Valdosta State University Archives and Special Collections Digital Commons @Vtext New Age Movements, Occultism, and Spiritualism Research Library MS/150-1 Summer 1984 Iron Mountain: A Journal of Magical Religion Vol 01, No. 01 For this and additional works see: URL UUID: ACD84632-458E-80B2-458A-662AEB71A54D Recommended Citation: Clifton, Chas S., and Mary Currier-Clifton, eds. Iron Mountain: A Journal of Magical Religion (Artemisia Press) [1, no. 1] (Summer 1984). New Age Movements, Occultism, and Spiritualism Research Library. Archives and Special Collections. Valdosta State University. Valdosta, GA. http://hdl.handle.net/10428/2742 This item is free and open source. It is part of the New Age Movements, Occultism, and Spiritualism Research Library at Odum Library Valdosta State University Archives and Special Collections. If you have any questions or concerns contact [email protected] SUMMER 1984 $5 Potential contributors should send a long, stamped, self-addressed envelope for the Mountain writer’s guide before submitting material. Subscriptions are $9 for one year (two issues); $$6 for two years. Advertising information and rates furnished on request. Address all editorial, subscription and ad­ vertising correspondence to Artemisia Press, P.O. Box 6423, Colorado springs, Colorado 80934. EDITORS Chas S. Clifton Mary Currier-Clifton Table of Contents ASSOCIATE EDITOR Isaac Bonewits DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Chas S. Clifton On the Slopes of Iron Mountain........................................................2 Pat Musick Spinning the Medicine Wheel--Joseph Bruchac...................................3 with special thanks to High School Magic-Interview..................................................... ll John Graham Notes on Ritual Drumming--John Vye........................................ 15 Remedy for Drought-Poem by Donald Levering............................ 17 Although the copyright to The Man who Wanted to be an Owl—Poem by Joseph Bruchac__ 18 contributions may remain Inventing Witchcraft--Aidan Kelley.................................................. 19 Pagan Renaissance and Wiccan Witchcraft in Industrial Society— with the author, it is George Kirkpatrick, Kathryn Rubi, Rich Rainey..........................31 understood that in return ‘Pagan Renaissance:’ Responses........................ 38 for publication, Iron Myth, Ritual and Symbolism--Janet and Stewart Farrar..................43 Mountain has the nonex­ Reviews...............................................................................................49 clusive right to publish the Contributors......................................................................................51 contribution and the con­ tinuing right, without limit, to include the contribution as part of any reprinting of the issue and/or volume in which the contribution first appeared, by any means and in any format. Iron Mountain does not guarantee to review unsolicited books. Entire contents Copyright (c) 1984 by Artemisia Press Published by Artemisia Press, P.O. Box 6423, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80934. Telephone (303) 685- 5849. A JOURNAL OF MAGICAL RELIGION On the Slopes of Iron Mountain Welcome to the first issue of Iron Mountain: A Journal o f Magical Religion. We plan that this journal will become a different kind of religious studies publication, serving as a forum where people of different concerns—scholarly, spiritual or operative—can exchange ideas and information. Iron Mountain will be a semi-annual publication, devoted to the exploration of religious forms and practices, both ancient and modern, which emphasize the magical, shamanic and metaphysical elements. A well-worn definition of “ magic” says that it is the art of effecting change in accordance with the Will by “non-material” means; to that let us add that we are primarily interested in those aspects of religion that thus include magic—which also could be taken to mean those that hold however loosely to the concept that “mind creates the universe.” Iron Mountain is non-dogmatic and non-sectarian in its focus. We welcome original essays, in-depth journalism (like Joseph Bruchac’s piece beginning on the facing page), re-examinations of traditional stories and myths, reviews of books and contemporary events, letters, poetry and artwork. Another topic of perennial interest to us is the relationship of magically oriented people and the larger society in which they live. And, of course, we welcome responses to the material in this and subsequent issues. 