Summer Solstice 2018

OK, I know we’ve moved on from the solstice, and I’ve been meaning to update the blog in a long time, but well, I’m quite frankly enjoying the disconnect from the community that kicked over at Samhain 2017.

I’m still around of course for those that feel they want to talk to me, I’m not cutting myself off completely, just not going out of my way to involve myself in community activities. To be honest I really am feeling so much better for it.

After my health scare at the end of last year I’ve made many changes to my life which continue, and will do so for the rest of my life. Right now, sitting in my back garden which I have been busy sorting out after neglecting for the past few years as I’ve always been dragged off to some other event or something, I am more at peace with myself now than I have been in many years. The wonderful hazel trees, the fruit, my grapes, the amazing smell of jasmine filling the garden. Utter bliss!

The happiness I feel I think is due to being less concerned and wrapped up in dealing with other people’s problems rather than my own. Don’t get me wrong, I love to help, but those of us who help too much can neglect our own welfare, which over a long time can be very detrimental. Now, I have less worries and my focus is on other things.

Talking of which, my main focus of course, and the most significant reason I have withdrawn from the community is to focus on my own Kemetic path. And I have certainly done that. The Kemetic Temple UK continues to slowly build, I’ve reconnected with a few friends I thought I had lost, and I’ve learnt so much more about my own path.

I continue to work on the next book, which after a few days away in Glastonbury a couple of weeks ago has finally resulted in the decision to write two books instead of a series. Those will be talked about as we go.

As well as that, exploration of my Kemetic continues and I love it! In fact I’ve even considered the possibility of undertaking courses in Egyptology. I start a short online course in September to see if I can get back into distance learning before committing to something a little more significant. 🙂

Have a great summer and I will see some of you at Artemis Gathering for sure.

Kev

 

 

Website Launches May 2021

Hello all,

I am pleased to announce the launch of two new websites that focus on both my cosmetics and storytelling.

https://pureritualcosmetics.uk

https://kevingrovesstoryteller.uk

While this site will always remain my home, these two new sites will become ways I can appeal to a wider audience, as well as ensure this site does not become too messy.

Thanks

Kev

 

Summer Solstice 2017

Hello all,

As promised a quick mail now we are approaching the summer solstice, which for me is a very important time. It’s my new year (Wep Ron Pet), though many Kemetics mark this one first week of August I tend towards the Old Kingdom period which places it at the summer solstice. Anyway, whatever and however you mark this festival, enjoy!

 

Update time then, my events as usual are at:

Events Board

 

My next Pure Magik 15th June and will be on basic ritual and spell practice.

Next Dover is tomorrow on the 10th June at the Red Lion. This and the rest of the dates can be found on the Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/DoverMoot/

I did do a YouTube version of my talk at the Staffordshire Pagan Conf (which next year becomes Witchfest Midlands!).

 

Will be adding a few more soon so subscribe and be notified of any updates.

There will be a summer solstice ceremony on the beach as usual as part of the Folkestone group on 17th June..

https://www.facebook.com/folkestonetemple/

 

More groups I can be found lurking at are of course the Faversham Moot:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/701697829916877/

And last, but not least, Living Magically in Canterbury:

https://www.livingmagicallycanterbury.uk/

 

Have a blessed and wonderful run up to the summer solstice.

BB Kev

 

Late May 2017

Hello All,
 
May is nearly over and its been a busy one which is why I’ve possibly not been bugging anyone too much. 
 

Beltane was different for me this year. Normally I try and stay local but instead the random invite for a festival the other end of the country was too much to turn down. It was OK, windy, but not bad. Something to try again sometime.

The open Beltane ceremony at the Shakra Centre back on the 6th was amazing and if any of you came along then thank you. We had a larger group than the Samhain open of around 15-20 and this time the pagan content was almost everyone.

The extra icing on the cake was that for many of these pagans who came, it was their first attendance at a public ceremony. More and more are taking their first steps out into the wider world.

If you have yet to do so and want to then please talk to me.

 

There was also other changes, more of which to be announced in due course.

Time then for an update. My events are:

 
My next Pure Magik 15th June and will be on basic ritual and spell practice.
 
Next Dover is on the 10th June at the Red Lion. This and the rest of the dates can be found on the Facebook group:
 
YouTube too continues to fill up and I’m planning a few short clips so stay tuned.
 
 

This weekend (27th May) I’m speaking at the Staffordshire Pagan Conference on Egyptian Magic.

 
 

Out and about with other groups continue.

 
 
 

More groups I can be found lurking at are of course the Faversham Moot:

 
 

And last, but not least, Living Magically in Canterbury:

 
 
If you want to stay up-to-date with whats going on locally then do sign up:
 
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Have a blessed and wonderful run up to the summer solstice, and hopefully I will get out something else out before then, if not forward to seeing you all soon!

April 2017 – Prep for Beltane

Hello All!
 
