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Freedom Festival 18 very good one

7/13/2014

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Dear Sweetwood folk, members and friends,

I want to give thanks to all the good people that helped and supported Freedom Festival 18 in making it one of the best we've had. I give thanks to the good folk who took on roles in the main ritual! Thanks goes out to our priestess Sherry, the goddesses Kim, Dawn, Mary and the gods Frank, Chris and Jack and to smudgers T-Roy, Tom  and Nissa and to the good folk who spoke for the 7 elements, drummed and danced, again thank you!
Thanks to Jack and Jim for their maintenance help with the portable hot showers! Thanks to Aurora, Mary and other good folk who helped with the registration, silent auction, heralding and other tasks that needed to be done. Thanks to Sweetwood Temenos board members who help put on Freedom Festival and were at the Thing! Thanks Mary, Amanda and Jack! Thanks for the 2 members who ran for the member at large position on the board. Thank you Peter and Eric! And congratulations Eric as our new member at large and Thanks for  his and Megan’s mead making skills and mead offered in the silent auction! Thank you Josh for your fire eating and fire whip performance! Thanks to all the good folk who kept the sacred fire going from beginning to end!
Sweetwood Temenos Freedom Festival 18 had many good folk show up and be part of the community. We had at least 50 adults and 5 to 6 children who had a great time running around in the woods and camp! I tried to meet the many good folk came to the Freedom Festival 18 as I could. I am impressed by the quality of the good folk that showed up! The weather held all through the Freedom Festival, which on Monday morning after the Freedom Festival, I poured a libation on the altar for the gods and goddesses, the spirits of the land and the powers of the elements who blessed us with such good weather.
There was much good energy at the Freedom Festival 18 and no frowns. There were lively discussions, lots of laughter and good humor among the good folk who made the community. It was a joy to hear such good community echo through the woods. At the beginning of the festival during the opening ritual I drew a rune, which was sigel –Sun and at the closing ritual I drew the rune sigel-Sun. The sigel rune’s double appearance for me, emphasizes its Divinatory meaning of success and victory. The Sweetwood community, its membership and friends need to continue to grow in order to succeed in creating and maintaining a dedicated piece of land whose purpose is providing a place for Sweetwood members, it’s friends and other like-minded community groups to celebrated the 8 Sabbats and Freedom (the freedom Festival), and recreate and contemplate. This accomplishment would be a success and legacy to pass on to the generations, the descendants, which are to come. At the Freedom Festival 18 there were 3 generations of adults putting energy into creating this success and this is a good omen and so may be the beginning of this success! So Mote It Be!
This year’s Freedom Festival was both an expression and an example of the culture that Sweetwood Temenos as a church and community is and seeks to foster. I am learning as president with support from the Sweetwood board, and Sweetwood members and friends how to delegate tasks and responsibilities that sustain and grow Sweetwood Temenos, its Freedom Festival and other celebrations and events.  I am grateful to the members and good folk who bring forth ideas that make Sweetwood Temenos and its Freedom Festival, celebrations and events a better experience and make them happen. With continued expansion and support of membership and friends it is probable that a bath/shower house could be built in the year of 2017, which would mark a watershed and a new beginning for Sweetwood Temenos. To make this happen there needs to be continued cooperation, shared power, common vision and task completion, as well as many hands and talents!
Again to all the good folk of Sweetwood Temenos; its members and friends thank you for making Freedom Festival 18 a very good one and supporting Sweetwood Temenos! And to all the good folk who are interested in Sweetwood Temenos you are invited to come to our Freedom Festival, Sabbats and events and join us as we would like to meet and get to know you!

Never Thirst
Iacchus
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Freedom Festival 17

