Issue 57 - Pagan Federation Devon and Cornwall

Transcription

Issue 57 - Pagan Federation Devon and Cornwall
Rumtopf Revival
PF Picnics
Pagan camps
Holiday Wordsearch
Fur Tor, Queen of Dartmoor
Welcome friend!
drawings, paintings, music that you may
have created, crafts you have done.
Pictures of your activities are more than
welcome as it makes this thing bright and
colourful. Email address below.
To another edition of ‘Dark Mirror’!
It’s nice to feel warm again and for me there’s nothing
better than summer rain! What is it about summer rain
that makes me want to strip off and run around in the
nip, it kinda makes me wild!
But hey, I would not want to scare people so I’ll keep
my shorts on.
Kind folks, I really need your help, I’ve been having
trouble trying to fill this magazine and this one is a bit
lighter than the last and I would love us to have the
best local Pagan mag in the country.
So what about it, please share with me your thoughts,
experiences, poems and anything you can think of. Even
Next mag will be for Autumn Equinox
but you can send me things any time,
forget the cut-off date I don’t care just
get it to me and I’ll give you a virtual hug.
Big thanks to those who have contributed to this issue.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the summer,
rain or shine it does not matter.
God Bless,
Editor - Graham. (gbarter1@gmail.com)
PF Devon & Cornwall District Officers
District Manager (DM) :
VACANCY
Regional Co-ordinators (RC)
Devon :
Sowelu (01392) 433909 email : sowelu@blueyonder.co.uk
Cornwall :
Nigel Fenlon - 07971 854917
Channel Isles :
Oak Leaf – email: oak_frost@yahoo.co.uk
The RC’s deal with day to day contact with members. Contact them (and not the District Manager) about membership enquiries or other matters you wish to discuss, by phone, email or letter to the regional address. If you want
to run a Moot or Study Group, contact your RC.
District Administrator :
Community Officer :
Conference Organiser :
Sowelu
Cassandra Latham
Levannah Morgan
The Local Organisers run moots, events and groups. Contact them for details of local events.
Exeter :
South West Devon & Plymouth :
North Devon :
South Devon & Torbay :
North Cornwall :
Penwith :
Channel Islands : Oak Leaf - email :
Viannah - 07742 142066
Patrick - 01752 562769
Trudy - 07988 410815
trudiebrown@fsmail.net
gbarter1@gmail.com
VACANCY
Sarah - 01736 787522
oak_frost@yahoo.co.uk
For all the latest news and updates around the Region, try the new look Regional PF Website at:
www.paganfederationdevonandcornwall.co.uk
Dark Mirror is printed by Ian Jamison and distributed by the Regional Council.
The opinions expressed in letters and articles in this magazine, do not necessarily represent the
views of the Pagan Federation.
Caretaker District
Managers bit
absolutely no queries from anyone about the job!
That’s all very depressing, but hardly an unusual situation! I KNOW that there are people out there in this
District who can do the job – so come on folks, get in
touch with me & let’s talk about it! There’s a strong
District team to support you, you wouldn’t be taking
on the job in a vacuum, you’d have all sorts of peoples
advise & experience (not to mention mine of course)
to draw upon. So come on – don’t let this strange
alien from Essex keep on acting as your caretaker DM,
step up to the plate and take on the job!
If you don’t step forward – who’s to say that
someone else will! Your District needs YOU! the PF
needs you! So get your volunteering fingers typing and
contact me (Keith) at keith.tovey@blueyonder.co.uk
Greetings oh PF members in Devon, Cornwall & the
Channel Isles! It’s Keith Tovey – your caretaker District manager writing to you in this the bright & shiny
new edition of Dark Mirror.
So, welcome to another edition of the wonderful newsletter. By the time that you get this edition I
suspect that the Solstice will, have come & past. I trust
that you all had an enjoyable & spiritually fulfilling time?
As ever, a District newsletter is as good as the
content that its District members provide! It would be
brilliant if we could get some reports back from memBright Blessings
bers of the District about what they got up to celeKeith
brate the Solstice! I’m sure that the editor would back
me up in this – there is nothing quite as
eye opening as seeing how others celebrate. It’s one of the best ways I know Chalkwell Sunset
of to celebrate Pagan diversity!
