Archive for August, 2010

Minnesota Fringe Festival Comes to the SPC

Posted by Jane Hansen in Art & Culture on August 2, 2010

This year, in addition to community meet and greets, classes, and healing services, Sacred Paths Center has established itself as a venue for touring Pagan musicians. But now, they are stepping even farther out, hosting "The Quest," an improv performance as part of the Minnesota Fringe Festival. The show is presented at 7:00 p.m. daily, and running from Friday, August 6th through Sunday, August 15th. Tickets are available at the door or  Click Here to Buy Tickets.

Described as, "A modern day quest for… something important. You tell us what. The hero's journey surrounds your seats and moves between them. Joseph Campbell's classic hero cycle twisted by our own interesting times." This is an long-improv performance, drawing on Joseph Campbell's Hero of a Thousand Faces. For each performance, The Myth Players will invite the audience to determine the specific locations at the start of every performance. It's a lighter, comedic look at Myth. To get a feel for it, check out their awesome trailer:

Producers Damian Johnson and Matt Kelly took their inspiration from Michael Gellman's teachings on how to improvise full stories. The show isn't about props and settings, since the audience determines the local. It is about taking the journey in the mind. The players will use the shape of the space, their bodies and pathways through the audience to build the terrain for The Quest.

The Myth Players are a mix of new and more established improvisers – Rita Boersma, John Eisenrich, Damian Johnson, Matt Kelly, Josh Lanset, Emily Schorr Lesnick, Adam Litz, Matt Pitner, Joe Rapp, Taj Ruler, Jen Scott, Eric Simons, Josh Stenseth; directed by Jason Bindas. Discover The Quest at Sacred Paths Center at 777 Raymond in St. Paul, right off University, near the 94 and 280 intersection.

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Ritual Blessings and Blunders

Posted by MomHen in Ritual on August 2, 2010

by MomHen
 
Public rituals are special beasts.
I use that term deliberately.
 
A ritual has its own life: It makes demands on those who would shape it; it rewards those who contribute to it; it has a beginning, a middle and an end, just as any living being is born, develops, and dies; it establishes a relationship to every being involved, tangible or not.
 
Discounting the childhood Catholic masses and the ~1000 weddings I’ve photographed (which, let’s face it, are very ritualistic), I’ve been attending rituals, mostly pagan and both public and private for – OMG it’s been twelve years! I’ve played many roles in those rituals from rookie to elder, participant to High Priestess (High Priest in a couple). I’ve been assistant, conduit, shill, cheerleader, battery, fool and guardian. I’ve been privileged to witness some awesome rituals and have endured some that (for me) fell completely flat. But whatever happened, I can truthfully say that I’ve learned something from every ritual I’ve attended.
 
In a closed/private ritual, you-the-ritualist (presumably) have at least a working familiarity with each of the expected corporeal (and incorporeal) participants, and design the ritual with the attending sensitivities and requirements in mind. The folks involved in the ritual (including guests) are familiar with the particular etiquette, have been schooled in the traditions and many have even rehearsed/performed the ritual. If this set of beings have been working together for some time, many of those considerations become taken for granted in the writing of the ritual.
 
In a public ritual, however, you-the-ritualist have no such assurances and cannot afford to make any assumptions. You may be dealing with veterans and newbies, traditionalists and eclectics, folks who may know more than you do and folks that literally have no clue, folks who have physical or mental abilities or disabilities, sensitivities and triggers. While it’s impossible to think of everything , you must make a strong effort to do so, and be prepared for all possibilities and/or at least have an “exit strategy.” This means they-who-run-the-show must be able to think creatively, be able to roll with whatever “punches” are dealt to them, and be able to handle any kind of energy that is thrown at them.
 
Some of the pitfalls, perhaps most of them, can be mitigated by proper design, prudence, and communications.  I offer these suggestions for those who wish to present public rituals. Read the rest of this entry »
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