On Mayday a group of pagan political activists, under the banner of "the May Day Magical Activists (MDMA)" composed of members of the Dionysian Underground, the Serpent Goddess, Chaos Planet and other paganarchist and anarcho-surrealist groups, gathered at St Brides church for a day of magical activism, serpentine networking and apple crunching through the streets of the city of London.
On Mayday a group of pagan political activists, under the banner of "the May Day Magical Activists (MDMA)" composed of members of the Dionysian Underground, the Serpent Goddess, Chaos Planet and other paganarchist and anarcho-surrealist groups, gathered at St Brides church for a day of magical activism, serpentine networking and apple crunching through the streets of the city of London.
The group performed it's first rite at St Bride's church which they reclaimed as the Well of Brigit. The Well is a 3000 year old spring associated with the river Fleet. The ritual drew on the suppressed energy of ancient London which is ever present but missed by so many of her inhabitants. The group then blessed some magical apples before setting off on a serpentine derive through the City.
Magically reclaiming significant spots on the way, such as the Temple of Artemis (now desecrated as St Paul’s Cathedral) and St Mary le Bow of Bow bells fame (the true centre of the people’s London) they paused briefly at the Bank of England to denounce the unequal distribution of wealth and attendant social hierarchy.
The group cast spells on the Bank to dissolve its oppressive rigidity (which made some members of the group physically ill) and attempted to divert the energies of the area’s major ley line away from the site (it having been tied to the Bank by its "evil"Freemasons!). MDMA had the intention of hastening the financial collapse of the City's Bankers and thus enabling the redistribution of all its wealth! At the bank, an attendant serpent left a magical May Day apple for the unsuspecting bankers. This apple was charged with the knowledge of the difference between good and evil.
The derive ended at the former temple site of the Celtic goddess Elen, an archetype of dynamic energy and free flow, who was traditionally the patron deity of London. Her Greek equivalent, Helen of the Tree, being the daughter of Nemesis, the punisher of those who did not share the good fortune bestowed on them by her daughter. Here the group distributed magically charged apples, with the aid of a mysterious serpent, which had been carried along the way in a basket, the symbols of the goddess Elen.
The apple, a traditional symbol of rebellion and chaos, was also the focus of a number of Discordian anti-capitalist rites being carried out that day across the world. Many of our apples were smeared with honey, the essence of the hive, as a symbolic reminder that individual freedom depends on collective solidarity. The group then dispersed with some heading last seen heading for the St James Park picnic distributing the apples of rebellion along the way.
More info:
http://www.chaosmagic.com/cgi/dcs/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=449 http://www.angelfire.com/zine2/DionysianUnderground/Elen.htm apples(at)chaosplanet(dot)com
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magical activism permaculture course
09.05.2004 15:02
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Earth Activist Training
10th - 24th July 2004, England
with Starhawk & Erik Ohlsen
Ragmans Lane Farm, Gloucestershire
A permaculture design course for visionary activists:
Learn the skills to transform a piece of land, a community
and our political and economic systems.
Permaculture is a system of ecological design. Spend
two weeks in rural Gloucestershire learning:
Nature and wilderness awareness.
Diversity in ecosystems and in our movement.
Pattern thinking in design, strategy, and movement
building.
Solutions that exist: alternative energy, organic farming,
natural building, bioremediation and restoration.
Soil and forest ecology and ecological economics.
How to collect, conserve, and clean water.
Ecological base camp design for action camps
Movement building, strategy and direct action principles
and practices.
Consensus process, facilitation and conflict
transformation.
How to transform fear, rage, grief and frustration into
creative action.
How to stay grounded and centred in tough and
challenging situations.
How to create ritual and weave magic into action. . andmore!
We will also be thinking and planning for the G8
meeting in the UK in the Summer of 2005
On completion, participants will receive a permaculture
certificate.
Participants will take these skills back to their
communities and actively share and apply them.
Core facilitators:
Starhawk is a lifelong activist, direct action trainer,
ecofeminist and author of many books that link earth-
based spirituality with political struggle, including The
Spiral Dance, The Fifth Sacred Thing, and The Twelve
Wild Swans: A Journey to the Realm of Magic, Healing
and Action. www.starhawk.org
Erik Ohlsen is an experienced permaculture teacher,
community organiser and activist from California.
There will also be visiting guest speakers.
Cost (including two weeks accomodation and all meals):
£100 - £400 sliding scale according to income:
£400 waged
£250 low income
£100 unwaged (This is negotiable).
We welcome applications from people with disabilities,
although unfortunately the venue is not wheelchair
accessible.
Accommodation will be either camping or small
dorms/bunk rooms.
The food will be vegetarian and organic as far as
possible.
Selection criteria: As there are only limited places available
on this course, it is necessary to have a selection criteria
rather than accept people on a first come first served
basis. Priority will be given to people who are:
- involved primarily in the activist* community/movement
- have some experience of being involved in activism.
- involved with local groups and who will make a
commitment to share what they learn with their own
communities and affinity groups
- are active in the UK, although we are open to
applications from people in Europe.
* we do not have a restrictive definition of what an
"activist" is and invite people to give us their own
definition as part of their application.
The closing date for applications is Monday 31st May
2004.
If you are interested in taking part in this course, please
contact the organising collective for an application form,
at:
Earth Activist Training
C/o 3 Yew Tree Cottages
Pitt Court
North Nibley
Glos
Gl11 6EB
Or e-mail: earthactuk(at)123mail(dot)org
The EAT collective