Molly Blue Dawn's List of Events for the Week starting Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Monthly Dinner at the Dream Institute, Cats in Dreams, Sound as Spiritual Practice, The Fortune Project Complete Works, Lettice and Lovage, Towel Day, Bones Quigley, Weaving the Ancestral Knowledge of the Americas, East Bay Pagan Meet and Greet, Redwood Men’s Center’s Annual Men’s Conference, Annual Memorial Day Volunteer Work Weekend, Northern California Women's Herbal Symposium, A Nutritional Talk and Product Give-Away, Candle Magic, In the Footsteps of Marco Polo, The DulciMates, A Witchy Class, Lisa Sangita Moskow, Sacred Space, Community Seed Yard Sale, Belly Dancer of the Year Pageant, Tree Walk, Ile Orunmila Oshun, Family Day at Sienna Ranch, Tea and Tarot, Liturgy of the Lady in Honor of Fortuna, San Ramon Art and Wind Festival, Free Open House Day at Ardenwood, Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery Tour, American Sabbats with Rabbit: Memorial Day, Pirate and Hoopoe, Empty Bowls, Ceremony for the Summer Moon, Supra Coherence Gateway Festival, Berkeley Festival and Exhibition, Celebrate the Transit of Venus, Help to Create a Midsummer Ritual
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Monthly Dinner at the Dream Institute
Wednesday, May 23, 6:00-8:00PM
The Dream Institute of Northern California, 1672 University Avenue, Berkeley, 510-845-1767
Two levels:
$15 for those on limited budgets
$40 for those who can make a donation to help support The Dream Institute
http://dream-institute.org

“The dinners we hosted last fall were a great success, so we will have them regularly now. Meet upcoming presenters and enjoy conversation with kindred folks. It's a great way to visit The Dream Institute and learn more about what we do.

Our monthly dinners began last fall and were occasions for spontaneous, informal, soulful conversation among those attending. We will host these regularly throughout the coming year, on the third or fourth Wednesday of the month.
Delicious food is provided by Poulet http://www.pouletdeli.com with vegetarian and vegan options. We can seat comfortably only about 15, so reserve your place early; you can also call a few days before and listen to our outgoing message about space availability.

Upcoming Monthly Dinner dates:
June 20 (Solstice)
July 25

The Dream Institute is an experimental cultural center founded in 2003. It has come into being during this time known as the shift or the great turning. Our offerings include weekend workshops, daylong seminars, evening salons, film series, professional training, art exhibits, retreats, and dream-based performances. We are also the West Coast center for Culture Dreaming. Programs and events are open to the public; continuing education seminars are for professionals in the healing arts. We do not advocate any single philosophical, psychological, spiritual, or religious viewpoint toward dreams or personal growth.

Dreams are a natural resource, democratically available to all, yet vastly underutilized today. Most cultures throughout history have called upon dreams for information and guidance. Dreams are more relevant than ever at this time of upheaval and transition. Our mission is to offer program participants a soulful experience and to restore dreams, as an ancient wisdom source, to a place of respect in contemporary society.”
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Cats in Dreams
with Meredith Sabini
Wednesday, May 23, 7:00-9:00PM
The Dream Institute of Northern California, 1672 University Avenue, Berkeley, 510-845-1767
$20
http://www.dream-institute.org/idx_calendar.html#cats

“A common motif in women’s dreams, cats signify our instincts for self-reliance, introversion, sensuality. This talk will cover cultural myths about felines, their objective qualities, and the varied roles they play in women’s dreams, with examples of the lost, injured, hungry, trapped cat; and those that guide, accompany, and talk with us.

Readings: Barbara Hannah, The Cat, Dog, and Horse lectures. Chiron Publications, 1992,
and Patricia Dale-Green, The Archetypal Cat, 1963.”
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Sound as Spiritual Practice: Ohm and the Tibetan Warrior Seed Syllables
Wednesday, May 23, 7:00-8:00PM                             
SF Spiritual Enrichment Center, 2118 Hayes Street, San Francisco
$10-$20 suggested donation, no one turned away for lack of funds
http://www.sfglobalheart.com/gatherings.php
http://alethamcgee.com

“Aletha will lead discussion and chanting of the deeply healing Tibetan Warrior Seed Syllables, with a focus on the syllable Ohm. She will be sharing new inspired knowledge about this 17,000 year old Bon sound healing tradition, having just finished a course with Tenzin Wangyal Rimpoche... in summary, sound IS alchemy! Bring your concerns into the sound and watch them transform as we dive deep into chanting after the discussion.”
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The Fortune Project Complete Works
presented by Ragged Wing Ensemble
Wednesday-Sunday, May 23-27, Wednesday-Saturday 8:00PM, Sunday 5:00PM
Osher Studio in the Arpeggio Center, 2055 Center Street, Berkeley
$25-$40 sliding scale
http://raggedwing.org/show/show_detail/23
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/245530

“Final chance to see Ragged Wing's work this season!

Fortune: The Complete Works

You are invited to attend a gathering. Whether or not you attend is a choice. This choice will lead you to a website, down a road, into a theater. Others will be there who have made the same choice. Is it a coincidence that you are there together? Or was it written in the stars, on your hand, in the grounds of coffee at the bottom of your travel mug?

