Earlier in the year I became part of the team to organise the Glastonbury Beltane Celebrations. It was a wonderful experience and I am so blessed to have been part of it and made some fantastic new friends and spiritual colleagues. The event itself was amazing - we did put a lot of work, energy and time into it, and it was estimated by the press that well over 3000 people attended.
The costumes, the beautiful giant Dragons, the maypole and green men were wonderful. The Abbey kindly allowed us to use some of its gardens for the various bands, the morris dancing and the hilarious mummers play.
As a result of this we have set up a new local community group - the Glastonbury Dragons and there are plans afoot to create more community fun with a Samhain festival as well as repeats of this year's Beltane festival and May Fair. It has also give us the inspiration to work on creating a local Glastonbury Museum and work is going on at the moment to raise funds and work on this project.
During the year I continued on my own studies as a mature student and finished my second year at college. Resulting in a 'foundation degree' qualification I am about to enter my 3rd year and start on another exciting project for my dissertation - a study on Glastonbury as a place of pilgrimage in the 20th century.
It has also been a time of introspection as usual while I work out my current inner space, the path I am treading and find once again I am off down a side track to explore other aspects of my spiritual life. One of the things I have found over the last ten or so years is how group working has changed for me. I will leave this subject to another blog of its own. But suffice to say as I get older I find myself wanting the path of the Hedgewitch.
I still enjoy open events and taking part in the jollity and celebration. But my own deep work is better done alone. It has become more simple and unstructured and I find myself conversing with nature, spirit and the old gods in a quite a direct un-ceremonial way. Like old friends in fact.
It has led me to realise something else which I will also develop into another blog entry at another time. Over the years of working particularly with the Goddess or feminine energy of the Land and being surrounded by people who only work with Her. I have noticed recently a call to work with and connect more with the God once more. I'm not sure which way this will present itself and I am interested and looking forward to seeing where this will lead.
The summer is still here (just) and we are winding down towards the Autumn. I am currently celebrating the first harvests - as I have said before, my favourite time of year. Celebrating my own personal harvests and the bounty of life that has come my way this year.
Many harvest blessings to everyone and hopefully I will have the time and inspiration to write a little more regularly. Who knows?..........
(Beltane dragon picture by Vanda Lloyd - photographic artist based in Glastonbury)
http://www.redbubble.com/people/lloydva