| LumensGate - by Keter Elan Posted 2/02 Lumens Gate -- the gate of light -- a doorway to the unknown --a liminal space between matter and energy -- a place of transformation. This festival came into existence in June of 1991 as a small festival that was focused on "the intentional process of self-transformation." The festival themes and related rituals were designed to be eclectic in nature and effective for any magick practitioner, regardless of their particular tradition. The event started as a three-day weekend, but the intensity of the work undertaken by the ritualists and participants required that it be extended in length (in order to be able to drive home safely instead of in a still altered state). Today it is a six day (five night) festival that takes place from Tuesday to Sunday over the third week in June each year. It remains a small and intense festival focused on personal growth and transformation facilitated by eclectic ritual and focused intent. Participants come to LumensGate the first time because they are intrigued by the topic, or a friend told them that it was something they should really do, or they came to be supportive of someone else who really wanted to go. They come back because they find a deep and meaningful experience amidst a group of caring and committed people, and because it changes their lives. LumensGate is not a pagan party festival. Those individuals who come are committed to the work of personal transformation and are willing to engage in the event activities and rituals as part of that transformative process. Breakfast and dinner are provided as part of the event fee and are shared in communcal space. Everyone takes a turn helping the cook staff prepare and serve the meals. It's part of building the sense of community and shared trust in one another that this kind of magickal work requires. It also doesn't hurt that the food itself is fabulous as LumensGate has one of the best festival cooks anywhere! The facilities are a bit primitive. Tents, potable water in water buffalos, port-o-lets, and open air showers are the order of the event, but the site is beautiful and the land is well aligned (energetically) with magickal work, so things balance out in the end. The festival itself is focused on the specific theme that is determined each year. It begins with a specific opening ritual that includes an individual statement of intent from each participant and an energetic weaving of our collective energies in support of the work to be done and the space that we do it in. Scheduled activities are generally designed to be in support of the theme and the rituals. One evening early in the festival usually includes a drum and dance element. The major rituals are sequential, each one building the transformative energy and focus until the culmination of the process with the final ritual "intensive" on Friday night. Saturday is a day of processing our experiences with each other and sharing what we have learned. It is also our feast day and the day of our bardic circle where we share our joy and our creativity with one another. On Sunday morning after breakfast, we end the event with a closing circle that takes the energies we have woven together in service to ourselves and our communities and releases them into the world to continue to support positive change in all aspects of our lives. LumensGate will never be a large festival with lots of people, vendors, workshops, and professional speakers. It works best in a small, private environment that includes usually somewhere between 30 and 60 people. Those who attend with an open mind and a willingness to engage in personal growth and transformation find it a life-changing experience. Are you such a person? If so, check out LumensGate this year. You might find that you have found your way home. The LumensGate theme this year (2002) is entitled "Every Step is Sacred." It is about becoming more deeply aware that all aspects of our lives are sacred, and about learning to live our lives in a more conscious, mindful manner. It takes place from June 18-23 in south, central Pennsylvania at Four Quarters, and will once again be a journey of personal transformation. LumensGate -- the gate of light -- a doorway to illumination. Join us and share in this journey of discovery. Extend the light, Keter Elan Home Sheya Shamanism Transformation LumensGate Articles Books Bike |