I put a lot of it online, but, as I gander at it now, I realize I didn’t finish it. (I ended up not going to the actual camp event, for personal reasons, and so didn’t finish those pages.) But, what I wrote is still up. You might find it interesting.
“Yeah, it’s about modern western magic in the framework of the Oz stories, as a modern myth that is in the public domain.
There is a great deal of work that has been done on Oz as metaphor, allegory, myth, & c., but surprisingly little has been done on Oz as magic. Even more, few of the published books rest on the original materials, instead they are primarily based on the classic MGM cinema version of the story and only occasionally reference the original story as an aside.
These pages are an exploration of the connections and patterns between the original Oz stories and the work of magic, in both theoretical and practical aspects.
Traveling to Oz is a chance to experience more than what the common state of the human condition. On one level, Oz is a magical place that isn’t normal earth, either the faery realms or a land of dreams. On another, Oz could be the afterlife. Another, Oz could be seen as the promise of an ‘awakened’ life in contrast to the sleepy, somnambulant humans stuck in Kansas. Or, Oz is an allegorical tale of initiation and growth, where an individual comes into her power, and meets other powerful allies, who all form either aspects of a reconnected whole self or a vibrant family of choice.
Moreover, the experience of Oz is one of magic. Oz is a place where people come into their power and develop skills in the appropriate and right use of power.”
There’s a lot more, even if some of it isn’t finished, and some of what is finished, apparently, could use some additional editing. ::sad trombone:: Still, I’m kind of proud of that work, and think about it every time something about Oz comes up. So, if you’re interested, head over to my personal site, and check it out!