7/8/2013

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Dear Folk 
The Freedom Festival was an enjoyable gathering of 30 or so of good folk over the Fourth of July 2013. The weather cooperated and was dry and warm. Though we had a few more bugs due to the heavy spring rains it wasn’t intolerable. Indeed we were able to hold all rituals down in the sacred circle. There were workshops/play shops on Group Tarot, The Tarot and Attunement to Nature, Aquarian neo-paganism, Sweetwood’s value of Deep Friendship, who is Alex Crowley, and the Symposium on the Value of our Descendants and the Annual Sweetwood Gen. Assembly/Thing.
We held the Deep Friendship Mirror Dance and the Sun Goddess and Moon God ritual. We had a great feast and potluck after the Thing and Sun Goddess and Moon God ritual. There was a fire in the sacred circle each night and some dancing and drumming after the symposium and main ritual.
The Sweetwood assembly voted to improve the site by having propane pourable hot showers and to make it a goal of achieving $5000 per year over above our costs towards the building of our bathhouse. To that end we are encouraging former members to renew memberships and friends to become members over next 4 years, which would help substantially in this fund raising effort.   We also want to increase attendance at the Freedom Festival by inviting and encouraging more good folk to attend. Sweetwood is also Co-sponsoring this year a Grand Sabbat. This is all part of making Sweetwood Temenos available to the neopagan community and like-minded folk while at the same time fundraising for a bathhouse, which would have the effect of making Sweetwood Temenos-our land more user-friendly and encourage more gathering of neopagan groups and like-minded folks.
To that end the Sweetwood assembly encourages me as president to be out in the community more providing information and sharing about Sweetwood Temenos. To that end I will be attending the Madison Area Pagan Pride Day (https://sites.google.com/site/madisonareapaganprideday/home) and Paganicon 2014 (http://paganicon2014.eventbrite.com/ in Minneapolis. 
Next year the Freedom Festival, which will the 18th annual one from Wednesday, July 2 through Sunday, July 6. Freedom Festival 18 will be dedicated to the Moon Goddess and Sun God. The Moon Goddess as the lady of the festival will give her Charge of the Goddess as part of the main ritual of the festival. It is interesting to note that card 18 of the Major Arcana of the Tarot deck is the moon card. So the Magic is gathering already around this Freedom Festival. Hope to see you then! 

Never Thirst,
Iacchus
 
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Freedom Festival another comment 

8/7/2012

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Mary Siegle
Aug 7 

It was possibly the hottest Freedom Festival we've had. Whew! On the bright side, though, we didn't have to contend with storms, mud, wet tents etc. And the insect population was down as a consequence of the dry weather. The only dampness was the sweat from the heat.

On the drive up to SweetWood on the fourth I was feeling discouraged because the number of registered participants was very small for the second year in a row. And some of the people who usually are there wouldn't be this year because of the extreme heat, health concerns, or other commitments. Among those were some of my dearest long-time friends from Minneapolis -- Martin and Magenta, and Rosa and Ben.

Kyril also wasn't able to make it this year and I was bummed about all of that. But I discovered that, while small registration numbers are not good financially, they can make Freedom Festival a very intimate and relaxed experience. Because of the heat and the small numbers, there was a very flexible attitude toward the schedule of workshops. A few planned activities were skipped with no regrets because, quite frankly, it was much better sitting around in the shade of the shelter just talking. I didn't have the energy to run myself ragged. 

For me, one of the highlights of Freedom Festival this year was the ritual on Friday night centered on envisioning, and raising energy to manifest, paradise on earth. We each spoke our vision and added herbs to the water in the cauldron as we spoke. Then, each chanting a word or phrase, we directed energy to the water. Lovely ritual. I took some pictures afterward of the cauldron and altar and have posted them.

There were other highlights as well. After the main ritual on Saturday night, watching the fire spinners practice their art was awe-inspiring. It more than made up for not having fireworks. But the best part of the festival was, as usual, the person-to-person connections. Every year I look forward to reconnecting with those who I only see once a year. I also love meeting new people. Despite the small attendance, this year was no exception.

Thanks to all who were there, for helping to re-charge my batteries. Every year I look forward to seeing friends I only see there once a year -- also meeting new people I've never met before. A particular treat -- Julie B. was there. 


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Freedom Festival 16 a comment

7/9/2012

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Dear Reader This is a report from one member who was at the Sweetwood Temenos Freedom Festival 16th.

Hi all you Sweet Folks,
Well just came back from SweetWood Freedom Fest yesterday.   The running themes I felt were “Centering”  and “Paradise”.
 
When I think of Paradise, I think of the freedom to be who you are.  When I think of Centering, I think of knowing who you are.  Both of these I found at Freedom Fest.  One of the first rituals we did is manifesting Paradise.  What is Paradise?  Many have different views.  We did a chant that enabled us to raise the energy of the manifestation of the person views of Paradise.  It was magical.  There were many, many other opportunities to connect with others.  I enjoyed the Mandala workshop with Delta, another way I found myself connecting with SweetWood.  How can we take the magic of SweetWood and Freedom Fest home when many of us are of two worlds?  If we think of Paradise being within we can.  If we realize there are people around we can connect to and we still have the connection of old and new friends we’ve made this last weekend we can.  Who can we find in the world we live in outside of SweetWood that we can share the magic with?
 
I also want to acknowledge the blessings from the healing aspect of our connection to the land of SweetWood.  Also let us not forget the wonderful water that helped us stay cool to what my son was calling SweatWood or we could call it WetWood as we made the cooling connection with both water from the hose and the joys that come from running through the sprinkler.  
 