Fortune: The Complete Works is the final chapter in a season-long exploration into fortune in all its varied meanings, devices and kitschy incarnations. It features 3 original performances combined with a pre-show playground of audience-interactive weirdness.

Join Ragged Wing Ensemble for an evening of prophecy, oracle, divination, and innovative performance. Be prepared to put your heart on the line, converse with Lady Luck, and challenge fortune to a duel. If you play your cards right, you could win BIG.

A Fool's Errand, directed by core artist David Stein, tracks The Fool's journey through Doubt, Shame and Desire.

Atomic Intuition, written and directed by core artist Cecilia Palmtag, is an archetypal quest designed to delight and disorient. Challenging the dichotomy of the material and psychic worlds, we ask ‘is the fabric of Mystery woven with electrons and protons?’

Maybe Baby, written and directed by Artistic Director Amy Sass, uses nursery rhyme, quantum theory and teapots to explore the relationship between choice, chance and children.

No Outlet, a short film by Matt Jacobs and Amy Sass, follows one man's attachment to being 'The Winner' and his addiction to 'playing the game'.

Ragged Wing Ensemble’s mission is to catalyze a deep cultural shift where artistic action is at the center of vital social change. We aim to connect artists and audiences through the ritual of live performance, exploring universal questions that span the ancient and contemporary. We engage in the study and practice of Ensemble, collaboratively creating new, interdisciplinary works and activating the next generation of artistically engaged citizens.”
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Lettice and Lovage
by Peter Shaffer
presented by Butterfield 8
Thursday-Sunday, May 24-27, Thursday-Saturday 8:00PM, Sunday 3:00PM
Final week!
Cue Productions Live, 1835 Colfax Street, Concord
$18
http://www.b8company.com/events.htm
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/224095

“Lettice Duffet, an expert on Elizabethan cuisine and medieval weaponry, is an indefatigable but daffy enthusiast of history and the theatre. As a tour guide at Fustian House, one of the least stately of London's stately homes, she theatrically embellishes its historical past, ultimately coming up on the radar of Lotte Schoen, an inspector from the Preservation Trust. Neither impressed nor entertained by Lettice's freewheeling history lessons, Schoen fires her. Not one to go without a fight, Lettice engages the stoic, conventional Lotte in a battle to the death of all that is sacred to the Empire and the crown.

The Mission of Butterfield 8 Theatre Company is to provide audiences a fresh take on classic plays, and foster the creation of new works.

Our Vision is to present audiences with examples of both ends of the theatrical spectrum: new productions of classic works, focusing in particular on text-driven plays (such as the works of Shakespeare), and new works devised by the company or written by local playwrights.  Our work often examines perceptions of gender, both within the context of the play and the larger context of society as a whole.  We strive to create an immersive environment, believing the audience’s experience starts when they buy the ticket, and shouldn't end when they leave the theatre. We honor that the audience has come for a live theatre experience to engage with a story or an idea; to be taken on a journey. This is our responsibility, and our craft.”
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Towel Day
Friday, May 25
http://www.towelday.org
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3790659

We all realize how important it is to know where one's towel is.  The easiest way to be sure is to have it with you at all times.  On May 25, hoopy froods all over the galaxy will be carrying their towels with them wherever they go.

If the above in unintelligible to you, Don't Panic!  Just go to the nearest library, check out the entire Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy - all 5 books - and, if you have a very good library, the CDs of the radio series, and if you have a very, very good library, the DVDs of the television series, and, yes, the DVD of the movie, too.  If you still don't understand, try sticking a fish in your ear.
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Bones Quigley in concert
featuring Albert Robles
Friday, May 25, 6:00-9:00PM
The Pour House, 2241 First Street, Livermore
http://www.facebook.com/pages/BonesQuigley/180223822031871
http://www.winemakerspourhouse.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnlLr32Aco8

This band features Albert Robles, the gifted drummer who livens up many CAYA rituals!
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Weaving the Ancestral Knowledge of the Americas
with Tlakaelel, Tata Erick and Woableza
Friday, May 25, 6:30-8:30PM
Temple SF, 540 Howard Street, San Francisco
suggested donation $20-$30
http://weaving.eventbrite.com
http://www.circleofancestors.org
http://www.templesf.com
http://www.spiritofmaat.com/archive/jan1/tlakal.htm
http://www.mayanshamanism.com/about/erick.html
http://nativeland.org/raft/woableza.html

“Don't miss this amazing event - witness the weaving of ancestral knowledge. Tlakaelel (Toltec Elder) has spent over 50 years teaching and researching the great ancestral cultures of the Americas. He is heir and guardian of the oral tradition, an author and spiritual guide. Tlakaelel lives in Teotihuacan, Mexico.

Woableza is a Lakota Wisdom Keeper. He says, ‘We, as indigenous receptors of spirit have been given instructions from lineages from the star relations to the generations of today. Please come listen to the stories of our Dance of Life, the ultimate ceremony of life on mother earth. Participate in co-creating our children's future.’

