Get on our e-nnouncements list: E-mail us at eternalansw@earthlink.net
with "list me" in the subject line (Do
not put "hey" or "hi" or anything about viagra or
mortgages in the subject line)
E-NNOUNCEMENTS:
Site last updated 5-08-08. What's new?:
NOTE: Next Meditatateria is on May 16th!
For
those of you who missed Isaac Bonewits' latest workshop at RUPSA,
our ArchDruid Emeritus will be at the Totally Normal Event
(The entire event is a benefit for www.SPARCSummer.org
- a summer program for gifted kids.)
on June 28th in Whippany NJ
presenting a workshop on "Magic For World Domination."
(See GOG Calendar Below....) Click
to see the flyer!
(Other performers at the event include but are hardly limited to: Voltaire, Freezepop, Barry Louis Polisar, MR. BRIAN VIGLIONE of THE DRESDEN DOLLS, and Ed and Norma from GOG.)
New PHOTOS:
Maggie Stewart has been appointed to the post of Grove of the Other Gods ADF Preceptor!
Maggie passed the ADF Dedicants Program, and has been working on the Generalist and Clergy Programs.
She will be our guide to ADF's Study Programs and help out with GOG's Dedicants Program.
Thank you Maggie!
We
won!! We won!!
ArchDruid Emeritus Isaac Bonewits announced the winners of the 2006 Founders
Award:
"Here are the 2006 winners of the annual Founder's Award for exceptional
public service by a grove or protogrove:
Enchanted Desert Protogrove, ADF, for its food drives and highway clean-ups
Grove of the Other Gods, ADF, for its educational
and charitable activities
Clan of the Triple Horses Grove, ADF, for its animal welfare activities
Congratulations to all the winners!"
(This is a good time
to say
Thank you
to all who have helped out with GOG's educational and charitable activities!!!)
COOL
BEANCOUNTING NEWS!
Anthony Thompson, ADF's talented Secretary, has compiled a list of grove
statistics, in which we find:
Out
of 58 groves and protogroves GOG is ADF's
fourth largest grove, and we are second
in number of members who have completed ADF's Druid Dedicants Program
(8). Well, cool beans, aren't we the Druid's pajamas?
Short
biographies of grove members are now posted.
(If you'd like send us a bio-- please
E-mail us at eternalansw@earthlink.net)
Patty's Llew Oracle Deck is Online! Getch'er Fortune Told! The three cards you see will be your omen.
ALIEN
SPECIES ARE ATTACKING OUR WORLD!!
HELP TO LOOK OUT FOR THESE INVADERS IN CENTRAL NEW JERSEY!!
Click here to JOIN Ár nDraîocht Féin or RENEW your ADF Membership
Meditatateria: (...it goes without saying...)Open Every Other Frigga's Day in New Brunswick.
Doors open at 7pm, meditation 8-9pm (please do not arrive after eight o'clock)
Next dates- May 16th, May 30th.
A meditation space will be available for silent meditation between 8 and 9pm for our Dedicants and anyone else who wishes to sit and meditate and maybe talk about it afterward. No RSVP necessary. Started on Frigga's Day July 26th 2002. Contact us for more info.
GOG's
Ár Draíocht Féin Dedicants Group :
A
new group started on October 20th, 2007!
Our fifth meeting will be May 17th, 2008
Here
are some "FAQs" about the program from the Ár nDraíocht
Féin
web site:http://www.adf.org/training/dp-faq.html
Eight grove members have formally completed the program to date.
(Congratulations to Erica, Jenne, Patrick, Ed, Maggie, Norma, Jason, and
Annie!)
GOG's
Ár Draíocht Féin Clergy Training and Generalist Program
Study Group :.
A number of Grove of the Other Gods ADF members who have completed the
Dedicants program and a few other requirements (or who are about to do
so) have been pursuing ADF's clergy training program.
People who have completed the Dedicants program and wish to pursue ADF's
Generalist Study Program are also invited to study with the first part
of the clergy training program.
Maggie is leading the group. For
more info send an e-mail to applesticker@gmail.com.
GROVE CALENDAR 2008
(See above for Ongoing Events like Meditataterias and Dedicants Group.)
