Inside This Issue: Page 1: On the SoapBox ---Recent Happenings Page 2: Holiday Ideas Page 3: Excerpts from: The Mystic’s Wheel of The Year. Page 5: The Gold Slipper Page 6: Demeter Mourns ---Networking Page 7: The Village Green CAMSG STAFF: EDITOR: MARY CARTER -JOHNSON CO-EDITOR: GRAEHAWKE CONTRIBUTING WRITER/REVIEWER AND MORE: TIELENGRAE BLACKBIRD. **************** On The Soapbox: I just want to say Thanks to Mary, our fearless and brave editor, for allowing me to put several of my ideas into play. You’ll never really know how happy this made me. As you can see some changes are being made to our little newsletter. One of the changes we’re making is emailing the n.l. to those that may like to receive it that way. The only thing with this is those of you that receive it via email will not have the graphics, if in fact we decide to use them. The file is just to big to send. For that we apologize. So please let us know which way you would prefer to receive CAMSG in the future. We really hope that you’ll like them. Please give us your input. Thanks, May the Deities of your choice smile upon you always. Graehawke. ***************************************** Recent Happenings: Recently we’ve received several letters from Pagan Prisoners. Mostly they just want to start a correspondence with fellow pagans, but one of these folks had his Medicine pouch taken away (July/August 1998 issue). We would like to start a Pagan Prisoner Outreach, and open it up to all of you. If you’d like to write to these prisoners please contact us either at the Post Office Box, or at my email address found in the Networking section. Holiday Ideas. With Yule coming up so fast, we all get busy and may forget to celebrate the way we are most comfortable. Here are a couple of simple ways to help bring in the season. One such way is to decorate your altar (if you have one already) with Holly or Pine boughs and colored candles. Typically the red and green ones, red for protection and green for healing, money, prosperity are good, but to spice things up just a bit add a few other colors. Blue for general healing, white for positive energy, black for repelling negative energy. With just a simple invocation to the Deities, this is a colorful, and simple way to help bring in the season. If you’re particular to a more structured ritual, here’s a short one of the many available. Rite of Yule.* The place of the meeting should be adorned with the traditional decorations of this season, with the addition of birch bark and branches. Songs, music, and rhyme may be seasonal but should all be slanted towards Witchcraft. The song “Greensleeves” is traditional and sacred to the craft. If there be dancing before the rite it should be bright and gay. The traditional foods are to be eaten, with the addition of pork in some form. A piece of oak-log with thirteen red candles in it should be in a central location before the rite and placed north of the altar for the ceremony. A Yule tree, fully decorated, should be placed at the north, outside the circle. The Great Circle shall be cast in the usual manner. To begin the rite, the Priestess stands to the north of the altar with the tree behind her. All in the circle may light the candles of those near them. The priestess shall light the candles on the log. She spreads her arms outward, her arms as the horns of the moon and invokes: The Ghost of the Old Year Is with us yet. Let us call him forth with rite and dance Let him feast with us And bid him farewell. For of the Sun, who shall reign in joy With bounteous seasons of life, Ever rich, for all. With song and dance Shall we worship both... The Mother, ever gracious, The Child of Promise most glorious. Blessed Be the Goddess most noble, The same through the ages of time Everlasting through eternity. IO EVOHE Blessed Be. All do salute. The Priestess calls for fast music and all follow her and the Priest about the Circle in a fast and cheerful dance which becomes even faster. All shall chant: IO EVOHE. Blessed be, IO EVOHE Blessed Be. If the coven is carrying candles, the last one whose candle goes out as the dance proceeds shall be called “Nick,” and must light candles, pour wine, and replenish the incense for the rest of the night. At the end of the