Ravens Call THE TASMANIAN PAGAN ALLIANCE, INC. NEWSLETTER. Australian Fair for Freedom of Belief & Religion

Transcription

1 Ravens Call THE TASMANIAN PAGAN ALLIANCE, INC. NEWSLETTER SPECIAL EDITION Australian Fair for Freedom of Belief & Religion

2 Contents Moot Convenors Hobart - Morgan Launceston - Mel Ell North-West - Jo Corvinus the Team Postal Address PO Box 818 Rosny TAS 7018 State Coordinator Jess Steers taspainc@gmail.com Regional Coordinator Mel Dolliver melsteers76@yahoo.com Secretary Mandhi Allen Treasurer Terri Baran thegeekwitch@gmail.com Ravens Call Editor - Mel Dolliver Proof-readers - Heather Jensen & Jan Walker Graphic Designer - Jess Steers Printer - Mandhi Allen Disclaimer: The views contained within the Ravens Call newsletter are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or members of the Tasmanian Pagan Alliance, Inc. Likewise, the advertisements are placed in good faith and do not signify endorsement by the editor or members of the Tasmanian Pagan Alliance, Inc. Copyright 2014 Tasmanian Pagan Alliance, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 3 Editorial 4 Eye of Newt 8 Pagan Bookclub 9 Pagan Podcasts 10 Never to be Lent, Swapped or Sold 11 Secretary & Treasurer Report 12 Luna Journey 14 Familiar Friends 16 Compost Heap 18 Profiling Tassie Pagans 19 Pagan Parenting 20 Samhain Report 21 Hobart Moot Convener Changes, Moot Chocolate Raffle 22 Moot Reports 26 Feature Article: Behind the Scenes of Workshops 35 Member Messages 36 Yule Ball Report 37 Imbolc Report 40 Needful Things 42 What s On 44 Interview with a Pagan Friendly Busines 45 Relay for Life Report 46 The Herb Obsession 49 Feature Article: Stranger Figs & Love 51 State Coordinator s Report 53 Harvest Fest Report 57 Turning of the Fagus Walk Calendar Back Pages: Yule Ball, Membership Renewal & Membership Form The Pagan Alliance Ethic Love & Kinship with nature. Reverence for the life force & its ever-renewing cycles of life & death. Each individual is responsible for discovering & developing his/her own true nature in harmony with the greater world, & takes full responsibility for his/her actions. Acceptance of the many-faceted nature of Divinity: Acceptance that divinity exists in many forms, & can be worshipped/respected as male, female, androgynous, or in a form beyond human definition. 2

3 Welcome to a special MONA edition of our local Tasmanian Pagan newsletter, we are thrilled to be a part of the Australian Fair for Freedom of Belief and Religion that will showcase the diversity of spiritual belief systems within both Tasmania and Australia to the general public. Mel Dolliver - Editor offers a taste of our regular column themes and an example of our grass roots style. Enjoy! Brightest Blessings The Tasmanian Pagan Alliance Inc has been an actively functioning networking organisation for more than 15 years running Pagan s in the Pub meetings every month in the Hobart, Launceston and Burnie areas, holding major and minor seasonal event celebrations statewide and producing The Ravens Call newsletter quarterly informing our members of current news, events and workshops and also allowing our members to publish articles and share stories and artwork to a relevant audience. The contents of this mini issue features some well loved articles from passed editions and About the Artist Front cover: Raven Jay Photography Raven Jay is a British freelance photographer currently based in Hobart. Raven Jay is self-taught, specialising in wildlife and landscape photography. Her fascination with the natural world from an early age led to photography quickly becoming a passion. She possesses a unique ability to capture the character of her subject and the mood of the land giving the photos a timeless and yet personal quality. To view more of her works please visit her Facebook page: Raven Jay Photography All prints are available Printed on quality archive paper in a variety of sizes 3

