Green Spirit Festival 2009 will be held July 31st through August 2nd at Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, a 200 acre magical Nature sanctuary in the forested hills of southwestern Wisconsin near Barneveld. It is a celebration of Lughnassad, a Celtic Fire festival associated with the first of the harvest.
From the moment you make the turn into the scenic drive leading to Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, you feel as if you have been transported into a realm of beauty, magic, spirituality, peace, and home. Crossing over the TrollBridge you see a magical vista of rolling hills, trees, an old farmhouse and a big red barn that says you have arrived! The barn is the home of the Circle Sanctuary offices, Temple Room and the CircleSanctuaryResourcesCenter and Shop.
From the opening activities of the Green Festival, to the nature walks, the shared meals, rituals, workshops, music, bonfire drumming, fire spinning, and general camaraderie, to the closing ritual on Sunday, there is something for everyone..jpg)
The Mugwort that was level with the ground at Beltane in silent vigil, at Lughnassad time stands tall and majestic swaying in a circular hedge around the Maypole, the fragrance wafting in all directions awaiting the harvest. Harvesting the Mugwort is one of the yearly green harvest traditions that are part of Green Spirit.
The Mugwort harvest is facilitated by Circle Sanctuary’s founder and high priestess Selena Fox, who introduces the harvest by describing some of the properties of Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) and how to harvest it in a sacred way. It is a glorious sight when dozens of festival goers wade into the Mugwort circle with Selena. The laughter and joy of the harvest is something to behold. Watching some of the stalks of the proud Mugwort fall to the harvest and the honoring of it is a gift. Some of the Mugwort is hung to dry in the rafters of the barn. Some is fashioned by participants into green crowns that they wear during the festival.
There is always good food, singing, drumming, amazing fires and a surprise or two for those who attend. You will find vendors of magical wares to answer your shopping needs. You can take a hike up to Spirit Rock, visit the Fairy Shrine, Animal Spirits Shrine, Brigid’s spring, the Troll Hole, Natural Wetlands, Spiral Labyrinth, the Stone Circle, and CircleCemetery. While at the cemetery, take a moment to honor those fallen Pagan warriors who at long last are laid to rest under VA-issued gravestones, each with a pentacle, the symbol of their faith.
This year’s festival theme is Lammas Magic. The weekend is filled with rituals, workshops, music, and other activities by a variety of presenters. * In addition to speaking about the Magic of Mugwort, Selena Fox will teach about Lughnassad and Lammas lore and traditions. Assisted by Festival coordinator Ana Blechschmidt, and others, she also will be facilitating festival rituals.
photo art above by Bella Mahri, used by permission to Circle Sanctuary
* Circle Sanctuary priestess Mari Powers, author of “Witch Words and Valentines,” will be leading a Pagan Song Circle, plus presenting workshops on Poetry as Liturgy and the History and Mystery of Tarot.
* Druid, Community bard, and Irish musician Michael Doran will present a workshop on the Druid Way as well as will perform original and traditional music in rituals and at the Bardic Circle.
* Naturalist Reed Cockrell will be leading a Nature Walk and pointing out much of the visible and overlooked flora, fauna and wildlife at Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve.
* Wheat weaving artist Linda Blue Heron will be teaching this folk art in a hands-on workshop.
* Phoenix and Crow will lead a magical shamanic night walk for adults, and are coordinating youth activities.
Children and young people are an integral part of the Circle Sanctuary Community and have programming that helps them to learn, grow and have fun at the festival. Their journey this year will begin with a trip to the Fairy Shrine to honor the Fey, but that is only the beginning!
The line up makes me wish I were a child or young adult again! The programming will be based on “Harry Potter” and it sounds exciting! There will be a Sorting Hat, a Witching World Trivia Contest, a Wizard’s Dual, a quest for “The Magickal Harvest Charm”, a Lammas Game of Quidditch, and finally the Witching World Awards!
In addition, for those of all ages, the outdoor Spiral Labyrinth will be candlelit from dark till dawn at the gathering for silent meditatively walks for personal healing, transformation, growth, and insights.Picture above is a lovely Greenman watercolor by Julee A. Higginbotham
One thing you can be certain of, though I have listed many of the high points of the festival and done my best to paint a picture of some of the things you will see and do at the Green Spirit Festival, my words are inadequate to describe the ultimate experience you will have during your magical time at Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve!
To register and for more details visit: www.circlesanctuary.org/greenspirit
Green Spirit Festival is sponsored by Circle Sanctuary, a non-profit eco-spiritual center serving Wiccans, Druids, Heathens, and other Pagans worldwide.
For more information, contact:
Circle Sanctuary: (608) 924-2216
PO Box 9, Barneveld, WI53507USA
circle@circlesanctuary.org
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My guest writer for today is Vic Wright. Vic Wright is a Pagan teacher, writer, and vendor of magical gemstones through her company Rainbow Dragon Dreamz. She lives in Kentucky and over the years has vended and presented at a variety of other American Pagan festivals, including the Green Spirit Festival and Beltane Festival at Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve in Wisconsin and the Pagan Spirit Gathering in Missouri.
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On a personal note, every festival associated with Circle Sanctuary is a great festival. Selena Fox has been a practicing Pagan Priestess longer than most of us have been alive. She was my very first inspiration to become Pagan and she has remained my friend and role model for decades. Brightest Blessings to ALL! Happy Lammas! May your Lughnassadh and first harvest be bountiful and the sign of even better things to come.
Paula
All of the photos in this articel by Selena Fox and Circle Sanctuary unless noted.
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