When a festival becomes a community

Every large city has at least one metaphysical festival of some kind.  The lucky one's have several.  These events bring together a wide variety of alternative healing therapies, musicians & other performers, local artists, organic food & bath goods, psychics, and teachers of various spiritual paths.  Far from being simply hippy dippy entertainment, they provide a true community that aids in healing and empowering people in countless ways.

Above: A crystal vendor at the monthly Mystic Market held at The Brick in San Antonio, TX.

While an interest in various spiritual practices & the occult draw many to such fairs, fueled by both family folk traditions and Hollywood sensationalism, the search for alternative healing modalities is the primary focus.  Chronic pain sufferers turn to massage and acupressure for relief.  PTSD sufferers, ranging from our Veterans to adults who suffered childhood abuse, find relief in drumming, art, and counselors.  Those with physical illness can employ oils, color therapy, and energy work to aid their recovery.  People with depression and anxiety may discover that certain stones, dancing, or mediation helps them.  These are the individuals who either have not found relief in mainstream Western medicine or they add alternative therapies to their existing medical regimen for added benefit. Some call on certain spiritual beings, others approach it only as energetic techniques.  I've met several professionals from both Veteran Affairs and private practice at metaphysical fairs who are interested in using these 'other' type of treatments along with mainstream medicine.  I think it is becoming more acceptable now to discuss herbalism and energy in the medical fields.

Above: Energy healers & Reflexologists working at the Mystic Market, a monthly festival at The Brick in San Antonio, TX.

Above:  Mariam of Pure Aloha handmade soaps & beauty goods at the Coexist festival, held monthly at the Airport Hilton in San Antonio, TX.

While it might look to an outsider like a lot of feel good hoo-hoo, rainbow crystals, and tie-dyes, many of the people involved are dealing with very serious questions and health concerns. Oftentimes, as a person experiences their own healing journey, they then grow to become a teacher and healer themselves.  This is empowerment.  People are taking initiative in their own healing on all levels: physical, mental, and spiritual.

That's one giant freakn crystal right? I found this at Nature's Treasures in Austin while attending a fair.

Although the traditions represented at any given metaphysical fair might not share the same terminology or even disagree on basic concepts, they have certain things in common.  First, they are present to share their knowledge and abilities.  Culturally specific knowledge and appropriation issues should always be considered by both a practitioner and any interested student.  What is being shared openly by say a Hindu sadu, a Santero, a Wiccan Priestess, or a Native healer is a rare gift.  All of these traditions have their hidden and private realities.  That an Elder would choose to open even a small part of their pathway to outsiders is a gift.  In many traditions, healers themselves experience sickness and bad luck until they give themselves to their path, to the spirits, to the people.  There life is not their own anymore.  It is a life of service to others.  The impact metaphysical festivals have on practitioners cannot be discounted either.  These community events are one of the few spaces where different practitioners might meet and share with one another.

Above: Olga sharing Lakota hand drum traditions at San Antonio's Coexist festival.

The movement to build local green economies also fuels the market for handmade and organic bath, food, and fashion goods.  Cities with a variety of metaphysical and farmer's markets allow crafts people and artists to make a living doing what they love while offering high quality local goods.  Those attending festivals are willing to pay a little extra for healthier and unique things.  For those that ask why hand crafted items cost more, remember that the artist spends a lot of time working on their crafts, pays for all supplies and ingredients, travels, does all their own shipping, packing, and advertisement... it's a lot of work!  Most of the earnings go right back into their cottage business usually.  An essential point, for someone to make a living in the metaphysical community, they really need more than one venue once a month.  Having a variety of events, online sales, and even a local shop space allow practitioners and artists to survive and thrive.  Support local handmade, support your local fairs!

While I am so grateful to fair organizers!  Their efforts provide a space where I am able to make a modest living doing what I love, living as an artist and practitioner.  I most love the sense of community each festival develops.  We are a tight knit bunch that supports each other in our ups and downs.  We are our own community's best customers.  We are brothers and sisters there for advice, learning, and hugs.  Thank you to all!

My girls Crystal & Becky! Always ready to help

Above: My own handmade oils, salves, and soaps.

