Imbolc and the Shadow By Iacchus 01/10/16

Personal unconsciousness is a domain of the soul’s unconsciousness where individual memories are stored. These memories include everything a person has done, experienced or thought. All memories have conscious and emotional impressions. These impressions can vary in strength or weakness and they can be strengthened by routine or ritual-repetitive activity and by acting on or retrieving memory material. It also can be strengthened by the consciousness making associations, or giving attributes, to a memory. This process allows consciousness to recall or remember stored information in an individual’s memory. There is a tendency for impressions of memory to weaken over time, so recall becomes more difficult to occur unless you remember them. This is how memory fades and becomes less accessible to consciousness and is more deeply present in one’s personal unconscious. Memory as a whole is a liminal system that straddles the conscious and the unconscious boundaries of the human soul.

The Shadow

“In 1945 C.G. Jung gave the most direct and clear-cut definition of the shadow:’ the thing a person has no wish to be’ (CW16para 470). In this simple statement is subsumed the many sided and repeated references to shadow as the negative side of the personality, the sum of all the unpleasant qualities one wants to hide, the inferior, worthless and primitive side of man’s nature, the ‘other person’ in  one’s own dark side. Jung was well aware of the reality of evil in human life.

Over and over again he emphasizes that we all have a shadow, that everything substantial casts a shadow, that the ego stands to shadow as like to shade, that it is the shadow which makes us human.
‘Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. If an inferiority is conscious, one always has a chance to correct it. Furthermore, it is constantly in contact with other interests, so that it is continually subjected to modifications. But if it is repressed and isolated from consciousness, it never gets corrected, and is liable to burst forth suddenly in a moment of unawareness. In all counts, it forms an unconscious snake, thwarting our most well-meant intentions (CW11 para.131)…

Jung professed to deal with the shadow in a way different from the Freudian approach, which he said that he had found limited. Recognizing that the shadow is a living part of the personality and that ‘it wants to live with it’ in some form, he identifies it, first of all, with The Contents of the Personal Unconscious. Dealing with these contents involves one in coming to terms with the Instincts and how their expression has been subject to control by the Collective [see adaptation]. Moreover, the contents of the personal unconscious are strictly merged with the archetypal contents of the collective unconscious, themselves continued their own dark side [see Archetype; Opposites]. In other words, it is impossible to eradicate the shadow; hence, the term most frequently employed by analytical psychologists for the process of shadow confrontation in analysis is ’coming to terms with the shadow’.

Given that the shadow is an archetype; its contents are powerful, marked by affect, obsessional, possessive, autonomous-in short, capable of startling and overwhelming the well-ordered ego. Like all contents capable of entering consciousness, initially they appear in Projection and when consciousness is in a threatened or doubtful condition, shadow manifests as a strong, irrational projection, positive or negative, about one’s neighbor. Here Jung found a convincing explanation not only of personal antipathies but also the cruel prejudices and persecutions of our time.

So far as Shadow is concerned, the aim of psychotherapy [the cult of the soul] is to develop an awareness of those IMAGES and situations most likely to produce shadow projections and one’s individual life. To admit and so analyze the shadow is to break its compulsive hold. (See individuation; integration; possession in “A Critical Dictionary of Jungian Analysis”, by Andrew Samuels, Bani Shorter and Fred Plaut pp.138-139).

Further comments by Dr.Stephen A. Diamond Ph.D. “The shadow, said celebrated Swiss psychiatrist C.G. Jung  is the unknown ‘‘dark side’’ of our personality–-dark both because it tends to consist predominantly of the primitive, negative, socially or religiously depreciated human emotions and impulses like sexual lust, power striving, selfishness, greed, envy, anger or rage, and due to its unenlightened nature, completely obscured from consciousness. Whatever we deem evil, inferior or unacceptable and deny in ourselves becomes part of the shadow, the counterpoint to what Jung called the persona or conscious ego personality. According to Jungian analyst Aniela Jaffe, the shadow is the ‘‘sum of all personal and collective psychic elements which, because of their incompatibility with the chosen conscious attitude, are denied expression in life’’. Indeed, Jung differentiated between the personal shadow and the impersonal or archetypal shadow, which acknowledges trans-personal, pure or radical evil (symbolized by the Devil and demons) and collective evil, exemplified by the horror of the Nazi holocaust. Literary and historical figures like Adolf Hitler, Charles Manson, and Darth Vader personify the shadow embodied in its most negative archetypal human form.

Yet, the shadow, while very real, is not meant to be taken concretely or literally but rather, allegorically. It is not an evil entity existing apart from the person, nor an invading alien force, though it may be felt as such. The shadow is a universal (archetypal) feature of the human psyche for which we bear full responsibility to cope with as creatively as possible. But despite its well-deserved reputation for wreaking havoc and engendering widespread suffering in human affairs, the shadow–in distinction to the literal idea of the devil or demons–can be redeemed: The shadow must never be dismissed as merely evil or demonic, for it contains natural, life-giving, underdeveloped positive potentialities too. Coming to terms with the shadow and constructively accepting and assimilating it into the conscious personality is central to the process of Jungian analysis.
Working with dream material is key to comprehending and dealing creatively with the shadow. The shadow tends to appear in dreams as a figure of the same sex as the dreamer, but Jung draws a distinction between the personal shadow and the anima or animus, symbolized in dreams as the opposite sex. Typically, it is the subjective experience of the shadow or evil and its ego-dystonic effects (or, as in the case of the hyper-civilized Dr. Jekyll, an inexplicable malaise or vague sense that something vital is missing in us) which motivates the person to seek-psychotherapy and spurs one toward new growth, maturation, balance, integration, wholeness and individuation. Indeed, in many ways we need the shadow, and must therefore learn to develop a more conscious and constructive relationship to it. Becoming conscious of the shadow requires tolerating the inherent tension of opposites within: sometimes ‘‘having it out’’ with the shadow and standing up to its destructive influence; other times permitting it some measured outward expression in the personality. But always treating it with utmost respect.

Notwithstanding its negative influence, Jung well understood the daimonic nature of the unconscious, and that the compensatory effects of the shadow upon individuals, couples, groups and nations could be beneficial as well: ‘‘If it has been believed hitherto that the human shadow was the source of all evil, it can now be ascertained on closer investigation that the unconscious man, that is, his shadow, does not consist only of morally reprehensible tendencies, but also displays a number of good qualities, such as normal instincts, appropriate reactions, realistic insights, creative impulses, etc’’ (cited in Diamond, p. 96). Creativity can spring from the constructive expression or integration of the shadow, as can true spirituality. Authentic spirituality requires consciously accepting and relating properly to the Shadow as opposed to repressing, projecting, acting out and remaining naively unconscious of its repudiated, denied, disavowed contents, a sort of precarious pseudo-spirituality. ‘‘Bringing the shadow to consciousness,’’ writes another of Jung’s followers, Liliane Frey-Rohn (1967), ‘‘is a psychological problem of the highest moral significance. It demands that the individual hold himself accountable not only for what happens to him, but also for what he projects. . . Without the conscious inclusion of the shadow in daily life there cannot be a positive relationship to other people, or to the creative sources in the soul; there cannot be an individual relationship to the Divine’’
http://www.simplypsychology.org/carl-jung.htmlThis posting is based on Dr. Diamond’s article published in the Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion (link is external)(Springer Verlag, 2009) and his book Anger, Madness, and the Daimonic: The Psychological Genesis of Violence, Evil, and Creativity(link is external)(SUNY Press, 1996). See also his chapter in the edited anthology Meeting the Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature (link is external)(Tarcher/Putnam, 

The Aquarian Wiccan and Sweetwood Temenos spiritual and religious approach is a craft of Psyche Therapia, A cult of the Human Soul that fosters psychological wholeness through rituals, celebrations, education and healing of the Soul.

Part of the Aquarian Wiccan Sweetwood Temenos craft of Psyche Therapia is ’coming to terms with the shadow’ and so integrating it into the wholeness of the human soul. Imbolc’s esoteric meaning for Aquarian Wiccan can be seen as a time of remembering and working with the Shadow. This is consistent with the traditional idea of “cleaning the house” in order to prepare for spring’s birth and sprouting of seed, which can be taken literally and metaphorically. It is a time of purification.
In reality the ’coming to terms with the shadow’ is like the Herculean labor of cleaning the Augean stables. The shadow can be integrated into the psychological wholeness of the soul. Even when the repressed elements of the shadow are resolved and integrated and ongoing conscious vigilance is required as the Shadow is an essential part of the unconscious soul. Thus once begun in ‘coming to terms with the Shadow’ it becomes an ongoing endeavor to maintain one’s integration of the Shadow. In order to engage in this process, one needs the ability to love oneself and another, be nonjudgmental, willing to forgive and being merciful towards oneself and others.

The integration of the Shadow is part of the process of individuation and actualization of the Self. The Self is the pattern of psychological wholeness and the image of Divinity of one’s soul that ego consciousness is trying to become. This integration is essential to achieving the stage of psychological wholeness symbolized by the Divine Child.

So even though the work with the Shadow continues through all the seasons of one’s life, it is appropriate to work with the shadow in the celebration and rituals of Imbolc that emphasize this Divine work.

As Dr. Diamond has noted ‘‘If it has been believed hitherto that the human shadow was the source of all evil, it can now be ascertained on closer investigation that the unconscious man, that is, his shadow, does not consist only of morally reprehensible tendencies, but also displays a number of good qualities, such as normal instincts, appropriate reactions, realistic insights, creative impulses, etc’’ (cited in Diamond, p. 96).
Aine, Brigid, Bride and Cailleach are all Sun Goddesses. “The gentle Goddess Aine ‘the best hearted woman that ever lived,’ and the ’meager blue hag’, as Milton called the Cailleach, are one goddess-a goddess who magically restores her youth each year going into a cave and emerging young again, bringing life back to the worn and wintry world” (O’ mother Sun by Patricia Monaghan pp72).
So, going into the cave or being like a ground hog going into its den, we ‘come to terms with the Shadow’. When consciousness reemerges from the cave having integrated the Shadow, we are renewed and we bring life back to the “worn and wintry world”. With this return we bring the fire of creativity and fertility, a new wholeness invigorated by our positive integration and connection with our instincts and a humility that honors the human shadow.

