Yule 2001


SEF Annual Meeting February 2002
The Annual Meeting of the SEF is held the last weekend in February. This is when the Board of Directors reports to the membership what the SEF has done over the past year, and what we have in mind for the coming year. This is a good opportunity for all members to offer us their feedback and suggestions and, most importantly, to volunteer to help with our upcoming projects. Your enthusiasm and involvement make a real difference to how much the SEF can accomplish.We will try to keep the meeting brief; this is not the kind of interminable business meeting that many of us have learned to loathe in some other organizations.After the meeting, there will be time to informally get to know other members of the SEF. I hope to see you there!

Roger Powell
President, SEF

(Note from the editor: the date and time of the meeting is now being determined -- please look for the full information in the next issue.)



Descent into the Underworld:A Public Ritual Experience at Samhain
by Jennifer Powell

On October 20, an SEF-sponsored public ritual was held at the Angels' Loft in East Bridgewater, where many others have been held in the past few years. This year's ritual had a sizeable turnout at about 65 people.

The ritual began in the Angels' Loft's back yard (site of the Lammas Games). After the circle casting and purification, instructions from the High Priestess, and light trance induction through chanting and web-weaving, each participant was taken one by one out of the circle by an officer dressed as a black-winged Fate, and set on a path into the woods to encounter the deities and attendants of the Underworld (among them Death, Persephone, and Hades). Each Priest or Priestess representing an Underworld aspect posed challenges to the participants, or had words of wisdom to impart. After completing the Underworld journey, the path returned the travelers to the circle where they were given cakes and wine, then could retire to the warm temple indoors.

That morning, I visited the ritual site and found a half-dozen people in the woods behind the shop, hammering shrines together, setting lanterns along a winding path, hanging draperies and veils between trees, and working out special effects like "water" under a bridge. I regretted not being able to attend that evening to see the work in its intended setting, darkness and firelight.

Later, some of the officers shared their thoughts about how this ritual was created and performed, and about what can make a large, open ritual successful. Debbie (leader of Symbios Coven and organizer of the ritual), and Kerberos, also of Symbios, told me that the ritual took several weeks of planning by four people: brainstorming, discussing, and walking through the roles and stations to find out what works and what doesn't. The ritual script was then read by a "critic" who wasn't involved in the writing.

"If you want people to have a good experience, boredom is bad," says Debbie. Kerberos adds, "There has to be lots of stimulus," whether there is drama to watch or simple songs and chants to take part in. Debbie adds, "If you expect people to join in, you must prepare them ahead of time and you must be very clear about your expectations." And, with a ritual this lengthy and that covers this much physical space, "you have to be absolutely sure than you can concentrate people on the work at hand." Also be prepared for wide variation in the participants' experience levels.

Participants were taken to the wooded path at intervals of several minutes, in order to allow them uninterrupted individual experiences while passing through the stations of the Underworld. The most difficult logistical concern was keeping travelers moving through smoothly, without "backing up" the line. Another was keeping the remaining participants focused on chanting and dancing in the circle while they waited to visit the Underworld.

For people carrying ritual roles, there are other challenges. Kerberos says, "You have to remember that the people who are actually putting on the ritual, depending on their experience level, may not get that "good ritual feeling", the kind we get from our private rituals. You're doing the drama as a service for the public, and you're also worried about logistics, that they can see and hear and feel correctly as you're wanting them to, or being a conduit for whatever energies are needed to shift consciousness."

Ravenlyn, who served as Persephone, relates her experience: "I robed and sat on my throne with my mask on in the woods, in torchlight, with two attendants who joined me in freezing for a good hour and a half until the first participants arrived. My two attendants and I spent the time in our own grounding and centering exercises; we did a meditation together and I did some serious invocation of Persephone."

"By the time the first participant came down the path, escorted by my attendant, I was ready. I don't remember a lot of what passed between me as I moved aside for the Goddess and the participants, but I remember being aware that a number of them didn't want to leave the underworld, and I remember clear awareness that other people had particular reasons they needed to return. She gave each participant a sign on their forehead and a new life cord to replace the one they had given up.

It was really, really cold. When a participant approached, I found myself sitting up straight and centered and letting the Goddess speak Her piece. When the participant left, She stepped back, and I felt the cold again. As person after person went by, I began to get really tired."

"People sometimes left crying and went on to Demeter. By the time the last person passed, I sort of felt the same way. I was very happy to see Hades emerge from the darkness then, and we went together up into the Temple to recover."

"The great mystery for me was that She knew just what to say to each person, and each one seemed to respond. A few people weren't into the experience, and that was clear as well, but most people seemed to be right there. The other aspect that was amazing for me was that as we all compared notes after the ritual, we found that our parts had meshed perfectly, with no previous preparation."

"I would do it again in a minute--but with a large flask of mulled wine!"


Rites of Passage

1stOn Sunday, July 29, 2001, Gwyddion was initiated by Miranda, with Oberon as his sponsor, in Symbios' temple, with elders from several sibling covens present.

1stOn September 29, 2001, the coven of Na Fineachan Naomh Draoidheachd initiated four first-degree students: Tara, Derwen, Nuadale, and Jen. In keeping with the tradition of Yesod (her initiator), Jen has not yet chosen a craft name. Lady Meagan was High Priestess and Lord Morplentyn was High Priest. Also attending was Lady Morven, our Witch Queen, and Na Fineachan Glice family elder Lady Ruuana (Nuadale’s initiator).

bellOn Sunday, October 14, 2001, Diane Cahill (Maiden of Grove of the Mists Coven) and Michael Champigny were married in Leicester, Massachusetts.


waneAt Autumn Equinox 2001, Rowan (Kerry) parted amicably from Grove of the Mists Coven. Although she experienced a crisis of faith in the aftermath of September’s world events, she feels that her time with the group was well-spent. Her teachers consider her an initiate in good standing.



The following clergy are available through the Society of Elder Faiths:

A licensed Wiccan Elder, with ministerial credentials from the Covenant of the Goddess and the Society of Elder Faiths (SEF), authorized to perform legal weddings and handfastings. Also available for other religious services and Rites of Passage. Debbie Fields-Berry P.O. Box 335, B.U. Station Boston MA 02215 dberry@bu.edu 508 839-3457

I hold legal credentials through the Covenant of the Goddess and am ordained though the Society of Elder Faiths. I am willing to travel within New England and will work with people of any Neo-Pagan tradition or non-Pagans with an earth centered focus. I require an initial face to face meeting with a couple at least 2 months before a wedding. I have also performed Wiccanings and am available for other rites of passage. Peg P.O. Box 485 Upton, MA 01568-0485 meagan@control.com 508 839-3457


SEF Messenger: The Community Newsletter of the Society of Elder Faiths
Imbolc 2003
Editor : Jennifer
Staff: Morwynna
© 2003 Society of Elder Faiths
SEF Members may submit news to:
news@elderfaiths.org ;
or
PO Box 30, Marlboro, MA 01752;
or
508 839-3457

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