First 2026 Open event (June 13 Denver Colorado)

Our first open event of 2026 will be on June 13. At the moment, the guest list is mostly Dragonfest staff, due to Khari's being involved with Kidfest. But I am open to showing off the garden to anyone.

Oregano is something that I can actually grow.

Last year, Khari had a drive to remake a section of the garden into a raised bed area. It's a lot more easier to manage now, so it will not all be nuclear weeds at the height of summer when it's too hot to work out there. And now, she understands my viewpoint that herbs are better to grow than vegetables.

The open event will be a Ritual/ Drumming/ Potluck. 

The potluck is "cover your own dietary needs first." Khari is gluten-free, wheat-free, soy-free, light sugar and spice, due to IBS. So she will be making a dish, or we will be BBQing all beef kosher hot dogs.

I cannot predict what the ritual will be, other than I am in need of one. A colon test just came back positive, so I am about to have a health fight. And I have no community for various reasons (which I will probably talk more about on Confessions of an American Witch, the newer blog). 

Oh, and there is no longer any more Open Full Moons in Capital Hill Denver at the moment, due to Hearthstone not being able to continue their lease with the spiritual center (don't know reason), even if I was still allowed to attend. The peek I took at their website said that they were meeting at Isis Occult and Book Store. Bright note: They no longer have to deal with the nightmare of Colfax construction. 

June 13, 2026

2727 N. Cook St., Denver, Colorado 80205 (just north of the Denver Zoo and golf course)

Friends and helpers show up at 5 pm. Normal people for potluck at 6 pm. Khari likes to start the ritual/ drumming at 7 pm. We go to 9 pm, close at 10 pm; but I might gossip in studio until 2 am. 

Golden Dawn Papyrus of Ani study 2025 schedule (Denver local and remote)

 In light of Khari's declaration that Dragonfest broke the bank, the new fall Equinox Hierophant had decided to use the remaining dates for a Golden Dawn study.

Hide your children--our Hierophant is a Sith rebel.

Sorry, I am rebelling. If Walnut Hill Community Church had been forced to be a real entity like the previous church that I was associated with, we would have never dreamed of approaching this season she did. But Khari heard that she was going to be elevated to Elder at Dragonfest--first time going in years--next year, she' doing Child's Fest. 

I don't do Dragonfest. Never have. Nor do Dragonfest people join Golden Dawn lodges.

Khari killed Bast Temple . . . if I am a Jedi.

I am not. 

On the death of Brother Ozzy's death, I am a Sith.

August 9, 2025 will be remote only . . . published through Confessions of an American Witch, my new blog. I am trying to keep it clean of certain elements, so no link, sorry.

Will it fool the search engines . . . probably not.

For those who have not done a remote class before, we used to do them through forums and message boards--private messager--the chat logs that I have printed out--Sanctuary of Maat, I miss you--one teacher leading a class of students scattered all over the world.

Sanctuary of Maat was a online group that was working with the Cicero's Green Book for self-initiation purposes. That's how I met Brother MTO originally; but "Why be a self-initiate when me and Khari still have the tools? Do you have a friend, or two?"

Yeah, that's how I eventually end up with Inner Order grandchildren whose lineage goes through both Aliester Crowley and Israel Regardie . . . none of them know . . . none of them were told . . . there was a trademark preventing disclosure . . . I wonder how many are mad as hatters . . . or is it only me? 

Because I was the only one with direct contact with Master Cherubim, the Adept who healed my lineage--thanks, Dude. Then, he ran off to play music with a washed out blonde while I terrorized the Great Gherkin. 

Anyways, the Open Full Moon Denver Saturday dates are still being used.

Open Full Moon Saturday

Denver and Remote GD Study

Fall 2025 schedule

August 9: Remote study only. Dragonfest "Khari plans on being too tired" aftermath. How to build a Shared Astral Temple. A series of timed posts will appear on my new blog.

Confessions of an American Witch

After this point, I am kicking the potluck aspect and starting the event at 7 pm, or whenever I finish cooking for Khari. Or later, if she decides it's going to be a movie night. 

Honestly, she expects my life to be able to go Off and On at her whim. 

Anyway, that's my future problem; not yours.

Rest of the dates, if you are local, if you dare, you can actually attend the study in person.

Yeah, met me in person. 

2727 N. Cook St., Denver, Colorado 80205

September 6

October 4

November 1 (Day of the Dead)

December 6 (Subgrade Celebration Day)

7 pm to 10 pm, South Door

Before I tell you, my proposed course of study for the Fall 2025 season, first a word for our dear departed Brother Ozzy.