Get on our calendar list: E-mail us at eternalansw@earthlink.net with "list me" in the subject line (Do not put "hey" or "hi" or anything about viagra or mortgages in the subject line)Thor's Day, April 3rd:
ISAAC BONEWITS LECTURE at Rutgers Pagan Students Assoc.:
DISCOVERING YOUR MAGICAL PERSONALITY
ISAAC BONEWITS, founder of the ADF Druid Fellowship and author of several books including his Essential Guide to Wicca, Essential Guide to Druidry, and The Pagan Man, is coming to speak THURSDAY, April 3 at 8 p.m. on the Busch campus of Rutgers, in the Busch Campus Center, Busch Student Center, room 117, on Bartholomew Road in Piscataway, NJ., (just five minutes from the New Brunswick campus).
Here's the Web page for the Busch Campus Center:
http://maps.rutgers.edu/building.aspx?id=44
The topic of the lecture is DISCOVERING YOUR MAGICAL PERSONALITY. (click here for more information)Frigga's Day, April 4th: Meditatateria
For an hour, we give you nothing. But it's quality nothing. Join us for an hour of silent meditation and snacks and discussion afterwards. Open Every Other Frigga's Day in New Brunswick. Doors open at 7pm, meditation 8-9pm (please do not arrive after eight o'clock). A meditation space will be available for silent meditation for our Dedicants and anyone else who wishes to sit and meditate. No RSVP necessary. For more info e-mail: eternalansw@earthlink.netThor's Day, April 10th:
DISCORDIANISM at Rutgers Pagan Students Assoc.
Pat Bolton of GOG, lecturing on Discordianism, April 10 at 8 p.m. in the Rutgers Student Center, room 407, New Brunswick, NJ.Saturn's Day, April 12th:
ADF Druid Dedicants Group V-- Fourth Meeting
This will be the fourth meeting of our fifth ADF Druid dedicants group. Get involved in studying and discussing our Druidry, our rituals, and our various philosophies! If you'd like to go through ADF's Druid Dedicants Program with our next dedicants study group, e-mail us as soon as possible at: eternalansw@earthlink.net
Thor's Day, April 17th:
MARGO ADLER at Rutgers Pagan Students Assoc.
Margot Adler, author of the Pagan classic, Drawing Down the Moon, and NPR commentator, will be speaking on April 17 at 8 p.m. room 407 of the Student Center on College Ave. in New Brunswick
"Come see Margot Adler, author of Drawing Down the Moon lecture on:
Contemporary Paganism: what's new, what's different, what's changing, and why it's a perspective that's necessary in today's world
It's gonna be crowded in our little room, so COME EARLY IF YOU WANT A CHAIR. Also, our speaker has to jet right at 10 to catch a train, so we will be starting right on time at 8:00, no Pagan Standard Time this week."
Location: 8pm in room 407 of the Student Center on College Ave. in New Brunswick.Frigga's Day, April 18th: Meditatateria
For an hour, we give you nothing. But it's quality nothing. Join us for an hour of silent meditation and snacks and discussion afterwards. Open Every Other Frigga's Day in New Brunswick. Doors open at 7pm, meditation 8-9pm (please do not arrive after eight o'clock). A meditation space will be available for silent meditation for our Dedicants and anyone else who wishes to sit and meditate. No RSVP necessary. For more info e-mail: eternalansw@earthlink.netSun's Day, April 20th:
Poppet Strings: An Adventure in Dollmaking
Design a cloth dolly to take home.... Cost of the workshop will include pre-sewn cloth dollies, fabrics and trinkets, wool for hair, and beads, everything you need to decorate your doll... and use of the shop space and sewing machines.... For cost and more info CLICK HERE for the flyer for the event. The Web site for the store is: http://thequilterscottagenj.com/home
Workshop led by GOG's own Maria Raven. To RSVP email Maria at jdenitto1966@yahoo.comThor's Day, April 24th:
PAGAN PANEL DISCUSSION at Rutgers Pagan Students Assoc.