Tata Erick Gonzalez is a member of the Great Confederation of the Councils of the Princicpal Mayan Ajq'ijab' of Guatemala. In 1978 he was adopted by the Mexiko Teotllkalli Kalpulli Koakalko and the teacher Tlakaelel and given the name Omeakaehekatl. Erick is a member and representative of various councils of indigenous elders, youth and spiritual guides.”
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East Bay Pagan Meet and Greet
at The Mystic Dream
Friday, May 25, 7:00-8:30PM, and the fourth Friday of every month
The Mystic Dream, 1437 N Broadway, Walnut Creek, 925-933-2342
donations accepted
http://www.themysticdream.com

“Come and join other witches, warlocks, and pagans as we come together in community to some food, and maybe a few laughs. Come and meet some of the other magically minded people in the East Bay area. Coffee and tea will be served. Feel free to bring a small food item to share.”
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Redwood Men’s Center’s Annual Men’s Conference
Friday-Monday, May 25-28
Mendocino Woodlands Camp, 39350 Little Lake Road, Mendocino
see website for registration details
http://redwoodmen.org/wp/?page_id=6
http://www.mendocinowoodlands.org

“Welcoming and supportive of men of all ages, fifteen to a hundred, the Conference is very interactive and rich with dialogue. Personal stories are told; songs are sung; victories celebrated; grieving shared - all in a safe place full of honest talk and mutual respect. There is time to hear ancient tales, meet in small groups, engage in healing ritual, sing gloriously together, play together, converse over meals, and sit in the silence of the trees.

This conference is particularly helpful for any man wishing to move out of old patterns and wounds which have shaped his life and relationships. Men in transition or undergoing significant life-passages often find meaning, strength and comfort here. Many fathers bring their sons to have them welcomed into the community of men. And many men return each year for the ongoing celebration of brotherhood.”
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Annual Memorial Day Volunteer Work Weekend
at Feather River Camp
Friday-Monday, May 25-28
Feather River Camp, 5469 Oakland Camp Road, Quincy, CA, 530-283-2290
Payment is by volunteer work
http://www.featherrivercamp.com/programs.html

"Plan ahead to come to Feather River Camp over the Memorial Day weekend to help Friends of Feather River Camp prepare camp for its summer run. All work is by volunteers who are fed and given a tent to sleep in. Contact Sara Scheid to participate. campsincommon@comcast.net

There is a lot of raking and cleaning to do along with assorted other tasks. It is fun and a great way to visit the camp in spring when the water is usually higher and the wildflowers are abundant."
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Northern California Women's Herbal Symposium
Session1: Friday - Monday, May 25-28
Session 2: Friday - Monday, August 31-September 3
Black Oak Ranch, 50350 Highway 101, Laytonville
see website for detailed schedule and registration details
http://www.womensherbalsymposium.org/pages/symposium.html

“PlantWomen gather! The Tribe comes together!

Now, two times a year, women from many backgrounds of life gather together in great celebration for four full days of inspiring Herbal and Sustainability classes, gourmet vegetarian meals, talented campfire capers, amazing handcrafted marketplace items, Rites-of-Passage Ceremonies, powerful campfire drumming and dancing, refreshing swimming hole dips, and conversations with remarkable and inspiring women!

We meet together under the ancient oaks, douglas firs, and bay trees of Northern California. Our main gathering area is encircled by sixteen tipis with a large firepit in the center. All classes are held sitting on the ground under these majestic trees, or under shade tarps that we have set-up. At night we camp together, either in the tipis or in tents that we each bring.

During the days we are a gathering of women and children studying, teaching, learning, networking, and talking about plants, healing, and healthy lifestyles. When the sun goes down we become a playful and celebratory group, chatting, chanting, singing, showing off our talents, drumming and dancing into the night around the campfire.

We are a group of 350-400 women and children and we gather to learn from each other, to nurture and nourish each other, to take a break from our daily lives, to regenerate, refresh, dance, frolic, talk plants, and most of all, to have a REALLY GOOD THYME together!

Each session is a separate event. Do join us for one or both sessions!”
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A Nutritional Talk and Product Give-Away
with Adam Atman
Saturday, May 26, 10:00AM-12:00PM
Los Gatos Acupuncture and Qigong Center,
761 University Avenue, Suite A, Los Gatos
Free
http://www.adamatman.com/LosGatosclinic.shtml

“Free Stuff for You!

One of Our Benefactors has gifted us with many Nutritional Supplements... and  we are giving them away!  Come and join us at the Los Gatos Acupuncture and Qigong Center on Saturday morning on May 26.  

Adam Atman will present a talk about chinese medicine, acupuncture, nutrition, detoxification, immune enhancement and how to use herbal and nutritional supplements.

At the end of the talk we will be giving away a lot of nutritional products which have been gifted to us.

If you are interested, just show up at 10:00AM.

Adam Atman has been studying and practicing Qigong and Asian medicine for the last 33 years. He began his studies in Europe in 1978 and then continued in Belgium in 1982, China in 1985, Japan in 1986 and America in 1988. He completed his American studies to become licensed in acupuncture in 1991 and continued to apprentice with senior practitioners. During this time he also completed advanced studies in Medical Qigong.

