Category: Human Interest

Restorative Justice II at Sacred Harvest Festival – Editorial

Thursday, August 9th, the second community Restorative Justice (RJ)  circle was held at Sacred Harvest Festival,  a year after the first. The festival was a lot different place this year, it was observable that an immense amount of grief resolution and healing had taken place over a year. A focus on the festival theme of the sacred in our lives, and the power of love, had seemed to replace a sense of anxiety, hurt, grief, and fear that many had felt a year ago.

The Circle was much smaller this year, down to 15 participants, with 6 having their first experience with RJ at this circle. The feelings of the nine who returned were softened,  and reflected a feeling of a return to normalcy, which in this case is defined by the tribal sense of family this festival has generated based on the feedback of thousands of individuals over fifteen years.

Crystal Blanton had offered to facilitate this RJ circle again.  Crystal began with establishing a talking stick. This year she used a personal Phoenix tradition piece because:

“What we are doing in this community. We are rising from circumstances, regardless of what those circumstances have been, and where everybody falls in that. Taking where we are at, and using it as a catalyst to grow into something beautiful and bigger, and in some ways unimaginable.”

Crystal solicited;  “Any questions before we begin?   None were asked.

Crystal Blanton

Crystal:

“We open with two pieces to set the tone for where we have been, and where we are going :”

“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence, when mindfulness embraces those we love they will bloom like flowers. “

And from an article: “Contact beyond the Gods”

Crystal read a quote about the spiritual importance of connection, and the connection we all have with each other. Acknowledging the importance of the process we are in, how we integrate the lessons we have learned into our spiritual being, and into the path before us. Not only learning how to work in community, but teaching how to work in community, for our children. Preserving what we have worked so hard for here.

Crystal begins the RJ circle offering two values she brings, asking each participant to state a value they bring to the circle.

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Ubaka Hill at Women’s Drum Center – Interview

Ubaka Hill

Ubaka Hill is appearing in Minnesota this week, sponsored by the W0men’s Drum Center.

CONCERT: Rhythms for the Trees: A Concert of Percussion, Poetry, Song and Vision

Featuring Ubaka Hill and with Drumheart. Open to the general public Saturday, August 25, 2012

Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for the Marketplace , Performance begins at 7:00 p.m.

Jeanne d’Arc Auditorium, Whitby Hall, St. Catherine University 2004 Randolph Ave., St.Paul, MN

Ubaka’s 2-day Workshop: Drumsong: the Art and Spirit of Drumming

(for women and girls)

Friday, August 24, 2012, 6:30-9:00 p.m. & Saturday, August 25, 9:30-1:30p.m.

At Carondolet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., St.Paul

Register for workshop ($60) at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/258804

Ubaka arrived Monday to prepare for a week of appearances around Minnesota, we talked by phone.

What brings you to Minnesota?
The Women’s Drum Center ( WDC ) is responsible for brings me out and setting up the workshops and concert, and setting up the Million Women Drummers Gathering 2013 , what we call, “Meet and Greets”. One of those will include a workshop but these are primarily to speak about the Million Women Drummers Gathering 2013 initiative/movement and how local and global communities and individuals can be a part of it.

What is the Million Women Drummers Gathering 2013?
It is a two tiered, tow levels, and two phased program. There is a gathering planned for October 11-13th, 2013. Between now and that date it is about raising our consciousness, and becoming more awake and aware that our wooden musical instruments are trees. As simple as that is, it is quite profound to become aware that we are participating in the deforestation of our old growth forests, our third world local woods, and of our wooded areas within the US and around the world. I have been drumming on the wooden drum for over thirty years. There was a point where I was not as awake and aware, and mindful of my participation indirectly, by being a consumer of drums, in the deforestation and the senseless cutting and disrespect of the trees, and the woods. In the sustainability of our future. Around 2007, something awakened inside of me. That awakening had to do with our unconscious consumption of wooden instruments. I am including all wooden instruments, from acoustic guitars, to upright bass’s; pianos, marimba, clarinets, flutes, violins, cellos harps, all the instruments. If we do not sustain the trees that our wooden instruments are made from, we do not have a future for those instruments that we love to play, and listen to, that we enjoy dancing to. We won’t be able to sustain the music of those trees and so won’t be able to sustain the folkloric traditions of our various cultures. Generations that will follow us, will also not have the trees or the wooden instruments for those trees to play.

