LammasFest 2006

I've been meaning to write about this for weeks, but it's now time for Mabon and I'm still working on this. My "excuse" should I need one, is that Lammas was a very powerful time for me this year. I've been processing it and I'm still not finished. But, my head is clear enough now to begin to write about it.

LammasFest weekend turned out to be beautiful weather. We had feared the horrendously high temperatures of the previous weeks would make the event unattractive to people, and we could see by the numbers that the high fuel prices made a lot of folks decide not to attend.

We opened our event to three days last year, so for the committee, Thursday began the process of set up. I made it to the campgrounds fairly late Thursday morning to begin setting up tents. Alia and her family would be there late Thursday afternoon and I wanted to make sure her tent was set up and ready for them. Then my tent went up; I intended to head home after other committee folks arrived, but I always get so caught up in talking to folks that before I knew it, time had passed and we looked up to see a van with Colorado license plates pull in. It was Alia and her partner Kent, and her daughter Alyria. We didn't want to rush the van, so we waited a few minutes, then went over to make acquaintance. Alia and I have been Internet friends for several years now, but we had never met in person. It was great to finally meet her (them)! She stuck out her hand for me to shake, but I just grabbed her and hugged the heck out of her and she hugged the heck out of me right back. Kent is a cool guy and lots of fun to talk to, and Alyria is absolutely beautiful and is very composed and mature for a young woman her age. And, Alia is beautiful and fantastic and has a sultry voice. When I heard her voice, I knew it would be wonderful to hear her speak when the Lady came through during ritual Saturday night.

We talked for awhile, and then Kent asked directions to a nearby grocery store to stock up on some supplies, so I stuck around to keep Alia and Alyria company till he got back. The committee folks who were there walked the area and we put together some thoughts for placement of various events throughout the weekend. My intent was still to go home, finish getting things around and return to sleep at the site. But, before I could do so, another car pulled up. I was doing some stuff at my campsite and looked around to see a familiar form. It was dark enough that I couldn't read the license plate on the car, and it wasn't a car I recognized till I saw the shadow in the waning light.

"Tim?"

"Kate?"

Yes! It was Tim from FlintArt. He's a vendor who has been coming to LammasFest since we began. Tim is a flintknapper. He makes the most beautiful bone and flint knives and jewelry. And, this year he came from Pennsylvania to join us once again. I launched myself at him and hugged on him for awhile. Then we sat down and visited till after it was dark. He was tired, I needed to get back home so we parted for the night. I said my goodbyes to Alia and family and said I'd just plan on coming back early in the morning.

I'm skipping some things, for it involves the mundane tasks that happen at events. But, things went smoothly from my perspective, except I really suck at the registration table. I don't have the spreadsheet eye, I guess - I felt like a real dork, but did what I could to help. As the day progressed, people began arriving, and setting up their campsites. Soon the wonderful smells of the Harvest Meal began to drift over the campground. Dawn and her team did their usual fantastic job of cooking for the crowd.

It came to pass that our "West" wasn't able to join us, so Alia stepped in. My son, Kirk was High Priest. I love having him in circle with me. I've been paring down my opening ritual a little each year, adding or subtracting things as they seem necessary. Of course, this leads to me getting goofed up. And, of course I did so again this year. But, instead of freaking out, I just rolled my eyes at the guests and shook my head and we all had a laugh.

After the ritual, the firespinners began their show. It was wonderful! Kirk and Marsha had attended some firespinning workshops at PSG, and their tales about them plus watching the show makes me think I'd like to learn more about firespinning. And, it's always fun to glance up and see that the rangers have come to watch the show, too. It's cool that they (Rangers) take the time to visit our vendors, talk to the people and make their presence known - and enjoy being there instead of just having it be a part of their job.

Saturday morning began our busy day. Most workshops were well attended and vendor row seemed to have customers all the time. Late in the day I purchased a necklace; I spent my "vendor row" money on a beautiful hand carved alabaster necklace which looked wonderful with my ritual dress; I'm not much for "feeling" the energy of the stones typically, but there were five necklaces, all of them with an alabaster feather pendant (these were hand carved feathers, btw) There were two made of green alabaster, two of peach alabaster, and one white. I had been looking at the white one, but I was having a mini crisis with myself and didn't think I "deserved" such a lovely item. (Someone had told me I was very overweight and not as attractive as he thought I'd be and I let it get to me - I know...stupid of me!)

