Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for September, 2012

Thanks to all who came this morning, September 30, 2012 at 9am and helped collect magical plants and herbs! After finding the appropriate guides and maps to wildflowers and trees of the Wasatch, the members of UUPS headed up to Big Cottonwood. With field guides and magical bolines, the identifying, harvesting and thanking commenced. Many of the plants were eager to be part of a magical apothecary and be in a warm home before the fall snow hits in October.

After a few hours, the sun was sneaking high into the sky and everyone called it a day. There will be another herb gathering event. For now the fruits of the harvest include sage brush, prickly pear cactus, unita groundsel, hairy goldenaster, perry’s goldenrod, and scarlet gilia!  The big poisonous plant we found is Myrtle Spurge! Just a note, the flowers look pretty but this plant in the third and fourth photos is poisonous and considered a noxious weed when cultivated! So do not cultivate if you take some home on our next trip. Check out the photos below!

Magical Ingredient Gathering, Prickly Pear Cactus, September 30, 2012 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT

Magical Ingredient Gathering, Uinta Groundsil, September 30, 2012 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT

Magical Ingredient Gathering, Creeping Myrtle Spurge (Poisonous), September 30, 2012 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT

Magical Ingredient Gathering-Creeping Myrtle Spurge (Poisonous) September 30, 2012 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT

Magical Ingredient Gathering, Utah Goldenrod, September 20, 2012

Magical Ingredient Gathering, Scarlet Gilia, September 30, 2012 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT

Magical Ingredient Gathering, Shy Fox gathering Hairy Goldenaster, September 30, 2012 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT

Magical Ingredient, Gathering Lunar Oak Spirit, September 30, 2012 Big Cottonwood Canyon

Magical Ingredient Gathering- Muad’Dib September 30, 2012 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT

Magical Ingredient Gathering-l to r Lunar Oak Spirit, Shy Fox, and Muad’Dib, September 30, 2012 Big Cottonwood

Magical Ingredient Gathering, Helvijs Vigners, September 30, 2012 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT

Magical Ingredient Gathering, Shy Fox, September 30, 2012 Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT

Read Full Post »

Remember everyone that we are meeting this morning around 10:30 at the 711 of Big Cottonwood Canyon to hunting for acorns and sage. No tea since we’ll be gathering. Bring you magical bolines, basket, biscuits and hiking boots!

Read Full Post »

Thanks to all who came and made Mabon a terrific event! This past Saturday, September 22, 2012, UUPS met under the shade of pines to give honor and celebration to the passing of the light to the dark and the aging deities.

Starting the ritual right after sunset, President Muad’Dib got things rolling with the calling the elements and deities and giving praise and honor to the aging Gods and Goddesses in the Wiccan Celtic pantheon. With a beautiful altar, all those present danced and sang while  beating drums, shaking rattles and ringing bells!

About then, the Hermit showed up carrying a lantern! It was the aged God! He divided the light from the dark and allowed Apollo to speak to us and to pass the lantern of light to the Shadow side of himself, the Lord of Shadow Cernunnos. The Lord of Shadow allowed everyone to banish something into the Mabon fire that they wish to work on before the light was dimmed. A meditation on the darkness followed for a few minutes before the Lord departed. Now all are on the path as the dark times move forward!

Ganesh showed up in time for his birthday celebration! Lots of dancing and singing took place as Ganesh channeled himself into everyone present.

The closing of Mabon brought a memorial service for one of the members cats, Ms. Big Kitty. She passed on to the big castle in the sky with the Goddess at the age of 16. Condolences and words of comfort were offered before cakes and ale and the closing before the feast!

Feasting brought stuffed chickens, garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and more! With wine flowing, Baccus was making his rounds! All had a wonderful and safe time at this year’s Mabon. Till next we meet under magic and moon at Samhain!

