Is it possible, or desirable, for sensuality to be connected with all, or many, of our actions?
Can the sensual be consistently felt in our daily lives?
Are healthy sexuality and relationship an integral part of your spirituality? Why/why not?
How does paganism deal with healthy sexuality in ways that may be different from other religions?
Is there a time when you have trusted your gut instincts over intellectual knowledge? If so, what happened?
What do you do just to play?
How do you incorporate creativity into your life?
Do you think that joy is connected to creativity?
When you were growing up, did your family encourage you to be a kid, or were you encouraged to be serious and responsible? How does that influence your life now?
Finish this sentence: I am beautiful when. . . List as many things as you can think of.
Thanks to those who attended the Feb 3, 2019 monthly meeting! Here are the Feb Minutes if you missed it.
In our efforts to increase transparency, help Mystic Grove friends and fans keep up, and assist forming CUUPS chapters and other groups, we’re making it a goal to make more of our documents “public access” as we continue to revise our website.
The next meeting is Mar 3, 2019 at Noon in Room 1. Guests welcome to observe and learn how we work.
INSPIRATION PHOTO
This months’ photo is the January 21 Super Blood Wold Moon lunar eclipse by T. Cook. Orlando was treated to a gorgeous moon overhead!
RITUAL
Many thanks to all those who came to the Feb 2 Imbolc celebration! You can view the photo album online at Facebook. If you have pix you want to share, please do!
CUUPS online member Erika Rivertree. has curated an hour long playlist of songs created for Imbolg by various artists to help you enjoy the season.
Our next ritual is Ostara. We will be celebrating on Mar 9. Cost is FREE. $5 love offering welcome to help replenish worship supplies.
6:15 PM — “Meet and Greet” in Classroom B with Chip and Toni. Come learn about Unitarian Universalist Pagans, First Unitarian Church, and the Mystic Grove at this friendly Q&A.
7 PM — Ritual in the Main Hall by Barbara.
8 PM — Potluck.
9 PM — Clean up. Out by 9:30 PM.
EDUCATION
The Moon Circle for the Spring semester is now open! Moon circle is a “hybrid” experience. Unlike our “drop in friendly” solar rituals, lunar ritual is part of a study series. The first hour is class and the second hour is lunar ritual based on themes from the class. We meet once a month on 4th fridays for a total of 6 sessions.
In person class: $30 tuition for the series to cover art and worship supplies. One full scholarship and two half scholarships available.Class meetsin Room 1 in the Education Building atFirst Unitarian Church of Orlando. It is located at1901 E. Robinson Street.
This 6 session book group meets at Noon on 3rd Sundays in Room 1. We will be reading and discussing selections from “Pagan and Earth-Centered Voices in Unitarian Universalism.” It is drop-in friendly and free of cost.We gather after coffee hour and read the selection(s) of the month out loud and discuss.
This month’s selections for the Feb 17 session are TBA. RSVP and watch the Facebook page for the announcement!
While you don’t need a book to drop-in and check it out, your experience will be enriched if you do get your own text. You can order it online from the UUA Bookstore or from Amazon. You can also learn how the book came to be here.
FELLOWSHIP
At this month’s craft circle on Feb 15, Guest teacher Carter S. shares about her work with Magic Yarn Project — a group that creates washable yarn fantasy wigs for kid cancer patients. Bring a yarn skein donation or cash donation and watch or help create a new wig! There can only be 10 “hair stylists”, but others can observe the process and learn about the charity.
VOLUNTEERING
Mystic Grove welcomes helpers!
University UU Newsletter Reporter. Email skills required. Using a template, you craft the blurb for our sister church’s newsletter about our upcoming activities. (20 min once a month from now until June 1 to cover the Spring Term.)
Brochure Delivery. Your own transportation required. Pick up brochures/fliers and deliver to various locations in town. 1-3 times a semester, can be done one Saturday afternoon or spread out.
Ostara Ritual — People to call corners and serve cake and ale. As always, “on the day” helpers who wish to help put out the chair and clean up dishes always welcome!
Our first Moon Circle session focuses on the Root Chakra and the Hindu deity Ganesh/Ganesha.
Root Chakra- Muladhara
Element: Earth with Fire. We are rooted to the Earth and grounding is important for our well being. The Kundalini is understood as a fiery serpent energy that is coiled 3 and a half times as potential energy to be released. Kundalini is seated at the base of the spine— the root chakra.
