Alchemical Fire at Free Spirit Gathering June 17, 2011
We
will once again be co-creating and conspiring (with a clutch of
our drumming and fire-choir pyro-peep friends) to bring Alchemical
Fire Ritual to Free Spirit Gathering (FSG), Friday night of the
event, July 17th. We will also be helping keep things juicy at the
Community Fire Circle for the rest of the event June 14th - 19th.
If you would like
more information keep reading or please contact
us. There's also more about how we do ritual on our KindlingFire/Alchemy
page.
For more info on Free Spirit Gathering, or to register, please visit
the FSG web site. Free Spirit is held in mid-June
at Camp Ramblewood in Darlington MD. Map below.
Alchemical Fire Ritual
The Alchemical Fire Ritual
Team including: Whittney Matlock, Mike
Miller,
Shane A, Michael Gryffyn
Friday Night 11:45pm until dawn
The
Alchemical Fire Ritual is an all-night ritual running from Midnight to Sunrise
Friday night. This circle has permeable boundaries
so that participants may enter and leave as they choose. Folks are encouraged
to honor their needs and take part in as much or as little as they like when
they like. We also strongly encourage persistent participation. Alchemy works
best when you put effort into the practice.
To make this magik work, there are some agreements we ask of everyone who enters this Circle:
- Participate - Enter with a willingness to take part as fully as you are able & plug into the groove that is happening.
- Create - Act on inspirations & opportunities to engage with each other, self & Spirit.
- Co-operate - Support & encourage each other
to share the magick we each bring to the fire.
- Respect - Keep the ritual space sacred & free
from litter, casual chatter, recording devices & other mundane
intrusions.
- Focus - Intend clear awareness & response-ability
in all you say & do.
- Take a Chance - Share what you are good at with the Circle & try what you perceive you are not yet strong at as well.
- Allow - Make room for the quiet, as well as the loud. If an offering ends in silence, take time to honor & appreciate it before responding.
This last agreement may need some explanation: One of the ways we focus and deepen the energy we create through all our activity is to allow silence from time to time. i.e. at the end of a really good drum set or a moving story. Rather than applauding, cheering or condolences, we ask folks to let silence happen. Give yourself time to really feel what you hear/see/feel. The amazing thing is that from the silence, a voice always begins or a rhythm starts up. Give it a try and see how it feels.
Fire Alchemy Technology – How We Work at the Fire
In its simplest form, Alchemy is the art and science of transformation
through experimentation and observation. Our Alchemical Fire Ritual (AFR)
is a way to practice this art using the tools available to us at the fire
circle. We work together in a creative collaboration to awaken and inspire
awareness in each other. We playfully explore the edges of our comfort
zones within the safe space of our intentions. As we approach our limits,
we reach beyond them and observe what happens. Supported in the circle
of our sisters and brothers great leaps become easy steps. We can risk
falling when it is into the arms of those we trust.
We want to share what may a new way for you to put these familiar
tools to use to spark awareness and inspiration - experiment and
wonder. We encourage you, we welcome you, we invite you to come check
out our lab! Ask questions about
the tools we use and how we use them, and learn about the core concepts
we act from to create change throughout the night. You'll soon be
on your way to becoming an "adept."
Collaboratory Drum and Chant
Ever
thought of an interesting rhythm to play counterpoint to a chant or spoken
piece going on at fire circle but felt reluctant to join in? Ever have a great
chant occur to you while the drummers had a juicy groove going on and not known
how to get it started? Co-Lab-Oratory Drum and CHant is a way drummers, chanters
(and dancers and ritual people) of all skill levels can quickly and easily
communicate or check-in with each other when they need to get on the same page
to make fire ritual a collaborative, sweet, magickal flow.
Bring a drum, noisemaker, your voice or favorite musical instrument. (Quiet or "unusual" instruments welcome, too.) Bring a chant, rhythm, or other ritual accompaniment and let's have fun! We will also have instruments, rhythms and chants to share if you don't have your own.
Alchemical Perspectives – How the World looks to an Alchemist
The
practice of Alchemy is widely varied in style and substance. In our experiment,
the Alchemical Fire Ritual, experience and awareness are pressed
into the service of personal transformation. This type of Transformation
is never by accident. It asks much of a practitioner. It offers great rewards
for those who are persistent. Though there are many ways to practice Alchemy,
there some common seed materials which guide Alchemical thought. We recommend reading
them:
- the Emerald Tablet, an ancient verse preserving the fundamental core of Alchemical thought and
- the Kybalion, an inspired elucidation of the ideas in the Emerald Tablet
Explore how these ancient mystical ideas can still inform experiments of the Spirit and help us transform our personal lead into Life's vital gold.
