Busy, happy, sad times.

Sorry for being so neglectful of my blog of late but October came and went in a whirlwind of excitement and sadness.

Firstly on the 10th October my Grandma passed away. She was a lovely woman who I will miss deeply. My grandma loved her family and when I was younger she used to babysit me and come on family holidays.

I even made a documentary about her for my uni course work and with my Mum we looked after her so she was still in her own home right until the end.

It seems funny that I used just two paragraphs to sum up how I feel but words have been difficult to put down which is why it has been such a long time since her passing before I could write anything.

Gone, but always in my heart. <3

Also in October I went to several events. The first one was the Samhain Pagan future festivals in Bedford.

This was quite a small event and the best part was. I got to drum along with the pentacle drummers!

Celtic Moon at the Samhain pagan future fest!

The second event was the Samhain Faery ball and fair in Glastonbury.

We went up on the Friday to see Linda Ravenscroft in her beautiful shop on Glastonbury hight street before booking into the Travelodge.

The next morning we had breakfast with Breaca and Vandrake from Cetlic moon before meeting up with other circle members to shop in the faerie faire.

This year, because of everything which had been going on, I decided to purchase a very special item. A Fayble by the very talented sculptor Armorel Hamilton. www.armorelhamilton.com

I have drooled over her little fluffy creations for years and have wanted my own for a long time and I just decided to go for it.

So meet Marshall Binx the Pine Sprig!

He is wonderful and I called him Marshall in remembrance of my Grandma, who loved Marshmallows.

He is a one of a kind Fayble, fully poseable  and has a little bell on his tail. I absolutely love him! <3 nbsp="">

I also brought an axe head necklace from Terry English for Leon and a Elen pendant from fellow artist Laura Daligan.

In the afternoon we headed back to the Travelodge to get changed for the ball. This year I decided to go as a tribal fae warrior, complete with roe deer skull head dress, war paint and spear.

Faery warrior troupe! 

The nights entertainment was provided by the Dolemen and a wonderful band called Rapaljie. I have never seen a man in a kilt playing a bagpipe with a Helmet on fire and fire coming out of the instrument. It has to be seen to be believed!

The next day we went back into Glastonbury town to mooch around and spend more money before heading off to the Camelot inn for a hearty meal with the other members of Celtic Moon and friends. It was a lovely evening but we had to head off early to get home before the impending storm which had been forecasted.

Rather than go on the A303 the Sat Nav suggested the M4 route home. Of course this then meant we were travelling through the center of London of a very wet Sunday night. Luckily we got home safely and the storm didn't effect us too much.

On the 1st of November it was my friends Halloween party in Essex, so after work I went home, got ghoulishly dressed as Morticia Addams and Leon as Gomez Addams for a fun night of chatting, laughing and dancing.

Phew! What a busy time it has been!

Until next time!

Celtic Moon anniversary!

I can not believe it has been a year since I joined this wonderful pagan community as a circle member.

I am still very pleased to be a member and I feel like I have grown so much in my path since sharing it with my Celtic Moon brothers and sisters.

Here is to more pagan adventures! 

Rochester! Sweeps! Morris! Faeries! Oh my!

What a blast of a bank holiday that was!

Another Beltane has come and gone and with it the Jack in the Green's have been on parade. Last year I went to the Hasting's Jack in the Green festival but this year we decided to go along for all three days of the Sweeps festival which is a wonderful gathering of Morris dancers and some great folk bands.

On Saturday we met up with Esther and Martin to check out the faerie event that I would be exhibiting at on the Monday. Here we got to catch up with the wonderful faerie artist Linda Ravenscroft and the beautiful Bryony and Bruce Whistlecraft with their Woodland Wild elf locks stall.

In the afternoon we meet up with Celtic Moon members, Breaca, Vandrake, Midnightstar and Feena who had come all the way from Norfolk for the event. It was lovely to finally meet!

         Celtic Moon sisters. Photo from Feena and used with permission.