Coexist Festival in San Antonio and Austin

https://www.facebook.com/coexistfestival/

Mystic Market Festival in San Antonio

https://www.facebook.com/Bestmysticmarket/

Austin Pagan Pride Day

Well Kassandra & Grim made their way to Austin last weekend to vend at the Pagan Pride Day celebration in Zilker Park.  It wasn't too hot (at least for Texas), being only in the high 90's with a nice breeze.  After setting up the tents (with a little Duct Tape help), the show got under way.  Everyone saw old friends, made new ones, browsed the many awesome vendors, at some of the best dang bratwurst & sausage, met the author (and got kissed by) Ed Fitch, and generally had a great time!

While there, we were very grateful to be interviewed by Goddess Edana!  Cauldron Craft Oddities is going to be transitioning from an online shop with weekend vending roadtrips into a real brick-n-mortar shop!!!  This was a wonderful opportunity to get the word out and we appreciate everyone who took a flyer or told their friends.




Here is another video about a festival goer's experience.

Some individuals might be scratching their heads asking 'What is a Pagan?' or why would we want to be associated with something that is 'weird' or potentially 'anti-religious?'. For starters, Paganism is NOT against any form of spirituality, being in fact very inclusive of ALL paths to The Sacred. I strongly support this organization and it's efforts to build community trust, educate, and have a lot of fun in the process.

http://www.paganpride.org/ 

Statement of Purpose: 

The Pagan Pride Project is a non-profit organization. The primary purposes of this corporation shall be the advancement of religion and elimination of prejudice and discrimination based on religious beliefs. Mission Statement: The mission of the Pagan Pride Project is to foster pride in Pagan identity through education, activism, charity and community. Defining the Mission Statement: We try to keep our purpose balanced through the inspirations of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth:

Air: Education We're never going to be able to practice our spiritual paths openly if we don't give the public accurate information about what we do and do not do.

Fire: Activism People aren't necessarily going to go out of their way to find out what Pagans really do. We have to have the courage to act on our convictions and do what we need to do.

Water: Charity We know that what we do returns to us. We need to demonstrate this by offering compassion to our communities where it is needed. When we share our own abundance, we show that we trust the Gods to share abundance with us in return.

Earth: Community We're never going to be able to practice openly if we don't know anyone else in our local Pagan communities. We need to weave networking webs in our cities, in our towns, in our rural areas. We need these webs to support one another. That support will also show those who would restrict our practice that we are not just a few isolated wackos, but are a growing congregation of people who adhere to a faith that, while different, is as valid as their own.

History 

What is a Pagan? The following definition is for the purposes of the Pagan Pride Project. Others may define themselves or their group in different ways, and that's OK. Some groups that fit the categories we list may not call themselves Pagan, and that's ok too - that's why we say that first and foremost the definition of a Pagan is someone who self-identifies as a Pagan. But the following was created in order to have a functional definition to help educate the public about the spiritual paths we cover:

Definition: A Pagan or NeoPagan is someone who self-identifies as a Pagan, and whose spiritual or religious practice or belief fits into one or more of the following categories: Honoring, revering, or worshipping a Deity or Deities found in pre-Christian, classical, aboriginal, or tribal mythology; and/or Practicing religion or spirituality based upon shamanism, shamanic, or magickal practices; and/or Creating new religion based on past Pagan religions and/or futuristic views of society, community, and/or ecology; Focusing religious or spiritual attention primarily on the Divine Feminine; and/or Practicing religion that focuses on earth based spirituality.

The video below shows why education and community outreach are important.
http://www.wthr.com/story/19614139/pagan-pride-festival-upsets

 A very angry man from the Catholic Youth Organization was 'outraged' that he had to share a massive park with us. I really didn't think that we were that controversial but apparently we are very dangerous in some people's eyes. He repeated 3 times that we were "silly people who worship ourselves and trees" and we didn't need to be at the park near children. "They can pagan themselves to death at the Statehouse lawn; south side of the Statehouse lawn. They can do it someplace else. It is inappropriate here. It is embarrassing and I was outraged by it." I'm not sure someone would be allowed to carry on like that about say Jewish, Native American, or Hindu festivals... it sounds extremely bigoted and that's just silly.