Blessed Be and Never Thirst,
Sherry
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Freedom Festival 13

7/6/2009

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Freedom Festival 13

SweetWood Temenos Freedom Festival 13, as one member said was “an awesome gathering”. The weather was just right, not too hot and not too cool. The day lilies were blooming in the circle and flowers at the picnic shelter.

It was so good to see so many of the SweetWood Temenos clan at the opening ritual as well as new folk.  

This year we had an official festival committee and they did a very good job of putting together the Freedom Festival! We had a Group Tarot workshop, Henna Play Party, Sarong workshop, a Found Sound Playshop, a discussion about the SweetWood Temenos Deepening Program, and a discussion on Polyamoury.  

We did our annual symposium, which was on Transformation Friday evening, the general assembly, the Thing, of SweetWood Temenos and Community potluck afterwards. There was a Deep Friendship Mirror dance, a Naked Lunch, a Drumming and Dance Circle and the main Ritual of the Sun Goddess and Moon God. 

The opening and closing rituals tied the magic of the festival all together. There was again fireworks display done by Rowyn. The good folk really made this Freedom Festival hum! The nights were filled with good talk and company. The children added goodness to the whole festival!

One woman summed it up best when she wrote: “This year’s Freedom Fest was an awesome gathering!!! So good to meet with Spirit Family and to greet new folks as well!!!! I really enjoyed seeing the children here, camping and being IN NATURE with us all. The Drumming was Oh so good, as it has been TOO Long since I’ve been with this form of our Heartbeat! A great memory of walking down the path, hearing the drumbeat, torches lit along the path and the dancing flames of fire in the circle!!!!!  I do have to admit that the Naked Lunch was a highlight! !! Delta guided us for really good sharing about being Poly - beautiful moderation the talking stick is a great tool for this”.

What is so great about the Freedom Festival is the magic of the heart connections that invoke the love of freedom and immanent Divinity. The love and friendship of this festival enriches the land and charges the sacred space we call SweetWood Temenos and its good folk. Each year the Freedom Festival is great in it own unique way. It seems that each year the Freedom Festival draws on the love energy and magic stored in the land and folk of SweetWood and then adds more in a synergistic way to both.  This synergistic wholeness between the land and the people is what I believe make each Freedom Festival and the next one, great and filled with goodness.

I had a very good time and my heart is gladdened that so many others did also! May more Friends of Friends find their way to the Freedom Festival and SweetWood Temenos next year! Till then may you all fare well!

Never Thirst!
Iacchus  
 
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Freedom Festival number 11 was another very good one. 

7/28/2007

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Freedom Festival number 11 was another very good one.
 

Freedom Festival number 11 was another very good one. I am amazed by how each succeeding festival continues to be so good! The 11th annual Freedom Festival was a very nice! We were blessed with beautiful weather throughout the festival.

Mary came early on Wednesday before the festival. We had a good time visiting with her and she helped Delta and I get ready on Thursday. Kris and Larry came on Thursday (and some others I believe), and we had a nice time under the shelter hanging out and talking. It was a very nice evening catching up with good folk. SweetWood was gifted a very fine and restored wheel borrow by Richard. (Please if I forget something let me know or add it to this story).

The next day, Friday June 29th more good folk arrived and some helped Delta with registration for the Freedom Festival (Mary and Kris I know were helpful as were others). Then that evening just before sunset the good folk, who were at SweetWood Temenos, joined in an opening ritual that cast a Circle of Freedom upon the land for the Freedom Festival. I was caught up in the moment looking at all the faces of friends, and friends of friends who had come to the Freedom Festival. Some had been present many times to the festival, and for some it was something new. I remember breathing in the air and thinking this is good, and felt very blessed to be present and sharing water.  

After opening ritual we had fire in the circle and a very nice time of fellowship that evening. What Magic it was with the torches lit, and to walk up the path through the woods between the circle and the green lawn of the shelter. What joy, mystery and pleasure it was to walk by the great old red oaks and hear laughter in the woods. Good Folk were reconnecting, and there was a sense of peace. How good is that?    

Saturday was a busy day for me. In the afternoon there was going to be a baby blessing, and coming of age ceremony and a “Rock and Roll” ritual. I was to be a part of all three. I was blessed by participation in each. 

I am still very moved by this second baby blessing in the circle and the first at the Freedom Festival. I could not but wonder, when this baby would be a young adult, would she be coming to the Freedom Festival? Would there still be one, and a land called SweetWood? I sure hope so, and endeavor to make that a reality for her and the children who come after her. I’ll be an old man then, hopefully with many more good memories of seasons and festivals past watching her and others grow up with love and freedom. Blessed be Nissa!

