Shining Lakes News

A Newsletter for Shining Lakes Grove, A.D.F.

Fall Equinox 2004 - Vol. 11, No. 4

Never Say Goodbye?

Within the neo-Pagan community we tend to think of Samhain as a time of new beginnings, and why not? In ancient Ireland, it was the beginning of the new year. It was also the time when the meat harvest was done: when the farmers decided which of their animals they could afford to keep through the winter, and which would have to be slaughtered. And it was when the community's hearth fire would be extinguished and rekindled, the basis of our Fire Watch rituals today.

As I was thinking of these traditions today, a thought struck me. While this was clearly a time for both beginnings and endings to the Ancients, we Moderns always seem to focus on the beginnings aspect. Sure, I've seen plenty of Samhain rites and meditations talking about starting new things for the new year. But other than a brief farewell to our old Leadership Council before we swear in our new officers, I can't remember any that involve ending anything for the old year. It seems even more odd when you realize how many aspects of our mainstream culture address endings at this point, with summer businesses closing for the season, and elections ending the terms of some politicians even as they begin others.

No, I'm not suggesting that we should all go out and kill animals for Samhain, really! (The hearth fire thing is good, though, and I do hope we get a nice big turnout for Fire Watch.) But as a suggestion to folks doing their own Samhain work, for this year and for coming years, why not work with ending something? Not in a killing way, literal or metaphorical, but viewing the period before Samhain as a time to finish up projects. Getting the Dedicant Program journal finished, or getting your home organized, something like that. View this as a chance to complete something as well as a chance to start something new. Put the other wheel on the chariot, as the Vedics would say! Instead of spring cleaning, maybe we could call it Samhain Clean-Up?

Just a few thoughts on the season from me, and I hope to see many folks at the Liturgists Roundtables in October so we can get more ideas for our Grove's Samhain rites.

Yours in service to the Kindreds and the Grove,
Rev. Rob Henderson, Senior Druid

Dedicants Study Program: New Beginnings

Are you interested in starting the ADF Dedicants Study Program? Did you start the program and then life happened? Are you just curious about what the ADF Dedicant Study Program is? Then please attend the Dedicant Program study group. The topic in October will be (appropriately enough!) New Beginnings. See Jude or Rob for more details and check the Grove calendar for time and place info.

The Guilds (continued!)

Healers, Magicians, and Seers (oh my!)

These three guilds share many functions. Each uses magic, trance, meditation, and divination to accomplish specific goals.

Healers use many avenues to help people live happier healthier lives-physically, mentally, and spiritually. Using guided meditations, trance work, and energy work, Healers seek the root cause of illness and distress. Then, by way of many different methods, they effect a change to bring the client back into balance and harmony. Some are physical, such as herbal remedies, yoga, or acupuncture. Other methods are energy based, such as Reiki, crystals, or healing rituals.

The Magicians Guild exists to further the study and practice of magic. Areas of study include (but are not limited to) ritual magic, trance, psychic wards and shields, and astral projection. The Magicians learn ways to work with the Gods and Goddesses as well as other spirits to aid in magical workings. The Magicians can help people with magical workings to accomplish goals such as getting a new job, protecting home or property, improving relationships, or deepening their bond with the Shining Ones.

The Seers Guild is more focused on the psychic level. Members of the Seers Guild may be gifted in areas such as psychic vision, psychic hearing, or empathy. The Seers Guild aids people who wish to develop their skills in psychic sensitivity. They also use their skills to aid those people in need of emotional or spiritual healing. Seers may also serve the community by divining the omen at High Day rituals. There are even a few Guild members who have learned to channel for the Shining Ones.

As you can see these Guilds help their members learn and develop many skills. These skills can serve the individual or the entire community.

Shining Lakes Grove has local chapters of the Healers and Magicians Guilds. These Guilds, along with the Warriors Guild, meet each month, usually on the first Sunday afternoon. Be sure to check the Grove calendar for a specific time and place. We would love to have you there!

Say Goodbye to . . . Holiday Hate

I'd raise my hand, but I need it to type. Though as a florist I'll bet I hate it for very different reasons than you.