I’ve just realised that I have used
the Diversity word! Not one that I tend
to use often I promise – clearly one supports it – but like health & safety it seem
to attract poor reactions from some
and to those I say sorry! Perhaps the
spiritual variety of the Pagan community
is a far better way of saying things than
to simply use the word diversity?
Anyway, in the spirit of sharing,
here’s what I’m up to for the Solstice.
I’m heading for a local beach at a place
called Chalkwell on the Thames Estuary.
I’m going to be there for the sunset &
the sunrise and we’ll celebrate in whatever manner comes to mind! IN previous years, our local moot has hosted
events on this beach but there’s so
many people doing their own thing this
year that it’s only us hardliners who are
making for the beach instead of gathering round a bonfire in a woods somewhere. I’m sure that many of the members of this District especially will know
what I mean when I say that there is just
something so uplifting about the sunrise
across the sea that almost leaves on
breathless – you can feel the spirits at
work & they become a solid part of
your celebration.
Well - that was all very pretty –
but as caretaker DM, one does have
certain duties to fulfil. The highest one
on that list is to report back to you
about the hunt for a new DM for the
District. I regret to say that I have had
Nuin Fearn Saille Ogham
By Michele Collins
Hawthorn Moon (Huath) (9th May-9th June)
Bird: Crow Stone: Topaz, Lapis Lazuli.
(Battle goddesses and strong magic. Uathshape shifting horror. Uathach-spectre.
Skathi/scathe-harm).
Hawthorn is associated with shape shifting
witches and faeries. Sleeping beneath a
solitary Thorn especially on May eve
brings the possibility of being taken by the
fey into the Otherworld. It is dangerous
to destroy a Hawthorn the result of
which may be loss of family or livestock.
Huath is the May tree; May is the marriage of the gods,
a time of growth and fertility, and the turning of the
wheel into summer. The scent of a Hawthorn is reminiscent of female sexuality and the flowering of the
Goddess. Thorns that grow near Wells are still venerated as holy, strips of cloth and other offerings are left
to ask for healing, these wishes are carried on the
wind.
Sacred to the goddess who lives beyond the North
Wind and looks backwards and forwards in time, the
Hawthorn Branch wand has the power to open what is
closed and conceal what is open. Correspondingly the
festival of Beltane is when we move from the dark half
into the light half of the year. The flowering of the
Thorn signals the start of Beltane the bright fire festival
of life and fertility and the sacred marriage of the gods.
Huath opens doorways to the Otherworld and potent
magic, and to the mysteries of the goddess and her sexual expression. Performing sympathetic magic people
take on the roles of the greening vegetation spirit and
the flowering of the goddess. This takes the form of
love chases, dancing round the phallic maypole and
conducting greenwood marriages in this time of sexual
licence. The children of these alliances were named for
the God as Robinson or Hodson.
Hawthorn Berry infusions are a balancing tonic for high
blood pressure and angina.
Oak Moon (Duir) (10th June-7th July)
Bird: Wren, Eagle, Nightjar. Animal: Bull. Stone: Moonstone, Amethyst, White Carnelian, Lapis Lazuli.
Long lived, the King of the Forest stands firmly at the
turning of the year at the Sun God’s peak
of power. The Royal Oak is emblematic of
many Gods, Herne, Zeus, Dagda, Odin and
the Dartmoor God Dewer.
Under the Oaks in the Grove of the Gods,
branches reach high into the sky above; the
roots extend down into the rich earth below. The protective Oak marks boundaries
both physically and spiritually. It is an axis
mundi tree spreading out in fruitful directions, allowing access between the realms
and a doorway to the Otherworld. Duir is
the door to knowledge, opening to admit
good and empowering things.
Traditionally midsummer fires are lit in a hollowed out
oak log, then the fire is fed with oak. Druidic infusions
of midsummer oak flowers purified the body, water
found in hollows of an oak was used as a ritual cleanser
for midsummer rites.