On the Sunday we went back to Rochester and met up with some of the Morris dancers we befriended during last years folk week and enjoy the music on offer. In the evening I got my gothic faerie gear on for a Faery rock night with some great bands including Lightwish, a Nightwish tribute act. Suffice to say I knew all the words and sang along.

Monday was an early start to the Royal Function rooms and set up my Wylde Embers stall. I have done a few stalls in my time but this was the first time under the Wylde Embers banner and I was a bit nervous on how I would be received.

I had no worries. Everyone who came to look at my stall only had kind words to say about my work and when I told them I had only just started pyrography in February they were stunned.

I made a few sells which I was really pleased with.

In the afternoon was for me the highlight of the festival, the parade. 

I have done the parade before as part of Celtic Moon but this time I was part of the faerie entourage.

Sporting wings made by the talented Twinkle. 

http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TwistedTwinkle

Faeries on parade!

The weather during the weekend was glorious and I had a great time but seemed over all too quickly.

Avalon moot

On Saturday was a Celtic Moon moot long anticipated. Ever since Priestess Breaca started walking the Avalonian path we have watched in wonder as this new spiritual direction took hold of her in a very creative and positive way and last night she gave a talk with a little more insight to what she has learned in the past few months.

Breaca's passion for Avalon has been infectious but that is not hard with such a mysterious and magical place that is Glastonbury, thought to be the physical reality of the Isle of Avalon.

Through Arthurian legends Avalon is known as a sacred place, where Arthur was taken to be healed so that he will one day return to lead the people of Britain once more.

Glastonbury is a melting pot of culture and religious belief. Here the Christians pilgrimage to see the sacred thorn and the pagans come to worship the Goddess in the landscape.

My own experiences of Glastonbury cemented my belief in my path.

I first went to Glastonbury in 2009 when I was not sure where my spirituality lay. Once surrounded by the wonder that is Glastonbury, sitting next to the Chalice well and reflecting on own my beliefs I decided that I couldn't be anything but pagan. It is part of me even if I found it hard to define. Since that first trip I have been a further 4 times for various reasons and I have loved each trip.

Back in 2009 in the Chalice Well garden

In Breaca's talk she gave an overview about Glastonbury and it's sacred landscape in relation to Avalon and how it has become this amazing spiritual centre for many many faiths.

She talked about the different traditions of the Avalon path and about the Goddess aspects and how they relate to Avalon. The Avalonian path is very female centred but that is not to say that the God is ignored.

After her presentation we moved into the altar space, which was decorated beautifully with images of the Lady of Avalon and the Nine Morgans which Breaca made from clay.

We sat in a circle and were all presented with a candle and our own Lady of Avalon sculpture.

My little Lady of Avalon on my Altar.

In the circle we then went on an Avalon Immrama Journeying Meditation, lead by Breaca and I found it very very moving.

The last few weeks have been full of turmoil, sadness and disappointment but at the same time overwhelming clarification. The meditation made me put these things in to perspective and I realised that I had to learn from them otherwise what was the point.

After the Immrama we each lit our little candles with a flame from Avalon and sent love, light and healing to those who need it most. Our candles are now part of a large network of Avalon candles that are used every month as a light for peace.

This moot was a long moot. I didn't get home until 2am but it was worth it for the knowledge I have gained and the strength I received from being with my Celtic Moon sisters.

The Avalon path is something I would like to look into further and many of the things Breaca talked about last night rang true with how I feel about things, especially when it comes to the Maiden, Mother, Crone aspect of the Goddess. Technically I am no longer a maiden (as much as I like to think I am) but I am yet a mother, so where do I fit?

Breaca wrote a blog post about the nine Morgans which you can read here: http://blackcatsandbroomsticks.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/the-nine-morgens-of-avalon/

Where do you fit? Are you Maiden, lover, mother or crones?

Lover here. ;)

I would highly recommend reading Breaca's blog to learn more about the Avalon path or wait to read her book which will be a fascinating read when it is published.

