Saturday 6/15/19
It is now one year since I placed everything I own into storage, and hit the road in MG’s little burgundy Prius on an indefinite Walkabout. My Mission is to travel around the country making personal visits with old and new friends and lovers, interspersed with book-signings and talks at Pagan stores and gatherings. Previously, people who wanted to meet me had to come to me. Now I’m coming to you! (or at least to a Pagan venue in your neighborhood).
After adventures last year in California, Reno, Las Vegas, Austin, Guatemala, Salt Lake City, Omaha, Kansas City, St Louis, Cincinnati, numerous places in Pennsylvania, and NYC, I arrived in Salem, MA on Oct. 10, in time for Samhain. I stayed in Salem with Gypsy Ravish through the Winter, doing Tarot readings and working to open the Cosmic Connection Temple of Stars at her Witch store, Nu Aeon on Pickering Wharf.
Gypsy and I attended the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Toronto the first week in Nov. Then I spent most of January with Dona and friends, in Texas, New Orleans, and Mississippi, before returning to Salem for Feb.
On the first of March I headed off on the eastern and southern part of my journey, down through the Eastern states and into Florida, and back up to TN for the Pagan Unity Festival. Then west to St Louis (where it all began over 50 years ago…) for the Pagan Picnic, and south to AR. Now I’m back in Nashville for a few days, before heading up to Ohio for Pagan Spirit Gathering and Starwood.
Last weekend’s Three Gates Gathering in West Plains, MO (in the bootheel of the state, 3 miles from the AR border) was delightful! There were about 40 adults and a passel of kids. Among the illustrious Elders were Melissa Anderson of the Circle of Ancient Sisters in KY; Rev. Don Lewis of Witch School and the Correllian Nativist Tradition; Terry Riley of the Southern Delta Church of Wicca (ATC) in Jonesboro, AR; Rowena Whaling (author of Voices from the Stars) from Nashville; and of course, our hosts, Alfred Willowhawk and Willo Wellspring of the Wite Rayvn Metaphysical Church.
We were entertained by bards Mama Gina (aka 9 Toes the Bard), Mystic of Dragonstone, and Ginger Ackley (aka Posey). There were three tracks of workshops every hour, and delicious home-cooked food for every meal. There was a fire circle both evenings, a sword dance, a double handfasting, and two birthdays.
It rained a lot on the first day and night, and the site was pretty muddy. But spirits were high, and everyone had a good time, with great conversations.
The event officially ended early Sunday, but a hard core stayed over a few more days. Terry Riley had left some stuff behind, so I left on Tuesday to drive down to Jonesboro, AR to take it to him and visit with him, HPs Ivy, Ashley, and other SDWC folks, over a great spaghetti dinner. Their church was famous for their big Freedom of Religion March on Lughnasadh (Aug. 1) of 1993, in protest over the Fundie attacks on their store, The Magick Moon, which only survived a month. Now they have all sorts of public projects going, such as a community garden, adopt-a-hiway, and other services to benefit their local community.
The church house is a labyrinthine sprawl that seems far bigger on the inside than the outside—like a TARDIS. They put me up in a guest room with a private bath! The ritual circle in back is well-appointed with Quarter Gates and a stone central altar. They showed me videos of a few of their musical movie rituals, with songs and characters from Grease, Rocky Horror, etc. taking ritual parts.
Before I left Wednesday afternoon I did a water-sharing with Terry, Ivy and Ashley. Then I drove over 4 hours back to Nashville to spend a few days with Kadira before heading off to PSG on Sunday, and that’s where I am now. Tomorrow I’m off to PSG.
I am being sustained on this Walkabout journey (and storage fees for my extensive esoteric Library and Museum of Arcana collections) by personal appearances, fundraising events, and your generous donations, particularly via my Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/oberonzell. Thank you for your support!
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