Aquarian Wiccan esoterically celebrates the Shadow with a sacred fire, acts of creation like poetry that arises from the unconscious well of the heart and the blessing of seeds, which all are our positive integration and connection with our instincts. So we humbly honor our Shadow, give it due and pour a libation to it.

I discovered in working with my Shadow that our instincts are much like the Bonobo chimpanzee and so we are a make love and not war hominid. Remember this in coming to terms with our instincts.
“Today humanity, as never before, is split into two apparently irreconcilable halves. The psychological rule says that when an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside, as fate. That is to say, when the individual remains undivided and does not become conscious of his inner opposite, the world must perforce act out the conflict and be torn into opposing halves [Psyche and symbol C.G. Jung, pp 60).”

The Imbolc celebration, of the Aquarian Wiccan and Sweetwood Temenos approach to spirituality and religion, seeks to transform this inner division of two apparently ever irreconcilable halves. This reconciliation of opposites starts with a commitment to wholeness and the aware ego working with the unconscious in conscious way to integrate the shadow and its contents.
 

Sweetwood Temenos Samhain 2014

Some good folk arrived Friday evening before Samhain and had an enjoyable time catching up and sharing what has been going on in their lives since we last met. Sweetwood Temenos Samhain 2014 begins with a very fair and mild autumn day for late October. Starting at 1 PM there was pumpkin carving for a couple hours. Enough carved pumpkins were made to light the path through the woods to the sacred circle. The pumpkin carving took place under the picnic shelter. Thanks to Megan and Eric for the cider & snacks!
After carving pumpkins, a fire was started in the shelter’s brazier in the shelter and the good folk gathered around for a discussion of Samhain. We talked about the importance of remembering of the dead in this Celtic holy day. This celebration is observed in many other traditions around the world. We explored the meaning behind the mythopoeic death of the Goddess and God (the Lady and the Lord of neo-pagan and Wiccan traditions). Their death in this world brings about a fallow season, and in the Summerland, there is a celebration of Beltane. We talked about the idea of life & death and the promise of the God that the Spring shall return. This is a sign of life immortal, through the renewal or rebirth of the soul. This led to a discussion of reincarnation and the definition of the soul. Then we discussed the aspects of this time of year, where the veil between this World and the Otherworld (or the Summerland) was viewed as “thin” and so allowing greater communication between the two realms of the living and the dead. 
In discussing the “trick or treat” aspect of Samhain, we recognized the part of the ritual that remembers the dead (especially loved ones) is a blessing of them. Thus, remembering them is akin to leaving of a food and drink offering on Samhain eve, and the “treat” is given to the dead. Many think that the “trick” is the negative consequence that ghosts of the dead visit upon those who fail to remember them at this time of year.  However, the “treat” could have the effect of warding, or propitiating angry or evil ghosts. For example, remembering someone who is dead that had inflicted an injustice or otherwise harm upon one’s self, but still saying something good about them or wishing them well. 
In this manner, the remembering of the dead is an act of forgiveness, which also is an act of Grace. When we bring forth such remembering, the trauma bond between the living victim and the dead perpetrator is severed. The toxic anger that had been emotionally poisoning the victim (because of the injustice suffered) is cast in to the fire of the sacred circle. So by this act of remembering, the divinity within is invoked, and acts to bring about the regeneration, or to make whole (holy), both the victim’s and perpetrator’s soul. Such remembering acknowledges that all of the dead were, at one time, some woman’s child.
So on Samhain, remembering the dead, (who in the past and to this day, have committed injustices towards those who keep this Holy Day celebration), done in a conscious and heartfelt manner, would be an act of forgiveness and high magic. Such a remembering of the dead by a ritual act would create a strengthening of the light in the dark, or life in death. This will further the renewal of humanity’s soul and pass down a new Samhain legacy. Remember, an act of forgiveness is neither an act of forgetting, nor necessarily a reconciliation.  
At the end of the discussion of Samhain and the ritual role forgiveness can play in its celebration, the good folk readied for the ritual. The torches around the sacred circle were lit, as well as the candles in the pumpkins along the path through the woods to the sacred circle. The fire in the sacred circle was blazing and the sun was near setting. The good folk gathered around the fire, hand in hand and with three deep breaths grounded with an “AH”.
As the priestess and priest began casting the circle at the altar facing north, with the sound of a singing bowl and incense filling the autumn air, a very large doe appeared out of the woods close by the sacred circle. She walked from north to south (right to left), then noticed us and causally walked away. At the moment when the circle was cast, the sun set and golden twilight shined through the trees and upon the leaves that were left on them. So the remembering of the Dead began in such a beautiful autumn peace.
With the circle cast, the remembering of the dead began. Round and around we went casting wild dried flowers into the flames of the fire as we each took turns remembering the dead and our ancestors.  One person sang a song that a departed dear one loved. The remembering was such a simple ritual and so heartfelt and powerful. Then we sang and chanted the chorus of a beautiful song called Circles:
And round, and around, and around turns the good Earth 
All things must change as the Seasons go by
We are the children of the Lord and the Lady
Whos mysteries we know, yet will never know why …
We sang 3 rounds. This song was a fitting end to our remembering on our Samhain celebration.
After the Remembering, the priestess invoked the Horned God, and he spoke of the promise. He spoke about life in death, about bringing Beltane to the Summerland, and the renewal and rebirth of the immortal soul next Spring. The Horned God spoke on how the chanting, dancing, drumming, the Great Rite, and feasting strengthens and fosters the renewal and rebirth of the immortal soul. He talked about how the dead and living meet at the sacred circle around the fire, as fire is a light that brings us together. It is a time when the veil between this earthly world and the Summerland is thin, and so is a good time to divine. When the Horned God was finished, the priestess de-invoked the Horned God.
The priest now invoked the Lady as the Crone, and bid the good folk gathered around the fire to seek an omen to guide them through the Celtic New Year. The Crone was seated in her throne, and one by one the good folk sought her counsel. After all had visited the Crone, the priest and the Crone each took an omen and came to stand among the good folk. The priest de-invoked the Crone, and the priestess returned.
The priestess then went to bring forth the pentacle plate with slices of Apple, revealing the star within. She blessed it, then she offered it to all around. Then the priest filled the goblet with water (which was charged in the casting of the circle and prior to the good people gathering around the fire). He turned to the left and offered the goblet and water and saying  “ Water shared, is life shared, is love shared. Drink deep and never thirst. Thou art God”.  So the goblet moved around the circle from hand-to-hand until at last the priestess hands the goblet to the priest and he says to her, “Thou Art Goddess”. The priest then pours one last libation to the good folk in the spirits gathered tonight.
The priest and priestess then take down the circle, the priestess opens the circle with these final words “Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again! The circle is open but never broken”!  At that moment, in the West through the darkened trees, the 1st Crescent Moon was setting, a wonder and beauty to behold and definitely a blessing tonight. As with every ending there is a new beginning. The good folk then danced, drummed and talked about the ritual. Finally, all decided to leave the fire and head to the home of the priestess and priest, which was but a short walk through the fields under starlit sky. One last look back towards the fire was simply mystical and moving, as jack-o’-lanterns stare back with torches lighting the way to the circle where the fire was still lit. One could feel the energy in the mystery filling the air. This energy filled the circle, the trees, the Fellowship, and those gathered in the home of the priestess and priest. Though the soul felt the emptiness of lost ones departed, the lovely good cheer of the gathered good folk began to fill the soul again tonight.
Samhain blessings on to you All and your Kin!
Never Thirst,
Iacchus

Dear Sweetwood folk, members and friends,

I want to give thanks to all the good people that helped and supported Freedom Festival 18 in making it one of the best we’ve had. I give thanks to the good folk who took on roles in the main ritual! Thanks goes out to our priestess Sherry, the goddesses Kim, Dawn, Mary and the gods Frank, Chris and Jack and to smudgers T-Roy, Tom  and Nissa and to the good folk who spoke for the 7 elements, drummed and danced, again thank you!
Thanks to Jack and Jim for their maintenance help with the portable hot showers! Thanks to Aurora, Mary and other good folk who helped with the registration, silent auction, heralding and other tasks that needed to be done. Thanks to Sweetwood Temenos board members who help put on Freedom Festival and were at the Thing! Thanks Mary, Amanda and Jack! Thanks for the 2 members who ran for the member at large position on the board. Thank you Peter and Eric! And congratulations Eric as our new member at large and Thanks for  his and Megan’s mead making skills and mead offered in the silent auction! Thank you Josh for your fire eating and fire whip performance! Thanks to all the good folk who kept the sacred fire going from beginning to end!
Sweetwood Temenos Freedom Festival 18 had many good folk show up and be part of the community. We had at least 50 adults and 5 to 6 children who had a great time running around in the woods and camp! I tried to meet the many good folk came to the Freedom Festival 18 as I could. I am impressed by the quality of the good folk that showed up! The weather held all through the Freedom Festival, which on Monday morning after the Freedom Festival, I poured a libation on the altar for the gods and goddesses, the spirits of the land and the powers of the elements who blessed us with such good weather.
There was much good energy at the Freedom Festival 18 and no frowns. There were lively discussions, lots of laughter and good humor among the good folk who made the community. It was a joy to hear such good community echo through the woods. At the beginning of the festival during the opening ritual I drew a rune, which was sigel –Sun and at the closing ritual I drew the rune sigel-Sun. The sigel rune’s double appearance for me, emphasizes its Divinatory meaning of success and victory. The Sweetwood community, its membership and friends need to continue to grow in order to succeed in creating and maintaining a dedicated piece of land whose purpose is providing a place for Sweetwood members, it’s friends and other like-minded community groups to celebrated the 8 Sabbats and Freedom (the freedom Festival), and recreate and contemplate. This accomplishment would be a success and legacy to pass on to the generations, the descendants, which are to come. At the Freedom Festival 18 there were 3 generations of adults putting energy into creating this success and this is a good omen and so may be the beginning of this success! So Mote It Be!
This year’s Freedom Festival was both an expression and an example of the culture that Sweetwood Temenos as a church and community is and seeks to foster. I am learning as president with support from the Sweetwood board, and Sweetwood members and friends how to delegate tasks and responsibilities that sustain and grow Sweetwood Temenos, its Freedom Festival and other celebrations and events.  I am grateful to the members and good folk who bring forth ideas that make Sweetwood Temenos and its Freedom Festival, celebrations and events a better experience and make them happen. With continued expansion and support of membership and friends it is probable that a bath/shower house could be built in the year of 2017, which would mark a watershed and a new beginning for Sweetwood Temenos. To make this happen there needs to be continued cooperation, shared power, common vision and task completion, as well as many hands and talents!
Again to all the good folk of Sweetwood Temenos; its members and friends thank you for making Freedom Festival 18 a very good one and supporting Sweetwood Temenos! And to all the good folk who are interested in Sweetwood Temenos you are invited to come to our Freedom Festival, Sabbats and events and join us as we would like to meet and get to know you!

