Guest Post The Whell

Merry Meet everyone long time no post. Well today's post comes to us from a friend in the great white north. That's right Canada. My friend Eugenia from Toronto with whom I had the pleasure of sharing a dance with the other day at a mutual friends wedding here in Indiana, is putting on and promoting a large Pagan event in downtown Toronto. She is very excited about it and I am happy and excited for her I wanted to help her get the word out. Check out their web sites
www.thewheel.ca
www.facebook.com/thewheeltoronto
http://www.facebook.com/events/410436725672451/

And now here is Eugenia to tell you all about the event!

On the night when the veil between the worlds is thinnest,
come and dance the magic circle 'round
in the heart of the city
in Toronto's biggest square
we will invite the dead and dearly departed to come and dance with us for one night of the year -
THIS is the REAL Hallowe'en

I am proud to announce that the WHEEL: A Samhain Masquerade will be happening in Dundas Square on November 3rd featuring music by the Dragon Ritual Drummers, Pagan's Folly, & Amanda Rose Moscar. We will have storytelling with Brian Walsh and a performance art installation by contact movement collective Isoprox.

This will be the first time in Toronto's history that a pagan themed event will be held in such a public, central, downtown location.

I am counting on the support of this amazing community to make this event a true success!

Donate today at http://bit.ly/donatetothewheel

*UPDATE* 11/5/2012

This event was a great success for Eugenia and all who helped out, they even got some very positive press coverage.

http://torontoist.com/2012/11/dancing-with-the-dead-at-yonge-dundas-square/

Home from Fest

Just wanted to type up a quick post to let everyone know, I am home from Babalon Rising festival, and am working on getting a post and review of the fest up by the end of the week. This was a life changing event for me and I can not wait to share my experience's their with all my readers. I am looking forward to this event next year, and seeing all the new friends that I made. Until latter this week when I am able to get my post up on the blog Merry Part.

Quick Review of Elf Fest 2012

Elf Fest logo spray painted on the back of our tent

Merry Meet everyone and a good Friday morning to you. Today I have just a really quick review of Elf Fest 2012 for you which I attended last week. I have been attending Elf Fest since the early 90's and this Elf Fest marked a couple of firsts for me. This was the first Elf Fest which I had ever bartered into, which meant for several hours during the fest I got to work. I worked up front as a Parking Troll / Troll Both person on Friday from 3PM to 8PM and Saturday from 12PM to 4PM. These shifts meant a couple of things first, they were prime time shifts for people coming into the fest that were coming down only for the weekend or day on Saturday. So it meant I got to meet a lot of people old friends and new as they were coming in. It also meant I missed a few of the things I love about Elf fest such as the great music from bands on Friday afternoon early evening and the May Pole on Saturday. The second first for me, is this is the first Elf Fest I have been to where it did not rain. I have been to many Fest's at Lothlorien and it has always at least once rained. This Elf Fest there was no rain and we had temperatures in the 90's for the whole fest so it was scorching hot. So enough of that and on to my quick review.

We arrived at Loth on Thursday afternoon to Julie's smiling face at the Troll Both and a warm hug and welcome home from her. Julie is one of those friends that I only get to see at Fest and it was great that hers was one of the first faces I saw. After getting our wavier paperwork taken care of and getting my work hours for the fest we headed down the road to the fest grounds to find a spot in Scientist Circle which is our normal camping area. We were waved at and yelled hi to by several friends as we pulled around to off load our stuff. We enjoyed a lazy rest of the day Thursday wandering around checking out the awesome new playground for the kids that has been moved from it's original location to Children s Circle. That evening we went to the newly re-sanded thunder dome to enjoy drumming and dancing.

Friday was a bit subdued for me as it was really just too fricking hot to do too much and I had a work shift that afternoon. One of the new things this year Loth was able to use the field of the neighbor's for parking. this made the parking issues that they have had in the past pretty much disappear and I give them a big thumbs up for this.

One of the Babalon Organizers and me

Saturday was once again almost too hot to want to do much during the day even thou they had the May Pole and some bands that day. Once again I had a work shift and got to meet lots new people coming down just for the day to check out the fest. On a personal note two of my friends that are responsible for the Babalon Rising  festival next week came for they day, one of which had never been to Loth, and the other had not been in years. It was nice to be able to show them around Loth they way they showed me around Our Haven when I first went their. On another personal note I will be attending Babalon Rising as a full barter in and will write a review of it when I get back as well.

Sunday I hate to say it but yep way too hot. It is also the day many people head home. We said our good bye's to the folks we knew that were leaving with hugs and a few tears and the phrase miss you already uttered a few times, but also with love and knowing we will see them again at Wild Magick gathering. As Sunday evening came we went to the dome to enjoy the drumming and dancing one last time before heading home on Monday.

Monday morning dawned on us and yep you guessed it hot hot hot. We quite frankly were over it at this point. Meaning we had such a good time seeing all the sites and visiting with friends for the week but the heat was killing us. We packed up and headed out to get home to the modern comfort of A.C. I am sad that we missed the warrior blessing ritual that Pagan Education Network put on Monday, I had however seen this ritual and even participated in it before. There is always next time speaking if which until next time Merry Part all.