Mabon 2012, Lunar Oak Spirit at south altar, September 22, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

 

Mabon 2012, Azetta Seedling of the Blue Dragon (l), and Callista Dreamwalker September 22, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

 

Mabon 2012 Willow Figueroa (l) and Fire Runner September 22, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

 

Mabon 2012, l to r-Lunar Oak Spirit, Iyata Bond, and Fire Runner, September 22, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

 

Mabon 2012, l to r-Lunar Oak Spirit, Woman Between the Wolves and Callista Dreamwalker, September 22, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

 

Mabon 2012, Fire Runner opening wine, September 22, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

 

Mabon 2012, main altar, September 22, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

 

Mabon 2012, altar center, September 22, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

 

Mabon 2012, lights, September 22, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

 

Mabon 2012, feast l to r-Mustard Seed, Lunar Oak Spirit, Callista and Mr. Dreamwalker, Darla Darr, Azetta Seedling of the Blue Dragon, Shy Fox, Rena Fairbrother, September 22, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

 

Mabon 2012, feast l to r-Fire Runner, Iyata Bond, Mustard Seed and Lunar Oak Spirit, September 22, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Read Full Post »

No Tea Sunday, September 23, 2012

After such a wonderful Mabon celebration and feast, the members need to charge up again and get rested. No tea today for the pagan society. See you all next week!

Read Full Post »

The fall is coming! The dark times are near! Come join in the celebration and witness the passing of the light times of the year from Apollo to the dark times of the year to Hades. This is an auspicious time when light and dark are equal again. The increasing darkness tells us to turn inward, walk the path and seek the light within. We will also be celebrating Ganesh’s birthday! Feast as usual will be after the ritual!

(Flyer by Lunar Oak Spirit)

Read Full Post »

What a wonderful opportunity the U of U Pagan Society had this past Sunday, September 9, 2012 to table and have a booth at the 11th annual Salt Lake Pagan Pride Day in Murray Park. After getting lost a few times and finding the access to pavilions 1,2, and 3, everything was set up by 9:45, just in time for everyone to get there new UUPS t-shirts on and for the festival to start at 10am.

The opening ritual of the festival included a simple dancing ritual by the members of Earth Haven Coven and Crone’s Hollow. Shortly after the ritual, flocks of people came to the booth to to receive free tarot readings as well as to see the big joint altar set up by UUPS and one of the sister groups of UUPS The Iseum of the Divine Feminine-Fellowship of Isis. Thinking statues were for sale, several members had to be one watch to make sure none of the gods and goddess tried to leave with curious patrons. At noon, a thelemic ritual was performed by two members of Horus Oasis O.T.O. right next to the booth…  it was quite interesting trying to read the tarot with all the “hail Horus and AGLA”s!! A few people did utilize the opportunity and gave a few hails of their own at the joint altar and cleansed some items in the holy water representing the Goddesses.

As the day rolled on, the lines didn’t let up for the people wanting free ten card spread tarot readings.  Luckily, UUPS and ISD had several readers on hand to switch off with so everyone got a break, ate lunch and rested under the cool shade of maples and the tent while listening to traditional gypsy violin

Near the end of the festival about 4pm, Lei Loni Tilley, a mermaid of the great salt lake, made an appearance and one of Salt Lake’s finest didgeridoo players was blowing his way to fame at pavilion one. Even so, the line for tarot was so long, the sign had to be taken down to ensure the booth could be packed up by the closing time at 6pm!

All in all, it was a wonderful event. UUPS and IDF met and talked with hundreds of people as well as giving advice, news, comfort and solace to hundreds through the tarot.

Salt Lake City Pagan Pride Day, Altar, Sunday, September 9, 2012, Murray Park, Murray, UT

Salt Lake City Pagan Pride Day, Goddesses, Sunday, September 9, 2012, Murray Park, Murray, UT

Salt Lake City Pagan Pride Day, Gods, Sunday, September 9, 2012, Murray Park, Murray, UT

Salt Lake City Pagan Pride Day, Altar Center, Sunday, September 9, 2012, Murray Park, Murray, UT

Salt Lake Pagan Pride Day 2012, L to r-Fire Runner, Mustard Seed, and Lunar Oak Spirit, Sunday, September 9, 2012, Murray Park, Murray, UT

Salt Lake Pagan Pride Day 2012, l to r Mustard Seed, Lunar Oak Spirit. and Rena Fairbrother, Sunday, September 9, 2012, Murray Park, Murray, UT

Salt Lake Pagan Pride Day 2012, l to r Shy Fox, Muad’Dib, Iyata Bond and Nathan Nevarez, Sunday, September 9, 2012, Murray Park, Murray, UT

Salt Lake Pagan Pride Day 2012, Iyata Bond (l), Denis Hunsaker, Sunday, September 9, 2012, Murray Park, Murray, UT

