By Tim Barlass November 21, 2021
Source: The Sydney Morning Harold
Photo Source: Unsplash, Noah
Everyone knows hairdressers and gyms have been doing it tough but what about pagan worshippers?
COVID-19 has inflicted its toll on their bottom line as well as hitting the numbers attending pagan rituals. How do you join hands in a circle to worship the full moon and maintain social distancing? This November’s full moon (also called a Beaver Moon) was on Friday night. There was also a mightily significant lunar eclipse, so the astrological forces were well and truly lined up.
The Pagan Awareness Network (250 members) gathered at Rotaract Hill in Seven Hills, next to the Hills bus depot and the railway line. Stonehenge it ain’t, but the group has been meeting here since 1997. There are 10 worshippers, including two witches, which isn’t bad since many previous full moon events had to be broadcast via Zoom or cancelled. The altar is in place with a cauldron and electric lanterns in a circle because it is too windy for candles. The pagans all checked in with QR codes (it isn’t linked to the Service NSW app) and have all been double vaccinated.
David Garland, in casual attire, is the man who started it all. His day job is a civil servant. “COVID killed everything because all of our events and gatherings are in person,” he said. “We run the full moons up here. We run weekend retreats ($300-400 for three days) two to three times a year and we take turns at running the Australian Wiccan Conference. We have had to cancel all of those.
“There is a very small profit that goes into paying for insurance, advertising and internet and running fees for the association. We have gone backwards [financially] for the last two years. We have to have gloves, sanitise and a log of people who are here. We normally do a howl which is an energy-raising. We get everyone together, start with a hum and it ends in a howl. We can’t do that because I have got to be 1.5 metres away from you. It only works if you are in close proximity.” Bec is treasurer of the Pagan Awareness Network and is a witch and dressed the part in long black gowns and a flower crown of artificial flowers. “I am not involved in a coven, I call myself an eclectic pagan witch,” she said. “If someone uses the phrase ‘wicked witch’ or anything like that I actually do get offended. Not all witches are bad.
“Not being able to meet with others has been a little different. We have had a number of live-stream full moon rituals to keep it running in some way.”
There is some incense, the “casting” of a circle, a little chanting, meditation and communion (no shared cup) of fruit juice and cakes.
Hannah, attending at Seven Hills for the first time, is from Ohio and has been in Australia for two years. She normally goes to Newtown pagan meetups. “The space that was rented out for the Newtown event isn’t available because they weren’t able to keep paying for the space during lockdown, so we are searching around for a new group I guess. We’ve got to practice our magic. “I’m a draconic witch. I work with dragons and dragon energy and ritual. Dragons actually exist, they are just a higher frequency, you can call on them when you are doing magic. My magic is about setting an intention and trusting that that will manifest into reality. “I am actually a professional witch now, I do it full time. That’s how I have been affected by lockdown. Since the beginning of the year I have been doing tarot readings online. People will go from TikTok to my website and I do all kinds of witchy, crazy stuff.”
Pagans believe that nature is sacred and that the natural cycles of birth, growth and death observed in the world around us carry profoundly spiritual meanings.
They would, you to know, just to set the record straight, that no babies or animals are sacrificed at their meetings.
What beliefs and traditions do you hold and practice? Why? What are there origins?
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