From The Golden Dawn: Or Light of the Great Future--The Soul--Its Value: "The soul is grander than its creations. However profound its works written, or beautiful the pictures printed; however stately the structures erected, or life-like the statues chieseled, the soul is grander then them all. The soul of Dante, or Shakespeare, or Milton, was sublimer than their poems, The soul of an Angelo was nobler than St. Peter's; that of Mozart diviner than his music."--Rev. William Hutton. 

I practice biblomancy . . . it's sad, sometimes; today was one of those days.

Anyways, the study will be All Golden Dawn and Thelemic Grades and Degrees simply because we will be examining a Core Source RC Document of the Hermetic original. 

Papyrus of Ani--James Wasserman edition--find it.

Where did RC Chiefs of Isis-Urania get their Egyptian lore from? Two sources: British Museum and the Elephant Folio. The last one is a photocopy of the Papyrus of Ani.

Even if you can't read the Egyptian Book of the Dead, you can use the pictures.

And that's exactly what Mathers did. 

Until he didn't.

Because he was using the real scroll at the Museum.

Not the folio. 

That's my guess as a historian. 

So the plan is to approach the Scroll with respect of initiates and witches. 

Study it. Design and work rituals based on the Scroll. Along with our regular GD work.

And my regular Hermetic Golden Dawn work involves having investing a lot in rather expensive Inner Order Hermetic Golden Dawn course. I have a couple thousand dollars worth of Golden Dawn and Thelema books, as well as too many Freemason books for someone who never a Brother on the Square. 

Anyways, I don't want to do the study here on this blog because it still like the Great Gherkin here, so I am now over at Confessions of an American Witch.

Now we close with a reading from Morals and Dogma by Albert Pike, again for Ozzy.

"The Rose was anciently sacred to Aurora and the Sun. It is a symbol of the Dawn, of the resurrection of Light and the renewal of life, and therefore of the dawn of the first day, and more particularly of the resurrection: and the Cross and the Rose together are therefore hieroglyphically to be read, the Dawn of the Eternal Life which all Nations have hoped for by the advent of a Redeemer."

Farewell Brother Ozzy, farewell.

May you know the peace of Buddha.

August 2025 OFM cancelled due to Dragonfest timing (all others due to budget) Sorry for attempting the experiment

 For those who saw it coming, Khari made it so last night: August 2025 OFM is cancelled.

Oh no, we are so surprised.

Yes, that is right--August 9, 2025 Open Full Moon is cancelled for being too close to the end of Khari returning from Dragonfest; therefore, she is going to be too tired to host--sorry.

As for the rest of the planned Open Full Moons, September  . . . October . . . November . . . December . . . they are all cancelled because we don't have money for the potluck after spending so much on the garden and Dragonfest; hence, Khari needs to focus on her pottery business for the last part of this business year. Again sorry, but Khari has to put her needs first. And we simply are bust after she spent money on Dragonfest which she considered important for bringing members into her training and initiation system . . . 

. . . don't ask me to count them--I have yet to meet a single one of these future members. 

Oh well, Khari is the Hierophant of Bast Temple now, and it's on her to recruit.

Not me.

Back to writing science fiction for me . . . can I profit?

Sorry 2025 OFM schedule cancelled due to Khari concerns

Sadly, upon her return from camping and a Dragonfest meeting, Khari decided that we needed to delay the August 9, 2025 because Dragonfest people are unlikely to attend.

I will do an Open Full Moon again when I see flying witches.

On grounds like that, I can justify cancelling the September 6, and October 4 events.

And given that Saturday, November 1st is actually sabbat, well, that needs to be reserved for people doing private work--not being used for a public event. Silly Khari, she can't do an open event that night--the leadership of all the finest covens will burn her in effy.

Oh, and obviously, the Yule ornament event on December 6 is just a money spinner, so it's cancelled too. 

That's better. Khari does not need to worry about conflicts with her damn job, or her energy levels, or how the public percieves her. Good for her. Great for my occult shop . . . it helps me makes exactly zero money, just like Khari wants me to . . . go figure. 

Kid friendly Open Full Moon schedule (Walnut Hill Community Church) 2025 OFM Potluck and Pagan Wiccan Ritual Saturdays Denver Colorado 80205

Announcing three big things: Future blog updates will be on Confessions of an American Witch. There is a Child Friendly Open Full Moon Saturday in the Denver, Colorado 80205 area, being hosted by a public school teacher. Oh most importantly, it's being held at Walnut Hill Alchemy (2727 N. Cook St.); we are just north of the Denver Zoo and City Golf Course. It's residential area. As my ghost dad says, "Business in the front, living in the back." Yes, I have gone back into sin--selling herbal magick kits again.