Never Thirst
Iacchus

April rains brings a Sunday walk

This morning was very damp and foggy from the 1st real spring rain. There was lightning, thunder and hail last night but this morning was quiet. The robins were getting their breakfast and birdsong filled the air. I decided to take a walk back to Sweetwood woods and look around. In particular I wanted to go down to the ravine and see if Sweetwood’s little stream was running or not. The spring itself starts about 50 feet uphill from the South fence line and then runs down through Sweetwood. Usually a little bit of the water from the spring makes it to Sweetwood land and then the silt of the ravine acts like a sponge and absorbs the flowing stream.
But when it rains and the land is juicy there is this happy little stream running from the south fence line to the north fence line of Sweetwood and carves off the Western slope filled with sugar maple trees. So I went down the stream and sure enough it was running and singing or so it seemed to me. It was a happy stream making all kinds of laughing and joyous noise. I went to a spot where another small little ravine came down to greet the main ravine and stream. When I look back uphill what I saw was an emerald stair way of stone. This luscious green stood out in a forest of brown. What a lovely site! I sat there listening to the stream flow by my feet and a chorus of birds singing as a moment stood still and then moved on like the stream.
This moment was so magical as an early morning mist encircled the woods and sight was limited to about 200 feet. I wondered about my past and these moments being but gems on the necklace of my life. The future will have a moment where I will be back here again and the woods will be older and I will view a new beauty and wonder about that time before when I had sat here thinking about this moment. 
My spirits stirred and I moved and walked the Western slope of Sweetwood land. There I found large sugar maples all so glorious, reflecting their character in striving for the sun. Some trees have lost major limbs but were healing and had beautiful crowns. Some trees look like they were hugging one another and grew together creating an archway to walk under. Some trees had big burls reflecting some kind of injury that they healed from. I was walking among elders who were young before I was born and my soul was stirred by their earth wisdom.
Oh to come to Sweetwood land in early spring and see its naked beauty. Put aside the distractions of being modern for all its good and sense and experience the Mystery, the Divineness of Nature in a simple landscape left to be itself. Be part of the moment by a spring stream whose bones are rocks clothed in emerald moss. This is what the contemporary soul yearns for, to be rooted in and to touch the past, ancestral knowledge and conscious of the precious now reaching for a being that is both humble and cosmic.
Such was my walk on a wet and dreary but juicy Sunday. It filled my heart with these words which came bubbling up from the spring of my soul. What a lovely thought that I too was replenished by lightning, thunder, hail and rain and my winter self is flowing away. Now the green shoot of my soul rises above of what was and the green man is renewed once more. This is the way of Nature’s religion making whole the human being no matter what age it is. So come kin, kissing cousins of this way and dance around the Beltane pole when May comes once again. Rejoice in being a woman or a man for there is a great mystery at hand that we dance to.

Sweetwood Temenos Imbolc 2014 

The day started out overcast but with seasonable temperatures. I got the tractor out and plowed a path back to the circle so that the good folk who came to celebrate Imbolc would not have to wade through 2 foot + snow drifts. I shoveled an 8 foot circle around fire. There was a little more than a foot of deep snow blanketing the good earth of the circle. 
I then built a fire with pine left from the Yule fire and oak and hickory wood stacked outside the circle. I went to the altar and thanked the Goddess and God. I did a chant three times round the circle “ Green Song, Earth and Sky, Now we walk in excellence, Seeking knowledge, Touch held high, Now we walk in excellence,  Touching hearts and forging ties, Now we walk in excellence,  Sweet embraces and sharing sighs, Now we walk in excellence, Rainbow wisdom multiples!” I so prepared the circle for our celebration.  
Some good folk arrived early and a gentleman and good soul offered to watch the fire while I went home and dressed for the ritual celebration. When we all gathered around the fire, the snow had melted further away and the ground was bare around the fire. A very hot fire had been made and had die down enough for us to gather around. So Brighid had a very hot fire and a warm welcome for us. 
The altar was set with a single white candle and lite from the fire. We had a goblet of water and a goblet of Ewes milk, a plate (pentacle) of wheat crackers, seeds to charge up, incense, singing bowl and some whiskey (to pour a libation to  the sprites and mischief makers of the land). 
 We had a very good Imbolc celebration of 7 good folk and the weather was seasonal and the fire hot. The priestess nd priest gathered everyone around the fire and welcomed them to the circle and Imbolc. We held hands around the fire and centered with a good OM.  We cast the circle according to Sweetwood tradition with incense and singing bowl to the 4 quarters. Then gathered the good folk to speak and pour a water libation for each of the elements and for the ancestors, descendants and the community. 
Next we meditated on one’s inner conflict or opposition (seeing the shadow) and made a dedication offering of a wheat cracker (a part of it was eaten and the other part offered to the fire). The dedication offering was a promise to reconcile or synthesize the opposites with in or without one’s self and thus create some  peace in the world and ourselves. We had ewes milk for drinking and inspiration. All took a sip and spoke what the milk inspired. Then we shared water and took down the circle and passed hugs all around. We hung out around the fire and enjoyed the fire and talked about signs of spring. Eventually we made our way back through the snow to our house. There we had another great potluck; sat around and talked about why we cast a circle…a lively discussion was had. 
All merry met and merry parted.

Never Thirst
Iacchus

WINTER

The Element of Earth

The hidden time, the time of growth unknowest to ourselves; the dark caves, where mysterious unbidden changes are occurring that can be turned positive or negative depending on the attitude that receives them. Ideas are being nurtured much as a mother nurtures her unborn child. Change is brewing building on the base that we have provided in the previous seasons of time.  How we nurture the changes yet to come is up to us.  How do we want the coming Spring to look, how do we nurture the hidden growth, what do we want to manifest?  Does it begin with nurturing ourselves, setting our goals, welcoming the building light and the coming balance of Spring? Earth can be stability, it can be grounding, much as Winter is a waiting time, but not stagnant.  Connecting with the season does not mean turning within but nurturing the hidden growth and possibilities. It is a trusting time, a time of looking at the cup as half full, a time embracing enough and some to share.  Winter is a time of building on your strengths and knowing that you have gifts to share that will enable prosperity for not only yourself but others as well.  Winter is the time of hidden hope.

Lilak
1/01/2014

Dear Folk 
The Freedom Festival was an enjoyable gathering of 30 or so of good folk over the Fourth of July 2013. The weather cooperated and was dry and warm. Though we had a few more bugs due to the heavy spring rains it wasn’t intolerable. Indeed we were able to hold all rituals down in the sacred circle. There were workshops/play shops on Group Tarot, The Tarot and Attunement to Nature, Aquarian neo-paganism, Sweetwood’s value of Deep Friendship, who is Alex Crowley, and the Symposium on the Value of our Descendants and the Annual Sweetwood Gen. Assembly/Thing.
We held the Deep Friendship Mirror Dance and the Sun Goddess and Moon God ritual. We had a great feast and potluck after the Thing and Sun Goddess and Moon God ritual. There was a fire in the sacred circle each night and some dancing and drumming after the symposium and main ritual.
The Sweetwood assembly voted to improve the site by having propane pourable hot showers and to make it a goal of achieving $5000 per year over above our costs towards the building of our bathhouse. To that end we are encouraging former members to renew memberships and friends to become members over next 4 years, which would help substantially in this fund raising effort.   We also want to increase attendance at the Freedom Festival by inviting and encouraging more good folk to attend. Sweetwood is also Co-sponsoring this year a Grand Sabbat. This is all part of making Sweetwood Temenos available to the neopagan community and like-minded folk while at the same time fundraising for a bathhouse, which would have the effect of making Sweetwood Temenos-our land more user-friendly and encourage more gathering of neopagan groups and like-minded folks.
To that end the Sweetwood assembly encourages me as president to be out in the community more providing information and sharing about Sweetwood Temenos. To that end I will be attending the Madison Area Pagan Pride Day (https://sites.google.com/site/madisonareapaganprideday/home) and Paganicon 2014 (http://paganicon2014.eventbrite.com/ in Minneapolis. 
Next year the Freedom Festival, which will the 18th annual one from Wednesday, July 2 through Sunday, July 6. Freedom Festival 18 will be dedicated to the Moon Goddess and Sun God. The Moon Goddess as the lady of the festival will give her Charge of the Goddess as part of the main ritual of the festival. It is interesting to note that card 18 of the Major Arcana of the Tarot deck is the moon card. So the Magic is gathering already around this Freedom Festival. Hope to see you then! 

