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EVENTS:
*Pagan Pathfinders.
8-10pm in Brighton
This is a friendly group who are exploring Paganism in all of her facets. Weekly Monday evening workshops, the emphasis is on doing and experiencing. If you like to come along then please send an email with a bit about yourself.
Pagan Pathfinders or PP began in London in 1975, and still going strong!
Monday 28th July
This was the last one of this term. And for the occasion everyone brought cakes and lovely cream wine to celebrate, we watched the film “The Mists of Avalon”.
An enjoyable evening for the mind, but not to forget the bellies too!
A new group of PP will re-start again in the Autumn. Please email me if you are interested.
*Teen Pagan group
Once every 6 weeks.
I am also available for lectures and storytelling. They are for all kinds of occasions popular ones are; conferences, spiritual markets, medieval fairs. Workplaces, as well as schools, to learn and understand the variety of culture and our ancestral past.
Workshops and talk can be;
*On the Celtic wheel of the year,
*Dutch folklore and craft of Witte Wieven (White witches) en De Bokken rijders. (The Goat riders).
*Ritual trance dance within the sacred Circle
These will be about 45 min, and you are encouraged to ask of questions please!
The costs for the talks in the area that I live in are £20 and travel expenses.
If you would like to have more information about the hand fasting or any other Rite, or ask me questions, please feel free to email me here.
I am CRB checked, and have gained experience over the past 20 years in organising and hosting talks and festivals, and conducting rites. I am also a member of the Pagan Federation, Children of Artemis, and the Fellowship of Isis.
*Samhain on Saturday 1st November 2008
Samhain! The masked participants were lead over the “river” by the ferry man bearing a torch. Self made cakes and other lovely food to be shared by our ancestors laid out on the table. The decorations highly appropriate. We and them were certainly in our elements during the serious rite, and many felt a presence. But after the ceremony, we danced our socks off with the unforgettable music by honouring rock stars who passed away a long time ago!
*Mabon - Modron or Autumn Equinox 21st September 2008
A lovely celebration with many pagans. In our beloved garden. Bystanders who walked in the park looked puzzled when they saw a few of us dressed as Greek Mythology people complete with vine garlands . After gazing they said we looked like wood nymphs!Lovely. Re-enacting proved to be great fun. And the after celebration also, wine flowing as befitted our theme.
*Lammas festival in Eastbourne Saturday 2nd August 2008
Never been to this well organised festival before, a small group who came to the Lughnasadh celebrations travelled together by train to Eastbourne. In the rain, what did I say? I mean buckets and buckets full of rain! Arriving in the city centre completely drenched and watched shivering the Pentacle Drummers and the Morris dancers perform. Following the Giants, Herne and Andred, wow it must be heavy for the people inside them! Making our way to the tent area at the seafront and tempted to buy loads of goodies, which we naturally did. Nice to meet up with friends there. With a cup of hot chocolate in our hands, the rain stopped and the sun came out! Swopped our chocolates for Lammas beer and listened to the music. A Ritual involving the Morris dancers who acted out the harvest, and a lady who sang the John Barleycorn song! We smiled at ach other and sang it with her. When the ritual was over we all got an ear of grain to take home with us. Which we did, this time with a bit of Sunbeams.
*Lughnasadh Friday 1st August 2008
It took us awhile to make our minds up to hold this in the lovely garden again of the park, or hire out a hall. Rain and rain. The garden was the choice in the end.
The regular group of pagans came over to celebrate, and listen to the story of Lugh. A huge pick-nick and attempts to sing the song of John Barleycorn. The problem did not lie with the words but the tone in which to sing it. We had a request of a neophyte Ritual, and a coming of age ceremony. Which both were pleasantly surprised!
The finale was the burning of a small wicker man. We made him from branches of trees and held together by ivy. The decorations varied form flowers to berries.
*Litha or Midsummer Saturday 21st June 2008
The day of the Fey Folk to come out and play! This Open Ritual we installed ourselves in Queenspark. All the little children had garlands in their hair, and seated on the grass they looked like the fey themselves. A sweet and lovely day filled with nice memories and a ritual in a secluded garden where one or two passers-by walked in, and whispering smiling walking out again. A little bit of drizzling rain didn’t take away the fun. The Young King and the Old fought for the honour, and during the staff pretend fight, the wood cinders came sparkling off! As befitted the new young King won, and blessed the wine for us all to pass around.
