Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for June, 2016

Midsummer 2016-Perun’s Blessings

Posted in druidry, magic, Other, religion, Ritual, Sabbat, wicca, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 19, 2016| 5 Comments »

SLPS celebrated Midsummer Saturday, June 18, 2016. The members gathered on freshly cut grass, and under the grove of the pines at the temple. The sun was low in the sky, allowing for a cool evening. President Muad’Dib led the ritual in the New American tradition. The Oak and Holly Kings were present, as well as Hern and Perun. SLPS honors the transitioning of the year from the Oak King to the Holly King at Midsummer, as the sun’s zenith is reached and starts to descend to the longest night at Yule.

A dialogue about Midsummer, the path of the sun, and why it’s important to do solar rites took place. Some hand holding and dancing around the altar to the song “Litha” on the album Circle of the Seaons by Lisa Thiel allowed the members to raise energy. Some Midsummer poetry, Sign of the Daisy by Helen Hunt Jackson was read.

Perun, the patriarch of the Slavic pantheon, descended and spoke to everyone present. Perun rules over lightning, thunder, fire, oak, eagle and the ax or hammer. He gave a message of love, acceptance and inclusion, speaking about the forgotten myth, messages, and the simple ways of living like a Slav (bear meat, mushrooms, cabbage, the woods). He said how lonely he gets, with no one to talk with, no one patroning the pantheon like they once did. He encouraged everyone to love each person, work by the sun and moon, to embrace the messages of the ancient kindred, and to live simply as the Slavs did. He blessed them and accepted everyone into his family.  This message was a first, as SLPS welcomed him to the temple as a new God just arrived from the Czech Republic.

Midsummer 2016, Shy Fox (l) and Camille Harriss making tri tip steak kababs, Saturday, June 18, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2016, altar, Saturday, June 18, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2016, altar center, Saturday, June 18, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2016, Perun, Saturday, June 18, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2016, l to r- Shy Fox, Stesha Bowden, Camille Harris, Woman Between the Wolves, Saturday, June 18, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2016, Sunset, Saturday, June 18, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Midsummer 2016, feast l to r- steak kababs, deviled eggs, rice salad, baked purple cauliflower with Stesha Bowden (l) and Shy Fox, Saturday, June 18, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Read Full Post »

Midsummer 2016

Posted in Pagan, Ritual, Sabbat, wicca, witchcraft, tagged , , , , , , , , on June 13, 2016| Leave a Comment »

SLPS Midsummer 2016.png

Read Full Post »

Utah Pride Festival 2016-A Gay Old Time!

Posted in LGBT, Other, Tarot, Vending, tagged , , , , , , , on June 13, 2016| Leave a Comment »

The 41st Annual Utah Pride Festival took place over the weekend of June 3-5, 2016. The Festival opened with prayer at the Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service on Thursday, June 2 at First Baptist Church. Pride this year included the usual music, vendors, food, rallies, and parade.

SLPS has been participating with a booth at Pride since 2011. The first tarot readings were in 2012, which were free. In 2014, SLPS started charging $5 and uped it to $10 in 2015. This year’s booth was highly successful, bringing in a good income from the society as the annual fundraiser that sets the budget. Over 100 readings were done, many of which were palm readings.

Many companies and organizations participated, including Discover, Netflix, Vegan Leather Boundary, Utah Gay Rodeo Association, the City Library, and the Animal Shelter. Some great and diverse food vendors came including funnel cakes, pizza, Greek, Jamaican, Skewered Thai, Poutine Fries, and Sweet Roasted Corn.

Sunday was the busy day. SLPS marched in the parade with the interfaith in front of the rainbow flag. President Muad’Dib was asked to bless the flag this year, uttering the following prayer “Father Sky, Firm Earth, let this rainbow shine and open people’s pockets deep and fill her up! So mote it be!” Money thrown into the flag goes to the Utah Pride Center.

Tens of thousands people lined up on 200 S. to watch the parade. The route was reversed this year, with the floats, all 153 entries lining up along 200 W and the Salt Palace and ending at 400 E. A dozen or so protesters were seen, but they were in the minority.

The trees around the city and county building were certainly happy about the festival. President Muad’Dib was walking by an old sycamore when he felt how happy the tree was for the people. “The tree was smiling and looking around, just so happy to be giving its shade to people in the hot sun. It seemed they are lonely there, as its a government building, and they just want to connect with the people around them and provide for them. I think it’s nice then that the area is used for festivals so that the trees feel like they are being useful, giving of their resources like shade and comfort.”

