Hergest's Almanack

A couple of updates....

2008-09-03T21:52:00.003-06:00

The word on Calgary Pagan Pride Day is that it is a no-go this year. There is still the pathway cleanup at Eau Claire on September 13, but hopefully CPPD will be back next year.

Brendan Myers will be doing two workshops for the Covenant of Gaia: one on Pagan Folk Proverbs and Wisdom Teachings, on Friday, Sept. 19, which is open to COGCOA members and their invited guests, and one on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 3:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Church of Calgary, on Ethics in Celtic and European Mythology. Information is on the COGCOA website at http://www.cogcoa.ab.ca/ And of course, there is the brunch on Sunday sponsored by Awen Grove, as previously posted.

Blessings,
Hergest

September, 2008

2008-08-31T16:19:00.001-06:00

Happy September, everyone.

First, the news… Evergreen Introductory classes are slated to begin Wednesday, October 15 for four weeks, plus the fifth on Monday, November 10. If you’ve been interested in beginning our classes, mark your calendars.

Rather than a formal event, Calgary Pagan Pride Day is happening as a picnic on Sept. 20, and they’re also doing a pathway cleanup at Eau Claire on the 13th. The 13th is also the annual “Women’s Take Back the Night March”, perhaps more relevant lately in the face of all the gang violence in the city.

Details are a little sparse, but Druid author Brendan (Cathbad) Myers will be in Calgary the weekend of Sep. 19-21 for two workshops with the Covenant of Gaia, and a brunch on Sep. 21 hosted by Awen Grove. See links below for further information.

For those of you who have been wondering, Margarian is still slowly recovering from her illness of last winter. She’s recently had blood tests to try to determine why her stamina is still so low, and we’re currently waiting on the results. In the meantime, she still hasn’t made the trip to Toronto to deal with her late mother’s house, and my summer vacation has been on hold as a result.

I can feel in autumn coming in my weekly morning commute; the sun just rising, the mountains painted pink in sunrise glow, with occasional fresh dustings of snow. Morning sun on the skyscrapers gives the downtown a mythic quality, belying the stress and Mammon-worship that goes on there. The mornings are cooler, the leaves a little paler, and the birds, which have been flying in pairs and family groups, are beginning to gather for migration.

No book review this month; I’ve been enjoying The Bull of Minos by Leonard Cottrell. It’s a 1955 account of the discoveries at Troy and Mycenae by Heinrich Schliemann, and at Knossos, Crete by Sir Arthur Evans. (Both Schliemann and Evans were real characters, which adds to the story). I’ve also begun reading Wicca 333: Advanced Topics in Wiccan Belief by Kaatryn MacMorgan. A little preachy, but food for thought. For recreation, I’ve also been re-reading Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson’s Illuminatus! trilogy, the cult classic conspiracy-theory spoof from the 1970’s.

September's Birthdays: Lee G., Frank S., Carla M., Cathryn B., Mordwyn, Mysteel, and probably some of my Facebook friends.

September Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Aug. 30, 1:58 p.m. New Moon. Coll (Hazel) lunar month begins.
Aug. 30 – Sept. 1: Calgary Tattoo and Arts Festival. Info: http://www.calgarytattoos.com
Sep. 1: Labour Day.
Sep. 4: The Eclectic Circle, led by SpiritnSoul, Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1558/
Sept. 5: Calgary Pagan Book Club discusses Farrar & Farrar’s Witches Bible. Facebook: Calgary Pagan Book Club.
Sep. 6: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Sep. 13, 12:00 noon: Calgary Pagan Pride Day Pathway Cleanup at Eau Claire. Facebook: Pagan Pride Pathway Cleanup
Sep. 13, 7:30 p.m.: Women’s Take Back the Night March, starting at Central Memorial Park. Info: http://calgarycasa.com/programs/take-back-the-night-2006
Sep. 15, 3:13 a.m.: Full (Harvest) Moon.
Sep. 16, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yhos, in north Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Sep. 19-21: Workshops with author Brendan (Cathbad) Myers, sponsored by the Covenant of Gaia. Info: see Sept. 6, or visit http://www.cogcoa.ab.ca
Sep. 20: Calgary Pagan Pride Day Picnic, at Fish Creek Park.
Sep. 20, 3:00 p.m.: Haunted Pub Tour, at Cat & Fiddle Pub. Facebook: Calgary Haunted Pub Tour.
Sep. 20, 7:30 p.m.: COGCOA Mabon Ritual.
Sep. 21, 10:00 a.m. Sunday Brunch with Brendan (Cathbad) Myers at Kilkenny’s Irish Pub in Brentwood (500, 3630 Brentwood Road NW), hosted by Awen Grove. Info: http://awencanada.com/
Sep. 22, 9:44 a.m.: Autumnal Equinox.
Sep. 25, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup – Autumn Equinox Ritual, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Sep. 29, 2:12 a.m.: New Moon. Muin (Vine) lunar month begins.

Blessings,
Hergest

August, 2008

2008-08-02T13:13:00.003-06:00

Happy Lughnasadh, everyone. I’ll spare you the monthly blurb this month. The weather’s beautiful for a change, and we should be out enjoying it. Already the days have begun to visibly shorten, and the back-to-school sales are already happening. Carpe Diem!

This just in: The annual Gathering for Life on Earth, the Vancouver area pagan festival scheduled for the August long weekend, had to be cancelled following the rockslide along the Sea to Sky Highway earlier this week. Reports are that alternate events may be happening in Vancouver. Info: http://www.gatheringforlife.org/

August's Birthdays: Cathie M., Cat T., Raine, and probably some of my Facebook friends.

August's Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Aug. 1-4: PanFest in central Alberta. Info: http://www.panfest.net/
Aug 1-10: Calgary Fringe Festival, in Inglewood. Info: http://www.calgaryfringe.ca/
Aug. 1, 4:13 a.m.: New Moon. Tinne (Holly) lunar month begins.
Aug. 2-4: Canmore Folk Festival. Info: http://www.canmorefolkfestival.com/
Aug. 3, 10:30 a.m.: The Unitarian Church of Calgary Lammas celebration, at 1703 – 1 Street NW. Bring something from your garden for blessing; potluck to follow.
Aug. 3, 2:00 p.m.: Serpent & Owl Clann Open Lughnasadh Celebration. Info: serpent_and_owl at shaw dot ca
Aug. 4: Heritage Day.
Aug. 6-11: Shambhala Music Festival, Salmo River Ranch, B.C. Info: http://www.shambhalamusicfestival.com/
Aug. 7: The Eclectic Circle, led by SpiritnSoul, Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1558/
Aug 11-28: Globalfest Fireworks and Multicultural Festival. Info: http://www.globalfest.ca/
Aug. 15-17: Con-Version XXII at Calgary Radisson Hotel. Info: http://www.con-version.org/
Aug. 16, 3:16 p.m.: Full (Sturgeon) Moon.
Aug. 19, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by moi, in south Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Aug 23-29: BC Witchcamp at Evans Lake, B.C. Info: http://www/bcwitchcamp.ca
Aug.28, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Aug. 30 – Sept. 1: Calgary Tattoo and Arts Festival. Info: http://www.calgarytattoos.com/
Sept. 5: Calgary Pagan Book Club discusses Farrar & Farrar’s Witches Bible. Facebook: Calgary Pagan Book Club.

Blessings,
Hergest

The Mountains of Faerie

2008-07-05T12:43:00.001-06:00

Happy July, everyone.

We had a decent turnout for the solstice sunrise on June 20. The sky was clear, but across the eastern horizon lay a bank of gray cloud. As we watched, accompanied by hares and the ever-present crows, a rosy glow spread across the cloudscape, as it the Sun was preparing to rise in front of them (could that even be possible?). The glow faded to a point, and a golden-silver lining appeared at the tops of the clouds, until the Sun finally made its appearance.

Watching this brought back memories from my childhood. On my first airplane flight just before my second birthday, I’m told that I pointed at the cloud tops, wanting to walk on them. In my youth in Regina, I often sat on the porch of our west-facing house, noticing what appeared to be mountains on the horizon, fancying them to be shadows cast all the way from western Alberta.

Watching the sunrise that morning brought to mind Tolkien’s vision of the lost West, sundered from the Earth and only accessible by the “straight path”… and of the veil that, according to Celtic myth, separates our world from the land of Faerie. And I think of the musical “Brigadoon”, calling on similar mythology, with a town lost in the mists. I think, then, that these are the "Mountains of Faerie", a landscape that is sometimes part of our spiritual world, if only we have the wherewithal to look for and appreciate it.

July's Birthdays: Tash L., Leanne C., Sean, Caroline, Jen T., and probably some of my Facebook friends. And happy anniversary to Christine and Michael!

July Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Jul. 1: Canada Day.
Jul. 2, 8:19 p.m.: New Moon. Duir (Oak) lunar month begins.
Jul. 3: The Eclectic Circle, led by SpiritnSoul, Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1558/
Jul. 4-12: Big Drunken Calgary Party, a.k.a. the Stampede.
Jul. 15, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by moi, in north Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Jul. 18, 1:59 a.m.: Full (Buck) Moon.
Jul. 19: COGCOA Lammas Ritual.
Jul. 24-27: Calgary Folk Music Festival. Info: http://www.calgaryfolkfest.com
Jul. 24, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Aug. 1-4: PanFest in central Alberta. Info: http://www.panfest.net/
Aug. 23-29: BC Witchcamp at Evans Lake, B.C. Info: http://www.bcwitchcamp.ca

Blessings,
Hergest

When disaster strikes...