4 Who is the Tasmanian Pagan Alliance? The Tasmanian Pagan Alliance Inc is a networking organisation that has been running in Tasmania since Our purpose is to connect like minded people, and to achieve that we host monthly social Pagans in the Pub gatherings in 3 different locations around the State which includes discussion topic, guest speakers, and generally catching up over a drink and a meal, we hold and support weekend celebration events for the Wheel of the Year celebrations. The Wheel of the Year consists of Solar festivals which are called minor Sabbats by most Pagans, held at either the Solstices or Equinoxes. There are two Solstices per year, the winter and summer Solstice. You might know these as the longest day, and the longest night, and sometimes the winter festival is called Yule or Yuletide and heralds the middle of winter celebrating the shortest day of the year this festival is the original christmas holiday. The Summer solstice sits on the opposite side of the wheel of the year and its celebration centres around the longest day of the year and heralds the middle of summer, this Sabbat is also called Litha or Midsummer. Both Equinoxes work on the same principle, they are at opposite sides of the Wheel of the year and celebrate the equality of both daylight and night-time hours, the Autumn Equinox is also known as Mabon and the Spring Equinox can also be known as Ostara very similar to the commonly celebrated easter holiday. The Major Sabbats fit neatly in between the Minor festivals The Harvest celebration falls after the Summer Solstice on the 1st of February and is also called Lammas or Lughnasadh this festival heralds the first harvest and the height of summer. The Witches Halloween falls after the Autumn Equinox and heralds the ending of Summer and honours the dearly departed. The festival celebrating new life and the beginning of spring is called Imbolc and falls after the Winter Solstice on the 1st of August. Lastly uniting the circle of the wheel comes the Beltane celebration of fertility and love sometimes known as May Day in the Northern hemisphere is held on the 31st of October these celebrations bring our Pagan community together, we can honour our ancestors, Pagan deities and spend these special holidays together with friends and family. The Tasmanian Pagan Alliance also produce a newsletter 4 times a year that s posted to our members - it looks a little like this edition here! We are a not for profit organisation that is run by a very amazing and dedicated group of volunteers. We charge a small membership fee, and that money goes towards running our website, printing and posting our newsletter, and making our events happen. Every dollar goes back into the organisation. Membership numbers are strong in our little island state, and we grow every year. We also network with similar organisations Australia wide, and have contacts internationally as well. This keeps us in the loop with pagan related news and events, as well as new book releases, festivals and more. If you would like to know more, please check out our website: 4

5 We feel powerful tides ebb and flow in our emotions, our bodies, depending on the phases of the moon. We feel her push us and then tighten the pull. The energy of the moon is a personal journey... My life has evolved into a rhythm that is very focused upon both solar energy and the patterns created by the moon they are of great import to me. My emotions wax and wane with each phase, I plant my garden accordingly and I know how to read myself well, through experience, paying attention and recording my behaviour during each moon phase. I dream deeply while the moon is waning, I become withdrawn at the dark of the moon and get fidgety and restless during the waxing phase and focused just after the three days of the full moon and I know my physical cycle is always harmonious with the full moon. My Goddess and the Moon There is no one particular Goddess that resonates strongly within me, other women I have discussed the moon s vibrations and related Goddesses with have felt a strong guiding pull with the Egyptian Goddess Isis or Celtic Goddess Bridget or Greek Goddess Diana. But for me the Moon is all Goddess together, she is the feminine energy of the Maiden, Mother and Crone. The Maiden she is the beginning, the young Goddess of spring time new growth. She is the seed of an idea that takes hold and is full of potential. She is youth and beauty, of independence and confident of her abilities. S h e i s uncommitt ed, a d v e n t u r o u s and a free s p i r i t. Th e Maiden is the phase of the waxing moon it is a time for rituals of initiation of new projects, the Maiden s energy can be harnessed to launch new ideas, to start a task with a fresh plate, to walk forward with renewed focus. The Mother she is the ultimate nurturer, the mature Goddess of high summer. She is the harvest and the rose in full bloom; she is the bounty of the physical earth the mother of all. Although she is heavily pregnant and has many children at her skirts, she is wild and passionate dancing in the rain, laughing and loving her life, she is sexy and powerful. The full moon is her aspect and ceremonies at this time are centred on bringing fully formed ideas into manifestation. The Crone she is the wise one the grandmother, she has a full life s experience behind her, she pulls no punches and sees clearly through the superficial surface and into the heart of truth. She has lost the beauty of youth and has turned into the hag, she has birthed many children and has lost those she loves. The Crone harnesses the phase of the waning moon, rituals at this time are of release to let go the burdens that hold us back, to banish the things that harm us and to discard that which we no longer need. 5