dance, the Priestess and Priest will call for all within the circle to drop to a sitting position. The Priestess shall stand before the altar facing north and say: All blessings To the Lady, And to Her sacred Child. Blessed Be! All: Blessed Be! She throws a small handful of the Magical catalyst into the incense brazier. Next should follow the Rite of Cakes and Wine. Before closing the Great Circle, the Priest shall give the Salutation to the Year. He shall say to those of the coven: O friends of our coven, I do bid you to charge your cups And join the Salute to the Year. When all are holding forth their cups in salute, the Priest shall call: Thirteen moons are waxed and waned, Dancing in the starry vault. Ancient year is running low--- Days of days draw to a halt. Greet the Hag and bid Her go--- Farewell to the ancient Crone, For tonight, the old guard changeth, Bid the Maiden take the throne. Rejoice, rejoice, it is reborn, The olden curse is washed away--- Shining bright the thirteen moons Shall rise to greet the newborn day. A joyous New Year! Blessed Be! All: Blessed Be! All shall drink deeply. Finally, The Great Circle shall be closed. ----------------------------- *”The Rite of Yule”; “A Grimoire of Shadows” pp. 178-180 Copyright by Ed Fitch; Llewellyn Publications ------------------------------------------------- And the snow begins to fall small flurries of dandruff lightly dusting the pristine harshness of the sidewalks and porches. Chuck *******************************Excerpts from: The Mystic’s Wheel of the Year: 12/21 to 12/22: Winter Solstice/ Solar New Year--Marks the beginning of Winter and the Shortest day and longest night of the Year; celebration of the darkness with dancing around the hearth fire 12/22: Beginning of Capricorn (the Goats). 12/25 (OC 1/7): Christmas--Christian celebration of Blessed Maria giving birth to Child Jesus by the power of Goddess Holy Spirit. 12/28: Day the Endangered Species Act was enacted (1973); day to mourn those creatures already extinct and to celebrate the vast diversity of Earth’s creatures. 12/31 to 1/2 (1/1 9:49 p.m. EST): Full Moon (Black/Death- Crone Moon). 12/31 eve to 1/2 eve: Feast of Fate-- Guardian of the Cauldron/Grail of Regeneration; Ruler of Past, Present, and Future-dedicated to Goddess as Moirai/Hekate (Old Greek), Parcae/Fata (Old Roman), Rozhenitsa (Old Slavic),Etain/Arianrhod (Old Celtic). 1/1: Feast of Chronos, Old Greek Father Time, who ultimately overcomes us all. 1/14 to 1/16: Dark Moon 1/17 (10:46 a.m. EST): New Moon. 1/20: Beginning of Aquarius (the Water Bearer)1/30 to 2/1 (1/31 11:06 a.m. EST): Full Moon (Cold/Seed Moon). 2/2: Imbolc 2/13 to 2/15: Dark Moon. 2/14: Lupercalia/St. Valentine’s Day-- Old Roman festival dedicated to God-Goddess as Faunas-Fauna, celebrating love of all kinds; merged with the Christian feast of St. Valentine. 2/16 (1:39 a.m. EST): New Moon. 2/19: Beginning of Pisces (the Fishes) 3/1 to 3/3 (3/2 1:58 a.m. EST): Full Moon (Leaf/Seedling Moon). 3/1 to 3/31: Gender Equality Month--Time to honor both gender; time to meditate on the equality of women and men, on the respect due to both women and men, and on Goddess-God manifesting as woman and man. 3/14 to 3/16: Dark Moon. 3/17 (1:48 p.m. EST); New Moon: St. Patrick’s Day--Old European festival for greening Mother Earth--marks rebirth of the Green Man/Green George, God as Deciduous Vegetation; merged with the Christian feast of St. Patrick. 3/20 to 3/21 (3/20 8:46 p.m. EST): Spring equinox--Marks the beginning of Spring and point of equal daylight and darkness; celebrates first, annual, and perpetual creation with egg hunts and exchanges. 3/20 to 3/21: Festival of First Creation-- when Goddess-God Amenent-Amen (as Goose and Gander) laid and fertilized the Cosmic Egg from which all emerged (Old Egyptian);when Goddess Eurynome(as a dove) laid the Cosmic Egg and God Ophion (as a serpent) broke it open (Old Greek); when Goddess-God Teteoinan-Teteoitah created all Deities and all existence (Aztec); when concentrated matter flared forth t make the universe (scientific theory). 3/21: Beginning of Aries (The Ram/Ewe/Lamb). Copyright 1998 Marija Angelos/ Page Two Inc. --Marija has been a priestess dedicated to service of Goddess-God since1989. The Mystic’s Wheel of The Year 1999 wall calendar can be ordered by sending $13.50 to Page Two Inc., P.O.Box 77167, Washington DC 20013. Phone:1-800-821-6604.