2008-06-03T21:16:00.000-06:00

Happy June, everyone.

Usually when disaster strikes around the world, I make a special contribution to Oxfam Canada or the Canadian Red Cross. So it was frustrating to me when the cyclone struck Myanmar/Burma a few weeks back, and the junta was refusing, then confiscating, aid from outside. Even now, I’m not sure whether aid through official channels is reaching the victims. Latest reports say that they are being driven off of their land. However, the International Burmese Monks Organization, in partnership with the global web movement Avaaz.org, has been able to distribute over $550,000 in aid (with another $1.5 million on the way) through Burmese monasteries and unofficial channels. It may not be a Canadian charity, but may be the most effective way for some of us to help. For more information, visit http://www.avaaz.org/en/burma_aid_report/15.php?cl=91073145

On the other hand, I’ve really been having mixed feelings about the earthquake disasters in China. China is an economic powerhouse, so much so that one can hardly buy a product these days without seeing “Made in China” on it (if only in the fine print). Given China’s horrendous human rights record, unchecked environmental damage, and the situation in Tibet, it’s easy to be unsympathetic. It might almost be argued that the recent disasters may be driving China to the brink of sudden revolutionary change, and a little “tough love” may be in order. One thing about making monthly contributions to international aid organizations: at least you can still help the victims, even though you have moral qualms.

You may have also heard that the Wolong Panda Sanctuary, home to 30% of the world’s endangered pandas, also suffered from the recent quake. The Friends of World Heritage Fund is donating 100% of the proceeds received by June 27 towards recovery of several world heritage sites damaged by the quake, including the panda sanctuary. Donations are being matched by both Expedia, Inc. and the UN Foundation. For more info, go to: http://www.friendsofworldheritage.org/

Solstice is coming, and with it, our semi-annual Solstice Sunrise Vigil. We’re doing it on Friday, June 20 at 4:30 a.m., which is the morning of the Summer Solstice… and given that New Agers have also discovered this special site, there’s a chance we may have to share it with them. If you’re interested in attending, let me know, and I’ll forward the directions.

June's Birthdays: Dawn L., Joie, Sierra, Michelle B, Mimi, some old HP, and probably some of his Facebook friends.

June Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Jun. 1-7: Canadian Environment Week (despite John Baird). Info: http://www.ec.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=09B7E8E7-1
Jun. 1, 10:30 a.m. Spiritual Teachings of Earth-Centred Traditions, at Unitarian Church of Calgary, 1703 – 1 St. NW.
Jun. 3-5: Mayor’s Environment Expo at the Municipal Building Atrium (9 am – 3 pm)
Jun. 3, 1:23 p.m.: New Moon. Uath (Oak) lunar month begins.
Jun. 5: The Eclectic Circle, led by SpiritnSoul, Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1558/
Jun. 7: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Jun. 14: COGCOA Litha Ritual.
Jun. 17, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by moi, in south Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Jun. 18, 11:30 a.m.: Full (Strawberry) Moon.
Jun. 20, 4:30 a.m.: Solstice Sunrise Vigil. Contact me for details.
Jun. 20, 5:59 p.m.: Summer Solstice.
Jun. 20-22: COGCOA Summerfest Campout in SherWitch Forest. Robin Hood meets the Oak and Holly Kings!
Jun. 26, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Jul. 1: Canada Day

Blessings,
Hergest

Fire Child

2008-05-16T15:56:00.001-06:00

Happy Beltane, everyone! At least the snow has finally melted, so that frolicking in the outdoors isn’t as intimidating as it was a few days ago!

It seems my comment a couple of months back on the Witchery’s departure from the Calgary pagan scene was (thankfully) premature. As some of you know, they’ve relocated to the old Bushido Tattoo space in 1112 – 4 St. SW (conveniently close to downtown), and plan to re-open on May 15. Welcome back!

This month’s read is Fire Child: The Life and Magic of Maxine Sanders “Witch Queen” (Mandrake of Oxford, 2008. ISBN 978-1-869928-97-1). Maxine has only been familiar to me as the striking young blonde with Alex Sanders in photos of their rituals taken during the 1970’s. As she has never considered herself a writer, her autobiography is a welcome break to her long silence.
The child of a spiritualist socialite and an abusive ex-boxer, she developed an interest in the Mysteries at an early age. Her book is a reflection upon her spiritual history, including her experiences with Indonesian, Egyptian, and “Angelic” practices, ceremonial magic, and the glory years of the Alexandrians. It also portrays her long relationship with, and ultimate estrangement from, Alex Sanders. She characterizes him as “a saint and a showman”, whose generosity was as great as his need to be in the public eye. Maxine, however, preferred her family and her privacy.
While much is mentioned of their workings, Maxine’s frustration and disillusion with some fellow Witches at all levels ultimately led to her retirement. It’s a fascinating portrait of a woman who was close to the centre of modern Traditional Craft in its early days, and reveals that much of its abuses today have long been with us.

Candles this month to M. Willow, Bryn, Sherri O, Linda L, and to everyone else who needs them.

May's Birthdays: Lily, Danielle A., and probably some of my Facebook friends.

May Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

May 1: Just say NO to Plastic Bags Day.
May 1: The Eclectic Circle (TEC), led by SpiritnSoul, Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1558/
May 3-4: Calgary Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show at West Hillhurst Arena, 1940 – 6 Ave NW. Info: http://www.crlc.ca/
May 3: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
May 3, 8:00 p.m.: Ghost Walk at Queen’s Park Cemetery, hosted by Spira Canada.
May 5, 6:18 a.m.: New Moon. Saille (Willow) lunar month begins.
May 10, 6:00 p.m. Calgary Community Potluck: Manje-Mo (Creole/Caribbean). Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/calgarycommunitypotlucks/
May 11: Mother’s Day.
May 15: The Witchery re-opens at 1112 – 4 St. SW.
May 16-19: 4th Canadian National Pagan Conference at the University of Ottawa. Info: http://www.gaiagathering.ca
May 19, 8:11 p.m.: Full (Flower) Moon.
May 20, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in north Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
May 22, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
May 25, 12:00 noon: Calgary Pagan Pride Day meeting at Co-op Midtown Market.
May 25, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Calgary Lilac Festival. Info: http://www.4streetcalgary.com/lilacfestival/

Blessings,
Hergest

A Death at Ostara

2008-04-11T15:28:00.003-06:00

Happy April, everyone.

As some of you know, Margarian lost her mother “K” on March 16. Death never comes at a convenient time, and so it was in this case. Mar herself had been ill with the flu and pneumonia for the previous six weeks, and was just beginning to recover when we received the news. We learned on Sunday the 9th that K. was "hanging by a thread" and "in the hands of God", so we took the red-eye that night to Toronto and went straight to the hospital.

In retrospect, Margarian was glad that we arrived that morning, as it was probably the last time K. had any awareness that someone was there. K's kidneys failed on the 11th, and she managed to survive until the evening of the 16th. During that time, we paid her several visits, made what preparations we could, and waited for the phone call to come.

Over several days, we followed K’s transition from someone alive in a hospital room, to seeing her shortly after she passed, to seeing the body in its fibreboard casket at the funeral home. On a Wednesday morning, we joined the closed casket in the chapel at the crematorium. While we waited, we studied the memorial urns in their glass niches in the walls. Then the screen at the back of the chapel retracted to reveal a utilitarian furnace room, the casket was rolled in, and the door to the oven - the womb of Fire - rolled open. My stomach dropped; it hit me that K’s physical existence was about to be annihilated – a more final departure than burying it in the Earth. The casket was moved into the oven, and the door closed. Margarian took a deep breath, turned the switch, and we heard the whoosh of the gas igniting.

The whole experience was a balance of meeting the needs of K’s supporters from her own church, with Margarian’s own needs during this period. It was a return visit to the religion and church in which Mar had been raised, and she was able to write the eulogy in that mindset. The memorial service was held on the 20th, and the little church was filled with friends and family. Mar’s uncle, a Zen Buddhist, was able to make the trip up from the States, and delivered his own perspective on K’s life.

We remained in Toronto over the Easter weekend, missing out on any Ostara observances. We took care of some Estate business on the Tuesday, and flew back the following day. The process is still only beginning for us, more threads to add to the warp and woof of the tapestry of life.

*****
In happier news, congratulations to Judi and Lee on their handfasting at the Spring Mysteries Festival on Ostara weekend.

Hugs to those who need them…. You know who you are…

April’s Birthdays: Anyone?

Evergreen Events:
Apr. 3: Evergreen Introductory Class: Introduction
Apr. 10: Evergreen Introductory Class: Confidentiality
Apr. 17: Evergreen Introductory Class: Tools and Circle Casting
Apr. 24: Evergreen Introductory Class: Wheel of the Year
Apr. 28: Evergreen Introductory Class: The Elements

Other Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. Next deadline: Apr. 25.