Disguised as a normal muggle house.

Yeah, I have gone back to being a slut minister. And by that, I mean purely by accident, I read the homepage of the community church that I used to be a gang member of.

"Suggested donation: Twenty dollars. Do not inebriated."

With no indication of what the Capital Hill Open Full Moon Friday theme will be about. 

I can do better. What to see better? My wife, Khari, is a public school teacher. We just brought a grape vine. On a Saturday. The fifty-eighth birthday of my ghost wife.

Yes, I have a ghost wife now. Cassandra Ravenspell. My life's complicated. New blog. 

Anyways, here's the Walnut Hill Community Church Open Full Moon Saturday 2025 schedule.

Walnut Hill Open Full Moon Saturdays

2025 free to attend, kid friendly, medical marijuana minister pagan Wiccan Norse Egyptian events

We borrow from many things.

May 10 (Botanic Garden Field Trip)

June 14 (Drumming)

June 21 (Golden Dawn Outer Order/RC Inner/Justice 42/Edgar)

July 12 (Hotdogs, popsicles and pools . . . blame Khari)

August 9

September 6

October 4

November 1 (Day of the Dead . . . again Khari)

December 6 (Yule ornament . . . shop will have kits for sale)

Hosts: Walnut Hill Church

Morgan Drake Eckstein (licensed minister)

Khari Seshat Meret (school teacher/ ceramic artist)

Location: 2727 N. Cook St., Denver, Colorado 80205

We are just north of the city zoo and golf course complex in a residential area. "Walnut Hill" is the name of the housing development that our house is located in. Originally, every lot had a black walnut tree. A disease killed all of the trees . . . except we have one. Fighting on. Hence Walnut Hill This and Walnut Hill That and Walnut Hill XYZ on every company in my neighborhood. 

When: Gate open at 5 pm for workers; 6 pm for the potluck; 7 pm for the main event; we close at 10 pm . . . because we are in a family neighborhood.

Kid friendly is a relative term. I might be radioactive shop owner.

Now, that we have advertised Khari's most important stuff, she wanted me to waste time on Facebook to announce that I am cohosting events with her. I believed that I have reached more people. As in horrified more mothers. Here. Than on Facebook. I think. 

Because I used to blog here a lot. By blog here a lot, I mean, I used to offend some of you a lot. I could tell by the richness of the language that you used in my comment section. 

Then Khari made me quit blogging, go off to college, get an education, and I accomplished nothing. Peeked in here, the other day while she out of town, learning stuff for Bearfest, being slave to the future of pagan and Wiccan children, and I was shocked to see traffic. 

If only I could figure out how to turn eyeballs into dollars, but I ain't that smart. 

No, I am falling back on my Retirement Plan--writing slutty science fiction. 

Oh, trying to sell herbs at my wife's OFMs. "C'mon, you need mugwort. Persian catmint."

No? Sad face. How about a course called Rocky Mountain Egyptian Godforms "originally priced at $360 for a thirteen week course, cohosted by Hierophant Khari." No?

Just for that, you have to punch in Confessions of an American Witch into your favorite search engine on your own. Because you didn't throw money at Khari. I tell you that she is Second Order Golden Dawn. Not going to be Hermetic. Something Egyptian. Good times. But it's a new blog, a new voice, a new outlook; we have a grape vine. 

A grape vine, named after one of Khari's students. Because during Teacher's Thanksgiving Week, his family gave Khari, a gift card that covered the cost of the grape vine. Of course, having just read the website of a church that threw me out under Safe and Sober, while celebrating of life of a dead mentor, having barely escaped Hell myself last year, secretly having a daughter (maybe), buying a grape vine set off a lot in my head.

Oh well, I picked up the blogging needle again. Just a different home. 

But Facebook? Really? Nah.

I see no intention in this little vine to rule the world, do you?

July Open Full Moon ritual blurb (new location for Hearthstone)

On July 7 2017, the July Open Full Moon ritual “Story time in Ancient Egypt” will be presented by Hearthstone’s board member, Morgan Drake Eckstein. With the help of volunteers, Morgan will tell us three stories set in Ancient Egypt, as well as talking about some interesting facts about the Egyptian civilization. Come join us as we sail down the Nile.

Reminder that this OFM ritual is happening at Hearthstone Community Church's new location:

Althea Center
1400 Williams St., Denver, CO 80218

Hearthstone will be meeting at the Althea Center for the reminder of 2017.

