My "State of the Union" 2019

Happy 2019, everyone!   Again, although I’ve listed a lot of events this month, there are not a lot of specifically pagan events going on per se. 

Local pagan history has been on my mind lately as I prepare for a private presentation, so I again have to acknowledge that we’ve been in a lull period the last few years.  Several of us who have been around since the 1990s have either retired from public practice, or become focused on our own groups or other interests.  The Covenant of Gaia still does Sabbats and coffees if you can find it, and Jane still hosts occasional Sabbats and other events through the Calgary Witches’ Meetings Facebook group, in addition to running her MoonFire teaching circles. The Stone Circle Teaching Path, so far as I know, still continues to take students.  Evergreen Tradition continues to educate through its teaching circles, and its initiates – by default, I have to emphasize – are active in the Calgary Pagan Pride Society, working on organizing next September’s event.  Volunteers and contributors from other paths are always welcome.  The Calgary Heathens continue to be very active with their monthly meet and greets, discussion groups, and other activities.

The pub moots put on by the new Witches of Alberta Facebook group here can be useful for people seeking a social outlet.  However, I’m aware that pubs may not be the environment for everyone, particularly those with small children or recovery issues.  Monthly coffees at a consistent location may be more useful for some.  Many of you will remember that I hosted monthly coffees/dinners through the Calgary Witches’ Meetup for ten years, as well as Esbats and other events, but they took their toll on me through my late wife Margarian’s illness and passing.  I’d still be happy to see someone take these on, perhaps under the banner of the Calgary Pagan Network (which I moderate) or Calgary Witches’ Meetings, which Jane now organizes – so please check with her before posting new events in that group.

I really need to update my Calgary Pagan Resource Guide, which can be found in the Files section of some local Facebook groups, so look for that here next month.  In the meantime, Witchvox (a.k.a. “The Witches’ Voice”) is a good venue for posting events.  They did a general culling a few years ago, so the Alberta community page is a bit sparse, particularly where Calgary is concerned.  Still, several seekers continue to find their way to us by that route.

Calgary is still largely a community of solitaries with busy lives, so don’t be frustrated if you see a shortage of public events.  Teachers in the community continue to train students to take on leadership roles, and no one is preventing solitaries from all paths from stepping up and hosting events.  Perhaps in 2019, it will even be you!

January Events:

 Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement should be necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. All times MST.

Jan 1:  New Year’s Day.  New Horizons spacecraft reaches Ultima Thule.

Jan 3:  Earth at perihelion.

Jan 4, pre-dawn:  Peak of Quadrantid meteor shower.

Jan 4, 7:00 pm:  Circles of Rhythm Drum Circle at Inglewood Community Centre.  https://www.meetup.com/The-Calgary-Drum-Circle-Meetup-Group/

Jan 5, 6:28 pm:  New Moon.  Lunar Month of Beth/Birch begins.

Jan 11, 7:00 pm:  Circles of Rhythm Drum Circle (see Jan 4).

Jan 12:  Cuddle Party at Scarboro Community Hall, hosted by Numinous Creations.  https://www.facebook.com/events/339382580200166/

Jan 14, 7:00 pm:  Tantric Women’s Circle at Scarboro Community Hall, hosted by Calgary Tantra with Rovena Skye.  https://www.facebook.com/events/1013800068744560/

Jan 18, 7:00 pm:  Circles of Rhythm Drum Circle (see Jan 4).

Jan 19, 12:00 pm:  Women’s March to City Hall hosted by Women’s March Canada - Calgary and March On Canada - Calgary, at Banker’s Hall (or Famous Five monument).  Info: http://www.womensmarchcanada.com

Jan 20, 8:34 pm:  Lunar eclipse begins; totality at 9:41 pm.

Jan 20, 10:16 pm:  Full (Wolf) Moon.

Jan 21:  Celtic Tree-Month of Luis/Rowan begins, according to Graves and Llewellyn.

Jan 25, 7:00 pm:  Circles of Rhythm Drum Circle (see Jan 4).