*Baltaine, Open Ritual Friday 1st May 2008
My Outer Court and I celebrated our first Open Ritual in Brighton. At first we wanted to hold it in Stanmer Park, but as you know the weather was not that great the last couple of days, more like weeks, so we decided the last moment to hold it in a Community centre! And obviously on this day the sun was shining brightly! Walking along the way up, searching for a hawthorn tree to get a sprig to decorate the altar with. Hawthorn is a beautiful white flower but does not smell as lovely as it looks! We did find one, if you do please be careful when you cut it off, they are very strong and try to hold on to the tree!
Inside the building, we prepared the altar, and we even fabricated a Maypole with lovely coloured ribbons. The ones who were there, had put on their lovely robes and garlands in their hair. The ceremony conducted for the fey folk. Chanting and laughing, we spiral danced around the Maypole. And enjoying a feast of cakes and wine after. We had a great evening and all the kiddies who came along slept really well, I heard later! ;)
Once a month; on Wednesday 8-10. Merry Folk Brighton.
Pub moots are quite established now in the world of the craft. Started somewhere in the 80ties in houses and went on to the favourite place of most pagans; the pub! How this is planned depends totally upon the organisers. Some get together for a drink and social talk and others have speakers, and music, or ceremonies and outings together.
I have hosted a successful pub moot in The Hague in an Irish pub for years, and also helped in Glastonbury with one. Now we have a small team in Brighton and host one in the Seven Stars pub in Brighton. With a guest speaker. A donation is kindly asked.
1Wednesday 9th November 2008
Wow, again about 12 of us on the chairs and antique looking table in the back. A book with the Horned One on the cover helped some of the new ones to find us. The talk was about the different Modern Witches and Druids. Soon came the conversation, and I do believe that the laughter was heard in the lanes!
Wednesday 15th October 2008
The pub was warm ,the music jazzy, and a pumpkin on the table. There were about 15 of us, and we told each other real live encountered stories of ghosts. A night to sit close and let the rain fall, while holding on to a drink!
Wednesday 17th September 2008
Time again to head off to the moot this evening. Quite a few people this time, and some new ones too. The evening was quickly occupied with the questions of the newcomers, and the relation of gypsies with the craft.
Wednesday 16th July
Heading for the cosy pub in Brighton, with guests from Gatwick area, we nestled ourselves with a drink. Sasha was happy to hold a talk about the Elizabethan and Shakespearean Witches in theatre. She herself is an actress and that was pleasantly to hear in the quotes she recited from the diversity of plays. An interesting discussion afterwards and seriousness with laughter was a well balanced evening.
Wednesday 12th May 2008
Merry Witches Pagan folk of Brighton
Having looked at a variety of pubs beforehand we were looking forward to tonight. And we obviously had to choose our launching on the football night! The city centre was jam-packed. Never the less, the evening was mild and we all headed towards the Mash Tun pub in the upstairs room. Settled in and people from London came over to meet us. The manager came up the steps and was sorry; they double booked the room! That meant find another one! Brighton has many lovely pubs, but most had already the rooms booked! Strolling around and falling over the queues of people waiting to get in the pubs to watch the screens. We came to the seven stars pub, looked great. Once inside it was cosy, candles at the tables no TV, so no shouting fans, grin. We installed ourselves in the leathered seats with red candles on the tables and bluesy music in the background, with drinks yet again. And instead of the planned talk for that evening, our conversations went from the meaning of the word moot, till the Runes and we had a good time!
Once every 4 weeks
Sunday 16th November 2008
Our attempts to drum and chant are getting stronger. Recognising ancient and modern chants from all pagan ways singing together is a fab experience. Especially when you get in tune with each other and the energy is rising.
Saturday 18th October
Everything set out with drums, ocarina’s, rattles and shakers. All who came to the drumming session brought their instruments and nibbles and drinks. Very soon in the mood for chanting and drumming. One of the storytellers told us the beautiful story of Tam Lin, listening while closing our eyes we could see the horses approaching in the woods. We had a great time, and in the end a shamanic dance was enacted.