Then there was the coming of age ceremony. Already I have watched a boy child grow up over the years.  Now, as an adolescent, he dedicated himself in a circle of his choosing and casting, with loved ones around him, to Sweetwood Temenos and its values. This was the first coming of age ceremony for Sweetwood Temenos and at the Freedom Festival. What a goodness that all the adults who came to his ritual blessed him. I can only begin to guess the impact that this blessing and his dedication will have on his soul and life. He has set a precedent; his circle casting is going to reach into the future, and may the fruit be very good. Blessed be Roywn!

Then I want to mention that the desserts at the campsite celebrating the coming of age ceremony were all very good. They were all yummy and shared in good company. Thank You Jack, Sherry, Joe, Becky and Dorothy!

Then I caught my breath and helped a little in the set up of the “Rock and Roll” ritual. We were not sure where to hold it, and the ritual needed some electricity…so a decision was made to hold it on the west side of the shelter on the grass. I was so in the present when honoring the directions…I could feel the energy drawing in with expectation and wonder at this ritual. Then the Priestess came forward after the circle was cast, Phoenix brought a strong magical presence forward, and it began…the songs were very evocative and energy was raised by dancing through the 7 directions of Fairy. Each direction had it own song and dance and each was powerfully invoked by Phoenix. Everyone was blissed out by the end. Phoenix had a good support team and honorable mention goes to Thomas for his great sound system! Ritual magic set to evocative rock music by the light of the night and starry host…what magic! I was smiling ear to ear. This was another experience you just had to be there, for the written word can only pale in its description. There was love in the circle, affection flowed like water, I openly expressed love for my loved ones, and they with me for all to see. Polyamory was blessed in this ritual. This lovely night was followed again with a fire in the circle and throughout the camp.

Although I was up late enjoying my self on Saturday night, I had to get up early next morning (Sunday July 1st.) to go get my mother-in-law (Delta’s mother Norma) from Madison and bring her to the festival. Mary got up with me (as she wanted to see Delta’s mother’s place and meet her. We had to get back in time for the SweetWood Temenos Thing (the annual general assembly and potluck), which we did in plenty of time. Kris gave the treasurer’s report and we discussed what the SweetWood Temenos vision is, what we have accomplished over the last 7 years, and where we are going for the next 7 years. The goal is that in 7 years to have the bathhouse done, so the “recreational camp” and religious center of SweetWood Temenos will be done and more accessible.

Some good folk left on Sunday July 1st, and some more arrived. The afternoon was spent attending workshops, visiting with friends, enjoying the land, and spending money by patronizing venders. The symposium was hosted by Mary and Rosa and held in scared space in the circle in the woods. The topic was “The Descendents” which was very appropriate, given the baby blessing and coming of age rituals. The cauldron was filled with half spring water and half wine (traditional Greek style of “sharing water” or drinking wine). During this discussion and fellowship it was my great pleasure to host and be a priest to the hand-fasting between Martha and Thomas. It was lovely ceremony, with a fire in the sacred circle, where words of love were said that committed two souls into a deeper sharing. There was drumming, dancing and many well-wishers for the hand-fasted couple! After the Symposium, some good folk went up the hill into the field and enjoyed a fireworks display by Rowyn as part of his celebration of his coming of age.      

Monday July 2nd was a slow moving day. There was a discussion on the archetypical psychology and spirituality implicit in the concept of the “Horn God”. I worked on getting ready for the Sun Goddess – Moon God ritual. I was a bit tired and feeling a bit down about many good folk leaving and not attending the ritual.

Then a breeze came up and refreshed me. 

As I made for the path to go down to the circle to prepare for the ritual I came across Sherry and Jack. They got me to relax, reminded me to trust the Mystery (Goddess and God) that the ritual will be fine and focus on the importance of the ritual no matter who attends. I really appreciated Jack and Sherry’s calming, reassuring words and countenance. All went well after that.

While I was setting up the altar for the Sun Goddess – Moon God ritual and Michael, Ariel and Benjamin were preparing to bless the good folk as they entered the circle. I still remember when Benjamin was nursed in the cool of the circle. Well as I was setting the altar, Benjamin came over and asked me what I was doing. So I explained as best as I could in language that Benjamin could understand. He was very satisfied with what I said and went back to mom and dad. It was very beautiful to have mother, father and child blessing the good folk as they entered the circle. Benjamin used a crystal to clean the aura of all who entered the sacred circle by waving it at them (scrubbing motion).

