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!
Tag: events
Andras Corban Arthen – Sacred Harvest Festival Guest – Interview
I can listen to Andras Corban Arthen all day. He has a rich, low voice with the gentle cadence of caring. He has a lifetime of experience in the Pagan community, and the depth of perception and the wisdom of his words keeps you riveted. He is presenting and performing all next week at Sacred Harvest Festival, near Geneva, Minnesota. Advance registration closes today, gate registration is available during the event Aug. 6-12th.
Andras Corban Arthen
You are just back from Europe, what were you doing there?
Andras: I go to Europe fairly often, since I have family and friends across the pond (I’m from Spain, originally), and a big part of my work is focused there. This trip served several purposes, the main one being related to a book I am writing, based on one of the presentations I will be doing at Sacred Harvest Festival (SHF) entitled The “Indians” of Old Europe. It looks at the cultures and spiritual practices that were originally called “Pagan” in the context of indigenous traditions from around the world. For over 35 years I’ve been searching for people in Europe who may be keeping alive the remnants of the old ethnic spiritual traditions of their countries, and have found some, both in Eastern and Western Europe, mostly in small, rural, out-of-the-way places where the old languages are still spoken. Most of them do not use the label “Pagan,” though their practices are not Christian and appear to be authentically very old. In some significant ways, they are quite different from what one typically finds in the modern pagan movement, and there are some important things that I think we could learn from them. When I first met these people I hadn’t been planning to publish a book, so before going further with this I needed to go back to touch base with them in person and ask for permission to write about them, their beliefs, and practices. I was able to do that with four of them, and in two of those cases wound up getting more information than I had before, so I’m pretty satisfied on that account.
Crystal Blanton Returns For Sacred Harvest Festival “RJ” Circle – Interview
Crystal Blanton
Crystal Blanton is returning to Sacred Harvest Festival, Aug 6-12th. She is bringing her whole family to experience the festival, and is offering a second Restorative Justice Circle as a service. Harmony Tribe is facilitating community participation by non-registrants of the festival for this event, Thursday, Aug. 9th, 10am at the festival site in Geneva, Mn. I talked to her by phone:
You are back at Sacred Harvest Festival (SHF) ?
Crystal: Yes, I had such a good time last year and I made such incredible connections with people that I really, really wanted to go back, and I wanted to share that experience with my family. I knew that if I could make it happen, I would.
Are you familiar with SHF Guest, Yeshe Rabbit?
We are both in the Bay area, and have had a great connection with each other as we both have continued to grow along our paths. I am really excited that she is one of the national guests this year. I think she will give the festival a great service. I visit her store often. I don’t work within her coven, but because we both are in the Bay area and do leadership type programs we come across each other frequently. We have been able to develop a great working relationship and friendship together even though we don’t work in the same coven.
Crystal at SHF 2011
with Bear Eared Hat
You are offering another Restorative Justice Circle (RJ) at SHF, why a second one?
Usually when we do an RJ circle around a particular topic there is a follow-up. We do that as a means to make sure that after the first interaction that people have had the opportunity to be a part of the solution and deal with whatever has come up since the initial engagement. In this kind of scenario, my thought was to come back and offer that same kind of opportunity for people to engage in a follow-up but to also focus on some community building type exercises supporting the community with moving forward and gaining more tools as a community in that rebuilding process. This is the benefit for participating if you participated last year, to support going from one phase to the next phase of healing and restoring community values.
What if this is your first RJ experience, what would be the benefit?
As I am designing this my initial plan will likely change once I connect with the community. There is always what we think we want to do, and then once there, what is needed. My guess is that it would have a portion set aside to talk about the past year, and the feelings and emotions associated with the rebuilding of community. I want to focus more on that direction, but that is just based on impressions of what I left a year ago. Since this will be open to community, it also depends on who decides to participate and attends. Part of the RJ process, that can be both challenging and important, is to be able to move within the needs of the community which we are serving at that moment. Because I don’t know what portion of the HT community will be participating, I have to leave that somewhat open at this time. There will be time to get some basic feelings out, but my main push will be to get to the next phase of restoring.
Paganistan Weekly; June 4-10
The Walker Community United Methodist Church burned down. This was a gathering place for many progressive groups, and its loss is mourned by many in our community. You can read more about it at https://pncminnesota.com/2012/05/30/walker-church-a-community-commons/
Transit of Venus is Tuesday. This wont happen again in your lifetime. There will be a gathering in Powderhorn Park at 6:30 to note this significant event.
