I had an incredible, potent, magical time of Wonder and Mystery at Witchcamp in mid-July. In no particular order, here are some things I learned:
- How much I missed being in person. We’ve created wonderful online magic and ritual from our homes the past few years. That felt comfortable—too comfortable. Hugging beloved community members, singing together, raising energy: delicious!
- I have a Fire Twin! Lilo Assenci and I worked so well together as we offered a decolonized version of Reclaiming Tradition’s first core class, Elements of Magic. The energy between us was palpable and potent! Lilo lives in Brazil (and is a founder of Reclaiming Brasil) so it will be a while (too long!) before we’re able to work together in person again. But I think we’ll be conjuring some online magic. (Keep an eye out.)
- How, for me, antiracism-ing (it’s a verb) means just doing it, without worry about fucking up. Follow my heart and gut without fear. When I have fear, ask myself if this is the right time to step outside of my comfort zone. I’ve found that often the answer is Yes! And my small bit as one white person helps grow the path to just, inclusive, diverse, resilient futures.
- Alongside the above, embracing imperfection is potent and magical. As is standing in discomfort (for me as a white person). Safety is not the same as comfort—learning to distinguish is important and powerful. The antiracism team at camp draws from (among other places) Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun’s Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups (partially summarized here: characteristics of white supremacy ). I hope you’ll take a look—we are all influenced by white supremacy and colonizer culture. Noticing is a step towards undoing/unsettling.
- Feeling like it’s all up to me, that I have to save the world all by myself is a characteristic of white supremacy. Doing the work (and play and magic) in community is much more effective—and more fulfilling. Interdependence grows resilience. Cross-pollination is important for widening viewpoints and bodies of wisdom, important for evolving.
- What it means to be radically inclusive in community. SpiralHeart models this very well.
- We were able to have an in-person camp of about 60 people without anyone getting covid during camp! Yeah! Care for one another, being vaccinated, testing, and wearing masks indoors worked. SpiralHeart’s venue has a large covered pavillion with mountain views. So even during the storm that blew through the Appalachians, we mostly were outdoors.
- How I need to visit Pittsburgh PA: I have so many beloveds there! As I mentioned in my recent newsletter, I plan in-person gatherings again in the Delaware/Lehigh Valley area (the other side of “Pennyslvania” on Turtle Island adjacent to “New Jersey”) in order to grow local Reclaiming community. Reach out if you are nearby.
- How much I use the word “potent.”
I hope you like my doodle! I had fun creating it along with this post. Now, back to the story I’m writing for Bioluminscent: A Lunarpunk Anthology, edited by Justine Norton-Kertson (forthcoming from Android Press, January 2023)