As usual, the doors will open at 7:00 p.m., with announcements starting at 7:30 p.m., and the ritual starting thereafter. Free to attend, but we recommend that you chip in a couple of dollars when the Church passes the hat to help offset the rental cost.

DWQ submission call--esoteric leadership (and remembering Alia Denver OFMs)

Call for submissions: This upcoming issue of Denver Witch Quarterly, in part, is going to pay tribute to Alia Denny, the driving force behind Denver Open Full Moon rituals (Hearthstone Community Church) who died last month. So besides our regular mix of stuff, we are asking for articles that remember her. We are also looking for articles about what good leadership in the esoteric community looks like--how should an esoteric leader/teacher act?

Email submissions to basttemple [at] msn [dot] com

Margaret Alia Denny

Margaret Alia Denny

Submission FAQs.

Our deadlines throughout the year.

Memorial for Alia Denny (Hearthstone Community Church)

From Doug Peterson: This is Doug Peterson. I want to apologies for taking so long to figure out the memorial stuff. But here it is. The memorial for Alia Denny [president and founder of the Hearthstone Community Church--the Open Full Moon people] will be on Saturday May 27th. 2pm to 5pm. The location is the Althea Center at 14th and Williams St. Denver, Colorado. We are going to do a pot luck. Bring what you will. Don't plan on kitchen access. I'll bring raspberries. She loved those.


Margaret Alia Denny passed from this life on Friday, April 28, 2017.

[For those who are concerned with what is going to happen with Hearthstone--the board has already voted to continue providing support for Open Full Moon rituals.]

Margaret Alia Denny

Margaret Alia Denny

Remembering Alia (Denver OFM 5 May 2017)

Tonight's (May 5) Hearthstone Community Church Open Full Moon ritual will be remembering Alia, who ran Hearthstone for over two decades, who died last week (28 May 2017). Doors open at 7 pm. Community announcements at 7:30 pm. Upstairs at First Unitarian Church, 1400 Lafayette, Denver, CO.

2017 Open Full Moon rituals Denver Colorado (Hearthstone Community Church)

Here are the Friday Open Full Moon ritual dates for the year 2017 hosted by Hearthstone Community Church (Denver, Colorado).

January 6
February 10
March 10
April 7
May 5
June 9
July 7
August 4
September 1
September 29 (for October)
November 3
December 1

Hearthstone Community Church meets in the upstairs chapel of the First Unitarian Church at 14th and Lafayette. Doors open at 7 pm, community announcements 7:30 pm, with the ritual starting right after announcements.

Ritual is free to attend--donations are accepted to offset the cost of renting the room for the ritual.

Rituals are performed by volunteers, who are willing to share their tradition with the public.

Dates of the Hearthstone Community Church 2017 Open Full Moon rituals

A fairy ritual in poetic form (June 2016 Hearthstone Open Full Moon ritual)

The June OFM ritual will be presented by Morgan Drake Eckstein. The ritual will utilize High Ceremonial Wicca techniques, along with the symbolism of four types of fairies (sylphs, salamanders, undines, and gnomes), to provide an omen (fairy fortune) to each of the attendees.

When: June 17, 2016---7 pm to 9 pm (doors open at 7:00 pm, community announcements 7:30pm, ritual starts after community announcements).
Where: First Unitarian--1400 Lafayette, Denver, Colorado
Cost: Free (suggested donation $5)

You are to be called Azulina (From The Black Princess and other Tales from Brazil), 1916 by Florence Mary Anderson

Hearthstone Open Full Moon ritual dates 2016

2016 Open Full Moon dates Hearthstone Community Church (Denver, Colorado)

Here are the Friday Open Full Moon ritual dates for the year 2016; hosted by Hearthstone Community Church (Denver, Colorado).

2016 Open Full Moon Dates

January 22
February 19
March 18
April 15
May 20
June 17
July 15
August 12
September 16
October 14
November 11
December 9

Hearthstone Community Church meets in the upstairs chapel of the First Unitarian Church at 14th and Lafayette. Doors open at 7 pm, community announcements 7:30 pm, with the ritual starting right after announcements.

A circle of Bast

(Digging though my files, I stumbled across the ritual script that I used for an Open Full Moon ritual in 2010. The quarter calls have been used on several occasions since then, with minor changes to confirm to the purpose of the ritual at hand.)