Sunday was the very busy, with the festival squeezed to the brim! The Pride Center reported over 50,000 people attended the festival and 50,000 attended the parade over the weekend!

Utah Pride Festival 2016, History Zone, Salt Lake City Public Library, Wednesday, June 1, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, History Zone-Utah Pride, Salt Lake City Public Library, Wednesday, June 1, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, History Zone, Utah Pride History poster created by Muad’Dib, Salt Lake City Public Library, Wednesday, June 1, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, l to r- Woman Between the Wolves, Stesha Bowden, Shy Fox, Saturday, June 4, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, l to r- Woman Between the Wolves, Stesha Bowden, and Shy Fox, Saturday, June 4, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, clients, Saturday, June 4, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, night at Tryangles, Saturday, June 4, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016-Parade along 200 S. and 200 W. looking east, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016-Parade, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016-Parade, Muad’Dib and Shy Fox lined up, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016-Parade, Chuvaruh B’Yachad Reconstructionist Jews of Salt Lake, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016-Parade, Mount Tabor Lutheran Church, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016-Parade, flag, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016-Parade, Rainbow Wizard Muad’Dib, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016-Parade, attendees along 200 S., Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016-Parade, protesters along 200 S., Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016-Parade, in the parade along 200 S., Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, booths looking west, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, booths looking north, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, booths looking east, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, food vendors, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, The Big Burger food vendor, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Skewered Thai food vendor, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Sweet Roasted Corn food vendor, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Funnel Cake food vendor, Sunday, June 5, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Read Full Post »

Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition 2016 Interfaith Service

Posted in Interfaith, LGBT, Other, religion, tagged , , , , on June 2, 2016| Leave a Comment »

The 15th Annual Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service kicked off 2016 Utah Pride Festival. Held Thursday, June 2, 2016 the service is a great way to open the festivities: with prayer and worship. SLPS has been participating with the interfaith since 2011.

This year’s service was held again at First Baptist Church. This is primarily due to the reorganization that took place earlier in the year. The service included the Salt Lake Men’s Choice, a speaker, a ritual of remembrance, and a chant by the Buddhists. The main speach was given by Cindy Solomon-Kelbba from Wasatch Metropolitan Community Church (MCC). The Pride Pipers recessed at the closing, leading the faith leaders out of the chapel, which included over 15 faith organizations and about 20 leaders from Unitarian, Pagan, Buddhist (Zen and Tibetan), Catholic (one priest traveled from Evantson, WY), Christian, and Mormon’s Building Bridges. A reception with refreshments was held afterwards for the faith leaders to mingle with the audience.

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service, Woman Between the Wolves (wizard hat), Anna Zumwalt (Back middle painting), Curtis Price (right lavender shirt), clergy before service, First Baptist Church, Thursday, June 2, 2016, Salt Lake City UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service, Maureen Duffey-Boose (left), Woman Between the Wolves (Wizard hat), Curtis Price (right), clergy before service, First Baptist Church, Thursday, June 2, 2016, Thursday, June 3, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service, Cindy Solomon-Klebba (middle), Matthew Cockrum (right) clergy before service, First Baptist Church, Thursday, June 2, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service, Anna Zumwalt (left), Cindy Solomon-Klebba (middle brown), Woman Between The Wolves (right blue), clergy before service, First Baptist Church, Thursday, June 2, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service, Salt Lake Men’s Choir, First Baptist Church, Thursday, June 2, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service, Buddhist Chant, First Baptist Church, Thursday, June 2, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service, Cindy Solomon-Klebba of Wasatch Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), First Baptist Church, Thursday, June 2, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service, Anna Zumwalt of Zen Buddhist (left) and Mathew Cockrum of First Unitarian, First Baptist Church, Thursday, June 2, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service, Maureen Duffy-Boose performing ritual of remembrance, First Baptist Church, Thursday, June 2, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service, ritual of remembrance with candles lit, First Baptist Church, Thursday, June 2, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service, Pride Pipers after service, First Baptist Church, Thursday, June 2, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Utah Pride Festival 2016, Utah Pride Interfaith Coalition Interfaith Service, Anna Zumwalt (left black), Curtis Price (right black), clergy after service, First Baptist Church, Thursday, June 2, 2016, Salt Lake City, UT

Read Full Post »