Festival Season

Merry Meet and a good Friday to everyone. It is still only the middle of May, and the Pagan Festival season is getting ready to move in to full swing. I myself have already attended two large Pagan Festivals, and am getting ready to make my annual trip to Elf Fest at Lothlorien Nature Sanctuary for my third fest of the year. I will follow that up a scant week latter with my fourth fest of the year at Our Haven Nature Sanctuary by attending Babalon Rising Pan-Thelemic Festival. So Today I wanted to share some of the tips and tricks, and do's and don'ts of attending a Large Pagan gathering.

 Let's start with packing to go. First there are the obvious things, like a tent, food, clothing, etc. A few things to think about with your packing, first most all the camping pagan festivals I have ever been to take place in the middle of nowhere. So if you think you need it or are going to need it, pack it. Don't forget things like medications, rain gear, (I don't care if the forecast calls for the hottest weather the area has had in 50 years. Bring rain gear it is better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.) special food if you have special dietary needs. Remember like I said chances are the Fest is in the middle of nowhere and it will be a hall to the nearest town to get what you have forgotten. Then there are the things people don't think to bring, like a drum or musical instrument if you play, there is always drumming and dancing around a festivals main fire. Ear plugs, if your like me you like drumming just as much as the next person, but you may have a limit. I know when I have reached my limit whatever time that may be 3AM, 4AM I want to go to sleep, and some fest grounds that I have been to don't have very good options for camping away from the noise. Condoms, I don't care if you're in a committed relationship, married, single, or whatever. If your going to a Pagan Fest your most probably a Pagan and we are not afraid of sex or sexuality, so these go right along with the rain gear. It is better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them.

Now I would like to share a few Fest do's and don'ts with you that I have learned over the years. Do introduce yourself to your neighbors that you are camping near. A merry meet and hello goes along way and you may make a life long or at least a fest friend. (I now have many friends that I only get to see at Fest because of saying hello.) Don't make a mess of the area you're camping in. No one likes a bunch of crap and trash scattered across the camp site, pick up after yourself. Do share what you have with others. I always try to organize a community meal with those camped around me at every fest I go to, once again it is a great way to make friends. Don't fell you need to do and see everything the fest has to offer. I know at some of the larger fests like P.S.G. there might be 4 workshops all happening at the same time I want to go to. Remember your their to have a good time so don't get all worked up if you can't do everything you want, just relax and enjoy yourself. Do respect the fest grounds and those that are in charge of the fest. They have worked very hard to put on a fest for your enjoyment, tell them thank you if you see them and follow the rules of the festival. Don't be a douche bag. No one likes that person, and nothing will get you asked to leave a fest quicker than being one. I have not nearly covered all the do's and don'ts of festival, or packing for that matter. Our Haven Nature Sanctuary has a pretty good suggested packing list for festival on their site that you can find here. If you have any hints or tips, tricks, do's, and don't's please share them in the comments I look forward to reading them.

Bad Advise

Good Morning readers. Yesterday I was doing my normal news reading when I came across this post on The Wild Hunt Blog.  The post is from Slate.com advise columnist know as Dear Prudence. Basically the post talks about a wife who was married to an Atheist, while she herself was a devote Christian. Anyway as the story in video (which I will embed into my post) goes this ladies husband finds Wicca and slowly makes it his religion to the dismay of his wife and she is not sure what she should do. The advice Prudence goes on to give this wife is a little tongue in cheek  talking about eye of newt and such, and to my ears is saying you were fine when he wasn't Wiccan but he changed the rules when he became one. I think that is bad advise and that it shows how far we as Pagan's still have to go to get respect for our beliefs in main stream media. (my own personal disclaimer here I do not have any Axe to grind that I am aware of against Slate. It is one of the sources I get news from on an almost daily basis. I also get news from The Huffington Post, The Druge Report, NPR, etc..) Take a moment to watch the video for yourself and draw your own conclusions about the advise she gave. :Leave me a comment on the blog here and tell me what you think. Until nex time my friends. BB

Happy Beltane 2012

So yea I know I haven't posted in a long time however I do blog without obligation. So in honor of Beltane I thought I would post a little May Pole Dance with none other than the Doctor himself. Enjoy and have a safe, happy, and magickal Beltane.

Spring Returns

Merry Meet again everyone. I was sitting outside this morning on a rather cold March morning here in Indiana thinking about how winter is beginning to fade here in the Midwest, and my thoughts have turned to spring.

Spring is one of my favorite times of year. The cold harshness of winter is passing and life begins to renew and come up from the ground. My thoughts start to turn to being outside and basking in the warm glow of the sun and nature. I also start to think about the upcoming events that will be happening in our community here in Indiana. The monthly Pagan Picnics we have. The festivals at Lothlorien and Our Haven. The general joy of just being outside and and able to have Ritual in the warmth of the sun again. It seems I am starting to ramble so I will close out by asking everyone, what are some of the things you enjoy about the return of Spring? Leave a comment for all to see if you are so inclined. Merry Part until next time.