Links:
http://www.kathyjones.co.uk/- Main author of the Pristess of Avalon
http://www.goddesstemple.co.uk/- Goddess Temple in Glastonbury
http://www.awakeningavalon.com/

Celtic moon pagan project: Shamanism

In my last blog post I mentioned that Celtic Moon circle members have been asked to undertake a personal project and I have chosen Shamanism.


Why Shamanism?

I don't want to be a shaman, someone who heals others by retriving their lost souls from the otherworld (one definition) but I want to know about shamanic practices which have always fascinated me yet at the same time scared me too. I have never used drugs to induce spiritual visions or wish to but I can not help be curious about it.

So what am I hoping to achieve during this project?
Discovering what being a shaman means, in history and in modern day society.
Shamans in different cultures- Africa, Sami, Native America and other First Nation countries.
Celtic Shamanism- Druidry?
Riding the Shaman's horse - power of drumming.
Power animals
Shamanism in art

What shamanism means to me.
As a teenager I had an interest in Native American culture. At school I learnt about different tribes and their beliefs. This was a catalyst for me to look at Native American art and I fell in love with the animal carvings of the Coast Salish tribes.
Anyone who knew me at school knew I loved whales and dolphins and so the stylised killer whales of Salish art captured my imagination.

A project at secondary school where I made a totem pole.

After this time I began looking at paganism and witchcraft but the draw of the spiritual path of the Native Americans did not leave me.

Little coincidences started happening. When I met my boyfriend he was dressed as a 'Native American Indian'. I had a psychic reading in which I was told I had a spirit guide of a maiden Native American (doesn't everyone?) I liked listening to music inspired by the chants and drums of the tribes. However it was not until I birthed my own shamanic drum when I decided that I would look deeper into shamanism.
I started to attended open drum circles and on hearing the beats of the drums could go on journeys far better than any meditation I have tried (which frankly I am rubbish at as my mind is way too busy.)

When my priestess Breaca set us the pagan project to do from now until November I immediately knew what I wanted to study. Having studied the Bardic grade of Druidry and feeling that the next step of the course, the Ovate grade sound much more like what I wanted to learn to begin with; tree lore, sharp shifting, earth mysteries, etc, I concluded that Druidry is a Celtic Shamanism and my next step should be to look at Shamanism on a much wider scale.

My patron Goddess Elen to me is much more shamanistic in nature than most Goddess I have come across. The reindeer herders of the Sami people also have shamans and although Elen is not mentioned in their culture there are many aspects of their beliefs that ring true with how I feel about Elen.

There is something about shamanism, how it has been portrayed in film, books and games which does make me reluctant on how far I should go with my studying. Most of the practices I am interested in are very difficult to do as someone who house shares with other and already find my collection of antlers 'a bit weird'. How are they going to react when I tell them I am going to fast for three days, lick a mushroom and go on a vision quest?

This journey can't be all consuming as much as I would love it too be as I have commitments in the mundane that must be kept in order for me to survive and to keep a healthy relationship with friends, family and my partner.
So my studying will involve reading, taking part in drumming circles, performing ritual and other forms of exploration which won't see me jumping on a plane to find a mentor halfway across the world and call myself Orca Moon.... Mores the pity.

My beloved drum.

Wylde Embers

Hi everyone!

Sorry for the lack of blog posts of late. Had a lot of personal issues to sort out over the last couple of weeks.

I have also been keeping busy doing my pyrography. I have now created a Facebook page for my wood burning which I have called Wylde Embers.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wylde-Embers-Pyrography/502518209783842

I have created several boxes including a Elen of the ways box and a Avalon tarot box for Zee.

Elen of the ways box featuring a doe. 

Zee asked for a box to keep her Avalon oracle cards safe and asked that it included images associated with Avalon.

I got busy sketching out some ideas on paper which I then drew on to the box. As I worked more ideas for images came to mind and the box turned out to be one of the easiest designs I had made. I look forward to next weekends moot when I can give it to her.

This was based on a image her husband took of her greeting the sunrise.

Have also been creating totem key rings and I made a key ring for one of my work colleagues of his pet dog Diesel.