Resetting the East (if the room is not set up right for GD-style ritual):

Oh mighty Bast, granddaughter of the Creator of the Universe, Lady of the Visible Universe, who by Thy Supreme Intelligence has explored and mastered the attributes and magnitudes of the directions, we invoke Thee to grant that whatever hidden and mystic virtue doth reside in the radiant East---the Dayspring of Light---the origin of life---may in answer to this our prayer be this day conferred upon the Throne of the Hierophant of this Temple, who is emblem of the Dawning of that Golden Light which shall illuminate the Path of the Unknown and shall guide us at length to the attainment of the Quintessence, the Stone of the Wise, True Wisdom and Perfect Happiness.

So mote it be!

Opening East/calling Eastern quarter:

Hail Bast and the guardians of the watchtower of the East, Protectors and lords of Air. Strengthen the element of Air in us and guide us in its ways. Tonight help us build a connection to the hidden intelligences of the astrological energies. Lead us to a greater understanding of the hidden genius that underlies the rituals.

So mote it be!

Opening South: 

Hail Bast and the guardians of the watchtower of the South, Protectors and lords of Fire. Strengthen the element of Fire in us and guide us in its ways. Tonight help us build a connection to the hidden passion of the astrological energies. Lead us to a greater understanding of the hidden power that underlies the rituals. 

So mote it be!

Opening West: 

Hail Bast and the guardians of the watchtower of the West, Protectors and lords of Water. Strengthen the element of Water in us and guide us in its ways. Tonight help us build a connection to the hidden intuition of the astrological energies. Lead us to a greater understanding of the hidden wisdom that underlies the rituals. 

So mote it be!

Opening North: 

Hail Bast and the guardians of the watchtower of the North, Protectors and lords of Earth. Strengthen the element of Earth in us and guide us in its ways. Tonight help us build a connection to the hidden fertility of the astrological energies. Lead us to a greater understanding of the hidden creativity that underlies the rituals. 

So mote it be!

Opening Center:

Welcome almighty Bast, mother and protector, teacher and instructor. Plant the seed of the solar body in us and guide us in the ways of spirit. Tonight help us build a connection to the hidden spirit of the astrological energies. Bast, Heart of Isis, lead us to a greater understanding of the astrological energies’ function and role in ritual.

So mote it be!

Chant used to help charge a talisman:

Bast Guides

Bast Empowers

Bast Heals

Bast Manifests

Bast Accomplishes

Closing Center:

Thank you, almighty Bast, heart of Isis, for your presence here tonight. May what we have partaken of here tonight lead us to a deeper knowledge and connection with the divine forces of the universe. May there always be a bond of peace, harmony and instruction between us. 

Hail and Farewell!

Closing North:

Thank you Bast and the guardians of the watchtower of the North, protectors and lords of Earth, for your presence here tonight. May there always be a bond of peace, harmony and instruction between us. 

Hail and Farewell!

Closing West:

Thank you Bast and the guardians of the watchtower of the West, protectors and lords of Water, for your presence here tonight. May there always be a bond of peace, harmony and instruction between us. 

Hail and Farewell!

Closing South:

Thank you Bast and the guardians of the watchtower of the South, protectors and lords of Fire, for your presence here tonight. May there always be a bond of peace, harmony and instruction between us. 

Hail and Farewell!

Closing East:

Thank you Bast and the guardians of the watchtower of the East, protectors and lords of Air, for your presence here tonight. May there always be a bond of peace, harmony and instruction between us. 

Hail and Farewell!

The circle is open, yet unbroken. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again!

Open Full Moon rituals in Denver Colorado

Founded in 1991, Hearthstone Community Church is a Wiccan church, in Denver Colorado, that helps pagan and Wiccan groups and individuals perform Open Full Moon rituals.

Hearthstone OFMs are held at the First Unitarian Church, 1400 Lafayette, Denver, Colorado. Doors open at 7 pm, and ritual starts at 7:30 pm. The rituals are held upstairs, and the Church is handicapped accessible (there is an elevator that goes up to the second floor).

Suggested donation--five dollars (to help cover operating costs and room rental).

Open Full Moon ritual dates for 2015


January 2
January 30
February 27
April 3
May 1
May 29
June 26
July 31
August 28
September 25
October 23
November 20
(December has no OFM ritual due to the date following on Christmas)

Hearthstone Community Church has a free monthly newsletter for Colorado residents that is also published on the HCC's Facebook page.

Credit where credit is done

[The following was written for the August's Hearthstone Community Church's monthly newsletter.]