The Oak is also associated with Thunder Gods, a lighting struck oak was divinely infused with the phallic
stroke of the Sun God; a primal source of energy,
strength, virility, persistence and endurance.
Duir brings the power of discernment, to see and become invisible, to allow entry into the inner realms and
exclude those who are not ready for self knowledge.
Duir teaches us true strength comes though joy.
Holly Moon (Tinne 8th July-4th August)
Bird: Robin. Animal: Dog. Stone: Topaz, Red
Carnelian.
Holly is the ancient Ever-Green Knight of
continuing life in dark times though thorny
and difficult. As the year waxes and wanes
the twins of Oak and Holly battle over the
hand of the Goddess, they freely sacrifice to
each other and trust in the ever turning cycle of death and rebirth.
Holly flowers in the summer and fruits in
winter the blood red berries that represent
the sacrifice of the Sun God and the promise
of returning light and warmth. It is sacred
to the Gods of storm and thunder such as Tannus,
Taran (Pictish) and Thor, and offers protection against
evil, poison, fire and lightning.
Tinne is the strength of the Lord in the depths of winter and the waning year. It is the ogham of magic and
spiritual strength, of balance and oneness, and the value
of personal sacrifice. The spiritual warrior makes a
spear shaft from this potent strength and life-force to
use in spiritual battles.
Bring Holly branches into the home between Yule and
Imbolc as a dwelling for the nature spirits for when the
weather is at its worst.
The winter Robin brings humankind the gift of fire as a
flaming branch from the Sun and burns his own breast
in the process. The slang ‘Cock Robin’ refers to the
phallic qualities of the Gods, the Sun, fire and virility.
To ensure good luck for the coming year leave offering
outside for the Robin. (Varied Sources)
Devon Lammas Picnic
After the success of last years Devon picnic you will
find this years again at the wonderful location of Hound
Tor on Dartmoor.
Saturday 1st August
12 noon at Hound Tor
Dark Mirror
Correspondence Course
The Dark Mirror Correspondence course is available
free to all Devon, Cornwall, Isles of Scilly and Channel
Islands members. It is suitable for complete beginners
or for more experienced Pagans looking to add structure to their spiritual journey. There is a Wiccan or
Druid version.
Please contact Sowelu for more information at : Sowelu@blueyonder.co.uk
or via the PO Box address.
The Devon Handfasting
Network
If you would like to find out more, or arrange a Handfasting, then please contact Levannah Morgan, the coordinator.
Email Levannah@btinternet.com
or tel 07778 304687
or write via the PO Box address.
Cornwall Lammas Picnic
From the IT Officer
And the Cornish Lammas picnic will be at the beautiful
St Clether.
Our News page on the web site has been somewhat
'moribund' over the last few months. The original idea
was that it would only be used for news specifically
*about* the PF but discussions have been held about
widening the scope of the page. To this end, I'm looking
to recruit a small team of 'newshounds' to sniff out the
latest, worldwide, stories of pagan relevance and bring
them to a wider audience.
Sunday 2nd August
at St Clether at 12 noon.
This exercise would require any stories to be precis'd,
for reasons of copyright they cannot just be simple cut/
paste jobs
from other web sites - some thought and effort is involved.
So if you have a hour or so to spend on-line each
week, and would like to help the PF with news dissemination, please contact me at itmgr@paganfed.org familiarity with Wordpress would be useful but is by no
means essential.
For Sale
Hand-held frame drums made with ethically sourced
deer or horseskin.
www.all-as-one.co.uk
or tel. Sam on 07971 179086
Inter Faith
The Pagan Federation are represented on the Devon
Faiths Forum, who as you may have heard are undertaking some research into the experience of discrimination
on the grounds of religion and belief in Devon.
If you would like to contribute to this research then
please get in touch!.
Investigating
Discrimination.
The DFF are trying to undertake an investigation into
incidents of Discrimination based upon Religion and
Belief in Devon. This will be used to help inform Local
Government policy in Devon over the next few years.
Please contact us with your stories so that your
voice is heard!
