New England Pagan Land Project

“Brian’s Land” is a working title for the land that Brian, your webmaster here, is trying to acquire. It shall be renamed when the name comes to him (which may be after the land is actually acquired). It is also a bit of a misnomer, as the land won’t belong to Brian, really. It may belong to him legally, or to an organisation, but in reality, he will only be the steward.

Here is a brief rundown of this project in his own words:

Over the last few years, I’ve been having these dreams – daydreams, visions, actual dreams, etc. – of a piece of land. In these visions, I am the caretaker of an area where people gather, worship, play, and learn. It is a sanctuary and a temple complex. Whether you believe that the gods literally chose me to do this project or whether you thing I’m some raving lunatic, the end result is the same: If I succeed, there will be a place for people to gather and I will be its steward.

In order to do this, I will most likely need about 100 acres and probably more. This is not cheap. Even if the land is somehow donated to my keeping, there are still taxes to be paid unless I incorporate as a religious institution, and that would require people to help me in the full, legal sense. It can be done, but it takes work, and very likely a lot of money.

At the bottom of this page, I ask for donations toward this end. These are NOT tax deductible and I’ll be perfectly honest with you: They go into my pocket as I work on making this happen. I do need to live while working on this and in the long run, until I can get others in on the project, there is no account to put the money into. When there is, you can rest assured, the papers will be filed and the donations will be used solely and directly to get and keep and maintain this land. Until then this is my personal quest. Rest assured, I won’t be building a ferris wheel, a mansion, or driving a lovely Countache with your donation.

So what can you expect if I am successful? Here is my plan:

I will somehow (?) acquire an appropriate piece of land in New England. It will be at least 50 acres and very likely 100 or more. I will be looking for a mostly wooded plot with arable land to create a small farm and fields. I am hoping there will be a small stream which I can use for a micro hydro electric generator with enough water not to completely freeze over in winter. There will be a place where larger events can be held: fairs, bazaars, weddings, etc. There will be plenty of room for camping in tents. There will be a hall, in the style of Norse and Saxon mead halls of old. There will be fixed and permanent temples to certain gods. Among these will be temples of Diana, Aphrodite, and Athena, three goddesses who have helped me, who I have requested favors from, and who are overseeing this project. There will be a public ritual space for larger gatherings as well as a small, private circle for small groups and individual use. There will be cottages for rental use, a small home for myself, and probably an assortment of outbuildings (sheds, a barn, privies, etc.). There may be a tower upon a hill, in which guests may stay, an office may be situated, and Savonius turbines will harness the energy of the wind. There will, of course, also be a nice fire pit around which people can gather, sing, dance, and make merry.

On this property will be seasonal festivals throughout the year. Individuals and groups will be welcome to use the land and its facilities and expected to help in its maintenance, etc. This might be help in the form of donations of time, labor, skill, materials, or money. In my visions, I see myself throwing a big Yule time celebration inside the Hall and I have seen others leading the celebrations of other holidays. I have seen much feasting and merriment to come.

The facility will be a hub not only for people to gather, but also a hub of learning – with its own library and community on the internet – where people can gather virtually, share ideas, network, make friendships, and more. It will be a hub, networking other sanctuaries as well, for mutual aid, sharing, and coordinated activities. This web site is just the beginning: the seed.

Join me, if you will in making this manifest. I envision a local sanctuary near everyone, just as a Christian or a Jew, Hindu or Muslim may have a fixed place of worship near home, I hope to make that possible for Pagans as well. Though all of Nature is our Church, let us have our wood, our hill, our place to go alone or gather with others of like heart and mind for our times of worship or whenever we have need.

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