Vortex FAQ

Questions

What is your intention?
Many people ask, "what is the Vegas Vortex?"
What types of events do you host?
Where are you located?
Where should I stay?
Why would I want to attend a Fire Circle??
I don't know anybody in the Vegas Vortex. What kind of people are you?
Alchemy? Huh, what's that?
I don't drum or dance, what's in it for me?
Vegas? Why would I want to go there?
I don't really camp, but I want to attend one of your events. Which would be best for me?
What happens to all the money you make off these events?

Answers

What's your intention?

We create safe and sacred space for deep play. We are here to celebrate the great mystery of life and express our gratitude to our friends and loved ones by co-creating heartfelt offerings of magic, art, and music. When we gather together here in the Vegas Vortex is to empower each other to become our highest vision, and when you attend one of our events, we will honor you and empower you to be who you are. We are rowdy minstrels of divine decadence.

Many people ask, "what is the Vegas Vortex?"

The Vegas Vortex is a community of friends, artists, musicians, performers and wisdom-keepers centered in Las Vegas, Nevada. We host an ongoing series of fire circles, magickal events, concerts, playshops, drum circles, dances and empowering weekend retreats. Our mission is to bring people together in community, to explore and share, to inspire positive transformation, to support and celebrate each other through various life enriching experiences. We welcome all seekers of truth and beauty. Please consider this your invitation to participate in our growing magical community.

Jeff Magnus McBride and Abbi Spinner McBride have been facilitating community drum and dance events and magical fire festivals all over the world for over fifteen years. With their many talented friends in the Vegas Vortex, they host three other major magickal celebrations in Las Vegas, including MayFire, Fall Fest/Bonedance, and Mysterium, a gathering of alchemists.

What types of events do you host?

We host three major magickal gatherings each year:
Mysterium: A Conference on the Royal Art of Alchemy, February - Candlemass
MayFire: Fire Circle Alchemy, May - Beltaine
FallFest: Harvest HomeComing, October - Samhain
... plus the Las Vegas Witches and Wizard's Ball,and BoneDance.

Detailed information about all the Vegas Vortex events can be found on this web site in the Events section.

In addition, many of us who live here in the Vegas Vortex offer classes, events, life enriching workshops and gatherings in...

• Performance magic
• Drumming
• Dance
• Ritual magic
• Shamansim
• Personal growth
• Chanting
• Creativity
• Meditation
• Alchemy
• Living mythology
• Mask making
• Women's Mysteries
• Dreamwork
• and other activities.

Where are you located?

Our courses and classes are held at various locations in and around Las Vegas, NV. For more information, or to find out where a specific event will be held, please read the event information posted on this web site, or call Abbi Spinner McBride at 702-450-0021.

Where should I stay?

If you've met one of our friends here at the Vegas Vortex, why not call them up and ask if you can stay with them for a night or two and save hotel costs? Many of our events are held at National parks, where the camping fee is paid for you as part of your registration. Most often, our events are held at the Valley of Fire state park or in Las Vegas where you can stay with friends, or one of the many inexpensive bargain hotels that made Las Vegas famous. Check www.HotelDiscounts.com for more info.

Why would I want to attend a Fire Circle??

The Fire is our sacred work and play...
Here, now, an invitation to the Fire, from the Spirit of the Flame to the moth who's fluttering nearby, enchanted, dis-tract-ed, drawn toward the Light. I say, "Burn up. Turn those tiny wings to ashes and die to your old self. Be re-born in Fire, re-born in Light, like the phoenix, rising. Come into me, all the way, unafraid, unblinking, and unflinching. Learn the lessons I have to teach, of transformation, of shedding, of ashes and of Light. Learn how to consume with grace, and how to harness the power of terrifying beauty." An invitation to transform, to trance-form, to be re-born. A welcoming to release that which stands in the way of becoming your own highest vision. A door opening. A new possibility bursting into being-ness. The shells burn away, the past becomes ashen. The only moment that matters is Now, eternally, divinely, exquisitely Now. Being with the Fire, being near the Fire, becoming the Fire. Burning away what's in the way to make way for the new. May we all dance in the ashes, and fly with the sparks....

I don't know anybody in the Vegas Vortex. What kind of people are you?

We are alchemists, transforming all we touch into gold. We come from many different backgrounds, transcending and including all life-affirming paths.

Alchemy? Huh, what's that?

Alchemy is the art of spiritualizing matter. The Egyptian origin of Alchemy means "of the dark earth." If you think about it, every invention of humankind is created of matter that springs from the earth. An alchemist creates from this raw and primal material. Through the magic of Alchemy, this primal material, or prima material is transformed into gold. Historically, the ancient alchemists were said to have found secret ways to transmute base lead into pure gold. On a spiritual level, this is transforming ordinary material into spiritual insight, inspiration and illumination. The inspired artist can take a simple brush and a smudge of paint and transform a blank canvas into an awe-inspiring artwork, or simple dots on paper into an uplifting musical masterpiece. A magician can take a pack of cards and shatter reality with a sleight of his hand.

We have more great stuff about alchemy on this web site.

I don't drum or dance, what's in it for me?

Our exploration of the sacred arts is not limited to drumming or dance. We are here to explore and express ourselves creatively, artistically and magically. Many people attend our events to find kinship, and like minded friends for stimulating conversations. We discover new inspiration, and are refreshed by new ideas and re-awaken creativity, while connecting to a vibrant community of successful artists.

Vegas? Why would I want to go there?

Geographically, Las Vegas is further away from EVERY major city than ANY major city. Las Vegas is a city of light; it has more light per square inch than anywhere else in the world. Las Vegas is, perhaps, the most inexpensive and cost-effective city to travel to, as a vacation/retreat destination. Travel, lodging and food prices are all extraordinarily reasonable.

I don't really camp, but I want to attend one of your events. Which would be best for me?

Mysterium is a three day indoor event. Most folks stay at friend's houses. If you're new to our community, check out one of the many hotels in town.

What happens to all the money you make off these events?

It costs money to put a gathering together and to run the Vegas Vortex in an administratively responsible and legal way. We rent venues and locations to gather in. We buy stuff like wood to burn, event insurance, candles, incense, food altar treats and bottled water to refresh the fire circle. We acquire and store assets like the magical supplies trailer, drummer's benches, prayer flags and fire rings which are used event after event.

With 'profit' we also make charitable donations and pay a highly qualified managing partner some consideration for doing the day to day, between event work of keeping the books, updating the web site, and oh so many other things.

We believe in financial and organizational transparency and invite you to review the financial and organizational information we have made available on this web site.