We would like to hear from anyone who has suffered
(or believed that they have suffered, or feared) discrimination on the grounds of Religion or Belief in
Devon. Whether this is a major incident that led to
police involvement, assault, harassment, name-calling or
abuse, workplace or school bullying, workplace or
school regulations, attitudes expressed in the (local)
media or in conversation, access to goods and services,
vandalism, we would like to know about it. All contributions will remain anonymous unless you specifically
state otherwise.
We would like you to contact us with;
The name of the person sending the information.
(Please indicate if anonymity is not required) & some
contact information.
The Religion or Belief.
An outline of the events.
A description of how this made the person feel.
A notification if any agencies (Police, Social Services,
Schools etc) were informed.
Any following events or outcome.
Please send this information to us at
devonfaithsforum@hotmail.com or by post to:
DFF, c/o The Old Deanery, Exeter EX1 1HS
Many thanks for your contributions – please pass this
information onto anyone else that you think might like
to contribute.
The Museum of
Witchcraft
Phone 01840 250111
museumwitchcraft@aol.com www.museumofwitchcraft.com
Educational, Entertaining, Enlightening
The Museum of Witchcraft, The Harbour,
Boscastle, Cornwall. PL35 OH
Exmoor Pagan Camps
2009
Wonderful weekends of community workshops,
crafts, music, feasting, friendship, healing and ritual, all
centred around a private stone circle and communal
fire pit.
Camping in a private field bordered by woods and
streams in the midst of some of the most beautiful
countryside in Exmoor.
May Camp
Arrive midday Saturday 23rd May
Depart midday Tuesday 26th May
Midsummer Camp
Summer Solstice Incense
By The Happy Hedgewitch
'Blessing'
The Solstice is:
Sweet rain and green grass,
Hot sun and growing crops,
Birdsong and flowers,
Fertility and growth,
The scent of herbs and the taste of strawberries,
The swelling of fruits and the spreading of leaves,
Warmth and strength, passion and love,
The fulfilment of wishes and the beginnings of
dreams.
May your dreams come true this Solstice Night.
Blessed be.
Arrive midday Friday 26th June
Depart midday Monday 29th June
Harvest Camp
Arrive midday Friday 21st August
Depart midday Monday 24th August
Ticket only events.
Only 50 tickets available for each camp.
Book early to secure your place.
Cost per Camp
£20.00 per adult
£10.00 per school age child.
Free entry for preschool children.
Well behaved dogs kept on a lead welcome.
Ticket price includes all workshops, events, crafts,
healing and readings along with a communal meal during the weekend.
Information and booking forms available from:
Yarrow on :yarrow.taunton@googlemail.com
or telephone
01823 283742
or pick one up at
Taunton Pagan
Moot
This Summer Solstice incense is a blend of the following ingredients:
Camomile (symbolising the Sun's power of regeneration, healing and protection)
Calendula (representing the Sun's passage through the
Wheel of the Year)
Lavender (a sacred aromatic Midsummer herb)
Frankincense (traditionally used to greet the Sun Gods
at sunrise)
Oak (a primary power plant of the Summer Solstice,
standing at the turning point of the Year)
Fennel (another herb sacred to Midsummer, symbolising the purifiying and protective element of fire)
Rosemary
Orange oil
Benzoin
('Blessing' taken from The Wheel Of The Wiccan Year
by Gail Duff)
Fur Tor, Queen of Dartmoor
By Peter Jeffery
This poem is basically a true story. My brother passed awy in 1998, aged 52.
In the heart of Dartmoor, looms Fur Tor,
Queen of all those ancient tors;
And we had encountered her,
We, the merry Dartmoor walkers.
And with my brother and fellow walkers,
We had planned to picnic there;
Eat cakes and drink red wine
To celebrate the summertime.
But my brother sadly passed away.
Suddenly taken away.
Sad victim of life’s reckless pace:
Yet why should it happen this way?
And I wandered again on Dartmoor,
As in days of those merry walkers;
Then I heard a voice, which I obeyed,
That cried, “Come away! Come away!”
I had passed Mary Tavy,
North-west of Peter Tavy:
Like sister and brother they sttod,
Guarding the darkening moor.