Jan 26, 6:30 pm:  Tantric Cacao Journey of Love (Heart Chakra) at Scarboro Community Hall, hosted by Numinous Creations.  https://www.facebook.com/events/1144007915757565/

Jan 27, 7:00 pm:  Calgary Heathens Meet and Greet.

December, 2018

Happy December, all. Not a lot going on this month, as things wind down for the Xmas season, so I’m throwing in a number of “holiday” markets and New Age solstice celebrations into the calendar for your info.

It may be a little early for year-end ruminations (you don’t normally see “highlights” lists until the off-period between Xmas and New Year’s), but since pagan Sabbats usually mark the beginning of the season instead of the end (as with the Christian and commercial practices) we’re still in the dark period of reflection.

2018 has been another long and challenging year for me, but I’ve accomplished a lot, as my followers are well aware.  It was a year of aggressive downsizing and making overdue repairs to the house (including a new roof) in northwest Calgary, and then my move to Cochrane.

People keep telling me that I deserve a vacation.  However, my travel plans continue to be on hold until the house sells.  I hope to visit family and friends in various provinces in 2019, and arrange an international trip or two.

Since it will be four years in January since I was laid off from my paying job in the patch, I’m starting, reluctantly, to think of myself as “retired”.  Perhaps, though, it’s in the sense of a retirement that one “comes out of”.  In the meantime I’m continuing to downsize, sorting through old papers, journals, and “archival materials”, and otherwise putting my past in order so that something may live on after I’m gone.  Here’s hoping the return of the Sun (and Mercury, for that matter), will bring a new rebirth for all of us, so that we can move forward with confidence into 2019!  Bright blessings to all.

December Events:

 Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement should be necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. All times MST.

Dec 1:  World AIDS Day.

Dec 1, 12:20 am:  New Moon.  Lunar Month of Ruis/Elder begins.

Dec 1-2:  Calgary Expo Holiday Market at BMO Centre.  https://www.facebook.com/events/242215599797495/

Dec 1, 10:00 am:  YYC Alternative Christmas Market at Inglewood Community Hall, hosted by Plain Jane Events.  https://www.facebook.com/events/560395574410049/

Dec 5, 6:45 pm:  Calgary Tantric Speed Dating at Scarboro Community Hall, hosted by Numinous Creations. https://www.facebook.com/events/190418768511302/

Dec 6:  Anniversary of L’Ecole Polytechnique Montreal Massacre, 1989.

Dec 6, 2:22 pm:  Mercury Retrograde ends.

Dec 8:  Cuddle Party at Scarboro Community Hall, hosted by Numinous Creations.  https://www.facebook.com/events/339382580200166/

Dec 13, 5:30 pm:  “Blue Christmas” Service at Unitarian Church of Calgary, 1703 – 1 Street NW. Light dinner to follow. http://unitarianscalgary.org

Dec 15, 10:00 am:  Calgary New Age Market at Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Hall.  https://www.facebook.com/events/416791258740531/

Dec 15-16, 10:00 am:  The Witchery Market in Edmonton, 10433-83 Ave. NW.  Not associated with Mimi’s legendary Witchery.  https://www.facebook.com/events/181781219374646/

Dec 15-16:  Constellations IV – A Winter Solstice Celebration, near Bragg Creek, hosted by Inshala Festival.  https://www.facebook.com/events/2155879858011448/

Dec 20, 7:00 pm:  Solstice Singing Circle at Calgary Centre for Spiritual Living, hosted by Compassionate Community VOICE. https://www.facebook.com/events/1919009635061655/

Dec 21, 3:23 pm: Winter Solstice.

Dec 21, 7:00 pm:  “Honouring Solstice” pagan service at Unitarian Church of Calgary. Bring a length of ribbon and some greenery.  See Dec 13.

Dec 21, 7:00 pm:  Winter Solstice Chant Celebration at Uplands Recreation Centre, hosted by Tracy’s Vision. https://www.facebook.com/events/1150860271732741/

Dec 22, 10:49 pm:  Full (Cold or Long Nights) Moon.

Dec 24:  Celtic Tree-Month of Beth/Birch begins, according to Graves and Llewellyn.

Dec 25:  Breathe.

