Summer Camp 2013 Path Descriptions

This year Spiralheart is pleased to offer 4 different paths at our Summer Intensive Witchcamp (if you haven’t registered already, do so now— space is limited!) The paths being offered this year are:

• Shape-shifting: Finding our Right Size (facilitated by Willie, Shiela & Puddles)
• Shadow Path: Know Yourself in All of Your Parts (facilitated by Brook & Joan)
• The Infinite Song: Sacred Sound (facilitated by Crystalline & Watersong)
• Elements of Magic (facilitated by: Emily)

For full descriptions of each path, just click the title.

I look forward to seeing you all there!

Don't forget to register for Summer Witchcamp!

Space for this event is limited and registration closes June 22nd, so don’t delay! I’d love to see you all there!

The Dragon & The Hummingbird

As most of you know, this year Spiralheart is working with the story of The Dragon & The Hummingbird. The story serves as a source of inspiration and discussion throughout the year. It is also a large part of what influences the evening rituals planned during camp.

After you’ve registered for camp you will receive a booklet in the mail with a copy of the story, and tons of other info too (how to get to camp, what to bring, a description of the paths being offered, etc). But for those of you who’d like to get a jump start on the magic, here is the story below as it will appear in your pre-camp booklet. (If you’d like to read the original, full length story, you can do so here. The original version is roughly 20 pages long.)

The Dragon & The Hummingbird

When there was nothing, Dragon was born— immortal, and strong. Spirit gifted Dragon with powerful magic. He could fly, with great wings spreading across the sky. He could breathe fire, in hot gouts gushing forth from within him. He could hear and speak to all creatures, without ever opening his mouth. He could shapeshift, choosing and changing his form at will. His fire was the molten core of the planet, his scales were iron in the depths of the earth, and the beats of his wings were thunder in the night sky.

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Merry Beltane!

Healing and Wholeness through Shadow Work

Sunday, June 2 from 1:00-4:30pm at Radiance in Lancaster
Offered by Reclaiming facilitators Sylvan Redbird, and Joan Brooks.
Prerequisite: Elements of Magic class in Reclaiming Tradition (or
equivalent). This workshop draws heavily on the co-created, participatory ritual work of Reclaiming practices.

“For those who can read the body, it holds the record of our rejected side, revealing what we dare not speak, expressing our current and past fears.”

~John P. Conger, “The Body as Shadow,” Meeting the Shadow

The times we live in, and the work we must bring out into the world as priestesses, healers, activists, lovers, and visionaries will be better served by through our increased sense of wholeness and integration. Shadow work is an important practice for our health and wellbeing, especially as we step into our personal power and leadership. For what waits in the shadow is often our magnificence as well as those other aspects of ourselves deemed undesirable.

We will listen and learn through ecstatic ritual, trance, voice and movement (don’t let this stop you from joining), and speaking our truths together. We will seek personal healing in a ritual group setting and courageously embrace our power to trust, stepping forward to be agents of change and transformation, for the healing of ourselves and the world.

Click through for more info, and for how to register.

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DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER INTENSIVE WITCHCAMP!

Space for this event is limited, and registration closes July 6th— so don’t delay!

inspiration.

Community Experiences: The Loss of Dragon

In the past few months, the ritual arc team has been working deeply with this years story, The Dragon & The Hummingbird. Each of us has seen different parts of the story manifest in our lives, and each in different ways. Sometimes we see the dragon living within us. At others, it is hummingbird with which we most identify. And sometimes, we only feel the myriad shadows of heartbreak, grief, love & loss, that weave throughout the story as a whole.

The following was written by Caillean, a long time Spiralheart member, and registrar for our summer intensive camp for many years.

I know how Hummingbird felt when Dragon had to leave.

Thirteen years ago I met a wondrous being with pale golden eyes that seemed to look into eternity. This being took the form of a very large orange domestic cat trapped in a broken body. There was an instant connection that I’ve never, ever experienced with anyone else regardless of species.  He “asked” me if I could help him. I promised to try. Bone plates, screws and a several weeks later he could run and jump. The only lasting reminder if his injury was his “driving claw”.  One middle claw of his right hind foot never retracted.  He “asked ” to come home with me. I was powerless to refuse.  He had an aura of wisdom that is hard to describe; calm, gentle and completely accepting of whatever or whoever was staying with us. He didn’t hunt. Nothing upset him, not the guinea pigs pulling his fur to get him out of their hay or even getting stuck in the hanger of a spider plant.  He never swatted the pigs and clamly hung in the plant hanger until I came to free him. We each seemed to instinctively know what the other needed. It felt far deeper than the usual pet/human bond. Whenever I was home, we were together. Being with him felt like an honor.  For 10 years our connection strengthened. 

Then came a time when he wouldn’t eat and vomited frequently. The usual tests didn’t give us an answer.  We needed a diagnosis.  I asked what he wanted.  Could we do biopsies?  Would he accept a feeding tube?  He answered that, yes he would if the tube was temporary and I would be the one feeding him. He also let me know that he would be OK after a while.  I had only to think about feeding him and he would come from wherever he was and jump up on the kitchen island to be fed.  We got the severe inflammatory bowel disease under control and for another 3 years life was back to normal. He ate, stole the guinea pig’s hay, played in the wrapping paper at the clinic Christmas party and we still fed each others spirits.

Two weeks ago his appetite decreased and he stopped racing to do the things we always did together.  His kidneys were failing and his body wasn’t responding to treatment. For the first time in 13 years the incredible connection we had was waning. I could feel it slipping away.  He was leaving.  There was nothing I could do to change that. He “asked” me to help him one last time.  I did. His song is so far away now I can barely hear it through the emptiness left behind.  Maybe hummingbirds hear better when their tears dry.

Caillean

If you’ve been following along with our monthly workings, or even if you haven’t, and you simply recognize a piece of the story in your own life, tell us about it. We’d love to hear about your experience.

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