My wife and I have a monthly routine – sometime after the Open Full Moon ritual we talk about it. If she wasn’t there, I attempt to explain what happened. If she was there, we talk about what we thought worked and did not work. In both cases, we discuss what we might possibly want to incorporate into our own personal work. Yes, we raid useful techniques and lore from the performances of other people’s rituals…that is what the OFMs are for, ain’t they?

Now over the years, I have discovered something interesting: Some people are uncomfortable with me admitting to the fact that I consider any lore and/or technique displayed in public to be fair game. Even more unsettling for some people is the fact that I openly admit to this selective bit of piracy, citing exactly who I stole what from.

I have gotten good at being able to spot the people who will be disturbed by my tendency to grab anything shiny that is not bolted down. The poor disturbed souls are the same ones that try to impress me with the spiritual teachers that they have studied with and the breadth and length of their lineage which typically stretches back to the early Stone Age and sometimes before. They are the people who have talked to members of the Invisible College, and have been anointed into the Fellowship. They are the people who believe that only a perfected being of the proper divine nature can create a useful esoteric system.

And I drive these people nuts. Not only do I grab interesting bits and pieces that were left lying around, I will twist and bend them until they are left in a shape more pleasing to my aesthetic senses. Worse, if I have nothing useful in my bag of “liberated” treasures for the task at hand, I have no problem with just making something up. In other words, I dare to walk upon the ground reserved for the unknowable and perfected creators of the esoteric systems. To these people, I am not only a lunatic – I am a possible heretic.

Now, please do not think that I am referring to anyone that attends the Open Full Moon rituals. Our attendees are quite open-minded, and probably do the exact same things that I do, which is to grab anything useful or shiny that is exhibited in front of them. No, I am talking about people who would never dream of leading an OFM (because the mysteries and rituals are meant only for the eyes of initiates), attending an OFM (what could they possibly learn that could enhance their pristine tradition), or even admitting that they learned something from a flesh and blood human being (because only perfected beings should be teaching).

I think that what drives them mad the most is the simple fact that I give credit to the people that I am borrowing information from. Many of these disturbed souls hide the sources of their information behind deep oaths of secrecy. And often, the information is credited to the occult equivalent of Superman, the terrible and awesome Secret Chiefs that have throughout history guided mankind to a better future. I guess that they think that if a superior being created the information, it somehow makes it more valuable. To cite one’s sources, placing the information and techniques that I am using into the world of imperfect human beings threatens their position at the top of the occult food chain – it implies that their information too must have been created by flawed human beings, and that is something that they just can’t seem to tolerate.

Yet I think that they miss the most important aspect of citing my sources, and borrowing from the living and oh-so flawed human beings that I know. And that is, if the flawed human beings around me can create techniques of beauty and usefulness, then so can I – and so can you.

[Alia, one of the other board members added an addendum to this--"Nine words th'eclectic rede attest: Steal what works. Fix what's broke. Fake the rest."--Steve Storm.]
 

A Mystic Tarot Feast

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Welcome to the Lammas 2013 Blog Hop. The subject for this blog hop is "What we can share from our table with the community." Which led me to make a joke about some tasty cat food...which led to a reminder that this blog hop was about Tarot...which led me to offer the cat food served on the Fool card...no one thought that this exchange was funny, other than me--which is why it was best that the whole exchange only happened in my head.

And the point of that imaginary story?

I will get to it eventually. Promise. Provided that it actually had a point. And maybe even if it didn't have a point.

One of the weird things about my childhood is that I grew up reading Emma Bombeck. Well, I find it weird because it makes me sound like I had a normal childhood. For those who do not know, Emma Bombeck was humor columnist (back in the stone age of actual newspapers); she wrote a twice weekly humor column about being a mother in suburbia.  It is estimated that Emma Bombeck had thirty million readers across the nine hundred plus newspapers that her column appeared in, and had written four thousand columns over the course of her thirty-one year career. It is from her that I got the urge to be a newspaper columnist.

I didn't get the chance to be a newspaper columnist until I was in my forties (late to college I was). When I was first asked to work on the student newspaper of the Community College of Denver, I attempted to talk my way into doing a column--but they needed reporters more than columnists. Ironically, I did end up being a columnist within the first semester--I ended up writing an astrology column. It might have been better than my proposal to write about college life as a non-traditional college student.

And I made a lot of stuff up, starting with the very idea of the columns in the first place, and quite often ending with at least one sun sign being pure imagination and/or inspiration from an astrology or Tarot book. Occasionally, I would make up a story about the associated trump card to figure out what the sun sign was like in a given situation. It amused me that readers thought that my made-up nonsense was the truest part of the columns ("That is so me." "I know someone exactly like that.")