The Million Women Drummers Gathering 2013 initiative is essentially about creating a new mindful model as musicians and listeners, and players of wooden instruments. This call is coming from the leadership of women who love drums and who love trees. The Gathering in 2013 is a celebration of our new awake and aware selves, and our effort to create a new mindful model through planting trees, through having conversations about trees and creating a sustainable future, and to celebrate this by creating local rhythm circles including all players of wooden instruments while we plant trees and while we begin to create new technologies, ideas, and new approaches to a sustainable green policy for manufacturers, new traditions and new ways to approach the trees and the forest with gratitude and appreciation and the their replenishment.

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Kirtan from the Heart – Gift to Sacred Harvest Festival

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A Kirtan in Sanskrit means  “praise, eulogy” . It originates in India and has spoken only forms and the more “liberal” Eastern Indian sung forms.  It is a call response form of expression of devotion, and is at its essence a ritual to the Gods.  It is from a world of 100’s of millions of Hindus and some forms of Buddhism, who celebrate their spirituality through the Kirtan. Alliances between these forms of spiritual Pagan expression are flourishing on the West Coast of the USA. Polytheists find more similarities in their worship than the vast cultural differences between Eastern practice and Western Pagans. Relatively new to Midwest Pagans, but becoming increasingly popular in “New Age” and Yoga based communities, the Kirtan movement is growing. Neo-Pagan connections to call and response, and voice based devotional ritual seems a logical extension in the range of Pagan practice.

Sacred Harvest Festival guest, Yeshe Rabbit, brought this workshop as a taste of this form of expression. The workshop guided participants through, “… a magical progression to align body, mind, and spirit.”  I was drawn in and enthralled by the magic of this workshop.  The power of Rabbit’s voice was inspiring to festivants as the sound drifted through the village. The workshop participants were ecstatic afterwards, and bliss enveloped the village for the week. Jai Maa!  *

Gift yourself seven minutes, close your eyes and join in the song as you hear the culmination of what was  over a 90 minute ritual Kirtan.

Listen to Kali Mata – Kirtan From The Heart

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Jai Maa : This is a call to the Divine Mother, ‘Maa,’ a singing of Her glory. Literally, ‘jai’ means ‘victory,’ although we often translate it as ‘hallelujah’ or ‘praises.’ Speaking ‘Jai Maa’ in puja (worship ceremony) is an affirmation of the Divine Mother’s blessings, a chant of gratitude for all Her gifts and the challenges She provides that help us grow spiritually.

Nels Linde

Sacred Harvest Festival – Shrines Unveil the Sacred

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This years Sacred Harvest Festival ended Sunday and down came at least twenty five festivant shrines expressing worship and devotion to deity. Festivants were asked to bring shrines and they sprouted like fall mushrooms after a rain. I am sure I didn’t photograph them all, they had to be sought out in both public and hidden spaces. Some shrines had a clear focus, others were a reminder of our diversity. These photos on a windy day give a casual look, at night they transformed and were all lit and tended, and offerings of incense and libation graced many of them. Some grew as the week progressed, others disappeared or re-appeared in new forms. The theme of the event was “Unveiling the Sacred, Immersed in the Luminous Light of Love”, and shrines were an important aspect of this years festival experience.
Enjoy!

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Nels Linde

New Alexandrian Library Foundation in DC is Laid

via PNC-DC

By David Salisbury
For nearly a year, PNC-DC has been reporting on the announcement and progress of the New Alexandrian Library – a Pagan library project at Seelie Court in Delaware. This week, a huge step in the construction process took place as workers laid the foundation for the physical structure. I was able to briefly speak with ASW elder Michael Smith on the process. Additional information on the building was given by Jim Dickinson, the NAL’s Project Construction Manager.

