The News from Four Quarters

by Carrie Krystek.

The May 9 Beltaine Emergence Moon Service was a very special time for me. 

Like many of you, I have been finding the entire coronavirus situation to be very mentally and emotionally draining over these last few months. The care and concern I feel for those with the virus, the healthcare workers helping them, those affected by the economic closures, along with concerns for my own personal health and safety has been overwhelming at times. With the wide variety of information out there, it has also been difficult to know how to interact with the world in a manner that keeps me and others safe.

After a long and cold winter, it has been frustrating to observe the advent of Spring from a distance. After so many weeks of curtailed action, I was ready to spend some time in the sun. When Pennsylvania announced that campgrounds could now open, it was exciting to determine how Four Quarters could open up so that people could enjoy Nature in a safe manner.

"It is the beginning of our Emergence.
A first step along the long road before us."

 
These last months of Pandemic have been a hard road for so many: our Caregivers, those directly affected by the disease, the many who have lost income and work, and all of us facing the enormity of the changes this virus brings. We have weathered the first of this storm, knowing that there are more trials yet to come. But there is good news.

    As a Church Four Quarters has been exempt from all restrictions, but as good citizens we chose to strictly adhere to civil guidance and closed Four Quarters in early March. On April 27th, Pennsylvania's Governor Tom Wolfe of has begun the slow process of lifting restrictions, and because of the fundamental safety of the out-of-doors, has first reopened campgrounds across the state. Four Quarters is now re-opened for visits and ceremony!

“What makes their stories worth the telling?
Why should you care to read about
the pitiful passing of these individuals who
lived on the extreme margin of society?”

 
This is the story of three dead men. It is not a tale of how platitudes of Light & Love brought them peace of mind, nor is it an attempt to rehabilitate the memory of their lives. You will not find that they died quietly in bed surrounded by their loving families. And no death bed confessions of hope and redemption are relayed to you the reader, as there are none. What makes their stories worth the telling? Why should you care to read about the pitiful passing of these individuals who lived on the extreme margin of society? This is also the story of a sort of activism, an effort made in good faith to help the struggling meet their end or at least to make the way less difficult. A service to others that asks more from you than a few bucks or a canned food donation. There are no membership fees, no training modules to attend, and no one to guide you along this particular road. It is the taking of charitable license upon oneself to act compassionately.

With the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic we here at Four Quarters have made the difficult decision to halt production of this years “Wheel of the Year Calendar.”
     Most years we budget $20,000 to the printing and distribution of the calendar, and it remains perhaps the only color covered periodical surviving from the last century's explosion in alternative spirituality.  We direct mail to over 7,000 people, of whom at least 2,500 are incarcerated; the remaining copies sent out through our network of retail stores.
     Because of the pandemic schedule changes, we were forced to redesign the calendar after the first proof copy went to our printer, and we stopped this second proof as the first sheets of paper were on the presses. With the financial uncertainties we all now share, we could not in good conscience make this kind of financial commitment on behalf of our Church.
 
     However, we are printing a full size black and white version on our office equipment, and will be mailing this "Coronavirus Issue" out to our members, with membership cards and this year’s Members Muse, just as we did over twenty years ago with the very first hand printed issues of “The Wheel of the Year.”  Given that we here at Four Quarters instituted a full “shelter in place” policy almost two weeks ago, we cannot accept offers to assist in this year's lick–and–stick party, as has been traditional in years past. We will miss you as we wear out our finger tips!
 
      Our regret is compounded in that we feel this year’s calendar contains some of the finest writing we have ever published... but we do intend to share it. After the members mailing goes out we will begin publishing the feature articles to our news page on a weekly basis, both as HTML text with pictures and as printer friendly PDF file versions. Look for it!

     And... Stay Safe!

Here at Four Quarters we have been tracking COVID-19 epidemiology and policy developments closely, with official guidance developing daily. Current policy thinking is that COVID-19 will reach peak infection in the USA during the next 4 to 6 weeks, and begin to subside in late May. Whether there will be following waves is unknown. Four Quarters will enthusiastically cooperate with national policies of containment, noting recent CDC guidance limiting group sizes to below fifty persons, and especially the recently released Imperial College London Report to be found here.
      For these reasons we are now cancelling all events and Moon Services at Four Quarters until the Summer Solstice weekend of June 20th, which will mark the re-opening of camp with Sweat Lodge, Stone Circle Ceremony and a Community Feast. Registrations for both Beltaine and Fires Rising offer full refund or credit by calling our office. The best epidemiological projections at this time are that these events and Drum & Splash, BigDub, Honcho and Stones Rising will remain unaffected, but that can change.