Greetings,
A severe ice storm hit the DC area 5 days ago.  Telephone and Electric services were interrupted for tens of thousands of customers in the DC area for 4-5 days.  Guess where Out of the Dark's web server is?  Yup, you got it.  We run off this wonderful and RELIABLE server, Webworqs.com, in Washington DC.  Unfortunately, we have been down since Friday, January 15. Any mail sent to us in the last 5 days has been lost.  Our website has also been unavailable during that time. Our back-up account at Erols.com is also located in Northern VA and has been up and down all weekend as well. Anyway, DC has thawed and all is right with the cyber world now.  Please resend any correspondence that bounced.  We apologize for any inconvenience.
On to happier news....

We would like to invite you to attend the

1999 Spring Gathering of the Tribes
New Quarter Park
Yorktown, Virginia
April 22 - 25, 1999
                                                 

Leave your mundane worries at the gate, get your home away from home set up, and settle in for an enjoyable weekend of Pagan Networking, Knowledge Exchange, and Fun.
The natural setting of New Quarter Park in historic Yorktown is rich with historical and new times energies that allow us to renew our connection with the Mother, and to look into our future to see the changes we are creating right now!

The Gathering is growing by leaps and bounds!
This tremendous upsurge of interest in Pagan, Wiccan, and other "Magical" Traditions is not just a local phenomenon, it is a National, even International wonder to behold! We are proud to be a part of it! Our increase in numbers does mean that we can invite nationally known Pagan Authors, Artists, and Activists to share their visions and experiences with us, and we have done exactly that!

We are happy to announce that
Robin Wood & Silver RavenWolf
will be our VERY SPECIAL GUESTS at the Spring Gathering of the Tribes!

Robin Wood                                               
Robin Wood is the creator of the Robin Wood Tarot and author of The Robin Wood Tarot:The Book and When, Why ...If, a workbook dealing with ethics from a Pagan/Wiccan perspective. Robin's work as an artist and author has taken her to the level of being a common household name in most pagan communities. Robin is warm, witty, charming, shy, and gregarious. She makes you laugh; she makes you smile; she makes you think and move into a very special place inside yourself as you follow her tutelage in the lessons of Tarot and the Wiccan Path.

Silver RavenWolf                                               
Silver RavenWolf is the Director of the Wiccan / Pagan Press Alliance, a network of Pagan newsletters, publishers, and writers.  "It keeps me pretty busy, " she explains, "but I adore it.  Writing and publishing are important to the Pagan community.  The editors supply the life line for growth, change, and acceptance of magickal people.  Positive religions like Wicca are the heartbeat, but the editors are the arteries of the community."
Silver is the author of over 30 books including To Ride a Silver BroomStick, Teen Witch, To Light a Scared Flame, Angels, To Stir a Magick Cauldron, HEXCraft, and The Rune Oracle.  Silver will be offering Seminars at the Gathering and conducting a Black Forest Tradition Healing Circle.
In November of 1991 Silver received her First Degree from Bried Foxsong of Sacred Hart and is on the rolls of the International Red Garters. She also carries Second and Third Degree status from the Temple of Hecate Triskele of the Caledonii Tradition.
Silver will be available to do private readings at the Gathering for an additional fee.  Reservations for consultations are available on a first come, first serve basis.  Contact Gathering organizers to make an appointment.
 

                                   ....and that's not all!!!!
                                         In addition,
          The 1999 Spring Gathering of the Tribes is pleased to present .....
                                       
Oxun Olakari' Al'aye Tyo Llorente 
Oxun Olakari' Al'aye is an initiate priestess of Oshun of both Brazilian Condomble and Afro-Cuban  Santeria, as well as an initiate of Palo Mayombe. She brings to her present practice a diverse background: clinical and Jungian psychology, shamanic trance and healing work. She has, for the past 15 years, traveled to many countries lecturing and learning, including extensive study while living in Brazil. She is a practitioner of ecstatic dance, a poet and lyricist, Akpetebi' de Orunmila ("Maid of Orunmila"), a practitioner and student of Awo (the ancient Yoruba science of divination). Daughter of Oshun, the river, Mother of Mirrors, through silence and through sound, stillness and movement, introspection and celebration, is the reflection through which the beautiful reveals itself. Ecstasy is a love affair with the divine. Maferefun Orisha. 
Oxun will be offering workshops  about the practices and traditions of Ifa' and Orisha worship as expressed through Yoruba, Afro-Cuba Santeria, and Afro-Brazilian Candomble.  She will explain the qualities and attributes of various Orisha (forces in nature as faces of Deities) and the ways in which the Aleyo (non-initiated worshippers can respectfully and productively work with the Orisha traditions. 
                                         
Rev. Gretchen A.L. Schork, OCL:AL 
Rev. Gretchen A.L. Schork, OCL:AL, teacher of Runes since 1985, and Practical Qabalah since 1982. She is an experienced teacher, initiated Scribe, and recovering entrepreneur. Through a broad range of training, she has become the lead member of he Ordo Corona Luci, a non-secret hermetic style ceremonial magical order. Favoring a humorous approach to learning, Rev. Gretchen tends to bring not only information and skills to her classes, but also a deep sense of the enjoyment of the learning process. 
                                                                                                
Patty Robbins BSN, RN, CVN 
Ms. Robbins  is a licensed Registered Nurse, and a Certified Vascular Nurse who practices and instructs the Art of Healing Touch.  She will be offering various workshops throughout the Gathering on Healing Touch and  Interactive Imagery.  Ms.Robbins will also be available for private consultations. 

