About Ethericon: a con for magickal folk

Dec 31 04:21 UTC 1993

Thought I'd mention something neat I'll be doing the weekend of the 14th, in
case anyone is crazy enough for a road trip:
Imagine a gathering that has the basic outline structure of a con but all the
programing is about ecumenical mystical traditions...  Well, I'm going to one
in Schenectedy, NY.  There will be programming on: Norse runic magic, Norse
healing, Celtic magic and religion, Hindu magic and religion, ceremonial magic,
Jewish mysticism, Christian mysticism, New Games, sacred song/ dance, Greek
religion, palmistry, tarot, working with children, men's mysteries, women's 
magic, Native American traditions, etc.  There will be an Open Mike, a Norse
healing circle, at least one ritual in the swimming pool, guided journeying,
and drumming.  Ethericon runs from Friday evening through Monday afternoon. I
am happy to caravan with anyone who drives at a reasonable pace (not the speed
limit...), and will have space in my room.  Con costs $50. at the door and 
the hotel is $55. per night but filling fast.  We hope to stop in Toronto on
Thursday night and then drive like lunatics to get there Friday.  Let me know
if you want more information, phone numbers, etc.  Hey-- why don't we start
something like this around here?!  Cheers!  Bright blessings, Kami

response 2 of 53:

Jan 2 05:10 UTC 1994

this gathering has the lowest bullshit quotient i've seen anywhere! i was
really impressed.  otherwise i wouldn't bother to pass it on.  thanks for your
con cern.  yes, i've seen some pretty silly, homemade and baseless "rune
magic". i'm a terrible snob.  well, the lady who will be at ethericon and knows
about such things, jane sibley, is a. a hereditary norse spaewoman (gets it
from her mother. really.) b. a very rigorous researcher and effective healer/
magical (oops, what did i do to my computer now, whimper?) practitioner and c.
quite a fluent speaker/ reader of old norse.  she makes her own rune sticks,
usually out of ash wood.  the other person whose programming i try not to miss
is a celtic scholar who also does his own translation and is adamently (how do
you spell that?) not doing "if it's pagan it must be celtic". uh- oh, am i
ranting? sorry.  cheers! kami

response 4 of 53:

Jan 3 05:04 UTC 1994

so, anyone want to come along to Ethericon?  Yes, it's a very long weekend on
short notice, but hey, live dangerously! :)

response 6 of 53:

Jan 7 17:01 UTC 1994

I'll have to pass too, but I'd love to hear about it.
-phaedrus

response 8 of 53:

Jan 10 20:19 UTC 1994

?????????
No habla confusing sentences!!??
Wha????
Esplain please.
-phaedrus

response 10 of 53:

Jan 11 03:09 UTC 1994

Vidar, for WHOM does the year begin in late Jan./ early Feb.?  I've seen
Samhain, Saturnalia in early Jan., Apr. 24th, and Beltain in various trads.

also to Vidar, why don't you tell us about it in non cryptic terms.  We are
friends, I think, this is clearly bothering you a lot- it doesn't sound quite
like your usual bloodthirsty rantings :), and some of us may have a helpful
perspective on the subject (or a relatively open-minded ear, at least).

response 12 of 53:

Jan 11 17:51 UTC 1994

In what sense is your former friend/brother a Saxon?  That particular ethnic
division became obsolete a long time ago?  Or are you being metaphorical,
using Saxon as a catch-all derogatory because of the historical enmity
between Saxon and Norseman?  And what did he do that merits slaying?

response 14 of 53:

Jan 12 03:15 UTC 1994

child <g>, brocken hearts mend.  broken tempers mend. broken spirits can mend.
broken promises can be mended.  Great, gaping, jagged wounds to mind or body
usually do NOT mend without immediate, direct attention under clear light.
Festering sores left in dark and weepy or slimy environments usually spread
their rot throughout body and heart until they kill what's best in you. On the
other hand, sometimes when they are subjected to strong sunlight, bracing air,
unbiased opinions and time in the open, they dry up and heal seemingly on their
own. So, like, what'd this guy do to you, man? Talk straight.

response 16 of 53:

Jan 12 21:46 UTC 1994

Since I got here first, I'll answer first.  Vidar, sorry if I'm stepping on 
your toes.  The Thing was the periodic gathering of Norse freeholders at which
laws and legal matters were decided, alliances cemented, rewards and taxes
attended to, etc.  In general, a town meeting.  The "voting members" of this
gathering held a great deal of social control, and part of their role was to
decide what the "eric" or honour price for a crime might be, whether a blood
feud was merited, etc.  

Phaedrus, to be quite honest, I don't remember.  As far as I know, I've always
talked like this.  Thanks, if it sounds useful.

response 18 of 53:

Jan 12 23:38 UTC 1994

OOps....The above was inteded to be to Kami NOT Patricia...Yow!
-phaedrus

response 20 of 53:

Jan 13 00:52 UTC 1994

It's not a matter of what exactly he *did* to me.  It is more a matter of
what he *didn't* do for me.  I have always, until know hated the older of
his two little brothers (I know nothing about his sister except her name),
and I made it known to him.  His brother did not recieve ill-hatred, I
had aa reason, and a good one at that of which this person is well aware.
About mid-fall, I learned Norse Runes from Joe Gilsdorf.  I wrote daily
thoughts on the chalkboard in the Student Center.  One day one of these
happenend to be translated mentioning doing things to this person's
brother.  Larry Stewart called me into his office.  He discussed with
me bothe the E-mail hassle I had with EMU, and the runes.  Immediatly
when I got home, I wrote an apology and sent it to EMU.  I would 
have signed it in my blood to assure this person of my sincerity,
but my fingers are armoured with calluses.  Anyway, this entire perios
was about 4 months long.  Then I waited 1.5-2 months to get angry.
This was the first time I sent exactly what I thought over E-mail
to him.  His response was bad in grammar, but it was clear he did not
want to make-up.  The emmotional death I speak of, is the fact that
sue to his previous shattering of my heart, I really don't care.  Sure,
I shead a couple tears now and then, but it is anger I feel, not sorrow.

I believe that the "thing" wasn't were blood-feuds started.  They were
started because of one man killing another and *not* paying the
man-price or comming to an agreement with the plaintiff before
the next meeting of the thing.  The males were the only voting
members of the thing.

response 22 of 53:

Jan 13 19:41 UTC 1994

One thing to remember, anger is not emotional death.  apathy would seem
closer to emotional death to me.  Anger is passion, which means you can
still care.

Today's society makes a practice of reviling and hiding anger.  We are
taught that anger is always destructive, always the root of evil (whatever
that is), in short to be hidden or controlled (read squashed into socially
acceptable forms) at whatever personal cost.

I do not subscribe to this idea.  Anger can be a positive force, as long as
it is clean, by which I mean something complex.  Lt's see if I can clarify
this.  Anger in a just cause (and that'll vary from individual to
individual), anger that only seeks redress, not retribution, that is clean.
I'm not talking about wallowing in it, allowing it to control you so that
you act in a sadistic fury, but there are times (and who am I to judge
whether this is one) when it is right and healthy to be angry, and when to
suppress it would cause the sort of thing that Kami and Faedrus are talking
about.

There, now you've had my completely unqualified opinion too.

response 24 of 53:

Jan 14 02:16 UTC 1994

I agree Chris. I'm just beginning to learn about anger. I really used to see it
as merely a destructive emotion, but denying it is just as bad as letting it
flow unchecked. It seems alot like other aspects of life that the mainstream
isn't teaching, like death...sex...etc. It's tough, my parents were no
roadmap!
I hope we in the Pagan community can correct this.
-phaedrus