(Checks, MC & Visa accepted) Email: (Significant discounts for orders of 5 or more) ******************************************* The Gold Slipper. Author Unknown. This was sent to me via email and I thought that you the readers would appreciate it. It was four days before Christmas. The spirit of the season hadn’t yet caught up with me, even though cars packed the parking lot of our local discount store. Inside the store, it was worse. Shopping carts and last minute shoppers jammed the aisles. Why did I come today? I wondered. My feet ached almost as much as my head. My list contained names of several people who claimed they wanted nothing, but I knew their feelings would be hurt if I didn’t buy them anything. Buying for someone who had everything and deploring the high cost of items, I considered gift-buying anything but fun. Hurriedly I filled my shopping cart with last minute items and proceeded to the long checkout lines. I picked the shortest, but it looked as if it would mean at least a 20 minute wait. In front of me were two small children -- a boy of about 5 and a younger girl.The boy wore a ragged coat. Enormously large, tattered tennis shoes jutted far out in front of his much too short jeans. He clutched several crumpled dollar bills in his grimy hands. The girl’s clothing resembled here brother’s. Her head was a matted mass of curly hair. Reminders of an evening meal showed on her small face. She carried a beautiful pair of shiny, gold house slippers. As the Christmas music sounded in the store’s stereo system, the girl hummed along, off -key but happily. When we finally approached the checkout register, the girl carefully placed the shoes on the counter. She treated them as though they were a treasure. The clerk rang up the bill, “ That will be $6.09,” she said. The boy laid his dollars atop the stand while he searched his pockets. He finally came up with $3.12, “I guess we will have to put them back,” he bravely said. “We will came back some other time, maybe tomorrow.” With that statement, a soft sob broke from the little girl, “But Jesus would have loved these shoes,” she cried. “Well, we’ll go home and work some more. Don’t cry. We’ll come back.” said the brother Quickly I handed $3.00 to the cashier. These children had waited in line for a long time. And, after all, it was Christmas. Suddenly a pair of arms came around me and a small voice said “Thank You lady.” “What did you mean when you said Jesus would like the shoes?” I asked. The Boy answered, “Our mommy is sick and going to heaven. Daddy said she might go before Christmas to be with Jesus.” The girl spoke, “My Sunday school teacher said the streets in heaven are shiny gold, just like these shoes. Won’t mommy be beautiful walking on those streets to match these shoes?” My eyes flooded as I looked into her tear streaked face, “Yes.” I answered, “I am sure she will.” Silently I thanked God for using these children to remind me of the true spirit of giving. ‘Tis the season!! Remember that it’s better to give than to receive so pass it on. ***************************************** Imbolg: Holiday History and Suggestions By Brigid Caer Imbolg, with its many spellings, is a pre-spring rite, meant to consciously turn the celebrants attention toward the beginning of the coming spring. Although Imbolg is considered primarilyCeltic, the Norse Strega, and many other Pagan Traditions have a similar rithe. In this country, it corresponds with Groundhog Day, with Punxutawney Phil and Octarara Orphie ( his Eastern PA counterpart- don’t get me started), filling in for the Goddess in the cowan world. St. Valentine’s Day is sometimes grouped with this holiday, and in some aspects it fits. Sacred to Brigid, goddess of fire, poetry, prophesy and bardic tradition, Imbolg is a celebration of marriage between the Lady and Her Lord (Cernunnos). Features of this holiday include Bride’s bed, which is a basket or makeshift pallet upon which is placed a corn dolly---representative of the goddess, and a wand,---representative of the god. Wheat and winter vegetables can decorate the altar. Ale or some