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Spring Mysteries Festival is going virtual

Bella Dionne • Mar 13, 2020

Lady Belladonna Laveau speaks to us about the ATCs plan amidst the Covid-19 pandemic

Transcription of the above video aired March 11, 2020


Thank you for receiving this message. May the Gods take my words to those who are meant to hear. I am Lady Belladonna LaVeau the Archpriestess of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church. This announcement is in response to the growing Global Pandemic.

I have listened to Congress, the CDC, the President, the Governor of Washington State, and the World Health Organization today. I have been monitoring the number of cases. As a US Navy Veteran, having military medical training and knowing how quarantine procedures work, I am noting the many mistakes being made in response to the threat of the Virus. Dr. Fauci testified to congress this morning that it is going to get worse and the CDC says we are about to see a wave of new cases.

The official statement from the State of Washington is "COVID-19 is spreading in several communities in Washington, the risk of exposure is increasing for people who live in our state."

The reason there is such concern, despite that looks like only a few 100 cases in our state is that we lack the ability to test for it. At this time, medical professionals have no real way of knowing how many people are infected. Making matters worse are many younger people are carriers of the virus but asymptomatic and have no idea they are spreading infection. It often takes 14 to 27 days to start showing symptoms after you have been exposed. If you are among the few who are going to have a severe response, you often develop lung fibrosis so quickly that medical help is ineffective if there's any delay in receiving treatment.

The Governor of Washington has asked that we avoid gathering in large groups, and has cancelled any events of over 250 people. We have been told there are testing kits coming and once they arrive we can start mass testing.

If you would like to see how this was handled correctly, look to South Korea. They put people on quarantine immediately and started testing. Their numbers rose quickly, but they have managed to get on top of this and save most of their population with only 60 deaths out of 7,700 reported cases. Compared to America which has 1200 reported cases with already 31 deaths. Getting on top of this and mitigating the spread is imperative. Early detection of serious cases is top priority.

As I mentioned in an earlier broadcast, the Great Mother's Festival is 1 month away. I have been in prayerful retreat with the Gods asking for guidance in what to do about Her festival. Apollo and Triptolemus offered solutions and shared the Great Mother's requests. The message about the state of the world was simple. "We have been told this was coming. Protect your food supply. Let the Goddess know you hear her pain and show Her that you care about the state of the Earth. Know your food, and have some stored up for times of emergency."

Many of you are asking, what about the Great Mother's festival? What does She want us to do? I have asked and received answer.

The Great Mother wants far more people to visit Her in Her Holy City, and hear Her message. She traveled two years ago, and saw many more people. But, not enough. She mourns for the loss of Her Holy Child and in many ways, that's you. Because of this, we are moving Spring Mysteries to Virtual Space and moving forward with an Online Virtual Event available to as many people as possible. Registration will be required. It is Demeter's hope that if She comes that close to you, that you will come to Her.

The ATC has all the technological means to move the Eleusinian Mysteries to Virtual Liminal Space for this year's mysteries. The Eumolpidae are currently working on a plan that will allow the Mysteries to take place in a Virtual Liminal space in a way that is easily accessible from several different internet platforms. Our plan is to reproduce the entire experience online, right down to Shopping with Vendors, musical guests and one on one visits with the Gods. Triptolemus gave me several ideas of how to make this happen, and we will be announcing the concrete versions of these ideas as they make their way into this dimension.

Please come to see the Great Mother this year. While we expect to learn much from the Virtual Mysteries, this may be your only opportunity to see it in this form. The Great Mother comes to us at this time, in the Flesh, bringing the entire Pantheon with her to commune with us. Do not miss the opportunity to experience this from the comfort of your own private space and hear Her very important timely message.

History tells us that this is not the only time that the Mysteries have taken Virtual form in times a political or domestic crisis. One time, an attacking Army experienced the mysteries in a way that sent them packing back home. A copy of that article will be attached in the comments of this post. In the expanse of thousands of years of presenting the mysteries we have faced many challenges. We will endure, we will overcome and we will carry on knowing that everything happens for a reason and all challenges are blessings in disguise.

We cannot offer this event for free, as attendance to the mysteries requires sacrifice. But the good news is. we have made the costs as minimal as we can, so that all can attend, and we have made opportunities for those that can give more, to do so. This is the ATC's yearly fundraiser. Proceeds from this event allow us to do the Goddess' work and maintain her Temples throughout the year. Please attend if you are able, and give generously.

For those of you who have already registered and planned to attend. We are looking at what we can do financially to compensate for the loss of your in person event. Because this is our yearly fundraiser and we depend on these funds to survive, we cannot simply refund everyone's ticket. We have also already spent a substantial amount on producing the festival for this year. We do not know exactly what we can do right now. Whatever we do decide to do, it will be fair and in balance with the best interests of all concerned, including yours and your family's.

In addition, we are taking immediate action to move all Mother Church events to an online platform. We have an active online community on Secondlife.com at the private island sim of Sacred Cauldron. The Mother Church will be stepping up it's sharing of live events, broadcasting School events and activities as well as providing opportunities to worship online and in virtual space. I invite other leaders in the community to utilize this platform while we are asked to reduce the possibility of exposure to this virus.

The ATC further extends hospitality to any pagan groups that would like to host a public event on the WiccanSeminary.Edu virtual campus, and welcomes your help in reaching those that are currently or may soon be in some form of isolation. Please contact helpdesk@wiccanseminary.edu if you have questions.

I ask you to take this warning seriously. Our Elders are the keepers of Wisdom and our most valued asset. Please protect them, call and check on them, do not visit. If you're dropping of food or necessary items, please maintain at minimum a three foot distance. Do not touch each other and if you do congregate please do so mindfully knowing that the risk could cost you or someone else a parent or grandparent.

I am a high risk member of the community. I have several health issues that puts me in a compromised state for this particular virus. We have many at risk members of the community, some being in the Eleusinian Priesthood and the Vessels of the Gods. It would be irresponsible of us as an organization to risk the lives of anyone.

I am saddened that we will not be able to meet in person. But, am encouraged that we can still count on Spring Mysteries Festival being powerful, sacred, and transformational. I am excited about the possibility of so many being able to reach the Great Mother this year and I can't wait for Her response to your arrival. Because I know She will want to speak with you, we will have extended Shrine Time to allow more people to speak personally with the Gods.

Registration is already open for the Virtual Mysteries and the link can be found in the text of this post. If you have already registered for the in person event, it will not cost you anything to register. All registrations that choose the free option will be compared to the previous registration and contacted if there is a question. Please direct registration questions to chaplain@atcwicca.org.

I know you're worried, but remember that you are capable of keeping yourself and others safe. This is still a very low risk virus for most people. We at the ATC are going to continue to work to provide for your needs while keeping you safe. Please utilize the tools we have for you. We love you and blessed be.

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