Apr. 3: The Eclectic Circle, led by SpiritnSoul, Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1558/
Apr. 5: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Apr. 5, 9:55 p.m.: New Moon. Fearn (Alder) lunar month begins.
Apr. 15, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in south Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Apr. 19: Alberta Wilderness Association Expo and Climb/Run for Wilderness at the Calgary Tower. Info: http://www.climbforwilderness.ca/
Apr. 20, 4:25 a.m. Full (Pink) Moon
Apr. 22: Earth Day.
Apr. 24, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Apr. 26, 9:00 a.m. Clean Calgary Association Annual Rain Barrel Sale. Info: http://cleancalgary.org
Apr. 26, 2:00 p.m. COGCOA AGM.
Apr. 26, 7:30 p.m. sharp. COGCOA Beltane Ritual.

Blessings,
Hergest

March, 2008

2008-03-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

Happy March, everyone.

February has been a difficult month for some of us, accompanied by some of the cruellest winter weather in some years. Margarian has been down ill with the flu and pneumonia for the last several weeks, and had to curtail many of her regular activities. I’ve had a touch of it myself, but luckily with no lost time (so far, anyway).

For those of you who have been waiting, Evergreen will be doing another series of five introductory classes, beginning the last week of March. Exact dates should be announced this week. For further information on Evergreen, visit our website at http://evergreenwicca.tripod.com

March 3 is, of course, the provincial election. If you’re eligible to vote, please do. To quote Robert A. Heinlein, “There may be no candidates and no measures you want to vote for...but there are certain to be ones you want to vote against. In case of doubt, vote against. By this rule you will rarely go wrong.” This one could be anybody’s ball game.

Two events have dropped off the calendar this month. The Calgary Pagan Night Out ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryPaganNightOut/ ) has been suffering from lack of attendance, and is going on hiatus for awhile. Also, Mimi has announced that the Witchery, Calgary’s premier pagan store and unofficial “pagan central”, will be closing at the end of the month. As a result, the monthly “Pagan Paths” event has been discontinued. Mimi will continue to operate the Witchery as an online business at http://www.thewitcheryonline.com/
and the phone number will stay unchanged. Many thanks to her for eight wonderful (though occasionally turbulent) years. Her charming store (and self) will be missed.

March's Birthdays: Kytti, and probably some of my Facebook friends. (That’s all?)

March Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. Next deadline: Mar. 28.

Mar. 1: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Mar. 3: Alberta Provincial Election. Git out there and vote!
Mar. 5, 12:00 noon: Convergence Coffee Meet – Witches Tea, hosted by Michel and Trenine. Info: delpheos (at) yahoo (dot) com
Mar. 6: The Eclectic Circle (TEC), led by SpiritnSoul, Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1558/
Mar. 7, 10:14 a.m.: New Moon. Nion (Ash) lunar month begins.
Mar. 8: International Women’s Day.
Mar. 8, 6:00 p.m. Calgary Community Potluck: Martisor (Eastern European) theme (but hold the perogies!). Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/calgarycommunitypotlucks/
Mar. 9: Daylight Savings Time begins. Spring ahead!
Mar. 15, 7:30 p.m. sharp. COGCOA Ostara Ritual.
Mar. 18, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in north Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Mar. 19, 11:48 p.m.: Vernal Equinox. Sun enters Aries.
Mar. 21, 12:40 p.m.: Full (Worm) Moon.
Mar. 26 (approx): Evergreen Introductory Class: Introduction
Mar. 27, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Apr. 5: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron

Blessings,
Hergest

Miss Toronto Tourism

2008-02-02T13:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Imbolc, everyone. This just in… Canada’s three groundhogs – Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam, Ontario’s Wiarton Willie, and our own Balzac Billy – unanimously agree that there will be an early spring (Welcome news after the last week or so!). However, Punxsutawney Phil is calling for a long winter Stateside.

On a more serious note, some of you have heard about the latest Canadian pagan cause célèbre. Stephanie Conover, the reigning Miss Canada Plus, had been asked to be a judge at the Miss Toronto Tourism Pageant, but her invitation was withdrawn two weeks ago, when it was discovered that she practises Reiki and uses the Tarot. She also admits to being Wiccan. Quoted in the Toronto Star, pageant director Karen Murray explained, “We need a Judge who has an upright reputation and we would be proud to introduce to the audience. Tarot Card reading and Reiki are the occult and not acceptable by God, Jews, Muslims or Christians. Tarot card reading is witchcraft and is used by Witches, Spiritists and Mediums to consult the dark world….We hope that Stephanie Conover will turn from these belief systems and will repent from her practice of them.”
According to spokespeople from the City of Toronto and the Tourism Toronto, the pageant is independent and not associated with either. According to its website, http://www.misstorontotourism.com, the winner of the pageant is used to fundraise for various charities, and one of the qualifying factors is that the contestants (and by extension, the judges) must be “of good character”. What that means is obviously up to the organizers, and in this case, it excludes practising Tarot and Reiki. Then again, according to the Facebook group, “I support Stephanie Conover”, recent reports indicate that two pageant directors are also directors of Man and Woman Union, a lobby opposing same-sex marriage in Canada. (Pots and kettles…)
In reaction, several Facebook groups have sprung up, and there has been lively discussion in various e-groups. The Toronto pagan community has mobilized, and will be picketing the pageant Saturday night.
There is no doubt that this will be another crucible for pagan rights in Canada, much like the Sam Wagar case in British Columbia several years ago. I fully support the efforts to have Ms. Conover re-instated, on moral if not legal terms. And it is an opportunity to promote the reputation of paganism in Canada against conservative prejudice. Still, I’m trying to be a bit more pragmatic about all this, wondering if this is all a tempest in a teapot. If one can presume to judge from the website, the pageant is a small-potatoes affair, a private organization with its own rules. Here it’s a case of an invitation being withdrawn, and not an employment contract. The issue might be even more high-profile if a contestant was refused because of her religion, but a judge? It does put the case on interesting legal ground.
If the pageant was worried about their reputation before, it may have shot itself in the foot now. 16 of the 18 sponsors have pulled out, and one really wonders about the pageant’s future viability. Perhaps they would have been better off not to announce those bits of Ms. Conover’s bio, and saved themselves the embarrassment.
(From articles in the National Post, Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, and Facebook )

February's Birthdays: Ary, Mandy C., Margarian, Selena, Megan, Sandra M., Bryn, Rikki, Sheri F., Gwyn, and probably some of my Facebook friends. (Whew! There’s gotta be something about that “Merry Month of May”!)

February Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. Next deadline: Feb. 24.

Feb 2: Groundhog Day Breakfast at Balzac Community Centre. Balzac Billy prognosticates at 8:10 a.m. Info: http://www.balzacbilly.com
Feb. 2: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Feb. 6, 8:44 p.m.: New Moon. Luis (Rowan) lunar month begins.
Feb. 9, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Pagan Potluck: Vasant Panchami (Hindu) Celebration. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/calgarycommunitypotlucks
Feb. 13: Pagan Night Out. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryPaganNightOut/
Feb. 14, 7:00 p.m. Pagan Paths at the Witchery.
Feb. 15-17: COGCOA Winter Mysteries
Feb. 18: Family Day
Feb. 19, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in south Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Feb. 20, 8:30 p.m.: Full (Wolf) Moon.
Feb. 28, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Feb. 29: Leap Day

Blessings,
Hergest

Looking ahead, looking back

2008-01-03T18:42:00.000-07:00

Happy 2008, everyone. Here’s wishing health and happiness to all of you in the months ahead! Here are some events you might want to mark on your calendar, or not…

Since some of you asked, COGCOA’s Winter Mysteries runs this year on the long weekend of Feb. 15-17. Fee of $65.00 includes heated accommodation and meals. Since their website is under construction at press time, information may be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/cogcoa_public Registration deadline is January 26.

The Aquarian Tabernacle Church is running its 23rd Spring Mysteries Festival, a reconstruction of the Eleusinian Mysteries of Greece, somewhere west of Seattle March 20-23. Registration is US $165+ for adults if received by January 13, higher thereafter. Info: http://www.aquatabch.org/spring-mysteries-festival

Gaia Gathering, the fourth Canadian National Pagan Conference, runs May 16-19 (Victoria Day weekend) at the University of Ottawa. This year’s theme is “Trade Winds and Portages: New Routes in Canadian Paganism”. Info: http://www.gaiagathering.ca/

Panfest usually runs on the August long weekend in central Alberta. Info when available at http://www.panfest.org

Fans of science fiction and fantasy may also want to start thinking about the World Fantasy Convention that takes place at the Hyatt on Samhain weekend, Oct. 30–Nov. 2. Theme is “Mystery in Fantasy and Horror”. Attending memberships are $125.00 until April 30. Info: http://www.worldfantasy2008.org

Con-Version 24 is also scheduled for the weekend of Aug. 15-17; memberships are $40.00 effective January 1. Info: http://www.csffs.org/

The month of January takes its name from the Roman god Janus, the god of doorways. He has two faces, allowing him to look both forwards and back, and as such, is an appropriate god for the coming of the new calendar year. Another is Chronos, the Greek god of Time (not be confused with Zeus’s father, the Titan Cronus, who had an unfortunate encounter with a sickle). In his modern incarnation as the hourglass- or sickle-wielding “Father Time”, Chronos presides over the rites of New Year’s Eve, to be replaced by the bouncing baby New Year. Of course, this depiction is closely related to the death and rebirth of the Sun God at the Winter Solstice. It’s no wonder that the first baby of the New Year is thoroughly showered with gifts; the Old Gods are not so forgotten by the masses, after all.