Never Thirst,
Iacchus  

Sweetwood Summer Solstice celebration 2013

Sweetwood Temenos celebrates the Sun’s high point in its solar year with a naked ritual, an expression of being a Sun worshiper. As humans we stand naked in a ritual to witness and honor the goodness of body and spirit in harmony. To witness and honor body and spirit in harmony by being naked we need an adult reflective consciousness that is unashamed. This adult reflective consciousness that is unashamed of its being naked to the world of flesh, spirit and soul is symbolized by the Summer Solstice’s sun light. Think of the tarot card 19, the Sun, the naked child and the unashamed being implied, the Divine Child, the Self of our soul that is being seen.
So on this day, a lovely sunny and warm one, 6 of us gathered in the lush green of the Sweetwood sacred circle in a woodland glade to stand naked and honor and witness this Divine Child. We cast the circle and all are asked to join in being sky clad with the priestess and priest. We all stand around the fire with a goblet of water that is passed from loving hand to loving hand. Each person speaks of hers or his experience in of being in such a circle. Words of being in paradise, being very human, the loveliness of being male or female, trust and honor for one another, eros and spirit beheld harmoniously in the earthen vessel of the body and of the good of women and men being together like this are spoken. 
The Priestess pours a libation to the peace and beauty found in this circle and the priest pours a libation to the Sun Goddess and the Moon God. The priestess brings forth a plate of apple slices and reveals the star within and blesses the food. All eat of the goodness of the transcendent expressed in the immanent form of the flesh. The priest offers a goblet of water to be shared with all in the circle. The loving cup is passed from person to person with these words “Water shared is life shared, is love shared. May you never thirst, Thou Art Goddess, Thou Art God” and eventually the goblet returns to the priest. He then pours one more libation to love and the summer. Then the priestess and priest take down the circle and open the sacred space for a summer feast. There are hugs, kisses and laughter and the good folk gather with food and drink around the fire. All feel uplifted by this naked celebration and fellowship.   The evening was blessed with fair weather and starry night….all so lovely tonight! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You, I exclaim as I emerge from the woods to the field under the starry sky to Great Mystery.       
Never Thirst 
Iacchus

On January 30th 2013 Sweetwood received 9 inches of snow. The following day of we were plowed out. However we received an addition snow fall of 4-5 inches of very light and fluffy snow on Imbolc eve. The next day I shoveled the drive way as the Hydraulic on my tractor went out and I could not plow the drive way. In an hour and half I had the driveway done. 
Then I got breakfast and readied to go and prepare the ritual site for Sweetwood’s Imbolc celebration. The day started out cloudy and cold and the proverbial “groundhog” did not see its shadow. Yeah, an early spring is the forecast! I took with me the ritual tools to the circle and set up the altar. Then I shoveled out the snow around the where the Yule fire had been to about 8 feet away all around. I removed the covering over the charred Yule fire remains and set about to start a fire with some dry kindling. The Sun came out, the woods glistened and with some blowing the kindling started and the Imbolc fire started. I burned much of what was left of the pine wood left from the Yule fire and added nice dry white oak to the fire. Pretty soon the fire was roaring.  I decided to dance naked around the fire and charge up the circle. Three times round the circle naked and bare foot I danced calling out to the Goddess, the God and the Fay. It was okay being naked for a brief time and I was glad to get my feet dry and warm again. I got dress and went back to the house to get ready and bring back water, cookies and hot cider for the ritual.
Back at the house Good folk for the Imbolc ritual had begun to arrive. We wait for some good folk who had car problems on the way. Eventually the ritual started about an hour late but hey there were 7 hearty folk at the Sweetwood Temenos Imbolc ritual this year, the most ever! However the fire had died down and it need to be built up again. So several folk blew on it and more dry oak wood was brought and added. So in about 20 minutes we had a roaring fire again with plenty of oak to add lying around the fire.
A welcome to the celebration and a grounding Om around the Imbolc fire was done. Delta and Iacchus then casted the circle with the singing bowl and incense. The charging of the water and libations poured for the 7 elements of the circle was done, followed by a libation to the mischievous makers and Eris of whiskey and finally an invocation to the Goddess and God and the Divine community. Iacchus then went to the Altar to draw a Rune for the celebration and season. He drew the Rune Ken and the letter K; torch, light of knowledge or insight, Kin, will to generate and create and is the rune of the artist and craftsman, it is the Rune of human passion, lust and sexual love and is the emotional root of creativity in all realms and the portrays the mystery of regeneration through sacrifice or death.  
Iacchus talked about the season of Imbolc, its traditions and the Sun Goddess Brigit. It was a time of the quickening the lands spirit as the sun light grows longer and warmer. Buds begin to swell, Ewes are lactating and lambing, the swelling breast a sign and a symbol of the winter Sun and hag transforming into the returning Spring Maiden. It is the season for cleaning the house and preparation for birth, regeneration or renewal and planting. The shadow symbol of what we need to let go of or change in preparation for spring and new growth.
Iacchus asked all present to meditate on what they need to let go of or change in preparation for spring and new growth. They were invited to speak this out load or in silence and then place a piece of wood on the Imbolc fire. All spoke truthfully from the heart and the fire did blaze. 
Iacchus then asked all the good folk to take some time and meditate on Imbolc and share what came to them when ready. He called on the Goddess of this season to inspire them all in their mediation. One person produced a poem and read it to the gathered folk. Others talked about what the season meant to them and others talked about the fellowship of the Imbolc fire.
When all had their say, Delta taught to and led all in a chant to raise energy and to send off their well wishes for the coming spring. The Chant was “Make yourself a power spot, bring in a spoon and a cooking pot, bring air, bring fire, bring water and bring earth and you, a new universe will birth.” The energy was raised and sent on its way. 
We all then shared some cookies with a blessing form the altar and followed with a water sharing. The water sharing had ice with it (it was cold out) and the goblet went from person to person with this blessing, “water shared is life shared, is love shared, Thou art Goddess, Thou art God, drink deep and never thirst!” 
Then Delta and Iacchus took down the circle with the singing bowl and incense walking widdershins to each quarter and back to the altar. Delta then spoke the closing words “All from air into air, let the misty veils part! All is ended and all is done, what has been, now must be gone! What has been done by ancient art must merry meet, merry part and merry meet again! The circle is open but never broken!” And hugs and kisses were called for and all passed them around.
The good folk then gathered around the fire in chairs and drank hot spiced cider and talk of the season, the ritual, the future and enjoyed the fellowship of midwinter. As the dark drew nigh all packed up and when to the caretakers’ (Delta and Iacchus) house for the feast, more good conversation and fellowship. Some stayed over and were treated to a movie called “Dangerous Beauty” (a highly recommended movie). The next morning the kitchen witch was added again and prepared eggs and pancakes with maple syrup. And then some more good conversation and laughter before everyone left and so ended Sweetwood Temenos Imbolc 2013.

 Never Thirst 
 Iacchus             

Sweetwood Temenos Winter Solstice 2012

On the Thursday, the day before the winter solstice Sweetwood Temenos had a snow storm with an accumulation of about 12 inches of snow. The high winds with this storm cause big drifts that blocked the driveway and field road back to the ritual site. Iacchus worked on plowing the driveway Thursday night and Friday morning (winter Solstice) and cleared a path down to the circle. All was ready to receive the good folk by noon for the ritual.
The good folk were coming from Madison, Chippewa Falls, Cross Plains and Viola. There were 6 total good folk who arrived for the ritual and 5 stayed the night. One of the good folk was a young man who shoveled an 8 foot radius around the wood of the bonfire and a pathway into the circle and to the altar! 
I set the altar in brilliant blue sky day light and where quiet was the song of the woods. I set a candle lantern on the altar and lit the candle in it at 2:58 pm. I prayed for the ritual and the energy it was going to raise and send off to the world as an offering. 
After I had everything set up and centered myself I left the young man to watch over the circle and returned to the house to dress and gather up the rest good folk and the priestess for the ritual. 
As I led the good folk out the house to go down to the circle and ritual I heard the high pitch sound of some animals. I thought for a moment that they were coyote pups yapping. But no… it was much more beautiful and uncanny. I looked around trying to place the sounds and then I looked up and to my amazement I saw a very large wedge of swans flying overhead. It was a very large wedge with a very long trailing tail of swans heading east. This sight and omen lifted every ones’ hearts.  
All came to circle and gathered around the pile of wood for the bonfire. All were welcomed and then Delta and Iacchus began casting the circle with sound and incense. Then they honored the 7 elements of the Sweetwood Temenos circle (Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Ancestors, Descendants and Community) by calling on the good folk of the circle to hold a jar of water, speak and pour a libation for the element which called to them. When all had spoken and the water jar had been returned to the altar, a libation of whiskey was poured at the edge of the circle for Eris and her kin of mischief makers. Then the invocation of the Goddesses and God was spoken and thus the circle was cast.
The Swans came and flew overhead and Iacchus then took from the altar the stang and handing it to Delta said “Where shall we begin”, and she took the stang and said “All is a Spiral with no beginning” and handed the stang back to Iacchus and he said “a tree without end” and handed the stang back to her where upon she said “renewed by the Gods and Goddesses it gives birth to”. Thus is the rhapsody of Sweetwood Temenos 
Iacchus went to the altar and placed upon his head the rainbow mask of the herald of the rainbow bridge. Delta took the stang and invoked the Rainbow Herald. The Rainbow Herald thus spoke of the winter solstice and the time of changing ages, whereupon he took the torch, lit it from the candle on the altar, returned to the wood pile of the bonfire and lit it. 
The Rainbow Herald then charge all good folk to mediate on the inner or outer divisions, conflicts with in  the soul of Humanity and think of something that would heal that division and make a transformation, a reconciliation or synthesis of opposites. Then with that healing thought take the given ribbon and tie a knot upon my stang. All took time to meditate and then the Rainbow Herald spoke first on ending the sexual war between women and men and spoke of positive sexuality being sacred and one of equality embracing all varieties of erotic relationships. He tied a knot on the stang and then went around to all others to collect their binding magic. 
The priestess Delta then led the good folk in the chant of “What was a fight, is now a Delight, together we strive to brighten the light” as the Rainbow Herald danced around the roaring bonfire.  With a great shout and blessing of the fire the Rainbow Herald charged the bonfire and brought the stang and the ribbon bindings to the priestess Delta. She took the ribbon from the stang and with one final blessing and great shout from all, cast the ribbon into the bonfire. The fire roared as it took this offering to the four quarters of Humanity’s soul.  
Delta de-invoked the Rainbow Herald and Iacchus returned the mask to the altar and fetched a plate of apple slices cut horizontally to reveal the star in the fruit. He blessed and passed the fruit around for all to eat. Delta then poured charged water from the water jar in to the goblet on the altar and brought it to the circle for water sharing. Starting with her priest Iacchus, the water went around the circle, from hand to hand and mouth to mouth the blessing was spoken; “water shared, is life shared is love shared! Drink deep and may you never thirst! Thou Goddess, thou art God“! The goblet came back to Iacchus for one more libation and he blessed the moment, its offering and all who came to this circle!
Delta and Iacchus returned to the altar and took up the singing bowl and incense and took down the circle. The ritual ended with the charge “the circle is open but never broken, merry meet, merry part and merry meet again!” Whereupon swans flew overhead at sunset as all gathered around the blazing fire drinking wassail. Thus was the winter solstice 2012 at Sweetwood Temenos and the end of one and the beginning of another Mayan world. 
As the cold of the night gathered around one of the good folk, Michael led all back to the house with the candle lantern. There back at the house a fest with good fellowship and laughter occurred and went late in to the night. 5 good folk stayed the night and in the morning by the work of a kitchen witch, Michelle, all had eggs, hash browns and pancakes with maple syrup or elderberry jam. 
Never Thirst, Iacchus
Please note: At the time of lightening the altar candle, at our location, Jupiter (retrograde) was in the first house, 14 seconds away from an exact conjunction with the Gemini ascendant and this conjunction was 150 degrees (quincunx) away from Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Scorpio, which were sextile to each other and all aspects between Jupiter, the ascendant, Pluto and Saturn did not vary by more than 17 seconds (less than a 1/3 of a degree). 
In astrology this constellation between three planets where one is quincunx to each of the other two, which are sextile to each other is called the finger of God or fate.