Then I heard a vixen scream
In deepening Tavy Cleave;
And I wandered through that clattering cleave:
I knew just where it would lead.
To Fur Tor, Queen of Dartmoor,
Queen of all those ancient tors:
Where the Goddess had long time been,
Earth Mother still, she would seem.
So under pale moonlight’s gleam,
I asked my beautiful Queen:
Why we are born on one special day
And then suddenly snatched away.
And I heard that in ancient times,
Death called us to rest between lives:
But today, we seem restless actors;
Lost, merely strange attractors.
Now I felt at peace with the Goddess.
She seemed kind,never heartless.
And I heard the wind sighing,
Or was the Goddess crying?
DEVONPAGANS
Is an egroup for all pagans in Devon or nearby.
Http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Devonpagans/
We hold regular moots (in a house not a pub!), on the
first Monday of every month. All paths are welcome.
These are mainly social occasions but we do discuss
serious things and have had some visiting speakers on
particular topics. We always end by sharing food and
drink that we have brought. Good fun! All paths are
welcome. The moots take place in Bradninch near Exeter, please contact Sophie (devon.pagans@yahoo.co.uk)
for directions.
NB : It is always wise to contact the Moot Organiser
prior to attending a Moot. Whilst details are correct at
the time of going to press, these are subject to change
with very short notice.
EXETER PF MOOT
Meets at the White Hart on South Street from 8pm.
1st wednesday monthly.
FFI contact Viannah on 077421 42066
or Viannah@hotmail.co.uk
SOUTH WEST DEVON MOOT
NORTH DEVON MOOT
Meet the first wednesday of each month at the Olive
Branch, Boutport Street, Barnstaple 7.30pm - 10.30pm.
For further information contact Trudie on 07988
410815 or trudiebrown@fsmail.net.
Or have a look at the website
www.northdevonpagans.co.uk
If you would like to amend or add a moot please
email me (address below)
Meets in the Stoke area of Plymouth, held on 2nd wed
of the month 7pm.
FFI contact Patrick on 01752 562769 or Michele at
fferyllt2012@hotmail.co.uk
SOUTH DEVON PAGAN COMMUNITY
MOOT
On every 1st Tuesday of the month there will be a
moot held at 'The Lime Tree' pub in the centre of
Paignton, South Devon. It's an easy social occasion
with an open forum.
FFI see www.southdevonpagans.co.uk.
TAVISTOCK WEST MOOR MOOT
Meets on 2nd Thursday of the month.
A place to share Pagan news and events, topical discussions and simple ritual.
During warmer months we plan visits to the nearby
moor and sacred sites to connect with the Spirits of
Place. Contact Michele on 01822 617903
or email fferyllt@googlemail.com
Dark Mirror
submissions
Dark Mirror is read by 100’s of Pagans & anything to
do with Paganism is most welcome. Please share your
thoughts, poems, stories, views opinions.
Send your submissions in any format to :
Dark Mirror,
PF Devon & Cornwall,
PO Box314 Exeter, EX4 6YR
Or email me at: gbarter1@gmail.com & put “Dark
Mirror” in the subject line. Issue deadlines are:- 10th
May; 10th Aug; 9th Nov & 7th Feb
Advertising Rates: Small lineage ads from individual PF members are free! We can also display ad
space at the following rates:Full Page = £10, Half Page = £5, Quarter Page = £3
All display ads are run for 4 consecutive issues
Chicken Tikka Masala, for example, has a very high s value,
while the s value of water is
zero. t(c) and t(t) indicate the
tone of the carpet and topping
- the value of p being strongly
related to the relationship between the colour of the carpet and topping, as even
chicken tikka masala won't
cause a permanent and obvious stain if the carpet is the
same colour.
So it is obvious that the probability of carpet impact is
maximised if you use chicken
tikka masala and a white carpet - in fact this combination
gives a p value of one, which is
the same as the probability of
a cat landing on its feet.
Cat / Toast
By Charles Weaver
When a cat is dropped, it always lands on its feet, and
when toast is dropped, it always lands buttered side
down.
