Our Circles

[Admin]

Coming to a Circle


If you’ve never been to a Pagan circle before you may wonder what to expect. Here are some common questions and answers.

Time
You’ll notice our announcements usually say “gathering begins at 7:00 PM and the ritual begins promptly at 7:30.” This means you should feel free to arrive any time between 7:00 and 7:30. “Gathering time” is for socializing, settling in, meditation or anything else you’d like to do before the ritual starts. We do not observe “Pagan Standard Time” – if the ritual is supposed to start at 7:30, it will start at 7:30.

Most of our circles run 45 to 50 minutes, though some will be a little shorter and some a little longer.

Children
Most of our circles are suitable for children 10 and up, and we especially welcome children who are interested in Pagan religion. Younger children frequently have trouble sitting quietly through meditations, so we usually have child care available. Check the announcement or contact the circle leader to be sure.

Dress
Pagans tend to express their individuality in their ritual dress, and you are likely to see people wearing robes, kilts, medieval costumes, and lots of jewelry. You’ll also see people in jeans and t-shirts. If you have magical clothing by all means wear it, but if not wear something you’d be comfortable wearing to a movie or a casual restaurant and you’ll be fine. And remember this is Texas – check the weather before you decide what to wear.

Weather
As Nature loving Pagans, we prefer to hold our circles outdoors. But it’s hard to keep your mind on the beauty of Nature when you’re freezing, or when it’s 110°. Generally, circles in moderate weather will be held outdoors, while circles in more extreme weather will be inside. It’s also easier to hear indoors, which can be important during guided meditations. Check the announcement or contact the circle coordinator to be sure.

Social Hour
Most people hang around after the ritual to talk to friends and make new friends. If you have questions (about the ritual, about Paganism, about Unitarian Universalism, or about most anything else) this is the time to ask. Look for the ritual leader or one of the CUUPS Officers.

We have food and drink after the ritual. It’s potluck, but it usually runs somewhere between “heavy snacks” and “full meal.” If it’s your first time you don’t need to bring anything.

Of course we understand if you have to leave right after the ritual is over, but we hope you’ll stick around, enjoy some food and let us get to know you better.

Photography
Please don’t take pictures without talking to the circle leader. There are times when photography is OK and times when it’s not – please ask first. Denton CUUPS usually has someone taking pictures for our website and Facebook page – if you don’t want to be photographed, please talk to the circle leader or the person with the camera. We’ll be happy to accommodate you.

[Admin]

In Our Circles


If you’ve been to a Pagan circle before, what we do will look at least vaguely familiar. If not, you may be wondering what to expect once the ritual begins. While every circle is a little different, here’s what you need to know step right in and participate comfortably.

Arrival
Sometimes we gather in the sanctuary, sometimes in the RE wing, and sometimes outside. Just look for where you see people and chairs. Come in, say hello and find a seat – sit anywhere that’s not obviously taken. There are no spectators in a Pagan circle – responses are completely voluntary, but please do sit in the circle.

Seating and Mobility
Whether we’re indoors or out, in most rituals you’ll be seated most of the time. In most rituals you’ll be asked to stand for the quarter calls and invocations. Some will have processions or spiral dances; some will have seating indoors for the beginning and then move outdoors where we’ll stand.

If you have mobility issues, please speak to the circle leader before the ritual starts. We’ll do our best to accommodate you.

Preparing for Ritual
At the beginning of the ritual we’ll have some informal announcements, and at that time you’ll be asked to silence your phone and anything else that makes noise. You’ll also be asked to remove your watch. A circle is a “time outside of time” and a watch is reminder of ordinary time.

We Begin
Once the ritual formally begins, we ask that you stay within the circle until the ritual is complete. While a Pagan circle is a worship service and not an entertainment event, noise and movement that would be a distraction in live theater will also be a distraction in ritual. If you have an emergency and must leave, please do so as quietly as possible. If a circle has been cast, please see one of the secondary circle leaders who will ritually open the circle, then close it behind you after you leave.