Never Thirst
Iacchus

Dear Friend 

Over the years of being a neopagan wiccan I found new information regarding the historical foundations and mythological concepts or ideas of the Wiccan.  I believe and I have facts to support this belief that the indigenous folk of England prior to the patriarchal Celts and Saxons had a different mythological paradigm… the old English and Old Saxon language still contains what were the Gods of the late  Neolithic western Europe matrilineal ploughed and planted land cult. 

The Neolithic western Europe matrilineal ploughed and planted land cult paradigm was the Sky Goddess/mother, Earth God/father and the Sun Goddess and Moon God. Now I am not saying that a “true Wiccan cult” should revert back to this paradigm …but my training and experience in Jungian psychology taught me that when there is an opposition the Art of creating psychological Wholeness is to reconcile the opposites into a synthesis.

I joined Church of All Worlds as they at least believed in “dreaming on the Myth”. Oberon still believes in the Earth Mother Goddess myth but I do not at least not in his way. However to his and CAW credit I was allowed as a priest of CAW to express my reconciliation of the opposites Myth. So I allowed the Mystery to speak through me and create the Myth of the Sacred Marriage of the Younger Deities of the Aquarian Age. 

As a challenge ritual before my community (which was required in order to become an ordained CAW priest) I performed a hand fasting and a peace pledge between two great warring tribes. One a patriarchal tribe symbolically define by the Divine paradigm of Earth Goddess and Sky God and Moon Goddess and Sun God with the matrilineal tribe symbolically define by the Divine paradigm of Sky Goddess and Earth God  and Moon God and Sun Goddess. 

The hand fasting was a group hand fasting between the Younger Deities of the Sun and Moon in 1999. This hand fasting was for a year and a day and so July 3rd 2000 I perform my required ordination ritual to become official ordained in CAW. I married the Younger Deities of the Age of Aquarius; the Moon God and Sun Goddess with the Moon Goddess and Sun God. They form a group marriage as in the ancient ways of the Mothers and their group marriage is a witness and a pledge to uphold the sexual equality and freedom of those ways. 

I even invited Eris to the marriage (no Trojan war here) as the Crone of the age now past (Pisces). Every year since then the Younger Gods have alternated sharing the years. There is a two year cycle; one year it is the Moon Goddess and Sun God presiding over the Sabbats and the next year the Sun Goddess and Moon God. Each ritual pours a bit of whiskey, an oblation to Eris also.

The Deities exchange powers on the Autumnal Equinox. Thus an Aquarian Wiccan cult started at the beginning of the Age of Aquarius with the year 2000 at Sweetwood Temenos. 

I was given a vision by the Goddess Astraea during the 1980-81 Jupiter-Saturn conjunction, which was special in that the planets conjunct through retrograde motion 3 times. Astraea is a powerful Goddess and she was associated with the beginning of the Myth of the Ages and the Golden Age.

 Since the Golden age would be the logical starting place for the Myth of the Ages to begin, I looked up the Golden age and found one myth where Cronus ruled with Justice (the Goddess of Justice, which the Greeks called Themis).

I was inspired to guess that Cronus was the planet Saturn (the “star” that ruled earth and hence the earth God) and Themis was the planet Jupiter(the “star” that ruled the sky and hence the Sky Goddess)in the matrilineal days of the Golden Age. 

I got another hint from a book I read called Hamlet’s Mill by Giorgio De Santillana and Hertha Von Dechend…very scholarly book on this subject.
They suggested that the Golden age started with the age of Gemini approximately 6,000 years BC.

Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions (a sacred Marriage – Hierograms) occur every 20 years (which is a good approximation of a human generation) and I found out that 108 Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions (20 years X 108) equal 2,160 years and is an astrological age or great month(a very close approximation). I found this to be a very interesting way of determining an age, through a long count much like the Mayans instead of sidereal observation which is much more subjective.

Then I bought a powerful astrology computer program that could research astrological information back 12,000 years. I started to look for Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions around the 6,000 BC that occurred in Libra, the sign of the scales (justice). 

I found such a conjunction and it was a triple conjunction and more interesting was that it was followed 20 years later by another triple conjunction…an omen indeed for those ancient folk. Further the simple triple conjunction of Jupiter-Saturn is fairly rare and happens about 240 years apart or more and the double triple conjunction (another triple  Jupiter-Saturn conjunction succeeding the previous one 20 years earlier) is a very rare; happening only three times in the last 8,572 years.  

So the date I found was 6580 BC and I started to count cycles of 108 Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions.. I made 6580 BC number 108 as the ancients did not use 0 and 6560 BC as number 1 in my long count. Thus every 108th conjunction was the end of an old age and the beginning of a new age. This matches up well with astrological guesses for the different ages but most importantly a new age began on May 28th 2000 AD; the Age of Aquarius. Thus Age of Gemini started 6,580 BC, Age of Taurus started 4,435 BC, Age of Aries started 2,290 BC, Age of Pisces started 145 BC and the Age of Aquarius started 2000 AD. 

We are now a little bit more than half way between the 108th conjunction and number 1 conjunction in this long astrological count and scheme. So the Mayan calendar changes Ages half way between 108th and 1st Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in this long count cycle and guess what? In 10 years from now on the winter solstice 2020 the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction occurs in the sign of Aquarius. 

I hope I did not lose you in this astrology and all.  I did not want to just assert that the Age of Aquarius happened in the year 2000. Part of the Art of Magic is the knowing of Kairos (the right, opportune, auspicious or the supreme) moment for it to happen. So we started the creation at Sweetwood Temenos of an Aquarian Wiccan/neopagan tradition. 

Any way much of my magical training and experience in a Wiccan tradition is carried over to this new path that I have been devoted to as a priest for the last 12 years.  In keeping with the Aquarian spirit (zeitgeist) CAW fitted in well with my evolution and development as a neopagan/wiccan priest and as did my training and experience in Jungian and systems psychology. I have an understanding of the archetypical foundations for the Deities and religious belief…which is a very Aquarian understanding.

 I believe the Jungian concept of the Self (the archetype of human psychological wholeness) is the same as the image of Divinity in our souls that we are to individuate and actualize. In this manner the Aquarian Wiccan/neopagan cult at Sweetwood Temenos is a cult to the human soul to foster through ritual and lifestyle, the human soul individuating and actualizing its Self; a form of psyche-therapia.

 Thus Water shared, is life shared, is love shared! Thou Art Goddess!Thou Art God and Never Thirst!

