(no subject)

[featherynscale]

Survived Heartland, despite all attempts to the contrary, both on my part and the parts of the gods, who provided us with several lovely thunderstorms complete with high winds over the course of the weekend. I have to say, Casa de Superman (the tent of the Entropic Trinity) has proved its worth once again - not only did it not blow over, but also it did not admit a vast quantity of water, even though we forced it to contain a king-sized air mattress for which it was not really rated, and which caused its front face to bulge out about 3 inches. It's also worth mentioning that this is the second rainy outing in Casa de Superman, and still we have not seam-sealed the thing. So that's on the to-do list, but I suppose not all that urgently.

Also performing in a stellar manner was the new screen house, which withstood aforementioned winds, even though kittenpants and the rest of the bold set-up crew failed to, well, clip the tarp to the poles. So there.

Performing in a less than stellar manner was yours truly. I didn't manage to make it to any workshops (in my defense, the only ones I was really interested in going to happened before I was able to get to camp), or, in fact, any official rituals. I did participate in finnchu's Mead Hall ritual and subsequent debaucheries, where I met finnchu and lexpendragon, among other folks whose names I no longer recall (bad crow!). Anyway, good times there.

Had a fine time hanging out with the whole crew of friends - I'd like to come back next year. I'd really like to do some ritual out on the site, as well. I understand that the festival itself is not known for the quality of its public ritual, and I don't see any way to change that in the near future that would not involve way more time and energy than I personally have, but there's no reason why our group couldn't go out there and do its own thing during the festival - there seems to be a need within the land for some magical clean-up of some sort. Or I'm just making that up, possibly. You make the call.

In other news, I'm just remembering that I was supposed to talk to teross50 the other week about his book project.... Argh. Brain like sieve. Must talk to him about that soonly...

Comments

[diermuid.livejournal.com]

I've always felt that public rituals of any sort, when you try to combine so many different lifestyles is quite a daunting task. I know the crews that do many things out there... but I'm not familiar with who was on the ritual crew. There is a -lot- of preparation that goes into every nightly ritual though... I've seen that, but as far as the ritual itself, I have no idea what it's missing. I tend to scurry the other direction whenever organized stuff starts up. I'm not sure you can really make it that compelling without disenfranchising groups of folks.

Last year, the druids stomped around the fire until sunrise... I was utterly amazed at the tenacity and conviction. It was 32 degrees out, and sweaty naked druids were still at it. Not sure what they did this year, as I didn't have the safety graveyard shift. ;-)

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying that the people that run ritual don't know how to run ritual, or that they don't put time and energy into it. All I'm saying is that if you ask 100 people why they go to HPF, it's been my understanding that not that many of them are going to say "Ritual!" It just doesn't seem to be the focus of the thing.

And yeah, large-scale public ritual almost always ends up to feel somehow lacking to me. I think Gaia does some damned decent ritual, but we're not dealing with 500 people in circle. You may have heard this from me before, but I suspect that there's a reason why most practicing pagan groups keep to the 13-or-less rule, that being that it's a hell of a lot easier to write awesome ritual for 13 than for 1300.

[diermuid.livejournal.com]

True, I hear a lot more effort being put into securing workshops and venues... but then this is listed as a 'festival', not a spirtiual retreat. I think triple-G (Gaea Goddess Gathering) might be more on the spiritual side. The HSA is more of a meeting point for people & groups, thus a "Spiritual Alliance". I can't think of many that come out simply for the ritual, although some of the more involved HSA folks are big into it.

On the historical side, it has been stated by some of the elder vets that Heartland used to be more spiritual gathering, less festival (actually the disparraging term was 'orgy of the altered minds' or something like that) but now there are multiple venues at Gaea throughout the year. Some don't even have much crossover. Some simply hit the Festival of Tara, some only hit triple G. Yet others just come out there monthly for coven meetings. Heck, a few people live out there all year 'round. All sorts of niches to hit. The idea is you get them all together once a year, and perhaps some people will find a niche they are happier with. Sometimes we meet up with people we really like, and form our own groups doing our own thing. (the Elvendrums saga)

[jaiwitchy.livejournal.com]

Acctually I was on the ritual commitee this year, calling water. I have to say I was proud of the job we did. I am always warmed and moved by the rituals at heartland weather in them or observing. The only down fall is the inability to have group participation as there is such a large group, thus the reason most ritualy end in the dance pulling the crowd toward the fire.

also Aslin is an awsome HPS with Drake as HP. it was a truly moving combination.

The other thing was the fact that more people weren't able to do vision quest. Everyone that came through said it was truly moving.

I guess I think if you are unable to go to ritual or any other or the spiritual gatherings you shouldn't bother and stay home!

just stay home!

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

I guess I think if you are unable to go to ritual or any other or the spiritual gatherings you shouldn't bother and stay home!

We did. That is to say, we stayed in our camp or other camps if we weren't going. It's not like we walked by and said, "What a stupid ritual" and left. As someone said elsewhere, Heartland is a festival, not a spiritual retreat; I don't think the rituals are the biggest focus for most people, nor should they probably be (IMO).

That being said, there's another reason I didn't go; it was my first major pagan festival, and I don't generally relish going to Gaia Community's 50 man rituals. Going to a non-participatory ritual with hundreds of people in circle isn't my cup of tea...I'm glad you got/get a lot out of it.

[diermuid.livejournal.com]

>>I guess I think if you are unable to go to ritual or any other or the spiritual gatherings you shouldn't bother and stay home!<<

Again, this is the difference between a spiritual retreat and a festival. If you go to Rockfest, is it mandatory to sing?

Frankly, if it is a 100% spiritual thing, I don't go unless I am their for child wrangling. Because in my opinion, if you can't secure childcare, you "shouldn't bother and stay home." 8-P (Again, negativity breeds negativity)

I'm not into spirituality, so I don't hit half the stuff Mik likes. But Heartland is much more than ritual. I was busy the whole time, and contributing, without ever stepping foot in a ritual.