Where? Why there?

For my sacred site, I have chosen the beautiful Full Moon island of Koh Phangan in the tropical Gulf of Thailand!

This place was made famous by the monthly Full Moon Parties and featured in National Geographic more than once. Full Moon Party Haad RinAfter the Full Moon Parties became an accidental international success, they expanded to the bi-monthly Half Moon Party, Jungle Experience Party, Shiva Moon Party, Black Moon Party, etc. Now there is a party every night.

The island has evolved and grown up a bit. From the start Koh Phangan has always attracted spiritual seekers as well as party backpackers. There are now hundreds of Yoga and Tantra schools on the island, some almost as famous/infamous as the Full Moon Parties themselves. Many people come to the island in search of enlightenment, self-discovery, or seeking some spiritual teaching to guide their way. I’ve always felt that there is a gap in these teachings that Paganism can fill nicely. While I support and agree with much of the Tantric and Yogic teachings/practices, I feel there is something missing, particularly in the teachings of personal, immanent divinity.

Visitors from around the world, come seeking growth and connection to spirit. The one side of the island denigrates the other, both the “Party People” and the “Yoga Hippies” thinking the others just don’t get it. There is room on the island for teachings that include the divine spirit in all things. Paganism welcomes the sacredness of the revel on par with the sacredness of quiet self-reflection. There is a hunger for the understandings that Pagan practices teach. The island already regards the Moon as sacred. The ebb & flow of life on the island is ruled by the cycles of the Moon. In bringing the sacredness of Divine Self and God & Goddess as equal, I am bringing the Sun and Moon and the practice of Church of All Worlds to an international audience that is primed for it.

There is an openness in Thailand to other Gods and spiritual practices. Thailand, while strictly Buddhist, has an openness and acceptance towards other spiritual practices. A typical Thai home or business will have a single altar dedicated to: King, Buddha, an old Thai Goddess or two, a Hindu God (Ganesh), and sometimes a few spirit animals or honoring of an ancestor (specifically in that order). When I speak to Thai people of Pagan Gods and Goddesses, they usually respond by making room between the Hindu and Thai effigies. They hold a disarmingly kind openness, so long as one does not insult the Buddhist teachings. Well, the teaching that we are all Gods and Goddesses, has been repeatedly compared to the teaching that we are all Buddha, struggling in this world to find our Buddha nature and full empowerment through loving kindness. At the heart of the matter, there is no disagreement between the teachings of spiritual empowerment from the perspective of any religion.

The island has a large expat community, that is very supportive of fellow foreigners moving to this magical island. It has a very Burning Man feel, and most of the visitors and long term residents make their annual pilgrimage to Black Rock City, Nevada. The island is infused with that Burning Man sense of creating and sharing Art.