Iacchus

Sweetwood Temenos Mabon (Autumn Equinox) celebration and ritual 09/22/12 

The day started out windy, damp and cold. The sun entered Libra around 10:00 AM and so autumn 2012 began. The temperature was in the mid-fifties and the sky was partly cloudy by midafternoon. It felt like the weather we have at Samhain. There was talk of a killing frost tonight. 
Some good folk from Madison arrived this afternoon to participate in Sweetwood Temenos’ ritual and then afterwards initiate one of their own as a Wiccan sister upon the path of life. The initiate chose Sweetwood Temenos as she had done a self-initiation here one night some time past and loved Sweetwood Temenos’ sacred circle. 
I like the solitude of the woods at this time of year. Most of the migratory birds have left for the southern lands and all is quiet in the woods except for a wood pecker, blue jay or crow.  Some of the sugar maples were turning color; orange, red and yellow in their crowns and edges. 
I brought the ritual items to Sweetwood Temenos altar. First I took some spring water and washed the green granite altar top off. Then I left it to air dry. I went to fill up all the torches along the path from the field to the sacred circle in the woods. Along the path there were pretty light blue wild asters greeting me.
I returned to the circle and set the Altar with the God and Goddess images, candles, incense, anointing oil, sacred whiskey, and water jar with spring water, Goblet, pentacle and platter with bread, the Stang.
I then went to get kindling and start a fire in the center of the circle. Some good folk show up and brought wood into the circle for the fire and lite the torches. The sun was shining through the trees and setting in the west. The priestess and priest called the good folk to the center of the sacred circle and gather around the fire. We centered and raise our voice in an Om. The priest and priestess then cast the sacred circle with sound and incense and the good folk speaking from their hearts about and pouring libations to the elements defining the Sweetwood Temenos sacred circle; water, air, fire, water, ancestors, descendants and community. So the sacred circle was thus cast  
The priestess went and to the Altar and fetched the stang and invoked the Sun God. The Sun God spoke about the balance of justice, the balance of life and the balance of harvest. He is the champion and the advocate of the balance of the Autumn Equinox. He began the thanksgiving of the community and what it has given to him and the good folk of the sacred circle. He takes the goblet of water from the altar and gives thanks for what the community has given to him and pours a libation. He hands the goblet to the good soul to his left and so around the circle the goblet goes each giving thanks for what the community has given to them. 
At last the goblet comes to the priestess and the Sun God fetches the stang from the altar and invokes the Moon Goddess. The Moon Goddess speaks on the balance of the season and speaks of her dedication to the good folk and pouring out her love to the community; to be a hand of support to all who call upon her, to bring inspiration to the souls, to reveal the secrets of magic and the Mystery. The Goddess libates, passes the goblet round the circle and sacred fire, all speak what they will give back to the community and the goblet comes back to the Goddess. 
Sun God facing the Moon Goddess summons and calls forth her solar energy and the Moon Goddess thus follows and summons and calls forth the Sun God’s lunar energy. The Sun God holding the stang and the Moon Goddess holding the goblet each in the left hand reach out with their right hand and lay hold of the other’s sacred tool. They raise their arms and shout so mote it be for a year and a day! The Goblet is now with the Moon God and the Stang is with the Sun Goddess. 
The Sun Goddess goes, fetches the offering of bead from the altar, blesses it and shares it with the good folk of the sacred circle. The Moon God speaks about the water, the same water charge in casting of the circle, used in the thanksgiving and dedication to the community. He then hands the goblet round and it is shared, drank and passed between the men and women of sacred circle with these words “Water shared, is Life shared, is love shared, Thou Art God, Thou art Goddess”. 
The Goblet comes around and returns to the Moon God who makes a last libation, sets the goblet on the altar and returns to the Sun Goddess and says “All is in Balance, Man and Woman, Night and Day and Solar and Lunar, all equal”. It is time for me to leave for the Summerland to prepare a celebration and feast for the Sun Goddess’s return to the Summerland”. The Sun Goddess then says to the Moon God and so de-invokes him with these words “thank you for being here, blessed be and farewell!” The priest returns and the Sun Goddess says to the priest “it is time for me to leave as I go to bring spring and celebrate the sacred marriage at Beltaine in the Summerland”. The priest takes the stang from the Sun Goddess and says to the Sun Goddess and so de-invokes her with these words “thank you for being here, blessed be and farewell!” The priestess returns.
The Priest and Priestess return to the altar and take down the sacred circle with incense and sound! They return to the center of the sacred circle, its fire and good folk. The priestess gives the final Rune while all hold hands, ending with “The circle is open but not broken, merry meet and merry part and merry meet again! Hugs and kisses round and all are smiles. 
All remain in the sacred circle to behold as invited guests to an initiation. Right at sunset on the Autumnal Equinox with Venus in the seventh house a woman took her first step unto the path of life as a Wiccan sister! 
Then all returned to the house of the priestess and priest for a yummy potluck with great talk and discussion! The pot luck was blessed by a local troubadour, a man of kindness and a guitar. All were filled with food and good cheer and the magic happen once again on Mabon (Autumn Equinox Sabbath) 2012 at Sweetwood Temenos!
Never Thirst
Iacchus              

Good day All!
Below is a mediation I did for my deepening practice (one mediation every new moon for 3 years).

For Sweetwood Temenos the Fall Equinox,Mabon, is one of balance  that occurs at the end of things, the balance of completion. So our Sabbath focuses on giving thanks for community and what we have recieved and then pour a libation for what we plan to give back to the community in the coming year as part of our ritual

So given this emphasis of community at the second harvest festival that is Mabon and the Fall Equinox, I offer up my meditation on Self Knowledge, one of Sweetwood Temenos values, from the perspective of Community, one of our sacred directions. The following gives the date and time of the mediation plus the setting and of course the mediation itself.

Never Thirst 
Iacchus   

12/17/09 at 9:35 PM
Self-knowledge from the perspective of the Community
Mediation: three candles, incense lighted, and a goblet of water.
I call upon the Oracle of the Runes to aid me in my understanding of Self Knowledge from the Perspective of Community!
 I draw a rune from my black bag of runes 
 I Draw Eihwaz or Eoh the Yew tree 

There is no Self without community
From the many comes the individual
Multiple thoughts and feelings on who you are
A psychic landscape presenting opportunities, challenges and limits
In the flow of the spouted seed of the soul becoming
Dancing and Weaving the Spiral Round 

Community, the nest fostering good human being
Blessing the individual with enough and more
And the individual gives as can and is part of the nest
So the circle spins onward from one generation to the next
In knowing our Selves know how community added to our growth
For good or ill separate the wheat from the chaff
What character do you have left?

From the Mystery of Self, the soul is called to serve community. 
Service reflects what the soul hears and responds to
Revealing what is hidden in the depths of the Self
What the soul lights up the world with for the sake of the one and the many.

Love is woven in to a nest and so it is with community.
We are forgiven as we shame our Selves, whether in deed or word
And learn how to be part of the loving kindness
The weave that binds the nest together,
And makes whole the human community

The life time of each soul is a thread revealing color and texture
Tied into a weave of many that makes the dancing tapestry of the world
What has been done for others and what has been given to others?
What more is there to do and what more is there to be received?

Community is an essential part of Self and Self is an essential part of community.
Do you see your path as you become?
Do you see your reflection upon your ground of being? 
As your lamp of consciousness leads you forward 
Does it burn brightly with the fuel of Self-knowledge?
Or burns dimly in the shadows of ignorance and fear?

Have you prepared a hearth with fire, food and good cheer?
Be thankful for what you receive and joyful for what you give
And let your soul reveal the Self you are as a being of community. 

At the end of this mediation I drew a Tarot card from the Nybor deck. I asked “Oh please Oracle comment on my mediation, what is written here!” 

The Tarot Card chosen was the Source: the beginning and the end.
Where upon I pour a libation upon the altar and drank water from the goblet!  

Dear Sweetwood Folk and Friends

Sweetwood labor day weekend camp and drum weekend was a beautiful one! Besides Delta and Iacchus, we had four attendees; Mike V., Chris E., Dawn S. and Tom C. Mike arrived Friday night and worked on Saturday cleaning up the outhouse, splitting & carrying fire wood, straightening up some trails to campsites, building the fire in the ritual circle Saturday and Sunday night, helped Iacchus to fill the torches, and putting out the fire and torches after everyone left for the night. Mike also put up some large flags around the shelter, making the place festive. (Thanks Mike!!)

Tom & Delta were looking at some books on drumming by Mickey Hart, so Tom was inspired to make a bullroarer. It’s a flat piece of wood with a long string attached. He twirled it around over his head & it made a low mysterious buzzing sound. Fun! Saturday night was so beautiful! Mike built a fire with the logs shaped and stacked into a triangle. It really worked well. We all shared munchies and some very good homemade wild black cherry mead made by Tom…so good!!! Chris and Dawn also brought 2 bottles of Raspberry beer…yum! Mike, Delta and I did a little drumming and then broke off to talk a bit. Delta then started to play her wood flute and Tom played his wood-box xylophone (he made this himself) joined in and we had a magical back ground music for our conversation into the night.

Sunday morning we had coffee up at the house and more good conversation. Tom, Dawn and Chris all had to leave, so Mike, Delta and I hung out during the day doing miscellaneous tasks. Mike came up to the house in the late afternoon and we watched TV about the Egyptians (about Thutmose III). Then a half hour before sunset we went down to the ritual circle. Mike lit the fire he built during the day and we ate, drank and made merry. We had some good watermelon. Delta and I drummed some more into dark of the evening, echoing through the woods and valley. As the Moon rose, the coyotes howled along with our drumming. It was another picture perfect late summer evening night. 

Then it got late and we walked up the torch lit path through the woods, out into a gorgeous moonlit evening and went to bed. Mike came up to the house for coffee in the morning and we have a good chat. Before he left, Mike gifted us his self-published book on symbols to add to our collection.

It was so good to see everyone! Laughs and hugs were shared with all.  

Sweetwater to All and Never Thirst!
Delta and Iacchus    

Mary Siegle
Aug 7 

It was possibly the hottest Freedom Festival we’ve had. Whew! On the bright side, though, we didn’t have to contend with storms, mud, wet tents etc. And the insect population was down as a consequence of the dry weather. The only dampness was the sweat from the heat.

On the drive up to SweetWood on the fourth I was feeling discouraged because the number of registered participants was very small for the second year in a row. And some of the people who usually are there wouldn’t be this year because of the extreme heat, health concerns, or other commitments. Among those were some of my dearest long-time friends from Minneapolis — Martin and Magenta, and Rosa and Ben.

Kyril also wasn’t able to make it this year and I was bummed about all of that. But I discovered that, while small registration numbers are not good financially, they can make Freedom Festival a very intimate and relaxed experience. Because of the heat and the small numbers, there was a very flexible attitude toward the schedule of workshops. A few planned activities were skipped with no regrets because, quite frankly, it was much better sitting around in the shade of the shelter just talking. I didn’t have the energy to run myself ragged. 