One of my personal traditions at this time of year, in the wake of Yule, is to update my new address book, carrying forward the names and addresses of those who have come into my life in the past year, and of people who are still important to me. I leave behind the names of those who have dropped out of touch or moved away, and should they re-enter my life, they may be added again. No doubt I’ve been added (and alas, dropped) from a few address books in return, but such is life.

January's Birthdays: Jackie R., Angela R., Henry, Gayle, Paulie, my long-lost brother Rick, and probably some of my Facebook friends.

January's Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. Next deadline: Jan. 25.

Jan. 5: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Jan. 8, 4:37 a.m.: New Moon. Beth (Birch) lunar month begins.
Jan. 13: Pagan Night Out. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryPaganNightOut/
Jan. 15, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in north Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Jan. 17, 7:00 p.m. Pagan Paths at the Witchery.
Jan. 22, 6:35 a.m.: Full (Wolf) Moon.
Jan. 24, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Jan. 26: COGCOA Imbolg Ritual, led by Evergreen and EnChantress.
Jan. 26: Registration deadline for COGCOA Winter Mysteries.
Feb 2: Groundhog Day Breakfast at Balzac Community Centre. Balzac Billy prognosticates at 8:10 a.m. Info: http://www.balzacbilly.com

Blessings,
Hergest

Cause for Hope

2007-12-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

Happy December, everyone.

‘Tis the season… to express my appreciation and love for all of you who receive this newsletter. If I don’t connect with you otherwise this month, have a happy Yule!

As some of you know, Margarian and I have been regularly leading a semi-annual Solstice Sunrise Vigil on a very special hillside in SW Calgary, and we're doing it again on Saturday, Dec. 22, meeting at 7:45 a.m. Dress very warmly, as it can be windy, and we may be out there for an hour or so. (Less, if it’s really inclement). If you're interested in attending, contact me for location.

The Very Rev. Bill Phipps is the former Moderator of the United Church of Canada, and now the retired minister of Scarboro United Church in Calgary. We’ve met a number of times through inter-faith events, and I consider him a rarity in this city, a man I truly admire. His new book, Cause for Hope: Humanity at the Crossroads, may be his personal credo. The book looks at the prevailing narrative of our society, the patriarchal “Old Story” of unbalanced power, entitlement, corruption, fear, and greed (the list goes on) and how it is destroying the Earth and humanity. He outlines the emerging of a “New Story” characterized by wonder, respect, co-operation, humility, empowerment, interdependence… I think you can fill in the blanks. Cause for Hope is perhaps not so much about specific causes or steps we can take (although that certainly can be inferred) than it is about our own attitudes, and the ways we relate to each other and to the planet. It is a strong statement for hope in often frustrating times. The book’s appendices include the Earth Charter (see http://www.earthcharter.org/); Raffi’s visionary “Covenant for Honouring Children” (http://www.raffinews.com/child_honouring/covenant_principles) ; and excerpts from Rev. Phipps’ 1997 “Is Jesus God?” interview with the Ottawa Citizen that raised conservative eyebrows.

December's Birthdays: Jessica C., Searia, Azrael, Heather Dawn, and probably some of my other Facebook friends.

December Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. Next deadline: Dec. 28.

Nov. 29–Dec. 2: Festival of Crafts at the Roundup Centre. Info: http://ourbesttoyou.ca/calgary.html
Dec. 1: World AIDS Day.
Dec. 1: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Dec. 8: COGCOA Yule Ritual.
Dec. 10, 10:40 a.m.: New Moon. Ruis (Elder) lunar month begins.
Dec. 13: Pagan Night Out. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryPaganNightOut/
Dec. 15, 6:00 p.m.: Community Yule Potluck. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/calgarycommunitypotlucks
Dec. 18, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in south Calgary. Proceeds to, and non-perishable donations accepted for, the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Dec. 21, 11:08 p.m.: Winter Solstice. Sun enters Capricorn.
Dec. 22, 7:45 a.m.: Solstice Sunrise Vigil. Contact me for location.
Dec. 23, 6:16 p.m.: Full (Cold) Moon.
Dec. 27, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93

Blessings,
Hergest

Under Occupation

2007-11-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Samhain, everyone.

One pagan year comes to a close, another begins. And what a time it is… [Curmudgeon alert: As usual, the opinions expressed herein are my own, and are not an official "party line" for Evergreen. I just find myself personally frustrated living where and when I do, and I'm sure a number of local pagans must feel the same way.]

After the last municipal election, I found myself under right-wing occupation by all three levels of government. My new alderman is a Conservative stalwart, who trounced the well-meaning but unfortunately ineffective female incumbent; her shyness was apparently interpreted as aloofness. After her defeat, I wrote, “politics is blood sport, best left to liars and thieves, and no place for good people.”

Provincially, Ed Stelmach chose a “compromise” with the new oil and gas royalty regime that has both the oil companies, who wanted the status quo, and his rural base, who wanted even higher royalties, angry at him personally if not at the Conservatives as a whole. I don’t need a crystal ball to predict that if he loses more than a few seats in the next election, he isn’t long for the premier’s office (he may not be, anyway). I would love for the Liberals (or perhaps the NDP) to finally break the one-party system in Alberta, but my cowan alter ego foresees even rougher times ahead under a change of government.

As for the Feds, the Liberals are still hurting from the damage done to the party under the Chrétien regime, and from the ineffectiveness of Paul Martin. Stéphane Dion could do much for the greening of Canada, but the Liberal Party is still in too much disrepair to put up an effective fight against that fascist Machiavellian, Stephen Harper (c'mon, that's "fair comment", isn't it?). But hey, the economy’s good and the dollar’s strong, so no worries, eh?

As some of you may know, Evergreen is offering its Ritual Leadership Workshop on the weekend of Nov. 23-25. This is an intense weekend of lecture, discussion, and hands'-on ritual creation, suitable for anyone considering designing ritual on a scale from small groups to large public events. This workshop is required for Evergreen's First Degree students; a second go-round for Second Degree students is also highly recommended, and participants from other teaching circles/Traditions are welcome (with consent of HPS/HP as applicable.) Hours are 7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday. Cost is $12.00 and includes extensive reference materials. Let me know if you're interested, and/or contact me for further information.

November's Birthdays: Helen L., Christine L., and probably some of my Facebook friends. Also Israel Regardie (Nov. 17, 1907) and Oberon Zell (Nov. 30).

November's Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Nov. 3: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Nov. 4: Daylight Savings Time ends. Fall back!
Nov. 9, 4:03 p.m.: New Moon. Ngetal (Reed) lunar month begins.
Nov. 9-11: Taboo Sex Show at the Roundup Centre. Info: http://www.canwestshows.com/sexshow/
Nov. 10, 6:00 p.m.: Diá de los Muertos Potluck. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/calgarycommunitypotlucks
Nov. 13: Pagan Night Out. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryPaganNightOut/
Nov. 15-18: Calgary Art Market Art and Craft Sale. Info: http://www.artmarketcraftsale.com/
Nov. 15, 7:00 p.m.: Pagan Paths, at the Witchery. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_witchery/
Nov. 17, 3:00 p.m.: Blood Proud – for pagan women, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes.
Nov. 17, 7:00 p.m.: Terra Firma – for pagan men, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes.
Nov. 20, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in north Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Nov. 22, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Nov. 23-25: Evergreen Ritual Leadership Workshop
Nov. 24, 7:30 a.m.: Full (Beaver) Moon.
Nov. 29–Dec. 2: Festival of Crafts at the Roundup Centre. Info: http://ourbesttoyou.ca/calgary.html

Blessings,
Hergest

October, 2007

2007-10-07T14:06:00.000-06:00

Happy October, everyone. It’s amazing how quickly summer turns into autumn, and how carefree summer weekends turn into times of harvesting and putting the garden to bed.

Margarian and I attended Pagan Pride Day at the Westgate Community Hall on Sept. 22. Perhaps Mabon is an unfortunate time to be holding this event, as there were only five groups/businesses with tables. The Body, Soul, and Spirit Expo the same weekend also took its toll. Still, attendance seemed to be up this year, thanks partially to better advertising, and Morgan and her team are to be congratulated on another successful effort. Morgan will be stepping down this year, and plans are afoot to create a not-for-profit to run it in the future.

Maybe it’s the season, but I’ve begun watching some of the ghost-hunting shows on cable, partly out of morbid fascination, partly due to curiosity. The Celebrity Paranormal Project, on Slice, features D-list celebrities equipped with high-tech equipment checking out abandoned prisons, hospitals, etc. in search of the resident spirits. It’s obvious that they’re experiencing something, but the question is how much of it is real paranormal phenomena, and how much is their own fear of wandering around creepy places in the dark while the producers mess with their minds (at least by telling ghost stories to them, at most by pulling Blair Witch-style pranks). The night usually ends with a séance/channelling session that has produced mixed results.
Ghost Trackers, on YTV, features teenagers doing the same thing, although it’s set up as a competition based on results and use of equipment, judged by other teens with some experience in the “game”. However, the competitive environment doesn’t prevent them from having real experiences.

