Notes from Pagen Festival

I'm just now recovering from my 1st Pagan festival, Florida Pagan Gathering.  Whew!!

Here's the good, the bad, the ugly & the magickal:

1. The Good - FPG was filled with wonderful people!  We had opportunities for amazing workshops.  My favorites were Rhythm Circle 201 with Sean Richards, aka Congasean, Southern Folk Magic with Sara Amis, and Simple Circle Dances for all Pagans with Rayna Ardren Owens.
2. The Bad - I did not listen to my intuition & traded some wonderful workshops for some mediocre ones.  I missed An Elemental Journey Toward Wisdom with Grandmother Elspeth of Haven, Poetry: Magical Words with Akantha, and Rising Up: The Iron Pentacle with T.Thorn Coyle. Grrrr!!! (Note to self: ignore peer pressure!!!)
3. The Ugly - Oh my goddess!!! I camped in a tent in the cold & wet with 25 knot winds.  Need I say more??? AND, I lost my favorite camera.  
4. The Magickal - Drum Circle!!!  We had circle every night, but Saturday night was amazing!  Imagine a 25 ft high, 12 ft wide fire surrounded by witches & pagans drumming & dancing.  I danced!!! I've never danced in circle before, so this was a big step.  It was WONDERFUL!!!  

Here are a few tips from a 1st timer:

• Dress for the weather (duh, I know, but do it)
• If given a choice between cloth & walls, choose walls (there were cabins...I was envious)
• Don't take your camera, you won't use it & it might disappear
• Bring a notebook
• Bring a portable altar
• Find time to ground & center & meditate among the mayhem
• Schedule 1-2 days off post festival to recover
• Talk to everyone!
• Make up your own "business" cards, even if you don't have a business...it's easier to exchange info that way
• Decide on your ethics PRIOR to festival!!  Things can get out of hand & you don't want to go home with regrets (this was soooooooooooo important & I'm really glad I did so!!!)
• Take some risks
• Choose your workshops before you discuss festival with your friends & then stick by your choices (obviously I did not do this)
• Try to help at least 1 person during festival so you are giving as well as taking
• Remember, people are there for spiritual reasons as well as to have a good time...just because it's Pagan doesn't mean it's a giant beer/pot/sex party! (uhm...speaking to the "I'm a Pagan because it's non-conformist" crowd here)

Now that everything is cleaned up & put away, it's time to get back to work.  Today's project was an alcohol-based herbal burn for the upcoming Full Moon.  Then I've GOT TO WORK ON holiday gifts!

Wild & Bright Blessings,

~*Rhi*~

    )O(