I have been a digital artist for over ten years, I love creating art in this medium but I had a hard time explaining to others how the images are created. With pyrography nothing needs to be explained. You can easily tell that all the markings have been created using a hot tool.

Everyone seems to really like my new art medium and I am loving my new craft. You can find me busy burning designs almost every day and I am getting commissions.

One such commission was for a key ring featuring a antlered goddess form and a copy of a box I had already made but had sold before.

Also I have been busy studying for my Celtic Moon pagan project. The purpose of the project is to dedicate time to explore our spirituality and perhaps look at other paths that perhaps have always intrigued us but never been more than a passing interest.

For me I have chosen to look at shamanism in it's many disguises but mostly the use of drums in shamanism. I will explain this further in a future blog post.

Until next time!

Moots, friendship, drumming and pyrography!

The weekend just gone was very busy for me.

One of our Celtic Moon sisters, Fawn, was back in the UK after being away since the Pagan Pilgrimage last year!

After work on Saturday I went to pick up Fawn from the train station and then we were off to Dartford to see the rest of the Celtic Moon clan for a social get together.

Also when I arrived at Breaca's home she told me she had a surprise for me which turned out to be a beautiful sculpture of my patron Goddess Elen playing a drum. I absolutely adore it!

Photo by Breaca.

Afterward the meet up I drove back home and Fawn stayed the night with me as she needed to go back to Canterbury and I was headed there the next day because of work. Plus she got to meet Keijo!

With the lovely Fawn

The Celtic moon circle all together 

The next day I dropped Fawn off in Canterbury although I couldn't say goodbye very well so I will say it here.

It was lovely to see you again Fawn. Good luck for the next stage of your journey and see you again later in the year. Xx

On Sunday night it was a trip over the Dartford bridge for the Celtic Moon Grove moot at Esther and Martin's abode. A lovely relaxing evening followed with chat, yummy soup and discussion about the future. Rather than drive home that night I decided to stay and enjoy E and M's company a little bit longer.

On Monday we went into town to trawl the charity shops and picked up some amazing bargains, including this little guy, who I just fell in love with and couldn't leave behind!

He is hand carved out of Meadswood from New Zealand and at a pound he was a steal! 

Then Esther took me to the QD store and to the aisle which contained lots and lots of plain wooden boxes, perfect for pyrography. I almost brought their whole stock!

That afternoon I showed Violetstar the joys of pyrography and being a talented artist she took to it straight away.

That evening I went along to the Southend Dolmen grove moot and Imbolc ritual.

This was a lovely gathering of souls which also included a talk on natural dentistry and a raffle. I didn't win anything from the raffle but I did put in one of my pyrography key rings as a prize which someone won and said they really liked it. 

At the end of the night we gathered in a circle to do some drumming which I really enjoyed and once the beat picked up and I felt it I began chanting. I wasn't expecting to do so but because I have been attending the Shamanic drumming circles over on the Isle of Sheppey where shamanic drumming includes chanting I just couldn't help it. 

When the drums quietened and came to a stop I was surprised that people actually thanked me for doing the chanting!

As it was quite late one I was invited stay over another night with the lovely Esther and Martin.

The next day saw us going back to QD's to get more wooden boxes and doing more pyrography.

A lesson in pyrography. Photo by Esther.

Day like these don't come around often but I love it when they do!

J D Mcpherson, Brighton and Wassail! Oh my!

The last couple of days have pretty much summed up what being a Rockabilly Pagan is all about.

Firstly it was Leon's birthday (21 again) and I got him tickets to see J D McPherson in Brighton. On Friday it began to snow and it was touch and go whether we would go or not but thankfully we did.

J.D played an amazing set to a very busy and enthusiastic sell out crowd. The band with him were also fantastic as well as the supporting act Sean Rowe.

I remember first hearing the song 'North side gal' and immediately brought the album July last year and when J.D played the song live I felt that same rush of excitement like hearing it for the first time again.