RUPSA'S famous annual Pagan Panel Discussion -- topic and speakers tba. 8 p.m. in the Rutgers Student Center, rm. 407, New Brunswick, NJ.Sun's Day, April 27th: Planning Meeting for GOG's Beltane Ritual!
Feasting, Flower Wreaths, Foolery, Fun, Frolicking, Labyrinth, Druid Ritual, Drumming, Maypole, Hobby Horse, and more. So, how are we going to do all this? Help us make it all happen! (We will be honoring Parvati, Hindu mountain mother, and the Divine Family, in our 2008 Beltane rite on May 3rd.)Thor's Day, May 1st: Beltane VIGIL and DAWN in Princeton!
On May first, GOG will perform its local version of the Padstow hobby horse romp and May Day song at dawn on the Princeton Battlegrounds, joining local Morris and Molly dancers as they dance to wake up the spring! They've been doing this for twenty-six years, and GOG has been with them for ten or so. It's a ritual of a different sort. Yes, it's early and on a weekday, but the best and most sacred things sometimes take a little effort.
There will be an overnight vigil the night before: we watch a 1950s video of May morning in Padstow England, and also a video of English street traditions; we make buttonnieres to wear May morning; we sing songs and eat faery cakes and talk about May traditions. Come join us for the vigil and / or at dawn on May Day for one of the most moving religious experiences of the year! Last Year's Photos, Click Here.Saturn's Day, May 3rd: GOG's Beltane May Faire!
Feasting, Flower Wreaths, Foolery, Fun, Frolicking, Labyrinth, Druid Ritual, Drumming, Maypole, Hobby Horse, and more.
This year's May Faire will be PARVATI'S PARTY: celebrating the Hindu Goddess of earth and energy, her husband Shiva, and their Divine Family.
EVENTS INCLUDE:
-Pretty Parvati's Floral Headwreath-making
-Ganesha's bakeoff and festival of desserts
-Kartikeya's Henna extravaganza
-Shiva's great big Maypole
-A culturally inappropriate Hobby Horse Frolic
-Drumming and Dancing
-An ADF Druid ritual honoring Parvati (and Shiva)
and even more!
plus
the usual feasting, barbeque, merriment;
a labyrinth, a flaming birdbath, and a firepit bonfire to gather around!Saturn's Day, May 3rd: Astrology Workshop with Carol Raine
Astrology: Guide to the Universal Energies Level II: Click here for more info!Frigga's Day, May 16th: Meditatateria
For an hour, we give you nothing. But it's quality nothing. Join us for an hour of silent meditation and snacks and discussion afterwards. Open Every Other Frigga's Day in New Brunswick. Doors open at 7pm, meditation 8-9pm (please do not arrive after eight o'clock). A meditation space will be available for silent meditation for our Dedicants and anyone else who wishes to sit and meditate. No RSVP necessary. For more info e-mail: eternalansw@earthlink.netSaturn's Day, May 17th:
ADF Druid Dedicants Group V-- Fifth Meeting
This will be the fifth meeting of our fifth ADF Druid dedicants group. Get involved in studying and discussing our Druidry, our rituals, and our various philosophies! If you'd like to go through ADF's Druid Dedicants Program with our next dedicants study group, e-mail us as soon as possible at: eternalansw@earthlink.netFrigga's Day, May 30th: Meditatateria
For an hour, we give you nothing. But it's quality nothing. Join us for an hour of silent meditation and snacks and discussion afterwards. Open Every Other Frigga's Day in New Brunswick. Doors open at 7pm, meditation 8-9pm (please do not arrive after eight o'clock). A meditation space will be available for silent meditation for our Dedicants and anyone else who wishes to sit and meditate. No RSVP necessary. For more info e-mail: eternalansw@earthlink.netSun's Day, June 1st: Planning Meeting for HOC's 11th Pagan Picnic
The theme for this year's Hands of Change New Jersey Pagan Picnic is "Sharing the Basics": strengthening our community and our knowledge of each other through sharing the basics of our traditions. This planning meeting will be held in New Brunswick. GOG, as usual, is helping Hands Of Change Coven in planning the picnic. This has been an annual part of our community service for many years. E-mail eternalansw@earthlink.net if you'd like to help out.Frigga's Day, June 2oth:
GOG's Summer Solstice Jersey Rest Stop Ritual!
