History of Ivy GroveIt was the summer of 1993. I had achieve three years of sobriety and had renewed my spiritual path. I participated in the Summer Solstice Circle Sanctuary Pagan Spirit gathering.It was a difficult time for me because I was there with the diress and stress of a relationship that had gone wrong. The relationship was also there which made it difficult to forget the emotional pain and the person who caused it.
We camped next to the Ritual Circle where all night dancing was going on with the drumming and chanting. It was a wonderful time. The dynamics heated up and right when I thought I could not handle the pain this cleansing thunderstorm came and washed away all the pain. Through the thunder and the lightning I could hear the lilting voice of a wooden flute. I slept sound and relieved. That night I was visited with a dream that said I was to pass my spiritual path on. I returned to my home and bid the person who was causing the pain to go in peace. I wasn't sure what my dream meant but I started doing volunteer office work out at Circle Sanctuary. During this time I had to face a very hard decision on putting one of my feline friends asleep. It was excruciating for me and once again that night the dream came to me again. I am not initiated and I do not carry a mucky-muck title. I have since age 10 felt that Nature has been my initiator. I found myself talking in my AA meetings about my higher powers and the Goddess. When I opened up I found that there was a need in this clubhouse for pagans in recovery The people made themselves known to me and the dreams that I was having finally made sense. I was suppose to form a spiritual pagan group based on the traditions of AA in regard to leadership and work with healing energy. Not wanting a "coven"; I wasn't sure what to call the group so I asked the Assistant High Priestess of Circle Sanctuary (Gerrie) what should I call it. She suggested calling it a grove. But it still did not have a name. We met in the beginning at the Quakers Friends House. Several different types of pagan traditions came together under the work of recovery healing. As well as several types of recovery paths: alcoholism, drug addiction, sexual abuse, adult children of alcoholics, etc. It wasn't until the handfasting that you see in the picture above did the group come up with an actual name. Up to that point it was just -- Jake's group. Yes, that is a picture of my handfasting to the person who caused me all that grief at that Pagan Spirit Gathering. Wondering why? Please click on this LINK to find out why. Our service brought together the need for several groups to get together and the following Lammas we joined two other groups; Hazel Moon and Antler Dance to celebrate. It was then that we realize we had to come up with a name besides "Jake's group". Ivy Grove was decided on because of the
meaning of that moon and the fact it was the New Moon of
Ivy of 1993 that we first got together at the Quaker
House. At that first ritual we had an East Indian
practicing pagan, Buddhist pagan, Celtic traditions,
Greek tradition, Native American, and Quaker all
represented. . . . but there is
more..... Return to Ivy Grove
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I was
not a camper by nature but was fortunate to be able to
camp next to my mentor on this path before I strayed,
Lady Cybele (that is her crowning the groom in the
handfasting). 