Pagan Pride Day

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The First Annual Boone High Country Pagan Pride Day, September 2005

The First Annual Boone High Country Pagan Pride Day, September 2005

I also volunteered to create the altar for Imbolc (we had folks make an alter to each of the 8 major Pagan holidays) and I put together the main altar.

Imbolc is one of the 8 major solar holidays many Pagans observed which are called “Sabbats”. Imbolc is also known as Candlemas, Feast of Torches, Oimelc, Lupercalia, Feast of Pan, Snowdrop Festival, Feast of the Waxing Light, Brigid’s Day and is usually observed around February 2. Agriculturally, Imbolc marks the festival of calving. The days are lengthening and the very first beginnings of the stirring of seeds occur. Soon they will begin to germinate and sprout.

It is a traditional time for initiations into covens and self-dedication rituals. Brigid (Brid, Brigante) is the triple muse goddess of Healing, Smithcraft and Wordcrafting often called on at this time; she is also associated with healing wells. At sunset every light in the house is turned on and the widely observed “spring cleaning” takes place. Spiritually we think about turning from the quiet introspective winter months towards the busier time of true spring. Imbolc is marked with huge bonfires and torches, candles and flames of all sorts. Tools, spiritual and practical, are often cleansed and blessed.

Initiation into a Pagan group can take many forms. 7 of 9, a Women’s spirituality group I belonged to in the Raleigh/Durham area, had as part of its acceptance of a new member a combined ribbon weaving much like the one on the altar. When a Woman entered the group a special ritual would be held. The new member would choose a ribbon the color of her choice and the rest of the women helped her to measure her height with it. It would be cut and woven in with the rest of them. She would bring a small charm to tie to the end of her ribbon. It symbolically combined her energy with the group.

It is time to sweep out the old and unneeded and welcome the stirrings of life once again. Get rid of the past and look to the future. But to turn the wheel, we must be a strong united force. Our belief forms our reality… Think carefully about what you want to dedicate yourself to this coming year.

“Look, here’s a good meadow!”
“By that stream?”
“Yes, down there in the glen.”
“Yes, it’s private and the perfect place for Bridget to lie…”
“And to receive her consort…”
“As life stirs in her belly…”
“And once more prepares to cover the Earth in music, color and the smell of the moist earth.”

What do you need to begin in your life? Creative work such as poetry, songs, art works, stories, crafts? Maybe a plan that has occurred to you involving work? A good idea or special accomplishment? Take a candle home (candles were in the cauldron at the base of the altar), with you and ask Brigid’s blessing and help with your new project and be open to accepting Her blessings!

These are photos of the Main Altar.

What makes a Ritual a good Ritual is having a well defined goal and dedicated people to present it. I had both. And we did practice. Our first one had almost all of us together at the Boone UU on a Wednesday night. Practice lasted over two hours and by the time we ended it things were going pretty smoothly. At the event I pulled out the Circle Blessers and practiced with them. Later I got the Leaf Strewers together for a few run throughs. Then just before the actual Ritual I got almost everyone together and we went through it again. I also got a chance to practice with the drummers--much fun!

I was able to get several very good Workshops presented by knowledgeable people. Such diverse topics as Shamanic Drumming and Magical Gardens (where we were visited by Grandmother Spider on the flowers Juli brought) to Chaos Magic and Hellenistic Ritual.

I took part in only one this year, however, the Roundtable “Inter Faith Discussion” presented by Appalachian Interfaith Alliance. Frankie Kelly, former Catholic Priest, was the chair and we were joined by Denesh Dave from the Hindu Community and Betty representing the Bah’ia faith. I was the token Pagan. Seems we have much more in common than many might think. Circe pointed out that each of us needs to have our own spiritual practice that we devote time and energy to. Denesh was adamant that no one should insist that only one way—their way—is the only way to follow. Betty explained that in her faith every spiritual path is valid. In my own view, all faiths are beautiful colored ribbons. Instead of a “melting pot” where we will eventually all believe the same thing and follow the exact same path, I agree with a man from Durham named Lincoln, who drew a picture of a big woven rainbow with all the paths as individual separate colors, but all woven together to form a strong harmonic whole. This can happen and will happen. SO MOTE IT BE!

We had a visit from a few animals from the New River Zoo, including this black panther cub and a couple of snakes.

Finally the time came for the Main Ritual and everything went very smoothly. Everyone did their parts well, we raised energy in our spiral dance and took the seeds of sacred community with us. Despite the heckling from passers by who felt they had to yell “assholes,” “spill the blood of satan,” and “dirt worshippers” from cars and surrounding dorms. It was really the first time I had felt so much negative energy directed towards a PPD event.

We did have a brief visit from a Christian motorcycle group and a couple of fancy dressed witches.