On Feb. 16, tragedy hit Katwood, a 40-acre Pagan sanctuary and sacred retreat nestled in rural southern Virginia. The homestead and all its contents were completely burned to the ground, leaving its full-time occupants, Priest Daniel and his wife Sue, without a place to live. Katwood has been the couple’s home for decades. Daniel, now in his 60s, is the founder and priest of Oak Tree Clan, a group that considers Katwood Sanctuary its spiritual center.
With the help of neighbors, Daniel and Sue moved into a motel and then a friend’s home. However, they miss Katwood, and do plan to rebuild. After the fire, several members of the Oak Tree Clan set up a GoFundMe campaign and a Katwood Rebuild Facebook group to help support the process. One member, Belinda, told The Wild Hunt, “These people are my family, and they have been for a good many years. This place is my spiritual home … I pray that I shall live to see the day I can return there and spend time with them. In the interim, I’ll be planning on visiting my people… my CLAN… in other locations until Katwood is restored.”
Yesterday, it was announced that progress has been made. Friends and neighbors will soon be installing a temporary home on the land so the couple can return by the end of Summer.
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![[Courtesy Photo]](https://wildhunt.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/LeadPhoto1.jpg)
From Moonspell, Shekhinah.net
The memorial fund will be managed by a council of 3-7 women, who either knew Shekhinah or hold true to her vision and work. The founders are currently looking for volunteers to serve on the council. Money raised will be administered through an application process and be used to “support self-identified women doing the spiritual work that calls to them. Projects may include research, publications, events and rituals, music and art, spiritual activism, or anything that provides service or education to enrich the Goddess community.” The application and directions will be posted on the website by late summer.
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Judy Harrow
On March 13, Judy Harrow will be honored by The Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ) division of the American Counseling Association (ACA). Harrow was nominated in January by Michael Reeder LCPC, a holistic counselor and therapist. In his submission, Reeder had to demonstrate how Harrow’s work fulfilled the award’s requirements. As noted by CSJ, a recipient’s work in counseling must “affirm diversity and advocate for social justice in the spirit of nine elements of the indigenous Hawai’ian concept of ‘Ohana or extended family,” which include “Malama: Caring, Aloha: Unconditional Love, Ha’aha’a: Humility, Mana: Spiritual Power, Na’auuo: Intelligence, ‘Olu’olu: Courtesy, Lokomaika’i: Generosity, Koa: Courage, Kupono: Integrity, Honesty.”
Reeder detailed the many ways that Harrow fulfilled the requirements, including her devotion to Wicca, teaching, counseling, and the Pagan community, as well as her bravery in confronting religious bigotry, her perseverance and her roles in various socio-political movements. He also noted that she had founded her own Wiccan tradition and authored “the best book on pastoral counseling.”
On Feb. 12, Reeder received notification that Harrow had been accepted to receive the 2015 ‘Ohana award. Harrow and her work will be honored this Friday “at the ACA conference in Orlando, Florida from 11:00am to 1:00pm at the Hyatt Regency Orlando.”
In Other News:
- Paganicon begins this weekend in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Organized and run by Twin Cities Pagan Pride, the event is now in its 5th year and includes “workshops, panels, discussions, social space, live music, a ball, vendors and more.” Rev. Selena Fox is the 2015 guest speaker. In a special Sunday ceremony, Fox, assisted by others from Circle Sanctuary, “will be honoring Pagans who have served and are serving in the U.S. Military” with Circle’s Pagan Military Service Ribbon. Paganicon will be held in the Doubletree Park Place hotel from March 13-15.
- Covenant of the Unitarian Universalist Pagans has announced its “Second Sermon Contest.” This year’s theme is “Re-enchantment.” The Winner receives $500. According to the announcement, “you do not need to be an ordained minister or a seminary student, nor do you need to be a member of CUUPS” to enter. However, it goes on to say, “you do have to have deliver your sermon, live and in person, to a UU congregation between October 31, 2014 and October 31, 2015.”
- In other CUUPS news, the organization has relaunched its popular Podcast after a winter hiatus.
- The new journal Walking the World is still seeking submissions for its next issue. The theme is: “Building Regional Cultus.” As noted on the website,”What does this mean to you? Why is it important to polytheism today? How does one go about doing this? How are you personally maintaining cultus? What problems can arise and how can they best be met? What does it mean to restore and build cultus in the modern world?” The journal premiered at beginning of January with 13 articles focused on the theme of “Ancestors and Hero Cultus.” Submission guidelines for issue 2 can be found on the website.
- Author and teacher, Shauna Aura Knight has expanded her writing to include two more blogs. Along with Pagan Activist, Knight will be contributing to a new Agora column, called Seeking the Grail, published at Patheos’ Pagan Channel. Additionally, she will be blogging about Leadership and related subjects at Pagan Square.
- In Florida, Pagans will be gathering for a brand new outdoor festival, Equinox in the Oaks, to celebrate the return of Spring. This new event is being held on private land about 30 minutes west of Ormond and Daytona beaches.Organizers have put together four full days of workshops, classes, speakers, rituals, drumming and entertainment. Pagan Bard and folk arist Mama Gina is performing Thursday night and a firewalking event will be held Friday night. Equinox in the Oaks begins March 12 and runs through noon on March 15.
That’s it for now. Have a nice day!
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In Florida, Pagans will be gathering for a brand new outdoor festival, Equinox in the Oaks, to celebrate the return of Spring
Do they even have Seasons down there :Þ ?
Several. Damn hot, hurricane, spring break, and crazy!
LOL. There are changes to the seasons down there, but they are very Subtle. I lived in FL for 22 years before moving to PA. I became Pagan when I lived in FL, and when going through the wheel of the year, I became very attuned to the subtle changes of seasons. Being down there really helped me be still, listen and look at the world around me.
I’m glad to see the fund for Shekhinah’s memory. She was a sweet woman and it’s wonderful that the fund specifies self-identified women.
The fund itself strikes me as rather sexist, however.
Uh, because women in our society have historically operated at a major advantage over men?
You may need to reexamine your definition of the term “sexism,” anon. On the day that gender bias against women is no longer an issue in our society, and not before, you can protest setting aside some resources to support women specifically.
*shaking my head* (2015, and still explaining feminism 101. *sigh*)
There was no need to be rude. I was simply voicing an opinion, an opinion backed by the facts. More women than men are enrolling in programs offering, and receiving BAs, BFAs, and MFAs than men, and women are receiving the bulk of grants and funding in both the U.S. and Europe.
Do not presume that you need to explain anything to me. Putting down others is not a process that leads to civil discourse or the valuable exchange of ideas.
It is, however, a good attempt to shut down differing viewpoints.
Thank you for your contribution to the discussion.
The responses to feminism usually justify the continued need for feminism, unfortunately.
What’s your beef? We men already have a support system for those of us with unmarketable skills: Prison! 🙂
Actually, the historical strategy for a good many guys who wanted to drop out of the economy and become Artists was to find a good hard-working woman to sponge off of. I don’t mind seeing some money flow back their way!