Calling all Like-Minded, Nature Lovers
Spirits of the Earth community is beaming with limitless possibilities. Join us as we build lasting memories within sacred space that is judgment free, supportive, encouraging, and uplifting; Reinforce your relationships and join a strong, energetic, unified community; One that places value in honour, loyalty, commitment, integrity, and personal growth. We welcome you to join us on this adventure, share in the experience, connect with others on a deep spiritual level, share your passions, and inspire others…as we laugh, dance and sing our way through this wonderful journey called life.
THE DREAM:
It was a warm sunny day, as the gentle breeze played with my hair and the branches of grandmother willow wrapped her arms around me, that the spark was created…16yrs later Spirits of the Earth Festival is still an energy all her own, inviting and transforming all who join her in the sacred dance.
In the beginning, we heard the call to fulfill a need within the community. At that time there were only 3 larger pagan festivals in Ontario. WiccanFest in June, Kaleidoscope Gathering (KG) in August, and HarvestFest in October. Sacred Circle Gathering (formerly Whisperfest) was a smaller event held mid-August in the Paris, ON area that ran for 5yrs and disbanded in 2002, when the organizers made a choice to create a family of their own. This is when Spirits of the Earth was conceived; It quickly became apparent the she was constantly transforming; her energy frequency elevating and growing; Spirits of the Earth was not simply an event…but an ideal, a lifestyle, and a community that carries an energy all her own.
After connecting with the other festival organizers at the time, we decided to place our dates in the month of July. It was our intention to serve the Southwestern Ontario area, however this intricate web of festival dates allowed us to reunite with our broader community monthly.
Spirits of the Earth was founded by Tameika and Fox in 2002. Since that time we have also offered various earth-based, spiritual events such as Festivals, Seasonal Ceremonies, SAMHAIN: Feast of the Dead, Mystic Roots Conference, Drum Circles, Camp-outs, Beach Parties, Road Trips, and more!
Our goal is to bring like-minded individuals together to form a sense of community. We welcome all earth-based open-minded individuals to join us in a sacred space where communication of life, love and spirituality is available without fear or prejudice. We form a network to share knowledge of our ways with each other, creating unity between old friends and providing an opportunity to meet new ones. We offer access to a wider variety of specialized vendors and holistic practitioners that may not otherwise be readily available. Come and learn how to bring spirituality and positivity into your every day life, and how to put aside “sacred time”, as we practice techniques of meditation to center one’s self with the energies of the earth.
THE FESTIVAL:
As for the FESTIVAL….What an empowering retreat we have in store for YOU!!! We encourage you to venture forward….to indulge in the gifts that nature has to offer in this 4 day camping experience, and to be surrounded by drummers, percussionists, dancers, and magick makers, of all ages. Imagine days filled with development of your skills (or maybe learning some new ones), evenings around a roaring revel fire as your only light, the beating of the primal drums, and swaying silhouettes of dancing bodies encircling the energies. The smell of the in the morning dew, and the magickal essence of fireflies as we submerse ourselves in everything that is mother earth.
Beneath this same canopy of magick we will witness the songs of inspiration, passion, excitement, and awakening of spirit. Priding ourselves on bringing you a wide selection of concerts by talented local and new-age musicians. Let the mundane drift away in an evening of Karaoke . Partake in a variety of Rituals, join a workshop, channel your own talent by entering our Bardic circle or afternoon Jam sessions. The mojo doesn’t stop there, join other Kitchen Witches stirring up some magick to fuel your body, as you fuel you mind and spirit!
The excitement and energies are building, the creative juices are flowing, and the inspiration is lifting the ROOF! I simply cannot wait to fill you all in on the incredible experiences coming this year, and to warmly embrace our kindred this July. Warm up those drumming hands and hips. All are welcome to come and join those of like mind, as we celebrate life, the earth, and each other! See you soon 😉
THE SHIFT:
In 2017 I felt change in the air… its refreshing essence swirling around. Initially this created some feelings of unease, and maybe even some fears, not knowing what exactly was brewing. After frantically searching for a “why” or “what, I chose to embrace grace, and open my heart. I chose to let go and have faith that these changes would carry me where I needed to be, and reveal my purpose. Being well connected to Spirit enhances and enriches my life on every level, yet sorting out what exactly the Gods intended for us and SOTEF was quite a journey. Fox and I stepped back to deeply reflect, and dedicate time to receive these integral messages; The SOTEF kindred joined us as we embarked on an adventure of transition.
When you take others into consideration while making decisions, you acknowledge that the people around you have needs and are worthy of respect. It was time to consider the needs of our staff and the community, and anticipate that our new direction was one that fulfilled everyone’s needs.
We decided to reflect on what meant the most to us, and came to realize that YOU are our reason. With the way things had been going we did not have the time and energy during the event to give you the one on one attention we would have liked. It is the deep connections to our Tribe that fuels us to grow, support, and challenge not only ourselves but everyone else in our community. Being with our kindred, beautifying our surroundings, and enjoying creative activities, infuses each moment with an attitude of joy and awe. We sense that is what You, as our tribe is also craving more of.
We have become a society filled with distractions, and fewer opportunities to really connect; to feel part of something greater; to be heard and understood. With such an abundance of large festival events these days there was no longer a ‘need’ to fulfill. We shifted our focus to create a gathering that cultivates a more intimate environment. One that offers intensive and practical style workshops. One that focuses on building and strengthening bonds. A place that will help shift our community into a higher level of understanding and empowerment, as we find the magick deep within ourselves.
It is said that everything we do is imprinted with our energy, which others can feel when they see or touch our work. Keeping this in mind helps us to understand how important our attitude can be when engaged in any activity we pursue. While a neutral mindset might help us create a positive outcome, a joyful mindset is more likely to create an amazing one. Simply by choosing to infuse everything we do with enthusiasm, we can create more beauty, love, abundance, and joy that will radiate out to enhance not only our lives, but the lives of all who encounter our work.
We are inspired to use our imaginations to create more beauty in our lives. To enhance our surroundings an better express our creativity. Since one of the most powerful emotions in the creative process is JOY, we plan to enhance our mindset by choosing to feel joyful and happy at every possible opportunity. With our new attitude of fun and enthusiasm, we set a positive example for others, and everyone ends up winning. We create a victory for ourselves and others by simply choosing to enjoy the time we spend together.
What an incredibly exciting and rewarding journey this has been. One that has enhanced my skills, faith, vibration, and most importantly the incredible connections! I am honoured we have crossed paths, accept the gifts and inspirations you share, and my heart fills with gratitude knowing that I made a difference. Thank you 🙂