Health and wellness issues: adrenal issues, addiction, anxiety, arthritis, bone issues
Herbs: any roots (i.e High John, Mandrake, Angelica), sandalwood for Ganesh
Fragrances: earthy notes like patchouli, vetiver, cedarwood, sandalwood, musk
Sound: musical note C, seed sound LAM
Planets: Earth, Saturn
Tree of Life Sephirot: Malkuth
Rune: Uruz
Tarot: Pentacles, The Magician, The Devil
Stones: hematite, red jasper, smoky quartz, ruby, garnet, bloodstone
Other deities and mythical beings: Shakti in her root chakra aspect called Dakini, Cernunnos, Herne, Gaia, Gefjon, Anat, Demeter, Ceridwen, Archangel Auriel, Vajrapani, dragons, serpents, Ganesh’s mouse companion
For those taking the Moon Circle class in person, or wanting to follow along from home, here are this month’s links.
HOMEWORK
Homework is “pick your level.”
ThinkingQuestions:
This month we study the Root Chakra and overcoming obstacles.Reflect on these questions:
1.) What are the circumstances we face in life that we would call adversity?
What are the lessons you have learned through adversity?
2.) What do you fear? Have you ever experienced a time in your life when you had to face your fears? What happened?
3.) What does “grounded” look like? Describe a person who is grounded in as much detail as you can. In what ways can you relate to that person?
4.) Who makes up your “tribe”? How connected do you feel to these people? How do you feel when you are around these people?
5.) Are there people, groups, programs or personal behaviors that increase your sense of security? Are you involved in increasing the security of others?
6.) How important is your body as part of your spiritual path? Do you celebrate the body as part of the natural world? Do you seek solace in spiritual experience and an afterlife?
Thanks to those who attended the Jan 6, 2019 monthly meeting! Here are the Mystic Grove Meeting Minutes if you missed it.
In our efforts to increase transparency, help Mystic Grove friends and fans keep up, and assist forming CUUPS chapters and other groups, we’re making it a goal to make more of our documents “public access” as we continue to revise our website.
Many thanks to all those who came to the Dec 21, 2018 Annual Winter Solstice Service and Yule Vigil! A very special thanks to those who helped make it a success.
We literally could not do it without the help of many MG friends — Welkin, Folk Ensemble, the 1U Choir, the A/V team, the Words for All Ages skit people, “on the day helpers”, and especially First Unitarian Church of Orlando, our sponsoring congregation.
Come celebrate Imbolc… with a twist! This “Percy Jackson / Lightening Thief / Camp Halfblood” inspired ritual written by a teen as her coming of age project will take a “camp” theme. Come as you are in casual dress. If you want to get into the spirit of it, come in blue or red shirts/outfits to represent your team.
We’ll play a camp game for energy raising, charge beads to get our “annual camp beads” and have “camp snack” for cakes and ale. (Apple juice and graham crackers.)
If you are celebrating a life passage, you are especially invited to come celebrate with us! Ritual is at 7 PM with 8 PM potluck. Come earlier at 6 PM or stay later from 9 PM – 9:30 PM if you want to volunteer with set up or clean up.
COST: Free. ($5 donation welcome to help replenish worship supplies.)
Moon Circle registration is now open! Email mysticgrove@orlandouu.org to get your name on the Moon Circle class list.
Part class and part lunar ritual, this 6 session series meets once a month for six months on 4th Fridays at 7 PM in Room 1. This time we will be studying chakras.
Tuition for in person students is $30 for the series and due the first class on Jan 25th. There is 1 full scholarship and two half scholarships available on “first come, first serve” basis.
Can’t make it to class? You can join the matching facebook group online for free and follow along from home. Online students can make an optional donation to help the scholarship fund.
Registration will end for in person students once all 10 spots are filled. Facebook group slots are unlimited and you can join any time in the series.
For more details about how Moon Circle works, see lunar rituals.
OTHER EDUCATION
“Book Group: Pagan Voices” starts on January 20 at Noon in Room 1.
This 6 session book group meets on 3rd Sundays. We will be reading and discussing selections from “Pagan and Earth-Centered Voices in Unitarian Universalism.” It is drop-in friendly and free of cost.
We gather in Room 1 after coffee hour and read the selection(s) of the month out loud and discuss. While you don’t need a book to drop-in and check it out, your experience will be enriched if you do get your own text. We have 3 copies left for $15 each. You can also order it online from the UUA Bookstore or from Amazon.
Come socialize while being creative at Craft Circle on Jan 18 at 7 PM in the Assembly room. Inspired by Divination with Stones, Heather teaches us how to make a personal 13 coin divination set .
