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January 2: Yule Ritual postscripts
We are considering
the ritual just past: what worked and what did not,
for the purpose of learning just how to plan
a large ritual and how a small or intimate (Coven)
ritual might differ in content or purpose.
This is a learning time for you if you want
to lead rituals.
January 9: Administrivia Come give your views about where you would like CTC to go in the future!
January 16: Technopaganism.
Facilitated by Wolfe.
An exploration of why so many pagans are found
in the "high-tech" industries.
January 23: This Learning Circle was cancelled due to weather and will be rescheduled. Pagan 101: The Earth. The Goddess and the God: Considering various views of the divine in Paganism.
Celebrate the Circle
(G. Wolfe and Sue Woodbury)
We celebrate a circle of air
Living breath of our planet so fair
From your home in the East,
Come and witness our feast
As we celebrate the circle of life
We celebrate a circle of fire
The flames that give warmth and inspire
From your home in the south,
Come and bless every house
As we celebrate the circle of life
We celebrate a circle of water
Living womb for each son and each daughter
From your home in the west
Give life to our quest
As we celebrate the circle of life
We celebrate a circle of earth
The body that gave us our birth
From your home in the north
Give us strength to go forth
As we celebrate the circle of life
We celebrate the Circle we share
Earth, water, fire and air
As below and above
What we share is our love
As we celebrate the circle of life
And we celebrate the circle of life
There is a sacred one inside (note changes)
There is a sacred one inside
All the stars and all the galaxies
Run through our hands like beads
The Earth is our Mother
The Earth is our mother
we must take care of her
The Earth is our mother
we must take care of her
Hey ana ho yana hey yon yon
Hey ana ho yana hey yon yon
Her sacred paths we walk upon
with every step we take
Her sacred paths we walk upon
with every step we take
Hey ana ho yana hey yon yon
Hey ana ho yana hey yon yon
The Sky is our father,
we must take care of him
The Sky is our father
We must take care of him
Hey ana ho yana hey yon yon
Hey ana ho yana hey yon yon
His sacred air we take inside
with every breath we take
His sacred air we take inside
with every breath we take
Hey ana ho yana hey yon yon
Hey ana ho yana hey yon yon
We are a Circle (Starhawk)
We are a circle within a circle
with no beginning and never ending
The Wheel goes round
(Carole Eagleheart and Bren Chambers)
The wheel goes round and the wheel goes round,
And the wheel goes round and the wheel goes round.
(chorus)
Honor the day and honor the night,
Honor the darkness and honor the light.
Honor the heat and honor the cold,
Honor the young and honor the old.
Honor the head and honor the heart,
Honor the ending and honor the start.
Honor the child and honor old age.
Honor gentleness and honor the rage.
Honor the west and honor the east,
Honor the fasting and honor the feast.
Honor the south and honor the north,
Honor the homecoming and going forth.
(2 verses by Brydie Palmore)
Honor the east and honor the west,
Honor the journey and honor the Quest.
Honor the stone and honor the wheel,
Honor the fear and honor the zeal.
January 30: Imbolc Ritual.
No Learning Circle.
Join CTC for a public ritual in the evening.
For more information, click on Wheel of the Year Celebrations above.
February 6: Dark Moon Mysteries Facilitated by Gryphon. We will explore the ebb and flow of power, inner growth, movement and manifestation. Unleash your dark energy by spiraling inward to the core of your sacred self, West to South to East to North... For more information visit Gryphon's website at: https://www.angelfire.com/nc/gryphon
February 13: Imbolc Ritual postscripts. What worked, suggestions about future Imbolcs.
February 20: Introduction to Chakras facilitated by Sharon. The learning circle will be an introduction and overview of the chakra system, a Hindu system of understanding the human energy system. Each of the seven chakras will be covered including: colors, sounds, stones, energies,
elements, and issues associated with each chakra. Also there will be some examples and suggestions on using the chakras in healing and personal development work. There will be an activity for the group that will aid in sensing and balancing the chakras.
February 27: What is a Ritual? facilitated by Dick Merritt. Major elements of a Ritual and why.
