The June Rush

What a month this is turning into! So much happening in closeness with each other.

Next weekend is Midsummer. The solstice; when the sun is at his full glory in this part of the world (just a nod to our colder cousins, down south).
While normally I would join in a rite with the Carmarthenshire folk, Will Rathouse asked if we were planning a trip to Avebury in Wiltshire. Organising the event, it feels wrong not to attend so it seems this year, Midsummer will not be with my friends, but with another lot instead. I did attend the ritual planning, though I'm wondering if this was a faux pas - after all, what rite did I have contributing to something that has nothing to do with myself, but rather, should've been one for them? I guess I miss seeing them; the moots are an impossibility to attend while in Uni'. I have to admit though, that recently I've been assessing the way I am with them. I quite loud, crude, opinionated and tackless around them, so I think some change is probably at hand.

With Avebury, we'll be setting off at around 8am to get there by 11.30 where we'll go visit West Kennet Long Barrow and Silbury Hill, both burial chambers, as far as I know. We'll have lunch and then go on to the Annual Gorsedd Ceremony which'll be held by whoever happens to be there (it's been variously Arthur Pendragon, Bobcat et al.) after which we'll go visit other places nearby, hopefully leaving at 5pm to get home by 8.30pm.
Not quite sure if we'll be able to see the Gorsedd ceremony, however, as it may happen the day before, but we'll see. We could strike lucky - or even do our own impromtu rite! I'm looking forward, anyway - And I'll be with the Midsummer right in Gorslas in heart, if not in body.

And after all that, there's the moot on the 25th and Susan's Fire workshop on the 27th. There's a lot to do!

Gastronomy

After having a meal in the Cwmanne with Erin and talking about poetry, I wrote a new poem, after the gods know how long...
It originally started as a food poem:

La Gastronomie!
Food. Everyone needs food;
It is the weakness of hunger,
The strength of a fine feast!
And, though much of a pleasure,
It shall always be a glorious art.
As synonymous as the words seem,
Pleasure is the danger of art -
Its culmunation often mischanneled.
To lose oneself in art is pleasure
but therein lies its frightening danger -
To lose oneself and never come back.
Paul Rousselle Jun'09

However, understandably, Erin recommended only keeping the following, so there it is:

Gastronomy
Pleasure is the danger of art -
Its culmunation often mischanneled.
To lose oneself in art is pleasure
but therein lies its frightening danger -
To lose oneself and never come back.
Paul Rousselle Jun'09

Change! Now!

Damnit, it would be good to be able to work with a group and perform/channel/direct magic for useful and world changing purposes.

How many Pagans are against deforestation?
How many are against whaling?
How many are against tyrants in Africa?

And where are the groups working serious magic in order to bring positive and meaningful change.

Far too many times have I heard lines such as "I'm gonna do a small ritual for a good exam result", "I need more money - better get the corn dollies out" - but when it comes to real, serious stuff, it's almost as though people are scared of their repective karmas; scared of actually being able to change things.

Individual people can do things - but how much better, how much more powerful would it be to have groups doing this?

Spells for peace?
Rites for democracy?
Circles for fair government?

All alongside ordinary mundane action, of course.