Mary and I took up the roles of priestess and priest. We cast the circle and Mary invoked the enthusiasm of the Moon God upon Iacchus. The Moon God invoked the enthusiasm of the Sun Goddess upon Delta. Delta became filled with the Sun Goddess, spoke words of wisdom and gave blessings to all. She blessed Norma for her part in helping SweetWood to come about. The Moon God spoke his words and they danced about the cauldron charging its water. Then we all shared water from the cauldron, opened the Circle for one more feast and another good time. Again drumming into the evening and many good conversations.

Next morning I hosted a small morning reflections with Amanda and Jim. We discussed the future plans for development at SweetWood Temenos. It was a good discussion. Afterwards the remaining Good Folk all came down to the sacred Circle for a closing ceremony. We took down the Circle of Freedom cast at the opening ritual, which embraced the four quarters of SweetWood Temenos. We shared water and said our good byes with hugs and kisses. We all sighed and waved good byes. Some lingered one more night and were treated to a very strong and nice rain shower.

I am sure there were many more wonderful experiences that went on, which that I do not know about. It was good to get feed back from non-members who were first time Freedom Festival attendees. They all liked the feel of the place, the good folk and the festival. It was particularly gratifying that my mother-in-law attended and felt at home with the good folk and with the festival.  

Thank you All for making the 11th annual Freedom Festival another great one! 

Never Thirst 

Iacchus
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10th Annual Freedom Festival Journal Note

7/14/2006

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10th Annual Freedom Festival Journal note


Thursday June 29th the festival started out with some early arrivals. The day was a nice early Summer June day. The folk sat around and enjoyed the shade and warmth. Some cooked out with their children, while others took walks on the paths in the woods.
 
Friday June 30th was warmer and Iacchus was mowing around some hedge trees on the south side of the land. Delta and Iacchus were getting the last details of Freedom Festival done. The Folk who had volunteered for Freedom Festival tasks stepped up and began doing them. Richard filled the torches along the path and registration was opened. Some good folk arrived from Minneapolis late Thursday night and were sleeping on the grassy knoll in front of the shelter Friday morning. Friday evening Mary did a Freedom Festival opening circle. She brought her web from Kansas and had all charge up the web with chants, good wishes and prayers. The web was a symbol of the community, the interconnections woven at the Freedom Festival and the good folk of Sweetwood Temenos. We spun the web with dance and chant and opened the Freedom Festival with water sharing in the ritual circle. A fire was built in the circle after the water sharing ritual. It was a night to catch up with folk and hang out. There was some star gazing, hand holding, talking into the night, kisses and sighs of being together again with our community.
 
Saturday July 1st. started with nice weather. The good folk enjoyed the moving slow and living among the trees. The birds each morning sang songs for us. We had some cardinals singing each morning during the Freedom Festival. Raven, an herbalist from Madison presented a workshop on herbs and their uses. She had samples that she had made and instructed on their uses. She spent some time during the rest of the Freedom Festival vending her herbal wares. Her presence, workshop and wares were much appreciated by the good folk of the festival. Then at noon there was a luncheon and discussion on Sweetwood rituals and their format. A Sweetwood member, Lady Lee, a priestess in her own right co-led with Iacchus a discussion on the elements of ritual as adapted by Sweetwood. 

The discussion was good and was agreed that we would do this again next year. Then there was a discussion on Deep Ecology led by Urth. This was informative on just what was deep ecology and how a given writer’s spiritual views colored this perspective. There was a discussion on how western culture appropriates indigenous spirituality in service of deep ecology. Later Saturday afternoon Delta did a fun workshop with henna. The rest of the festival had henna decorated folk running around in lively henna designs and symbols. 

There were more arrivals of folk for the festival all day. One of the folk was an invited guest from California. He was Richard Ely, an elder and retired priest from the old CAW. He got settled in and visited the good folk of the Freedom Festival. Just before the evening event of our traditional symposium it rained very hard complete with hail the size of rock salt. So the weather moved the symposium to under the Sweetwood Temenos picnic shelter. We got a fire going in there and share food, drink both non alcoholic and alcoholic. The cauldron had watered wine (1/2 wine and ½ spring water). We discussed the Sweetwood value of Attunement with Nature. This was a far ranging discussion and topic. There were toasted and libations made and all had a good time. The weather cleared to give us another starry night.
 
Sunday July 2nd started with another good morning. Thomas Christie did Tai Chi in the circle. It was very meditative in the quiet of the early morning hours doing Tai Chi. Thomas had several good folk doing it with him each morning of the festival. Then late Sunday morning Iacchus led a discussion on mature masculinity based on the “King, Warrior, Magician, and Lover paradigm. A good discussion of the use of the word warrior in contrast to steward took place. Also the need for a rite of passage in the community for some boys becoming men was taken up.
 
