Pagans Flock to Stone Henge Solstice

Newser ^ | 6-21-10 | Kevin Spak

[mlizzy]

(NEWSER) – Thousands of New Agers and neo-pagans danced and whooped in delight this morning as a bright early morning sun rose above the ancient stone circle Stonehenge, marking the summer solstice. About 20,000 alternative-minded revelers crowded the prehistoric site in southern England to see the 4:52am (11:52pm EST) sunrise, following an annual all-night party. They waited for dawn at the Heel Stone, a pockmarked pillar just outside the main circle that aligns with the rising sun.

Unlike previous recent years, when the sunrise has been obscured by cloud, the bright sun bathed the monument in orange and gold today. As the sun rose, a woman climbed a rock in the circle center and blew a horn, welcoming in the longest day of the year north of the equator. Drums, tambourines, and cheers reverberated in the background. "One time in maybe 10 we get a decent sunrise," said a volunteer for English Heritage, which manages the site, "and that was a good one."

[mlizzy]

That's pretty creepy alright. Did you have a cellphone handy to snap the picture? I recently read Michael D. O'Brien's book: Harry Potter and the Paganization of Culture, and it's very good, and gives insight into these types of happenings.

[ETL]

The pic is a snapshot from a short video I took. And yes, paganism seems to be very popular here in liberal New York. Halloween is enormously popular. Many homes and apartments have decorations up for it, while you’d be hard pressed to find decorations (lights, etc) displayed in apartment windows during Christmas season.

[Cvengr]

[mlizzy]

I’m not too surprised. Halloween was pretty big this year in our neighborhood (bigger than usual that is) in the burbs of Chicago. Is your video posted anywhere?

[ETL]

Regarding the lack of Christmas decorations and abundance of Halloween decorations, I was mainly referring to Manhattan.

[ETL]

Is your video posted anywhere?

No. I'm not sure if I will ever post it. Had kind of a strange encounter with one of them upset at me for filming them. Yet it was in a public park.

[mlizzy]

Had kind of a strange encounter with one of them upset at me for filming them. Yet it was in a public park.

Yes, you had every right to film. I've been to several pro-life marches, and someone is always filming us, yet no one gets upset. Hhhhmmm, wonder if it has to do with the purpose of the gatherings.

[dfwgator]

I think of the scene in “Mars Attacks!” when the first people the Martians obliterate are the “New Agers” who have come to “worship” the invaders.

[ETL]

RE: "strange encounter"...

[mlizzy]

Strange indeed! She put her hand up in front of your camera in the second frame? Did she have a “comment” for you as well?

[ETL]

She actually tried to grab the camera. She walked up to me and demanded I stop filming. I said to her, it’s a public place and I can do it if I wanted to. I said nothing to her or anyone else prior to her approaching me.

[Salvation]

Waiting to be evangelized by you and me.

[ETL]

[mlizzy]

So troubling. I wonder if they chant there frequently. Evidently, they are worshiping the sun god (at night!)? Is that correct?

[ETL]

I have no idea what “god”, if any, they were worshiping. It would be interesting to know what they were doing. Certainly gave off creepy vibes.

[ETL]

I just now discovered this incredible thing. However, I'm not entirely sure it's the same group. But it certainly looks like it. They are actually there right at this moment (8PM EDT) conducting, of all things, a Summer Solstice ritual. I don't know what they doing there a month or so ago.

From the website
"The New York City Witches Meetup Group"...

Summer Solstice Ritual at Cleopatra's Needle

Summer Solstice Celebration In Central Park with Stephen Popiotek and Maryanne Savino

Monday, June 21, 2010

7:30 pm

The Summer Solstice is a time for celebration, joy, playfulness, creative power and fullness of life. It is also a time for purification and self-renewal, a day to see the creator in everyone you come in contact with and to recognize their divinity along with the recognition of your own God/Goddess self.

On June 21, 2010 at 7:28 am EDT, marks the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the longest day of the year, when the Sun is directly over the tropic of Cancer at noon. "Solstice" is a Latin word meaning-"sun stands still"

It will be held at Cleopatra's Needle, a potent vortex in the form of an obelisk that is from the Egyptian City of The Sun and is 3.5 thousand years old. As such it is an appropriate antenna/transducer for anchoring the Rays of the Sun while it is at its highest point.

Maryanne will be invoking sacred light languages and other musical forms by way of vocal tones and crystal singing bowls. She will also offer a sacred dance transmission in honor of the Divine Mother.

Stephen will be leading a channeled Guided Meditation/Activation utilizing a multitude of Archetypal systems including Kabalistic and Egyptian Mysticism, incorporate the assistance of many Light beings from the Angelic and inner planetary to the Solar and Galactic realms.

Together they will harness and anchor the energies of the summer solstice for personal and planetary healing, empowerment & transformation.

"Please join us for this magical evening as we connect with the sacredness of life!"

www.sacreddanceandsound.com

Cost: $15-$25 sliding scale

Location: Cleopatra's needle (the obelisk in Central Park) enter in at 79th street@5th ave. (North entrance) on the same block as the Metropolitan Museum. Stay to the right as you walk behind the museum. About half way around, you will see an under path-tunnel on the left, walk through and make the first right and the Obelisk will be on the right side surrounded by a grove of trees

http://www.meetup.com/nycwitches/messages/boards/thread/9290780/
_______________________________________________

NYC WITCHES DO IT ALL IN THE OCCULT WORLD! COME JOIN US!

This group meets to network and share occult information...what Pagans are doing in their neighborhoods and just have fun. No initiation degrees needed...we are not out to make money! All sister/brother witches raise a glass to the right to be YOU!

http://www.meetup.com/nycwitches/

[mlizzy]

Maybe they were doing a dress rehearsal when you were filming them, so they were ticked off that you might spoil their debut or something. Nothing but Satanic. The creepy vibes you were getting were on the money!

[redhead]

I don't know how many pagans were there, but the streams of cars headed for Talkeetna's Solstice Celebration was incredible. Long lines of campers, motorhomes, and trailers. Bikers (of COURSE!) and buses. The crowds get bigger every year. Of course, it was Father's Day weekend, and it was the first sunny day in a couple of weeks, so that might have had something to do with it...

[Cronos]

of course they’ll worship the sun god at night. It’s too hot during the daytime, duuuh :-P

[the invisib1e hand]

Yeah, it is a moderating force to keep people from doing crazy things like self-flagellation, self-crucifixion and venerating displayed body parts of corpses.

Whatever.