Our oddly famous "Jersey Rest Stop Ritual" on Rt. 295 along the Delaware on the west coast of Jersey. Lean over the guardrail with us and see the sun set over Pennsylvania on the longest day of the year-- click here for photos of last year's rite!.Saturn's Day, June 28th: The Totally Normal Event!
A Jeff Mach Charity Benefit and an Alternative World
Not a GOG event, but highly recommended, and for a VERY GOOD CAUSE, and lots of GOGees will be there, as well as our ADF ArchDruid Emeritus Isaac Bonewits, who will be doing a workshop on "Magic For World Domination." Click to see the flyer!
In addition, Ed and Norma from GOG will be presenting two unDruid workshops: "Dancing in the Gates of Magick: Japanese Butoh Dance and Energy" and "The Surreal Mind."
"Find out about the Totally Normal Event - an alternative world constructed for your entertainment and delight, whose attractions include but are hardly limited to: Voltaire, Freezepop, Barry Louis Polisar, and Isaac Bonewits.
It's taking place on Saturday the 28th, at the vast Hanover Marriott, in Whippany, New Jersey - noon until very very late.
The entire event is a benefit for www.SPARCSummer.org - a summer program for gifted kids.
Find out more at www.WickedFaire.com/...."
Saturn's Day, July 5th:
GOG's Summer Walkaround Ritual: New Brunswick After Dark
This will be a ritual to the beautiful and formidable Goddesses of New Brunswick and The Night. More to come. Watch this space.Saturn's Day, August 2nd: HOC 11th New Jersey Pagan Picnic
The theme for this year's Hands of Change New Jersey Pagan Picnic is "Sharing the Basics": strengthening our community and our knowledge of each other through sharing the basics of our traditions. This is a great day in the park by the river sharing food, friendship, and spirituality. Workshops, worship, ritual, fun and games, drumming, vendors. 10 AM to 7 PM - rain or shine!
Johnson Park, Piscataway, NJ. E-mail eternalansw@earthlink.net if you'd like to help out. Here are photos from last year!
For more info on any of the above events, e-mail us at Eternalansw@earthlink.netSEE RECENT PAST EVENTS TO SEE WHAT GROVE OF THE OTHER GODS, ADF, HAS BEEN DOING LATELY!
FOR Pattie's 2008 CALENDAR WITH LOTS O' HOLIDAYS- Patty L's new big old calendar for 2008
(we don't celebrate them all, of course, but you can.)
EVENTS COMING UP BUT UNSCHEDULED:
---Norma's Howe to Workye Magicke Workshoppe
---Wand-Making Workshop by Marc
---BETTY CROCKER CULT INITIATIONS By the Grand High Ladle HerSelf
--A LECTURE ON THE I CHING by Dr. Rabinowitz
--Jenniforensics' Lecture on Gatekeeper Gods!!
--Meet Your Leafy Neighbors Part 2- Our second tree identification workshop--A BEASTIE PUPPETMAKING WORKSHOP
--Fey Day! (Rituals and Workshops to Honor the Fey Ones!)
--Music in Ritual Workshop
SOME RECENT PAST EVENTS:
(Or To Go Back To The Welcome Menu - Click Here!)2008 (Note: GOG does not usually take photos during ritual. Photos are all before and after.)
March 29th: GOG's Spring Equinox Ritual: The Tempest!
A wild and imaginative ADF ritual inspired by Shakespeare's play, The Tempest! Hillary led the rite, conceived by Hillary, Alex, Pat, Maggie, Kerry, and Monika. Our bard, Jen, and our musicians kept the sounds of a magickal storm raging throughout the ritual; gusts of wind blowing through at appropriate points added to the magick, and the wind died down for the main invocation.