He has been teaching Qigong, acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for many years. Informed by his background in Qigong and shamanic practice, he calls what he teaches Sacred Acupuncture. His mission in life is to reinvigorate the ancient knowledge of how we are made, and of what we are made, a knowledge embodied in Chinese Medicine and the Wisdom traditions of the World. Sacred Acupuncture is an attempt at an elucidation of some aspects of human evolution: specifically the nature of human form and the processes of healing.”
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Candle Magic
with Storm Faerywolf
Saturday, May 26, 1:00-3:00PM
The Mystic Dream, 1437 N Broadway, Walnut Creek, 925-933-2342
$25
http://www.themysticdream.com
http://www.faerywolf.com

“The use of candles in magic has a long and rich history. Witchcraft, Hoodoo, Ceremonial Magic and even Catholicism enjoy the use of candles as a means to bring about a desired result. We will learn how to choose and properly dress a candle for magical work, as well as different techniques for burning them for different purposes. Each participant will receive a 7 Day candle which will be dressed and charged for your particular purpose for you to burn at home.

Storm Faerywolf is a practicing warlock and priest in the Feri tradition of witchcraft where he holds the Black Wand. He has studied various forms of magic and spiritual practice for almost 25 years and has taught classes for over 17.”
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In the Footsteps of Marco Polo
Saturday, May 26, 5:00-7:00PM
Silk Road House, 1944 University Avenue, #107, Berkeley, 510-981-0700
http://www.silkroadhouse.org
http://www.returntovenice.com

“The Emmy nominated film, In the Footsteps of Marco Polo, captures the remarkable, two-year, 25,000-mile journey to retrace Marco Polo’s legendary trek from Venice, Italy, to China. This illuminating epic follows two friends from Queens, New York - one photographer and one visual artist and ex-Marine - as they complete the journey by land and by sea, a feat in which all others have fallen short. Equal parts travelogue, adventure story, history trek and buddy movie, In the Footsteps of Marco Polo finds present-day explores Denis Belliveau and Francis O’Donnell surviving deadly skirmishes and capture in Afghanistan, crossing its forgotten ancient passageway to China (the first Westerners in a generation to do so), encountering the singing sands of the Takla Makan and Gobi deserts in a Silk Road camel caravan, and living among cultures, including the expert horsemen of Mongolia. Along the way, they interweave their own feats with Marco Polo’s account of his own travels and life.

The screening will be introduced and commented on by Alma Kunanbaeva.” ______________________________________

The DulciMates
in concert
Saturday, May 26, 6:00-8:30PM
Hippie Gypsy Cafe, 1797-A Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley
no entrance fee - tipping and cafe patronage encouraged!
http://djhamouris.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hippie-Gypsy-LLC/93539066113?sk=wall

“The DulciMates, aka Deborah J. Hamouris and Buffalo, play two sets in their Dulcimers Without Borders style. Traditional and contemporary folk, with a smattering of Swing tunes and originals. A terrific opportunity for students to hear and see dulcimers in concert (there's not enough of that around here).”
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A Witchy Class
Saturday, May 26, 7:00PM (and the fourth Saturday of every month)
Antioch Public Library, 501 W 18th Street, Antioch
Please RSVP - see Meetup page for more information
http://www.meetup.com/a-witchy-class

“Join us for a series of classes about the craft.
You will find a bit of everything; working within ritual space, energy workings, history, ethics - And there's more, there's always more!”

Thanks to Ardys for letting me know about this event!
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Lisa Sangita Moskow and Lucian Balmer
in concert
Saturday,  May 26, 8:00PM                      
Trinity Lutheran Chapel, 2320 Dana Street, Berkeley
$10-$15
http://www.trinitychamberconcerts.com
http://www.lisasangitamoskow.com

“Lisa Sangita Moskow, virtuoso sarod player and East-West composer, will present an evening of her own compositions and collaborations with violinist Lucian Balmer. Both musicians have one foot in the classical traditions of the East and West with the other in the entrancing and inspiring milieu of spiritual world music. Sangita Moskow performs on electric sarod (a multi-stringed lute from North India), and studied extensively with the recently passed Ali Akbar Khan. Lucian Balmer is Assistant Concertmaster of the Mill Valley Philharmonic and studied violin for 20 years under Benjamin Spilman and Calvin Murasaki.”
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Sacred Space
A Native American concert
Saturday, May 26, 8:00PM
East West Bookstore, 324 Castro Street, Mountain View
$20 through May 25, $30 on the day
please call 650-988-9800 for reservations
http://www.eastwest.com/may-2012-events-east-west#26a
http://www.tonyredhouse.net

“Tony Redhouse, a Native American Sound Healer and Spiritual Teacher of the Navajo Nation, will perform a live Native American multimedia music concert in full regalia. He will share inspirational music from his new CD Release, drawing on the ancient forms of musical expression - the Voice, the Drum, and the Flute - to create a sacred space for us to make peace with all of our transitions. He is the recipient of two Native American Music Awards, was commissioned to record music for the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers, and shares with hospice, substance abuse, and cancer recovery clients and Native American communities.”
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Community Seed Yard Sale
Saturday-Sunday, May 26-27, 7:00AM-2:00PM
Saturday, 520 Wilkes Circle, Santa Cruz
Sunday, 6138 Calle Esperanza, San Jose
http://www.communityseed.org/2012/04/yard-sale-may-26th-27th

“Last year we had so much fun that this year we’re expanding the yard sale to TWO DAYS.
Here’s how it works: Saturday, May 26th we’ll be set up at our normal Yard Sale address: 520 Wilkes Circle, Santa Cruz. This is deep into the circles on the Westside.