2 IRON MOUNTAIN Spinning the Medicine Wheel The Bear Tribe in the Catskills Reprinted from Akwesasne Notes, Fall 1983 by Joseph Bruchac he Taconic Parkway is an old four-lane I turned off the Taconic on a road that led T highway. It winds its way down from east and stopped at a hardware store to ask just below Albany (that place called directions. Skenetati, “the opening in the trees” by the “ Camp Kinder Ring,” said the old man people of the Longhouse) towards New York with the friendly voice who stood behind the City. Closed to truck traffic, its shoulders counter. “Ah-yeah, that’d be the one they grassy lawn, it seems part of another era. used to call Circle Lodge. Turn left at the From its scenic outlooks I could see the Cat- A&P up the lake road.” skill Mountains ranging towards the heavens As I drove that lake road I saw many on the other side of the river now named for evidences that this was a summer country. a Dutch explorer. The sky was clear. There Summer camps and tourist-oriented signs was no rumbling—either from the Thun­ were everywhere. I was entering that famous derers or those little men of European- area called the Borscht Belt. There during American legend who rolled their bowling the summers children of upper-middle-class balls in a game that led to Rip Van Winkle’s families came to learn crafts at camps with long sleep. fanciful Native American names, returning A JOURNAL OF MAGICAL RELIGION 3 to city perhaps with a small headband, the CHECKING IN knowledge of the names of a few birds, a I rounded a corner looking for a sign and balsam pillow. Billboards advertised resorts finding none. I was not looking for a where Zero Mostel and Jerry Lewis once told medicine animal or a gyring hawk, just a stories, and the Catskill Game Farm. Per­ sign that read Camp Kinder Ring. But I was formers on a stage, animals in a cage. The coming from the north and it was apparent Catskills. Here, though, the houses and signs that most of the expected visitors would not and summer camps looked slightly run be coming by the way I was taking. I looked down, reminders that this was no longer a again at the instruction sheet I’d received a golden age for resorts, even if a “New Age” few days earlier along with my ticket. It in­ was somewhere just around the corner at the formed me what I should wear and bring—a Medicine Wheel Gathering. poncho, a flashlight, a blanket, and “if you The yellow flier with brown print had want to bring a SPECIAL ROCK to put in arrived a few weeks ago. EAST COAST the Medicine Wheel, the Spirit of your rock MEDICINE WHEEL GATHER, it read. A will be renewed and you will be able to take GATHERING TO REUNITE US WITH the rock and the Spirit home with you.” I THE EARTH MOTHER, THE SKY had brought my rock. FATHER AND THE PEOPLES OF ALL As I went round another corner something THE KINGDOMS OF THE EARTH, SEA at the edge of my vision caught my eye. I AND SKY. It was the sort of wording I was backed up. It was a driveway with an arch beginning to become familiar with—a mix­ over it shaped like a partial rainbow. CAMP ture of “Native American” ideas, expressed KINDER RING CIRCLE LODGE. On one in a cliched language whose Latinate diction of the supporting poles was a smaller sign was first to be found in the early translations and an arrow pointing the way to the of famous speeches by Indian orators. Medicine Wheel Gathering. Fifty yards fur­ “A gathering born in the vision dream of ther down that driveway I ran into the first Sun Bear, a Chippewa medicine man. Learn thing that almost made me turn around and through the teachings and join in head back to the Adirondacks—tent, ticket, CEREMONIES for the HEALING of the poncho, flashlight, unrenewed rock and all. EARTH MOTHER.” It was a traffic jam. Several harrassed- It made me think of the Omega Institute, a looking young men were directing traffic “New Age” program offered by the Sufis and checking tickets. where one could, for a week or weekend “Camping? Lemme see your sheet. Gotta (and a fee), study Buddhism, natural park over there. Then walk up to the lodge heeding, flower essences, t’ai chi, crystal and register. When you come back you can consciousness and more. A mixture of sin­ drive your car up to the field and set up your cerity, simplicity, very real knowledge and tent, then bring the car back and park it very diverse theologies—some more than a here.” little shaky. The flower children of the 1960s People were streaming out of the parking two decades later. No longer wearing long lot and heading toward the registration of­ hair or listening to rock music at a muddy fice 200 yards up the road. They were all Woodstock, but still seeking. Even though well-dressed, although casually so. many of them had now become the middle Alligators on their polo shirts, Gucci’s name class, even the upper class. With cars, con­ on their loafers. None looked Indian; none dos and degrees, they could afford to pay looked poor. Ages varied, but the average $100 for a three-day stint with “Medicine was surely in the early 30s, and there was an People/Teachers” as the Bear Tribe flier put equal number of men and women. They it. seemed friendly, perhaps a little nervous, but 4 IRON MOUNTAIN in a mood close to celebration. They were scattered around for people to take pinches returning to Mother Earth as they walked up of tobacco from.