Faerie Oracle
Jun. 4th, 2004 11:01 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kukla_tkoSome friends of mine are putting together an event that they are calling "Crystal Spiral."
It will be a kind of "Psychic Fair" and Convention, but with some new ideas.
I have been tapped as a guest to do "workshops" or "Lectures" or "Demonstrations" or some such. Word got around to the right people, I suppose.
So I thought about it, and realized that this was a perfect opportunity to really sell the "Show" while at the same time making a significant and real experience for the participants.
I should start with brief descriptions of my two biggest inspirations, Both of which occurred at Lothlorien:
Inspiration #1: The Live Tarot Reading.
A group of 20 some-odd people represented the "Trumps" or Major Archana of the standard Tarot Deck. I had the honor of portraying "Strength". We stood in a large circle, with a candle and a bag of grass seed.
"The Fool" brought the querients in, giving each a paper bag, a leaf and instructions to go to each "card" or as many as they wanted to, in random order for their "Reading."
It was a bit like reverse Trick Or Treat. I stand there in costume, and hand out grass seed by the handful to each person who approaches me. I also give my message. I gave a brief synopsis of what my card meant, handed them the seed and sent them on their way. It was a really amazing experience, and all the trumps got together after to show each other our bit.
Inspiration #2: The Triple Drawing Down.
There was this group (From Chicago, I think) that used to come to Lothlorien and do rituals. These were people with stage experience, musical training, and a flair for the dramatic. Their rituals kicked royal @ss, and intimidated me. I felt like they had raised the bar, and that I could never do anything as cool as what they did.
(I'm wrong, of course. I AM capable of such amazing feats... if I have over a dozen people to work with.)
I helped with their "fairy" ritual, which made me feel great for helping them. It was very well done, and I am really picky about the whole "new age fuzzy feel-good" fairy mysticism. This group understood what they were doing, and were very careful. Rock on, with your bad selves!
And then there was the Triple Drawing Down. What that means, apparently, is a calling of the Goddess in her three forms. The format was brilliant, taking cues from really well done "haunted houses" and carefully designed lighting. They took a well-used but fairly mundane path through the woods, and cleared special areas off the beaten path for the appearances of the various incarnations of the Goddess. First was the maiden. Silent, still and intense, she was a beautiful young woman in a shortie chiton and sandals. She was prepared, and was manifesting the goddess. One assumed that she was staring off into space, contemplating her next hunt... until she turned her gaze to YOU, and looked you right in the eye, unflinching. Whoo. The guide cited a bit about the "Maiden Goddess" and the icon handed out tiny shells for each of us. Then we were led to the next "station."
The Mother was in a red veil. She smiled at us through the gauze with a perfect Mona Lisa smirk. Once again, our guide cited a bit about the "Mother Goddess" and how when we enter this phase of our lives, we create and nurture. The Icon gave us each a seed.
On we go, the guide bringing us to the Crone in her grey hooded robe. One only got fleeting glimpses of a feminine face under the hood. She could have been a teen, an adult, or an elder. I never was quite sure. The Guide imparted her wisdom, and she handed each of us a stone. On we go... for this "ritual" has in fact been a journey.
We are going to see the oracles. As is traditional, we must make a pilgrimage or quest as we journey to the oracles. And we are there at last, with three oracles; the man, the young woman, and the old woman. Each Oracle has a seat, a carpet on which to approach, and a coterie of people doing nothing more than "sharing their energy" with the oracle, to prevent burn-out.
Cernunnos stands guard, and allows us through one at a time. When we face him, he asks us our name, and then sends us to the appropriate seer. Now, I have enjoyed the theater the whole way. I have marveled at the lighting which shows us just what we are supposed to see in a dark forest. I liked the attention to details and the theatrical quality of the whole thing. And I am ready to be a right smart@ss when I get to the front. The Horned One asks me my name.
"I am that I am," say I.
He loses character (or possibly doesn't) and smirks, says, "Snerk" and points to "the Old One." Off I go, dum dum da dum. Going to the oracle. La la la la. Not sure what I am going to ask her, but I am not giving anything away... dee de dee deee.
Bam!
And I am there. And I am humbled. I ask my question (with no details) and am given a much more specific response, with an INTENSE connection.
I follow the path out of the clearing, into the first clearing where we initially gathered, where the Coven has prepared lemonade and cookies for everyone to share. They have some "catchers" waiting, to offer you a hug and fellowship. I take the hug, and realize that I am shaking. I take my lemonaide and cookie, but instead of fleeing like everyone gone before me, I cop a squat and pull up some turf. And I watch.
Every person who came down that path was offered a hug. Every one of them took the hug, and some collapsed into the arms of the Hug-er. After I was brave enough to stick around, several more people milled about, not ready to go back to normal yet. Soft conversation began, and the Coven was very pleased.
"We wanted to create an air of fellowship and communication for this part. We didn't expect everyone to take off like that."
I laughed, and said, "You didn't realize what an intense experience it was going to be, did you?"
Amazing.
And I knew that I wanted to provide this experience, or one like it for many many more people.