On Sunday, May 27th, we’ll set up the remainders from the day before, plus new items IN SAN JOSE. That’s right: The very first Community Seed event “over the hill”. Address is 6138 Calle Esperanza, San Jose. This is off of Blossom Hill, just South of the 17 – 85 interchange. Easy to get to.

Both days the Yard Sales will start at 7:00AM, and will continue until we fall over from too much fun. (Usually around 2:00PM.)

What are we selling? Why, we’re selling whatever you donate to us! We are taking donations to our yard sales RIGHT NOW. Just drop us a line at info-at-communityseed.org – we’ll even come and pick up your items right from your home or office.

Donations ARE accepted on the day of the Yard Sale, but we ask that you arrive EARLY in the day, and have your items clean and priced - even a post-it note will do.
All proceeds from our yard saleS will go to the Community Seed General Fund, which helps brings you the 38 different events that we have planned for 2012.
We’ll see you bright and early on May 26th! Woo-hoo!”
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Belly Dancer of the Year Pageant
Saturday-Monday, May 26-28
Performing Arts Theater, El Cerrito High School, 540 Ashbury Avenue, El Cerrito
see website for detailed schedule and registration information
http://www.bellydanceroftheyear.net
http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles27/azizabdoy.htm
http://www.gildedserpent.com/cms/2010/05/17/monica-sula/#axzz1Ok9cnYsm

“The Belly Dancer of the Year Pageant was founded by Sula Frick . When Sula passed away in 1978, her son asked Leea Aziz to continue producing BDOY, as it was Sula's proudest accomplishment. Now in it's 38th year, Leea has produced BDOY in Sula's honor since 1979.
At first, there was only one category for soloist and the event was held in very small venues. In 1979, the Troupe category was added at the request of Kattoura/Ginny. Later, the Grand Dancer category was added at the request of Halame, and, finally, the Duet Category was added. Several years ago, the Duet of the Year category was changed to Duo/Trio. In 2010, the BDOY Pageant Committee added Tribal Soloist and Tribal Ensemble categories, beginning in 2011, to represent the American Tribal and Tribal Fusion styles in the belly dance community.
BDOY is now an international event, and "Belly Dancer of the Year" is recognized as the premier title in belly dancing. It opens the door to teaching workshops, starring in performances, and DVD appearances. Previous winners include Aziza (2002), Judeen (1993), and Alexandra King  (1988). The goal of BDOY is to give qualified dancers a fair and equal opportunity to exhibit their skills, as well as promote and elevate the art of belly dance and support its amazing community.”
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Tree Walk
with Tree Girl Julianne Skai Arbor and Damien McAnany of Abundant Earth Landscaping
Sunday, May 27, 10:15AM-12:30PM, and the last Sunday of every month
Shiloh Ranch Regional Park,5750 Faught Road, Santa Rosa
Free
Please RSVP to skaiarbor@treegirl.org
http://www.treegirl.org
http://www.abundant-earth.com
http://www.sonoma-county.org/parks/pk_shilo.htm

“WHERE: Each time in a different location in the North Bay!  

Shiloh Ranch is off the 101, Shiloh Rd exit, which is north of Airport Blvd, almost in southern Windsor, Sonoma County. It is the same exit for Home Depot. When you exit, follow the signs to the park.
You can park on the road outside the park to avoid the $7 fee.

Sometimes it will be a state or county park, and other times in other locations. It may even be a 'urban' tree walk identifying landscape trees and their disastrous pruning jobs.

With demand, we'll venture out further. Let us know if you are interested.

Look for me holding up an open umbrella!

We'll always park and meet where we can enter a park for Free!

WHY:
Learn to identify trees, shrubs, plants and wildflowers!
Get your Tree Questions answered!
Spend time outside in Nature!
Enjoy some mild to moderate exercise!
We'll spend at least 15 minutes of every walk just sitting in silence with a tree!
Meet other treegirls, treeboys and plant geeks!
Although you can bring your camera, this is not a TreeGirl photoshoot. Everyone, please, keep your clothes on!

WHAT TO BRING:
Layers of clothing
Rain gear or umbrella if chance of rain, just in case (we'll cancel if there is a good chance of rain)
Water, water, water
Snacks (we'll end in time for those who want to stay for a picnic can get it out of your vehicles)
Field guides (we'll have some too)
Good walking shoes
Notebook or journal and pen
Sunscreen
Little budding treegirls and treeboys
Dogs? (we'll find out for each hike if we can have dogs where we're going. It will vary hike to hike)
Something to sit on to avoid possible poison oak.

Please join us!
Please reply to this email and we'll put you on a mailing list to remind you of upcoming Tree Walks including their locations, where to meet, what to bring, and let you know if we're cancelling due to rain. We are planning to have these events posted on our websites.

We'd love you to RSVP by email, so we don't leave without you! If you are late or can't find us, please call Julianne at 707-332-9925 or Damien at 707-360-5231.

Feel Free to forward this message to interested Tree People.

