The Simple Witch
Enchantment with Ease
Simply Witchy

Do Something Positive This Weekend

If you have a moment and would like to do something positive this weekend read this announcement and reserve a bit of time to send positive energy or whatever else it is you would like to do for this cause.

In the time it would take you to download music from youtube you can send good energy their way in order to help!

Do what you can this weekend and spread the word out to others while you are at it!





Announcement:

Please send blessings of Protection, Healing & Well-being to Ginger Strivelli of Weaverville, North Carolina & her family.

 
Ginger is co-founding priestess of The Appalachian Pagan Alliance. Her writings have appeared in CIRCLE Magazine and other publications.  She lives with her husband and six children in rural North Carolina near Asheville. 
 
Last month, Ginger challenged the policy that permitted distribution of Gideon Bibles at the local elementary school after her fifth grade son came home with one on December 19, 2011.  When the school stated that any religious literature could be available for students to pick up, Ginger brought Pagan books to the school for distribution.  However, the school refused to accept these books and have them distributed in the same way they had been distributing the Bibles, indicating that a new policy was being crafted.
 
This separation of church and state situation has been covered in various media reports for several weeks, and on Thursday was covered by national/global television news:
 
That evening, Ginger received a death threat phone call while at home with her family.  She immediately contacted the police who have begun investigating. A news article has just been published:
 
Lady Liberty League is among those in the coalition that has formed to provide support to the Strivelli family and the quest for fair and equal treatment of students of all beliefs in the local school system.  Byron Ballard, a writer & Wiccan priestess from Asheville, North Carolina, is coordinating the coalition and helping to administer the Strivelli Family Support page on Facebook.
 
HOW TO HELP:
 
(1) Do prayers, meditations, rituals of Protection, Healing, & Well-being to Ginger Strivelli & her family.
(2) Learn more & Post words of support for Ginger & her family on their support page on Facebook:
(3) Speak out in support of separation of church & state in comments sections of media sites carrying news and editorials about this issue.
(4) Those with interfaith and/or law enforcement contacts in North Carolina interested in working with Lady Liberty League in providing support to the family and this situation should contact:liberty@circlesanctuary.org as soon as possible.

Registration for Pagan Spirit Gathering 2012

Registration begins today for Pagan Spirit Gathering 2012, June 17-24 at Stonehouse Park near Earlville, Illinois.

PSG is one of America's oldest and largest Pagan festivals. Pagans from many traditions and from across the USA join together to create and live in PSG's magical village community during Summer Solstice week. This year's theme is "Tribe & Spirit Through the Ages."

PSG 2012 includes:

Rituals * Workshops * Concerts * Leadership Training * Youth Activities * Fire Spinning * Bonfires * Dancing * Drumming * Networking * Merchanting * Candlelight Labyrinth & More

REGISTER: Register through FEBRUARY 29 for discounted rates. Final Deadline is June 4. www.circlesanctuary.org/psg/register

DETAILS: about guest authors, musicians, the site, & more: www.circlesanctuary.org/psg

PROGRAM PROPOSALS: Want to present a workshop, ritual, or other program activity? After you register, submit your program proposal on-line. Deadline is April 30.

SPREAD THE WORD: Help us get the word out about this year's festival -- forward this email to lists, blogs, websites, others you know who may be interested in taking part. Free brochures and flyers are available upon request for distribution to festivals, classes, centers, and other places.

Contact: psg@circlesanctuary.org

Merry Yule To All

From the staff of The Simple Witch we are wishing you and yours a very happy Yule!

We hope all your Yule wishes come true!

Happy Yule!

Accidents & Yule

With Yule finally upon us please remember to be safe and sound in all that you do. Drive according to the weather conditions and if you are late, well, you are late. Speeding will not get you there quicker but it might get you into an unnecessary accident.

This is not the time of year to start wondering if the doctors have chosen the best medical malpractice insurance quote that they could possibly get. Sounds strange but that came into a conversation a few weeks back by a client.

Drive and travel safe!

Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary on Winter Solstice

An interview with Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary on Winter Solstice has just been published on-line by the Los Angeles Times in a blog article, “Winter Solstice: The cold-weather celebration is hot again.”
latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/12/winter-solstice.html

Thanks for your support of Circle Sanctuary!

Solstice Blessings & Best Wishes for a Wonderful 2012!

Office Hours

We will be closed due to the Yule holiday on the following dates:

December 21-January 2

We are only a quick email click away with responses. But they will be slower as we will have only one person answering any and all emails that are sent to us.

All clubs, issues and other items are in the process of being sent and should be arriving at any time. Please allow extra time as it is a busy shipping time for the USPS!

Have a great week!

Celebrate Winter Solstice with Selena Fox

Celebrate Winter Solstice with Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary on internet radio shows this week.

Listen live or listen later to archived podcasts.
 
Tuesday, December 20, 8-9 pm central: Winter Solstice Ritual
 
Wednesday, December 21, 8:45-9:45 pm central: Yuletide Goddess & Pagan Origins of Christmas Traditions
 
Thursday, December 22, Noon-12:30 pm central: Winter Solstice Celebration
 
More info about these shows & for links to on-line resources:
 
Merry Solstice! Happy Holidays!
from Circle Sanctuary

Yule Upcoming Events

Wishing You & Yours a Blessed Solstice & Yuletide!

Join us in sharing Yuletide cheer by passing on these links & events notices to others - post on blogs, websites, social networking sites. Thanks!

RESOURCES

Selena's Guide to Celebrating Winter Solstice: Rites, Lore, Meditations & More
www.circlesanctuary.org/pholidays/wintersolstice.htm

Selena's Main Facebook Page
www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Selena-Fox/50006939284

INTERNET RADIO

Winter Solstice Ritual with Selena Fox
Tuesday, December 20, 8-9 pm central
Pagan Warrior Radio show on Pagans Tonight Radio Network
www.blogtalkradio.com/witchschool/2011/12/21/pagan-warrior-radio-with-selena-fox-pam-kelly

Winter Yuletide Goddesses & Pagan Origins of Christmas Traditions with Selena Fox
Wednesday, December 21, 8:45 pm central (6:45 pm pacific)
Voices of the Sacred Feminine show with Karen Tate.
www.blogtalkradio.com/voicesofthesacredfeminine

CIRCLE SANCTUARY YULETIDE EVENTS:

Winter Solstice Pageant
Friday night, December 16, 7-9 pm, Madison, Wisconsin
Multicultural celebration with music, storytelling, costumed characters, candlelight meditation.
www.circlesanctuary.org/wintersolstice

Community Yule Festival
Saturday, December 17
10 am-7 pm at Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve
Full Schedule & information online. Please pre-register.

Protection Bulb For Tree

A great way to protect your home during the Yule season is to get a clear, plastic or glass bulb filling it with protection herbs & oils. Empower the herbs and oils and hang on your tree.

Be sure to state the intentions of the bulb also.

I have heard that many use this for prosperity also during the Yule season.

Give it a try

Sprucing Up The Home

I have been sprucing up the house again since Thanksgiving. I have endless tubs of Yule decorations that could make a wonderful fort if put all together.

I have slowly but surely been decorating here and there but this week I need to get everything finished or pretty close to it as we are getting the tree on Friday so it will relax by Sunday which is our family tree trimming party!

I am really glad that I do not have to worry about cleaning any carpets as my home is tile all over. Super easy to clean with small children, messy adult children and a slew of animals that run in the mud!

Cleaning carpets would take so much time to schedule if I did have them especially if I needed carpet cleaning chapel hill nc area when the bad weather really hits there!

I will be very happy when everything is up and shining brightly around the house!