Starting as a Gardnarian, Mike has since become more eclectic, gathering bits of Scandinavian and Native American beliefs to supplement his basic Celtic pagan system. His only "complaint" about the path is that no one warned him that somewhere along the line the word PRIEST would be etheriacally tattooed on his forehead. And that the result would be to have people of widely divergent ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds telling him things he's not sure he should know, and asking for advice about things he's only just heard about.

Mike is currently married to Robin Wood and partner to Skyia. (If you haven't met 
either of these wonderful women, make a point of it while you're here.) He's
consulting to the Ford Motor Company as a Technical Trainer showing people how
to use proprietary computer based diagnostic and development equipment and software,
and also traveling the world (England, Germany, and Sweden) to explain to the various Ford divisions and Ford corporate partners the folly of ignoring EPA and European Environment Agency regulations.
 
 

 Trish Telesco is 38 years old, the mother of three children (and one husband), and chief human to three cats and a dog. She has authored numerous metaphysical books including Victorian Grimoire, Kitchen Witch's Cookbook, Futuretelling, and Goddess in my Pocket. By the year 2,000 she hopes to have a total of 30 books on the market.  Recently Trish has quit her job to devote herself to the community full time via writing and workshops. She enjoys hobbies like herbalism and singing, and  is presently looking for people interested in helping with a book on Sacred Sites. If you have information to share, see her this weekend.

k

Isaac Bonewits
http://www.neopagan.net/ 
Isaac Bonewits is North America's leading expert on Druidism, Witchcraft and the rapidly growing Earth Religions movement. A practicing Neopagan priest, scholar, teacher, bard and polytheologian for over twenty-five years, he has coined much of the vocabulary and articulated many of the issues that have shaped the quarter-million strong Neopagan community in the United States and Canada. 

As an author, a singer-songwriter, and a "spellbinding" speaker, he has educated, enlightened and entertained two generations of modern Goddess worshippers, nature mystics, and followers of other minority belief systems, and has explained these movements to journalists, law enforcement officers, college students, and academic researchers.  He has been a Neopagan Druid priest for almost thirty years and is the founder and Archdruid Emeritus of Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (the best known Neopagan Druid organization in North America), an initiated High Priest in the Gardnerian ("British Orthodox") tradition of Wicca, and a nonpracticing initiate of Santeria, the N.R.O.O.G.D. ("California Heterodox") tradition of Wicca, and the "Caliphate Line" of the Ordo Templi Orientis (Crowleyean ceremonial magic lodge), as well as a member of other Neopagan and Mesopagan Druid orders.  He was the first person in history to receive an accredited degree for studies in the field of Magic (B.A., University of California). He is the author of several books, including Real Magic, the classic beginner’s introduction to the occult (currently available from Weiser Publications); Authentic Thaumaturgy, a well known text on the occult for players of “Dungeons & Dragons” and other fantasy games (available again soon from Steve Jackson Games); and The Druid Chronicles (Evolved), the history, rituals and scriptures of the Reformed Druids of North America.

He has edited several publications in the New Age/Neopagan communities, and has published numerous articles in both the metaphysical and mainstream media. He has been interviewed by scores of print and broadcast reporters over the years and has established a reputation with them of being trustworthy, witty, authoritative and quotable.  He has lectured and taught workshops in various Occult /New /Age / Neopagan subjects since 1970. He is one of the most respected yet controversial leaders in the rapidly growing Neopagan community. 
 

Freya Aswynn
http://www.aswynn.co.uk/

Freya Aswynn is one of the UK's foremost authorities on the runes and their history. A dedicated priestess of Wodan and the old religion of the North, she has experience in divination, counseling and healing with the runes. 

She is the author of Northern Mysteries & Magick : Runes, Gods, and Feminine Powers, Leaves of Yggdrasil : A Synthesis of Runes, Gods, Magic, Feminine Mysteries, and Folklore (Llewellyn's Teutonic Magick Series), and her newest offering, Principles of Runes. 

Freya will be available to do private readings during the Gathering. 
Email : Gathering@OutoftheDark.com for reservation information.
 
 
 

Arawn Machia
     Arawn Machia is a healer, Strega high priest and elder, psychotherapist, and spiritual counselor.  He is schooled in ancient magickal practices and modern behavior sciences, and has studied with internationally recognized shaman and psychologists in both the United States and Europe.  _Who's Who in the World_ says Dr. Machia's "noteworthy achievements are of lasting value to humankind." He holds degrees in theology, education, and psychology, and has done post-doctoral work in Princeton.
     Arawn has been a presenter at numerous conferences and has been published in numerous pagan and secular journals.  His own journal, "Dragon Whispers", is distributed throughout the U.S. and Europe.

Oxun Olakari' Al'aye
     Tyo Llorente: Oxun Olakari' Al'aye is an initiate priestess of Oshun of both  Afro-Cuban Santeria and Palo Mayombe as well as an initiate of Brazilian Condomble. She brings to her present practice a diverse background: clinical and Jungian psychology, shamanic trance and healing work. She has, for the past 15 years, traveled to many countries lecturing and learning, including extensive study while living in Brazil. She is a practitioner of ecstatic dance, a poet and lyricist, Akpetebi' de Orunmila ("Maid of Orunmila"), a practitioner and student of Awo (the ancient Yoruba science of divination). Daughter of Oshun, the river, Mother of Mirrors, through silence and through sound, stillness and movement, introspection and celebration, is the reflection through which the beautiful reveals itself. Ecstasy is a love affair with the divine. Maferefun Orisha.
     Oxun will be offering workshops  about the practices and traditions of Ifa' and Orisha worship as expressed through Yoruba, Afro-Cuba Santeria, and Afro-Brazilian Candomble.  She will explain the qualities and attributes of various Orisha (forces in nature as faces of Deities) and the ways in which the Aleyo (non-initiated worshippers can respectfully and productively work with the Orisha traditions.