The turn out at the venue was great, considering it was so cold and had been snowing all day it hadn't deterred the bandana wearing chicks and the slick haired greasers. I realised that this was my first event where I had been surrounded by other rockabillies and I loved it!

After the gig we drove to our lodgings for the night in Newhaven and yes it was still snowing!

The next day the snow had eased off and we went back to Brighton to do some shopping. I love visiting the laines and the flea markets. I didn't find any vintage bargains but I did get a lovely green fleece jacket by Gekko Camden and a t-shirt from cyber dog.

In the afternoon we left for Eastbourne for the Pentacle Drummers first annual Wassail.

Don't know what a wassail is? Check out :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wassailing

We meet up with fellow Celtic Mooners; Moonstream, Breaca and Vandrake and a fun night of dancing and drinking was had.

The Pentacle Drummers opened the event with a stirring drumming set, followed by Belly dancing and other music. The festivities moved outside for fire poi and then we gathered for a fire lit parade to the bonfire site.

A touching ritual then took place as the quarters were called and the apple tree was planted and blessed as the bonfire burned brightly.

The congregation then went back up to the marquee for a very well stocked raffle and more belly dancing and drumming.

The evening rounded off with music from a fantastic band called Wojtek Godzisz which we all enjoyed dancing to and it warmed us up immensely.

It's events like this that make me proud to be part of the pagan community and I will be going to next years Wassail for sure! 

Photos courtesy of Vandrake and Breaca.

Review of the year 2012

For me this year has been one I will always remember, not just for experiences for which there have been many but the new friends I have made along the way.
The most important moment of 2012 for me was the Celtic Moon Pagan Pilgrimage back in May. For one the weather was truly glorious and the visits to the sacred sites were breath taking. Even now I can remember the buzz that ran through my body as I stood underneath one of the great arches of Stonehenge.

This year has been very much a pagan year for me. After the pilgrimage I became a full member within the Celtic Moon circle and have partaken in some beautiful rituals that has helped cement my path that I am on.

Making my drum in September has now opened up a doorway into Shamanism which I am very keen to follow, recently I have been visiting Caer Corhrain where I birthed my drum for drum circles and feel a real connectedness which took me quite by surprise.

Of course this is the year that I started this blog and decided to show my Rockabilly side some more and I am glad I did! I only have a few followers at present but the feedback I receive from my readers makes me want to continue blogging.

Of course this year we got Keijo the Finnish Lapphund puppy. I absolutely love having a dog in the house and I am amazed how big he is now from the tiny pup we got back in July! He truly is a handsome boy and very clever but still has a naughty streak!

So what does 2013 have in store? Well I need a new job. I am fed up of not having weekends and I need to earn more money. I have already begun sending out my CV so I hope something comes of it.

For Christmas I got a pyrography burning tool from Leon so I hope to be able to master it and make some beautiful artwork.

I have many events in my diary that I will be going to as well as trading at, I will be writing about these in due course.

Wishing you all a very blessed 2013!

Avalon faery ball and fayre.

On 26th October I went to the faery ball and fayre in Glastonbury. I have wanted to go to this event for several years and this time I booked the travelodge, brought the tickets and set off.
We left Kent at 6:30 in the morning and arrived in Glastonbury just after 10 o'clock and spent the day mooching about, meeting up with all my faerie friends and fellow artists.
Now from my previous blog post regular readers (and I know you exist because I have met a few of you over the weekend!) will know my heart lives in Stonewylde and I was lucky enough to meet the author who was doing a book signing in the lovely shop Cat and the Cauldron. I was so excited to meet Kit and to show my appreciation for her creation I gave her a mounted print of one of my paintings 'Monarch of the Stones' which Kit seemed very pleased to receive. A lovely lady!

Me and Kit taken by Mr. B

After perusing the wares on display (and buying a few) in the shops and at the fayre we had to get back on the road.
We were staying in a Travelodge in Wincanton which was a 40 minute drive from Glastonbury so we had a short nap before getting ready for the ball!
I decided to go steampunk for this event and over the previous month I had been raiding charity shops and eBay for anything I could use for my costume. I also made some wings to wear (it was a faerie event after all!) but decided against wearing them because a) they were only made from Cardboard and would get broken, b) they were too big and would have been a nightmare to navigate through the throngs of people in the hall.

