Spent a fantastic weekend in Portsmouth at the British Reclaiming Spring Gathering. We did ritual together, had a couple of fantastic workshops and an interesting meeting, talked, laughed, danced the maypole, drummed, sang, ate and generally had a great time. Thank you to everyone who worked on the Gathering to make it such a success and thanks to everyone who attended for making it such fun!
Can it really be ten years since all this started at the first Avalon Witchcamp(http://www.avaloncamp.org.uk/)? Looking around at the the laughing faces dancing the maypole - beloved friends who are also talented and inspiring teachers, organisers, priest/esses - I realise how lucky I am to know such people. I realise how much has grown out of that first camp in 1998 (and the subsequent ones). I realise how lucky I was to stumble across the flier that led me to my first camp. And I realise how it has changed my life.
Yes, I know that sounds corny. But really, it has. In the last ten years I have grown hugely in confidence, branched out in directions I could never have imagined, found wonderful friends and confirmed this is the right spiritual path for me when I was initiated into Reclaiming-Feri last year. All of which is due to my experiences at Avalon.
This year's camp will be our tenth. I hope there will be many more. But even if it were to be the last, I'm confident that Avalon has had a lasting postive influence on my life. And I look forward to seeing where the next ten years will take us...
Happy Beltane!
7 comments:
I'm glad a good time was had by all :)
Magda xx
This looks like an amazing ritual and celebration.
I enjoy the glimpses I get into your world.
Happy Beltaine to you, too! Love the pic of the hands and the fully woven pole.
No matter how Jewish I think I am, I will always, every year for the rest of my life, have the urge to dance the maypole at Beltaine. I used to LOVE that ritual in San Francisco. It was truly ecstatic, goofy, dorky, sexy and so much fun!
And even though I've left Reclaiming and witchcraft and Feri behind, I cherish those years, the networking and connections with extraordinary people (like you, for instance) and all the discovery and magic that came with that path.
Great post! Happy summer!
Wow Susan, it hadn't occurred to me that it is Year 10 for Avalon camp. Congratulations to all! That is a tough piece of magic to create and sustain for all those years, and you have a particularly lovely one there. I just had a wonderful Beltane celebration at my house, and everything is shining with ribbons and flowers. Blessings of the season to you!
Love,
Anne
Magda - Wish you could have been there! Maybe next time...
Tori, I value the glimpses into your world via your wonderful blog.
Reya, you are definitely one of the gifts Avalon has brought me!
Anne, thank you for your not inconsiderable contributions to both Avalon and myself over those 10 years - and actually that goes for Magda & Reya too, just in case anyone has to ask!
Pleased I started camp all those years ago.
coming up to Beltane for me down here in the Southern Hemisphere.. I tend to celebrate it at the actual moment (or near to) and this year, it is around Nov. 5.. I usually attend a circle but this year I am unable to, so I will do something small by myself..
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