Every couple of months UUPS has the esteemed opportunity to visit its sister group the Utah State University Pagan Alliance.
This trip came around one of the most favored of all holidays for most pagans: Samhain! A time to honor the dead and set goals for the Pagan New Year.
Each year, USUPA puts on a big ritual at the local Unitarian Universalist Church in Logan Utah. Complete with food, fun, wine and ritual, this is the best Samhain North of Salt Lake City!
UUPS got the ritual outline, food for the potluck, robes and staffs and heads north (carpooling of course) to just south of Potato country.
This time, UUPS arrived in mass carrying its share of pagans and food…always a good combination.
Tickets were $5.00 before and $10.00 at the door. The ritual started promptly at 8:00pm. A beautiful circle of leaves, with a portable fire pit and altar in the west was set up outside behind the UU church under a clear night with the moon shining brightly down upon everyone through the leaves of the autumn trees.
Each participant was led to the west gate were they were cleansed and consecrated with sage and water before entering the circle. Making a circle clockwise, the participants lined up in a circle with nearly seventy people squeezing in.
Four helpers stood in the quarters invoking, blessing and dismissing with the elementals. Kassie lead the ritual with a poem reading, raising and dismissing the collective energy in the circle with great efficiency and her big sword, shouting to the Gods, Goddesses and ancestors before falling to the earth. The fire was dimmed and everyone was given a few moments to reflect on life, their dead, and goals to be set for the New Year. At this point, all were given slivers of wood to be thrown into the Samhain fire, signifying a renewal of goals or the setting thereof. Each person said aloud what they desired to do, change or work in their life in the coming year from having a cat to obeying what the Gods and Goddesses tell them.
Many tears flowed as hearts became soft and the participants reflected on their lives.
Afterwards, all were treated to a wonderful feast of stew and other sides that were brought such as swamp muck (guacamole), shriveled heads (backed pears) and love potion no 9. (grape juice with cinnamon and spices). All in all, UUPS can’t wait to go again! Thanks USUPA!
USUPA Samhain 2011, Woman Between the Wolves (l) and Muad’Dib, Sunday, October 30, 2011, Logan, UT
USUPA Samhain 2011, Ancestral Altar with candles, Sunday October 30, 2011, Logan, UT
USUPA Samhain 2011, Ancestral Altar, Sunday, October 30, 2011, Logan, UT
Utah State University Pagan Alliance (USUPA) Samhain 2011 Circle, Sunday, October 30, 2011, Unitarian Universalist Church, Logan, UT