Therefore, if a slice of toast is strapped to a cat's back,
buttered side up, and the animal is then dropped, the
two opposing forces will cause it to hover, spinning
inches above the ground.
If enough toast-laden felines were used, they could
form basis of a high-speed monorail system. This train
of thought should be followed to its logical conclusion.
In the buttered toast case, it's the butter that causes it
to land buttered side down - it doesn't have to be
toast, the theory works equally well with Jacob's crackers.
So to save money you just miss out the toast and butter the cats.
Also, should there be an imbalance between the effects
of cat and butter, there are other substances that have
a stronger affinity for carpet. Probability of carpet impact is determined by the following simple formula:
p = s * t(t) / t(c)
Where p is the probability of carpet impact s is the
"stain" value of the toast-covering substance - an indicator of the effectiveness of the toast topping in permanently staining the carpet.
Therefore a cat with chicken tikka masala on its back
will be certain to hover in mid air, while there could
be problems with buttered toast as the toast may fall
off the cat, causing a terrible monorail crash resulting
in nauseating images of members of the royal family
visiting accident victims in hospital, and politicians saying it wouldn't have happened if their party was in
power as there would have been more investment in
cat-toast glue research. Therefore it is in the interests
not only of public safety but also public sanity if the
buttered toast on cats idea is scrapped, to be replaced
by a monorail powered by cats smeared with chicken
tikka masala floating above a rail made from white shag
pile carpet
Holiday Word Search
D
I
A
H
J
H
H
L
L
A
M
M
A
S
D
K
A
I
R
Y
R
M
Z
L
F
A
T
H
E
N
A
Q
P
P
Z
T
E
P
C
G
I
B
M
W
I
D
D
E
R
S
H
I
N
S
E
S
B
A
T
K
T
O
A
T
U
W
P
A
G
A
N
I
S
M
H
F
A
U
T
H
U
L
B
R
U
R
W
T
P
G
M
N
A
T
A
H
A
S
F
K
A
C
O
A
M
G
I
W
R
B
I
Q
X
N
D
B
A
S
K
W
L
T
N
N
D
N
T
L
R
R
N
J
M
D
E
X
C
F
I
M
L
G
H
S
E
E
C
P
C
O
E
O
V
S
S
A
H
L
S
X
K
B
E
F
M
O
H
S
P
D
R
H
V
T
V
V
C
O
X
F
I
X
Q
O
E
P
C
H
O
I
V
O
S
T
A
R
A
Y
B
Z
N
R
U
R
T
A
R
I
S
N
A
O
F
Y
X
A
I
I
R
H
B
A
I
M
E
G
A
V
E
S
J
S
O
L
S
T
I
C
E
B
K
G
N
A
R
A
F
A
I
C
U
Z
P
F
I
R
E
Y
U
F
U
N
O
T
O
N
T
H
D
I
N
F
W
E
Q
H
R
I
W
U
S
A
X
I
O
I
E
E
O
R
O
E
A
A
K
A
L
I
P
S
X
R
Y
O
Q
S
E
C
N
C
Z
D
T
W
J
R
I
C
G
L
D
O
S
N
T
M
F
A
H
L
E
C
E
G
F
F
A
W
I
G
A
K
T
K
W
R
N
T
C
E
U
K
R
R
V
K
R
N
Q
E
H
C
Z
H
R
X
U
E
J
C
S
A
M
O
Z
A
T
Y
L
I
C
N
E
Q
W
I
O
R
K
V
W
J
R
M
A
X
N
W
F
J
Word list
demeter
witchcraft
ritual
transformation
circle
hades
juno
widdershins
air
odin
minerva
athena
paganism
zeus
fire
mabon
equinox
esbat
neopaganism
lammas
water
ragnarok
poseidon
ostara
shiva
kali
hecate
solstice
Imbolc
Taken from BellaOnline
Taunton Pagan Moot is just one of many meetings,
groups and Moots run by volunteers for Pagans and the
spiritually minded in Somerset. All are welcome whatever your path or experience:
Exmoor Pagan Camps – weekend camping events
organised by Yarrow. Fun and very family friendly.