6 While for many pagans visualisation and meditation are the cornerstones of their practice and can be done without the need for any tools whatsoever, working with magically charged or energized equipment can enhance rituals and solidify spell casting. You are the conductor of your own personal power, not the moonstone pendant worn during the full moon or the candles alight in honour of the Gods neither can you generate strength through a consecrated athame but you can complement magical endeavours and reinforce spiritual belief through creating meaningful implements that work in usefulness and harmony with you. Sigils The use of sigils is a common practice for most practicing pagans but, may not be considered a ritual or magical tool. After all it s simply paper and pen. Sigils can be frequently created - buried deep in the soil, cast adrift upon the tide or caught by flame. Attaching a paper sigil to a Yule log is one of the more traditional methods, it could be a wish for the future or prosperity for the coming year. Your chosen mark can be a complex and creative design or plain and un-decorated, whatever has personal and prominent symbolism. There is transformation magic in the crafting of a sigil, our thoughts are manifesting from an idea or desire into the physical world. You are in effect creating something from nothing, birthing a wish that will begin a journey with a purpose towards a distant goal. Sigils are the magical tool that propels me forward, keeps me searching for the next project the next opportunity to build, create, achieve and to experience my chosen path, sigils are the push I need to continue onward maintaining momentum. From : The term sigil derives from the Latin sigillum, meaning "seal", though it may also be related to the Hebrew (segulah meaning "word, action, or item of spiritual effect"). A sigil may have an abstract, pictorial or semi-abstract form. The current use of the term is derived from Renaissance magic, which was in turn inspired by the magical traditions of antiquity. In medieval ceremonial magic, the term sigil was commonly used to refer to occult signs which represented various angels and demons which the magician might summon. The magical training books called grimoires often listed pages of such sigils. A particularly well-known list is in the Lesser Key of Solomon, in which the sigils of the 72 princes of the hierarchy of hell are given for the magician's use. Such sigils were considered to be the equivalent of the true name of the spirit and thus granted the magician a measure of control over the beings. Sigils are commonly found in Jewish mysticism and Kabbalistic magic upon which much of Western magic is based. The use of symbols for magical or cultic purposes has been widespread since at least the Neolithic. Some examples from other cultures include the yantra from Hindu tantra, historical runic magic among the Germanic peoples, or the use of veves in Voudon. Unlike with traditional sigils, whose creators made use of traditional lore passed down from generations or from books, modern users often create sigils entirely themselves and devise individual means of "charging" them with metaphysical power. Modern sigils may appear in any medium physical, virtual, or mental. Visual symbols are the traditional, and presumably still most popular, form, but the use of aural and tactile symbols in magic is not unheard of. In modern uses, the concept was mostly popularized by Austin Osman Spare, who published a method by which the words of a statement of intent are reduced into an abstract design; the sigil is then charged with the will of the creator. Spare's technique, now known as sigiliation, has become a core element of chaos magic. The inherently individualistic nature of chaos magic leads most chaos magicians to prepare and cast (or "charge") sigils in unique ways, as the process of sigilization has never been rigorously defined. The magician is expected to "fill in the blank spots" by himself or herself. Sigils are used for spells as well as for the creation of thought-forms. Example My example is Ravens Call, I then take out all t h e d o u b l e letters, clear my mind of every day clutter and focus upon my desired intention. The key it to stop thinking and let your pen take you on a journey - sigils can be elaborate or simplistic. 6

7 Pagan Podcasts...with Kynan So here we go again, I m on the road, another dictation from out of the big rig, with my trusty assistant Heather on the keyboard. Celtic Myth is hosted by Ruth and Gary, they re from England. Celtic Myth Podcast explores, obviously, Celtic Myth. They ve been going for about 4 or 5 years now. The first part they explore is the Irish Mythological Cycle, which took about two years approximately. They re pretty awesome I must say. Currently they re exploring the Welsh Myth, mostly out of the Mabinogion. It is easy on the ears, although they put on accents when dramatising the stories, it can be a bit of strain to decipher, but on the whole it s good listening, good music instrumental, folky, Celtic sort of music. They also read poems and stories sent in by listeners. It s a podcast I enjoy, probably not everyone enjoys Celtic stuff, but I do. of Celtic mythology here too, plenty of interviews with people from the Druid Order and the Pagan Community at Large. Some of them can waffle a bit but on the whole it is pretty good. Has a lot of poetry, too. I always feel inspired to play music when I listen to copious amounts of Druidcast. Inspired to pick up an instrument. They also have a few recorded lectures from the Eisteddfodd s that the OBOD hold. Bit of scholarly work on there, with the likes of Ronald Hutton and other scholars. Druidcast is hosted by OBOD (The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids) and presented by Damh the Bard. He s a musician, got some good music, got a few of his albums myself. They (obviously) talk about Druidry. Lots 7