Anyway, green is the color I'm most drawn to, and the peach alabaster was a color I'd never seen, so it tempted me mightily as well. I decided to try to listen to the energy of the alabaster, even though I'd never had tremendous success with it in the past. I held my hand over each stone - the peach and green were literally screaming at me, "Buy me! Buy ME!" And the white one acted shy, nervous and ever so afraid to hope; the picture that popped into my head was that of the beautiful runt of the litter that no one wants because it's the smallest. "I hope you'll pick me, I want to go home with you, but I'm afraid you won't, I'm too different..." And, I could feel wisps of emotions, fear, longing, and hope emanating from that stone. This piece of alabaster that I thought was the most beautiful and not for me because someone had made me feel badly about myself, was being every bit as insecure as I was feeling. And, you can guess who came home with me. It was a good reminder, and a good lesson to remember whenever I wear her.

But, the event I was most nervous about was the main ritual on Saturday night. I was worried about Alia and the amount of pain she had been in. I was worried about my role in the ritual. Alia had asked me to be Her energy current while Alia was in trance. I was pretty scared about that. I really had no idea what to expect. I just asked the Gods to help me.

Marsha and Sarah's ritual was beautifully done. John Barleycorn was duly sacrificed amidst beautifully spoken words and masterful drumming. We had discussed the "theatrics" of the ritual, and at the point where Alia's Lady asked who would give their life, I stepped forward as planned and gave a bit of a bow, and then walked around behind Lady to help escort her to the bower. But before that happened, suddenly people began lining up. And, the circle each came and stood before the Lady, paying their honor and respect to Her. Some bowed, some simply stood with eyes downcast, some took Her hands, some got on their knees before Her. I couldn't see thru the tears in my eyes. I can't even begin to describe how beautiful it was.

We retired to the bower. Alyria was the "walker". She went to people and assisted them to the bower to talk to the Lady when it was their turn. I stood behind the Lady, generating as much earth power to Alia/Lady as I could. I made sure that the physical body drank plenty of water, that she was covered with her shawl if she got cool, or whatever was needed. Since I'd never had a role like this before, I did my best to *not* listen to the petitioners as they were received. But, one petitioner came into the bower and garnered my attention when she took Lady's hands and suddenly burst into tears. And then it was impossible to NOT listen to the tale of woe, and hear the words that made my blood run cold as the petitioner told Her that she was contemplating ending her life. Lady just about jumped right out of the chair. She gathered the weeping girl into her arms and I was privileged to watch true magic happen. I hope it makes sense to say it that way. I'm familar with magic. But this was Magic.

Other petitioners brought their concerns and Lady dealt with their hopes and fears in a way that filled each need. With some She was firm, others gentle, and from what I could tell or feel, each person was happy to have been in Her presence. I was honored to have been asked by Alia to assist her. Thank you again, Alia.

Alia and I spent about an hour after the ritual, talking it out, Alyria and I filling her in on things we'd seen and heard. I was helping with Security that night, so eventually I headed back to my tent and oozed into a chair and watched the crowd drum until the fires burned down. Eventually I needed to walk. I heard another friend's tent zipper opening and so I wandered over there to see if he wanted to go walk for awhile. We walked down to the dam and spillway and on the way back got stopped by the rangers who wanted to know what the hell we were doing. I know I'm getting old. Didn't have to feel guilty about a thing! LOL I finally crawled into my sleeping bag around 2 a.m. and got to sleep at some point.

Around 5 a.m. I woke to the sounds of very distant thunder. So, I got up when my bladder told me it would be a good idea to wander to the bathroom, and then began doing as much teardown as I could without disturbing folks. The rains began around 6:30. It was safer to sit under the bathroom overhang rather than all those tall trees. We ended up with a fair crowd of folks before it was over.

When we were able, we all began tearing down both the event areas and our own campsites. Sherry did a closing ritual, very simple and elegant. We "toasted" all the wonderful things that had happened during the event, and the circle, which had been opened at the opening ritual was closed for 2006.

Many more things happened over the course of the event. It would take too long to list each detail, and some things would be important only to the individuals who experienced them.

I hope this report gives you an idea of why we put this event on each year, and I hope anyone who might read it will understand why we all seem to go silent in those days and weeks post event.