The Ritual
Most rituals at Denton CUUPS follow a common Pagan liturgy: grounding, circle casting, invocations, offerings, and a main working: a seasonal rite, re-creation of an ancient story, or a magical working. There may be places where you’re asked to respond with “hail and welcome!” or “blessed be!” All responses are strictly voluntary: if you’re not comfortable with what you’re asked to repeat, or you’re not sure you understand it, just follow along silently.

For a detailed description of our common liturgy, see this essay by Denton CUUPS Coordinating Officer John Beckett.

The Simple Feast
We start the conclusion of most rituals with a Simple Feast, sometimes called Cakes and Ale or Cakes and Wine. This is a ceremonial sharing of food and drink as an act of unity, and to help re-ground after the main working. While most Simple Feasts will feature wine or beer, there will always be a non-alcoholic option for those who cannot or do not wish to drink alcohol.

Closing
The closing ritual is similar to the opening ritual, but much shorter. Please join in on the “hail and farewell!” and “blessed be!” responses as you’re comfortable. A few announcements follow the closing ritual.

There is usually a basket for offerings, and we ask people to contribute a few dollars to cover expenses and toward the work of CUUPS. All such offerings are completely voluntary and any amount is sincerely appreciated.

[Admin]

Our Celebrations


While we have no formal traditions in the religious sense of the term, over the past thirteen years we’ve developed some informal traditions in the common sense of the term – things we do over and over again because they’ve become meaningful to us. Here’s a brief explanation of the eight major Pagan holidays and how we’ve celebrated them in the past.


Imbolc (February 1). Though this is the coldest time of the year, Imbolc is the first Spring festival, celebrating the promise of Spring. It is associated with the Celtic Goddess Brighid and the Christian St. Brigid. Our Imbolc celebrations frequently honor her, such as our 2012 ritual which featured a visit to Brighid’s Forge.


Ostara – the Spring Equinox (≈ March 20). By now days and nights are equal length and Winter is usually past – though it did snow at our 2010 Celebration of Spring! At Ostara we celebrate the rebirth of Nature and the planting we will do in our lives. And sometimes, as with 2011’s Chocolate Ritual, we simply have fun.


Beltane (May 1). Beltane is the third and final Spring festival and the traditional beginning of Summer. Here we celebrate fertility in all its forms, including fertility of the mind and fertility of the spirit. Since 2005, each Beltane has included a Maypole Dance.


Summer Solstice (≈ June 21). At Summer Solstice we celebrate the Sun at its height. Since 2004, each Summer Solstice we have departed from our usual Celtic / Druid / Wiccan themes and conducted an Egyptian Temple Ritual. This is our attempt to recreate the daily rituals of ancient Egypt and to adapt them to our time and place. In 2009 we did this for the opening ritual of the EarthRhythms Summer Solstice Celebration at White Rock Lake in Dallas.


Lughnasadh (August 1). Lughnasadh is named for the Celtic god Lugh but was established in ancient times in honor of his foster mother Tailtiu. It is the first of three harvest festivals and celebrates the harvest of the grain. Our most frequent celebration has included a Harvest Feast and Bardic Offerings in thanksgiving for the bounty of the Earth which sustains our lives. In 2014 we celebrated Herakleia, a Rite of Herakles.


Mabon – the Fall Equinox (≈ September 23). Mabon celebrates the apple harvest and marks the shift from the light half to the dark half – now the nights will be longer than the days. We have no fixed traditions around Mabon. In 2013 we celebrated Winter Finding and in 2014 we celebrated Gleichentag, both Norse-themed rituals.


Samhain (October 31). Samhain (pronounced “SOW-en”) is the final harvest festival of the year and the time when the veil between this world and the Otherworld thins. It is the time to honor our ancestors, to commune with our beloved dead, and to let go of what was once meaningful to us but which no longer serves our highest purpose.


Yule – the Winter Solstice (≈ December 21). This is the shortest day and the longest night, the time when we celebrate the rebirth of the Sun. Our Winter Solstice observances take many forms, including a festive lighting of the Yule Log and sealing our intentions for the new year.