8 Liquorice Glycyrrhiza glabra This hardy herbaceous perennial grows 2-5 feet (60cm 1.5m) tall with long narrow dark green leaflets. Its tap root has several long branches, which are wrinkled and brown with yellow flesh. During late summer short spikes of pale yellow flowers bloom turning purple as the season lengthens, they are similar looking to pea flowers forming long reddish-brown pods in the autumn. Cultivation: Plant in fertile, deep, well cultivated soil in a sunny position not suitable for growing in pot or containers, unless they are very deep. Uses: Root flavours beers, confectionary, tobaccos and snuffs. Root pulp is incorporated in mushroom compost. Root contains glycyrrhizin, a substance many times sweeter than sugar. Infuse as a refreshing drink and as a remedy for coughs and chest complaints. Strong decoction makes a laxative for children and may reduce fever. Lore: Liquorice is one of the few herbs with little lore available, although liquorice has been recorded and used from the third century. To me liquorice has strong feminie energy focused upon healing the physical body, liquorice has a strong distinctive sweet aroma I would use this herb in association with love charms and healing the heart. Powers of restoration and transformation are a strong aspect; the liquorice plant is barren during the winter, renewed in the spring its green leaves herald the warming season and new life. Medicinal: Liquorice is much-used in the treatment of congestion from colds, bronchitis and all sorts of pulmonary complaints. It may be used in the treatment of sore throats, hoarseness and laryngitis. The natural ingredients in liquorice make it ideal as a drink on hot summer days. A little of the finely ground root may be added to water and carried when hiking or at the beach. It not only quenches the thirst, but keeps the throat moist and a dry mouth at bay. *Liquorice was an ancient root grown by early American colonists. In is wild form (Galium circaezans), has been used as a food and medicine for centuries. Combined with hyssop water for asthma and upper respiratory complaints pioneers and travellers used it to reduce thirst on long journeys. As a general tonic, medicinal ales were brewed with anise, sassafras and liquorice. *Liquorice root is very nutritive, soothing tonic, beneficial for convalescing and elderly people. The sweet taste comes from fifty molecules of natural sugar abating low blood pressure. It is helpful for overcoming alcoholic and addictive behaviour; also liquorice builds muscle in children. Liquorice root is an intestinal tonic that combines well with marshmallow root. It is not recommended for hypertension. *Kan Tsao (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) Chinese liquorice root. Kan tsao is known as the great harmoniser. The Chinese believe it revitalises the centre, digestive organs and encourages a balance between the liver, spleen, pancreas and stomach, by detoxifying over twelve hundred toxins. They use Kan tsao in combinations to eliminate side effects of other herbs. It is a sedative and gently laxative. As a tonic, it regulates blood sugar, helping anorexia and addictive tendencies. Liquorice, Ginger and Yarrow tea This tea is designed to create an inner 8

9 warmth to help you survive cold, gloomy winter days. It is a good all-round tonic. Liquorice is a particularly helpful for treating upper and lower respiratory conditions and is used extensively in Chinese and Western herbal medicine. Ginger is warming and soothing to the chest and stomach, yarrow like ginger acts as a diaphoretic (brings on sweat) and is a decongestant with strong antiallergenic properties. Makes 1 cup and serves 1. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh yarrow leaves and/or flowers ½ teaspoon of ground dried liquorice root ½ teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger 1 cup boiling water Combine the yarrow, liquorice and ginger in a small ceramic or glass teapot and add boiling water cover and steep for 3-5 minutes. Strain and drink. **Liquorice should be avoided if you have high blood pressure **Yarrow should be avoided during pregnancy Daughters of the Witching Hill Houghton Mifflin Harcourt ISBN: By Mary Sharratt Thought I would share a recent Kindle purchase Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt. The book set in the 1612 during the Witch Trials at Lancaster and a w e l l researched h o n e s t l y g i v e n book of the Lancashire witches of Pendle. Mary Sharratt gives her references and openly admits the parts where she has used her artistic license. Once started I could not put it down, it had me enthralled with exploits of families leading to the gallows. I found the blessings and curses interesting from a magical point of view and the wisdom of Demdike and the like had me thoughtful for hours after. Mary Sharratt has another book out in October Illuminations about Hildegarde von Bingen which I look forward to. More information on Daughters of the Witching Hill and Mary Sharratt is available at books_dwh_excerpt.html ~ Nettie 9