At noon the Sweetwood Thing, our annual Sweetwood general assembly took place during the potluck. There was a lot of good food at this potluck. President Iacchus presented the current state of the organization, including the amount in the treasury. He talked a bit on the vision of Sweetwood Temenos and so did other members. This year Sweetwood Temenos held its bi-annual election for it’s two members-at-large. The meeting was well attended, good questions were asked and suggestions made for the future development of Sweetwood Temenos.
 
Delta did a fun workshop on beading after the Sweetwood Thing. She helped people to bead a bracelet or anklet. Delta explained the color and stone symbolism in use of beading materials. There was heard laughter at the workshop and people came away with smiles. Later the day Phoenix led a chant workshop. The workshop included chants to be used in the main ritual that evening. It was nice to hear the chanting and is something that the Freedom Festival will have happen next year. Again all had a good time. Then at sunset we held the annual Freedom Festival main ritual. This year’s celebration was the Moon Goddess and Sun God. Sherry and Jack were the priestess and priest. The Lord of Fate, sage from the Age past was Richard Ely. Love that Sherry and Jack have for one another wove good energy into the ritual. The words of the Goddess resounded throught the circle and woods. The words of the Sun God invited all to enjoy the season and so we did. There was a give away in honor of the Moon Goddess that filled the blanket with gifts. The ritual ended with a water sharing and the circle was opened, fire light and drumming and dancing ensued. Aeona, a priestess from the old CAW came by for the afternoon and evening and visited with the good folk of Sweetwood.
 
Fireworks show done by Rowyn when dark came!
 
Monday July 3rd started out with over cast skies and haze. But by late morning it had cleared up. Iacchus led a discussion and speculation about the Neolithic Agriculture Myth, Astrology and Culture. He presented some interesting information on the beginning of the Neolithic cultivation of the land, the Neolithic development of astrology and culture. For example the word for earth derives from erd, which means to kick up dirt and is associated with a hand plow. Thus each new Age would be a field that has been newly plowed and kicked up… earth then would be a plane of existence with 4 new quarters marked by the cusp of the sign rising out of the ground at sunset on the spring equinox. Needless to say this was all fine and well but speculative…Iacchus needs to refine this a bit more however it was a good discussion. There was a community luncheon under the shelter and good food was had by all. Monday after noon was a very relaxed time. The good folk visited with each other and just hung out. Aine did a prayer flag workshop this afternoon. She had a good number of folk. They made strings of prayer flags and hung them on the Sweetwood Shelter where they still are. Thank you for the blessings of these prayer flags! Toward sunset there was a closing Freedom Festival circle and water sharing ritual. Richard Ely led a geologically correct grounding as part of the ritual. During the water sharing the good folk poured libations and expressed their feeling about the Freedom Festival. Iacchus and Jack took the cauldron, the good folk chanted Freedom three times and they poured the magically charged water in the cauldron from the Moon Goddess ritual upon the altar as the last libation to the festival. The circle was opened but is never broken and we merry met and merry met again. Monday evening it rained again for a bit so the last night of the Freedom Festival was held under the shelter. We built a fire and there was good drink and the conversation was lively. There were many smiles and good byes and promises to be back next year. 

I want to add unfortunately several good folk became ill and had to leave early. We hope they get well soon and are back next year for the full festival!

A special note of THANKS to all the volunteers, they performed their tasks well! A special note of appreciation goes out to Lady Lee who though feeling ill completed her tasks regarding registration and the silent auction before leaving the festival.  

Never Thirst
Iacchus  
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Freedom Festival 8, 2004

7/28/2004

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Freedom Festival 8, 2004 seems to have reached a new high in energy, development or marked some new beginning. Or it could have been all of these things. I really do not know as I am still digesting all that happened. Many of the good folk who attended the Freedom Festival this year came up to me and said, “This years festival was the best so far”. 

It does seem to me that the experience of good energy was high and it suggested a good omen for the future of the festival. Many good folk made this year’s festival so good and so this may have a lot to do with why it was so good.

Going back to the planning stages…each year good folk have offered to do more activities and take on more roles. This year we had people who wanted to take on the role of priestess and priest in the main ritual. In the past I was involved as a priest in the ritual, nurturing the ritual cycle along. But there arose an opportunity where some good folk offered to take on the roles of priest and priestess. Then another good person steps up when one could not do the role... a very positive out come. As the main ritual came together the thought occurred to me to write myself out of the ritual. It has been a long time since I have not been directly involve in a main ritual. So the main ritual took on a life of it’s own and brought the good folk together in a dynamically new and wonderful way that everyone at the ritual experienced in a positive way.

