Homewood Friends Meeting House (main hall)
3107 North Charles Street, Baltimore Maryland 21218
Please arrive no earlier than 6:00 for a 6:30 ritual start.
Intention: Finding our still point in the chaos, we discover our sovereignty and share our worth with our community.
Ritual Description:
We continue our journey through the story of the Judgment of Paris. Where we left off at Samhain, Eris, the goddess of discord, had thrown an apple into a wedding party that she dedicated to “the fairest.” During Winter Solstice, we are taking inspiration from the goddesses who decide to claim that apple for themselves: Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera. Each goddess has a claim to be the “fairest,” and has their power challenged by the others. They argue and, ultimately, Zeus decides one of the three should officially win the apple in a beauty contest. He calls on the Prince of Troy, Paris, to judge them, and the goddesses prepare for a competition of the ages.
In this ritual we are thinking about what happens when we are put into situations where we have to “prove” ourselves in some way. Sometimes these are rites of passage, and sometimes they are schemes someone puts in place to try and make us forget our own power, or feed a motivation we don’t truly care about. At our best, these situations arise and we are seated well within our integrity– our minds are clear, our Will is strong, our communities give us the safety, clarity, and courage we need to act, and we see a path ahead that can sustain and liberate us and our beloveds. We can certainly grow from facing these times. But there are plenty of reasons we may not always be at our best when a difficult situation arises: we may have unexamined privileges making it difficult. Stakes may seem too high or too personal and it can feel overwhelming. We might be scared, or overworked, or both. A guiding hand that seems friendly may have ulterior motives. Systems may literally be stacked against us. We may have thought we were prepared, and it turns out our preparations ran short and now we’re stuck with a problem we can’t quite solve. So what do we do when we face uncomfortable, difficult, chaotic realities? How do we remember our worth, our values, and choose actions that let us find resilience, joy, and survival together? Our magic in this ritual will focus on fortification, taking stock, and what can happen when we know our worth and power in the face of forces that maybe want us to forget.
Who is Baltimore Reclaiming?
Baltimore Reclaiming is a radically inclusive community of witches who use our magic to bring transformation, justice and healing to ourselves, Baltimore and the world. We are a group of witches, artists, pagans, healers, activists, queers, priestesses, anarchists, theater geeks, feminists, and other good humans. We see our work as teaching and making magic: the art of empowering ourselves and each other. In our classes, workshops, and public rituals, we train our voices, bodies, energy, intuition, and minds. We use the skills we learn to deepen our strength, both as individuals and as community, to voice our concerns about the world in which we live, and bring to birth a vision of a new culture. We gather, mostly on the Sabbats, to work magic, often for personal healing and also for the healing of our society and planet. We believe that the work we do together in our sacred circles really can change the world.
Cost: Baltimore Reclaiming does not charge for our events, but we do have considerable expenses which include renting the space and buying supplies for the ritual! For transparency's sake, this ritual is costing us about $200.We recommend a $10-$20 donation per person. You can bring cash or send money ahead of time via PayPal to ritual@baltimorereclaiming.org or via Venmo to 303-819-7843. No one is turned away for lack of funds. You are fully welcome regardless of your ability to financially donate.
About the Venue: This ritual will be held at the Homewood Friends Meeting House, in their main meeting hall. This is an accessible, indoor space. If you have questions about this venue, please email Zac at zlawhon89@gmail.com.
Drugs & Alcohol: All Baltimore Reclaiming events are drug and alcohol free. We respectfully request that you do not use drugs or alcohol before or while attending our events.
Scent Policy: We strive to accommodate people who have chemical and scent sensitivities. Please keep these people in mind as you make choices about wearing scented personal hygiene products.
Masking Policy: Baltimore Reclaiming has made the decision this year to make masking encouraged, but optional. Please test for Covid before coming, and don't come if you're feeling sick!
What to Expect: New to Baltimore Reclaiming? Visit our Rituals page to learn more about what to expect at an event.
Dress Code: Wear whatever you like! You are welcome to wear everything from jeans and a t-shirt to a tuxedo. Often, people like to wear something special for ritual which might mean a favorite dress, a special shawl, a flower crown, or something else. We encourage you to wear whatever you feel most comfortable in.