* Open Rituals Outer court Coven
In the Olden days these festivals were for the whole community, from adults to teens to kiddies to sheep to chickens to…just kidding! But you get the picture, for the whole community! We would like to hold the ceremonies in the Open Air, forest or beach, and go with the seasonal celebrations of the Celtic Wheel of the year. If you would like to attend, please drop me a line.
*Diary-Blog of a Wytch and Mistress of Magic (Mom);
This website exists since 2004 and I begin to include some of the highlights and cycles of the year 2008 to it. Enjoy reading!
*Witch fest Saturday 8th November 2008
Barely a week later to Croydon for Witch fest. Choosing from many speakers is always a difficult one, but in the end we were all pleased to hear and see old friends yet again. The little ones kept busy by colouring in and a wand making workshop. The glitter and feathers followed a trail back home that night.
*PF Gaia Conference in London 27th September 2008
To London once again, for the conference. I was kindly asked to hold a talk and workshop “Ritual dance in the Circle”. The stalls were lovely, and nice to meet up with friends. The dance and talk was well visited and with a rebel yell we danced the spiral dance!
The end ritual by Herne’s tribe was colourful and shamanic. Tired but happy we went home late that evening.
*Witchfest Saturday 10th May 2008
I have been to international Witchfest before, it is a massive fest held in East-Croydon, near London. The fist time I was invited to help out with the open stage closing ritual by the Circle of the Four Winds. This time around I was asked yet again to help out in the Open stage Ritual, and asked to hold a talk about Ritual and dance.
The trains were on time, and the sunbeams were glowing in the high street that afternoon. Entering the big building we noticed that there were not a many people coming, I guess they rather spend the Saturday on the beach! Never the less, the ones that did come were dressed up and I heard quite good feedback in the corridors! My talk went fine, about 35 people, women and men, turned up to listen and trance dance on Danish gypsy music! We switched our daily garb for ritual robes, had half an hour to practise the well known R. Kipling song. Waiting in the coulisses, we were asked by a filming crew from Sky TV if they could tape us. We had no objections to this. Most of us could not stay after to watch the music, so I headed home too, to my kiddies.
*Queens Park May Fest Sunday 4th May 2008
A lovely initiative of a group of artists and theatre! The sun was out, and the people had a pick-nick on the grass, and kids swirled their Frisbees in the air! A big May pole was erected in the grass before the stage, and everyone wanted to have a go at dancing .A play of the Tudors and music and a tug of war with the rope that broke!
*Alex’ Commemorate day Sunday 27th April 2008
I was invited by Vivienne, to come to this day. Alex died 20 years ago, and I could not attend his last Rite. In The Hague at that moment in time was a big paranormal market organised, and the coven of Elsy and Kobus attended that, I was still a maiden priestess in the Coven. Elsy left for the funeral, and asked the group to stay on, while she went to London.
Anyway, 20 years later, there was a commemorate day planned to celebrate the life of Alex. Because I live in Brighton now, I could go and was looking forward to meet everyone in the art studio in London. Maxine was there also, and Vivienne and Chris and Rufus and their Coven conducted the ritual. The ritual consisted of Alex favourite chant sung in canon by the attended mostly senior priest-esses in the craft, and a passage that he wrote himself was read, after that a wheel of cord magic to spread out the beams of the web of the Great Mother to all. The cakes and wine, and as fitted that day; the wine was already half finished before the Ritual! It all ended with a lot of laughter, and lovely prepared food, and book signings by Maxine. We talked for awhile and remembered not only this day, but also the latest big Mabon or, autumn equinox held in Glastonbury in 1989. Fun to meet and greet a lot of witches from the UK, America and South-Africa!
*Belenus Conference Saturday 12th April 2008
After 8 months of preparation, sweet dreams and nightmares too, the day of the conference finally arrived! The two venues were on walking distance from each other. The beautiful Medieval Inn-pub and the Unitarian shaped like a Greek Temple, both in the city centre of Brighton. All of our speakers and stallholders turned up on the day, and had a good time. We wished there would be more people to come and celebrate this with us, but maybe next time! See also the article I wrote on it in the Pagan Dawn, of Imbolg this year.