May, Midsummer and Harvest Camps now fixed for
2009. Workshops, ritual, crafts, drumming, healing,
divination. Contact Yarrow for more information and
to book tickets. All welcome.
Wiccan Study Group – monthly meeting starting
Feb 2009. Basic intro to Wicca and working with the
wheel of the year. Limited places. Contact Yarrow on
01823 283742/yarrow.taunton@googlemail.com to apply.
Free Email/Correspondence Course in Wicca/
Natural Magic - for info contact Oak
The Taunton Moot
We meet every second Monday of the month from
7.30pm onwards in the upstairs meeting room at
Mambo Wine Bar (formerly Millers), Mill Lane, just off
North Street (near Debenhams and opposite the old
main Post Office) Taunton TA1 1LN.
Free admittance to all with a small donation for
speaker’s expenses encouraged. Moot details available
to view on the Wessex Research Group Network
website www.wessexresearchgroup.org and the
Wessex Pagan Federation website :
http://pfwessex.org
Consider joining the Pagan Federation to find out more about local
Pagan events, groups and moots
and meet other Pagans in your
area.
For further info on the Pagan Federation's work contact Yarrow or
Oak on SummersetOak@aol.com.
Rumtopf Revival
By Rayne Mathews
Now that summers here why not start your own
Rumtopf.
They are really simple to make. Originally from Germany, the pots come in many beautiful designs and
sizes. Check in the garage or behind the shed as many
lay unforgotten. If you don’t have one you can pick
them up at a boot sale or on line very cheaply. But
don’t worry, any lidded glazed pot will do it and you
can even use a large Kilner jar and keep it in a dark
place.
As your fruits come into season, wash them carefully,
weigh and place in a layer in the pot. Cover with the
same weight in sugar followed by a covering of dark
rum. The rum should come a cm or two above the
fruit. Berries can be left whole but plums, apples etc
are better cut into bite sized pieces.
Pop a plate on top and put the lid on. Keep adding layers as the fruit comes into season until the pot is full.
When the last layer has gone in leave the pot untouched in a cool, dark place for 6 weeks to mature,
then it’s ready to eat in time for Christmas.
Taunton Pagan Moot
Programme of talks and workshops for 2009/2010:
January 12th 2009 - “An Introduction to the Western Mystery Tradition” - a talk by our friend Levannah
Morgan, local Witch and Priestess, including a beginner's introduction to the Cabbalah. Levannah has been
working in the Craft for many years and organises the
annual Devon and Cornwall Pagan Fed Conference.
IMBOLC OPEN CIRCLE RITUAL – details to be advised.
February 9th 2009 - “Meeting Birds of Prey” - Richard and Addy will be bringing in a Barn Owl, a Falcon
and a Harris Hawk. We will hear all about these beautiful birds, their training habits and how they are viewed
spiritually around the world.
March 9th 2009 - “The Twelve Spoke Wheel” - an
inspired talk by Kevin Saunders, Wiccan High Priest,
lecturer and author of both “Wiccan Spirituality” and
“Advanced Wiccan Spirituality” on how a revision of
the wheel of the year could bring us greater connection
with the energies of the seasonal sabbats.
April 13th 2009 - "An Introduction to Chaos Magick”
- discover the origins and techniques developed by this
modern approach to sorcery. Julian Vayne will share
some practical examples of 'empty handed magick' for
us to take away and try for ourselves.
May 11th 2009 - “Messages From Water” - a very
inspiring audiovisual presentation by Michael Chamberlain to deepen our awareness of the magical and vibrational world of sound and water, as seen in the film
“What the Bleep do we Know?”
MAY CAMP, EXMOOR - 23rd - 26th May – WORKSHOPS, RITUAL, DRUMMING, HEALING, CRAFTS,
NATURE WALKS, COMMUNAL MEALS AND MUSIC. CONTACT YARROW FOR INFO AND BOOKING FORMS – 01823 283742.
June 8th 2009 - “The Wessex Astrum – Sacred Hexagram on the Goddess Landscape” - Pagan author, Peter
Knight, will guide us through a presentation of his sixth
book, having discovered a huge hexagram on the landscape surrounding Glastonbury, Avebury, Stonehenge
and many other sites in the South West.