April is here and so too is spring at last! The next few weeks many of us (self included) will be planning for Beltane and the craziness that this festival brings. Its one of my favourites, I think because its the first big one of the year I can mark with others (currently into a two week big one of my own though). 
 
Time then for an update. My events are:
 
My next Pure Magik 20th April and will be on various spiritual and pagan traditions.
 
Next Dover is on the 22nd April at the Red Lion. This and the rest of the dates can be found on the Facebook group:
 
 
YouTube too continues to fill up and I’m planning a few short clips so stay tuned.
 
 
In addition to my usual haunts above I have an open ceremony at the Shakra Centre, Charing following the main Beltane festival on the 6th May. Details to follow on their Facebook Page:
 
 
Out and about with other groups there is plenty going on during this busy time. I won’t be able to make the Fokestone Moot and Beltane Ceremony, or the amazing Rochester Sweeps this year as I’m away out of county doing workshops.
 
 
 

More groups I can be found lurking at are of course the Faversham Moot:

 
And last, but not least, Living Magically in Canterbury:
 
 
Have a blessed and wonderful Beltane and look forward to seeing you all soon!

BB Kev

Its About Sharing

Published in the Children or Artemis’s Witchcraft and Wicca magzine last week.

I originally wrote this on my return from Artemis Gathering on 16th August 2016. Here for your unedited pleasure….

 

Fresh home from Artemis Gathering and eager to write this, I say fresh, I am now. The drive home caused a few thoughts to spin around my chilled, slightly crusty camp-worn head and I urgently needed to get them down.

The thoughts began with recalling the same journey a year ago and the encounter I had with some Mormons on arrival at a kids party to pick up my family straight from dropping off all my camping gear. The mormons had spotted my Witchfest wristband which in my haste to get back out I decided not to remove due to not finding the scissors quickly enough.

I was as usual in a chilled state and not expecting to defend or explain my path at a kids party, so was a surprise to see a group there who then spotted this and triggered a two hour conversion on comparative religion – but in a good way. I really enjoyed it in fact.

For the sake of not making this a huge article on that event alone, the exact trigger for my current thoughts, was explaining that we pagans go to camps to learn and discuss whatever we feel in sharing, and these often small nuggets trigger ideas and inspiration in others which are unbeknown to those who grant it.

This parallels exactly a conversation I had before departure this year (and I will spare his embracement of naming which i find even more shy than me). His observation was that each year, older and experienced pagan speakers although still forming a good selection of talks seem to have inspired new speakers to come forward to give their experiences an airing. I agreed with that observation and reminded him of the abject horror of my first talk some years ago and growth in my own confidence (which I don’t fully notice but others have), and perhaps been partly inspiring for some of my friends to do the same.

There are a growing number who join in each year, and I’m sure with their own similar journey will experience unusual effects like my own. For example, and I will name drop as she deserves it, Jenny remarked that the sudden focus of people asking questions from her talk and being in effect a source of wisdom (even if you don’t feel you are one – and I know that feeling myself) comes as a shock. This is the cycle of each generation within our community and seems to go unrecognised when many focus on the established pillars of our community. We are still young as a community, but time will take its toll and we need to remember that while those gone before deserve a place in our hearts those that come after also have a voice and a thirst to ask and seek slightly differently.

I understand the feeling that Jen and all of the others that find themselves here i’ve had further unusual episodes that have occurred in the past year or so in coming to terms with the interest in the various topics i have talked on at Artemis and Witchfest.

The past year or so I have been struggling to decide if I should voice my thoughts openly on this cycle, and certainly from my own experiences of it a few times I almost created a forum post but then never posted. Experiences this weekend lead me now to say what the heck.

I have found great joy in meeting and talking to so many people over the years at these events, but my own lack of confidence has been gnawing away with the thought why do people come to hear me? Are my words having any effect on those that listen. I will be honest and say that from last year and until this event my intention was to completely withdraw from the community because I was under the impression that I’m having no effect whatsoever.

When I voiced that thought to myself at Beltane 2015 I knew that would be contrary to what my goddess has planned for me and events started to remind me of why I go through all of this nervous pain each and every time. Here is what I have learnt…

Going full circle, those who speak new or experienced often have no idea what effect their words will have on those listening. The realisation by the recipient may come far down the line where any connection with the origin is lost and so we never know. I have learnt that this is fine, I have no desire to be thanked at every opportunity and to be content that sometimes someone out there may have been impacted and perhaps can’t communicate this back. I can live with that now.

We keep going because we feel that something however small we might consider it to be to ourselves may be big news to someone else.

When you come to camp or any event pagan or otherwise, remember that your words and actions too may make someone else’s day, or even their future.

I am sure that every person that was at the gathering, and other events of course could share something that will lead to opening another’s eyes. I know it is scary to reveal what you think you know, I’ve done enough of that myself and i’m still scared but what harm can it do other than lead to a brief bit of embarrassment? It can only lead to positive things.

Don’t be afraid, step forward and be a part of the wonderful pagan community and inspire the next generation.