October's Birthdays: Dannielle J., Linda L., Jane M., and Dennis T. Also: Isaac Bonewits (Oct. 1), Aleister Crowley (Oct. 12, 1875), Nicholas Culpepper (Oct. 18, 1616), and Selena Fox (Oct. 20).

October's Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Oct. 6: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Oct. 10, 11:01 p.m.: New Moon. Gort (Ivy) lunar month begins.
Oct. 13: Pagan Night Out. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryPaganNightOut/
Oct. 16, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in south Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322
Oct. 18, 7:00 p.m.: Pagan Paths, at the Witchery. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_witchery/
Oct. 20, 3:00 p.m.: Blood Proud – for pagan women, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes.
Oct. 20, 7:00 p.m.: Terra Firma – for pagan men, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes.
Oct. 23, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Oct. 25, 10:52 p.m.: Full (Hunter’s) Moon.
Oct. 27, 6:00 p.m.: Temple of Alexandria Witches’ Ball. Info: http://www.witchvox.com/vn/vn_detail/dt_ev.html?a=caab&id=45649
Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m.: COGCOA Samhain Ritual.

Bright blessings,
Hergest

September, 2007

2007-09-05T19:38:00.000-06:00

Happy September, everyone. Highlights this month include the women's "Take Back the Night" march on Sept. 15, and Calgary Pagan Pride Day, at a new location in SW Calgary, on the 22nd.

One of my favourite science fiction novels has always been Frank Herbert's Dune, which, upon a background of interstellar politics, trade, religion, a multi-generational breeding program, and plenty of sand, is the tale of the hero's journey taken by Paul Atreides, later known as Muad'Dib. Herbert followed Dune with five sequels before his death in 1986.

Prominent in the Dune universe is a women's religious order, the Bene Gesserit, who through their initiatory ordeal, gain access to the memories of their female ancestors, and are able to share these amongst themselves. The fourth and fifth novels, Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse: Dune, are all theirs, as the Bene Gesserit find themselves the last hope against enemies seen and unseen. If truth be told, there's not a lot of action in these two books, but Herbert used them as a platform for ruminations on religion and power in general. The books are so densely packed with ideas that it's easy to take off on reflections about the real world. There's certainly enough material here to source a thesis in Religious Studies, and food for thought for religious elders of any stripe.

While Herbert's series ended with an unsatisfying cliffhanger, his son Brian discovered notes for "Dune 7" in two neglected safety deposit boxes. Together with Kevin Anderson, the younger Herbert has been immersing himself in the universe for the last several years, completing two prequel trilogies before tackling Hunters of Dune (recently out in paperback) and the forthcoming Sandworms of Dune, which will complete Frank Herbert's original vision.

Congratulations to Leanne and Chad, on their recent wedding! The things you find out through Facebook...

On a more sombre note, Bob G., the organizer of the Lethbridge Pagan Meetup Group, passed away at his home on August 6. I met Bob once several years ago, and we had corresponded about contributing to a Lethbridge Pagan Pride Day, but unfortunately it was not to be. The group will continue on without him, but I know he willl be missed in the Lethbridge community.

September's Birthdays: Lee G., Frank S., and nobody famous I would mention. Go ask Llewellyn.

September's Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Sep. 1: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Sep. 11, 6:44 a.m.: New Moon. Muin (Vine) lunar month begins.
Sep. 13: Pagan Night Out. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryPaganNightOut/
Sep. 15, 3:00 p.m.: Blood Proud – for pagan women, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes.
Sep. 15, 7:00 p.m.: Terra Firma – for pagan men, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes.
Sep. 15, 7:30 p.m.: 25th Annual "Take Back the Night" March, starting at Central Memorial Park. Info: http://calgarycasa.com/programs/take-back-the-night-2006
Sep. 15, 7:30 p.m.: COGCOA Mabon Ritual.
Sep. 18, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in north Calgary. Info:
http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Sep. 20, 7:00 p.m.: Pagan Paths, at the Witchery. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_witchery/
Sep. 22, 11 - 4 p.m.: Calgary Pagan Pride Day at Westgate Community Hall. Info:
http://fly.to/calgarypaganpride
Sep. 22, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Community Potluck. "Ethnic Night". Info:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/calgarycommunitypotlucks/
Sep. 23, 3:51 a.m.: Autumnal Equinox. Sun enters Libra.
Sep. 25, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. Info: http://druid.meetup.com/93
Sep. 26, 1:45 p.m.: Full (Harvest) Moon.

Bright blessings,
Hergest

The Deathly Hallows

2007-08-01T21:15:00.000-06:00

Happy Lughnasadh, everyone.

On July 20, I attended the "Harry Potter Street Festival" on Stephen Avenue, by the McNally Robinson. Thousands of fans filled the mall, which had been transformed into Diagon Alley for the occasion, complete with booths for "Divination Classes" (Tarot reading), maskmaking, and a magical Infirmary. Costumed characters (notably Dumbledore, Hagrid, Snape, Lockhart, Tonks, and Trelawney) roamed the mall posing for pictures, acrobats performed, and the Medicine River Wildlife Centre even brought a live horned owl. Plenty of younger folk appeared in school uniforms (including a trio of teenage Sytherin girls in short-short skirts), and one young woman wore a t-shirt that read,"Trust Snape". There was even a lightsaber-wielding Jedi, one colourfully-robed guy carrying a sign reading, "I don't even like Harry Potter", and one of the Con-Version organizers passing out handbills. At one point, about three young people arrived carrying crude cardboard signs reading "Trust God, not Potter", but as similar signs with sillier messages later appeared, I discounted the incident. As the "witching hour" approached, two long lineups formed on either side of the mall, as people began patiently waiting for their copies of the book. Mine arrived the next morning, and I finished reading it the following Wednesday. So, with hopefully a minimum of spoilers, my brief review:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the darkest and most intense book of the series, for the advent of Harry's seventeenth birthday brings with it his true coming of age as a wizard. With Voldemort's return to power nearly complete, Harry, Ron, and Hermione find themselves on the run, hunted, and alone. Sworn to secrecy, they are forced to make difficult decisions without any guidance. Their friendship is tested to the limits, and a serious price is paid for every action they take. As they struggle to complete the errand that Dumbledore entrusted to them, the wizarding world prepares for war, and Harry and Voldemort move towards their final confrontation.

The series has come a long way from Philosopher's Stone, which an acquaintance once referred to as a "happy book". Hallows might be too intense for younger readers, and contains (he winked) "scenes of nudity, sexuality, and coarse language". The breadth of Rowling's storytelling is finally revealed, as seemingly minor incidents from previous books now take on critical significance. Faithful readers of the series will be rewarded for their re-reads; the rest of us will be tempted to start again from the beginning. If there is any weakness in Hallows, it's that the comic relief, which often gives the series its charm, here seems sometimes forced and intrusive. Or perhaps, it's just inherent in the "Potterverse". The pressing questions are answered (although at a cost to the pacing), and most of the loose ends are tied up. While a return to the world of Hogwarts may be possible, it will never truly be the same. Harry's saga has been a "hero's journey" in the mythological sense, and the series will live as a classic in fantasy literature.

August's Birthdays: Charles Godfrey Leland (Aug. 15, 1824), H.P. Lovecraft (Aug. 10, 1890), and Raymond Buckland (Aug. 31).

August's Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Aug. 3-6: Panfest VIII at a lake in central Alberta. Info: http://panfest.org
Aug. 4: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info at cogcoa dot ab dot ca
Aug. 4, 7:00 p.m. Celtic Witchcraft vs. Wicca course (13 weeks), sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes. Info: 293-8339
Aug. 7: EnChantress Practice. Info: http://www.myspace.com/enchantresscalgary
Aug. 10-19: Calgary Fringe Festival. Info: http://www.calgaryfringe.ca/
Aug. 11?: Calgary Community Potluck. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/calgarycommunitypotlucks/
Aug. 12, 5:03 p.m.: New Moon. Coll (Hazel) lunar month begins.
Aug. 13: Pagan Night Out. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryPaganNightOut/
Aug. 13-25: GlobalFest 2007. Info: http://www.globalfest.ca/
Aug. 16, 7:00 p.m.: Pagan Paths, at the Witchery. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_witchery/
Aug. 17-19: Con-Version 23 at Radisson Hotel Calgary Airport, 2120 - 16 Ave. NE. Info: http://www.con-version.org
Aug. 18, 3:00 p.m.: Blood Proud – for pagan women, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes.
Aug. 18, 7:00 p.m.: Terra Firma – for pagan men, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes.
Aug. 21, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Aug. 21, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, with host SpiritNSoul, in south Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Aug 25-31: BC Witchcamp near Squamish, BC. Info: http://www.bcwitchcamp.ca
Aug. 28, 4:35 a.m.: Full (Sturgeon) Moon.
Aug. 28, 7:30 p.m.: EnChantress Practice.

Bright blessings,
Hergest

July, 2007

2007-07-01T22:24:00.000-06:00

Happy July, everyone!

June started out on a bummer, with first my hard drive going critical (the new one is still far from 100%, and I still haven't reloaded MS Office), then with my Mazda reaching the realm of escalating repair costs while-u-wait... so I was without a car for over a week while I waited for parts from California. It's official; I now own a beater.