Each $5 kit provides
thirteen wooden coins that are 1.5″ in diameter
4×6″ muslin bags
the laminated key card
We will provide
permanent markers in black, gold, and silver
black, white, and blue acrylic paints
for decorating. You can bring extra colors or embellishments if you like for your coins.
There are 24 kits available. Make one for you and for a friend! Please email or click “going” on the Facebook event to reserve your kit and spot in class.
MYSTIC GROVE CALENDAR
The Spring Brochure is coming soon! In the meanwhile, you can check the Google Calendar or our Facebook Events page to see what’s already been posted.
At the end of each 6 month block, the students did their final projects. They were to create little god or goddess peg dolls or art works. You can view the photo gallery here.
For those taking the Moon Circle class in person, or wanting to follow along from home, here are this month’s links.
HOMEWORK
Homework is “pick your level.” You are not expected to do all of these things. These are ideas to help you decided what YOU want to study more.
For final projects, will you create a peg doll of a personal deity or one you studied this term.
Thinking
Questions:
This month we study “Amaterasu: Illumination”
Reflect on these questions:
When Amaterasu hid in the cave, all sunlight was gone and the world was dark. In winter, the distractions of leaves on the trees, grass growing, and flowers blooming are removed.The starkness of winter offers a certain clarity. Do you find it is a time for reflection and reassessing your life? (Resolutions?)
Do you seek warmth and light spiritually as well as physically at this time of year? Is being with others more necessary?
Are you able to grasp the promise of spring, buried deep in the cold ground, or is it too far removed right now?
When people talk about the soul, or the spirit, it is often with a sense of something which is both mysterious and elusive.Most of us prefer something fairly straightforward. When do you feel most in touch with yourself spiritually?
What makes something spiritual? Do you have to do something or be a special way to be spiritual?
What is your “sacred?”Describe an experience, a moment, a place, or a person that you have recognized as holding the quality of the sacred.
When you come out of your “winter hibernation” or “winter cave” — what things are you looking forward to?
Thanks to those who attended the Dec 2, 2018 monthly meeting!
Here are the Mystic Grove Dec 2018 Meeting Minutes if you missed it. In our efforts to increase transparency, help Mystic Grove friends and fans keep up, and assist forming CUUPS chapters and other groups, we’re making it a goal to make more of our documents “public access” as we continue to revise our website.
This month’s photo is from Mary M. in the 1U labyrinth. “I am walking the labyrinth before church ein December again this year. Copper ball walked with me this morning.”
Many of us like labyrinth walking as moving meditation. It is open to the public during daylight hours. Feel free grab the directions to the church and come try it out over your holidays!
NEXT RITUAL: WINTER SOLSTICE
Our Yule ritual is a two part event. Come for it all or just the bits you like best.
We keep watch over the longest night of the year and do our part to ensure the sun rises. Games, music, carols and more!
The schedule PDF is posted here. We’ll have a limited number of print books for the Bardic Circles for those without smartphones and other devices. Remember to bring yours to access the lyrics digitally. We like saving paper!
There will be board games, singing, stories, and more. Feel free to bring a lawn chair, sleeping bag or tent if you plan to take a nap on the green.
VOLUNTEERING
Yule is our biggest ritual of the year. This year we’ve decided to reprise “The Story of the Celts” for Words for All Ages. We are seeking people willing to do a small reading/skit role.
Maiden (found)
Youth (found)
Mother (found)
Father (found)
Crone (Found)
Sage
We also welcome drummers for the spiral dance in the service, food clean up helpers, people wanting to share music and stories around the bonfire, and general volunteers throughout both parts of the winter solstice events.
Here is what’s happening up to the next meeting. Come on down and join us any time. Facebook RSVPs help us plan for supplies, so please check in if you can.
We keep watch over the longest night of the year and do our part to ensure the sun rises. Games, music, carols and more!
Dec 28
Moon Circle Session 12. Last class in the “Goddess & Other Dieties” series! New block Jan – June 2019 themed around Chakras. Registration opens with Jan 2019 News.
Mystic Grove and friends help test projects a new “wheel of the year” curriculum Mystic Grove is writing for the MS/HS/Adult level for publication at UUCards. Pop by on 1st Fridays.
Mystic Grove is the adult UU Pagan affinity group and Covenant of Unitarian Universalist chapter at First Unitarian (1U). We provide worship, classes, and social opportunities for MG members, the 1U congregation, and the general public. Our events are often free or low cost. We also provide scholarships to our tuition classes.
Affinity groups, while affiliated with the church, are not church program committees and do not get church program funding. What we offer is paid for by MG members and its fans.
