The Green Man is rustic, with a wooden exterior, and forest type feeling inside. http://thegreenmanstore.com/home/classes-workshops-rituals/ Griffin, one of the three owners, has huge holed earlobes. He's polyamorous - with both a wife and a husband - and an excellent teacher in a wide field of mystical arts and witch coven rituals.
I always check out such people. "I met the main black witch of a coven in Essex, UK," I said. "He's the opposite of me using my gifts to cure. He uses his gifts to destroy."
Griffin shuddered, and his face screwed up. Thank God he's not one of those, I thought. "We're one of those," Griffin said earnestly. "We just use rituals to help lost souls on their paths."
A woman in her 30s, dressed in long colourful witch-like robes introduced herself. "Hi," she grinned.
"My name's Mummy Witch. I travel from town to town doing rituals of metaphysical healing and paranormal cleansing."
Jim Schultz gives astrological readings. He runs regular mystic groups of over 20 people at a time. Like the others, he's a good person, ritually relieving suffering in his way. To see how planetary alignments may affect us on different days, go to http://www.sherastrology.com/author/jim-schultz/
The Green Man is not for everyone. No-one is 'religious'. But it's a wonderful pathway to Truth via rituals, another man-made version of God, another ritualistic way to enlightenment.
Contrast that with the next meeting of 20 religious Jewish cancer patients. Some wore a ritualistic skullcap (a Kippah) to remind them in humility that God is a higher force. I showed my cancer program, not promising cures, but explaining resolved cases, after doctors said they couldn't help further.
Jews are God-fearing, family oriented. They're intellectual without inhibition, constantly, without warning, debating my comments. It's perfect. That's Jewish people! But it's also imperfect. So many debates meant I'd not complete the lecture if I didn't ask the debating ring-leader to stand in the corner!
She was visibly shocked. Other Jews said no-one was brave enough to be tough with her before. But she's a beautiful strong lady. And beautiful strong people respect strength back. After, instead of being upset, she smiled broadly as she invited me to her home for dinner, and an overnight stay!
Later, the lady's husband said, "You're braver than me saying that to her. But she's one of the world's great women. You'll enjoy our home." I'd previously explained I was told I was Jewish at 47 years old. "Since you found you're Jewish," he said, "Have you had Tefillin?"
"No. I've had nothing Jewish. What type of food is it?"
He stared, sort of aghast. "It's not food, it's a ritual." He led me to his car for a leather strap. Will he beat me for asking his wife to stand in the corner? No. He wrapped it on my lower arm 7 times, rituals for 7 famous Jewish ancestors including Abraham and Moses, popped a shel rosh on my head, and asked me to recite from the Torah, "remembrance" that God brought Israelites from Egypt.
It felt weird at first because the ritual of Tefillin is an enigma. Black leather boxes contain parchment inscribed scrolls. You don't know what they say. You just wear them, and feel energy. I felt the ritual's energy - a higher wisdom connection to the forefathers of Jewish roots.
Rituals exist in all human traditions. Wearing a tie to work is a ritual. But ancient mystical rituals that connect humans to higher forces for goodness and love are only to be admired. And experienced whenever we have the chance.