Me and Leon, Steampunks!

Everyone looked amazing! It was a shame it was so busy as I didn't get to see everyone's amazing outfits. There was a lovely mixture of fantastic creations. Faeries brush wings with pirates, mermaids, Ents, goblins, Celtic maidens and other Steampunks.

Celtic moon look positively lovely!

With Esther Remmington in her gorgeous costume made by Martin of EBG Leather and Sarah Aiston, my faerie arty friends. (Only of the bottles of drink was mine, promise!)

We danced the night away to the Dolmen and with sore feet I hobbled back to the car with a huge grin on my face. What a night!

Sunday morning was a dull and wet and my plan to walk up the Tor and visit the Chalice well gardens was put on hold. Instead we went back to the hall and talk to more of my artist friends, including the lovely Linda Ravenscroft, Tamara Newman and Sue Clyne. I also brought a silver bracelet from the very talented Terry English and the new book by Emily Carding called Faery craft which features many of my friends.
All too soon the day come to an end and we had to get back on the long journey home, tired but very happy.

I didn't take any photos so I would like to thank Esther Remmington and Sarah Aiston for letting me use their photos!

Celtic Moon pagan community

So I have mentioned Celtic Moon a few times on my blog now and I thought I would expand on my own experience with this very special group I am a part of.

I joined Celtic moon of July 2010 after meeting the priestess Breaca at one of the festivals I had a art stall at in Canterbury. It was the same time I had set up my own group on the Ning social network called 'Faerie Seekers'. I was looking for more like minded folk to interact with as I felt I had been on my solitary path for too long. Ning decided to stop it's free content so I had to close 'Faerie Seekers' and put all my focus into Celtic Moon and I am so glad I did.

By joining Celtic Moon I have not only made some wonderful friends but I now truly feel pagan where before I didn't know where I was headed (this was also the same time I found my patron Goddess Elen.)

On the Celtic Moon website you can have a page where people can contact you just like on Facebook, post blogs, join groups and discussions on lots of different topics, from spirit guides, crystal healing and magick to name a few.

Through Celtic Moon I began my journey as a Bard in training and the Druid group has been very important in my studies.

The Celtic Moon big days out are a great way to get together and have fun with people who won't look at you oddly for wearing toadstool earrings or comment on why you have a Star of David necklace on (been there, got the t-shirt.)

In May of this year I attended the Celtic Moon Pagan pilgrimage which has to be one of the highlights of this year for me by far. You can read about the pilgrimage here :

http://therockabillypagan.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/celtic-moon-pagan-pilgrimage-part-1.html

http://therockabillypagan.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/celtic-moon-pagan-pilgrimage-part-two.html

And it was during this holiday that I was invited to join the Celtic Moon Circle as a member which means I now attend physical moot meetings with the other members and join in with sabbat celebrations and rituals.

Celtic Moon at present does not have any room in it's circle for new members, however there is plenty of room over on the website for members to join.

A few weeks ago we made a introduction video for new members to get to know who the circle members are, if you see any of us in the chat room don't be scared to say hello. We don't bite and I look forward to welcoming you to the community.

www.celticmoon.ning.com

Drum birthing and the Goddess

The last couple of days have been truly exceptional in term of unforgettable experiences.
On Friday 28th September I went to Caer Corhrain Shaminic Center to birth my very own shamanic drum.
It was a wonderful day and I met some lovely people. It was all carried out in ritual and we were all there to do the same thing regardless of the reason why.
Lynn, Jonathan and Bruce were excellent tutors, everything was at a perfect pace and my early nervousness soon evaporated.
         My drum is made from deer hide which I chose to represent and honour my lady Elen of the ways. My hide even carries the bullet hole from where the animal of course was shot. Some people might not like to be reminded that the hide was killed in such a manner but as I was making the drum and working with the hide I asked for the deers love and forgiveness and promised that her death was not in vain.
In the afternoon we were then blessed by a visit from a beautiful golden Eagle. When he flapped his wings in this picture....