To begin with there was the opening circle and water sharing. This was an inspired production. A member of SweetWood Temenos, Mary, took on doing this ritual, which had a feel of calling people to a spiritual revival. Coming into the circle singing, dancing, drumming and clapping was an uplifting experience.  The invitation to honor the senses of taste, smell, touch (Ostrich feathers were awesome), hearing, sight, immanent divinity and the community was a great way to begin the Freedom Festival. The water sharing recognized a community of good folk who hold the sensual with reverence, an essential goodness in being spiritual.  

There was the symposium. What an uplifting experience. The subject for the symposium was Charity. The inspiration for Charity as the topic for the symposium came to my spouse and I while we were making love one evening this past spring. I was not sure how this topic would work. I did some research on Charity and waited to see. The drinking together (half wine/half spring water – Greek style) and the discussing of the topic went well. 2 hours passed quickly and with good cheer. It was the continued celebration after ward that charged up the goodness of the discussion. The drumming, singing/chanting and dancing was awesome. It was age, middle age and youth together raising joyous energy in the name of freedom that was pure magic. I was blown away and smiling a lot…so was everyone else.

This year we had a large variety of workshops and more good folk offering to do workshops. The feed back that I heard is everyone felt good about what was presented and there was a good mix between talking and doing. So more of these types of workshops will be planned for next year’s Freedom Festival. Volunteers are welcomed.

The SweetWood Thing (or town hall meeting) and potluck went well…lots of Good food. We held and election of two new BOD members. This was an expansion of our BOD, which was a result of both SweetWood Temenos ending its subsidiary relationship with CAW, becoming an independent non-profit organization and the decision by the SweetWood BOD to become a church (religious organization – 501.3c) that necessitated an upgraded version of our bylaws. In order to vote one had to be a member in good standing. Interestingly enough several good folk people stood forward and renewed their membership or joined. This was a joyous election and a very good town hall meeting.

Then there was the main ritual. A new priestess and priest were leading the ritual and they brought forth the Moon goddess and Sun God. The whole community held communion, sharing water with them. The flute playing and the Sun revealing himself and the Moon Goddess giving her charge and accepting offering while sitting on the SweetWood Altar were all done at dusk and magic filled the air. The torches were light, the fire in the circle center was started, oak wood for the fire was brought, the drumming started, dancing soon followed and the good folk brought and shared drink and food. The Ladies and Gentlemen, some clothed in color, some half naked and some all naked danced, chanted and made merry all in the sight of the Moon Goddess and her Divine community. They all whirled of into the night and shared with SweetWood their good energy.  

Monday morning woke slowly but some gathered in the ritual circle for some morning thoughts. The good folk who gathered liked the contemplative feel of the centering and companionship in the circle. We all agreed that this contemplation and sharing of thoughts and feelings should be scheduled next year.

We had a closing water sharing Monday morning with many smiles, there was happiness with some brief sadness as the festival packed up to leave with many heartfelt farewells. I felt magic leave with the good folk but as I walked through the campground and down into the circle I could still feel the energy of the festival. The festival still echoes in the woods now 3 weeks later. In a quiet moment on a new moon recently I gave thanks for this years festival and all the good folk who attended. May our paths continue to merry meet again and our clan of friends continues to grow with both youth and age.

Never Thirst
Iacchus
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Freedom Festival 7

7/12/2003

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This year's Freedom Festival had many high points. Such as the Henna workshop and the group tarot workshop. Actually all the workshops had good attendance and particpation. In general there were more people leading workshops than ever before. I am very happy about this participation.

My over all sense was that the people attending the Freedom Festival had a very good time. Ken read the Delcaration of Independence at the Symposium that all felt was a goodness. The symposium was a very up lifting event as it allowed many people to express appreciation for friends in their life and thoughts on friendship that were inspiring.

Speaking of friends this Freedom Festival brought some old friends together and their joy of meeting up again added so much to the gathering. This is in part what the Freedom Festival is all about, a coming together of friends and friends of friends. SweetWood Temenos sponsers in part the Freedom Festival as a means for friends to gather in celebration of freedom and to develop a community of such friends into a clan who in time will own and run SweetWood Temenos.

The Freedom Festival was sucessful in that it did bring friends and friends of friends together, strenghtened those bonds through recreation, learning and celebration and brought about two new members and the renewal of another membership. SweetWood Temenos is growing slowly, the clan is developing and more folk are thinking this is a good place to put their money and effort into. 

