CMA NEWS
Campfire Chat 10 May 2011
"Hello in the Camp"
2011 has been both an exciting and challenging year for our beloved community. These first few months have seen us come together in celebration with our very first Adult Fest (in February), and then again in April for CMA Beltane 2011. Both festivals were resounding successes despite the limitations on both fire (Burn Ban) and gray-water. In fact, the Adult Festival was so much fun it left everyone yelling for more! Rumor has it that there may be another Adult Fest in November (possibly the 4th through the 6th). Stay tuned for more information about that as we move through the summer.
As we turn our focus to the near future, we see that our very first Family Festival is coming up very quickly (June 3rd – 5th ). But, what is a Family Festival? What does it mean for “us” ( CMA ) as a community? What kind of activities will we have? Will there be workshops on Pagan Parenting?
Quite frankly, we are not completely sure. We are in the process of defining that right now. This is our very first time having a Family Festival; consequently, it is a birthing process – an act of creation. It is an exciting time for all of us and those who attend will help answer these (and many other questions) as we come together in celebration of our children, our families, and ourselves to better define what this festival means for us as a loving, nurturing and spiritual community.
What we do know is that with the theme of “Circle of Dreams”, Family-Fest promises to be a wonderful celebration and we are busy lining up workshops and events for kids of all ages. Currently, we have a workshop on “Building Your Own Musical Instruments” (open to everyone) slated for Saturday afternoon. Then, in addition to the fun with Frisbees, Soccer Balls, and squirt guns during the day, we have a ritual on Saturday evening entitled “Wishes for the World”. Afterwards, we will have singing around the campfire with S’mores!
If you would like to facilitate a workshop or event at the Family Festival, simply go to http://magickal-arts.org/festivals-june.php and select “Workshop/Event Request Form”. And, while you are there, don’t forget to purchase your ticket.
Please remember that with this festival we are reaching out to a broader audience within our community, consequently, there will be no nudity during the Family Festival. Also, the burn ban is still in effect in Fayette County which means that we can have charcoal fires in above-ground (enclosed/screened) BBQ style pits, but ground-level wood fires are not permitted. The showers will be closed. Consequently, please be prepared by having your own (personal) camp showers available, or be prepared to “rough it” until Sunday.
If you would like to participate in the “Build Your Own Musical Instrument” workshop, please bring along some items from home that you can use. For example, plastic tubing, or a poster tube small or large (these are tubes that you can put posters in to send or protect them) can be used to make your own didgeridoo. An empty coffee container could be used to make a homemade drum. The sky is the limit! Bring whatever items you think might be fun to work with.
I appreciate you spending this time with me and I will close this chat with a beautiful poem from Diane Loomans:
If I Had...
If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I'd care less about the love of power,
and more about the power of love.
Brightest Blessings!
Mary Ellen Rainwater
Executive Director – CMA 2011