10 Sabbat Cakes Sabbat cakes, also know as moon cakes can be eaten at all rituals and festivals as the cake part of cakes and ale - the grounding part of a ritual or festival. Some say Sabbat Cakes represent the bounty of the earth and the body of the Goddess. Those who eat them, are therefore sharing in the earth's gifts. Mix the following dry ingredients in a bowl: 2 1/2 cups raw rolled oats 2 cups white plain flower Mix until you get a sticky to solid dough Add extra apple cider vinegar if necessary Roll out on a flat board and cut into crescent moon shapes Place on greased baking tray in oven at 200 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes This recipe was shared by Dylan and Evelyn, and the photo taken of the cakes they made for us at our Lammas celebration. Thank you for sharing Dylan & Evelyn! 1/2 cup wholemeal self-raising flower 1 cup of brown sugar 1 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg Pinch of salt Pinch of baking soda Rub in the following wet ingredients: 1 cup of chopped butter pieces 2 tablespoons of honey 2 tablespoons of golden syrup 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar 10

11 Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler A book review by Heather This brilliant story is written in rhyme, and tells the tale of a witch who keeps dropping things as she s flying along on her broomstick. First she loses her hat, which she and her cat search for, but is found by a dog, who asks for a ride on the broom. Next it s the bow from her plait, found by a everyone! bird who also wants a ride. The story continues, picking up other animals along the way. Finally they all fly through a storm, during which an over excited frog breaks the broom in two. The animals fall to the ground but the witch is chased by a dragon, intent on eating her for his supper. The animals band together to save her, and together they make a spell to create a bigger better broom, with room for This book is such a joy to read, and the illustrations are fantastic. As you can p r o b a b l y tell from the photo our copy is well worn, and has been read many times over! I t i s s definitely a 11

12 History of The Ravens Call How The Ravens Call found its name The Tasmanian Pagan Alliance newsletter The Ravens Call began in 1997 and is the longest running printed bulletin of esoteric interests in Australia, at the present date. The Ravens Call is produced four times per year and editions are released seasonally as part of the yearly membership of TAS Pagan Alliance Inc. At first, the newsletter circulated to the TAS PA members was nameless, after an effort to harvest a name from the members proved unsuccessful inspiration struck between Allannah Turner (The original SC) and Jo Grant (the longest running graphic designer). It was Jo Grant who at the time had rescued a wild raven, this fascinating journey lead her to delve into raven folk lore. Allannah also had a special connection with the raven due to working with a Nordic Tarot Deck, one of the cards pictured Odin with two raven s perched upon his shoulders. These ravens are the messengers that fly to god Odin informing him of the goings on within the world. So it was the combined hands on interaction with a wild raven and tarot mythology about the raven which birthed The Ravens Call as the Tasmanian Pagan Alliance newsletter title. During the naming process, Jo and Allannah did not see Ravens Call as a singular entity. Ravens flock and the newsletter is their message to you about the goings on within the pagan world. Therefore, they provided an apostrophe at the end of the word Ravens which has confused people ever since! But at least you know why that little apostrophe is where it is. The Ravens Call recently The 2013 Summer/Autumn edition of The Ravens Call was our 60th issue a massive mile stone for pagans in Tasmania, 60 issues means 15 years of production and printing. Selflessness, love and dedication from our members, this is the heart of The Ravens Call newsletter. The Ravens Call is produced voluntary by the members for the members all content is provided by the Tassie PA, all articles received - regardless of theme, content and length - are indeed printed. Each editor and graphic designer of the Tasmanian Pagan Alliance Inc newsletter has brought their own unique flavour to the mix, which has made The Ravens Call evolve to form an important function in our pagan community. During the past five years an emphasis has been placed upon creating regular articles to feature in every issue. This has proved highly successful and continues to bring continuity and professionalism to an ever growing networking system. RC requirements are We need content for interesting articles, reviews and reports photos and images t h e 12

13 We need an editor to collate the content and make it legible and coherent and also to seek-out and chase promised articles. We need proof readers to double check grammar and spelling errors We need a graphic designer to put it all together in an aesthetically pleasing manner, that reflects the attitudes and philosophy of the TAS Pagan Alliance Inc. We need someone to take on the responsibility for sourcing printing, labelling and postage to members. So each issue of The Ravens Call is handled quite bit behind the scenes and is carefully tended from person to person before landing either in your mail box or inbox. Past Ravens Call editors and graphic designers Graphic design Allannah Turner Graphic design - Jo Grant Graphic design Terri Baran 2010 to present day Editor - Marianne Cherrie Editor - Allannah Turner Editor - Jeanette Gormley Editor - Ally Editor - Mel Dolliver 2008 to present day 13