Beltane

The Beltane period has been very busy and I have not had time to post. So what have I been up to?

The page layout and printing of the Beltane edition of the Glastonbury Goddess Temple Newsletter. This quarterly newsletter is full of Goddess articles and news and is mailed to supporters of the Temple. As good things never come singly another page layout job came along - the summer edition of Northern Earth an excellent quarterly journal that caters for anyone with an inquiring interest in historical landscapes, folk lore and custom, earth-based consciousness and spirituality or a 'Gaian' vision of the Earth.

But Beltane was not entirely spent with InDesign on my Apple Mac! I spent two days driving around some of the sacred sites of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire with a delightful lady from the USA who was on her first visit to Europe and wanted to see things, 'off the main tourist trail.'

The first day we visited two turf labyrinths (Julian's Bower at Alkborough and the Caerdroia labyrinth at Dalby north of York) before visiting Britain's tallest standing stone, the Rudston Monolith. Rudston is at the heart of a sacred site recorded by the Romans as a centre of worship of the Goddess Brigantia.

The second day we visited The Three Sisters at Boroughbridge - triple standing stones that are unfortunately better known as The Devil's Arrows. These stones must have also impressed the Celtic Brigantes as they built an important settlement nearby. Then we drove to various sites along the river Wharfe, sacred to the Goddess Verbeia, before dropping into Ilkley to see the Roman Goddess Altars that are displayed in the parish church.

Thornborough Henges are not far from the Three Sisters. This is one of the most important Neolithic structures in Britain. The Henges are on private land so it was a joy to visit the central henge for the Sacred Brigantia Beltane celebrations. This is a relaxed gathering to celebrate the return of the sun and the start of summer. Heading this post is a photo I took of Brigantia and Herne at Thornborough.

Oh and I have finally taken the plunge and started Irish Gaelic evening classes. Now I am travelling for a while beginning in Glastonbury before flying to Boston (USA not Lincolnshire :) )

Lady of the Labyrinth

My partner and I have just returned from a weekend of sacred dance with June Watts deep in rural Wales. We stayed in a lovely early twentieth century house set in a delightful wooded valley. Lambs in the fields, swathes of daffodils in the gardens, everything bursting with life in the sunshine. We created a traditional seven circuit labyrinth in the garden and danced to honour Ariadne and explore Her myth. Beloved Ariadne, source of creativity in nature and human culture. Some words of Homer came to mind, Diadalos created a dancing place for Ariadne of the lovely tresses. How the Goddess loves the dancing place!

We remembered how the Greeks had spun the myth to discredit the Minoan way. The bull turned into a monster, The labyrinth as a place of human sacrifice. Ariadne portrayed as the betrayer. We danced for truth, for beauty, for Ariadne. One dance I found particularly evocative. Set to an ancient melody with an unfamiliar rhythm it became our processional dance for those who would leap the bull and find life.

One final thing made the weekend perfect. The secluded spot meant it was possible to experience real darkness. I live close enough to the city to be bathed in light pollution at night. At home it is never possible to experience real darkness and the utter beauty of star light. The human heart yearns for the peace and beauty of real darkness. To enter the dark is to enter the labyrinth, to walk an unknown path, to feel the Goddess there beside you and at the still centre touch timeless eternity.

Walking the labyrinth

Last Saturday dawned bright and clear in the gentle late January light. Now is a time to look forward expectantly to the beautiful festival of Imbolc, sacred to the Goddess Brighid. High on the Howardian Hills to the north of York there lies a turf labyrinth cut in the traditional seven circuit Caerdroia pattern. I love to go there and walk the labyrinth as a journey with the Goddess, a little act of love. The journey to this remote spot was truly evocative of Imbolc. Snowdrops in full bloom dotted the verges. They look so tiny and vulnerable but they possess such spiritual strength. The first willow katkins were bursting from the branches and the light was truly beautiful. Blessed be the Goddess for the sheer beauty of this season. May we all be touched by Brighid as we welcome Her to our hearth and home.