Rangoli
Rangoli is an Indian art-form often used to celebrate and honor
the gods and welcome guests. Fine sand or rice powder, white or colorfully
dyed, is poured on the ground in intricate patterns signifying protection,
prosperity, hospitality,... A very simple and elegant form of this
art can be used - with plain flour, sand, leaves and flowers - to
creatively adorn and demarcate intentional space as sacred, welcoming
and magickal.
We will create sacred space with Rangoli - literally drawing our
intention to the ground of the Alchemical Fire Ritual.
Alchemical Fire Ritual Team:
this year's team includes Whittney
Matlock, Mike Miller, Shane
A, Michael Gryffyn.
Michael Gryffyn has
been a student, teacher and researcher in Western and Eastern metaphysical
and healing arts for more than 30 years, and is a practitioner of
many disciplines including Sound Healing, Alchemy, Wicca, Kabbalah,
and Tantric yoga. Michael is a long-time practitioner of the art
of using sound and the voice for healing the body. He is also a fire
shaman, priest, guide, healer and a member of the Beneficent order
of the Greenman. Michael currently has a coven and a Sound Therapy
practice in Laurel Maryland.
Mike Miller has been
priest of Gardnerian, Eclectic Wiccan and Ecstatic traditions. He
has facilitated drum circles, designed and presented large rituals
for Spiritual events including Main Ritual at FSG. He currently works
as a web development/support consultant for the House of Representatives
and has interests ranging from Television and Audio to Gardening
and Beekeeping. A creature of Earth, Mike finds a paradoxical grounding
in Fire. His discovery of Sacred Intentional Fire Ritual has opened
his magickal eyes and voice. His current spiritual passion is kindling
the sacred rhythms of fire, music, trance and magickal wonder. His
greatest delight is for you to come to the fire and open your eyes
and voice to wonder, too.
Shane A has
been working with various groups of Pagan, Larpers and Freaks to
produce some wonderful and magical experiences for people for a number
of years. He is an amature goldsmith (the main metal currently is
silver), he is a tinkerer and maker, he has helped produce rituals
with Kindlers of the Sacred Rhythm, Sacred Mark Sanctuary and the
Circle of Dark Eros. His work has to do with site and area prep,
special effects (Shane makes really cool stuff happen with fire),
sound systems and effects (back lines and atmospheres) and just generally
making stuff happen. Shane has also been seen on staff at various
Pagan, LARP and Freak events such as Suspendc, 1948:Horror, FSG and
Sacred Sexuality Beltaine. This year Shane is working with the Alchemical
Fire Ritual Team hoping to create and share more Magic with you all.
Whittney Matlock is a practitioner and teacher of the ancient mystical
art of Shamanic Alchemy. This brand new, age old practice, teaches
the creation of a personal elixir of enlightenment. With this elixir,
distilled from the sweat of hard work by the fire of personal challenge,
frees the mind to evolve through self examine in the trance of intense
experiences. Though he is happy to share his elixir with anyone who
asks, he'll always remind you that it's the process of brewing your
own elixir that makes the magik work.
Before this, he was infamous in the field of massage therapy for
pioneering the use of actually listening to his client's needs during
sessions. Until his discovery, this strange practice was thought
to only be used by a nomadic tribe of bodyworkers in the South Sea
Islands. In his wanderings between many worlds, Whittney brings the
spiritual practices of the Pagan community into the world of BDSM
and the techniques used in BDSM to the Pagan community. When not
otherwise occupied, his favorite hobby is corrupting people into
thinking for themselves.
As a Shamanic Practitioner, the fire circle is one of his most valued
tools. At times it may be the grand stage on which life processes.
At others it may be a sharing fire where all come to experience and
learn. With many variations in between. His main goal is to provoke
people to be engaged, to take part, to have a hand in their own enlightenment
and to support the enlightenment of others. Most shocking of all,
he believes that the transformation work of the fire can be fun.
Take a chance on adventure and step into the circle. You'll never
be the same again.
Map to FSG
FSG is at Camp Ramblewood
2564 Silver Road
Darlington, MD 21034
1-800-466-CAMP
1-800-466-2267
How to join or find out more about us
We invite others in the DC metro area interested in our path to join us and find out if this is a direction for you to explore. If you are interested in learning more about us or have questions about the ideas we are exploring, please contact us.
All genuine seekers are welcome. If this is not what you are seeking, then please seek elsewhere and blessings be with you.
Namaste.
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