A Tribute to Isaac Bonewits

I’ve been doing this part on my own because Stephen’s gotten one call after another tonight. But now he’s sitting in my wheelchair ready to pontificate. This is one of our oldest groups. We have some sad news tonight. Isaac went to the Summerland last Thursday morning. When we first founded this group on Yahoo, Isaac Bonewits was very pleased because he really likes the “DruidCraft Tarot”, which is the inspiration for this group. He died of colon cancer. So people, if you’re 50 or older, get your colon checked every 5 years. Isaac was only 60 years old when he died.

Stephen knew Isaac for over 40 years. He made Stephen a 3rd Order Druid in late ’71 (almost Samhain) and before Samhain Stephen founded Hazelnut MotherGrove. Isaac and Stephen had many adventures, many of them humorous. Isaac did many favors for Stephen over the years. One major favor Isaac did for him in the mid 70s to early 80s. Carl Weschke hired Isaac to be Editor in chief of “Gnostica News”and Isaac turned around and gave Stephen and Bill Heidrick of OTO fame a Tarot column in that publication. Stephen used the name McCaully because of SSI. Stephen wrote “Tarot Questions and Answers” When he came it was called “Gnostica News”. When he left it was called just plain “Gnostica.” He also wrote articles about the Tarot for the publication. Stephen still has many original issues of the “Gnostica News”/”Gnostica” in his collection of documents tracing back the history of Neo-Paganism (a term Isaac Bonewits coined, by the way.) to the early ‘70s. Another old publication Stephen collected was “The Pentalpha Journal,” in which several of Stephen’s articles appeared. “In search of the Lady Rhiannon’s Mystery,“ “Celtic Lunar Goddesses from A to C” “The Druidic Cross Layout” are the articles’ titles. They are most likely on the Internet, if you want to Google them.

Tonight we had a poignant memorial ritual for Isaac. It was so poignant that I actually started weeping, and shed a few tears. Actually I was thinking about how Isaac and Doc actually finally got to meet. Isaac got to sing at his own memorial. Sean had several MP3s of Isaac singing on his laptop. He sang “Hymn to Brigit,” and “Hymn to the Morrigan.” I invoked fire and told a couple of Isaac stories. Stephen told a couple Isaac stories and sang a Bonewits hit “Be Pagan Once Again.’ The last song was not by Isaac, but one he requested: “Into the West” written by Howard Shore and sung by Annie Lennox. I never realized until now what a pure clean voice she has. Sean led the ritual. Everybody who wanted one had a part. We raised a lot of energy tonight. I must confess to absorbing quite a bit of it to sustain me against tomorrow, when I go under the knife. I thought I could see Isaac standing there betwixt Jill and Mike, smiling. He was a much younger man than we got used to seeing in Isaac’s elder years.

This is Stephen’s take on the ritual: There were about 15 people there. It was short (that means it was shorter than 4 hours). Stephen was intrigued by all the airplanes. He could see Isaac making a statement about all the inordinate number of airplanes. He was also amused by the fact that the speakers that were supposed to augment the laptop’s lousy sound system didn’t do it. All 15 people said something. It was a testimonial to Isaac’s influence. Stephen and Sean made arrangements to get together to create an oral history about Isaac. Stephen has reams and reams of Isaac stories. If you ever get to talk to Stephen in person, just ask him about his 40 year friendship with Isaac and he’ll talk your ears off for several hours. “Jen was supposed to lead everyone in ‘Into the Mists’, but she ended up doing a solo. I think that showed spontaneity that those rituals very seldom have.” Then Stephen also liked that every one had something to say about Isaac, and that he’s working for us on the other side. “It’s a curious thing to me that there’s so many more dead male Pagans than female.”

“We cry, and confess weakness, something that in this culture males simply won’t allow themselves to do,” I said.