A tiny part of feather got caught in my hair which I then placed in the beater head I was making. So deer and Eagle, two animals I have strong connection with coming together.

I can't recommend birthing your own drum enough. To have a tool that I have created with my own hands, that I have now got such a deep connection with does not beat (excuse the pun) buying a drum off the Internet.
    More about the shamanic development centre and Touch the Earth band and events http://www.touchtheearthuk.com/

The drum birthing group and our drums. Look how happy we are. Any one spot the orb?

Photos courtesy of Lisa Hill.

On Saturday 29th at the Mabon Celtic Moon moot I held a introduction talk about my patron Goddess Elen. You can read more about the Goddess in this blog post http://therockabillypagan.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/elen-of-ways.html
My talk was a deeply personal account of how I became aware of Elen and how she has helped transform me as a Pagan.
I then took the members of the circle on a drum journey, deep into the forest to meet with Elen and in turn blessing my own newly birthed drum. I couldn't play my drum as It was still drying at home and I have to wait a week before I can play it and get to learn it's tone and voice.
This talk turned out to be extremely emotional for me which took me completely by surprise. Before I discovered My Lady I was very lost on my path. In fact I was very close to not calling myself Pagan!
At the end of the talk I had the other members of Celtic Moon say how much they enjoyed my talk and that made it all worth it.

Photo by fellow Celtic Moon member Esther show my little altar I set up, including her lovely portrait of Elen.

A Druid Handfasting

On Saturday the 14th I took part I a very important ceremony. My friends and co-founders of the Celtic Moon pagan group, Vandrake and Breaca had their Druid Handfasting.
For those not in the know, a Handfasting is a pagan wedding ceremony where traditionally the bride and groom wed for a year and a day, they have their hands binded together in a ritual cord symbolising the couple binding them selves together, in this world and the next. It is also traditional for the wedded couple to jump over a besom (broom) to complete the transition of leaving one life and starting a new one together.

The ceremony was at The Fighting Cocks pub in Horton Kirby. My other half Leon was the photographer and I was to be part of the circle invoking the quarters.
We arrived at 12 o'clock to help set up the cakes, flowers, napkins and anything else I could find to help with the organisation.
The pub soon got busy as friends and family members of the bride and groom arrived and so did the rain!
It was touch and go if the ceremony would go ahead outside as planned but the decision was made and we ventured ahead and we were lucky that the rain lessen and then stopped during the ritual.
The members of the Celtic Moon circle were all dressed in fleece cloaks with hoods up and when the guests were seated we walked in single file down the aisle to the drum beat provided by the Pentacle Drummers.

Waiting for the go ahead

The Celtic Moon march

Pentacle drummers

We fanned out to make a semi circle besides the gazebo where the altar and the celebrants stood to conduct the service.

The ritual was beautiful. The vows were heartfelt and touching and it was very difficult not to shed a tear.

After the vows and rings were exchanged the couple held hands and were tied together with a handfasting cord.

Here is me in the role of giving thanks to the south quarter. I hope I said the words correctly!

Leaping over the broom.

Celtic Moon <3

The gorgeous cake by Anna of ANe Cakes

The wonderful portrait of the couple painted by he very talented Esther Remmington

Gift giving! Mine was a hand knitted blanket, more about this in my next blog post.

After that there wasn't much else to do but party!

It was a wonderful day and one I will treasure for many years.

Congratulations to Vandrake and Breaca!

Photographs courtesy of LJS Digital photography: https://www.facebook.com/LJSDigiPhoto

Wedding cake: https://www.facebook.com/ANeCakes

Venue: http://www.fightingcockshortonkirby.co.uk/

Esther Remmington art: https://www.facebook.com/Esther.Remmington

Cloaks by https://www.facebook.com/legendarycostume

More information on Handfasting can be found here: http://handfasting.org/