Dec 26:  “St. Stephen’s Day Murders” (see The Chieftains and Elvis Costello).

Dec 29, 7:00 pm:  Calgary Heathens Meet and Greet.

Dec 31:  New Year’s Eve.

Glacial Erratics in Calgary, Part II

For those of you who asked, or were mildly curious, this is the followup to my May, 2015 blog entry for my “Top Ten Glacial Erratics in Calgary” https://bit.ly/2xHhsjy , gleaned from personal observation, Google Earth, and geocaching and bouldering sites, as well as A. MacS. Stalker’s 1956 study for the Geologic Survey of Canada.  Listed south to north; as always, beware the sacred red herring.  I’ve removed two interesting boulders from my list, one on Edgeridge Park NW, the other in Arbour Lake behind its Middle School, as they appear to be conglomerates rather than quartzite.  There’s also what I believe to be an eroded deposit of mudstone south of Varsity Estates.  See photos of all of these on my Facebook page.

11.  Bow Valley Ranch:  50°54'36.50"N, 114° 1'0.31"W.  Just off Bow Bottom Trail in Fish Creek Provincial Park.  Inscribed with a dedication to resident Richard John (Dick) Burns 1913-1998; slight climb required.

12.  Mission:  317-22 Avenue SW.  51° 1'59.48"N, 114° 4'11.56"W.  Unearthed in 2015 during the excavation for Tela Condominiums, the intention was to put part of it on display once construction was complete.

13.  Southview:  1975-26 Street SE.  51° 2'10.91"N, 113°59'54.65"W, outside Bow Waters Canoe Club.  I’m not clear whether either of the two stones here are erratics (the one on edge is particularly suspicious; the other may be one).

14.  Silver Springs:  In Bowmont Slopes Park, accessed from Silverview Way NW.  Two small erratics at  51° 5'32.60"N, 114°10'37.12"W and  51° 5'33.11"N, 114°10'36.67"W; I believe there is also a third on the same trail.

15.   Brentwood:  51° 6'1.20"N, 114° 7'15.70"W.  A small erratic in Nose Hill Park, overlooking John Laurie Blvd. between Charleswood Dr. and Brisebois Dr. NW.   Access from the pedestrian bridge.  Do not confuse with:

16.  John Laurie Cairn:  At Nose Hill parking lot, John Laurie Blvd. and Brisebois Dr.  51° 6'13.16"N, 114° 7'37.54"W.  This erratic was moved from the Stoney Reserve in the Morley area to its present location, and features a plaque dedicated to John Laurie.

17.  Scenic Acres: 51° 6'36.96"N, 114°13'24.30"W.  A small erratic behind Scenic Ridge Cres. NW, overlooking Stoney Trail.  I had to hike to this one from Scimitar Dr. NW, down and across the valley of a small creek.  For completists only.

18.  Ranchlands:  51° 7'8.20"N, 114°10'57.19"W.  A small erratic tucked into the base of the hill behind St. Rita School, 7811 Ranchview Dr. NW.  I found this while searching for:

19.  Ranch Estates:  51° 7'14.88"N, 114°10'29.01"W.  A nearly-vertical, gravestone-sized erratic in a nicely wooded park off Ranch Estates Dr. NW.

20.  Hidden Valley:  51° 8'53.72"N, 114° 6'48.61"W.  Two erratics on either side of the trail in the valley park.  Access from Hidden Park NW.

21. Spy Hill:  51° 9'16.33"N, 114°13'20.76"W.  Just north of Country Hills Blvd. NW on currently undeveloped land west of the Royal Oak shopping centre. I ran into a pair of coyotes while locating this one.

22. Kincora:  51° 9'22.77"N, 114° 7'31.67"W.  Broken into three pieces, it sits in a park overlooking a pond, next to 92 Kincora Dr. NW.

23.  Evanston Creekside:  51° 9'39.00"N, 114° 7'9.02"W.  Small erratic overlooking West Nose Creek behind Creekside shopping centre. Access from Evansbrooke Pl. NW.

24.  Evanston:  51° 9'39.11"N, 114° 7'5.81"W.  Another small erratic incorporated into a viewpoint at Evansbrooke Pl. and Panorama Rd. NW. Several other smaller erratics close by.