This month's summer read is Madame Zee, by Alberta-born author Pearl Luke. During the late 1920's and early 1930's, Edward Arthur Wilson, a.k.a. the Brother, XII, was the leader of the Aquarian Foundation, a cult with roots in Theosophy that operated a colony on Vancouver Island. As the Foundation began to crumble due to Wilson's love of sex, money, and power, he appointed his mistress second-in-command. This was Mabel Edith Rowbotham, a.k.a. Madame Zee. To date, biographers have not been kind in their treatment of Zee, calling her either "a complete sadist" or "an adventuress". Luke has taken a more sympathetic view, creating a fictionalized biography. The novel begins with a childhood tragedy that awakens young Mabel's psychic gifts, and sparks a lifelong quest to understand them. While the author admits that the most difficult part of the writing was the depiction of what life must have been like in the colony, I think she pulls it off well. It's an easily-accessible perspective on part of the early occult history of Canada.

On the Second Degree bookshelf is Between the Worlds: Readings in Contemporary Neopaganism, edited by Canadian pagan scholar Sian Reid. I believe it's intended to be a textbook for Religious Studies purposes, and while most of the articles have appeared elsewhere, I certainly recommend it for those wanting advanced reading in the Craft. It contains articles by some of the early voices (Valiente, Starhawk, Fox, Adler, and Christ); an introduction to nature or earth religions; an overview of contemporary neopaganism and witchcraft (including articles by Graham Harvey, Tanya Luhrmann, and others); and articles on feminist spirituality and goddess worship (by Ronald Hutton, Lucie DuFresne, Cynthia Eller and others). The individual articles are as varied as the writers' personal styles, but Reid ties it all together with insightful introductions to each section, as well as "questions for critical thought" for each article. Of particular interest to me were Lori Beaman's article on "Wicked Witches of the West: Exploring [Canadian] Court Treatments of Wicca as a Religion", and Reid's own "Witch Wars: Factors Contributing to Conflict in Canadian Witchcraft Communities".

My thought for the month: It's one of the tenets of the Craft that each and every one of us contains the Divine spark within us. But... none of us are perfect, and, as with a votive candle, the dark and murky glass of our own weaknesses may hide our spark from others. Worse yet, the Divine spark in others is doubly-veiled to us, because in the way, we have both their dark glass, and our own. "Witch wars" often start when we stop seeing that spark in the other, and see only the reflection of our own darkness. The hard work is to try and clean our own glass to the point where that of the others begins to shine through.

July's birthdays: Madame H. P. Blavatsky (Aug. 31, 1831).

July's Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only. All times MDT. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

July 13: Pagan Night Out. Info:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryPaganNightOut/
July 14, 6:04 a.m.: New Moon. Tinne (Holly) lunar month begins.
July 14, 2:00 p.m.: Calgary Community Potluck and Deck Wrecking Party. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/calgarycommunitypotlucks/
July 17, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
July 17, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in north Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
July 19, 7:00 p.m. Pagan Paths, at the Witchery. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_witchery/
July 21, 3:00 p.m.: Blood Proud – for pagan women, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes. Info: 293-8339
July 21, 7:00 p.m.: Terra Firma – for pagan men, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes. Info: 293-8339
July 21: COGCOA Lammas Ritual. Info: info at cogcoa dot ab dot ca
July 26-29: Calgary Folk Music Festival. Info: http://www.calgaryfolkfest.com
July 29, 6:48 p.m.: Full (Buck) Moon.

Bright blessings,
Hergest

Gaia Gathering 2007

2007-06-03T19:38:00.000-06:00

Happy June, everyone!

As I mentioned in May, Margarian and I attended the third Canadian National Pagan Conference in Winnipeg on the May long weekend. Attendance was about 100, including six that I know of from Calgary. Guest of Honour Tim Ward presented two slide shows based on his book, Savage Breast, attended a number of the panels, was very visible and was obviously enjoying himself immensely.
In addition to the slideshows, we attended presentations by pagan scholars, participated in the “Pagan Tavern Cackle Choir” (which sang at the Sunday night concert), attended panels on Our Rights as Pagans, Death and Dying in a Pagan Context, and “Why Churches?”, as well as led a discussion on the Art of Teaching Paganism. I enjoyed reconnecting with Castalia, the musician and Alexandrian High Priestess who passed through Calgary last summer, and who was the third member of our panel. Next year’s Gaia Gathering is in Ottawa, and I’m hoping to attend.

Midsummer is coming, and with it, I’ll be leading a sunrise vigil on a certain hillside in southwest Calgary on Friday, June 22. (Evergreen has had a continuing presence there for the solstices since the early ‘90s.) Although the Summer Solstice is actually shortly after noon on June 21, this will be the first sunrise after the Solstice. If you’re interested in attending, e-mail me.

Calgary Pagan Pride Day 2007 is tentatively scheduled for September 23, but it needs your support! Morgan is the sole co-ordinator this year, and doing it on her own cognizance (i.e. not on behalf of any particular group). I was the only other person to attend the recent information session; admittedly it was on a pleasant weekend afternoon, but it was disappointing nevertheless. There’s a distinct possibility that unless more interest is shown from the community within the next three weeks, CPPD as such may not happen. She’s not specifically looking for other organizers (although help with distributing flyers would be welcome), but rather expressions of interest in participating. For information and discussion, please join or visit the yahoo group at : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/calgarypaganprideday/

Birthdays this month: Raine, Dawn, Sierra, Wendy A., Michelle B, Mimi, and some old HP. Also (from Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook): Alessandro di Cagliostro, (June 2, 1743), Gerald B. Gardner (June 13, 1884), Janet Farrar (June 24), Stewart Farrar (June 26, 1916), and Scott Cunningham (June 27, 1956). Esteemed company, truly!

June Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

June 2, 7:30 p.m: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info at cogcoa.ab.ca
June 3-9: National Environment Week
June 5-7. 9:00 a.m. –3:00 p.m.: Mayor’s Environment Expo at City Hall Atrium.
June 6: Clean Air Day. Info: http://www.cleanairday.com/
June 13, 6:00 p.m. Temple of Alexandria Society AGM. Info: http://www.templeofalexandria.com
June 13: Pagan Night Out. Info:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryPaganNightOut/
June 14, 9:13 p.m.: New Moon. Duir (Oak) lunar month begins.
June 16, 3:00 p.m.: Blood Proud – for pagan women, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes.
June 16, 7:00 p.m.: Terra Firma – for pagan men, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes.
June 19, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
June 19, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by “some old HP”, who will be accepting condolences of the day in south Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
June 21, 12:06 p.m. Summer Solstice. Sun enters Cancer.
June 21, 7:00 p.m. Pagan Paths, at the Witchery. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_witchery/
June 22, 4:45 a.m.: Solstice Sunrise vigil. Contact me for details.
June 22-24: COGCOA Summerfest campout in the Kananaskis. Info: http://www.cogcoa.ab.ca/events/summerfest.php
June 30, 7:49 p.m.: Full (Strawberry) Moon.

Bright blessings,
Hergest

Savage Breast

2007-05-01T18:34:00.000-06:00

Happy Beltane, everyone!

One last reminder on the Women in Spirituality Gala Event at 7:00 p.m. on May 9 at Scarboro United Church, 134 Scarboro Avenue SW (just up the hill from 17 Ave. and 14 St.). EnChantress, a pagan chant group which includes a number of Evergreens and friends, will be performing on behalf of Wicca. The annual event includes performances and displays featuring the Divine Feminine as viewed in a number of religions.

May (actually, June 3) is your last chance to see “Egypt, Greece, and Rome: Art of the Ancient Mediterranean World”, at the Glenbow Museum. I was personally a little disappointed with the exhibit, which seemed a little spare, and focused more on Egypt than the Classical cultures, They did have an impressive statue of Sekhmet, though. Perhaps I was just anticipating more than they delivered. If I recall, the artifacts were all authentic, which is more than I can say for the reconstruction of the tomb of Tutankhamun which appeared here a few years ago.

Margarian and I will be attending Gaia Gathering, the third Canadian National Pagan Conference, in Winnipeg on the May long weekend. We’re scheduled to appear on a panel on Teaching the Craft, based in part on our Second Degree workshop. After the conference, Margarian is planning to go from there to Toronto for her annual summer trip. The only possible hitch is that she was called for jury duty here, but she’s been told that she may be exempt because of her plane ticket.

Guest of Honor at Gaia Gathering is author Tim Ward, so in preparation, I’ve recently read his Savage Breast: One Man’s Search for the Goddess. This is the fourth book in his series of spiritual journeys, this time covering a number of Goddess sites in Eastern Europe, Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus. The book can be read on a number of levels. 1) One man’s journey through goddess iconography to connect with his own internal feminine. 2) A reiteration of the theories of Marija Gimbutas, Robert Graves, Riane Eisler, and others of the flourishing of ancient Goddess-centred cultures prior to the rise of the Patriarchy. (Paganism’s own “Legend of the Fall”). 3) The story of Ward’s sometimes turbulent romance with his partner, Teresa (herself named after a goddess). 4) A pagan travelogue of the eastern Mediterranean. In part, the book provides answers to the question, “what do men want in a ‘Goddess religion’ anyway?” Sometimes frustratingly naïve, sometimes uncomfortably revealing, it’s definitely a book to make you think.