For me, one of the highlights of Freedom Festival this year was the ritual on Friday night centered on envisioning, and raising energy to manifest, paradise on earth. We each spoke our vision and added herbs to the water in the cauldron as we spoke. Then, each chanting a word or phrase, we directed energy to the water. Lovely ritual. I took some pictures afterward of the cauldron and altar and have posted them.

There were other highlights as well. After the main ritual on Saturday night, watching the fire spinners practice their art was awe-inspiring. It more than made up for not having fireworks. But the best part of the festival was, as usual, the person-to-person connections. Every year I look forward to reconnecting with those who I only see once a year. I also love meeting new people. Despite the small attendance, this year was no exception.

Thanks to all who were there, for helping to re-charge my batteries. Every year I look forward to seeing friends I only see there once a year — also meeting new people I’ve never met before. A particular treat — Julie B. was there. 

Dear Reader This is a report from one member who was at the Sweetwood Temenos Freedom Festival 16th.

Hi all you Sweet Folks,
Well just came back from SweetWood Freedom Fest yesterday.   The running themes I felt were “Centering”  and “Paradise”.

When I think of Paradise, I think of the freedom to be who you are.  When I think of Centering, I think of knowing who you are.  Both of these I found at Freedom Fest.  One of the first rituals we did is manifesting Paradise.  What is Paradise?  Many have different views.  We did a chant that enabled us to raise the energy of the manifestation of the person views of Paradise.  It was magical.  There were many, many other opportunities to connect with others.  I enjoyed the Mandala workshop with Delta, another way I found myself connecting with SweetWood.  How can we take the magic of SweetWood and Freedom Fest home when many of us are of two worlds?  If we think of Paradise being within we can.  If we realize there are people around we can connect to and we still have the connection of old and new friends we’ve made this last weekend we can.  Who can we find in the world we live in outside of SweetWood that we can share the magic with?

I also want to acknowledge the blessings from the healing aspect of our connection to the land of SweetWood.  Also let us not forget the wonderful water that helped us stay cool to what my son was calling SweatWood or we could call it WetWood as we made the cooling connection with both water from the hose and the joys that come from running through the sprinkler.  

Blessed Be and Never Thirst,
Sherry

Beltane 2012 at Sweetwood Temenos

The day started out cloudy and cool and the weather promised some rain later in the day. Over as the day wore on some blue sky peaked out from the clouds and became warmer. I packed up the ritual tools, a posthole digger and shovel in and for the ritual circle. There was a mild breeze blowing but down at the ritual circle the air was quiet but filled with fragrant smell of land in spring.
The ritual circle was beautiful, filled with green a mixture of forest moss and grass. In the East there was bleeding hearts and daffodils. In the West there were some Hyacinth flowers. I dug out the ash soil where the past maypoles had rested, which the ritual fires have burned. I poured a libation of spring water into the hole that I have dug for many pass Beltane rituals. To the way of being, the Goddess, I poured a libation to; to her goodness, generosity, kindness, sensuality and sexuality and all that Beltane celebrates in her name. This year we celebrate the lunar expression of the Goddess and her many ways! 
With rain threatening I was wondering if anybody would show up for Sweetwood‘s Beltane ritual. Then several cars pulled up and down the trail through the woods my lovely spouse and a couple laughing and talking as they came. They brought down the potluck silver ware and food. The ritual had four good folk to raise the Beltane pole and dance around it, giving thanks and blessings to the Goddess, God and their love which spring is an expression of. 
We brought the may pole, the ritual’s phallic energy into the circle from its place in the South into the circle. We brought a new may pole wheel, the ritual’s Yoni energy made for this ritual and replacing the old one into the circle. The circle was cast and all greeted one another with love and laughter.
The men and women took a little bottle of anointing oil, each in turn blessed the Phallic energy of the may pole going round until all had spoken all that was in their hearts. They blessed the phallus as an expression of the beauty, sexuality, the power to steward, foster and defend life, joy of sex, and spirit of the God. The priestess brought forth the maypole wheel Yoni to receive blessings with each ribbon tied to it, eight in total. Each spoke their hearts’ words about the goodness, beauty, power, joy of sex and spirit as an expression of the Goddess  
 Then men took the may pole and offer it to the women embracing the may pole wheel Yoni. The women with laughter, sexy words and joyful noises place the Yoni wheel upon the May pole. The men then placed the phallic may pole into the ground where the sacred fires of the rituals past have burnt for 17 years. The women hooted and hollered as the May pole became erect and all were smiles as it stood there in the middle of the sacred circle with ribbon handing down fluttering in a light wind.
Everyone grab two ribbons, a man and woman walked desoil and the other woman and man walked widdershins around weaving over and under as they went around the May pole. They chanted “Love, Love, Love, Love, making magic, we make love! God and Goddess intertwining, we are Divine. We had a great time!
We tied off the ribbons, gathered around the Beltaine pole and shared water with one another. We first share the bless food of an apple and then passed a goblet filled with charge water from you another saying “Water shared is life shared, is love shared! May You Never Thirst, Drink Deeply! Thou Art God/ Goddess”! Then the circle was taken down and the circle was opened. The pole was removed and place in its resting place as a talisman in the south and a Beltaine fire built. However we only had a few minutes to enjoy the moment as the rain was coming. We packed up and went to the house for the potluck, good company and fun.  Such was Beltaine 2012 at Sweetwood Temenos.  

Sweetwood Temenos Spring Equinox Celebration – March 17th 20012 

This morning I sat in meditation before my personal altar with lit candles, incense burning and water in the goblet. I smudged my dedicated bag of Runes and focused on the theme of the Spring Equinox celebration, Renewal. I drew forth twelve runes and each one inspired one word and with these twelve words I made a list to give to my priestess. I poured a small libation from the goblet to the God and Goddess, drank the rest of the water and blew out the candles so ending the ritual meditation.

My priestess made 12 hardboiled eggs and used a white crayon to write invisible words on them from my meditation. She put the inscribed eggs in a spring basket and made ready for the afternoon ritual. 

This was the warmest Spring Equinox ritual and last weekend of winter that I could remember. The temperature was at 80 degrees today and I set up the altar naked only wearing my cord. I built a fire and returned to our home on the land to shower and put on some festive clothing for after the ritual. 

My priestess and I arrived back at the circle to find four friends that came to celebrate the Spring Equinox with us.  We all entered the circle, potluck food was bought in and set on the table in the circle, and a friend brought in the pot luck container (with utensils, cups, plates silverware, and napkins). 

The Priestess and I all gathered around the fire, held hands, took three deep breaths and did an OM to center.

The Priestess then went to the altar to get the Stang and came back to the fire and handed it to me saying “Where shall we begin?” and I responded “All a spiral without a beginning.” & handed it back to her. She took the Stang from me and said “A tree without end” and handed it back to me and I said “Reproduced and renewed by the Gods and Goddesses it gave birth to”. The Priestess and Priest kissed and said “Blessed Be!”.

I took the Stang (staff) starting at the altar and walked the circle dedicating the space to the ritual celebration of the spring Equinox. I spoke of blessings of the season, the renewal of life, the balance of light and darkness and the beauty of an early spring. Returning to the altar, I placed the Stang upon it. 

Then the Priestess picked up the singing bowl, I, the incense burner and feather. We honored the altar with one chime from the bowl and incense of one pass of the feather. To the East we went and we walked the circle round. Silently to each direction we went, with three chimes of the singing bowl and with three passes of the feather, we offered sound and incense to each direction ending in the North. 

Then I, the Priest, took a small amount of fine whiskey and offered at the gateway to the circle a libation to the Goddess Eris, she who causes all to strive and her kin who may make mischief in her service. This was an offering of peace and recognition of her and her kin.  

After honoring the directions and the making the libation to Eris, the Priestess brought forth the water jar filled with water. She began the charging of the water by asking the good folk gathered “who would speak for one of the 7 sacred elements of Sweetwood Temenos”? According to her heart and inspiration she called out earth, fire, air, water, ancestors, descendants and community. Each time she called upon an element, a good soul would volunteer and answer that they would speak for the element called. The water jar was handed to the good soul and then spoke according to their heart and inspiration. When finished, the good soul poured a libation and the gathering of good folk said “Blessed Be!”. Then the good soul returned the water jar back to the Priestess and so the rounds went until all the elements were so spoken for. She then did return the water jar and its water so charged and filled the Goblet with water for the Water Sharing later.

I went to the altar and once again brought forth the Stang and spoke the invocation: 
“I call upon the Goddess and God 
And the Divine community
The Beloved Wholeness who are the One,
The Oneness that is all,
Both Spirit and Nature
As above so also below
And by their creation of love  
We are their children!

Blessed Be!

So the circle was cast and the Priestess brought forth the spring basket with the eggs that had the invisible words printed on them. We spread out a blanket near the fire (& up wind) that all the good folk could sit on. 
We passed the basket round for each to choose the first egg as an omen for renewal. Then on each round thereafter, the chosen egg would be a gift for one’s self, another, or the land, according to their heart and inspiration. We brought forth the dye and had a good time coloring the eggs and revealing the hidden words of renewal. The eggs were then gathered up and placed in the spring basket once more by the Priestess and the blanket folded up and set aside.

The eggs were charged up by a chant lead by the priestess:

“Make yourself a power spot,
Bring in a spoon and a cooking pot,
Bring air, bring fire,
Bring water, bring earth,
You, a new Universe will birth!” 

I, the Priest led the good folk in a dance as we chanted raising power and joy that ended in a great shout of birth that echoed down into the woods and valley below.

As everyone grounded the energy of the chant and dance, I took the spring basket of eggs from the Priestess and returned it to the altar and brought forth the goblet of charged water and began the water sharing.
I raised the Goblet to the sky and then poured a libation to the earth, I turned to the good soul to my left and said “Water shared, is life shared is love shared, May you Never Thirst, Thou Art God/Goddess” Drink Deep! The good soul drinks and turns to the next good soul to the left and repeats the words, and offers the goblet and water. This is repeated until the goblet comes around and the Priestess offers water to me, the Priest. I drank deeply and asked if any other would like to speak words of the season with the goblet. None wished to speak further, so I made a blessing to the land of Sweetwood, the world and humankind, and poured a libation.

