FAQ—Oracle 2002

Who will be coming to Oracle 2000?

Attending will be individuals and circles from around the world who are interested in shamanism, community and working together on behalf of the Planet. There will be a mix of experience levels and backgrounds. Some people will be very knowledgeable and some new to shamanic practice. However since we are all teachers, all students, and all in service to Spirit, we will all come as beginners. This year children may also participate. There will be programs for children during offering times, but no child care is provided. Parents will be responsible for the care of their child throughout the gathering.

How do individuals participate?

Anyone can register as a single participant. You certainly do not need to be part of an existing circle to fully enjoy your time in the village. Registration is first come first served, so we recommend you send in your registration and deposit soon.

How do circles participate?

Each person in a circle will register individually. Make sure everyone in your circle takes the initiative to register. You may request to room together or may choose to set up a campsite for your whole circle. We will again establish clans (randomly as guided by Spirit) as an opportunity to integrate the entire village. Circles may choose to make an offering to the village as a circle.

What is a clan?

Each person at Oracle 2002 will become part of a clan of 8-10 people. This is a way for you to connect with others more closely and integrate the intentions of the village. There will be time set aside for the clans to share and to plan ways to participate as clans in one or two of the ceremonies. You will be given your clan affiliation when you arrive.

Do I have to lead an activity or offer services or can I just come to participate?

Not everyone will want to lead or come with a specific offer. Many people will have ideas for offerings that they will share ahead of time and we will post these on the web. As always, when working with Spirit, some offerings may arise spontaneously at the gathering. Times for offerings are limited, so we do recommend contacting the program committee (swanwoman@kconline ) if you have something you would like to share. There will be many ways to participate at the gathering. Please visit our webpages about Oracle 2002 to read more about the specific offerings, the all night world renewal dance, the world map and world healing ceremony, and the themes that we are working with throughout the five days.
Some of the themes may inspire people to make theme-related offerings. By reading these pages and holding the themes in our hearts and prayers, we will arrive grounded in intention to be of service on behalf of the village, other beings and Earth herself.

Can I come late or leave early?

We ask that all participants arrive in time for the Wednesday night village gathering. This is the moment of creation for the village. It’s important that we all join together in sending out our music and voices to begin our work for the Web, the Hoop and the Tree. As the week of activities builds toward the culmination of the world healing ceremony, ideally we will all be present through Saturday night. If you need to leave early, please let Lori Levine know when you register.

What about the cost of the gathering?

We have kept our costs low to enable people to participate in this gathering. The cost is $300.00 per person. ($350 for late registration after Feb 15). The cost is the same whether you come as part of a circle or as an individual; whether you stay in a cabin or camp in your own tent; whether you eat all the meals or none of the meals; or whether you need to leave early.

What are the cabins like?

The cabins are rustic and hold 6 to 10 people in bunk beds in a dorm-like room. Each cluster of three or four cabins has a bathroom facility nearby with sinks and toilets. Two bathroom areas have been renovated since the last Oracle gathering and showers have been added to these facilities. The rest of the camp has one large shower facility centrally located but farther from the cabins. Each participant will need to bring their own bedding (including pillows, sheets, blankets or sleeping bag) and towels. The cabins are heated.

Who will I room with?

You can request to room with another person or group or let us assign you so you can meet some new people. Most of the cabins will be single sex. However, we can set aside some coed cabins to accommodate couples or coed circles which would like to room together. (Remember, these are open dorm rooms). Depending on how many children participate, we will most likely set up one family area. Each participant will receive a cabin assignment upon arrival at Oracle.

What about camping?

This is a large area and there are many lovely places to camp - both close to and/or farther away from the cabins. If you want privacy you might consider camping. Campers will be able to use the bathroom and shower facilities closest to them. There will be some firewood available for group fires and there are several firepits near the cabins. Fires are not allowed outside of these areas.

What about meals and bringing my own food?

The food at the camp is just that, basic camp food, but it is well prepared and of good quality. As before, there will be a salad bar at evening meals. If you have special needs or want to augment what the YMCA provides, please feel free to do so.

If you have minor special needs such as soy milk which need refrigeration, there will be some refrigerator space available. We have one refrigerator for the entire gathering, so you need to keep your own needs minimal. If you want to cook or bring additional food, you will need to bring coolers and Coleman stoves and keep these independently. There are no facilities for individuals to cook inside as the kitchen is being used by the group caterers. As stated above, no independent campfires are allowed. There is no alcohol allowed at the YMCA camp, so please refrain from bringing any on the grounds.

I make drums or other shamanic objects. Can I sell my goods at Oracle 2002?

The intention of Oracle 2002 is for us to come together in a short period of time for learning from each other and working together for the greater whole. There will not be any designated area for selling crafts. Individuals and groups providing instruction and leading activities are giving their services without charge - offerings on behalf of the village.

If I offer to provide crafting and it requires supplies, can I be reimbursed or charge?

If you offer crafting which requires costly supplies (leather, etc.), you may ask participants to reimburse you for the cost of the materials. The cost of these materials should be stated ahead of time.

How do I know how much material(s) to bring if I want to lead a crafting activity?

Offerings such as this will be posted ahead of time on the web site and if you need to know definite numbers, people can email you ahead of time with their interest. Otherwise, just bring as much as you can reasonably provide and participation will be limited to first come first served. The Program Committee will be happy to share with you their expectations of number of participants, what happened in 2000, and to help you decide an optimal approach. Please contact Pirkko at swanwoman@kconline

What rooms and facilities are available for activities?

The YMCA camp now has a conference center with 3 meeting rooms below the large new dining hall. The old dining hall will be used for offerings and there are several other indoor halls available. The athletic field has been cleaned up and will also be available for activities as some of our activities will take place outside. Participants might want to bring their own back chairs or folding chairs. We can arrange for tables if you need these for crafting. The Program Committee will be coordinating meeting spaces so please let them know about your offerings’ needs.

How do I connect with others who might be interested in specific activities such as shamanic singing or Tibetan shamanism or divination?

Let us know your interests and we will post these on the web site for others to see. If you want us to post your email address to make connections ahead of time we can do so. Also, there will be bulletin boards at Oracle with this information updated daily.