other fermented drink and some type of cake, cookie or the always- proper bread are good for Cakes and Ale. Historically, this holiday is a break in the monotony between Yule and Beltaine. It is about this time of the year that stores would be getting low, as well, the spirits of folks sentenced to a winter season indoors. A party is just what the local healer ordered. So let’s have a little hope thatSpring will indeed come and we can get outdoors and get away form all of that damned introspection that Winter gives us! A Ritual Framework 1. Prepare your ritual space. Do Whatever you normally do to prepare for cirlce casting. This would include any devotions or special empowerment of ritual tools. 2. Cast your circle. The direction is up to you, but since you are welcoming the coming season and not trying to banish it’s energy, deosil (sun-wise), is generally best. If you are woiking with a group this time is good to allow them into the circle, rememberiong to prepare them and open the circle to allow them in-- and don’t forget to close it behind them. 3. Call the Quarters. Depending upon your tradition or lack thereof, angels, guardians, watchtowers, faerie, or other sympatico beings can be asked to protect and assist you in your rite. 4. This is the body of the ritual. A poem, story, play dancing or music goes well toward the building of positive energy. For example, a love poem read wile other members of the group place the representations of the goddess and god on their pallet, then a spirited dance to the chant”Bride (pronounced--”breed”), is welcom, Bride is come”,work well. This part of the ritual is very flexible. It can be as short or as long as you like. 5. The Great Rite, whether real or symbolic,is very appropriate on this holiday. I personally have not attended a ritual with an actual Great Rite, but feel that it has its place in the right setting. This, in combination with The Drawing Down of the Sun and/or Moon fills up a ritual and makes it rich in shades of meaning. 6. Cakes and Ale ( or Cakes and Wine) help to begin the grounding and centering process, which ends a ritual. The blessing of the cakes (bread, cookies---you get the idea), is first, and everyone samples, including deity, so have a bowl ready if you’re not outside and able to give the4 libation directly to the Earth. The liquid offering is next to be blessed, and again all partake, giving some to deity. 7. Any onther working that the celebrants feel appropriate go here, the energy of the group should be high and easily focused now. Some traditions don’t do workings on any of the eight major holidays, soving such work for the moon rituals, or esbats. However, some groups get together at the sabbats. 8. Dismissing and thanking the Quarters begins the closing of the circle. This should be done in the oppositer direction of its construction. Make sure to ground the energy of the circle! 9. Go feast to your heart’s content--energy work demands that you replenish your energy stores--besides, it’s a great way to ground. “Demeter Mourns” tamarix banfili (c 1998/1999) Persephone has fled to her cold cave across the river where Hades feeds her ripe pomegranate seeds one by one placing the dripping buds on the tip of her tongue eyes closed Persephone brings a sudden chill to the rolling earth and Demeter mourns shearing tree of leaf and earth of every thin blade of grass dead silver branches pierce the dark- laden sky. Citizens everywhere at the mercy of the gods turn inward to peat fires that now offer little warmth babes press hungrily to mothers’ cold breasts horses stamp and snort frost from heaving nostrils ice hangs from thorny branches and stabs unwary hunters there is no game in the forest this night. And Demeter mourns as Persephone arches her long fine neck beneath the ice-burning bite of Hades’ desire. ******************************* PUBLICATION NOTE: All rights return to the original author upon publication in this newsletter. For permission to reprint, contact the author at the address listed. If no address is listed, contact the author c/o: CAMSG-NL PO BOX 87 Clarion PA 16214 ************************* Deadlines for submissions: February 28, 1999 About C.A.M.S.G. Publication Info. CAMSG focuses on issues of a