early rising

Georgia and I woke up at 5:15 this morning. Why couldn’t we sleep? I’m jet-lagged, but time at home would be 2:15, so that doesn’t quite explain it. Maybe we’re excited about camp. We’re leaving shortly, and we’re now all packed and ready to go. Georgia’s worried about bugs, and I have to say, hearing about the abundance of chiggers and ticks has me feeling like I should wrap myself in saran wrap. What would a camp be without bugs or poison ivy or oak?

I’m teaching with my good friend Rook and we’ve bitten off a lot, doing a path on which utilizes the iron and pearl pentacle in examining the intersection of the Reclaiming and Feri tradition. Georgia’s been planning her path for months, and has a big binder with the path all typed up and laid out. Rook and I are winging it. There’s not a goddamn thing on paper yet, and I’m trusting that our many conversations on the topic will yield something. Co-creation in action. Which I think really means not planning much.

It’s only been one day so far, but it feels like so much more. But in a good way. I like everyone on the team, and the hospitality of the Spiralheart community is really touching. Joe has fed us well, and everyone is being housed comfortably. As usual, being out of the Bay Area makes me realize just how darn traumatized I’ve been by my experience of being the Cassandra of that community. It’s so great to be able to speak freely and openly and to be appreciated for my views! Last night before I went to bed one of the teachers I’d just met said “Oak, you really work well with others.” So nice to hear, especially since I’ve been accused of running with scissors.

Hearing yesterday of the big changes with California camp was wonderful. The scissors I’ve been accused of running with are my perceptions that the way California camp has been structured isn’t in accordance with our principles of unity. These perceptions have become more widely shared, but up until very recently, there was a strong prohibition about dealing with it openly. Apparently, it’s now all out in the open, and a new pattern has been cut. . Between this, and the newness of this longing for my new girlfriend, I’m kind of in shock.

As I write this, the house is becoming abuzz and alive. Soon we will be leaving. Being with a bunch of witches is always interesting. Who knows what this week will be like? So far, so good.