III – Out of the Elephant
Monday, September 20
Victoria Carlson House of Contemplation, Chancellor's Chamber
Gray Elephant Building, Upstairs, Hoopeston, Illinois

 Today we begin our Witchschool.com Fall Tour in earnest. It is to be quite a trip, and will take us all the way across the US and back again: to the Pacific Ocean and then back to the Atlantic.

 First we will spend nearly three weeks in the West, then after briefly returning home will spend the next three weeks in the East: quite a long trip really.

 Last night we celebrated with a farewell dinner at O’Leary’s Pub in Danville, up the road from Hoopeston. Today we rose early and began to process of double checking our preparations.

We have packed everything we can think of that we might even remotely need into the Witchschool van –clothes, inflatable beds, robes for the numerous rituals we will be involved in, an extra robe box full of spare robes in case we need them, a portable altar (the gift of Second Degree Priestess Rev. Starlight) and lots of Witchschool merchandise including course manuals, CDs, buttons, and T-shirts.

 Soon the time will come for us  to pile into the Witchschool van and begin the journey. We are in high spirits and anticipate a wonderful trip. We have been joking that we are the Wiccan answer to Bob, Bing, and Dorothy LaMour in the famous “Road” pictures. Though Jason and I cannot settle which of us is Bob and which Bing, we both agree that neither of us is Dorothy.

 

We will be accompanied by Rev. Ed Hubbard as far as Chicago. Rev. Ed will be staying in Chicago on business while we continue on to our first stop in South Dakota.

I have packed a selection of my favorite Filk music to play along the way. Filk music is a fantasy-based version of Folk music which usually features Pagan or science-fiction themes. In my case is music by artists like Leslie Fish, Michael Longcore, Tom Smith, Decadent Dave Clement, Libana, and Mother Tongue.

I was first introduced to Filk music by Lady Bitterwind, now First Elder of the Correllian Tradition, back in the late ‘70s. I have ever since been partial to it, not least because it is music meant to be sung rather than simply listened to.

Many people complain that the Filk artists “can’t sing” –that is, they often have less than perfect voices. But to me that is one of the strengths of the medium –the feeling that anyone can take part. From my father, a charming but insane gentleman, I have inherited a great dislike of exclusivity and the idea of what he liked to call “the chosen few” –I much prefer accessible mediums like Filk and the joys of fellowship to more rarified forms of endeavor.

Shortly we will be taking our leave of our friends here in Hoopeston, and heading up Route 1 to US 57 to begin our journey. Maryann, our kindly and capable office manager who keeps things running around here come what may: Rev. Virginia, one of our strongest local supporters in Hoopeston, whose enthusiasm and encouragement had much to do with our deciding to stay here in the face of initial controversy: Rev. Karen Plioplys, who has just moved to Hoopeston to open a coffee shop and who has now become the editor of the Daily Spell newsletter in which reports of our trip will be published as it unfolds. These and many other friends in Hoopeston we will miss while we are on the road.
 
Everything is readiness. The time has come to go. We will be gone for several weeks, and I am a bit hesitant –what all might happen while we are gone? There is always so much work to be done and we will be away so long. I shudder to imagine what my in-box will look like when we get back.

I say goodbye to my office: to my ancestor altar: my Ganesha altar: my Guardian, Dagobert, whom I ask to protect us on our trip.

 I am excited to be on my way, but have trouble actually leaving. There are so many things to consider. I must check everything again –but Rev. Jason stops me. No, it is time to go. 

And so, at last, we are off!
 


IV - Zombies in the Bad Lands

Tuesday, September 21, 3 AM
Circle of Friends Shrine,
Box Elder, South Dakota
 

Well, what began Monday afternoon as Bing, Bob and Dorothy On The Road after driving all Monday night became Dawn of the Living Dead. We tried valiantly to catch a bit of sleep at a rest stop in Minnesota: Rev. Jason curled himself puppy-like into a ball in the driver’s seat (how can he bend that way?): And I tried to make the best of the passenger seat (not very successfully). Although we tried hard for a couple of hours, we may have managed to get half an hour sleep each, before taking off again.

