Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2000 09:20:15 -0400
To: "Pagan Resource Center" <Center@OutoftheDark.com>
From: Fall Gathering of the Tribes <Gathering@OutoftheDark.com>
Subject: Fall Gathering

2000 Fall Gathering of the Tribes

September 14-17, 2000

We hope you will choose to join us at the Fall Gathering of the Tribes. We have planned an enjoyable weekend of Pagan Networking, Knowledge Exchange, Healing, and Fun.
The changing times are upon us. The People are finally looking for new solutions to some VERY old  problems. Interaction with those who share the same values, but choose different methods to put them into practice, is an absolute necessity if All are to survive. The Gathering is a safe space in which that may happen. Yawl come now, ya hear?

As of this mailing, we have not yet determined the location of the Fall Gathering.   As many of you may know, New Quarter Park has been opened to the general public and is no longer available for private reservations. Jim has been kind enough to reserve the date for us at GrayBear Lodge, but we really don't want to take the Gathering that far out of the area if we can avoid it.  Jim's kindness in guaranteeing us a location if we need it allows us to book our guests and make other plans while we search for new sites in our immediate area.  There are several places we are looking at in the Tidewater region and we should have a definite location posted by July 15, 2000
Our heartfelt thanks goes out to Jim for giving us this breathing room!  We are very pleased to be sponsoring a Norse Gathering at GrayBear Lodge August 4-6, 2000.  Check our website for details of Fire and Ice http://www.OutoftheDark.com/FireandIce/

We are pleased to have as our very special guests at the Fall Gathering of the Tribes.....

Robin Wood                                              
Robin Wood is the creator of the Robin Wood Tarot and author of The Robin Wood Tarot:The Book and When, Why ...If, a workbook dealing with ethics from a Pagan/Wiccan perspective. Robin's work as an artist and author has taken her to the level of being a common household name in most pagan communities. Robin is warm, witty, charming, shy, and gregarious. She makes you laugh; she makes you smile; she makes you think and move into a very special place inside yourself as you follow her tutelage in the lessons of Tarot and the Wiccan Path.

Trish Telesco
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.
Throughout the weekend Trish will be selling her books and offering readings from the Sacred Stone Oracle.

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 McLaren, Amulets 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.
Kirk will be presenting an intensive seminar on the Tarot, and a special Amulet Making Workshop
The Amulet Making Workshop provides all that is needed to produce a carving for a lost wax casting. Within six weeks of the workshop the participant will receive their very own piece of jewelry that they made themselves. Lab Fees: $25 for a bronze Amulet, $35 for a Silver Amulet. (Molds may be made of your master carving for an additional $25.)

Bick Thomas
Bick Thomas has been a practicing magician for over 14 years, and graduated from William & Mary with a major in Medieval / Classical history.  He has published several articles in local pagan newsletters, and has conducted extensive research into the religious and magical practices of the ancient world.

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 giving a workshop on wreath making.

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 he 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 Friday and Saturday nights after the concerts to drum and dance around, special children's activities throughout the event, and much, much more!

In response to increased numbers we have had to institute a few  safety policies (never
fun, but necessary ) and burden you with sheet after sheet of dead tree to scribble on (even less fun, but more necessary ). These , and other organizational hoo haa are the price of growth. Please know that it is our intention to keep these patriarchal intrusions  to an ABSOLUTE MINIMUM. Your patience and understanding is appreciated!
Click here to go to the Registration and Rules & Regulations
http://www.OutoftheDark.com/Gathering/Rules.html
Click here for Directions
http://www.OutoftheDark.com/Gathering/Directions.html
Click here for a Vendor Application
http://www.OutoftheDark.com/Gathering/Vendor.html

Your opinions and ideas are important to us!! It is how we chose this event's path...
PLEASE take the time to give us your comments  regarding this Fall's Gathering, as well as your feelings on where we should concentrate future efforts.
The Spring and Fall Gathering of the Tribes sponsored by Out of the Dark, Inc. & FCMS Inc., are not associated with any other "Gathering of the Tribes" festivals which may be held on occasion in other parts of the country (even if they do copy content from our website).
Blessings,
Betsy