Stephen finally got in touch with Aigean and they talked about Isaac, druidry, and Abbott’s Inn International School of Magick. Stephen thinks it’s significant that it was Medford, OR that Isaac and Phaedra were going to move to if Isaac had lived. He would’ve been a member of Aigean’s grove, Clan of the Triple Horses. It’s really going great guns up there. I’m going to have to call Aigean tomorrow, and talk with her. She is some kind of able, bright lady. The last few days, with TV being a vast wasteland, we’ve been listening almost exclusively to the Pagan Radio Network at www.paganradionetwork.net. Hie yourselves there and download their free toolbar. It’s killer. You can be doing anything you want on your computer and listening to PRN. I was listening to “A Darker Shade of Pagan”, which I love. Have I mentioned that I love the group “Faith & the Muse”? When I write, I write to music, and that group often sets just the right mood for me. It’s very evocative. It puts pictures in my mind. Stephen mentioned that even with all that was going on, what with my ankle in a cast, my gall bladder woes, all the housework he’s having to do by himself, and his money woes, we’re still posting discussions on the internet.

I heard voices, which were louder than the CDs I play at night whilst I sleep, and I was too sore to sleep anyway, and all charged up from the successful carrying out of the operation, so I got up You see, the day for which I had waited so long had at last arrived. I got to Admitting at the hospital early. We completed the paperwork. I have to get Janvier’s cellphone number, and give it to Kaiser for the next time I have to have surgery. I don’t even remember going under the anesthesia, but when I awoke, I was in the recovery room. Anyway, I heard Walt’s voice, turned on my light, and got into my wheelchair. We talked, then Walt left. Stephen found his missing watch, and we decided to work. His pocket watch says “Grandpa” on it because while his daughter is way too young to make him a grandpa, he is grandpa to some of the putties, namely the former kittens of Little Boy: Dr. Livingston I. Presume, Frakki, and Pyewacket. He had an opportunity to get a “Dad” watch, but likes the joke of being grandpa to putties.

We would like to hear from you about Isaac, please tell us what you thought of him. Where were you and what were you doing when Isaac died August 12th at 8 am EDT, 5 am PDT? Stephen was working on his computer and I was asleep. Did you read his books or Google him? I have 3 of Isaac’s books. How many of Isaac’s books do you have? I have my old copy of “Real Magic [sic]”” Essentials of Druidism” and “Neo Pagan Rites.” Stephen has “Real Magic [sic]” “Authentic Thaumaturgy” and Essentials of Druidism.” Isaac, Stephen, and Doc, were all devotees of Brigit. My Renaissance persona is also a devotee of the Blessed St. Brigit. Isaac was not just a Druid and a Wiccan, but a Thelemite as well, and had interest in two of the religions of the African Diaspora (Umbanda, and Vodun).He also was interested in the Norse religion, but he hated Nazis with a passion equaled only by Stephen’s. If you have read one of Isaac’s books, What did you think of it, and if it’s not one of the books mentioned above, tell us what it is, and how may we obtain it inexpensively? We might not have had Isaac if he had gone to the seminary instead, and not hooked up with Anton Szandbox Lafeces. From there, he discovered Neo-Paganism, and the rest is history.

Another thing that Stephen and Isaac shared was their love for critters, putties, dogs, and lizards. Stephen was the influence on the lizards, because he was known as the “wizard and his lizard”. Like Stephen loved all aspects of magick. Also like Stephen he had a strong interest in divination. Isaac liked to say that Stephen was the best Tarot reader he had ever met. As far as I’m concerned, Stephen should have a PhD in divination. Humor was important to Isaac, and he was a master punster. Like Stephen, Isaac was an avid gamer, especially Fantasy Role Playing Game. Authentic Thaumaturgy was published by Greg Stafford. Like Stephen Isaac had a strong interest in shamanism. Isaac also loved being involved in bardic revels. Isaac also was very much involved with Magick and Tantra. Isaac had a very strong stage presence, and he and Stephen often gave lectures and presentations which were very popular and well attended. The two men shared a strong interest in the Qabalah. When all is said and done, neither man wanted to be known just as Druids. Both men had grandmothers connected to their magicks. Both had a strong interest in fantasy and science fiction writing and reading. What similarities did you have with Philip Emmons Isaac Bonewits? Inquiring minds want to know. Like Isaac, I have a strong interest in science fiction and fantasy, divination, punning, and the Qabalah, especially the Tree of Life. Of course I am interested in all aspects of magick.