Thus it was three Zombies who entered South Dakota in the early morning.



Above: Rev. Jason napping in the back of the van


It was good to have successfully survived Monday, which was also Rev. Jason’s 26th birthday. Rev. Jason has a special geas upon him: whatever is planned for his birthday always goes wrong. For this reason he has spent the last several birthdays locked in his room, emerging only to creep cautiously to the bathroom or refrigerator. While this strikes me as a bit extreme, he insists it is necessary, and who am I to gainsay him on his birthday. We were very pleased to give Rev. Jason a birthday experience in which nothing went conspicuously wrong -perhaps it will be the start of a trend.

When we came to the badlands, we knew we had to stop and look around zombified as we were. So we piled out of the WitchSchool van at Badlands National Park and attempted to move around a bit. Rev. Jason dutifully attended the elderly Arch Priesthood (we weren't elderly when the trip began! But don't worry, we youthened again during the day -for instructions in youthening see Lesson 3:3 appendix 8).

The badlands were truly beautiful, and did a great deal to revive us. This must be among the most unusual landscapes on Earth: Rising in great spires and ridges, the landscape is striated with red and tan showing the geological eras of pre-history with unusual clarity. From a distance the great outcroppings of striped Earth and the deep valleys which lay between resemble unearthly buildings and cities which never were.

We drove through the badlands in awe, stopping here and there to get out and look more closely. Rev. Jason was freezing -although Monday in Illinois was very warm, Tuesday in South Dakota was in the forties with snow a possibility in the forecast. 
 

The badlands were truly memorable, and are a place which every person should see. They truly remind us of the great diversity of the Earth and the wonder which awaits those who seek it.

As we continued on we could not help but see all the signs for Wall Drug Store.  Becoming duly curious, we decided that we must stop and see the paragon of emporia. Wall Drug was huge -with shop after shop within. Beautiful western pottery and artwork, stones of every description many with their metaphysical meaning on the tag, and many other wares were on display.

But the life-size statues of famous western personalities such as Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock were equally entertaining. In the "back yard" we found panoramas of singing bears, giant fiberglass gorillas, and a full sized Tyrannosaurus which roars every twelve minutes.

We then continued onward. The terrain changed again as we entered the Black Hills region. It is hard to convey the natural beauty of the Black Hills. The forests of this area are incredibly evocative, deep and full, with tall straight trees. Great rugged outcroppings of stone frame the road in many places, the forest arising directly from them. We will not soon forget these sights.



Above: Rev. Jason at Mt. Rushmore.

Our destination for the day was Circle of Friends Shrine in Box Elder, Headed by Rev. Karla Summers. As it happened we were running ahead of schedule (believe it or not) and were hours ahead of the time we had told Rev. Karla to expect us.

Since Mt. Rushmore was only a few miles off our route we felt we must see it as well, and were glad we did. The famous sculpture on the mountain-side is as magnificent in person as it is in pictures. I surprised that the mountain was swathed in cloud which often obscured the famous faces -but then it was unseasonably cold and by now had begun to rain periodically.

As magnificent as the great sculpture was, the visitor’s center was also impressive, and created a perfect frame for it. Great plazas and terraces allowed for pleasant viewing among the beauty of the surrounding forests. Gift shops, a museum and theater, gave us an opportunity to learn more about the site and the activities which now surround it.


Of course we couldn't go to Mt. Rushmore and not go to the nearby Crazy Horse monument. The Crazy Horse monument, though similar in concept to Mt. Rushmore, could not be more different in many ways. To start with the stone appears a beautiful pinkish red rather than the cold white of Mt. Rushmore. The style of the sculpture too is very different, being more stylized and emotive than the very straightforward Rushmore. It was a wonderful experience and a thought provoking dichotomy.

By now the day was ending and we headed for Rev. Karla's. Unfortunately our detour to the monuments had gotten us a bit turned around. Luckily we had Rev. Karla's number, and she sent one of the Shrine Members to rescue us.