Kirk McLarenAmulets by Merlin
    Kirk McLaren's foundation in the study in the mysteries began with Qabalist and Jazz musician Dr. Fred Katz of Southern California in the mid seventies. Kirk first began teaching Tarot in Spokane, Washington at Yhantra Book store in 1980 and has been teaching seminars for Circles, Gatherings and Conventions ever since. He completed his course work in Visual Arts through the "McLaren Studio Academy".
     Kirk has combined jewelry design and the study of the Tarot to produce a Three Dimensional Tarot System completed in 1993. This approach is based on the images of the Major Arcana in small sculpture that may be tossed like small stones, then read as they fall.
 

Donna Schneider
    Donna is a hearth witch, and "Mom" to many who have come to know her.
She has been attending this gathering for years; fixing booboo, passing out brownies, and feeding some of us into submission. The path she has chosen is Celtic in nature, but she follows The Mother in all her forms.  Donna will be back with us once again; to do her workshop on braiding.

    She will be teaching standard 3 strand braiding, the Celtic/ medieval braid, french braiding, and variations, and combinations of all three styles. She'll show you how to use cords, ribbon, flowers and other things to enhance your individual style. Bring a friend to practice on, a hairbrush, and learn this age old art form. Braiding can be beautiful, functional, and fun.

   This gathering, Donna will also be demonstrating how to make mulled cider on a camp stove. While it is not the traditional method; the results are still very tasty. Those attending this mini workshop are requested to bring a (heat proof) cup, or mug, so they can sample the brew.

LadyOwl
     LadyOwl is a Wiccan priestess ostensibly from an eclectic tradition, but she keeps wandering into this celtic thing....  Sometime back a High Priestess asked her if she practiced Music Magick - a logical question to ask a Pagan musician.  After staring blankly for a few minutes, LadyOwl was off on a new tangent, with music firmly in tow.  Then there's this inner child, play in the mud, uh clay thing.  A passion from high school and college days, she figured she'd get back to it one day, probably when she retired.  Then she went to a guided meditation at a festival and they handed her a hunk of clay ... these pesky muses can be hard to shake....

There will be the traditional potluck dinner Friday night, followed by a bonfire and drumming, a HUGE Bonfire Saturday night after the concert to drum and dance around, special children's activities throughout the event, and much, much more!

Nymue 
Nymue ia a Pagan parent, married to her best friend and OWNED by a magickal dog and a pair of codependent cats. 

By profession, she is a teacher/social worker at a High School, and in her spare time teaches online classes on various aspects of the Craft. List Mom for Pagan Path, an international listserve with 600 members, she gives fellow Pagans a place to learn, share, laugh, care and network. With her husband, she owns an online Pagan Store called Celestial Seas (http://www.celestialseas.com ), and teaches workshops at Pagan festivals and gatherings.

Nymue has grown up hearing and following the call of the Goddess and been an actively, openly, practicing Pagan for the past 8 years following her Celtic roots.  She is the workshop and education coordinator for Blessed Be and Meet Me In DC, http://www.bbmmdc.org  , a conference to promote the awareness of the pagan ways, tolerance of diversity and understanding of legal religious rights.  Nym is a core member of Blessed Be Pagan Unity. A member of Imbas and The Order of White Oak. 

Rev. Susan Davis
http://members.aol.com/txsuemom
     Rev. Davis was born in Galveston, TX in 1955. She is a former CPA with a BS in accounting. Susan began formal training in New Forest Tradition in Houston, TX in 1972.  In 1983, with two small children, she retired from active coven management and embarked on a solitary magickal journey that focused much more on healcraft training including; gestalt healing with aromatherapy and guided visualization, massage therapy, shamanic, yoga, chakra manipulation, vibrational healing with singing bowls and tuning forks, herbs, distance and Reiki.  She also began serious work with Elemental Magicks during this time and met her lifemate/HP and fellow healer, Rev. Lawrence Harney. They have been teaching students and travelling together since then. 

Rev. Davis will also have her merchant booth set up for Moon Silvered Magickal Things.  She has made this nifty neato coupon just for the Gathering.  Remember, the Goddess Saves!! ...by clipping coupons and shopping wisely  : )

Rev. Lawrence P. Harney
http://members.aol.com/azthara
     Rev. Harney was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1952.  He practices a Wiccan/Egyptian Tradition, and was career USAF, retiring 1995.  Lawrence is trained in several styles of healing, including techniques learned while stationed in the UK and in Japan.  He is a specialist in accupressure and vibrational healing and a teacher both in person and online. He actively performs a variety of Pagan Ministerial work, including funerals, handfastings, wiccanings and covenings along with lifemate/HPS.

John "Grey Medicine Wolf" Wilde
John is a navy veteran, he is of Miami and Irish descent.  A Second Degree Initiate from one of the oldest Eclectic covens in Hampton Roads, Circle of  Light and is a member of the Tidewater Native American Support Group.  He has found his spiritual path to follow that of his Native American Ancestors.  He does healings of various methods, Totem Animal and Spirit Guide searches, Prayer Pipe and other Native American Ceremonies, also active in local Pow-wows as a dancer.  He lives in Chesapeake, Va with his wife Deena, stepson James, two dogs Heidi and Haley, and mulitiple felines too long to list.