March 5: Keys for Successful Large Rituals. Facilitated by Dick. How Rituals for large groups should differ from those for small groups.
March 12: Fey Magic Facilitated by Tim. What Fey Magic is and how we can ues it in everyday life.
March 19: No Learning Circle Join CTC in celebrating the Spring Equinox, presented by Tamia. Aborginal flair; for more details click on Wheel of the Year Celebrations above.
March 26: Administrivia Come let your voice be heard. What are we doing right and what would you like to see different?
April 2: Dark Moon Mysteries III: Magical Applications Facilitated by Gryphon. This is the last Learning Circle on Dark Moon Mysteries. You do not have to have come to the others to attend this one. We will put Dark Moon power to work with transition, completion, discovery, mystery and return. This will involve magics of divination, poppets, ancestors, enchantments, and, of course, banishings.
April 9: No Learning Circle Starhawk will be in the area to give a workshop.
April 16: No Learning Circle This is the weekend of Carolina Spirit Quest. For more information, check out their webpage: http://www.rtpnet.org/csquest
April 23: Easter, no Learning Circle
April 30: Join Celebrate the Circle for Beltaine! facilitated by Shawn, David and Gryphon. For more information, see Wheel of the Year above.
Review of Equinox and Beltaine. Let's discuss what worked and how we can improve our major Rituals.
May 14: Covens: Forming GroupsFacilitated by Dick. When and how to form a Pagan group.
May 21: Chakras I: The Root Chakra Facilitated by Sharon. The root Chakra is the source of grounding, foundation, and our sense of our right to be in the world.
May 28: Healing Applications of Oghms Facilitated by Bill.
June 4: Desperately Seeking Pagans Facilitated by Dick. How to find other Pagans.
June 11: TBA
June 18: Midsummer: No Learning Circle Facilitated by Dick and Gryphon. Celebration of the masculine in the high heat of summer!
June 25: Healing Oghms Facilitated by Bill.
July 2: Introduction to Reiki Facilitated by Bill
July 9: Chakras III Facilitated by Sharon
July 16: Sacred Closet Facilitated by members of CTC. What should be in a Magical Closet? What should be disposed of? How should it be organized? These questions and much more will be explored in a hands-on activity.
July 23: Administrivia
July 30: Join Celebrate the Circle for our Lammas Ritual! Facilitated by Brydie and Dick. For more information, see Wheel of the Year at the top of this page.
August 6: Handfasting
facilitated by Gryphon. Why have a Handfasting? Why now? How to find information and plan a Handfasting.
August 13: Chakras with Sharon; Chakra III
The Solar Plexis. Join us for the continuation of this popular series of Learning Circles. None are prerequisites for the others; come to any you would like.
August 20: ??
August 27: Lares: Household Gods
Facilitated by David Merrill. In ancient Rome, each family or household believed that they were protected by a family deity. These deities were known as Lares Familiares, and they were thought to be the spirits of the family's ancestors. They had a cupboard of their own (known as a lararium) which they inhabited in the form of tiny statuettes.
In this class/workshop, we will learn about the Roman customs. We will contact our own family gods, and make small statues for our own household alters. All materials will be provided.
September 3: No Learning Circle
Saturday, September 9: Pagan Picnic
Jordan Lake. This is a greater triangle gathering for Pagans and their families.
September 10: Creating Mandalas
Facilitated by Gryphon. What are mandalas and why use them? Come and make a series of three mandalas, then interpret them to understand and align yourself with your own inner wisdom.
September 17: Faces of Divinity
Facilitated by Shawn Strout. Experiencing the Divine within our lives. We will explore God and Goddess symbology that we can use for our own personal workings. Please bring any icons, idols, pictures, symbols, etc. that remind you of your favorite Gods and Goddesses. Be prepared to take a journey of discovery of your own personal Divinity.
September 24: No Learning Circle.
Join Bill and Ursa Madre for the CTC Mabon celebration at Kumasi Hill. For more information, click "Wheel of the Year Celebrations" above.