Our gatekeeper, Manannan Mac Lir, was invoked as Prospero, the magician and stormbringer, who was our main deity for this ritual. He also blessed our grove well. Ariel was our muse, and Caliban honored the outsiders. Lots of stormy ocean-praise and great invocations. This sea-tossed ritual was powerful and a little frightening. 23 attended at Sue's magickal Portal of the Porcupine. Many thanks to Sue for hosting, and to all the folks who brought tons of wonderful food (one of the POP people asked if it was "catered"!) and special thanks to those who helped clean up Sue's backyard in the days beforehand (Norma, Alex, Michael, Pat, Maggie, Kerry, Hillary, Alex again...). POP held a lovely Wiccan Ostara ritual in the evening, and there was drumming and a fire at night. PHOTOS TO COME. SCRIPT TO COME!!March 20th: Equinox Day Beach Run!
Our traditional Equinox Day offering to Manannan Mac Lir, our grove gatekeeper, at the beach. Very cold, but sunny! A bunch of GOG Druids braved the waves to collect 9 waves of ocean water. Then we played some skee ball and other arcade games and went to the Atlantis Diner. 16 braved the cold at the beach. Photos!February 21st: "Do you Hear What I Hear? Communicating with Deity" at the Rutgers University Pagan Students Association
A class and discussion moderated by GOG's Hillary Gross: "What do people mean when they say they've talked to or seen a deity?" This turned out to be a fascinating lecture and a very lively discussion with lots of participation. 12 attended.February 17th: Yemaya Beach Run
Our sixth annual beach offering to the Goddess Yemaya. We honored Yemaya and the land/ocean spirit that is The Jersey Shore in a traditional manner, a special ritual led by Deb. 11 attended. Photos to come!February 14th: Victorian and Modern Love Spells at the Rutgers University Pagan Students Association
GOG Senior Druid Norma Hoffman lectured on love spells, and a brief history of Roman Pagan Lupercalia and St. Valentine's Day. 14 attended.February 2nd: IMBOLC!!
The many aspects of Brigid.
"There are many legends and customs connected with Bride.
Some of these seem inconsistent with one another and with the character of the Saint of Kildare."
--Alexander Carmichael, Carmina Gadelica, 1899
This was a very solemn and scripted ritual for GOG, and came off very well. Tricia, Malcolm, Nora, Ed, and Patty were liturgists, with Patty acting as Druid-in-Charge and all five helping to run the ritual and invoking Brigid in many different aspects. Additional invocations were done by Maggie, Jack, Andraya, and Jenniforensic (who did an wonderful Oscars red-carpet-style invocation of Gods and Goddesses, based on an original idea by Alex). A ritual procession let everyone light candles from a flame lit off the fire at Brigid's altar in Kildare, Ireland; water from Brigid's well was used to quench the flame; and ashes were smudged on foreheads. Jenniforensic did a great job as bard for the ritual, even introducing a new song that we used for the waters of life. Brigid's brats were passed out afterwards, we made Brigid "crosses" and triskeles, and we made butter. The food was hearty and didn't run out. Jason and Jeri Ann and Sophia sent us a King Cake that had a baby baked in it, from a New Orleans bakery by way of Bulgaria, and Nayla and Steve got the baby (which made sense, since they've got one already). Norma and Hillary were the capable kitchen witches. 32 attended the rite, we had 34 for the day. CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS!
Click here for aspects invoked (PDF); Here's the script! (PDF)January 5th: ADF Druid Dedicants Group -- Second Meeting
9 attended the second meeting of our fifth ADF Druid dedicants group. The weather was bad, and several folks had colds. We had our big Virtues discussion and we compared our different Virtues writeups, which was enough for one meeting. People have likened these discussions to "good sex." Want to get involved in studying and discussing our Druidry, our rituals, and our various philosophies? If you'd like to go through ADF's Druid Dedicants Program with our next dedicants study group, e-mail us as soon as possible at: eternalansw@earthlink.net2007
December 22nd: Winter Solstice at Dawn on the Beach
16 GOG Druids greeted the sun on solstice dawn, who preferred to hide behind clouds. We held an abbreviated (20 minute) ADF ritual on the frigid beach, we sang to the sun, and just as we invoked him, he rose out of the pink clouds, yawned, took a look at us, blinked, and smiled hello. We celebrated the day, fed the nature spirits, Pat and Maggie kept a candle burning through a long night's vigil and into the windy dawn. This was a very satisfying ritual. The rough sea was glorious, and the boreal winds blew flecks of foam all over the beach. Afterwards, we retreated to the Atlantis Diner for hot drinks, food, and the crane machine.
