EXPURGO! marks our tenth annual celebration of impermanence and renewal, as we transcend the past and pass beyond the veil into the primal potential of a fresh future with wild abandon.

PRESENTED BY: METTLE INSTITUTE, RINO ART DISTRICT, INVISIBLE CITY, MANOS SAGRADOS, RITUALCRAVT, TWIST & SHOUT, OFF THE BOTTLE, DEEP SPACE DRIVE-IN, ROCKY HORROR COLORADO

NOVEMBER 10th ALTAR BURN:

The Altar Burn is a ritual of quiet release, where attendees gather around a fire to complete the Hallowmass ceremonies by burning the combustable offerings gathered over the preceding three nights. In a circle of reverence, participants witness the transformation of these relics—tokens of memory, intention, and spirit—as they are surrendered to the flames. This final act embodies the end of a shared journey, as embers rise, carrying the completed Egregore, the whispered intentions, and all of the farewells into the night. This ritual is a somber communion with the Āoth, closing this Tenth Annual Hallowmass with a profound moment of collective release.

• Meet at Dusk (Approximately 5:30pm) 
• Riverside: Johnson-Habitat Park, Denver 
• All are welcome. 

HALLOWMASS; THE EXOCOSM AND THE EGREGORE

THE TRIAD OF IMPERMANENCE 

The Egregore¹ reflects and embodies a Triad of Impermanence: Mayat Ōm (those spirits that have passed), Mayat Öd (the impermanence of the physical), and (Ō) Expurgo! (the release of attachments). The Egregore exists in cycles, each phase representing a different aspect of impermanence, from birth to growth to ultimate release.

Each night offers a unique sensory baptism in scent, sight, and sound. 

The Egregore’s Birth: Mayat Ōm – October 31

The Egregore is born from the collective energy of the Āöth, nourished by the memories, influences, and spirits of those who have passed. Each participant contributes to the Egregore’s creation by offering something of those who have come before—whether loved ones, ancestors, or figures who have had a profound impact on their lives.

The Rite: The birth of the Egregore is celebrated as participants place offerings on the Altar of Gna², symbolizing the Egregore’s formation from the essence of the departed.

The Egregore’s Growth: Mayat Öd – November 1

The Egregore grows and gains complexity as it absorbs the remnants of what has been on the physical plane—places, institutions, systems, jobs, and material things that have shaped our worlds but are no more. This phase represents the evolution of the Egregore as it integrates these collective memories and transitions through the impermanence of ideas, events, and systems.

Ritual: The Āöth offer symbols of these impermanent entities, contributing to the Egregore’s growth. The ritual acknowledges the transient nature of all things, allowing the Egregore to evolve by recognizing the effects of these elements.

The Egregore’s Release: (Ō) Expurgo – November 2

The culmination of the Egregore’s cycle comes with the act of release. Having been nurtured by the energies of what was, the Egregore now leads the participants in a collective act of letting go—of ideas, attachments, outmoded patterns, behaviors, relationships, and even the Egregore itself. This is the ultimate expression of love in sacrifice: recognizing that all things must come to an end and need letting go in order to make way for new beginnings.
Ritual: In this final ritual, members of the Āöth write down those things they wish to release. The Egregore, now fully realized, guides them through a ritual fire where all offerings are burned, symbolizing the release and dissolution of the Egregore itself.

THE ALTAR OF GNA

The centerpiece of the itchy-O rite of Hallowmass is the altar, upon which the Āoth leave their offerings to the ultimate passing of all things. Over the years, many have found solace, catharsis, and even resolution in the fleeting yet eternal conjunction represented in this rite.  

More than mere symbol, this altar is a bridge between that which has passed, that which is passing, and the promise of that which is yet to be. After the ceremony offerings will be burnt:
Mayat Ōm: Offerings to honor the souls who have influenced our lives in their journey and their passing.

Mayat Öd: Offerings given to honor the inanimate, such as places, institutions, and ideas that have influenced our lives in their passing.

(Ō) Expurgo: Anything the celebrant is bringing to closure and/or letting go of including behaviors, habits, relationships, outmoded patterns of thought, etc. 

The itchy-O’s legend grows, not as a hard held belief, but as a new myth in the making—art, music, and community as an egregore, a process that gains power through the meaning each individual applies to it. All of the offerings will be burned in a free public ceremony:

• Sunday, November 10th
• Meet at Dusk (Approximately 5:30pm) 
• Riverside: Johnson-Habitat Park, Denver 
• All are welcome. 

1. An egregore (also spelled egregor; from French égrégore, from Ancient Greek ἐγρήγορος, egrēgoros ‘wakeful’) is a concept in Western esotericism of a non-physical entity or thoughtform that arises from the collective thoughts and emotions of a distinct group of individuals. (Wikipedia) ↩︎
2. The Queen of Absence, the great negator, terrible lover of the HAGARATH. (The itchy-O Sacred Codec, available to Patreon supporters)  ↩︎