Conference turris::womannotes-v3

Some further info and some questions answered on the Solstice celebration...

It is not required that participants have experience doing ritual celebration
or Goddess-oriented circles - all it requires is that you are interested, and
wish to share in some joyous celebration of the turning of the seasons and
the energy of the Goddess.  I expect people with all levels of experience to
show up, and I'm trying to design the celebration to be accessible and fun
and celebratory for everyone.

If you are not able to make it, but would like to participate in some way...

The theme of the ritual is the casting off of oppression and the transformation
of that oppression into what each of us wishes to nurture in its place.  If you
would like to participate in this, choose a time around 9:30-10pm (EST) on
Saturday evening.  Light a candle or just find a quiet place to sit and focus 
your thoughts.  Have some bread or crackers or other food, and some drink -
wine, water or fruit juice with you.  Consider oppression - what oppresses you,
the ways in which you oppress your self, ways in which you oppress others,
any sort of oppression you wish to cast off.  Think of burying it in the flame
of the candle the way a seed is buried in the earth.  Think of the death of
your oppressions in the same way that seed dies and is no longer a seed.  Think
upon what you would like to nurture and grow in its place, as the plant grows
from the seed.  Wrap your thoughts around what you would like to tend and grow
in the garden of your mind, and see it growing and responding to your care. 
All things need nutrition to grow, so eat some of the food you have prepared to
nourish what you have planted.  Also drink some of your drink to to water what 
you wish to grow.  Focus on this for as little or as much time as you like,
take what you have planted away with you, and leave your oppressions behind.
Know that you have shared this with us.

As well as what we nurture and tend and grow individually, I will also be
asking us to grow and nurture =wn= community as a group.  To this end we will
be weaving a web - symbolic of the building of community - out of ribbon and
string and yarn and trinkets.  The web, when we have finished, will be sent to
other events over the weekend, and perhaps to future =wn= events, for people to
continue to weave things into.  It is our goal to make it a growing, dynamic,
everchanging symbol of an evergrowing, everchanging community.  If you wish to
add to it at events later in the weekend, please bring some ribbon or string or
trinkets of some sort to tie into it.  If you are not able to be physically 
present at the =wn= anniversary weekend, but would like to add your piece,
consider giving or sending something to a friend who is attending to add for
you, or add something at a future party...

For those of you who've indicated you are coming, I'll send out further details
and directions soon.  I look forward to seeing you all.


				'Til the Solstice, Blessed Be,
				 /Rita

				

    
    Is anyone co-ordinating transport to get to this event?
    
    'gail (who'll need to get there from Boston)
    

    
    For Gail (and anyone else coming from Boston) - there is the Purple
    line which ends in Fitchburg, and we could probably have someone
    available to pick up folks from the train station there - the only
    question I would have is about the time the last train INbound leaves
    on Saturday night...(ie; could we get y'all back via train?)  I'm not
    at this point doing any formal transport coordination, but I'll see who
    I can find who is coming out from Boston...
    
    						/Rita
    

    >last train INbound on Saturday night...
    My schedule says the last inbound from Fitchburg is at 5:35pm, and
    the last two outbounds from North Station to Fitchburg are at 5:30pm
    and 11pm.  And the ride takes 90 minutes.  Maybe a carpool would be
    better?

    
    My user disk went bad yesterday, and I *may* have lost some mail
    messages.  I have replied to everyone I've gotten mail  from so far -
    if you sent mail on the weekend or yesterday prior to 1pm (EST), and if
    you haven't received a reply from me, assume that your mail message 
    was lost, and please resend your mail.  
    
    I have one read-only noter who can provide some carpooling between the
    Solstice celebration and one of the T stations (Alewife, maybe?) so if
    you are still seeking transportation, send mail and I'll put you in
    touch...
    
    					/Rita
    

    
    The following "stuff with no identified owner" was found after Saturday
    night's Solstice celebration.  If it is yours, and you'd like to have
    it returned, please send me mail.  (This list may not be complete - if
    you lost something that isn't on the list here, send mail and I'll look
    for it.)
    
    	- A blue denim jacket
        - A green jacket
    	- a box of "wooden shapes" on little hooks
    	- a corkscrew
    	- a piece of unpolished quartz
    	- several candles
    
    
    

    The web made it to the brunch and has been carefully folded and stored
    for future events.

    Thanks for organising this Rita....
    It was very special.
    
    'gail