Announcements:
Next Meeting - December 2nd, 2009 at Lake Talquin.
We'll be having a (bon)fire, so let me know if you're bringing anything to make s'mores, and if you have a couple of wire coat hangers be sure to bring them as well. We're going to meet at the Pride Student Union at 6:30pm, then we'll all drive over together to the lake for our usual meeting. If you don't have a means of transportation, don't worry. We'll find you a seat so please come anyway. The topic will be success spells for finals week and meditation/relaxation techniques.
Yule Party - Saturday, December 5th, 2009 at Mia's Place.
We're celebrating the end of the semester. Bring some treats if you like, and also a small trinket as we'll have a gift exchange, Dirty Santa style. Don't worry about spending any money on it either, bring something homemade if you like! We'll have a yule log and eggnog (unspiked--BYOB if you prefer otherwise).
World AIDS Day - 7:00pm Sunday, December 1st at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee
Join the Unitarian Universalists in getting involved with the global fight against HIV/AIDS on World AIDS Day. The church is located on 2810 N Meridian Rd. Those needing a ride should contact one of the officers and we'll find you a way there.
Officer Switch-a-roo
We've realized that the Officers Team is really a united front rather than individual positions, because again, we've made a change. Seeking to clarify our roles, myself and Mia have made a switch. She'll be taking the name of Vice President while I become Secretary. It's simply a switch in title, just to let you know.
Meeting
Elements of Ritual
We began the meeting with a variation on the Tree of Life meditation, led by Glenn Deitchman. Afterward, he gave a brief list of elements that are common to most religions/traditions.
I. Ritual is a part of every religion/tradition. Every ritual has a purpose, whether to celebrate a holiday or change of the season; accomplish a goal; contact or communicate with a Deity or Spirit; petition for something from higher powers; self-purification; or cast a spell.
Next Meeting - December 2nd, 2009 at Lake Talquin.
We'll be having a (bon)fire, so let me know if you're bringing anything to make s'mores, and if you have a couple of wire coat hangers be sure to bring them as well. We're going to meet at the Pride Student Union at 6:30pm, then we'll all drive over together to the lake for our usual meeting. If you don't have a means of transportation, don't worry. We'll find you a seat so please come anyway. The topic will be success spells for finals week and meditation/relaxation techniques.
Yule Party - Saturday, December 5th, 2009 at Mia's Place.
We're celebrating the end of the semester. Bring some treats if you like, and also a small trinket as we'll have a gift exchange, Dirty Santa style. Don't worry about spending any money on it either, bring something homemade if you like! We'll have a yule log and eggnog (unspiked--BYOB if you prefer otherwise).
World AIDS Day - 7:00pm Sunday, December 1st at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee
Join the Unitarian Universalists in getting involved with the global fight against HIV/AIDS on World AIDS Day. The church is located on 2810 N Meridian Rd. Those needing a ride should contact one of the officers and we'll find you a way there.
Officer Switch-a-roo
We've realized that the Officers Team is really a united front rather than individual positions, because again, we've made a change. Seeking to clarify our roles, myself and Mia have made a switch. She'll be taking the name of Vice President while I become Secretary. It's simply a switch in title, just to let you know.
Meeting
Elements of Ritual
We began the meeting with a variation on the Tree of Life meditation, led by Glenn Deitchman. Afterward, he gave a brief list of elements that are common to most religions/traditions.
I. Ritual is a part of every religion/tradition. Every ritual has a purpose, whether to celebrate a holiday or change of the season; accomplish a goal; contact or communicate with a Deity or Spirit; petition for something from higher powers; self-purification; or cast a spell.
- Often begins with a purification of some form, i.e. ritual bath or shower, smudging, body of light meditation.
- Tools are often incorporated. Neo-Pagan traditions often include: staff or wand (air); sword or athame (fire)--a double-edged, black handled knife used to direct energy and not to cut. Although some groups do not identify specific tools with specific elements, noting a universal appeal to all elements instead; cauldron/chalice (water); altar pentacle (earth); tarot; boline--a white handled, single-edged tool for use to cut string, herbs, physical workings, etc.; Besom--"the iconic witches' broom" used to literally sweep the negative energy out of a space to be made sacred.
- Grounding and Centering.
- Creating Sacred Space. Purify the area and set up an energy construct to protect the area, most commonly a magical circle. It protects the working from dissipating; when energy is ready to be released the circle is removed. Space can also be an energy temple, a large rectangular prism drawn in the air with a sword which is more common in Nordic traditions as a lodge. Also note to exclude electronics (notably computers) and clocks from your sacred space. Too much energy can fry it. :(
- Invocation/Evocations. Whether calling the elements from the quarters, Deities, Archetypes, etc.
- Ritual Working. The purpose, whether visualization, meditation, spell work, incantation, enacting ritual drama, etc. Afterward, be sure to thank the Deities. Deliver license for Deities to depart, dismiss the Elemental Quarters. It's a "Thank you for coming and honoring with your presence," or even "Stay if you will, go if you must."
- Deconstruct your Sacred Space.
- Post-Ritual Grounding and Centering. Ritual is a heightened state of awareness, you need to come back down afterward.
- Clean up. A working is never complete until you clean your space.