Spring Mysteries Festival 2021 (Online)

[Morag]

Dates: April 1-4 2021
Fee: $50 USD flat fee for online events
Location: wherever you've set up your computer or phone and have internet connection!

For the second year in a row, Spring Mysteries Festival will be held online.

If you've thought about attending the festival for a while but couldn't make the trip to the West Coast, this is your chance to experience the (re-imagined) Mysteries of Eleusis.

http://www.springmysteries.com/

Registration fee is $50. The festival is done through Microsoft Teams, which you can use without creating an account.

If you want to read more about SMF and what it's like, the article "The Road to Eleusis" will give you a sense of the festival without revealing any oathbound information.

And if you have any questions about my personal experiences as an attendee I'd be happy to share whatever I can.

-Morag, SMF Pilgrim

[TheGreenWizard]

And if you have any questions about my personal experiences as an attendee I'd be happy to share whatever I can.

-Morag, SMF Pilgrim

This is awesome! I've wanted to do it, but this year I can't do the entire festival. From your experience, can someone do part of it and still get something out of it? What's the general timing of the events? (i.e., 9 to 5? noon to 8?)

(For context: I'm visiting family during the first half, yet, I'll be home late on April 2nd, and can do April 3rd and 4th.)

[Morag]

This is awesome! I've wanted to do it, but this year I can't do the entire festival. From your experience, can someone do part of it and still get something out of it? What's the general timing of the events? (i.e., 9 to 5? noon to 8?)

(For context: I'm visiting family during the first half, yet, I'll be home late on April 2nd, and can do April 3rd and 4th.)

They've just posted the schedule of events a few days ago, so I will link those here: http://www.springmysteries.com/virtual-mysteries

I know last year there were folks who couldn't be there for all of it and still got quite a bit out of what they could attend. If you're only able to do the 3rd and the 4th, that is when the bulk of the Mysteries part happens (Lesser Mysteries are on Saturday).

The days go from 0800 Pacific to, well, as late as you want to stay up; usually the last thing on the schedule will be 2000 or 2100.

The key things you'll miss on the 1st and 2nd will be the sacred pork dinner with the priesthood, the Adult Affirmation of Path, Newcomer Orientation, the Parade to the Sea (I skip that one myself because of a geas against doing anything with Poseidon; it's an optional part of the festival),  and visiting the temples, which is basically shrine time with the various gods. 

I'm not sure what your family visiting is going to look like but you might be able to still swing a few of the later things; they're in Pacific time so they'll be later in the day for you, and I believe you can download a Microsoft Teams app for a smartphone and do it that way. (The entire thing is presented via Microsoft Teams.)

If you register quickly, there is a "tech-check" tonight at 7pm Pacific so you can see if it works for you.

I hope you're able to attend! I do think that even if you can only do the last two days you'll get quite a bit out of it.

[TheGreenWizard]

They've just posted the schedule of events a few days ago, so I will link those here: http://www.springmysteries.com/virtual-mysteries

I know last year there were folks who couldn't be there for all of it and still got quite a bit out of what they could attend. If you're only able to do the 3rd and the 4th, that is when the bulk of the Mysteries part happens (Lesser Mysteries are on Saturday).

The days go from 0800 Pacific to, well, as late as you want to stay up; usually the last thing on the schedule will be 2000 or 2100.

The key things you'll miss on the 1st and 2nd will be the sacred pork dinner with the priesthood, the Adult Affirmation of Path, Newcomer Orientation, the Parade to the Sea (I skip that one myself because of a geas against doing anything with Poseidon; it's an optional part of the festival),  and visiting the temples, which is basically shrine time with the various gods. 

I'm not sure what your family visiting is going to look like but you might be able to still swing a few of the later things; they're in Pacific time so they'll be later in the day for you, and I believe you can download a Microsoft Teams app for a smartphone and do it that way. (The entire thing is presented via Microsoft Teams.)

If you register quickly, there is a "tech-check" tonight at 7pm Pacific so you can see if it works for you.

I hope you're able to attend! I do think that even if you can only do the last two days you'll get quite a bit out of it.

Thanks for letting me know! I unfortunately wasn't able to attend - family visit overrode much of my time and energy and wasn't really in the right mindset to do anything spiritual (except for one moment, but I have to digest that still). Thanks for letting me know and I"ll keep an eye out for the Autumn version of this!

[Morag]

Thanks for letting me know! I unfortunately wasn't able to attend - family visit overrode much of my time and energy and wasn't really in the right mindset to do anything spiritual (except for one moment, but I have to digest that still). Thanks for letting me know and I"ll keep an eye out for the Autumn version of this!

I totally understand.

If you don't want to wait till Hekate's Sickle Festival to get to know the ATC, there are year-long Teams meetings where you can pop in and say hi. 

The Fellowship Hall is here and there are three Teams meetings linked on the page: the Info Booth, the Mystic Smoking Table (smoking not required), and the Daily Devotionals channel.

The Mystic Smoking Table (so named because the smoking table at the physical event was a big social gathering spot, even for non-smokers) is a social place for people to chat and get to know each other.

Daily Devotionals happen every day at 9am Pacific, and M-F at 6am Pacific and 8:15 pm Pacific.

They're all open to anyone, regardless if you've come to SMF / Sickle or not.