The Priestess and I returned to the altar and she took the singing bowl and I the incense and feather and began the farewell to the energy of the ritual circle. Starting in the north we honored each direction going widdershins with one chime and one pass of the incense with the feather. Returning to the altar we honored it with one more chime and pass of the incense with the feather.

Then hand in hand, the Priestess and I returned to the good folk gathered around the fire. We kissed and then all held hands and the Priestess released the energy of the circle with these spoken words:

 “All from Air into Air, let the misty veils part. 
 All is ended, all is done,
What has been, must now be gone.
What has been done by ancient Art,
Must merry met and merry part
And merry met again!
The circle is open but never broken!”

Hugs and kisses were passed around among the good folk who gathered for Sweetwood Temenos’ Spring Equinox ritual celebration. The feast began and good food, drink and conversation were shared around the fire on a fine early Spring afternoon. Later, as darkness fell, the good folk packed up and made their way to the Priestess and Priest’s house to continue to make merry and have conversations about the season and other interesting subjects. 

Never Thirst, Iacchus

Imbolc 2012 

It was a clear sky day at midwinter. It has been a mild winter and very little of snow on the ground, perhaps 2 inches of snow in the circle. The day was mild, in the mid 40’s and quiet. I alone went to the circle and there heard the whisper from the Lady to be naked in her rite. So Took my clothes off and stood naked in the glory of the day, low and behold the winter sun and the shelter of the glade of the circle kept me warm.

I cast the circle round with incense, stopping to watch a great Red tail Hawk circle around in the East. I stood with incense in hand in the east looking skyward through gray wooded limbs into blue sky watching the sight, the omen and then onward to the rest of the circle quarter’s. Back at the Altar i took raw milk, which I brought from a local dairy farmer and poured a libation and gave a blessing in each quarter.

I lit a flame from the candle on the altar and lit the fire with this flame and invoked the Divine community and the Lady and Lord.

Back to the altar once more to pick up seeds to be planted come spring. I held the seeds over the fire and prayed for bountiful bloom and crop. To the altar I returned the so blessed seeds. I picked up the sacred bag of runes and returned to the sacred fire

There I invoked Brigit by dancing around the fire dedicated to her, pouring a libation to her and pulled the rune Raidho.

To me came the following words inspired by her:

To carry around through All Seasons
And start again in the same place
Only further along the path.

So is the Art of ritual
Where the rational and irrational
Come to dance, sing and play

The joy of celebration the gift of worship
We share in communion with the Divine Ones
Through and in our Souls sharing water
We are together the Dear Ones

What does Brigit say
As I dance naked
Around her fire in Midwinter

Wait, Wait, be patient
See what comes of your seed 
All will turn out alright
Trust my blessing though you doubt.

Drink a toast to me,
Says she around the fire
So dedicated to her

I stood naked in winter sun
Poured a libation upon the fire
For my good fortune and health

Blessed her creativity and healing
Thanked her for my skill and Art 
For all I have made sacred

By love, work, skill and Art
I vow to continue in this Sweetwood land 
To live As best as I can 

And create a temple of green
Inviting souls who wish to be
Where her smile can be seen

By Work and play
Contemplation or celebration
Rooted being a center of many places

Gathered together and carried along
By the dance of Sun and Moon
And Seasons of Life, Death and Renewal
Where we share water with the Divine 

I sat in contemplative mood, smiling in the grace of the moment. drank good wine and watched the fire burn low. As the sun started to set an owl hooted and I arose to take down the circle with incense and song from a joyous heart to each direction. With circle fading away I put clothes on and laughed thinking this weather may never happen again where I could dance naked in my Imbolc rite. Blessed be to all I shouted to the woods and the four winds as I walked back up through the woods to the field and home.

What a beautiful rite and an experience of ecstasy!

Never Thirst 
Iacchus

December 17th 2011 – Sweetwood Temenos Yule Celebration 

Friday night before the Sweetwood Temenos Yule celebration we had a light snow fall of 1-2 inches.

This is the last weekend of a mild and wet autumn since November. At the beginning of November we had a snow fall of 5 inches. But within 3 days it melted and since then only rain and some ice. Over Thanksgiving I was able to build Yule bond fire. I used logs created by cutting up two dead pine trees and splitting old dry oak and maple. The pile of wood stood in the center of the circle and was about 4.5 ft X 4.5 ft and about 4 ft high.  

Saturday afternoon a couple of Sweetwood members show up at 1:00 pm and hung out with us for couple of hours. Then at 3:00 pm we walked and carried the ritual tools and items; the goblet, plate, a single white candle, bread, well water, torch, and lighter.
The altar was set with the candle on the south side of the altar, water in the west side of the altar, Bread on the north side of the altar and torch in the east side of the altar. The ritual began with a centering OM that echoed through the woods. The priestess and priest casted the circle by walking the circle round and stopping at each Quarter and giving thanks. The elements, the Goddess, the God and the Divine community were invoked.

We passed the torch around, each holding it and speaking what the return of the light and the meaning of this Holy Day had for them. Then when all were finished the Priest went to the altar to light the torch from the white candle. With the torch light he returned and set the Solstice bond fire ablaze!

While the fire burned we talked about the coming year, particularly given it was 2012 and the ending and renewing of the Mayan calendar,  shared reflections and enjoyed the company of each other. With the fire moving from bellowing plumes of smoke to bright flames the priest went and brought the goblet of water to the fire and started the water sharing. Around went the goblet and sharing water from person to person, looking into each other’s eyes and touching each other’s hearts with these words “Water Shared is Love Shared, is Life Shared, May you Never Thirst! Thou Art God, Thou Art Goddess Drink Deep!

The priest brought forth from the altar some Oat bread and blessed it. Around the bread went until all had their fill. To help wash down the bread, Wassail was served and some toasts were made! All in the late afternoon into twilight with a very hot fire to sit around with the beauty of the land in silent repose only to be sung to by our laughter, conversation and squirrels moving from tree to tree, the moment was subtle and great to behold.

As evening descended, the priestess and priest took down the circle and the priestess invoked the closing that opened the circle. So Merry Meet and Merry part and Merry meet again and we walked back up through the woods into the field and made our way back to the warmth of our house to continue the celebration and some more good food and drink! 

 Never Thirst, Iacchus       

Pagan Pride Day-Madison Wisconsin 2011 October 1st. 

Today started out sunny and cool, not a cloud in the sky…It warmed up during the day and everyone was in a good mood. It was just a good early autumn day in Wisconsin.
Sweetwood Temenos had its booth set up with its fliers, nothing fancy but nice. I bought our Sweetwood banner, “Pentacle”, stang and goblet. I explained the pentacle to several folk who asked its meaning. It was a good symbol to discuss the 7 directions and the 5 values. So was the stang as it gave me a chance to explain its significance of a staff/wand that is forked as being a divining rod only used to divine the heavenly waters. Thus the stang is the scepter/wand of the sky-gazing holy ones (clergy) of the ancient pagan religions. 
I also presented a talk to good folk who showed up on Aquarian neo-paganism. I pour in invocation with the Sweetwood goblet, symbolic of the Aquarian waters being poured forth and analogous to the Aquarian water barer pouring forth the Aquarian waters from his/her water jar. 
There were other presentations and the whole of Pagan Pride Day was definitely had a picnic in the park feel. It was a day of friendly faces, conversations and meeting up with old acquaintances and make of new acquaintances. There were venders, all were good. The Pagan Pride folk provided very good music by local pagan musicians! We were next to a fabulous wood worker….his wooden bowls were very nice. We were gift two handmade clay fired plates, which had words written on them … one saying “So mote it be” and the other saying “Merry Meet, Merry Part and Merry Meet Again”. These will be used ritually in our Sweetwood Sabbaths. 
The opening ritual was done by the “Northern Lakes Temple and Earth Traditions and closing ritual by a Norse group, “the Kettlewald Kindred”. In the opening ritual I brought the Sweetwood goblet and water and poured a libation for the gathering using the United States of America motto “From Many One”, invoked the Goddess Columbus (whose statue sits on top of our national capitol) and democracy, which promotes the pagan value of pluralism. The closing ritual was particularly beautiful as I was facing west (thus on the east side of the circle), sun shining in my face, the wind had become clam and the temperature was mild by late afternoon. A basket of apples were passed around and the good folk gave thanks for what they were thankful for and the colors of early autumn blessed us all. It was such an archetypal autumn pagan ritual that goodness of the day filled the hearts of all who attended it. When the Mystery comes to us in the form of the human community and Nature then one sees magic!
Blessed Be and Never Thirst
Iacchus                 

Sweetwood Temenos Drum and Camp Labor Day Gathering

Even though the weather was rainy on Labor Day weekend, we had 8 brave 
souls attending the 1st Annual Drum & Music Gather. We gave many 
thanks for the picnic shelter as we shared stories, jammed & generally 
made merry. I fixed my Indian wood flute in time for the Gathering & I 
had a great time jamming with Chris on his guitar. Both of us agreed, 
it sounded like a bit of paradise as our music wafted through the 
woods. All contributed their talents and riffs, and lots of smiles & 
laughter were shared around the fire.

Iacchus worked hard at cutting wood to keep the fire alive. Along with 
music-making, we had a special fire-eating performance by Josh Peters. 
(Iacchus & I are giving thought to having him perform at our next 
Freedom Gather.) Tom’s friend Kim courageously joined in, playing with 
fire on her tongue! We had two new attendees to SweetWood, and said 
they would be coming back again – they loved the people, the beautiful 
land, as well as the drive up through the driftless area.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone that made our first music gather a 
success. SweetWood is now a bit sweeter! 🙂
I’m already looking forward to next year …

May you all have cool clean water and enough to share.
Never Thirst,
Delta