Welcome
This is the website for the annual Leaping Hare convention, which is held every spring in Colchester, Essex, Britain. We will update this site with information about each forthcoming convention, as well as featuring reviews of previous years.
The 2009 convention has been and gone ~ and a great day it was. The organisers would like to express our thanks to all the contributors (see below): to the hysterically funny Kristoffer (and Armani-ed up) Kristoffer Hughes; to the ever helpful, flexible and mead-laden Tina Smith; to highly literate Nick Ford and his entrancing Latin invocations; and to the delightful Christina Hughes, who came in spite of a serious health concern. Our thanks too for the Magic Mummers, to the Clan storytellers (especially Gerry and Greg, who stepped in to help out literally at a half-hour's notice) and to our workshop providers, especially Jo and John Goodluck who were able to whip it out at the last minute!
We have covered our costs, and will post news regarding charity donations as soon as our Zurich Gnomes have finished totalling them up.
The date for the 2010 convention has been set for Saturday 27th March. If you would like to book a stall, or offer your services to speak/run a workshop/entertain, then please email me robinherne@hotmail.com
This site was last updated on 20th July 2009.
Our 2009 gathering was a fun day of stalls, workshop, talks and storytelling that included ~
Kristoffer Hughes on "Wands, Trees and Wizards",
Christine Kiernan on "Commonsense in Occultism",
Nick Ford on "Augury",
Tina Smith on "Tiw's Hearth".
Plus storytelling with Clan Ogma, a charity raffle, the Magic Mummers troupe, and a ritual for the spring. Tickets available from Diane on 01206 331183.
More details on the talks
Kristoffer's talk ~ Wands, Trees and Wizards. Exploring the magic and mystery of the British Celtic Chronicles. A personal exploration of the significance of the Celtic Myths, poems and tales from the point of view of a seer rather than from a purely academic angle. Kris will focus on the magical element hidden within the native tales and how they act as keys to self-development and transformation. This will be a fast paced hour-long journey through a myriad of tales and poems, providing a glimpse of the secrets and mystery that lie within them.
Christine's talk ~ Commonsense in Occultism. Occultism attracts more than its fair share of criticism, for a variety of reasons, but in one respect it is well deserved. Over-enthusiasm and naivety often combine to obscure an occultist's path and occasionally make them miss the point of their magical lives. There is a strong need for common sense and humour in order to keep a sense of proportion and the magician's feet on the ground. Christina draws on her long experience of Occultism to show how a down-to-earth approach to the magical path can clear away misconceptions and speed up progress.
Nick's talk ~ Roman Augury. Nick Ford, a pagan from Southampton working in an updated Romano-British tradition, offers an off-the-wall look at the ancient Etruscan divinatory art of Augury, its development by the Romans and how it can be used today, anywhere, with no equipment other than a mindset and some time. This is about how you can make the world - or
any part of it - your Tarot, your runes, your rods, Book Of Change, speculum, pendulum, Ogham, whatever...
Tinas talk ~ Tiw's Hearth. This talk is dedicated to the heathen God Tiw/Tyr. It is comprised of a talk about what is known from written records and personal experience in working with him, a story, a guided meditation and a sumbel (Heathen drinking ritual) in his name. Come along and meet Tiw/Tyr, drink some mead and learn a bit about Heathenry.