Oberon Zell-Ravenheart

Oberon Zell-Ravenheart (b. Timothy Zell, November 30, 1942, in St. Louis, Missouri, also formerly known as Otter G'Zell) is a co-founder of the Church of All Worlds, as well as a writer and speaker on the subject of Neopaganism. He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri in 1965. In 1967, he received a Doctor of Divinity from Life Science College in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, then a teaching certificate from Harris Teacher's College in St. Louis in 1968. He also attended graduate studies at Washington University in St. Louis.^[1]

In an interview with Natalie Zaman in 2008, Zell described himself as a "wizard". Distinguishing his practice from the wizards of fiction, Zell used the alternative spelling "magick" (with final "k") and claimed that his interest therein began at an early age with the reading of Greek myths and fairy tales. As a child, Zell had visions, which his mother told him were derived from the life of his grandfather.^[2]

An early advocate of deep ecology, Zell-Ravenheart articulated the Gaia Thesis (using the spelling "Gaea"^[3]) in 1970, independently of Dr. James Lovelock, who is usually credited therewith.^[4] Along with his wife Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart and the other members of his group marriage, he has been influential in the modern polyamory movement.^[5]

Zell-Ravenheart also co-founded the Ecosophical Research Association in 1977, an organization that explores the truth behind myths. This group was known for the "living unicorns" they created by minor surgery to the horn buds of goats. One of their unicorns, Lancelot, toured with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.^[6]

Church of All Worlds

With R. Lance Christie, Zell-Ravenheart formed the Church of All Worlds (CAW) on April 7, 1962, by the ritual of "sharing water". This foundation ritual was practiced by a fictional church of the same name in Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. Zell-Ravenheart and Christie attributed their inspiration to Heinlein's novel. From the 1960s through the late 1990s, Zell-Ravenheart served as High Priest and Primate of the church.^[7] Zell-Ravenheart returned to lead the Church of All Worlds, Inc. in 2005 and currently serves as First Primate.^[8]

Role in Neopagan community

A sculptor as well as an author, Zell has created numerous images of Pagan deities—some based upon historical images, others his original creations. With his family, he runs Mythic Images, a business through which his artwork is distributed.^[7]

Green Egg

As the creator and original editor of the Neopagan magazine Green Egg in 1968,^[9] Zell-Ravenheart was an early popularizer of the term "Neo-Pagan". When Green Egg began publishing as a spirit-duplicated newsletter, Zell used the term "Neo-Pagan" to describe the new religious movement he was helping to create. Green Egg later grew to be a semi-glossy magazine with international distribution and, in an era before the Internet, its letters column provided a widely distributed public forum for discussion and networking.^[7] From 1994 to late 2001, Green Egg was edited by Maerian Morris, a former High Priestess of the Church of All Worlds.^[10]Green Egg is currently published as an e-zine, edited by Ariel Monserrat.^[11]

Grey School of Wizardry

Zell-Ravenheart is one of the founders and is the current Headmaster of the Grey School of Wizardry, an online school specializing in the teaching of a wide range of esoteric magic.^[12][13] The Grey School incorporated on March 14, 2005^[14][15][16] as a non-profit educational institution in the State of California. The school grew from lessons originally created by the Grey Council, a team of two dozen magickal practitioners who together with Zell-Ravenheart wrote the Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard and later the Companion for the Apprentice Wizard. While initially conceived for ages 11–17, the school also accepts adult students.^[17] The school comprises sixteen departments of study, various clubs and organizations, a forum area, a prefect/captain system, opportunities for awards and merits and a house/lodge system for adults and youths in which they can communicate directly with each other. Youth (under 18) students are sorted into four houses: Sylphs, Salamanders, Undines, and Gnomes. Adult (18+) students are sorted into four lodges: Society of the Four Winds, Order of the Dancing Flames, Coterie of the Flowing Waters, and Circle of the Standing Stones.^[18]

Speaker and teacher

Zell-Ravenheart regularly presents workshops, lectures, and ceremonies at Neopagan and New Age events, as well as at science fiction conventions and renaissance fairs. He and his wife "Morning Glory" Zell-Ravenheart have appeared at over 20 Starwood Festivals (and a few WinterStar Symposiums) over 25 years, and have maintained Church of All Worlds presence at Starwood, called the CAWmunity, for over a decade.^[1]

Oberon and Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart currently live in Sonoma County, California, where they are members of the Sonoma County Pagan Network. He is a frequent speaker at the organization's local activities, and has contributed articles to its website.^[19][20]

Health concerns

During a routine colonoscopy, doctors found a cancerous growth attached to Zell's colon, and removed it laparoscopically at Petaluma Valley Hospital. Following surgery, he underwent a six-month course of chemotherapy and has continued a reduced schedule of travel and teaching. Another surgery repaired a hernia at the cancer surgery incision in August 2009, but was otherwise not cancer-related. Zell regards himself as cured of the cancer.^[21]

Bibliography

• The Rites of Summer by Gwydion Pendderwen, Nemeton (1980) (art only)
• Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard. New Page Books, US (February 14, 2004) ISBN 1-56414-711-8, ISBN 978-1-56414-711-0
• Companion for the Apprentice Wizard New Page Books, US (January 1, 2006) ISBN 1-56414-835-1, ISBN 978-1-56414-835-3
• Creating Circles & Ceremonies: Rituals for All Seasons and Reasons (with Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart) New Page Books (August 1, 2006) ISBN 1-56414-864-5, ISBN 978-1-56414-864-3
• Dragonlore: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry. Dekirk, Ash "Leoparddancer", with Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. New Page Books (August 1, 2006) ISBN 1-56414-868-8, ISBN 978-1-56414-868-1
• Gargoyles: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry. Pesznecker, Susan "Moonwriter", with Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. New Page Books (February 15, 2007) ISBN 1-56414-911-0, ISBN 978-1-56414-911-4
• A Wizard's Bestiary. Dekirk, Ash "Leoparddancer", with Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. New Page Books (December 30, 2007) ISBN 1-56414-956-0, ISBN 978-1-56414-956-5

Discography

• The Church of All Worlds - Lecture on cassette ACE
• Men and the Goddess - Lecture (on cassette) ACE
• A Bouquet of Lovers - Lecture with Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart (on CD and cassette) ACE
• Living Your Own Myth - Lecture with Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart (on cassette) ACE

Media appearances

Oberon Zell-Ravenheart has been interviewed on many television and radio shows in the United States, England, and Australia. Some of these include:

References

External links

Articles and interviews

• Laneth Sffarlenn (February 11, 2008). "Wizards of Old and New, the Grey School is Calling For You!". The Witches' Voice. Retrieved 2010-05-11. 
• Online Wizardry Recognized with a 501(c)(3) Alternative Approaches article
• Interview With a Living Pagan Icon The Goddess interview by Mabyn Wind
• 10 Questions with Oberon Zell-Ravenheart The Magical Buffet

Additional reading

Other links

• Official Website
• Oberon Zell Ravenheart biography (Church of All Worlds) (Archived)
• Grey School of Wizardry
• Green Egg Zine - Legendary Journal of the Awakening Earth
• "Defining paganism". Isaac Bonewits (2007).
• Mythic Images website
• Oberon Zell Ravenheart Interview