What do we glean from all of this? What is Isaac’s legacy? So many of us are dead, and what is wrong with our medical profession that they couldn’t save these people? Many of them died too soon. Gwydion Penderwen certainly did, as did Doc. But we can take comfort in their being ambassadors for us on the other side, interceding for us with the Shining Ones [as if we need anyone to intercede for us, as if being priests and priestesses we cannot approach the Shining Ones ourselves]. Stephen is going through the 5 stages of grief now. Currently he is on anger. He’s cried out. Personally, I’m curious about what will happen when he gets to the bargaining point. Both Stephen and Isaac have given their entire adult lives to druidry. What does it mean that Isaac founded the ADF? We’ll tell you what it means, the ADF is a thriving organization and movement around the world. But this is not all. He founded the Schismatic Druids of North America, which in our opinion is the beginning of the ADF. Both Isaac and Stephen founded the Aquarian Anti-Defamation League. It was founded because of the screwed up hiring practices of Pagans, and the hatred of Pagans back then. We should bring back AADL because conditions are almost as bad as they were then. Isaac, Stephen, Selene Cumin Vega, and Anodea Judith all worked on the Pentalpha journal. Isaac, Stephen, and I were instrumental in getting the NRDNA off the ground, with a side order of Wiccans thrown in for extra flavor. Isaac, Clayton O’Clearach, Stephen and I were the founders of the Great Wild Beast Furtherment Society. It was we who created Crowleymas, a splendid alternative to that moronic Columbus Day. The very idea! Everyone knows that Columbus was a Johnny-come lately to the New World. The Irish and the Norse had both been here before Columbus. Both Isaac and Stephen founded Celtic Night. These show that Isaac’s legacy isn’t just about druidry.

How does Stephen fill the void of Isaac’s loss? Please send him ideas. Stephen feels a profound sensation of loss, emptiness, and numbness. He’s lost his direction and focus. He hasn’t thought of anything else but Isaac’s death since he passed 9 dasys ago. It’s borderline obsessive on Stephen’s part. He needs direction. What are your ideas?

They took the bus bench away from the sidewalk in front of the Kmart parking lot. Why are the Regional Transit people taking benches away from bus stops when they should be putting more in? It’s yet another way in which ordinary people are being shat upon just because they either aren’t rich enough to afford a car, or choose to take mass transit because they’re environmentally aware, or too old or blind to drive. Where are people supposed to sit whilst they wait for a bus that only comes when it feels like it? I’m lucky because when I start walking and taking the bus again I have my sporty red and black walker, which has a seat on it. So I have a chair wherever I go. I take my walker with me as a protest because I noticed early on that this town is notoriously short on places for people to sit either whilst walking to the shops or waiting for a bus that might or might not come. And now they’ve taken another one away.

Seven weeks ago, I broke my right ankle. It was in a gallstone attack. I went to the bathroom, and was going to go to my room again when I was hit by a wave of pain so severe that I passed out. I must’ve sat on my ankle hard because when I tried to get up, my ankle went crunch! I sank down on my rear again against the door. Stephen and I had a dialogue: ”Are you all right?” he asked.

“No, I’m in a lot of pain.”

“I’m calling 911.”

“Ok.”

He asked me the questions the dispatcher asked him. I answered them. At length they arrived. I took my book and my purse with me. We went to Kaiser Morse hospital. I gave them the address. They knew how to get there. We arrived after a few minutes. They admitted me, and the next morning, my ankle was operated on. Then I spent from then until Wednesday the 7th in the hospital. I came home, and am now in full recovery. Six weeks ago I got into my room, and finally got access to my computer. Will give you updates as we proceed. Update: a month ago I got out of the house. My physical therapist taught me how to hop down the steps using my aluminum walker. I used it to go to the liturgy meeting, and then Sunday I went to our Grove’s Lughnasadh ritual, where I donated a dollar, and offered some whiskey to Miach for my own healing, the healing of my friend Snoodlady, who was in the hospital with a serious sinus infection that gave her double vision and vertigo, and my friend Cherye who has a nasty staph infection in her legs and feet. On two fronts there were immediate results. Snoodlady felt well enough to come home on Monday, and I learned to carry my walker whilst in my wheelchair. My physical therapist taught me some exercises to do in my wheelchair, and I worked myself up to 32 of each. The last one I learned was the wheelchair pushup. I did 32 of them today, for which I am very proud of myself. Stephen thought that you should know. ..

