I've decided to make some changes as far as listing events on our calendar in this newsletter because I suppose I wanted to make it simpler and also to list those events that we are literally participating here in Hawaii. There are many listings of seasonal events throughout the internet and also through many organizations that are significant but when we are actually facilitating a physical celebration then I want to let you know so who ever would like to join us can do so by seeing when we do meet and why.

I have a couple of beloved brethren that facilitate ceremony and ritual on a consistent basis outside of Hawaii. One is my beloved friend and priest of Isis Robert Miller in Virginia City Nevada and a priestess in Willits California, Manna Youngbear, both hold temple services and seasonal celebrations. I will list them on the writers page in case you are in their areas to connect with them. There is also a network of pagan practices you can link to as well.

Those of us that profess to being a facilitator of such gatherings have made a commitment for a lifetime to this way of life. I don't celebrate the holiday's of man. I celebrate the holidays of the earth and its alignment to the stars. So these are basically the seasonal celebrations and the moon ceremonies since the moon is the symbolic reference to the Goddess. These connections keep me conscious with the beauty, joy and flow of life on our planet. Its not that I won't go to a secular party for Thanksgiving as some of our friends have invited us but as a Native American I don't celebrate thanksgiving for the manner of what happened in Thanksgiving in the real historical accounts, not the romantic tampered historical accounts where the hundreds of Native American Indians were massacred in the East Coast area that day and it was celebrated and marked down in history. Also I will not celebrate Columbus Day. I don't think I need to mention why.

I do celebrate as all the other creatures celebrate the changes of the season and the ancient world did as well. This did not seclude races, classes or gender in such celebrations and neither do I.

Those that did uphold the ceremonies in order to facilitate these gatherings had to carry certain attributes in order to keep the energy and follow of the group together since all are invited here there a list of such requires from the past.

In the Egyptian order one was required to manifest the following attributes:

Control of thought

Control of action, or Justice (i.e., the unswerving righteousness of thought and action).

Steadfastness of purpose, or Fortitude.

Identity with spiritual life, or higher ideals (i.e., Temperance which is an attribute attained when the individual had gained conquest over the passionate nature).

Evidence of having a mission in life, and

Evidence of a call to spiritual Orders of the Priesthood in the Mysteries; the combination of which was equivalent to Prudence or a deep insight and graveness that befitted the faculty of seership.

Freedom from resentment, when under the experience of persecution and wrong. This was known as courage.

Confidence in the power of the master as teacher, and student

Confidence in one's own ability being known as fidelity.

Readiness or preparedness for initiation.

I'm not saying that one has to have a convicted attitude to be a part of such gatherings but one that facilitates must keep the group together, also anyone that has such a calling would want to participate in such gatherings to sense if what is being called is right for them.

Of course we are a bit off the beaten path so you really have to be called to be a part of our get togethers.

It is a great joy for me to hold such festivities in my home. There is so much more of an intimate connection then if a hall or building was rented.(which I've done in the past). Such times were great fun but you just don't connect to everyone from 40 verses 8 people. There's a great difference in intimacy.

So what are they like? Here in my home I like to offer food. All indigenous peoples love to share food. Its a great bounty and wonderful to be able to share and lighten things up. It's also an intimate thing to break bread together. You usually are facing someone to hold some kind of conversation.

I lived in Sonoma county California and grew up around vineyards. So good wine and food go hand in hand. I personally do not drink during the evening but others are welcome. We are not in church we are celebrating life together and a new season of life together as well.

The picture I offer is our last group during All Soul's evening celebration. I took the photo. You can see Chikumba to the left next of his partner Onaiya decked out in his created light work costume for Samhain. He could turn on the lights to flash or stay constant. Also he had a huge heart that lit up on his chest. We sure do laugh alot and it is such a joy to come back together and share what has been going on since the last season's gathering.

If you are called to join us you are most welcome. Just email us when you plan to and I will send you directions. Or check out our connections on our Prayer listing webpage.

We will be putting up a Sweat lodge the evening before the Winter Solstice here in HI. If you are called to do a sweat before the new season you are also welcome to join us. We will have a celebration the following evening to honor the Light's journey back into our lives once again.

As all gatherings you are welcome to bring something for the ceremony/alter or some food to share if you like. Nothing is necessary other than you are called.

A journey for me has always been a pilgrimage since the tradition my very devout Catholic mother has instilled within me. How the prayer circle began was the connection my beloved friend Barbara and I both had with Fatima in Portugal. We both made journeys there, I when I was a child and Barbara with her Self Realization Group. One of the most powerful insights of the miracles of Fatima was that 'Our Lady' made her appearances on the 13th day of every month for a year. Every 13th was recorded as some miracle taken place. We decided to hold the prayer circle on the 13th day of every month. The 13 is a very auspicious number and frightening to many, other than the Goddess and those of esoteric knowledge. We have found in our prayer circle, which is facilitated like the rounds of a sweat lodge as a very beautiful connection to the Divine. True Maat, linking the universe to us humans and that is a very nice miracle indeed.

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