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About the Wheel of the Year
We at Phases have
had many
ask what philosophy we teach, what
we are trying to accomplish, and what
void
we fill in the Pagan community. We
have talked about the concept of "Tribe"
and "Community" and the need to find
common ground with our traditions and
find
a safe place to explore the depths
of who we are as a community. We do
not
espouse to you any one philosophy, but
attempt to bring to you the knowledge of
the Earth and the Gods and Goddesses
in all their forms and manifestations,
embracing all truths around Them. We
do so in the hope that we can all be
enriched by the vast knowledge found in
each of the paths to enlightenment and
self
knowing. There is so much common
truth in all the paths that we hope to
share as much of those with you as
possible,
so we may truly come to know one
another as
Brother and Sister, unburdened by
the divisive nature of our
society.
Phases has two main
objectives. The first is to create and
offer information via the Internet to
assist us in living a magickal life
everyday.
Our old newsletter format has now been
transferred to the Internet. In addition
to our regular type articles and
departments, we have an events calendar
offering
information on what is happening
where. We
will also offer a Goddess/festival
calendar to assist you in making each
day
holy. Our second objective is to present
enchanting events or gatherings for the
community, offering opportunity to meet
and network with great food and fun
activities and entertainment. Phases has
now just completed its sixth year full of
events. As yoiu may know by now we have taken a year
sabatical to work of some ideas to help make Phases
better than before and to accomplish some other related
goals. We are looking forward to
the seventh year with anticipation. We
schedule our events to compliment all the
other groups in the community as we
are not
interested in competing or drawing
attention away from established events
already in place. We want everyone in
the Pagan community to have the
opportunity
to gather together, share and raise
energy together, to break bread together,
to have fun, as many times a year
as the Goddess will allow, to honor the
Earth and the traditions that we hold
so dear to our hearts.
Our events at this
point
are scheduled four times a year, creating
a wheel of life, much as the Earth
Herself.
The wheel begins with "Maying-Flower
Gathering" celebrating the fertility of the
Earth and bidding the Goddess for
her favor in a prosperous season. The
event
embraces all the traditions of spring,
not just Beltane. It takes place later in
the month of May, not interfering
with the celebrations of those groups
gathering for Beltane. The Vintage
Festival
formerly the Festival of the Harvest in
August is the second of the annual
events.
At Harvest, we gather to thank the Mother
and the Goddess for the bounty of
the season and for her riches we have
enjoyed. We celebrate with games of wit
and simple agility. The Yule Feast in
December, at which time we honor again
the Mother and Father Time for the
passage
of time in our favor. We give thanks
for the Earth's sustenance and bid for a
gentle passing of the sleeping time
of the Earth. We sing songs and feast.
We
feature dancers and entertainment
to pass the winter evening away. It is a
feast like the days of old that transcends
the ordinary and propels everyone to a
different time and place. The wheel is
rounded out with "Elf Hill" in March or
April. We create an underworld and evoke
the elves, sprites, etc., and the dark
mysteries of the underworld. We
germinate
the seeds of our subconscious to bring
forth the creativity, energy and fertility
that we have come to know as spring.
We
give thanks for the peace and rest of
the winter and evoke the strength of a
strong spring for all that grows and
sustains us. And it all begins again. This
is the only adult only event we offer,
as the images and activities will raise
passion and sensuality to new levels.
Each event includes food, entertainment
and
opportunity for spiritual edification
as well as networking and meeting and
greeting new and old friends.
Our intent is to create
events that are simple and reminiscent
of times of old, but are no less valuable
in the mechanized, automated,
computerized,
merchandised, ready-to-wear,
ready-to-eat
world we live in. Our desire is to
help put us all back in touch with the
rhythms of the Earth. While our survival
may not depend on us actually going out
and
working the fields, it does depend
on the renurturing of the Earth and the
gratitude we show to the Goddess. If
we cannot take time away from the busy,
hectic and heartless endeavors we are
forced to engage in everyday because of
the
world we live in, the Earth will
cease to have the capacity to sustain us.
This is our passion and our art form
we want to share with you. Come
celebrate
with us. We invite you to join us
and support us as we support you, the
Earth
and the Goddess.
We encourage artist's
and
writer's submissions for our web
site. Contributor retains the rights. Write
for guidelines and themes. For more
information about any of the above call
415/468-9664. Phases at P.O. Box
884911,
San Francisco, CA 94188-4911. Or
e-mail us
at h2owitch@pacbell.net.
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