Next up:
My new idea, and cunning plot.
It will be a kind of "Psychic Fair" and Convention, but with some new ideas.
I have been tapped as a guest to do "workshops" or "Lectures" or "Demonstrations" or some such. Word got around to the right people, I suppose.
So I thought about it, and realized that this was a perfect opportunity to really sell the "Show" while at the same time making a significant and real experience for the participants.
I should start with brief descriptions of my two biggest inspirations, Both of which occurred at Lothlorien:
Inspiration #1: The Live Tarot Reading.
A group of 20 some-odd people represented the "Trumps" or Major Archana of the standard Tarot Deck. I had the honor of portraying "Strength". We stood in a large circle, with a candle and a bag of grass seed.
"The Fool" brought the querients in, giving each a paper bag, a leaf and instructions to go to each "card" or as many as they wanted to, in random order for their "Reading."
It was a bit like reverse Trick Or Treat. I stand there in costume, and hand out grass seed by the handful to each person who approaches me. I also give my message. I gave a brief synopsis of what my card meant, handed them the seed and sent them on their way. It was a really amazing experience, and all the trumps got together after to show each other our bit.
Inspiration #2: The Triple Drawing Down.
There was this group (From Chicago, I think) that used to come to Lothlorien and do rituals. These were people with stage experience, musical training, and a flair for the dramatic. Their rituals kicked royal @ss, and intimidated me. I felt like they had raised the bar, and that I could never do anything as cool as what they did.
(I'm wrong, of course. I AM capable of such amazing feats... if I have over a dozen people to work with.)
I helped with their "fairy" ritual, which made me feel great for helping them. It was very well done, and I am really picky about the whole "new age fuzzy feel-good" fairy mysticism. This group understood what they were doing, and were very careful. Rock on, with your bad selves!
And then there was the Triple Drawing Down. What that means, apparently, is a calling of the Goddess in her three forms. The format was brilliant, taking cues from really well done "haunted houses" and carefully designed lighting. They took a well-used but fairly mundane path through the woods, and cleared special areas off the beaten path for the appearances of the various incarnations of the Goddess. First was the maiden. Silent, still and intense, she was a beautiful young woman in a shortie chiton and sandals. She was prepared, and was manifesting the goddess. One assumed that she was staring off into space, contemplating her next hunt... until she turned her gaze to YOU, and looked you right in the eye, unflinching. Whoo. The guide cited a bit about the "Maiden Goddess" and the icon handed out tiny shells for each of us. Then we were led to the next "station."
The Mother was in a red veil. She smiled at us through the gauze with a perfect Mona Lisa smirk. Once again, our guide cited a bit about the "Mother Goddess" and how when we enter this phase of our lives, we create and nurture. The Icon gave us each a seed.
On we go, the guide bringing us to the Crone in her grey hooded robe. One only got fleeting glimpses of a feminine face under the hood. She could have been a teen, an adult, or an elder. I never was quite sure. The Guide imparted her wisdom, and she handed each of us a stone. On we go... for this "ritual" has in fact been a journey.
We are going to see the oracles. As is traditional, we must make a pilgrimage or quest as we journey to the oracles. And we are there at last, with three oracles; the man, the young woman, and the old woman. Each Oracle has a seat, a carpet on which to approach, and a coterie of people doing nothing more than "sharing their energy" with the oracle, to prevent burn-out.
Cernunnos stands guard, and allows us through one at a time. When we face him, he asks us our name, and then sends us to the appropriate seer. Now, I have enjoyed the theater the whole way. I have marveled at the lighting which shows us just what we are supposed to see in a dark forest. I liked the attention to details and the theatrical quality of the whole thing. And I am ready to be a right smart@ss when I get to the front. The Horned One asks me my name.
"I am that I am," say I.
He loses character (or possibly doesn't) and smirks, says, "Snerk" and points to "the Old One." Off I go, dum dum da dum. Going to the oracle. La la la la. Not sure what I am going to ask her, but I am not giving anything away... dee de dee deee.
Bam!
And I am there. And I am humbled. I ask my question (with no details) and am given a much more specific response, with an INTENSE connection.
I follow the path out of the clearing, into the first clearing where we initially gathered, where the Coven has prepared lemonade and cookies for everyone to share. They have some "catchers" waiting, to offer you a hug and fellowship. I take the hug, and realize that I am shaking. I take my lemonaide and cookie, but instead of fleeing like everyone gone before me, I cop a squat and pull up some turf. And I watch.
Every person who came down that path was offered a hug. Every one of them took the hug, and some collapsed into the arms of the Hug-er. After I was brave enough to stick around, several more people milled about, not ready to go back to normal yet. Soft conversation began, and the Coven was very pleased.
"We wanted to create an air of fellowship and communication for this part. We didn't expect everyone to take off like that."
I laughed, and said, "You didn't realize what an intense experience it was going to be, did you?"
Amazing.
And I knew that I wanted to provide this experience, or one like it for many many more people.
Next up:
My new idea, and cunning plot.