Birthdays this month: Gwyddion Pendderwen, Pagan bard (May 21), Morning Glory Zell, Church of All Worlds (May 27). Anyone local?

May Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

May 1, 4:09 a.m.: Full (Flower) Moon.
May 1: EnChantress Rehearsal. Info: http://www.myspace.com/enchantresscalgary
May 1: COGCOA “Meet the God” Night.
May 3: Calgary Pagan Meet (Yahoo), hosted by Lugh. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Calgarypaganmeetup/
May 5-6: Calgary Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show at West Hillhurst Arena. Info: http://www.crlc.ca/
May 5, 7:30 p.m: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info at cogcoa dot ab dot ca
May 8: EnChantress Rehearsal
May 9, 7:00 sharp: Women In Spirituality Gala Event at Scarboro United Church, 134 Scarboro Avenue SW
May 13: Pagan Night Out. Info:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryPaganNightOut/
May 16, 1:27 p.m.: New Moon. Uath (Hawthorn) lunar month begins.
May 17, 7:00 p.m. Pagan Paths, at the Witchery. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_witchery/
May 18-21: Gaia Gathering, 3rd Annual Canadian National Pagan Conference, in Winnipeg. Info: http://www.gaiagathering.ca/
May 19, 3:00 p.m.: Blood Proud – for pagan women, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes. Info: 293-8339
May 19, 6:00 p.m.: Einherjar Community Potluck (public Asatru celebration). Info: zara1204 at gmail dot com
May 19, 7:00 p.m.: Terra Firma – for pagan men, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes. Info: 293-8339
May 22, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
May 22, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in north Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
May 26 or 27: Calgary Pagan Pride Day Open House #2, location TBA. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/calgarypaganprideday
May 31, 7:04 p.m.: Full (Milk) Moon. Blue Moon!

Bright blessings,
Hergest

April, 2007

2007-04-03T22:23:00.000-06:00

March was a very difficult month, both for some of us in the Evergreen family and in the lives of those close to us. In particular, my thoughts go out to Searia and Henry, to Andrea, to Caroline and to Linda, as well as to Mimi. If there’s anything Margarian and I can do, let us know. Special thanks to Heather Dawn, Caroline, and Spirit for being there when needed. Here’s hoping that April brings healing and fresh beginnings. Love and light to you all.

As I mentioned last month, one of my recent reads (thanks, Kate!) was Chas Clifton’s Her Hidden Children: The Rise of Wicca and Paganism in America (AltaMira Press, 2006). It’s a thin volume, covering mainly the period between the early Sixties and 1980, but I think it’s a worthy addition to the body of pagan scholarship.
Perhaps one of the things that really struck me was Clifton’s three definitions of “nature religion”: 1) “Cosmic Nature” – the philosophy of “as above, so below” that drives magic and divination; 2) “Gaian Nature” – the philosophy that as we are part of natural world, we should live in harmony with it; and 3) “Embodied Nature” – the primal, body-centred, erotic aspects of paganism.
Sometimes pagans play “witchier than thou” games with each other, saying that only one or another of these is ”really important”. Clifton’s perspective supports the notion that all of these perspectives are valid.

The women’s chant group, EnChantress, is gearing up for their appearance at the Women in Spirituality Gala Event at Scarboro United Church on May 9. This is an annual multi-faith event remembering the Divine Feminine and the spiritual mothers in a number of faiths. More information to come.

I also note the sudden passing of Wolf Lazaurus on March 16. I met Wolf on a number of occasions, beginning at the ill-fated Alberta Pagan Association meeting in Red Deer in 2000. In his own way, he tried to serve the Calgary pagan community, and won the affection of more than a few people in the process. Still, it seems to me that he wanted fame and fortune so badly that he took shortcuts, and these sometimes led him down dark paths into questionable company. In the end, perhaps he pushed his luck once too often. Love him or hate him, we must remember that his story is not yet over; the last chapter will not be written until those responsible for his death are put to justice.

Birthdays this month: Margot Adler (Apr. 16), Ed Fitch (Apr. 29). Anyone else?

Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Apr. 1: Hay-on-Wye Independence Day. Settle down with a good used book. Long live the people of Hay!
Apr. 1, 7:30 p.m: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info@cogcoa.ab.ca
Apr. 2, 11:15 a.m.: Full (Pink) Moon.
Apr. 3: EnChantress Rehearsal. Info: http://www.myspace.com/enchantresscalgary
Apr. 3: COGCOA “Meet the God” Night.
Apr. 5: Calgary Pagan Meet, hosted by Lugh. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Calgarypaganmeetup/
Apr. 5-8: Spring Mysteries Festival XXII near Nordland, WA. Info: http://www.aquatabch.org
Apr. 7: Pagan Pathways Conference in Edmonton. Lady Susan Alabaster will be the keynote speaker.
Apr. 10: EnChantress Rehearsal
Apr. 13: Pagan Night Out. Info:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryPaganNightOut/
Apr 17: EnChantress Rehearsal
Apr. 17, 5:36 a.m.: New Moon. Saille (Willow) lunar month begins.
Apr. 17, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Apr. 17, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in south Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Apr. 21: Alberta Wilderness Association Climb and Run for Wilderness at the Calgary Tower. Registration: http://climbforwilderness.ca
Apr. 21, 3:00 p.m.: Blood Proud – for pagan women, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes. Info: 293-8339
Apr. 21, 7:00 p.m: Terra Firma – for pagan men, sponsored by Pucchotha Tribes. Info: 293-8339
Apr. 22, 10:30 a.m.: Earth Day Multigenerational Service at Unitarian Church of Calgary, 1703 – 1 Street NW.
Apr. 22, 12:00 – 5:00 p.m: Earth Day Events at Telus World of Science, 701 -11 Street S.W. Info: http://www.calgaryscience.ca
Apr. 23: An Evening with Al Gore, at Jack Singer Hall. Tickets at Ticketmaster.
Apr. 24: EnChantress Rehearsal

Upcoming:
May 5-6: Calgary Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show at West Hillhurst Arena. Info: http://www.crlc.ca/
May 9, 7:00 sharp: Women In Spirituality Gala Event at Scarboro United Church.
May 18-21: Gaia Gathering, 3rd Annual Canadian National Pagan Conference, in Winnipeg. Info: http://www.gaiagathering.ca/
To June 3: Egypt, Greece, and Rome: Art of the Ancient Mediterranean World, at the Glenbow Museum.

Bright blessings,
Hergest

Earth in the Balance

2007-02-25T12:29:00.000-07:00

On February 2, I drove up to Balzac through poor visibility and blowing snow to see Balzac Billy. About 250 people crowded the community hall, to a breakfast of pancakes, eggs, ham (hog) and the trimmings, to the stylings of a country music band and the presence of just about every media outlet in Calgary. Billy appeared at sunrise, emerged from his huge burrow in the parking lot, and descended to the cheers of the onlookers, before not seeing his shadow. A fun time was had by all!

Of course, the event was overshadowed (there’s that word again) by the Intenational Panel on Climate Change issuing their report that day, and suddenly the media and the Federal Conservative Party awoke from their respective slumbers. Still, particularly in Alberta, the land of rednecks and Big Oil, we’re seeing the backlash; the denial or the underlying fear that it’s already too late, so “let’s do the warm fuzzies -- the things we can get away with -- rather than risk our careers and do what needs to be done”. And perhaps the needed changes are so drastic, the negotiated Kyoto timeline so rigid, and the impact of Canada so small, that the necessary actions CAN’T be taken. But all any of us can do is try.

I’ve recently read Al Gore’s prequel to “An Inconvenient Truth”, his 1992 book, “Earth in the Balance”. On one level it’s a bit of a timewarp (the “President Bush” he refers to is H.W., not Dubya), being written at a time when the Cold War was behind us, and 9/11 far in the future. But Gore ends the book with a “Global Marshall Plan”, a Green manifesto that is largely as relevant today as it was when the book was written. He mentions steps that should be taken both on the global scale and domestically; while the global steps may require some tweaking in a post-9/11 world, his domestic steps are mostly as applicable to Canada as they are to the U.S. Time and space prevent a full listing here, but some of these steps include (wording mostly Gore’s):
The stabilizing of world population.
The rapid creation and development of environmentally appropriate technology, and sharing this technology with the developing world.
A new global eco-nomics – a comprehensive change in the “rules of the road” by which we measure the impact of our decisions on the environment [e.g. reducing corporate income and Gross Domestic Product by depletion against traditionally “renewable” resources such as forests and water].
Negotiation and approval of a new generation of international agreements necessary to make the plan a success. [This anticipates Kyoto, and unfortunately we know how that’s playing out.]
The establishment of a cooperative plan for educating the world’s citizens about our global environment.
The establishment, particularly in the developing world, of the social and political conditions most conducive to the emergence of sustainable societies. [More difficult post-9/11 – see Afghanistan and Iraq.]

Birthdays this month: Laurie Cabot (Mar. 6), Edgar Cayce (Mar. 18), and Joseph Campbell (Mar. 26).

