During the first days of April, our teacher Sheila and most of our students gathered in Virginia for Initiation Week.
Students went through the initiation rituals and moved up into First, Third, and Fourth Degrees.
While I can't post pics or details of what happens during an initiation, or the names of who got initiated, I can definitely share part of the fun that happens after each initiation: the Feast!
Feasting is an important part of experiencing and celebrating life in our tradition. As it says in The Book of the Law, "...eat rich foods and drink sweet wines and wines that foam..."
Another part of the Book lists out many occasions throughout the year that are to be celebrated with feasts.
Feasting serves many intentions:
taking in nourishment
grounding to the Earth
enjoying life's sensory experiences
joining in fellowship with our sisters and brothers.
This school definitely loves our feasts! Every initiation and quarterly ritual (i.e., solstice or equinox) is followed by a feast that usually includes sparkling wine (the aforementioned "wines that foam").
Here are photos from the many feasts we celebrated during Initiation Week.