25. “Beddington Erratic”:  51° 9'42.87"N, 114° 2'8.13"W.  Located in the Nose Creek valley, visible from Country Hills Blvd. on the north side.  24’ x 23’ x 15’.  Access from the bike path at 227 Covington Close NE.  According to Stalker, like the Big Rock at Okotoks and the Glenwoodville Erratic near Cardston, this was one of the few named erratics in the train prior to 1956. As such, it probably should have appeared in my Top Ten. My bad. 

26.  Symon’s Valley:  Roughly at  51° 9'4.25"N, 114° 5'38.23"W.  A small round erratic below the outcrops below Panorama Hills Landing NE.  I hiked to this location from Hidden Creek Green NW.

November Events:

 Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement should be necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. All times Mountain.

Oct 28, 6:15 pm:  "Rhythm Cradle" at Scarboro Community Association, presented by Circles of Rhythm.   https://www.facebook.com/events/260956761425338/

Nov 1-30:  Movember.  https://ca.movember.com/

Nov 1-30:  National Novel Writing Month, a.k.a. NaNoWriMo.  https://nanowrimo.org/regions/canada-alberta-calgary

Nov 1-4:  Festival of Crafts at BMO Centre.  http://www.festivalofcrafts.ca

Nov 1, 7:00 pm:  “Walking the Urban Pathway: Tales from the Druid Walks” at Loft 112, hosted by Chinook Hills Druidry.  https://www.facebook.com/events/709475549427445/

Nov 3, 6:45 pm:  Sound Healing Cuddle Party, featuring Ocian Flo, hosted by Numinous Creations.  https://www.facebook.com/events/543138082808769/

Nov 3, 7:00 pm:  Paranormal Investigation of the Rustic Emporium, Bassano, sponsored by Ghost Hunt Alberta. 
 https://www.facebook.com/events/459513881237163/
Nov 4, 2:00 am:  Daylight Savings Time ends.  Fall back!

Nov 6:  U.S. Midterm Elections.

Nov 7, 9:02 am:  New Moon.  Lunar Month of Ngetal/Reed begins.

Nov 11:  Remembrance Day.

Nov 15-18:  Art Market Craft Sale at Telus Convention Centre.  http://www.artmarketcraftsale.com

Nov 16, 6:33 pm:  Mercury Retrograde begins (to Dec 6).

Nov 22-25: “Taboo, the Naughty but Nice Sex Show” at BMO Centre. https://tabooshow.com/calgary

Nov 22, 10:39 pm:  Full (Beaver or Mourning) Moon.

Nov 24, 7:00 pm:  Calgary Heathens Meet and Greet.

Nov 25:  Celtic Tree-Month of Ruis/Elder begins, according to Graves and Llewellyn.

Nov 26:  Mars Insight Rover landing.

October, 2018

Happy October, everyone!  I’m busy getting ready to move to Cochrane, so it’s another brief blog this month.

Since with Samhain, we begin to focus on issues surrounding death, insert seasonal rant on the irony of people putting up roadside memorials – be they crosses, flowers, or the City’s memorial bands on lampposts – where their loved ones have died in an accident, seeming to placate the spirits haunting the spots where they died. Isn’t this more of a pagan idea?  As Christians, shouldn’t they be thought of as being in heaven, and memorialized where their bodies are already interred?

Some of you remember my May, 2015 blog entry for my “Top Ten Glacial Erratics in Calgary” https://bit.ly/2xHhsjy .  As I mentioned in Facebook, I’ve recently been approached by someone wanting a more complete list, in the hopes of having them designated as local historic resources. I’ve now reconstructed my list, and hope to post it here later in October.  I’ve also found and started consulting A. MacS. Stalker’s classic 1956 study for the Geologic Survey of Canada https://bit.ly/2Q2bykz , to compare it against my list in the hopes of finding others I missed. Some of those may be no longer be in place, and it raises the question about the ones on my list that aren’t on Stalker’s.  Are they really quartzite?  I’m not a geologist.  (Nerd alert: This is further complicated by a jog in the Dominion Land Survey south of 146^th Ave., an area where a few of my Top Ten are located. A correction line compensates for the curvature of the Earth.)  Stalker’s list also opens me up for a more extended project exploring the back roads of Alberta, which may have to wait until at least next spring.

