• Dates: July 12 to 14, 2013
• Location: Raven’s Knoll campground
• Registration Fee: $50 CDN
• Theme for 2013: The Horned God: Master of the Art Magickal and the Lord of the Craft
• Stang for2013: A Horned Lord stang
• Herb for 2013: Wormwood
• Special guest: Sarah Lawless, Witch of Forest Grove

 

A Witches’ Sabbat is a gathering of witches at any time, for any reason.

Today, the term Sabbat is typically used when one speaks of the Wiccan Wheel of the Year. However, the term Witches’ Sabbat (or sabbath) actually came to us courtesy of the propaganda of the “witch hunters”, claiming that witches gathered in secret to worship the devil. We know better.

Join us in the summer of 2013 for the first annual Witches’ Sabbat at Raven’s Knoll; an intensive weekend of witchcraft, spirit work and the cunning arts. For this Sabbat we will be working with the spirits of the land, learning from each other, telling tales around the fire and performing an ecstatic rite in honour of the Horned Lord.

In most traditions of witchcraft the Horned God is considered the Lord of the Art Magickal and the Master of the Craft. As such, for our inaugural year He will be our focus.  Together we will raise a stang in His honour within the sacred grove at Raven’s Knoll known as the Crop Circle.

 

Friday afternoon to early evening will be the arrival time to register and set up camp. Friday evening there will be the opening processional, a walking ritual where we will visit some of the sacred sites of Raven’s Knoll. We will greet and give offerings and pay homage to the spirits of the land, the ancestors, the gods, the elements and the folk. Following this we will gather around the fire. Witchcraft is an oral tradition, as such; we will tell stories (personal or fiction), share poems, sing songs and get to know each other.

Saturday morning and afternoon will feature a series of short workshops and discussions on a variety of topics. Tea and cookies will be available and expect some arts and crafts to be involved.  We intend to keep this very laid back and will be gathering near the cooking fire, so that you can cook, make tea and warm your toes as you attend. Also on Saturday we will be making a vegetarian stone soup over the fire, in a cauldron no less, to be shared by all. Please bring an item to contribute to the soup.

Discussions:

• Paths and Traditions:

An opportunity for everyone to talk about their own practice. Also, we will be discussing the cunning folk, witchcraft types and styles, spirit work and shamanism.

• Ecstasy and Trance:

Here we will talk about trance, ecstatic rites and what can be expected for the main ritual.

• Trance aids:

From dancing and drumming to fasting and flying ointments. Our main focus will be on wormwood, sabbat wine, and the tincture and salve to be used for the main ritual.

• Outdoor ritual and the genus loci:

Working with the spirits of place, the land wights of Raven’s Knoll and things to keep in mind when working outdoors and in the wild.

• The stang:

What is it and how it is used. How the stang for the Sabbat will be used.

• Spirit houses:

Skulls and trinkets, bottles and statuettes. We will focus mainly on the use of the skull in relation to the stang.

• The Horned Lord Himself:

Our relationships with Him, how we may experience His presence at the ritual and more.

 

Saturday evening we will hold our main ritual, lead by Sarah Lawless. We will process the stang to the Crop Circle and place it therein. Then, we dine and dance with the Horned Lord, performing an ecstatic rite in His honour. After which we can gather around the fire to talk, tell stories and socialize, or just relax and let the experience soak in.

Sunday morning we will perform the closing ritual, processing again around Raven’s Knoll (this time in reverse) to farewell and thank the land and the spirits. Then, in the afternoon, we will have one last chance to sit and discuss our experiences and what we learned before it’s time to head home.

 

• The registration fee will cover the cost of your camping fee and the materials used for the rituals and workshops. The fee will be $50, pre-registration will open closer to the date.

 

• The Facebook group page can be found by clicking here.

 

More hedgewitch-y cunning work than you can shake a forked stick at!