I aim to visit the United States every other year and align my visit with Pagan events that I want to attend. In 2022, I was in Florida for Summer Magick Fest. When I arrived this year, I went to the Mt Shasta Goddess Temple Priestess and Sibyl Gathering and Cosmogenetrix in California, which I blogged about a few weeks ago. Last weekend, I went to the Georgian Wicca Gathering in Florida, which is the subject of this blog entry.
In 1970, George (Pat) Patterson, Zanoni Silverknife, and Lady Tanith founded a coven in Bakersfield, California, that birthed Georgian Wicca, an initiatory and oath-bound Tradition of the Craft. I was initiated into Georgian Wicca in 2007 and elevated to Second and Third Degrees in the following years. Georgians have gathered several times over the years, but the April gathering was my first.
About 28 individuals, ranging from 18 to 71 years old and primarily Elders, from across the United States, came together in northeastern Florida and online. Our shared purpose was to connect, delve into our history, and envision the future of the Tradition, fostering a strong sense of community and belonging.
The four Miami Witches began our journey on Thursday afternoon. Rather than go straight to Callahan, our final destination in northeast Florida, we drove about three hours to central Florida to visit Bone Creek, the sacred land of my friends. They bought it some time ago, but I’d never visited. I enjoyed being there in the quiet, surrounded by nature. That night, we had a fun dinner together and had a good night on the land.
The following day, we had an easy start and hit the road. Florida is not the most exciting state to drive through, but it was full of intelligent, insightful, challenging conversations and much laughter. After about five hours, we arrived at Fern House, the five-acre farm of our fellow Georgian friends. Some folks, including me, stayed there, and others stayed in nearby hotels. Fern House is a beautiful, cozy, colourful place, and I enjoyed the space and my time there.
Some Georgians were at Fern House when we arrived, while others arrived later or came just for the day on Saturday. We spent that evening getting to know each other and sharing stories about the Georgian Tradition and its people over a delicious barbecue dinner and around the bonfire. We also set an agenda for the event. The main items were the role of LGBTIQ (particularly trans) and non-binary people in the Tradition and a review of our history.
In a brief discussion, everyone in the (living) room voiced their support for the inclusion of LGBTIQ and non-binary people in Georgian Wicca. It seemed like a non-issue, but it was a significant declaration of our Tradition’s long-standing inclusivity, making everyone feel welcomed and accepted.
On Saturday, during the main meeting, we were joined by a few more people in person and online. We talked about our history and lineages before we moved on to the subject of trans and non-binary people, now officially. Again, it was a short discussion. We recognised the autonomy of Georgian Wiccan covens and individuals; we know we can’t speak for everyone, but those present affirmed that Georgian Wicca is an inclusive Tradition of the Craft.
After dinner that evening, we held a ritual outside. We’d built an altar with photos and heirlooms of past Georgians. During the ritual, we honoured our Georgian ancestors and wove magick to send the Tradition into the future. We used statues of Isis and Osiris and a dish that belonged to our founder, Pat. It was heartwarming. Some folks left shortly after, and others lingered and chatted into the night.
Amidst all this, there were opportunities to learn forging and how to make glass beads and even shop. I helped scan and digitise the Books of Shadows of two High Priestesses who have died.
On Sunday morning, we said goodbye to our friends at Fern House and met some local friends for lunch at a seafood restaurant in town. Then, we hit the road and drove about six hours back to Miami.
Every time I visit the U.S., I level up in my spirituality. This journey had so much. I’ve been connected to other Georgians online, but it was wonderful to meet them in person—to share stories, hug, laugh, and connect. Despite the challenges we may have experienced as Georgians, such as the questions around our founding, the interpersonal conflicts over the years, and so forth, I felt happy and inspired, and I think others felt the same also. We left wanting to stay connected, talk more, explore our history more deeply, compare our Books of Shadows, consolidate information, and create more community online. We love Georgian Wicca and want to see it thrive.