Being a columnist is much like being a blogger...except that the pay is slightly better. You have a deadline; you scour the neighborhood for an idea; you start off a column positive that you can finish it; and you struggle to finish it before you submit it.

Being an astrology columnist led me to doing a monthly column for the Hearthstone Community Church's newsletter (the Open Full Moon People). It was a matter of money--as in I had no money to toss into the cauldron to help pay the church's rent. So kicking it around, I realized that I could do a monthly column for the church. Hence, I started to do a monthly column about Wicca...and other stuff.

Three and a half years later, I am still going strong. Well, strongish. And some columns start off with me having to pull a Tarot card to spark my imagination. Which often involves conversations in my head--I told you that I was going to get back to the imaginary story--I talk to myself a lot as a writer. Of course, I always wondered how many of the stories Emma Bombeck told were true, and how many of them only happened in her head.

And that is what I believe that I am sharing from my table with the community: My charm and wit in humor form...or is it lunatic form? Besides people locally reading the column for free, three of the articles have been collected into a free ebook by me (Barnes & Noble; Smashwords; Kobo).

And here, you thought that I was only inflicting my opinions on people though a blog--silly people. Of course, I am not sure how many people know that some of the columns I do have their origin in a deck of Tarot cards. Perhaps, we should keep that secret between ourselves.

 

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And the next open full moon ritual will be...

Merlin explores the OFM floor diagram.

As my regular readers know not only am I a member of Golden Dawn, a proud Wiccan, a board member of the Hearthstone Community Church, I also do my turn at public ritual once a year. Yes, it is time once again for me to expose some people to my messed up ideas about what Wicca (and perhaps the Golden Dawn) is all about.

This year, I might be reusing the floor diagram that I created in 2010 for another OFM ritual. Or maybe not. I haven't decided yet. It depends on whether or not, I decide that it will be useful.

This year's ritual will involve "magical images" and the Wiccan wheel of the year. It will be a guided meditation (visualization). I may or may not publish the ritual text later--I haven't decided yet.

For those of you living in Denver, or close there of, the next Hearthstone Community Church Open Full Moon ritual will be held on June 21, 2013. Doors open at 7 pm, community announcements at 7:30 with the ritual starting right afterwards. Hearthstone meets at the First Unitarian Church at 1400 Lafayette, Denver Colorado.

And for those who are not near Denver, I collect the articles that I write for the monthly newsletter into ebooks (three yearly collections--99 cents apiece, and a three article set--free) that are available from Barnes and Noble.

Familiar animal spirits and the modern pagan

[The following article was written for the April 2013 Hearthstone Community Church newsletter (the "Open Full Moon people"). The April 2013 Open Full Moon ritual is April 19, and will be held in the upstairs of the First Unitarian, 1400 Lafayette, Denver Colorado--doors open at 7 pm, with the ritual starting at 7:30 pm.]

Recently, one of my sisters has started to complain about me. Or rather resumed complaining about me. One of the complaints that my sister has about me is that I seem to care more about animals than I do human beings. She especially does not like it when I point out that animals have not invented nuclear bombs, credit ratings, and the IRS, therefore they are more worthy of my respect. She does not see the humor of that logic. But I must admit that I often have more empathy for animals than I have for some human beings. (There are some humans I really enjoy the company of, and there are the other ones that I just want to whack with a stick.)

In the records of the witch hunts, one often encounters the claim that witches have familiar spirits, often in the shape of an animal. Honestly, most of the people harmed during the witch hunts were Christian, and a high percentage of them seemed to be property owning unmarried women. And many of them seemed to have been crazy cat ladies. A good number of animals and their owners seemed to have been tortured and killed by the Christians in their quest to rid the world of the devil and to line their pockets with other people’s property.

And yes, I am on the side of the accused witches, be they pagan or Christian.

Scanning the literature concerning primitive religious beliefs, and the early days of religion, there seems to be a lot of respect given to our animal brethren. In shamanism, often a shaman would channel the power of an animal, such as a bear. The shaman often had that power because they survived an attack by such an animal—the logic being that if you survived a traumatic attack by a hostile animal, then you must have some power over that type of animal.

Fortunately, the modern pagan does not need to go to such extremes to be able to access the power of an animal. But it still can be dramatic to gain such a familiar spirit. For instance, my wife used to have nightmares about spiders. It took her a long time to come to terms with the spirit of the spider. Today, spiders are perfectly safe at my house. Proof of this can be found in the fact that I did not freak out a few minutes ago when I found a spider crawling on my coffee cup.