Calgary Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Mar. 1: Calgary Pagan Meet, hosted by Lugh. Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Calgarypaganmeetup/
Mar. 2, 4:17 p.m.: Full (Worm) Moon. Lunar eclipse.
Mar. 3, 4:00 p.m.: Calgary Magickal Meetup at Illuminata Books. Info: http://magickal.meetup.com/407
Mar. 3, 7:30 p.m: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info@cogcoa.ab.ca
Mar. 8: International Women’s Day.
Mar. 8, 8:00 p.m.: Canadian journalist Gwynne Dyer speaks on “The Climate Wars” at MacEwan Hall. Tickets $15.00 at Ticketmaster.
Mar. 11: Daylight Savings Time begins. Spring ahead!
Mar. 11: 12:00 noon: Calgary Rally for Kyoto at Harry Hays Building, 4 Ave & 1st St. SE. Info: http://www.canadiansforkyoto.com/
Mar. 13: Pagan Night Out. Info:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CalgaryPaganNightOut/
Mar. 13, 8:00 p.m. Spira Open Coffee Moot at the Joshua Tree, 805 Edmonton Trail NE. Info: http://www.spiracanada.com
Mar. 16. 7:30 p.m.: “Mysteries of Mithraism” w/ Dr. Ayse Tuzlak (assistant professor of Western Religions at the U of C) at Knox United Church, 506 – 4 Street SW, admission $10.00. Info: http://www.knoxunited.ab.ca/files/Knox%20Centre%20Brochure%20Winter%202007.pdf
Mar. 17: St. Patrick’s Day.
Mar. 17, 7:30 p.m. COGCOA Ostara Ritual.
Mar. 18, 8:43 p.m.: New Moon. Fearn (Alder) lunar month begins.
Mar. 20, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Mar. 20, 6:07 p.m. Vernal Equinox. Sun enters Aries.
Mar. 20, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in north Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Apr. 1: Daylight Savings Time doesn’t begin again. Spring back if necessary.

Upcoming:
April 22: Earth Day.
April 23: An Evening with Al Gore, at Jack Singer Hall. Tickets at Ticketmaster.
To June, 2007: Egypt, Greece, and Rome: Art of the Ancient Mediterranean World, at the Glenbow Museum.

Bright blessings,
Hergest

Enigma: The Series

2007-02-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

Although it sometimes seems like there’s not terribly much on Vision TV (http://www.visiontv.ca) of relevance to pagans, I’ve been happily surprised with a series called “Enigma”, running on Wednesdays (and repeated on other nights). Past offerings have included profiles of Jack Parsons, a rocket pioneer and early science fiction fan who was a member of the O.T.O. and associate of L. Ron Hubbard; of modern-day table-tippers (one group conjuring up the spirit of a totally-invented character); and of Jeff McBride, a stage magician who, finding himself headlining his own show in Las Vegas in his 20’s, began a spiritual quest, incorporated deeper materials into his act, and now runs a Mystery School. Upcoming episodes cover the Fox sisters - a pair of 19th Century spiritualists (one of whom in later years confessed to being a fraud), and a three-part series on Freemasonry. Definitely recommended for anyone looking into the bigger picture of our spirituality.

iPod Aztec

2006-12-05T22:25:00.000-07:00

Have you heard about the “iPod Aztec”? This is a natural formation (part of a river valley actually) in southeastern Alberta that’s the local equivalent of the famous “Face on Mars”. It bears a remarkable resemblance to a human in left profile with a sloping forehead, wearing a feathered headdress, and bearing distinctive features of eye, nose, and lips, even extending down to neck and shoulder. The “iPod” designation is from a private roadway and wellsite that ends right where his ear should be, looking for all the world like an iPod. I prefer to think of him as Napi, a.k.a. “Old Man”, the creator-trickster god of the plains, forever facing west, towards the mountains. Maybe he slept there one night, leaving the impression of his face in the land.

The “Aztec” was the subject of a piece on CBC Radio’s “As it Happens” at the end of October, thus his current notoriety. He was discovered by one of many devotees of Google Earth, something which (as a result of this piece), has become one of my “guilty pleasures” lately. He may also be viewed from the Maps search under Google. The coordinates, if you want to “Google” him for yourself, are 50 00 38.20 N, 110 06 48.32 W

Being in the oil industry, I was able to identify the actual well, but I know that anyone trying to get close to it these days will face a locked gate and a “No Trespassing” sign, since an oil company is engaging in active operations there.

The Wicker Man (2006)

2006-11-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

Neil LaBute’s remake of The Wicker Man is down to the second-run theatres in Calgary, having lasted less than a month in the big houses. It is, as I expected, a disappointment, and begs the question as to why anyone would want to remake a cult classic in the first place.
I recently saw a clip of an interview with Alice Cooper on Space, and he pointed out that for horror to work, it needs to be blended with either comedy or with romance. As mentioned in my earlier comments on the trailer, the humorous joy of paganism is gone; the remake goes with the romance angle between Edward Malus (= malice, and in a Nostradamian anagram, Salem) and Willow Woodward (get it?). Spoilers to follow, so if you really want to see this flick (or have never seen the original), you might want to skip the rest of this article.

Following the apparent death of a mother and child in a fiery car crash, Malus is plagued by waking dreams because of his inability to rescue them. Trigger the letter from ex-girlfriend Willow (Kate Beahan), whose daughter Rowan has gone missing. So, off work and popping pills, Malus takes the ferry up Puget Sound and hitches a ride on a supply plane to Summersisle (note the added “s”).
The island here is a literal and metaphorical bee colony, run by “Queen Bee” Sister Summersisle (Ellen Burstyn). The Sisters are in control, the true Workers, while the men are mute Drones, labourers used primarily for reproduction. Hexagon motifs abound, from the tables in the meeting house to the paths cut in the grass. Moreover, both the top of the maypole and the head of the wicker man suggest beehives.
There are a couple of bits of injected humour if you look carefully (the best is Sgt. Howie’s face on a “Missing” poster in the police station). But in the end, Nicolas Cage walks the stations of Howie’s cross in grim confusion rather than religious outrage, revisiting scenes from the original in a film that for me lacked suspense.
LaBute’s Summersisle is without music, and only the masked parade towards the end hints at the playfulness of the original. While Howie played the virgin king-surrogate, here Malus is chosen because he’s an outsider with blood connection to Rowan (no surprise here that he’s her father), but philosophically it’s still a stretch.
The good cast (Cage, Burstyn, Beahan, LeeLee Sobieski, Diane Delano, et. al.) are largely wasted here, while Calgary’s Joyce and Jacqueline Robbins are particularly creepy as a set of blind twins.
Although the original Wicker Man might encourage some to explore the positive, creative sides of paganism (the ending notwithstanding), the remake is passionless, misogynistic, and without joy. I’ll take mine with cheese.

(Note: The original Wicker Man is now available in DVD, but beware that this is the 88-minute American cut and not the full 102-minute version. It does, however, include a 30-minute "making of" documentary, along with trailers and British TV and radio spots. I can only hope that the original version will also make the leap to DVD, because my VHS tape isn't going to last forever.)

Panfest 2006

2006-09-14T21:08:00.000-06:00

On the August long weekend, Heather Dawn, Jen, Catherine, and I attended PanFest. It was a lovely but wild site, with skunks roaming the woods, bats flickering in the night (I encountered both), swimmer’s itch in the lake, and gawking non-pagans on it. Just over 100 people attended, mostly from the Edmonton area, sharing bunk-bed space in heated eight-person cabins.

Although the weather was somewhat ugly on Friday night, things warmed up and dried out enough to make Panfest’s vaunted clothing-optional an option. There was a small labyrinth laid out in tape on the grass. Aphrodite’s temple was rousingly dedicated. The resident gurus held court, the newbies gushed. Edmonton’s Raven’s Call, a musical duo, performed.

Response to the weekend was generally positive, but I do have a few kvetches. Programming suffered from Pagan Standard Time, the lack of session leaders from other areas, and the non-appearance of essential personnel. There was children’s programming, but as so often happens, some parents confused that with childcare. The demonstration rituals were short on content, consisting mainly of circle castings, a spiral dance, and perhaps cakes and ale. Still, that may be a useful tip for our appearances at Pagan Pride Days to come. The kitchen had the benefit of the management of a professional chef, so the meals (if somewhat limited in variety) were nutritious, good-tasting, and vegan-friendly. I do take full responsibility for the muffins on Monday morning, and promise never to do that again.

The Call of the Rockies

2006-07-31T19:19:00.000-06:00

When I can, I try to take advantage of the warm weather to spend some time in the country generally west of Calgary. From my office window, the mountains stand like silent sentinels, always there (if not visible), but always changing, and their attraction is almost physical. I like to think of them as some of the spirits of this place, part of the spiritual landscape of Calgary. To the casual observer, they form an undifferentiated wall, though a couple, like the pyramidal Mount Glasgow (after a battleship), and the black silhouette of Devil’s Head (a.k.a. Devil’s Thumb), are easily identifiable. Changing lighting and weather conditions from morning to morning will bring out their 3D quality, concealing some and revealing others. Alas, due to some combination of heat, humidity, and cloudiness, they’ve been hiding behind the veil lately, but they will return. Two useful resources I’ve come across to identify them are Dave Birrell’s Peakfinder website at http://www.peakfinder.com, and Birrell’s book (with art by Ron Ellis), Calgary’s Mountain Panorama, available at MapTown.