July 13th 2009 – Professor Ronald Hutton – a talk by
the popular lecturer and author of Pagan classics
“The Triumph of the Moon” and “The Stations of the
Sun”. Ronald is a leading authority on ancient and medieval Paganism and magic.
August 10th 2009 – “Healing Workshop” - a popular
workshop run by Oak enabling all in the room to participate in both giving and receiving healing.
HARVEST CAMP, EXMOOR – 21ST – 24TH AUGUST
– WORKSHOPS, RITUAL, DRUMMING, HEALING,
CRAFTS, NATURE WALKS, MUSIC ETC.....BOOK
NOW!!
September 14th 2009 - “Crystals – Some History
and Uses for Humans and Animals” - Mechelle has a
great deal of history and family involvement with witchcraft and speaks regularly on many associated subjects
as well as running an excellent Pagan herbs/oils/
incenses etc stall locally, see
www.avalonesoterics.co.uk.
October 12th 2009 - “Brigid – Goddess, Druidess
and Saint” - a talk by local author, lecturer and folklore
researcher, Brian Wright, on one of our most loved
Celtic Goddesses. Brian is currently writing a book on
this subject and, if publishing goes according to plan,
will bring copies to the Moot.
November 9th 2009 - “Aspects of Druidry: Ancient
and Modern” - a talk by Penny Billington, OBOD
Druid, author and editor of “Touchstone” magazine, on
the few recognised sources of Druidic knowledge available and which of these have been adopted as relevant
to modern spirituality.
December 14th 2009 - “Yule Folk Night and Stampede Raffle” - calling all musicians and singers! An open
floor evening of cheering traditional music, along with
our now traditional “stampede raffle”. As usual, bring
along as many gift wrapped prizes as you can (small or
large, useful or useless) - all proceeds will go to charity.
January 11th 2010 - “Reincarnation” - a workshop
with Roy Snelling, Taunton Moot regular and Reiki Master, covering aspects of reincarnation, progression of
the soul and the collective consciousness (with audience participation encouraged!).
February 8th 2010 - details to be confirmed.
MIDSUMMER CAMP, EXMOOR – 26TH – 29TH JUNE
– WORKSHOPS, RITUAL, DRUMMING, HEALING,
CRAFTS, NATURE WALKS, MUSIC ETC....BOOK
NOW!
March 8th 2010 – details to be confirmed.
HUNDREDS OF BRAND NEW BOOKS AT UP TO 70% OFF!
Also…
Tarot and Oracle Sets and Decks
Crystal Runes
Dowsing Pendulums
10% Discount on first online order.
Subjects Include:
Wicca, Witchcraft, Druidry, Celtic, Occultism, Shamanism, Divination, Nature, Ecology,
Crystals, Faeries, Angels, Astrology, Novels, Spirituality, Reincarnation, Ley Lines
Authors include:
Ted Andrews, Kit Berry, Rae Beth, Scott Cunningham, Nevill Drury, Cassandra Eason,
Brian Froud, Dion Fortune, Marian Green, Glennie Kindred, John & Caitlin Matthews,
Kenneth Meadows, Doreen Virtue
Buy Online or Telephone 01409 254144
Barnstaple Pannier Market every Tuesday
Devon & Cornwall Pagan Federation Conference
Mind, Body Spirit Fayres
(see website for Calendar of Events)
All major credit/debit cards and Paypal accepted
Prices shown exclude postage and packaging

Similar documents

Issue 56 - Pagan Federation Devon and Cornwall

Issue 56 - Pagan Federation Devon and Cornwall want to step down, it normally falls to the DM to suggest a replacement to the DLO and to train them to take over the job. Well, that's an out line of what a DM does - as you can see, it's a tough ...

More information

Issue 58 - Pagan Federation Devon and Cornwall

Issue 58 - Pagan Federation Devon and Cornwall The RC’s deal with day to day contact with members. Contact them (and not the District Manager) about membership enquiries or other matters you wish to discuss, by phone, email or letter to the reg...

More information