This effort is no small self centered thing. Yes the members of SweetWood Temenos, if this effort is successful, will have a sacred center, a home away from home. But it is more than that, it is like the way of life and values, which define the folk of SweetWood Temenos, is a flame, a sacred light for the rest of humanity to see how they could live if they chose to. The development of SweetWood Temenos and its clan is a Grass Roots effort in encouraging human development and creating as much peace and paradise on this earthly plane of existance as possible. 

I feel making the effort and money a priority toward SweetWood Temenos manisfesting is a simple and direct way to change the human community in a positive and progressive way. There is great magic in this as it is a way that the meek shall inherit the World. I appreciate, as president of SweetWood Temenos, the priority of effort and money given through physical labor, time given, donations and membership. Freedom Festival is an expression in part of this priority in the lives of the good folk who attend this gathering. 

Our rituals (this year we celebrated the Sun Goddess and Moon God) invoke the Wholeness of Divinity within humanity both collectively and individually. We remembered that feminine and masculine individuations of Divine Wholeness can each be expressed through solar, lunar, terrestrial and astral symbols. Indeed the whole of Nature is full of phenomenon that can act as metaphorical and symbolic vehicles by which the Wholeness of Divinity, immanent and transecendent, can communicate with our souls. 

It is my intent that SweetWood Temenos rituals, re-links, re-integrates in a self concious way humanity's nature with the nature of our planet and universe into a harmonious whole. It is my hope and magic that the rituals will foster not only a remembering and nurturing of "thou art Goddess, thou art God" awareness but also awareness of the type or rather the temperament of the Way of Being, the Divine Wholeness, that is the seed pattern and guide of each individual's soul. In this way we each are a priestess or priest to the Divine Wholeness, the one, dwelling in the heart of our souls and the Many, the Greater Wholeness known as Community; for as above so also below.

Never Thirst
Iacchus
   
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On the Freedom Festival 

7/8/2002

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The Freedom Festival

The inspiration for the Freedom Festival came to me in part when I realized the celebration of the United States of America's  Independence is a celebration of freedom and that freedom is also a pagan concept. I thought, then, that the celebration of the United States of America's Independence can be celebrated as a Neo-Pagan Holiday. 

The United States of America is a realm whose free adult members express self-governance through representative democracy and as such it is a free realm or freedom. Its celebration of Independence celebrates the inauguration of this freedom. Freedom I believe fosters a social order that is pluralistic; allowing diverse culture and religious experiences. I believe that the freedom of the United States is essentially Aquarian in spirit.

There is, I believe, a pagan spirituality associated with freedom. The words freedom and friend have a common linguistic root. This root is an Indo-European word that means loved one or dear one. It is also used to construct the Goddess name of Freya, a golden Goddess of love. I believe that Freya, as a Vanir Goddess, is a descendent or an echo of an Old European Goddess whose cult goes back to the time of the ruling Goddess of the Golden Age, the age of Gemini. This same Golden Age Goddess is the Greek Goddess who is both the Grandmother of Zeus and is Astraea or Justice that ruled with Chronos during the Age of Gemini. From the Patriarchical Greek perspective their Golden Age was a matrilineal time where men shared their wives (or women shared their husbands depending on your perspective) and practiced a form of complex marriage that was polyamorous. This ancestress of Freya is the common root of two traditions that diverged some 6,400 years ago at the beginning of the Age of Taurus, one matrilineal and the other patrilineal.

The Freedom Festival is a celebration that believes the freedom of the Age of Aquarius is a democratic and pluralistic social order that includes the re-integration or synthesis of matrilineal sensibilities belonging to late stone and bronze ages. These sensibilities includes such concepts as: all acts of love and pleasure are seen as sacred rites, our planet is a living system and that to know ones Self is to know Divinity. Added to these sensibilities are the comtempory ones of: ones Self-actualization is a spiritual journey, being in harmony with Nature is part of ones Self-actualization, ritual fosters ones self-actualization and harmony with Nature and that holding pluralistic beliefs about religious paths and traditions support the freedom of the Aquarian Age.

The Freedom Festival is a celebration of Aquarian freedom as the informing Spirit of American independence. It is also a celebration that fosters the development of a network of friends, dear ones, and a clan of Friends who share a common ground called SweetWood. The Freedom Festival celebrates a myth wherein a polyamorous sacred marriage of younger Deities from matrilineal and patrilineal traditions creates a synthesis, a Greater Wholeness that inaugurates the Age of Aquarius and its peace and freedom. SweetWood is dedicated to this peace and freedom and holds these 5 values as sacred: deep friendship, positive sexuality, Self knowledge, attunement with Nature(through lifestyle, contemplation and ritual) and pluralistic religious beliefs.

Never Thirst
Iacchus
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