The Leaves of Twin Oaks

This ain't your grandmothers witchcraft by Tom
Magic has been in the imagination of many this past year. Much of it is due to the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings movies. To many people magic is either a bunch of hocus-pocus pulling a rabbit out of a hat or the sword and sorcery of dungeons and dragons.

For some pagans, magic is much more. Magic is both intent and purpose. Think of magic as the ritualized focal point in achieving a person's goal. Think of magic as collecting all your energy and directing it to one action. Think of magic as another form of meditation. Instead of racking pebbles or praying the rosary, you cast a circle, call the elements, and perform a ritualized theatrical representation of what you want.

Twin Oaks has had a strong pagan presence for many years. This last year we received two gifts, which have revitalized the pagan scene and broadened it across the community like never before. Pagan magic is becoming another thread that holds the dream of community together on our land.

The first gift came when Kristen organized an "Elements of Magic" class with two local Reclaiming witches. The Reclaiming tradition uses magic and ritual for deep inner healing work and political activism. The elements class was a tutorial in the basics of ritual—grounding, casting a circle, calling the elements, creating ritual intention and so on.

Thirteen Twin Oakers took the class, coming in with varying degrees of experience. For some lifelong pagans, this class was a glimpse of an organized, traditional form of ritual. For others this was an all-new form of worship that centered on personal spirituality and a spiritual universe that ebbs and flows in a dance of infinite, living beings all composing the cosmic whole. Magic emphasizes the oneness of the universe and the power we have as individuals to positively shape that universe through our actions and our intentions.

Each class was itself a ritual. After the first, each ritual was crafted and carried out by the participants. The last class did a ritual to sanctify Twin Oaks as a place for magic and healing. Part of that ritual was the weaving of a dream catcher, which reminds us of our intent as it hangs on the wall of the Tupelo living room.

The next gift came from the participation of several Twin Oakers in a Native American Sundance in Maryland. Shakti met a Lakota Sundance Chief who promised to come to Twin Oaks and build a traditional Lakota sweat lodge on our land. Several weeks later, he and his two sons came to Twin Oaks and fulfilled that promise.

They built a sweat lodge in the woods beside Tupelo. For four days and four nights Titus led sweats in the tradition of his people. During this time we learned that Titus was preparing his son's for their own vision quest and the setting up of this lodge was part of their training.

To the Lakota the sweat lodge is sacred space, the womb of Mother Earth. It is a place where the Lakota pray and make their magic. I for one was profoundly impacted sitting in the lodge with Titus, more than a little overwhelmed by the powerful traditions of this man's people.

One of the many draws to community is the thirst for a connection to the land and nature. For me this has always been a spiritual quest, based on my acceptance of the significance of every living thing and even those things that don't live. Twin Oaks received two valuable gifts. We've taken those gifts and have not only used them, but extended them to others.

This Solstice (December 21), a ritual was organized around the longest night of the year. The ritual took the balance between night and day as an expression of the balance between light and shadow in our own hearts and the effort to reach harmony within our struggles. Solstice is the holiday of the crone, hearth fires, remembrances of the past, and thoughts for the future.

The Leaves of Twin Oaks Winter 2002 - Page 7
This ain't your grandmothers witchcraft by Tom Magic has been in the imagination of many this past year. Much of it is due to the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings movies. To many people magic is either a bunch of hocus-pocus pulling a rabbit out of a hat or the sword and sorcery of dungeons and dragons. For some pagans, magic is much more. Magic is both intent and purpose. Think of magic as the ritualized focal point in achieving a person's goal. Think of magic as collecting all your energy and directing it to one action. Think of magic as another form of meditation. Instead of racking pebbles or praying the rosary, you cast a circle, call the elements, and perform a ritualized theatrical representation of what you want. Twin Oaks has had a strong pagan presence for many years. This last year we received two gifts, which have revitalized the pagan scene and broadened it across the community like never before. Pagan magic is becoming another thread that holds the dream of community together on our land. The first gift came when Kristen organized an "Elements of Magic" class with two local Reclaiming witches. The Reclaiming tradition uses magic and ritual for deep inner healing work and political activism. The elements class was a tutorial in the basics of ritual—grounding, casting a circle, calling the elements, creating ritual intention and so on. Thirteen Twin Oakers took the class, coming in with varying degrees of experience. For some lifelong pagans, this class was a glimpse of an organized, traditional form of ritual. For others this was an all-new form of worship that centered on personal spirituality and a spiritual universe that ebbs and flows in a dance of infinite, living beings all composing the cosmic whole. Magic emphasizes the oneness of the universe and the power we have as individuals to positively shape that universe through our actions and our intentions. Each class was itself a ritual. After the first, each ritual was crafted and carried out by the participants. The last class did a ritual to sanctify Twin Oaks as a place for magic and healing. Part of that ritual was the weaving of a dream catcher, which reminds us of our intent as it hangs on the wall of the Tupelo living room. The next gift came from the participation of several Twin Oakers in a Native American Sundance in Maryland. Shakti met a Lakota Sundance Chief who promised to come to Twin Oaks and build a traditional Lakota sweat lodge on our land. Several weeks later, he and his two sons came to Twin Oaks and fulfilled that promise. They built a sweat lodge in the woods beside Tupelo. For four days and four nights Titus led sweats in the tradition of his people. During this time we learned that Titus was preparing his son's for their own vision quest and the setting up of this lodge was part of their training. To the Lakota the sweat lodge is sacred space, the womb of Mother Earth. It is a place where the Lakota pray and make their magic. I for one was profoundly impacted sitting in the lodge with Titus, more than a little overwhelmed by the powerful traditions of this man's people. One of the many draws to community is the thirst for a connection to the land and nature. For me this has always been a spiritual quest, based on my acceptance of the significance of every living thing and even those things that don't live. Twin Oaks received two valuable gifts. We've taken those gifts and have not only used them, but extended them to others. This Solstice (December 21), a ritual was organized around the longest night of the year. The ritual took the balance between night and day as an expression of the balance between light and shadow in our own hearts and the effort to reach harmony within our struggles. Solstice is the holiday of the crone, hearth fires, remembrances of the past, and thoughts for the future.
The night began with a ritual where we embraced the shadow as a way to work towards the light, it culminated with the lighting of the Yule log. Then first man visited the hearth fire to tell a story which brought the ritual to the sweat lodge, where the Yule fire of the hearth lit the fire that heats the rocks. Vigil was held at both fires throughout the night. At dawn, people welcomed the sun with drumming before attending the sweat, which cleansed us of the battle we had with shadow. We emerged from the sweat lodge, from the womb of Mother Earth, cleansed, renewed, and reborn into the light of our hearts and intent.
As you read this, Twin Oaks has begun its third Reclaiming class and we've been visited twice by other Native Americans who have led vision quests and sweats. Magic continues to strengthen in our sanctuary and the gifts are spreading with all the intents and purposes of our hearts. In the last sweat Titus led I had a vision, a vision of magic in all its colors and flavors, a vision that linked all of humanity, a humanity that recognized its stewardship of this planet and the blessings of Mother Earth. I deeply believe we all carry a form of this vision in our deepest heart and its time to bring the magic out. So mote it be.
	Green Witch Weekend June 1st & 2nd Join us for a weekend of magic and green living Tour Twin Oaks, learn wildcraft and herbs, climb trees, walk with the faries. Camping, swimming, and sweat lodges in two traditions. For registration info contact Kristen

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