Deborah Lipp

Part One

Back to Tuesday.

Tuesday afternoon I was asked to be the Priestess of a ritual to heal Frank Barney, owner of Brushwood (the land on which Starwood is held). Frank has Parkinson’s. I consented, and while I was busily making dinner, the ritual was announced for Friday night during opening circle. So that was 300 people who heard about it. And that was pretty intense.

Thing is, after Free Spirit, where I was the Priestess for a ritual on behalf of Orien Rose, I apparently got a reputation as a “healing priestess” and now I guess I’m accountable for that reputation. Well, they say Witches Heal, so it’s up to me to step up.

Tuesday was also where I had the first instance of being the go-between in an awkward communication, as I’ve written about.

Wednesday was the first day I actually had to be responsible.

As ever, I wake up fantasizing that perhaps I’ll take a morning class. Hah! After all these years, I don’t even fantasize that much, I know I won’t make it. The truth is, I’m always up early, but camping doesn’t lend itself to up and out, in my book. Making coffee, brushing teeth, washing up…all these are leisurely and/or clutzy at camp. I don’t really mind; it’s only troublesome if you over-schedule. Which I don’t so, no trouble.

Update: I knew I attended a class on Wednesday, but I couldn’t find it in the schedule before. It was called Curses and Binding Spells (of ancient Egypt) by an Australian guy named Tony Mierzwicki. He’s been working with Graeco-Egyptian magick and has a very interesting body of material. The presentation was a little dry but he had a lot to say and he really knew his stuff. He had us do a brief ritual (we didn’t curse anyone) and I found the technique powerful. That was from 11:30 to 12:45, plenty of time for me to poke around the camp like a zombie and still get to the workshop clean and fresh.

At 4pm I taught Structure of Spellcasting Part One: Sources of Magical Power. I had about 10–15 people at a wooded site. My students were impressively focused and attentive, I almost felt intimidated.

Wednesday’s dinner was courtesy of Christine; great honking quantities of pasta and chicken. Very satisfying. Wednesday night Christine & I went to a party in the “Dark Moor;” the woods waaaay in the back of camp. I got to spend quality time with my dear friend Larry. Eventually I roamed away, and just as I was leaving, a staffer with a golf cart was also leaving and offered me a ride. Which was delightful, because REALLY it’s a long walk. I asked him to drop me at my camp, because even though I was warm enough walking in my velvet minidress and light shawl, driving in the cart kicks up the wind and I realized I wanted another layer. After another hearty round of Throwing Clothes In the Tent I headed off to prowl, and ended up hanging with Orien & Christine and their crew in the RV camping area until three in the morning. What a gorgeous RV they ended up with! They all look so fab and luxurious to l’il ol’ tenting me.

Thursday afternoon found me in the “downtown” area of camp when all of a sudden, WHOOSH. Major rain. The morning had been hot and I’d taken a noonish nap and left the windows open, so I ran back to camp to seal up. Well, it was getting on time to go teach Structure of Spellcasting Part Two: What Are Spells? anyway, but I was teaching at four o’clock, and a 3:30 downpour didn’t bode well for attendance. I shouldn’t have worried. A brave crew consisting of almost everyone from the day before, plus one or two newcomers, were extremely focused on class content and weather be damned! By 5:15 when class ended, so had the rain, so the walk back was fairly pleasant and my giant Hefty bag of a rain poncho had a chance to dry out.

Thursday night Craig made ham steaks, with a fancy salad and side dishes and pretty extreme presentation; I mean, not just tasty but pretty.

To be continued.