Introduction from the author: When Calafia asked me to serve as Public Information Officer for the local council, I thought it would be fun to write a column as a way of sharing news and information I gather throughout the year. What's Brewing is the result. It is my hope to provide you with a brief overview of what is currently brewing in the Wiccan community, and when possible, point you toward sites where you can obtain further information. I'll be awarding from one to five wands to those mentioned in my column who are Wiccan-friendly. The others will be the recipients of anywhere from one to five toads. We plan to update the column on a regular basis, so please visit us again soon.

Voice of the Goddess: 
If you haven't read a good novel lately, Voice of the Goddess, by Judith Hand, should be on your summer reading list. This meticulously researched epic of Minoan civilization will immerse you in the ancient Goddess worshipping culture of Crete, and take you on a journey of love, war, betrayal, devotion, and the power of love. Charles Pellegrino, author of Unearthing Atlantis, calls Voice of the Goddess a superb historical drama, and goes on to say that Hand actually allows us to taste and feel the lost world whose people were already dust and myth when Plato and Athens were young.
     I found the book difficult to put down. Hand, a local San Diego author, creates vivid characters and a setting so real, you'll feel you have traveled back in time.
     Voice of the Goddess is available from Amazon.com or you can order directly from Questpath Publishing in San Diego at 858-485-8001. You can also order the book through most chain and independent bookstores. ISBN 0-930926-26-9
     You might want to visit Ms. Hand's website to read an excerpt from the book, learn about book signings and events, or just explore some interesting facts about ancient Minoan civilization. Go to www.jhand.com
     I recommend this book as a compelling read and award it 5 waves of the wand.

Pagan Scouts: 
The Aquarian Tabernacle Church of Seattle announced their new program, SpiralScouts, a nationwide Pagan oriented scouting program designed to fill the void left by prejudicial treatment of other established programs.
     SpiralScouts has existed within the church to benefit member's children for over a year, but has now been formalized into an expanded program called SpiralScouts International, Inc., a nonprofit subsidiary of the ATC.
     Both a male and a female adult lead the program, to teach the balance central to Paganism. While it is based in Pagan beliefs and practices, it is designed to be adaptable to other faiths as well. Besides the customary scouting activities, the program teaches the many mythologies of the ancient world. It also includes a component new to scouting - life strategies and skills for teens, to help them learn how to have good relationships with peers and adults, and interpersonal skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
     There are currently 28 charters pending approval throughout the U.S., Canada, Australia, the U.K. and South Africa, and more requests are being received daily. For those who wish to look into leading or sponsoring a local group, more information is available at the following web site: www.SpiralScouts.org or you can email SpiralScouts@SpiralScouts.org.

Exorcism, New Tel-Evangelist Gimmick: 
They say that to succeed in show biz, you've got to have a gimmick. Tel-Evangelist Bob Larsen has a gimmick that promises to reel 'em in, if what I saw on the San Diego channel 10 news is any indication. Bob has come up with a new twist on the old Tel-Evangelist magical, oops, make that miracle healing, wherein the preacher casts out illness from a person, who then faints back into the arms of waiting attendants. Bob casts out demons in the same manner.
     Be prepared, Bob Larsen is on his way to San Diego to cast demons out of troubled people who feel they are possessed. So what does that have to do with Wiccans and Pagans? According the newscast, the demonic practice of witchcraft is on Bob's agenda as well. So, like I said, be prepared. It won't surprise me if Bob instigates some malicious propaganda while he's in town.
     I'm sending out three slimy toads to meet him at the airport when he arrives. Do you think he can exorcise them?

Goddess Games: 
Ruth Robles, Elaine Berkowitz and Kelly Werner are three friends who have supported each other through life's struggles, including such trying circumstances as divorce. Realizing how difficult it was for women with today's busy lifestyles to find time to explore the deeper meaning of their lives, they made a pact to meet on a regular basis for dinner and meditation, sharing fears, problems, laughter and tears.
     They soon included more women and ended up calling themselves the Goddess Group. Wishing other women could experience their sense of unity, they developed a board game, deciding a book would not allow for the same interaction with other women that a game provided. Go Goddess, is now available at Barnes & Noble, and also at Borders for $39.95. They have also developed a teen version called, Go Goddess Girl.
     The Goddess Group has now grown to 40 members. Although they do not affiliate themselves with any religion, they most certainly express the idea that this is a spiritual experience for them. Robles is quoted as saying, "It's a friendship on a level I have never experienced before." And Werner says, "There is an energy that happens every time; I can't explain it."
     I don't know about the rest of you, but I can. I guess women just naturally tend to create circles like this one way or another. Anyway, I award them three waves of the wand, one each. I'll give them 5 when they figure out what's really going on here.

Blair Witch 2: 
I have yet to see Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2. In all honesty, I was not the least bit impressed by the original Blair Witch. My sister and I rented it out one night; having heard it was really scary. We were determined to scare ourselves silly, even turning out all the lights to create the right mood, but to no avail. So I am reluctant to be disappointed a second time.
     However, I'm interested to see how Wicca is portrayed in Blair Witch 2, since one of the characters is supposed to be a Wiccan practitioner who is determined to clear the Blair Witch's name. Joey Berlin and Don McLaughlin interviewed Erica Leerhsen, who plays the college student and witch, in an article for the San Diego Union. She professes to have done a good amount of research, reading books on Wicca and discussing the religion with Wiccan practitioners. Judging by her comments, she is sympathetic to what she calls 'the bad rap' that Wiccans are often given. Let's wave the old wand over her once for that, eh?

Lady Diana
Lady Diana, HPS of Misty Vale Coven, is the current Public Information Officer for Calafia, local chapter of CoG. She teaches an ongoing series of Wiccan classes at Starcrafts in San Diego. You can contact her at mistyvale@home.com or visit the Misty Vale website at http://members.home.com/mpadilla

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