Like what we do online and in person? Want send us a Yule gift to help with funding next year’s projects? You can use the 1U donation page and put “Mystic Grove” in the memo line. You can also donate to 1U itself. We are very blessed to have a church that welcomes religious pluralism and allows us use of the campus. We couldn’t do what we do without 1U’s benevolence. Not all pagan groups get that kind of support. Please consider giving generously to our home church this Yuletide season!
For those taking the Moon Circle class in person, or wanting to follow along from home, here are this month’s links.
HOMEWORK
Homework is “pick your level.” You are not expected to do all of these things. These are ideas to help you decided what YOU want to study more.
For final projects, will you create a peg doll of a personal deity or one you studied this term.
Thinking
Questions:
This month we study “Hestia: Hearth and Home”
Reflect on these questions:
What does “home” mean for you? Is it a place or places, present or past? Perhaps the experience and meaning of home for you is more connected with persons than with place.
Or is home a state of mind, a place you can access anywhere you are, even in solitude?
Has the meaning, the actuality, or the experience of “home” changed for you over time? If so, how?
What do you need to feel you are “at home?”
Have you ever felt homesick or comforted someone who was homesick? Describe what it was like.
How do you practice hospitality in your life?
When has hospitality been extended to you and how has it made a difference in the quality of your existence?
Hospitality is more than just making a nice table setting for someone; what gives hospitality it’s religious dimension?
Thanks to those who attended the Nov 4, 2018 monthly meeting!
Here are the Mystic Grove Nov Meeting Minutes if you missed it. In our efforts to increase transparency, help Mystic Grove friends and fans keep up, and assist forming CUUPS chapters and other groups, we’re making it a goal to make more of our documents “public access.”
This month’s photo is from the 1U garden. Many of us like to garden as part of our spiritual practice. On campus, you can visit our newest version of the garden near the education building or click here to learn about its story.
GUIDELINES FOR VISITING OUR 1U GARDEN
The community garden is open for all to enjoy. When you visit, be mindful of the following:
Please visit our garden during daylight hours.
Our church is the home for many meetings and events; please maintain a respectful noise level.
The individual raised beds are privately used; please do not take anything from them without the owner’s permission.
You are welcome to harvest enough for your own needs, and please leave plenty for others. If you would like a larger harvest (for example, to share with a non-profit or for a community event), please talk with one of the core garden members.
While most of our plants are edible, some are inedible pollinators. If you have any questions about what you can and cannot eat, please see our plant guideline below and ask a core garden member.
If you want to share what lights your spirit up email your photo to mysticgrove@orlandouu.org and tell us about it!
NEXT RITUAL
Our Yule ritual is a two part event. Come for it all or just the bits you like best.
We keep watch over the longest night of the year and do our part to ensure the sun rises. Games, music, carols and more!
VOLUNTEERING
Yule is our biggest ritual of the year. This year we’ve decided to reprise “The Story of the Celts” for Words for All Ages. We are seeking people willing to do a small reading/skit role.
Maiden (found)
Youth
Mother (found)
Father
Crone
Sage
We also welcome drummers for the spiral dance in the service, food helpers, people wanting to share music and stories around the bonfire, and general volunteers throughout both parts of the winter solstice events.
Here is what’s happening up to the next meeting. Come on down and join us any time. Facebook RSVPs help us plan for supplies, so please check in if you can.
1U BOT Deep Conversation: Participation and Growth
The 1U Board invites you to the second in our series of Deep Conversations, the topic will be Participation and Growth, based on your input from our first conversation on Sept 9th. We look forward to seeing you in Gore Hall, child care will be provided*.
Thank you for your support in both sharing gently used books and coming to buy them for a love offering to benefit the MG Scholarship Fund! We will continue to accept books, tarot decks, and similar small items this year at any monthly meeting or ritual. You can also pop by during office hours during the week and leave book donations at the 1U front office.
This month we study “Maman Bridgette: Honoring our Bones/Death”
Reflect on these questions:
What words do you use for death?Why?
Have you ever heard doctors or other professionals avoid saying death/dead/die/dying? What impression did that make on you?
What can you remember of your first experience of death? Share the experience with us.
If you are willing to think about your own death, what comes to mind? Do you have your papers organized in the vent of your death?
What would you like to be remembered for?
What do you believe happens after we die? What were you taught as a child? Have your beliefs changed? What have you taught your own children about death?
Does your family have any particular rituals or practices when someone dies?
This months’ photo is the January 21 Super Blood Wold Moon lunar eclipse by T. Cook. Orlando was treated to a gorgeous moon overhead!
The schedule PDF is 