"fa-nat-ic - noun: Inordinately and unreasonably enthusiastic person - synonyms.: enthusiast, extremist, zealot"
-Websters Collegiate Dictionary. CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS!December 16th: YULE!!
The usual feasting, fun, fellowship and lunacy. GOG's Yules are yusually pretty silly. This ritual was dedicated to Ganesha, Remover of Obstacles, the much-beloved Hindu elephant god. We started the praise portion of the rite with a Bollywood-style musical that told the story of how Ganesh won his argument with his brother Kartikeya and convinced his parents, Parvati and Shiva, that he should marry first.
Tricia DJ'd the music and wrote the script (CLICK HERE FOR THE SCRIPT) which was both followed and ad-libbed up hysterically by our cast of GOG thespians. The praise from the grove commenced with Ganesh's marriage, and then a dancing group praise ensued with Kartikeya's return.
The invocations were strong, centering somewhat on fertility, as Norma had told the story of Ganesh's birth and Kartikeya's birth at the pre-rit. Our omens (from the Royal Thai Tarot): 9 of swords, losses of the past year acknowledged; heirophant / elephant, you can still be reverent while being silly; 8 of pentacles, honesty, craftsmanship, candor; king of swords, a very airy king of swords, Ganesh, lightness, riding on a mouse; king of cups, "Ganesh, obviously!"
Afterwards, we had tremendous Indian food cooked up by Alex and Karl and Norma and others, along with delicious American food and lots of dessert and treats. Bob was our kitchen witch. Our "Win a Cthulhu for Yulhu" raffle netted the grove $85 (thanks, everybody!). 32 attended. CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS!November 24th: GOG's (relatively) functional stress-free Thanksgiving dinner!
An afternoon of food, friends, and conversation. "Sort of like a church supper-- except without the church."
---This report is being filed by Bella. With her keen eyes (on a good day) and loss of hearing, this makes her the best person to do this. Also since no one took pictures, we have to rely on her memory.--
"25 humans (and I use that term loosely) came to my house only to ruin my late-afternoon nap. While many brought food and drinks no one brought me anything! No one was clumsy enough to drop any food even as I tried to trip them. Some people played the piano (lack of hearing is handy) and some sang. And everyone chowed down except ME! The humans made a fire outside, but why would anyone go sit outside in the cold when my house is nice and warm inside? I am going to sleep now and wake up in time for Beltane." -- -Bella
November 10th: Feast Day of Manannan Mac Lir
12 Druids made offerings to Manannan Mac Lir, our grove's patron and gatekeeper, on the cold, cold beach. We also offered our grove's sacred well water into Manannan's North Atlantic to thank him for gatekeeping at our rituals and keeping an eye on us. Then we played Skeeball and went for food. We swear that we once had a folkloric reason for this day, but we've lost track of it and the folks on the Isle of Man know nothing about it, so now it's a grove tradition. PHOTOS - click here!!November 3rd - 4th: Samhain Ritual Weekend and Vigil
GOG 18th Samhain: "A Two-Day cycle of simple rituals in honor of our Ancestors: REMEMBERING FRIENDS & LOVED ONES"
Grove of the Other Gods performed two Samhain rituals, led a pumpkin parade down Easton Ave., and kept a vigil until dawn. 41 people total attended. 31 attended the Saturday evening rite, 19 stayed until dawn on the vigil, and 19 attended the Sunday afternoon rite. Both rituals were intense and emotional as the community tried to honor and remember those friends and family that we've lost in the past year and in years past. These were difficult rituals. The main invocation for both rituals was a reading from the grove's memorial book. A large Ancestors altar was set up outside and was filled with reminders of our beloved dead. There were smaller altars as well, for Psychopomps, Gods and Goddesses, Nature Spirits and Spirits of Place, Goddess Brigid, Manannan Mac Lir, the Earth Mother, Outsiders, and Sitala, Goddess of Diseases and Healing. Norma led both rituals, and there were powerful invocations by grove members. The similarity between the two Ancestors invocations (by Maria on Saturday and Maggie on Sunday) on the two days was uncanny.The ritual omens (from the Graven Image Oracle--click here) are thus--
Saturday: (Deb) Sentinel (looking forward), (Hillary) Gate (light; its easier for the dead than for us), (Nora) Reflection and Sacrifice (reflection is a sacrifice but it keeps them alive and us alive), (Belladonna) The Vault (we mustn't lock up our emotions; hold them in memory in the vault of our hearts), (Mike) The Lily (in life there's death; in death, life...every loss is a gain), (Patty) Promise (this ties it all together: no matter how alone you feel, they are there; they promis us they are there.