metaphysical nature. Published Quarterly. Subscriptions are$6/4 issues or $1.50/sample issue, $2.00/back issue. Make checks/money orders payable to Mary Carter. Send to: CAMSG P.O.Box 87 Clarion PA 16214-0087 --------------------------------------- Networking: Emails: CAMSG_NL@YAHOO.COM To contact the editors: Editors: camsg_nl@hotmail.com Co-editor: eclecticwitch@hotmail.com Eclectic Muse: eclecticmuse@hotmail.com or tieleblackbird@hotmail.com. If you have access to the Internet here are some sites worth checking out and bookmarking (all sites begin with http://) -Circle Sanctuary www.circlesanctuary.org -Witches Anti Discrimination League; welcome.to/wadl -COLL MAGAZINE www.toolcity.net/~tshaw/coll/ content2.htm -www.witchvox.com/wvoxhome.html www.witches-brew.com www.amysticalgrove.com/PTM/ ********************************* PRESS RELEASE: 1999 PAGAN SPIRIT GATHERING JUNE 20-27, 1999 in Southeast Ohio at Wisteria Campground. Sponsored by Circle Sanctuary One of the oldest and largest of the Pagan festivals, the internation Pagan Spirit Gathering, also known as PSG, will be held June 20-27, 1999, at the Wisteria Campground in southeastern Ohio, near Athens. Brochures with details and registration information will be mailed out in January of 1999. Registration closes in May. Discounts are available for earlier registrations received in Winter and Spring. To Be included on the mailing list, contact: PSG 1999 Circle Sanctuary PO Box 219 Mt. Horeb WI 53572 USA (608) 924-2216 email: circle@mhtc.net The Village Green. The Classifieds Submissions are VERY welcome. Written works, reviews, artwork, etc. For guidelines and submission information please send a SASE to us ATTN: SUBMISSION GUIDELINES or email us at: eclecticwitch@hotmail.com Please include a SASE when writing for information. (* - trade publications) Publications: *EVERGREEN NEWS--Focusing on issues of importance to Witches. Subcriptions are $8/year. For more information or a sample issue send a SASE to: EVERGREEN NEWS c/o Goldie Brown PO Box 64 Monroeville PA 15146-0624 *SILVER CHALICE PO Box 196 Thorofare NJ 08086 *********************************** COLL MAGAZINE: C.O.L.L. magazine is an eclectic publication of positive paganism featuring articles, poetry, short stories, personal journeys, networking, godds and services and more. 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Publisher and Editor in Chief: (for general information, volunteering and email submissions) The Silver Strand Group 10240 NE 12th Street, Suite d-307 Bellevue WA 98004 email: sabbatt@concentric.net Editor and Designer: (for submissions of artwork articles, poetry, free classifieds, and back issues.) MoonSpirit PO Box 7236 TacomaWA 98407 email: moonspirit@yahoo.com or tacomay@ix.netcom.com Advertising Manager: (for subscriptions, orders, questions for MoonRaven, advertising.) 1414 Mangrove Ave. Chico CA 95926 email: Dragonhawk@ whisperedPrayers.com For their email newsletter: www.amysticalgrove.com/PTM Goods and Services NATAL HOROSCOPES $20.00 EACH SPECIFY NAME, EXACT BIRTH TIME, PLACE AND DATE. Lisa Brawner PO Box 8335 Lexington KY 40533-8355 ------------------------------------------ DREAM PILLOWS $10.00 EACH BAST,NUIT,SEKHMET OR EARTH GODDESS DESIGNS AVAILABLE. Also specify Protection or healing herb mixtures: Lisa Brawner PO Box 8335 Lexington KY 40533-8335 ************************************ PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING: While the focus of C.A.M.S.G. - N.L. is one of a metaphysical nature, alternative view points may be presented. C.A.M.S.G. - N.L. reserves the right to reject any submissions or ad that violates the following ideals: “Harm None”, tolerance and respect of others, their choices, and their lifestyles. C.A.M.S.G. does not investigate any personal or business listings, products service, et. C.A.M.S.G. is not responsible for the results of using any product or service listed herein. C.A.M.S.G. is not responsible for the results of any type of correspondence that may have resulted from listings herein. If you are aware of any factual negative results from the use of products, service, correspondences, etc. listed in the C.A.M.S.G. NEWSLETTER or else where please inform us. We will do our best to inform our readers.