For those of you in parts of the country that are blissfully ignorant of SD, the third Saturday of October is a designated "Hallmark" holiday-that is, a holiday manufactured by greeting card companies and candy shops (and florists!) to force gift buying in an otherwise non-gift-holiday time of the year. It is Valentine's Day for autumn, with all the red hearts and mushy sentiments you'd expect from its February twin sister.

The trouble is, SD and VD aren't twins. Not even fraternal ones. At least not at its start.

It did start with gifts, however. In 1922, a candy company employee in Cleveland (Herbert Birch Kingston, if you're taking notes) enlisted some friends to help hand out candy and small gifts to orphans, shut-ins, and other underprivileged folks. Movie stars quickly got on board and gave away boxes of candy to people like hospital workers and newspaper boys. The holiday hasn't spread much farther than the Great Lakes region, but in Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois, at least, Sweetest Day is big.

Despite such "sweet" origins (you knew that pun was coming), I hate SD-a day when my shop is filled to bursting with peevish guys desperate to snatch up some red roses, any red roses, no matter the condition, to take home so they don't have to sleep on the couch. There have been fights. There have been tears. And there has been a whole lot of snarkiness, with guys complaining about us "jacking up" the rose prices to "gouge" them (while many women also buy for family and friends, the #1 product is a dozen red roses-from a man to a woman).

It could be argued that I, as a flower peddler, am part of the aggressive holiday media machine, forcing the hapless public to BUY BUY BUY.

But since when do pagan types obey the media?

Perhaps some of you, like me, simply refuse to honor this pseudo-holiday, ignoring obnoxious radio ad and the like while keeping your thoughts on an approaching Samhain. But pagan types have a silly habit of attempting personal growth, and now, I think, it's time to let go of hate.

We neo-pagans have been reclaiming many of the holidays beloved of our society at large. From Groundhog Day to Yule, we are celebrating secular and sacred holidays alike with renewed fervor, spicing up the "business as usual" holidays everyone knows with our unique perspective, steeped in ancient culture, lore, and spirituality. This is our way, I think, of fighting the rising holiday commercialism.

So here's one cog in the holiday machine telling you to BUY, but instead of buying classic (boring) red roses for your honeybuns, buy some of the gorgeous autumn-hued blooms for all the people who do the little things that make your life a good one-the waitress who always remembers your favorite sandwich, your neighbor with the well-tended flowers you bend down to sniff every time you walk by, even your family members who have managed to get along for the past month (okay, maybe that's just my family).

Lest you think this is just an ad for flowers, consider this: don't buy anything. You can pick some flowers (just not the ones in your neighbor's yard), or bake cookies, or give the valuable gift of your time.

And if the lucky recipient tells you, "Oh, you're so sweet!"-you've just observed a true SD.

After all, hate just isn't right for such a well-intentioned holiday, no matter who manufactured it.

- Genevieve Stoyak

SLG Leadership Council

Senior Druid
Rob Henderson robh@cyberspace.org

Assistant Senior Druid
Rodney Cox uberrod@comcast.net

Administrator
Jude Howison uputat@yahoo.com

Scribe
Jude Howison uputat@yahoo.com

Pursewarden
Rodney Cox uberrod@comcast.net

Chronicler
Genevieve Stoyak gstoyak@hotmail.com

Outreach Coordinator
(position open)

Youth Activities Coordinator
(position open)

SLG Guild Leaders

Magicians' Guild
Rodney Cox uberrod@comcast.net

Warriors' Guild
Rodney Cox uberrod@comcast.net

Healers' Guild
Rodney Cox uberrod@comcast.net

Producers' Guild (unofficial)
Gen Stoyak gstoyak@hotmail.com

No e-mail access? Contact our officers at our snail-mail address or phone number.

Shining Lakes News (©2004) is published by Shining Lakes Grove, A.D.F., P.O. Box 1732, Ann Arbor, MI, 48106, (734) 262-1052. For information about SLN, contact the Chronicler at gstoyak@hotmail.com or (734) 262-1462. For information about Shining Lakes Grove, contact the Senior Druid at (734) 262-1052 or robh@cyberspace.org, or visit www.shininglakes.org.

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