Salt Lake Pagan Pride Day 2012 L to r-Fire Runner, Mustard Seed, Rena Fairbrother, Lunar Oak Spirit and Iyata Bond (far right) Sunday, September 9, 2012, Murray Park, Murray, UT

Salt Lake City Pagan Pride Day, Willow Figueroa, Mermaids of the Great Salt Lake, Sunday, September 9, 2012, Murray Park, Murray, UT

Salt Lake Pagan Pride Day 2012, Muad’Dib with the Deviant Moon Tarot, Saturday, September 9, 2012, Murray Park, Murray UT

Read Full Post »

Over the last several months, the U of U Pagan Society has been helping a local group called “The Iseum of the Divine Feminine-Fellowship of Isis” get rolling and get the word out that there is a group for those seeking the Goddess! This group isn’t all about the goddess or being pagan, but is there for those seeking to discover the divine feminine and to honor the sacred masculine as well.

They meet the first sunday of each month, check out the facebook and the meetup site!

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/groups/505408252819663/

Read Full Post »

Thanks to all who came and made this “once in a blue moon” occasion extra special! On Saturday, Sept 1, 2012 at 8pm, with a crowd of nine, some UUPS members and a few guests gathered. The ritual started out with the usual calling in of deity and elementals to join our work. President Mu’adDib performed the druid grove open ceremony by proclaiming peace in the quarters and invoking Awen.

Next, those who needed to performed cleansing and charging magic before a welcoming of the new deities to the humble abode of the president. With drums, rattles, sistrums and other percussion instruments, the members and guests hailed and welcomed new gods and goddesses to the circle such as Apollo and Medusa! They certainly showed up, as everyone reported feeling the shivers up and down there spine the power the gods and goddesses bring.

A cleansing by the blue moon came after the welcoming. Everyone was consecrated with smoke from thurber by president Muad’Dib, then they washed their bodies ritually in a basin of water with sweet grass oil representing blood and spirit. President Muad’Dib lit a smokeless fire where he pulled in the Gods and Goddesses and nwyfre, the fire of life and the Earth.  The fire represented the fire within and the burning fire of blue moon. Hands were passed through the fire to give a sealing to the washings and consecrations. President invoked a blessing of Cerriwden, Arianrhod to empower the soul, Shiva to transform, Medusa to see past the physical, Justice to find wisdom, Apollo to see the light within, Ganesh to overcome and Isis to heal the body, mind and spirit of all. The end of the blue moon magic brought an anointing with a special blue moon lunar oil.

Cakes, ale and gratitude offerings were presented to the Goddesses and Gods before closing and dismissing the energy and the grove. The traditional Merry Meet and Merry Part chant finished the magic on this very special blue moon! President Muad’Dib gave everyone tarot readings for the coming month with his special Deviant Moon Tarot to ad an extra punch to the blue moon magic!

Blue Moon Altar, Goddess Isis, September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual, altar, September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual, altar center, September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual, Goddess side, September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual God side September 1, 2012 Salt Lake City UT

Blue Moon Ritual, Muad’Dib, September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual, Iyata Bond, September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual, Donna Mae, September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual, Woman Between the Wolves, September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual, Woman Between the Wolves (l) and Donna Mae at Fire, September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual, Ganesh statue, September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual, Callista Dreamwalker (l) and Woman Between the Wolves, September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual, l to r- Azetta Seedling of the Blue Dragon, Rena Fairbrother and Callista Dreamwalker September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual, Fire Runner (l) and Mustard Seed, September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual, Offering bowl and holy water, September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Blue Moon Ritual, Callista Dreamwalker (l) and Rena Fairbrother September 1, 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Read Full Post »

These past weeks were awesome! Many students stopped by UUPS table at Welcome Week on Wednesday, August 22, 2012 from 10am-2pm on the U of U Student Union West Lawn for free tarot readings. Ganesh watched over the table as president Muad’Dib and UUPS adviser Woman Between the Wolves gave free readings to almost fifty people in the four hours available to students to table at the student union. There were even a few people interested in joining the Pagan Society! All in all, things went well and we got the word out that there is a safe and inclusive space for all persons to come and explore alternative spirituality!

Welcome Week Tabling University of Utah Union Lawn, Muad’Dib, August 22 2012, Salt Lake City, UT

Read Full Post »