October 1: Intro to Feng Shui
Facilitated by Ursa Madre. An overview of Feng Shui, the eastern philosophy of arrangement. How does the surrounding geography affect the flow of positive energy in your dwelling? How can you reverse the effect of negative Feng Shui aspects?
October 8: Dreams I
Facilitated by Brydie and Gryphon. Introduction to working with dreams and dream journals/interpretation. Brydie and Gryph will interpret some of the more common symbols, then participants will keep a journal to record their dreams for two weeks. At the end of that time, there will be another Dream Learning Circle to discover what these dreams may mean.
October 15: Chakras with Sharon V
Chakra V--the throat and larnyx. Join us for the continuation of this popular series of Learning Circles. None are prerequisites for the others; come to any you would like.
October 22: Dreams II
Facilitated by Brydie and Gryphon. Continued work with dreams and dream journals/interpretation. We will work with the dream journals started by participants two weeks ago. Attedance at the first Dream Learning Circle is not a prerequisite for this one.
October 29: No Learning Circle.
Join CTC for our Samhain celebration faciliated by Gryphon and friends. For more information, click on "Wheel of the Year Celebrations" above.
November 5: Administrivia
Come let your voice be heard! What path will CTC take? Help guide us by bringing ideas and comments.
November 12: Feng Shui Applications 1
Facilitated by Ursa Madre. Using the principals of locational Feng Shui, this workshop will help you analyze the flow of energy within your own dwelling. Bring floorplans (drawn or blueprints--rough scale is okay), photos, and a list of your personal/professional goals to take greatest advantage from this workshop. Attendance at the introduction Learning Circle, while helpful, is not mandatory for attending this Learning Circle.
November 19: Mother Wove the Morning: A video. Facilitators: Shawn and Wolfe. A one-woman play examining the role of
women and "mother" as seen through the characters from out of
history. A late neolithic woman, an early (gnostic?) christian,
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Mrs Joseph Smith are among the women who
appear to teach us in a delightful and gentle way. The video is
slightly longer than our usual 2 hour time slot.
November 26: Chants
Facilitated by Brydie
December 3: Chakras VI
Facilitated by Sharon. Join us for the continuation of this popular series of Learning Circles. None are prerequisites for the others; come to any you would like.
December 10: Astral Travel
Facilitated by Blake. "Ladies and gentlemen - this is your Captain speaking: Please fasten all seat belts and turn your trays to their full and up-right positions. Extinguish all cigars and cigarettes and make sure that all carry-on luggage is left behind, 'cause you won't need it. We're traveling astral-style."
That's right folks! This Sunday, at 1:30pm, be prepared for a natural, unnatural journey. Learn to leave your body behind like it was yesterday's socks; float or fly to the exotic depths of the Collective Unconscious; meet demons, angels, or perhaps a talking imp. Visit loved-ones who've passed; visit not so loved-ones who you wish had. Get over your fear of dying... whatever - it's your trip. But don't expect to do all of this at the drop of a hat! It's going to be work and lots of practice. You're gonna have to want this more than you would want a (insert personal fantasy). Once you get it, it will probably scare the hell out of you and may cause you to never travel this way again...the keys to heaven are not for the meek.
If you are curious enough, if you are willing to open your mind to new experiences, if you are willing to *work* to make this happen, then show up in comfortable clothing this Sunday and bring something to write with. A pillow can't hurt either. This is Part I. of a class that will be continued at a later date, after you've learned to apply the techniques taught in this workshop. It is strongly suggested that you show for Part I and then follow through with the rest of the classes.
This already on your magickal resume? Bring your experiences, books, and advice. New to this? Bring your questions. Now *everyone* can fit into one of the two above categories, so everyone will be there right?
Oh, just come anyway, it'll be a hoot.
December 17: No Learning Circle. Join Celebrate the Circle for our Yule festivities, "Winter Magic." Facilitated by Dick and Brydie. For more information, click on "Wheel of the Year Celebrations" above.
December 24: Communion Dinner Out Facilitated by Tamia Buckingham. Those who wish will gather at ERUUF to go out to dinner together.
December 31; No Learning Circle--Happy New Year from CTC!