There are plenty of events this month; must be the season of the witch!

October Events:

Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement should be necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. All times MDT.

Sep 28-30:  New Earth Expo at the Big Four Building.  https://www.facebook.com/events/405890826545598/

Oct 5, 6:00 pm:  “Magic & Mugwort – A Wickedly Witchy Hallowe’en” at Kodiak Herbal, 2410 – 2 Ave. SE.  https://www.facebook.com/events/454976034989391/

Oct 5, 9:00 pm:  Paranormal Investigation at Rockyview Hotel, Cochrane, hosted by Ghost Hunt Alberta.

Oct 7, 1:30 pm:  Labyrinth Walk and Sound Bath, at Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs, hosted by Solar Power Health Inc. Tickets through Eventbrite.  https://www.facebook.com/events/456717324820875/

Oct 8:  Canadian Thanksgiving.

Oct 8, 9:47 pm:  New Moon. Lunar Month of Gort/Ivy begins.

Oct 11, 7:00 pm:  Calgary Pagan Pride Society AGM at Denny’s, 1804-19 St. NE.

Oct 12-14:  Calgary Tattoo and Arts Festival at BMO Centre.  https://albertatattooshows.com/calgary

Oct 13-14:  Hempfest Cannabis Expo at Big Four Building.

Oct 13, 11:00 am:  Calgary Kinky Flea Market at Forest Heights Community Centre, 4909 Forego Ave. SE.

Oct 13, 7:00 pm:  Calgary Cuddle Party at Scarboro Community Centre. https://bit.ly/2obhvQn

Oct 13, 7:00 pm:  Hallowe’en Paranormal Investigation at East Coulee School Museum, hosted by Ghost Hunt Alberta.

Oct 17, 6:00 pm:  “Ecological Grief: A Discussion and Workshop” at Women’s Centre of Calgary, for those identifying as women.  https://www.facebook.com/events/246123999430502/

Oct 18, 6:00 pm:  “Witches Wine and Paint – Adults Only!” at Color Me Mine, 334-14 St. NW.  BYOB.  https://www.facebook.com/events/432234433967125/

Oct 19-21:  Calgary Gem and Mineral Show at Big Four Building.  http://www.calgarygemshow.com/

Oct 20, 10:00 pm:  Paranormal Investigation of Aspen Crossing, Mossleigh (south of Carseland), hosted by Ghost Hunt Alberta.

Oct 24, 10:45 am:  Full (Hunter or Blood) Moon.  

Oct 26, 7:00 pm:  “Witches and Warlocks Costume Gala”, featuring The Black Roses and Corporate Succubus, at Border Crossing YYC, 1814-36 St. SE. https://www.facebook.com/events/474930492918773/

Oct 27, 10:00 am:  Calgary New Age Market “Booganza” at Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Association.  https://www.facebook.com/events/163731384384442/

Oct 27, 10:00 am:  “Enchanted Okotoks” (think Harry Potter) in downtown Okotoks.  https://www.facebook.com/events/239685826665194/

Oct 27, 6:30 pm:  Embodied Bliss: Tantric Cacao Journey into the Sacral Chakra, at Scarboro Community Hall.  https://bit.ly/2PfPlPL

Oct 27, 7:00 pm:  Calgary Heathens Meet and Greet.

Oct 27, 7:00 pm:  Paranormal Investigation of The Rustic Emporium, Bassano, hosted by Ghost Hunt Alberta.

Oct 28:  Celtic Tree-Month of Ngetal/Reed begins, according to Robert Graves.

Oct 28, 7:00 pm:  Paranormal Hallowe’en Party at Rose & Crown, hosted by Ghost Hunt Alberta.

Oct 31:  Traditional Samhain. Happy New Year!

Nov 3, 7:00 pm:  “Witches’ Night Out” Fundraiser for Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter, at Calgary Shriners Event Centre.  Women only; watch for Muggles!