Correction—the idea that spiders are perfectly safe at my house is not completely true. The familiar animals that I work with the most—cats—tend to eat them if they venture into reach. There have been many of a time that I have watched one of the cats hunting and then eating one of the spiders. There is probably a lesson there about the spirit of one entity absorbing the life force of another entity…we probably do not want to think about it too hard.

So how did I start working with cats? At first, I started by adopting one. Well, actually two. Well, really four of them. I wanted one cat, and my friends (who were moving) insisted that I take the other one also. I agreed. Turned out that one of the cats was pregnant. I became an instant kitty daddy. A few years later, when my wife and I brought a house, we were surprised that it came complete with its own feral cat colony.

I like to think that I earned the right to have cats as one of my totem animals by serving as a caretaker to them. After all, we trapped, fixed, and released the members of the feral colony, and continue to feed and watch over them to this day. And Bast, the Egyptian goddess of cats seems to agree with my logic.

So instead of having to survive vicious animal attacks, the modern pagan seems to have gone the route of the medieval witch, gaining the companionship of animal spirits by caring and living with animals. And I imagine quite a few of them like their animal companions better than some of the humans that they know.  Heavens knows that I like my cats better than I like my sister at the moment—that probably also makes her upset. I wonder if she would like a big box of spiders.

Reminder of 2013 Hearthstone Open Full Moon dates

Here are the dates for Community Church's Open Full Moon rituals. Hearthstone Community Church is a non-profit organization that helps provide support and space for Wiccans who want to do public full moon rituals. Hearthstone is still looking for voluteers to lead most of next year's rituals--March and June are already reserved. (Yes, June 21st OFM will be done by Bast Temple--BIORC; it will probably be an example of a solo GD ritual.)

2013 Open Full Moons

January 25
February 22
March 22
April 19
May 24
June 21
July 19
August 16
September 13
October 18
November 15
December 13

Hearthstone OFMs are held at the First Unitarian Church, 1400 Lafayette, Denver, Colorado. Doors open at 7 pm, and ritual starts at 7:30 pm. The rituals are held upstairs, and the Church is handicapped accessible (there is an elevator that goes up to the second floor).

This coming year, I will continue writing a monthly column for the newsletter (fourth year in a row).

(My newsletter articles from 2010 are collected in Pizza Boxes on the Floor; the 2011 articles are collected in the ebook Bad Monkey. The 2012 article collection is awaiting the creation of a cover--unfortunately, the photo I want is a two person gig...so it might not be released any time soon [it is just the cover that needs to be done].)

Officially a member of the Hearthstone board

Yesterday, Hearthstone Community Church had their...annual, bi annual, whenever they feel like it...board meeting. I attended because...already voluteering, snoopy, I wanted a piece of pie...they asked me to show up. During the course of the meeting, the Hearthstone Community Church board added two new members because...they were already helping, they showed up, they didn't run away...they thought it was a good idea to expand the board.

One of the two people that Hearthstone added is Amy Harper. Most people know her as "the person we have the fire extinguisher for"--besides her work organizing Wiccan rituals for children.

The other person that the board added is myself. Yes, they allowed a lunatic with a soapbox to become a member of the Hearthstone board. And yes, they have known me for years. Maybe they have not seen me at my worst...it is my current theory (please feel free to suggest other theories in the comment section).

What am I going to be doing for the Hearthstone Community Church? More or less what I have been doing for the last three years (well, two years, eleven months)--writing a monthly column for the newsletter. Oh, I have to greet people at the Open Full Moon rituals, and collect the occasionally email address to add to the local mailing list. Maybe set up a blog, and do some social networking. Occasionally express opinions that makes them wonder why they voted to let me in. Nothing major.

What does this mean outside of Hearthstone? I get to pad my resume. Not much. I am still going to be a lunatic with a soapbox. I imagine that the next time I annoy certain people that they will scream that as a Wiccan minister and community representative that I should do exactly what is in their best interest...basically, it will just give some of my critics another thing to hold against me when I decide that I am going to act like a lunatic with a soapbox. And I will continue to ignore their complaints because...they are a donkey, they want a monopoly on all things esoteric and occult, they fling monkey poo at everyone that they thinks is a threat...it is not in the best interests of my business and/or community to surrender control of my behavior to them.

So yes, it is business as usual for me. No big surprise there.

For those of you who are curious about what I have written for the Hearthstone newsletter, the 2010 ebook collection of my articles, Pizza Boxes on the Floor, is available from Barnes and Noble for 99 cents. (The 2011 and 2012 collections will be assembled some time before the beginning of the year.)