So we voted to continue

So a quick update, the members of Bast Temple voted to continue working together. Just in case, anyone was curious about what we decided.

To continue as a lodge or not...

One of the things that has been on my mind lately is whether or not, the lodge I belong to is going to continue to exist. We are in one of those periodic membership crisises that it seems prone to. And we just lost our most experienced officer.

It is times like this that I look at the mission statement and ask if the lodge needs to continue. The purpose that Bast Temple was formed for was to provide classes and initiation into the Golden Dawn system.

With the arrival of the Esoteric Order of Golden Dawn in Denver, a Sanctuary (whatever that is--I think a Sanctuary is a study circle), does Bast Temple even need to continue?

I guess it going to depend upon who you ask. For me, involvement with the EOGD is just not going to cut it; I am not the right religion to be a member of their Inner Order if the rumors are true. And they do not exactly approve of what some of the things that I was taught, the expansions of the Inner Order material in particular.

Besides, I am a poor college student, and I understand their dues are much higher than Bast Temple's. So for me, Bast Temple still has a function.

I wonder what the rest of the lodge is going to vote. We will see today.

What I did at the Open Full Moon

So I guess I should talk about what I did at the Open Full Moon.

Babble. That sums it up. Surprisingly, at least to me, I found myself extremely nervous.

Of course, I am customed to my "winging it" to be conducted beyond closed doors, perhaps with a few friends, so doing it in front of strangers made me feel like twitching on the floor.

It had to be winged. I knew that I could grab some voluteers to help me, but I had no idea of who I was going to end up with. In the end, I got lucky to have Carol, Ann and Ann's son helping me. There was also Diane and the Indian woman that I always blank on her name.

After community announcements, and stalling for Ann's husband to get there, I talked about the influence that Golden Dawn had on the wicca movement. It was the standard lecture, Gardner involvement with OTO, and the fact that GD was one of the comparative religion Orders that predated the Wicca movement, along with the fact that the core material that Crowley and Regardie published were consulted a lot during the early days of Wicca.

After explaining the purpose of the ritual, and giving everyone an overview of it, I did the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram. Then Ann's son did the purification and consecration by fire and water, using words right out of one of Waite's books. My voluteers called quarters.

Then we did a talisman charging (I issued index cards to all) using the generic god name IAO. I used that because of its complex symbolism, male and female, creation and destruction and rebirth, it fit the best in my opinion for the audience.

We closed with the Mystic Repast (Carol liked the idea that it was Osiris) and dismissing the quarters.

I talked awhile with some of the audience afterwards. Diana and Skott kicked around the possibility of moving our meetings to a day that they could attend. Next thing, I knew it was ten o'clock.

I bummed a ride from Robert, Ann's husband, because I was feeling a little light-headed. He gave me from food from a delivery that was canceled (he works for a really good restraurant), so I didn't have to worry about dinner.

Overall, I am happy with my performance. I might consider doing another OFM next year, but only if some of the lodge members can make time to help out; it is not fair that I am the sole public representive for the lodge. After all, it is not like I am in charge or anything like that.

Reminder--tonight is the Open Full Moon

Reminder to everyone: I am doing the Hearthstone Open Full Moon ritual tonight.

Click here for more information.

Idea behind the October Open Full Moon ritual

The original idea behind doing an Open Full Moon was that it would help give the lodge greater exposure in the local pagan/wiccan community. Unfortunately, even greater public exposure will not increase the local lodge membership unless we can give people a reason to want to join.

Hence, I plan on talking about how there are several Golden Dawn techniques that can be used in a wiccan setting. Such as the Purification and Consecration by Water and Fire, the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram, and the Middle Pillar ritual. I might mention the use of godforms, and how several keys of Gardnerian Wicca came from Golden Dawn though the route of OTO (Thelema and Aliester Crowley). Or maybe not, depends upon the audience.

Hopefully, it will spark some interest. If nothing else, it makes Alia happy that I am doing a ritual (OFM).

[Updated--June 21, 2013: Link to lodge site changed to current official site.]

Technorati

So today in one of my fits of boredom, I googled blog directories. Which is how I found Technorati. Nice place where you can see how many blogs have talked about your blog.

I registered this blog and Musing From The Pen with them today; I will have to do my other blogs later.

Promoting and such

Today, I did some promoting about the fact that I am going to be doing the OFM this moon. Also added some links in those Yahoo groups that allow such to this blog. Currently on Technorati claiming my blogs.