Class V: The Magickal World
comes together in the fields and groves, the rings of
stones, the medicine wheels, and around great trees.
Group after group conducts rituals enacting myths
and Mysteries as old as Time and as new as Tomor-
row. Circles range from silly to solemn, from loud and
boisterous to totally silent.
If the gathering place is outdoors (as most are,
when the weather is pleasant), there will be campfires
in the evening, and candles and torches will light paths
and shrines. As you walk into a circle of firelight,
glowing faces turn to welcome you. Folks make room
around the fire, and pull up a seat for you (it may be
just a log...). Someone passes you a chalice or drink-
ing horn, saying “Never thirst.” Folks are singing
songs, or telling jokes and stories. At the big central
bonfire, there will definitely be drumming and danc-
ing around the fire—and this could go on all night. At
some gatherings, there will even be a midnight fire-
works and laser show.
And wherever you go, you are welcomed.Lesson 2. The Magickal
MarketplaceThe real-life magickal marketplace is more fantastic
than any bazaar from the Arabian Nights. The finest
craftspeople of the New Renaissance proudly display
their best arts and handiworks—all in one place! There
are wands, knives, swords, staves and chalices; robes,
cloaks, gowns, hats, and capes; jewelry, headgear,
horns, and chain mail; books, cards, paintings and
posters; statues, figurines and dolls of goddesses,
faeries, dragons, and unicorns; creatures, crystals,
candles, and cauldrons; masks, music, and magick.
But you don’t have to wait ‘til you go to your
first magickal gathering to shop in the magickal mar-
ketplace. There is hardly a major city in the English-
speaking world today that doesn’t have at least one
magickal store, and some may be found even in small
towns. In black and Hispanic neighborhoods, they
are called botanicas (“herb shops”). You can look
these up in your local Yellow Pages under “Meta-
physical/Occult Stores.” Or you can check them out
on-line state-by-state at The Witch’s Voice: http://
http://www.witchvox.com/links/net_books.html. Though all
these stores are independent, many are intercon-
nected, and most of them carry my statues and jew-
elry. You can tell ‘em Oberon sent you!
These metaphysical and occult stores are your
best gateway into the magickal community. Get to
know the folks who work there. They will usually
have a bulletin board listing events, contacts, and
local groups. Many of them offer classes on various- Introduction: The Gathering
ES, THERE REALLY IS A WORLD OF
magick beyond the boundaries of
the mundane. Just over that hill,
or inside that forest, or behind
those doors, or down that coun-
try road, there are magickal
people gathering. Everyone in
long flowing robes and dark swirl-
ing capes and cloaks, faces mysterious behind paint
or masks...Women wear lovely gowns of silk and vel-
vet, corsets and bodices, or beautifully-batiked Ba-
linese saris and sarongs, fantastic jewelry, armbands,
necklaces, rings, anklets, and belly-dance belts, head-
dresses, tiaras, and pointy Witch’s hats with wide
brims...Men in kilts, khitons, leathers, breeches, to-
gas, tunics, robes, and jerkins—helms and headbands
with horns and antlers...and even more fantastic sights
than can be described.
Come with me to the Gathering...When you enter the gathering place, you are
greeted with warm smiles and big hugs. Everyone tells
you, “Welcome Home!” And you know they mean it,
for you feel in your heart that, indeed, you have come
Home. Music is playing everywhere, from madrigals
to rock, from flutes to drums. Colorful banners flutter
from walls, trees, tents, and pavilions. Hearty feasts
are set, where crowds sit together at large tables, jok-
ing, laughing, and sharing stories in between bites.
Children of various ages are running through it all in
happy packs. Workshops teach mask-making,
macramé, belly dance, chants, spells, drum-making,
weaving, figure-sculpting, story-telling, cloak-making,
drumming, healing, tarot-reading, crystal-gazing, fire-
building, yoga, meditation, mead-making, and pretty
much anything else imaginable that someone wishes
to teach and others wish to learn. Circle after CircleCorrected pages 3rd printing.1.p65 42 6/10/2004, 3:00 PM