Sunday: (Tricia) Sleeper, (Jen) Whear and Anchor, (Patty) Book, (Blue) Serenity. One overall interpretation: peaceful growing, keeping things close, peace and being comforted, record your memories, we're doing a good thing with the memory book.The vigil was a busy one: our 4th annual pumpkin parade (thanks again, Maria!) a Kali pooja, a Spiritualist-style seance out of time in the hour that we turned back the clocks to Standard Time (Thanks to all the dear departed who joined us at the seance.), a night-long bone-fire, fresh-baked bread, Turkish coffee (thanks Alex!) and pilgrimages to the altars, which disappeared at dawn quite like Brigadoon. After the Sunday ritual, a small fire was ignited from the bone-fire coals to burn a small Holly King in a ritual led by Pat and Maggie.
Thanks to Alex and Maria, our Kitchen Witches, and everyone who performed difficult invocations on both days, set up altars, brought food, helped clean up, and kept us all going all through the night. We are indeed blessed as a grove!
Click here for photos!October 20th: ADF Druid Dedicants Group -- First Meeting
15 attended the first meeting of our fifth ADF Druid dedicants group. We discussed our expectations for the program, meditated at bit, and talked about the holiday of Fall Equinox. Get involved in studying and discussing our Druidry, our rituals, and our various philosophies! If you'd like to go through ADF's Druid Dedicants Program with our next dedicants study group, e-mail us as soon as possible at: eternalansw@earthlink.netSeptember 29th: GOG's Autumn Equinox Ritual to Baucis and Philemon
Marc led us in a solemn High Church (GOG? High Church?!) ritual to Baucis and Philemon honoring the story of their hospitality and generosity. GOG hosted 20 Druids for this ritual, who each brought offerings of their own hospitality. It was a lovely and moving ritual, very focused. Hermes and Zeus opened the gates for us and blessed them, and Jenniforensics drew down Baucis and told us the story. Tricia was our oracle: "Are we ever really alone?"
/ ... and I have seen the votive wreaths hung from the branches of the hallowed double-tree. And one time, as I hung fresh garlands there, I said, `Those whom the Gods care for are Gods! And those who worshiped are now worshiped here.’”/ -- Ovid, Metamorphoses 8:719
Click here for photos!September 27th: Ar nDraiocht Fein Druidry 101
September 23rd: GOG's Autumn Equinox Day Sun Wheel Roll Ritual
Rutgers Univ. Pagan Students Association
Norma and Ed of Grove of the Other Gods, ADF Druids gave a brief presentation about Druids in history and about Ar nDraiocht Fein's contemporary Druidry. 17 attended. Then they talked about how a modern GOG ADF ritual runs, why we do ritual, and how our rituals generate energy and move it around. "Come find out what your local Druids do and possibly get some ideas to take home and use in your own rituals."
19 Druids arrived at Sourland Mountain and took part in a ritual to honor the declining sun and rising night. 9 Druids climbed the mountain with our Sun Wheel, asked both the sun and the coming dark for blessings, and then chased the Sun Wheel down the mountain, in honor of the falling sun, mostly without falling ourselves. Mostly. The ritual finished as all the climbers and chasers made it back down the mountain, eventually. Beautiful day, nice view. Afterwards, we all retired to the Star Diner for dinner. Click here for photos!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE RECENT PAST EVENTSE-mail the Grove at eternalansw@earthlink.net
for current Grove information directions to rituals and to get on the grove's announcements list! Thank You!Back to Welcome Menu Click Here!
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