Yes, August 20th was my surgery day. And it happened as I hoped it would. I don’t remember what I dreamed whilst being under anesthesia. I did admitting, answered verifying questions, got something to relax me, and then woke up in Recovery. I was still pretty out of it, and a little sore. I put my clothes on, and Carl caught up with me. I came home, and relaxed. Healing has already starting. I didn’t feel like having much of a supper. I found out, because the nurse weighed me, that I had lost 9 lbs. That was before the surgery, so I don’t know how much my gall bladder weighed, as full of gall stones as it was. Also I’m wearing a fiber glass cast, so I don’t know how much I’ll lose when I lose the cast, and can finally start TAKING SHOWERS!

We need paid readings and donations. Send donations to my Paypal account tezra.reitan@gmail.com and to Stephen’s email account at any of his email addies. If I get $5 donations, I shall send the donor a copy of one of my ebooks. For $20, you can have all five ebooks.

Remember, if someone from a Ning network asks you to pay, say “No way!” The only way this’ll work is if we all stick together and call the a**holes on their BS. We have to be willing to walk away from our networks, because they are counting on people being scared to walk away from their networks. This guy Jason Rosenthal is a bully, and there’s only one way to deal with a bully, and that is, to stand up to him.

He managed to scrape the $87 together. But it meant cutting into the rent money. He is already $1800 in the hole for the rent, and I am $800 behind, because I can’t afford to pay $500 per month in rent.. You guys have not been doing your part. It’s not as though he’s begging for hand outs. He is willing to return value for value given. And $32 flat for a reading or a class is really a bargain. Ordinarily he charges $32 an hour, so $32 flat is a very good deal. Remember it’s 916-455-2267. Raise me on Windows Live Msgr or AIM and I’ll give you my phone number, and the hours you can call me.

Back before my accident, Stephen was able to scrape $50 together to pay our friend to put our website together, and she’s working on it now. I’m looking forward to seeing it. It should be very impressive. Fear not, we’ll keep you abreast of all developments on this front. Abbott’s Inn International School of Magick will then be on the internet map, so to speak, in a big way.

Inquiring minds want to know: How do we add music to our sites? Please let us know. The person who helps us do that earns a reading on webcam on the popular IM clients. The person who helps us establish ourselves on the Paganspace.net chat client earns a reading. We’re using readings as currency here because we have no other medium to use for an incentive. All the money we make goes for paying the bills of bare-bones living.

Stephen is hopping mad right now (appropriate for a frog, no?) because his ex-wife Debbie is taking one of the twins and giving her to a strange woman who lives at their complex. He has grown quite attached emotionally to both of them, and doesn’t like to see the pair split up. I was prepared emotionally a long time ago for this eventuality. I just don’t know why it took Debbie so long to do it. I suspect that she calculated it so as to cause the most hurt to Stephen. Yes, she is that cruel. She claims to be a Wiccan, but doesn’t abide by the Rede at all, and never has a good word to say about anyone. I try not to think about what she says about me, but I shudder at the emotional abuse she piles on their daughter. Stephen was so emotionally distraught that he broke a pair of his glasses accidentally right after she called. Debbie never lifted a hand to care for these animals from the day they were born. Until my accident, we took turns feeding them, then Stephen took it over. It was he who shelled out moneys for food and kitty litter. Debbie has never compensated him in any way for the expenses. It was I who arranged for the twins to get spayed.

The new version of the Mind-n-Magick toolbar is available, so get it.
.



.
.