Transit Begins at 5:04 pm
Ingress Interior Contact 5:22pm
Transit Center 8:27pm
Sunset at 8:57pm (viewing ends for us)
Egress Interior Contact 11:32pm
Transit ends: 11:50pm
The Eye of the Boar coven will be featuring a singing bowl workshop this Saturday at their monthly free healing Circle. Stop by the Eye of Horus Saturday between 7pm & 9pm to experience these good vibrations.
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Local Pagans offer Podcasts
Several area Pagans are producing podcasts. These are sometimes live with call in options, and sometimes prerecorded. The subject matter is wide, and may be of interest to Pagan listeners. Your best bet is to look these up and bookmark upcoming shows that may be of interest to you! There are doubtless others out there, but I was able to briefly talk with the host of most of these.
“Edge Mysteries & Beyond” with Joseph A. Amara – Third Saturday of each month 3-4pm
Join Joseph A. Amara, one of the owners of Magus Books, as he discusses the Mysteries of life and spirituality that serve to bring wonder and meaning into our lives. He will highlight new and popular book titles, as well as answer listener questions and conduct interviews with luminaries in the fields of Magick and Mysticism. Joseph, “The show is pretty open ended. We explore ‘Mystery’ which is a wide field. It is a mix of lectures and will begin some interview shows. People can call, or ‘chat’ in, during the broadcast. Upcoming topics are Neoplatonism, Gnosticism, and Alchemy”
“Sit a Spell “ with Lisa Lee – Every Wednesday night at 6PM CST
Sit a Spell is broadcast from ‘Heaven and Earth Essentials’ in Sauk Center, MN. The show includes both prerecorded and call in shows. The show appears on some FM radio stations nationally.Learn new spells, find out what the craft is really all about all while getting the latest news and reviews about topics that matter to us. The show blends an eclectic mix of conversation, interviews, and live events with recipes and rituals to empower the divine within. Lisa said the focus of the show is, “Empowering people, building them up. Making them feel strong and loved. Trying to displel all the negative stereotypes out there about ‘witches’. I am all about helping our community and what interests people, and am open to show ideas! ”
Circle Craft Study with Selena Fox – Live on Tuesday nights from 8-9 pm central time.
The show will include instruction, invocation, guided meditation, and a time for discussion & call-ins.
Call in number: (347) 308-8222. Shows also will be available for later listening on-line archives at the Pagans Tonight Radio Network site on Blog Talk Radio.
Other upcoming shows include:
Tuesday, April 10: Renewal with the Green Man
Green Man lore, magic & meditation for personal and planetary well-being.
Tuesday, April 17: Earth Day Ritual & Mother Earth Communion
Celebrate Earth Day with this guided ritual & meditation.
Tuesday, April 24: Celebrating Beltane
Old & new ways of bringing in the May. Creating personal & group Beltane rites.
Tuesday, May 1: Beltane Magic
Guided Beltane inner journey & ritual for creativity & inner growth.
The Great North Pagan Podcast is a monthly broadcast from the Fargo-Moorehead area. Lion Lord produces episodes with an occaisional special broadcast of rituals or other events. The episodes (audio) and special events (video) are available on Youtube. Lion Lord, “Content is recorded and uploaded, but we have plans to offer some live podcasts in the future. We have covered the many shops in the area, covered paranormal phenomena, and Pagan rights. In a recent episode we discussed Paganism in the media and Hollywood. We also cover rituals and rites, and did a special of Pagan caroling. We broadcasted live a Ombolc ritual which is also available online.”
Bridging the Gap – with Wildflower – First Thursdays each month at 8pm Central
is an ‘as scheduled ‘ podcast to explore bridging the gap between metaphysics, success, and self-discovery. The show is sometimes live, sometimes recorded. Hosted by Wildflower the show both explores metaphysics and also offers tips for things to take away and apply in your personal life. Wildflower, “Listeners will gain new insights and tools to implement these. I recently interviewed Giorgio A. Tsoukalos of the show Ancient Aliens from the History channel, a very interesting discussion.”
“On the Edge…of Everything” with SchaOn & Cathy – Second Sunday of each month 11am-1pm
Join SchaOn and Cathy – as well as a Special Guest – as they talk about the latest news and updates in Holistic Health care . SchaOn, “ It is a live show with call ins. We talk with a local guest or have an interview about what is happening in our society that affects people’s health. We make the connection between those things that may negatively impact our health and so also impact our spirituality, practice, and capabilities. Good health also involves caring for the Earth and our bodies, and so we ask the questions and seek answers for ourselves about what is best for both.”
Visit Edgetalk radio for several other offerings that Pagans might find interesting!
Pagan Newswire Collective - Minnesota Bureau 