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A dark sky with a band of orange sunlight at the horizon and a number of people gathered, looking into the sky.
The horizon during the moment of the full solar eclipse of August 21st, 2017.

You are made of elements created in the depths of a dying star. You are made of the universe. You are the universe embodied and breathing, and the universe experiences itself through your senses.

That swept through my mind as I watched the moment of totality during the August 21st's solar eclipse. I didn't know what to expect from that moment, so the tears that welled up in my eyes took me by surprise. The experience was literally indescribable1.

In the days leading up to the eclipse, there was a letter by an optometrist going around social media urging people to stay home and watch the eclipse on TV. I understand the importance of making sure people take the risks seriously2, but it was shameful to tell people to miss the miraculous experience of being there in person if they could be. No matter how good your TV is, it cannot give you the experience of the sudden coolness, the sudden darkness - the awe-inspiring sight in person.

Some beauty comes with risks and sacrifices, as when you go into faerie land to come back mad or a poet. Or as when you fall in love. You owe it to the sacred universe that you embody to experience as much love and beauty as you can in the short time that you are on this earth.

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A sword, a horn, and some Gathering tokens. I've had three showers and put all the clothing that went with me in the laundry, but I can still occasionally smell smoke from the sacred fire at the Gathering on my skin. The Gathering is in my pores.

This year was a cocoon year for us: we were small and compact, getting ready for transformation. Our community could look very different in the future, but this year, there were old friends back again - some for the first time in years - and new friends to circle with and many much loved faces missing.

There were many wonderful rituals this year (they've been added to the Gathering timeline) and I was blessed enough to attend all but one. I know many people had powerful and magical experiences both in the circles and outside of them. In between, there were conversations about life, about science, about theology, and about where we are going next as a community.

At the annual general meeting, several people talked about ways to intensify or deepen the Gathering experience, to try to offer something more to potential Gatherers. A few people made reference to camps that offer more intense training, such as Witch Camp, and that sounds amazing, but somehow doesn't seem like a match to me. I don't think we should become a shorter version of something else, but more ourselves and offer our own unique event.

As often happens at the Gathering, I end up marveling at the diversity of our community. I ran one ritual and attended seven others, and the closest thing we had to the "conventional" Wiccan-like rituals that are common at public and semi-public events was the very fun and funny Chocolate Ritual (similar to this ritual). Attendees at the Gathering are from all over the typological map of magical traditions, from all parts of the colour triangle of the three deisms, and from all the overlapping circles of the centres of Paganism. But as a community, I think the Gathering as it is right now might be best categorized as part of the fourth centre of Paganism: community-centred. We come together to make a single event out of all our different beliefs, practices, and paths. At an event with fewer than 50 people, there were nine rituals (some with very large casts and a lot of preparation), as well as workshops. Fires were kept, rain protection was put up, lights were strung, a temple was assembled, and everything was cleared up at the end. So many people invested time and love before and during the weekend. Though as individuals we may be deity-centred, or focused on our higher selves, or about honouring nature first, at the Gathering, we make our offerings to each other and to the good of our community as a whole. We don't always succeed, but the effort is magical.

Working from the idea that, as a whole, the Gathering's spirituality is community-centred, and inspired by Steven Posch's beautiful post Sun Horns, Moon Horns, I have a plot afoot for next year. I'd like to recruit people from all parts of our community to say food blessings before each meal and to lead short rituals at sunrise and sunset (and maybe moonrise and moonset too, if I have enough volunteers). That's eight meals, three sunrises, and three sunsets; fourteen opportunities to be together in a sacred moment and to connect with each other, and maybe with something more, should the prayer be offered that way.

Anyone from the Gathering or considering the Gathering for next year: Please let me know if you would be interested in offering a food blessing or being a part of a brief sun or moon ritual next year, or even if you think this is a good idea or not. I promise that comments or constructive criticism will not result in you being volunteered for anything.

Richard: You have a year to perfect your horn blowing; no more drunken moose!

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mythumbnailIn one of my other aspects, I am a paragliding pilot. I dreamed of flying as a child and I have made that a reality. When I tell people that I am a paraglider, many tell me that I am crazy or say something like "isn't that dangerous?". Well, it isn't without risk – it is flight – but I can tell them about the strength and stability of the wings, the training and practising, and the safety equipment.

Before launching, a pilot will carefully check their equipment and will make sure that the environmental conditions are suitable to their skill level. In Paganism, we should check the physical safety of our space and the health of the group we intend to work with. I liked this post about ritual safety for an efficient summary of some of the issues we should consider.

Of course, the inherent safety of paragliding equipment and the work involved in getting a license isn't the whole point; human error is a huge part in flying accidents (and car accidents, boating accidents, scuba diving accidents...). Even someone with the best equipment and with the best skills can make mistakes, so we also learn to evaluate our own state of mind and to really think about whether or not we are in good condition to fly before launching. They like acronyms in flying, so we learn the I'M SAFE checklist.

If we are to do deep work – encountering deities, entering trance states – we should take our pre-ritual self-evaluation seriously. Too often, we're running from work or errands to a ritual, grabbing a potluck contribution from a grocery store on the way, and we have little time to think about how we're really doing. Ideally, we would all be in a state of GRACE before ritual starts:

Grounded

Relieved

Able

Clear

Emotionally Stable

Grounded: Release any excess energy and find balance and focus. Grounding is often part of our rituals, but if we don't feel solid going in, we cannot get deep.

Relieved: Relieve yourself first; it is really hard to concentrate with a full bladder! Also, relieve yourself of as many of the pesky annoyances as possible: tie back your hair if it is going to irritate you, get the little bit of food out from between your teeth, and whatever other little things you need to do to fully concentrate.

Able: Make sure you are physically able to do the work at hand. Most often, at a minimum, you should be rested, nourished, and hydrated before starting a rite. If your work does call for something more physically intensive, such as a vigil or a fast, you should carefully consider your physical condition before beginning and during the process.

Clear: Be clear and certain in your purpose and clear of all mental distractions so you are fully present in the moment and in the work.

Emotionally Stable: Make sure you are emotionally able to do the work at hand. If you are stressed, depressed, anxious, or grieving, then you may not be able to give your best to an intense religious experience. You need to decide for yourself what you are able to do.

The paragliding comparison falls apart a bit here, as even a short and simple flight requires that the pilot be absolute in top condition. I like Gus diZerega's hiking metaphor at the end of his article "Encountering Pagan Deities" and think it can be used here. If you are doing a light-hearted public seasonal celebration – the equivalent of an easy hike in a public park – you can get away with being a little less grounded, a little distracted, a little hungry, though your experience will probably be better if you are not. But if you are going to be seeking a deep, intense religious experience – a true mountain expedition – you should have done your research, completed a lot of training, and be in the best condition possible. Give your best to the work, and to your group, to get the best out.

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