CapitalWitch – Recently the foundation for the library site was poured. Can you describe what that process was like?

Michael Smith – It was actually a several stage process. First the footers were poured and a riser wall was constructed to make sure that the finished floor would be above the 100-year flood-water estimates. We want to make sure everything we are entrusted with is kept safe for the ages! After the foundation was backfilled to ensure a minimum 4” floor pad, we held a ritual to seed the floor area with crystals charged at the Between the Worlds rituals in 2004 and 2007, waters collected from the sacred sites around the planet, and crystals charged by supporters of the project over the years. The floor pad was then poured over all those charged sacrifices and blessings. It is just amazing how much energy people have given in support of this project through the years, in anticipation of this manifestation, and we are so grateful that it continues!

CW – Are there any obstacles such as weather that pose challenges?

MS – The construction process can be unpredictable – as anyone who has ever built their own home knows! After the necessary permits were obtained (a daunting process in itself!), the weather was our most difficult challenge. There were alternating periods of extreme heat and then strings of days when rain prevented work. Temperature is very important when pouring concrete and too much heat can cause all sorts of issues: early set of the concrete, inadequate time to work it properly and ensure air bubbles are floated out and the pad cures level. Today, we got very lucky in that the temperature was much lower than predicted a few days ago. The decision was make by the contractor and the masons at 5:30 a.m. this morning. The floor is in, beautifully flat and curing well!

CW – The laying of the foundation seems like an exciting step both physically and spiritually. Was there or will be any additional magickal prep-worked involved in the setting of the foundation or the raising of the walls?

MS – As mentioned above, sacred waters from around the world, sacred protective objects and crystals charged for this very purpose at our Between The Worlds gatherings’ main rituals in 2000, 2004, and 2007 are placed throughout the foundation. This work was designed to root all of the power and intention we have raised to support the Library over the years. Additional ritual and magickal work will be done at each step of the construction. The specific dome construction allows us to place objects and implant workings into each seam between the triangles – to help the project grow and prosper each step of the way.

CW – What are the next steps for the structure of the building?

MS – After the pad is full cured, the contractor will begin assembling the vertical riser walls. Then he will use a small crane to lift the triangle components into place. It is then that we will be able to see the ‘dome’ take form! Soon after, the standard wood construction bits will be put in (and windows and doors installed) – and we will have a strong, durable, long-lasting concrete vault for the collection!

CW – Do you expect the upcoming stages to move forward in the time frame you anticipated?

MS – Giving a couple of days here and there – to deal with future weather issues – we are expected to be right on schedule! The dam has broken and the energy of this project is flowing from Yesod to Malkuth in a free and beautiful way! The building will be done on schedule. We have great confidence in our contractor and appreciate his desire to make sure things are done right and well, even if it take a little longer than expected. We expect the Library to be around for many, many, many decades and recognize the need for the beginnings, and there will be many, to be as considered and grounding as possible.

Then begins the hard work of outfitting it to display and maintain the collections in peak condition: shelving, digital media equipment, etc. It is a very exciting time and there are small hoards of people that cannot wait to get into the nuts and bolts details of outfitting a state-of-the-art esoteric research library!

CW –  Is there anything else you’d like to add?

MS – We need continued donations of money!  We will, of course, release a complete accounting of the project and an official audit of the project by an outside firm.  We want everyone to know we are using your donations wisely and responsibly!

New Alexandrian Library is a Dream whose time is now. Now, more than ever, we need the continued support of the communities and individuals the NAL is being built to serve.   Please donate!

Any monetary donation, no matter how small, is needed now as the project progresses. One can donate through the NAL’s website or through the Causes campaign ‘Support the New Alexandrian Library.’

Please, spread the word of this important project to one’s communities and friends. And look for more exciting news and additional ways that people can help the New Alexandrian Library in the near future.