Kirk McLaren (Amulets by Merlin ) 
Kirk McLaren's foundation in the study in the mysteries began with Qabalahist and Jazz musician Dr. Fred Katz of Southern California in the mid seventies. Kirk first began teaching Tarot in Spokane, Washington at Yhantra Book store in 1980 and has been teaching seminars for Circles, Gatherings and Conventions ever since. He completed his course work in Visual Arts through the "McLaren Studio Academy". Kirk has combined jewelry design and the study of the Tarot to produce a Three Dimensional Tarot System completed in 1993. This approach is based on the images of the Major Arcana in small sculpture that may be tossed like small stones, then read as they fall. 

L.B.Taylor 
L.B.Taylor, Jr. - a Scorpio-  is a native Virginian. He was born in Lynchburg and has a BS degree in Journalism from Florida State  University. He wrote about America’s space programs for 16 years, for NASA and aerospace contractors, before moving to Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1974, as public affairs director for BASF Corporations. He retired in 1993. Taylor is the author of more than 300 national magazine articles and 30 nonfiction books. His research for the book “Haunted Houses,” published by Simon and Schuster in 1983, stimulated his interest in area psychic phenomena  and led to the publication of five regional Virginia ghost books preceding “The Ghosts of Virginia.” Mr. Taylor will take us on a tour of the supernatural in Virginia.  He will present a slide show of rare film footage documenting unexplained apparitions.. 

Bick Thomas     
Bick Thomas has been a practicing magician for over 14 years, and graduated from William & Mary with a major in Medieval / Classical history.  He has published several articles in local pagan newsletters, and has conducted extensive research into the religious and magical practices of the ancient world. 

Rev. WhiteDove, BS, IDS, BSS 
A new mom who takes her religion, her family and  her education, very seriously. Rev. WhiteDove, a practicing Wiccan HPS, has just emerged victorious in a year long battle to adopt her daughter and is now stepping out of the shadows and into her own light.  "Dove" is a strong advocate for community and brings with her experiences and insights available to few and valuable to all. 

Donna Schneider 
Donna  brings to the Gathering  many years of experience as a Designer and Historian.  Her extensive knowledge of “the Old Ways”  includes the Culinary Arts, Clothing Design, Hair Braiding, Beading, Herb lore, and so much more! 

Wind Walker, RN, BSW 
A life long child of the Earth, Aids Awareness Educator in the state of West Virginia 

The Group Ritual,  and various other functions throughout the  Gathering, are being performed by the EarthRising and Risning Tide  CUUPS groups  The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans is  formed for the purposes of enabling networking among Pagan identified UUs; providing outreach of  Unitarian Universalism to the broader Pagan Community; providing educational materials on Paganism for Unitarian Universalist congregations and the general public; promoting Pagan and Jewish / Christian dialogue; encouraging the development of theological and liturgical materials based on earth and nature centered religious and spiritual perspectives; encouraging greater use of music, dance, visual arts, poetry, story, and creative ritual in Unitarian Universalist worship and celebration; providing support for Pagan identified UU religious professionals and ministerial students; and fostering healing relationships with our Mother the Earth and all her children. 
   

There will be the traditional potluck dinner Friday night, followed by a bonfire and drumming, a HUGE Bonfire Saturday night after the concert to drum and dance around, and special children's activities throughout the event.  We are adding to our list of Guests weekly so please check our website for updates!

 0====(::::::::::::::::>

As always, if you wish to be removed from Out of the Dark's, Pagan Resource Center mailing list, e-mail Center@OutoftheDark.com and type "Remove" in the subject line.  
We only take addresses from e-mail we receive directly, or from sign-up sheets at the Gathering and at the Center. All removal requests are handled by a real person, no autobots.
Permission to re post this mailing in it's entirety is granted.  Please include the Signature information below with any re posting.
Thank you

Betsy Ashby
0====(:::::::::::::::>

Out of the Dark, Inc.   
Spring Gathering of the Tribes 
117 W. 21st Street
Suite 220
Norfolk, VA   23517 
phone : (757) 623-6120         fax : 757-623-6121
mailto:Gathering@OutoftheDark.com

Visit our website at 
http://www.OutoftheDark.com/Gathering/
0====(:::::::::::::::>