TreeGirl (Julianne Skai Arbor) and husband Damien McAnany are not only Tree geeks, but plant geeks too, certified arborists with the International Society of Arboriculture, as well as passionate and experienced educators and nature guides. Together they are owners of Abundant Earth Landscaping and TreeCare in the north Santa Rosa area, and are both Certified Permaculture Designers and Teachers.
We Love trees!!”
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Monthly Temple Service with Ile Orunmila Oshun
Sunday, May 27, 11:00AM (and the last Sunday of every month)
The Sacred Well, 536 Grand Avenue, Oakland, 510-444-9355
$10 donation requested
Please be 5 minutes early as we start the Temple Service promptly at 11:00AM
http://www.sacredwell.com/classes-events
http://www.ileorunmilaoshun.org

“Ile Orunmila Oshun, the Yoruba-based house of worship founded by Luisah Teish (author of Jambalaya), hosts its monthly Temple Service at The Sacred Well.

Join us at 11:00AM on the last Sunday of every month to explore the mysteries of the Orishas with Initiated members of the Ile's clergy. The powerful, ancient wisdom of Ifa is readily applied to modern situations, and each ceremony is a life lesson. At the end of the service, donations are gratefully accepted.”
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Family Day at Sienna Ranch
Sunday, May 27, 12:00-4:00PM, (and the last Sunday of every month)
Sienna Ranch, 3232 Deer Hill Road, Lafayette, 925-283-6311
$85 includes up to five people, advance registration required - see website
http://www.siennaranch.net/Family_Days.html

“On the last Sunday of each month, Sienna Ranch will open its doors for a special family and community day.  Come enjoy the activities, good company, healthy food, and the wholesome environment at Sienna Ranch.  Family Day is fun for all ages.  

Horse and pony rides, sustainability education and projects, archery, hayrides, survival skills activities, and more.  Bring your own picnic lunch or buy from one of our healthy food vendors.  

Family Days are on Sundays, 12:00-4:00PM.  
Family Day Pass is $85.

With the purchase of a family pass, you will get
admission to Sienna Ranch family day for up to 5 people
3 horse ride tickets
3 archery tickets
5 hayride tickets
participation in the featured hands-on sustainability or survival skill activity
unlimited animal visits to goats, sheep, chickens
special demonstrations, entertainment, or hands-on projects (vary from month to month)

Note: Food and special services offered at an additional cost.  For additional archery and horse ride tickets, please purchase a second family pass.

Family Days are limited to 40 families, so register soon!”
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Tea and Tarot
with Charlie London and Chas Bogan
Sunday, May 27, 4:00-6:00PM, and the fourth Sunday of every month
The Mystic Dream, 1437 N Broadway, Walnut Creek, 925-933-2342
Donations accepted to cover cost of tea
http://www.themysticdream.com

“Tarot lovers of every skill level will enjoy Tea and Tarot. Each month we will explore a new facet of working with the cards, examining multiple meanings, layouts, and learning how to express our insights with others.”
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The Fellowship of the Spiral Path welcomes you to attend…
Liturgy of the Lady in Honor of Fortuna
Sunday, May 27, 5:00PM (and the last Sunday of every month)
BFUU Main Hall, 1924 Cedar Street, Berkeley
Donations gratefully accepted
More information or special requests: LiturgyoftheLady@gmail.com
http://www.thespiralpath.org/calendar/view_entry.php?id=291&date=20120527

“The Liturgy of the Lady is an open celebration of the Goddess in Her many forms. She is the Maiden of youth, the Mother of culture, the Crone of wisdom, and She is mirrored in all life, death and rebirth. We honor Her with reverent and joyful singing, ritual activities, and opportunities to learn. Now in our fourth decade of offering this sacred service, we invite you to join us.

LUCK IS A LADY TONIGHT!! Come spin the Wheel of Fortune as we honor, FORTUNA! This Liturgy to Fortuna, Roman Goddess of Abundance, Luck, Fate and Fortune will be the first in the ritual season of the Mother. Experience the power of Fortuna as we invoke Her and pledge to ourselves and those around us the good changes we will bring into our lives by our actions. Goddess Fortuna promises riches and abundance, and nurtures our individual destinies through the ups and downs of the life cycle. She rewards those with joyful intentions with success and prosperity. Join us as we celebrate the great goddess and open ourselves to receive all the gifts the universe and The Lady have to offer.

Objects may be charged on the altar during the rite. Wheelchair accessible (let us know if you need someone to hold the door for you.) Family and child-friendly. Incense will be used in this ritual, unless requested in advance. Mark your calendar for the next Liturgy of the Lady, June 24. Please share this invitation with your friends.”
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San Ramon Art and Wind Festival
Sunday-Monday, May 27-28, 10:00AM-5:00PM
Hot Air Balloon Launch on Monday, May 28, 6:00AM
San Ramon Central Park, 12501 Alcosta Boulevard, San Ramon
Free
http://www.sanramon.ca.gov/Parks/events/windfest/default.htm
http://www.sanramon.ca.gov/Parks/events/windfest/balloons.htm

“The San Ramon Art and Wind Festival blows into town with over 200 arts and crafts booths, kite flying demos by professionals from all over the country and Canada, free kite making workshops for youth, entertainment on 3 stages and a kids activity area. Food booths are operated by local non-profits that raise much-needed funds for their organizations. This money goes back into the community in a variety of projects. Mark your calendar now because the San Ramon Art & Wind Festival is the place to be on Memorial Day weekend!

