also to interfaith outreach.

There is outreach on the national level (www.cog.org/interfaith/) and here you are seeing outreach on the local level. So here is a gala event, $10 at the door for adults, children under 12 free. A copy of the flyer is posted at MoonPathCUUPS.Org/rff.pdf if you can open a PDF file.

Do come out and play.

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