Fire Child
Happy Beltane, everyone! At least the snow has finally melted, so that frolicking in the outdoors isn’t as intimidating as it was a few days ago!
It seems my comment a couple of months back on the Witchery’s departure from the Calgary pagan scene was (thankfully) premature. As some of you know, they’ve relocated to the old Bushido Tattoo space in 1112 – 4 St. SW (conveniently close to downtown), and plan to re-open on May 15. Welcome back!
This month’s read is Fire Child: The Life and Magic of Maxine Sanders “Witch Queen” (Mandrake of Oxford, 2008. ISBN 978-1-869928-97-1). Maxine has only been familiar to me as the striking young blonde with Alex Sanders in photos of their rituals taken during the 1970’s. As she has never considered herself a writer, her autobiography is a welcome break to her long silence.
The child of a spiritualist socialite and an abusive ex-boxer, she developed an interest in the Mysteries at an early age. Her book is a reflection upon her spiritual history, including her experiences with Indonesian, Egyptian, and “Angelic” practices, ceremonial magic, and the glory years of the Alexandrians. It also portrays her long relationship with, and ultimate estrangement from, Alex Sanders. She characterizes him as “a saint and a showman”, whose generosity was as great as his need to be in the public eye. Maxine, however, preferred her family and her privacy.
While much is mentioned of their workings, Maxine’s frustration and disillusion with some fellow Witches at all levels ultimately led to her retirement. It’s a fascinating portrait of a woman who was close to the centre of modern Traditional Craft in its early days, and reveals that much of its abuses today have long been with us.
Candles this month to M. Willow, Bryn, Sherri O, Linda L, and to everyone else who needs them.
May's Birthdays: Lily, Danielle A., and probably some of my Facebook friends.
May Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.
May 1: Just say NO to Plastic Bags Day.
May 1: The Eclectic Circle (TEC), led by SpiritnSoul, Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1558/
May 3-4: Calgary Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show at West Hillhurst Arena, 1940 – 6 Ave NW. Info: http://www.crlc.ca/
May 3: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
May 3, 8:00 p.m.: Ghost Walk at Queen’s Park Cemetery, hosted by Spira Canada.
May 5, 6:18 a.m.: New Moon. Saille (Willow) lunar month begins.
May 10, 6:00 p.m. Calgary Community Potluck: Manje-Mo (Creole/Caribbean). Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/calgarycommunitypotlucks/
May 11: Mother’s Day.
May 15: The Witchery re-opens at 1112 – 4 St. SW.
May 16-19: 4th Canadian National Pagan Conference at the University of Ottawa. Info: http://www.gaiagathering.ca
May 19, 8:11 p.m.: Full (Flower) Moon.
May 20, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in north Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
May 22, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
May 25, 12:00 noon: Calgary Pagan Pride Day meeting at Co-op Midtown Market.
May 25, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Calgary Lilac Festival. Info: http://www.4streetcalgary.com/lilacfestival/
Blessings,
Hergest
It seems my comment a couple of months back on the Witchery’s departure from the Calgary pagan scene was (thankfully) premature. As some of you know, they’ve relocated to the old Bushido Tattoo space in 1112 – 4 St. SW (conveniently close to downtown), and plan to re-open on May 15. Welcome back!
This month’s read is Fire Child: The Life and Magic of Maxine Sanders “Witch Queen” (Mandrake of Oxford, 2008. ISBN 978-1-869928-97-1). Maxine has only been familiar to me as the striking young blonde with Alex Sanders in photos of their rituals taken during the 1970’s. As she has never considered herself a writer, her autobiography is a welcome break to her long silence.
The child of a spiritualist socialite and an abusive ex-boxer, she developed an interest in the Mysteries at an early age. Her book is a reflection upon her spiritual history, including her experiences with Indonesian, Egyptian, and “Angelic” practices, ceremonial magic, and the glory years of the Alexandrians. It also portrays her long relationship with, and ultimate estrangement from, Alex Sanders. She characterizes him as “a saint and a showman”, whose generosity was as great as his need to be in the public eye. Maxine, however, preferred her family and her privacy.
While much is mentioned of their workings, Maxine’s frustration and disillusion with some fellow Witches at all levels ultimately led to her retirement. It’s a fascinating portrait of a woman who was close to the centre of modern Traditional Craft in its early days, and reveals that much of its abuses today have long been with us.
Candles this month to M. Willow, Bryn, Sherri O, Linda L, and to everyone else who needs them.
May's Birthdays: Lily, Danielle A., and probably some of my Facebook friends.
May Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.
May 1: Just say NO to Plastic Bags Day.
May 1: The Eclectic Circle (TEC), led by SpiritnSoul, Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1558/
May 3-4: Calgary Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show at West Hillhurst Arena, 1940 – 6 Ave NW. Info: http://www.crlc.ca/
May 3: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info: info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
May 3, 8:00 p.m.: Ghost Walk at Queen’s Park Cemetery, hosted by Spira Canada.
May 5, 6:18 a.m.: New Moon. Saille (Willow) lunar month begins.
May 10, 6:00 p.m. Calgary Community Potluck: Manje-Mo (Creole/Caribbean). Info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/calgarycommunitypotlucks/
May 11: Mother’s Day.
May 15: The Witchery re-opens at 1112 – 4 St. SW.
May 16-19: 4th Canadian National Pagan Conference at the University of Ottawa. Info: http://www.gaiagathering.ca
May 19, 8:11 p.m.: Full (Flower) Moon.
May 20, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yours truly, in north Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
May 22, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
May 25, 12:00 noon: Calgary Pagan Pride Day meeting at Co-op Midtown Market.
May 25, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Calgary Lilac Festival. Info: http://www.4streetcalgary.com/lilacfestival/
Blessings,
Hergest
posted by Stephen Hergest at 3:56 pm
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