Above: Rev. Don on the plaza at Mt. Rushmore


Rob, a cheerful, energetic man in a red and white blazer arrived to lead us to the Shrine. It turned out we were only a short distance from where we should have been, and so at last we safely arrived.
 
Rev. Karla welcomed us graciously to her home, and the members of the Shrine who were present welcomed us warmly as well: in addition to Rev. Karla and Rob we met the lovely Shelly and Echo, and Rev. Karla's son John who has the office of ritual bell-ringer in the Shrine. We also met the Shrine's mascot Fred, a large and very friendly boxer dog. Later we also met Fred's canine friends Anna and Igmoo, also great people-lovers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above: The "Circle of Friends" altar at Circle of Friends Shrine, Box Elder South Dakota


After a lovely dinner, we were shown the Shrine room, of which the members of the Shrine are justly proud. Recently completed the Shrine room is semi-detached from the main house. It is a long, slender room, carpeted and equipped with a separate heater. A large round ritual altar sits in the middle of the Shrine. Here members gather for most ceremonies. In the Northwest corner sits a second Shrine dedicated to healing. Here is a ceramic sculpture representing the Shrines theme: a Circle of Friends. On this altar are placed the names of people for whom the Shrine regularly prays and to whom healing energy is sent. Along an overhang on the north wall the certificates of the Shrine and its members are hung. Lovely metaphysical artworks and ritual tools are displayed upon the Shrines walls. On the East wall are piled pillows which are used during meditations. It is a beautiful Shrine room of which the Circle of Friends is justly proud.



Above: Some of the members of the Circle of Friends Shrine, 
including L to R Shelly, John, Echo, and Rev. Karla


At length we changed into our robes to perform a Blessing for the Shrine. It was nearly midnight by now, but everyone was excited about the ceremony.

Shelly purified the space with salt and water, while Rob charged the space with burning incense. Rev. Karla called the Quarters and I cast the Circle, using the sword cane I had been given some years ago in Africa. An interesting omen for this trip: the sword cane had warped or swollen shut and could not be opened for over a year, yet when I tried it on Monday before we set out it opened with ease -very auspicious!

After performing the Great Rite using my sword and the Shrine's chalice -a lovely piece of symbolism in itself- we brought through a Blessing and message from the Ancestors. Then we presented each of the Shrine members with a rough crystal, and the Shrine itself with a tumble polished crystal to illustrate the fact that a Shrine is more than the sum of its parts. We also presented the Shrine with a stone from the Vermilion, one of those collected and presented to the Mother Temple at the Spring Lustration by Marylynn of PURE Sanctuary Temple. This stone will create a special link between Box Elder and the Circle of Friends and Vermilion County and the Mother Temple.




Above: In the Shrine room at Circle of Friends, 
with Rev. Karla (center) and Shelly (right)


The ritual proceeded beautifully, and the Shrine room was filled with blessing and good feeling.

After the ceremony Rev. Karla's elder son Donny came home and we got to meet him. Several more hours of animated discussion followed. We really enjoyed getting to know the Shrine members, and meeting Rev. Karla face to face. We have worked with Rev. Karla for years now, but this is the first time I have been able to get out to South Dakota to actually meet face-to-face.

Rev. Karla as you may know is Assistant Dean of Mentors at WitchSchool, as well as a Second Degree Mentor. She has been a great help to us in the restructuring of the Mentoring program which has occurred over the last few months, and we greatly appreciate all her hard work!

At last the time came for bed and I must tell you that it was good to retire for the night. It was a full and very happy day, but had also been a long one. And so, utilizing two air mattresses and a couch, we fell to sleep in the sheltering arms of Box Elder.

As always remember our trip is sponsored by Witchschool.com –“your quality online magical education”. The school has worked hard to bring our students the best classes on a wide range of metaphysical subjects, and has many new classes in the works. A membership is a great investment, as the curriculum is constantly expanding. Lifetime memberships are a particularly good value -but they will only be available for a few more months more as they will no longer be offered after the end of the year.

And if you would like to learn more about Circle of Friends Shrine you can -go to www.circleoffriendsrc.com


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