The annual San Ramon Art and Wind Festival  will again include an early morning hot air balloon launch on Monday, May 28th only. This year's launch will feature a variety of brightly colored balloons and a hang gliding demonstration. Last year’s launch created quite a spectacular vision for those who attended. Attendees can get up close and look inside the balloons. This is a great opportunity for amateur photographers. The pilots will arrive and begin set-up between 5:30 and 6:00AM. The actual launch will likely be between 6:30 and 7:30AM depending on the wind and weather. Coffee and hot cocoa will be available for purchase. Best parking for the balloon launch is at the Iron Horse Middle School, 12601 Alcosta Blvd, San Ramon.”
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Free Open House Day at Ardenwood
Monday, May 28, 10:00AM-4:00PM
Ardenwood Historic Farm, 34600 Ardenwood Boulevard, Fremont
free
http://www.ebparks.org/files/NNB_Ardenwood_May-2012.pdf
http://www.ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

“Celebrate the Memorial Day with an admission-free day of fun! Help with the morning chores
(11:00AM-noon). Ride the train, tour the Victorian farmhouse and watch the blacksmith at work. Taste some farm baked cookies from our outdoor Country Kitchen (11:00AM -1:00PM) and try your skills at some old-timey games (noon–1:00PM). Enjoy a stroll with an interpreter; learning what life was like long ago (2:00-3:00PM), and give the animals their afternoon meal (3:00PM).”
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Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery Tour
Monday, May 28, 1:00PM
tour starts at Franklin Gate, 1600 Franklin Avenue, Santa Rosa
Free
For additional information, please call 707-543-3292
http://www.srcity.org/ruralcemetery

“Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery was established as the result of an accident. In November of 1854 a young father, who had arrived from Missouri only a matter of weeks before, drowned in a pond near the center of town. He was buried on land that was part of a Mexican grant given to one of the earliest settlers of Santa Rosa, Doña Maria Ignacia Lopez de Carrillo. Soon other families needed burial places, and the area became an unofficial cemetery. In 1867 the Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery Association was formed and burial plots in the 17-acre site were formally offered for sale.

Sales of plots continued through 1930, through records of these transactions have been lost. During this period of 70-plus years, parts of the land were sold off, and three separate but adjacent cemeteries were established: the Stanley, Moke, and Fulkerson Cemeteries. Today the four cemeteries combined are owned by the City of Santa Rosa and known collectively as Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery. The only burials permitted today are those of descendants of families who held deeds to cemetery plots. The total number of burials is over 5200.

Neglect and vandalism took their toll on the cemetery through years of unclear ownership and sporadic maintenance. A Restoration Committee organized by dedicated volunteers in 1994 and operating under the aegis of the City of Recreation and Parks Department has made great strides in repairing damage, clearing overgrowth, and planning for permanent maintenance. In 1997, the City of Santa Rosa awarded Historical Landmark status to the Rural Cemetery.

Docent-led tours during the summer months acquaint visitors with the history of the town and the many town pioneers who are buried here. Lamplight Tours, conducted in September as fund-raising events, present dramatic vignettes from the lives of the famous and not-so-famous people buried in the Rural Cemetery.”
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American Sabbats with Rabbit:: Memorial Day
Honoring our ancestors, evaluation of the historical record
Tuesday, May 29, 7:00-9:00PM, ritual begins at 8:00PM
The Sacred Well, 536 Grand Avenue, 510-444-9355
Free
http://www.sacredwell.com/classes-events

“Rabbit invites believers of all faiths to join her in a series of Round Table discussions and Interfaith ceremonies in celebration of secular American holidays. These holidays drum up a tremendous amount of energy and cross the borders of many different spiritual traditions, but to what purpose? How can we, as Keepers of the Old Ways and Creators of New Traditions, channel this energy toward the highest good for all?

Rabbit will offer a brief presentation on the history of each holiday, its cultural meanings in the US, and then will open a dialogue around how spiritual practitioners might choose to observe these days in sacred ways, engage with them critically and intellectually, and invest them with a deeper personal sense of meaning. The evening will conclude with a ritual to focus the energy around the holiday toward healing and well-being for our nation and our world.”
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Pirate and Hoopoe
Book Launch and Celebration
Wednesday, May 30, 6:00PM
Castle in the Air, 1805 Fourth Street, Berkeley, 510-204-9801
http://blog.castleintheair.biz/2012/05/its-hard-to-believe-its-already-been.html
http://pirateandhoopoe.com

"Wall Street meets the Jungle Book in this grand adventure novel written by Diarmid Cammell and illustrated by Karima Cammell.

The talking animals of Spring Valley have lived in peace for centuries, but change is afoot when a rapacious band of land developers arrives to exploit this enchanted place. Through good sense, wits, and a bit of magic, the animals show the men how to discover life's true treasures.

Pirate and Hoopoe is a 240-page hardcover book designed in the manner of classic adventure stories like Treasure Island and Robinson Crusoe. The book features 22 watercolor plates by Karima Cammell, which served as the basis for the story written by her father, Diarmid Cammell.”
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Empty Bowls
a benefit for the Alameda County Community Food Bank
Thursday, May 31, 6:00-8:00PM
Alameda County Community Food Bank, 7900 Edgewater Drive, Oakland
$25, please purchase tickets in advance at the website below
https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=5968&code=s150512

“Join us for a delightful evening of art, nourishment and advocacy as we help fill empty bowls in our community. Enjoy a simple and delicious meal of soup and bread, bid in the silent auction, tap your toes to rousing children’s entertainment. As a reminder of the empty bowls on the tables of low-income families throughout Alameda County, take home a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted bowl created by local school children and Food Bank supporters. This annual family-oriented event educates kids and adults about the issue of hunger, teaches them about community service and raises funds for the Food Bank’s hunger-relief efforts.

The Alameda County Community Food Bank has been in business since 1985... with a vision toward a day when we can go out of business. We are the hub of a vast collection and distribution network that provides food for 275 nonprofit agencies in Alameda County. In 2011, the Food Bank distributed 20.9 million pounds of food - 54% of it fresh fruits and vegetables.

Since moving into our permanent facility near the Oakland Airport in 2005 and leading the national food bank movement for a ban on the distribution of carbonated beverages, the Food Bank has ramped up distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables by more than 1,000%.”
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Ceremony for the Summer Moon
with Iya Mahea of The Sacred Forest
Thursday, May 31, 7:30PM
Bay Area location given upon RSVP
Free, and all are welcome
Please RSVP to iyamahea@thesacredforest.org with Full Moon Ceremony as the subject line.
http://thesacredforest.org

“This ritual will honor the Moon and the Water Spirits as we enter the season of the Summer Solstice. Our ceremony is inspired by African spirituality and will commemorate hope and renewal through song, sacred dance, healing movement and mbira meditation. Please bring your own symbol of renewal to place on the altar as you arrive. No fee for admission, and all are welcome. Directions will be forwarded upon our receiving your RSVP.

The Sacred Forest is dedicated to the preservation, appreciation and understanding of indigenous spiritual practices, particularly those of Ifa, an African Spiritual Tradition. Our goals are to provide opportunities for African based spiritual healing and peacemaking, to facilitate the strengthening of the family and community through the African village model, and to develop a multi-ethnic community involved in the perpetuation of pan-African spirituality and performance arts. We ultimately seek to provide facilities for prayer, meditation, education and fellowship.”
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Supra Coherence Gateway Festival
sponsored by Common Passion
Friday-Sunday, June 1-3, 10:00AM-6:00PM
Saratoga Springs Retreat and Conference Center, 10243 Saratoga Springs Road, Upper Lake
see website for registration details
http://commonpassion.org/gateway
http://www.saratogasprings.com

“This is your invitation to come celebrate and express your highest, wisest, most adventuresome, most creative, most joyful self! At the Supra Coherence Gateway Festival we will play together in a deliberate movement to expand our individual and collective awareness and creativity. Come and be an active participant of the group wisdom that will spontaneously emerge during this remarkable weekend.

You'll be the among the first to experience our evolutionary holistic technology that facilitates group coherence in playful and engaging ways, intended to uplift your heart and delight your soul.

This co-creative play space will also be an ideal and safe medium for you to explore personal challenges and issues that you would like to gracefully move through or have come to fulfilling resolutions.

The Supra Coherence Gateway Festival will be used as a template for the Global Supra Coherence Gateway Festival at the Venus Transit in June of 2012.  For now, we ask you to imagine 144,000 people worldwide consciously living out of their higher being!”
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Berkeley Festival and Exhibition
Sunday-Sunday, June 3-10
various venues throughout Berkeley
see website for detailed schedule of events
http://berkeley-festival.org

“A Musical Mosaic

The course of western music has been profoundly shaped by encounters of interspersing peoples - artists, migrants, traders and adventurers - that have sparked astonishing creativity over the centuries.

The 2012 Berkeley Festival (June 3-10, 2012) celebrates the finest musical fruits of these great cultural cross-fertilizations.

The Berkeley Festival and Exhibition was conceived of and founded by Robert Cole, then Director of Cal Performances, and the late Joseph Spencer, proprietor of the Musical Offering and then SFEMS president. Over the years, the Festival has presented unique and amazing events: Mark Morris Dance Group’s interpretation of Rameau’s Platee; Le Carousel du Roi, featuring dressage horses and riders executing elaborate ballets from seventeenth-century France accompanied by shawms and sackbuts in their natural setting (outdoors); and the North American premiere of a longlost Mass by Alessandro Striggio for 40 and 60 voices.”
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Celebrate the Transit of Venus
with CAYA, The Sacred Well, and Lake Merritt Pagans
Tuesday, June 5, 6:30PM
The Sacred Well, 536 Grand Avenue, Oakland, 510-444-9355
Donations gratefully accepted
http://www.sacredwell.com/classes-events

Watch this space for more details on this once-in-a-lifetime event!
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Help to Create a Midsummer Ritual
with The Fellowship of the Spiral Path
Tuesday, June 5, 7:30-9:00PM  
BFUU Main Hall, 1924 Cedar Street, Berkeley
Donations gratefully accepted
http://www.thespiralpath.org/calendar/view_entry.php?id=283&date=20120605

The Fellowship of the Spiral Path needs volunteers to help with this ritual.  
Please contact Lezlie Kinyon at doclezlie@gmail.com if you want to be part of it.
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Have a Fortunate, Lovely, Coherent Week!

Molly Blue Dawn