It's almost time for the second harvest of the year at the Autumn Equinox: come and join us for a ceremony to celebrate the occasion with a trip to a local pub afterwards.
Sunday 25th September 2022, 10:30 - 12:30
Creator: Łukasz Szmigiel
Copyright: (c) Łukasz Szmigiel 2015
We will no longer be advertising our events on Eventbrite: to confirm your attendance, please send us an email.
About Alban Elfed
"The Wheel turns and the time of balance returns. Alban Elfed marks the balance of day and night before the darkness overtakes the light. It is also the time of the second harvest, usually of the fruit which has stayed on the trees and plants that have ripened under the summer sun. It is this final harvest which can take the central theme of the Alban Elfed ceremony – thanking the Earth, in her full abundance as Mother and Giver, for the great harvest, as Autumn begins". (from the OBOD website)
The months turn towards the element of water as the salmon spawn and rainfall nourishes the succulent fruit of this second harvest of the year: the festival of Alban Elfed, 'the Light on the Water', also known as 'Mabon' or the Autumn Equinox.
At this time of the Autumn Equinox, days and nights are once again in balance as we contemplate our approach towards the colder half of the year and the reflective promptings of time spent indoors, preparing for the oncoming winter.
Apples remind us of Arthur, the 'Great Bear', and of the blessed isle of Avalon with its offering of the healing of the soul after the nurturing of the body that the previous festival of Lughnasadh brought, with its golden grain harvest.
Meeting place
We will meet outside the Cambridge Museum of Technology, facing the river, between 10:15 and 10:45.
Location for gathering itself
We usually wait for around 10-12 minutes at the location above before heading into Stourbridge Common. To join us if you are running late, walk straight into the Common, keep straight as you pass a children's playground to your right and as you enter the open fields down a wide dirt track, look to your left for a group of trees. Hopefully, you won't miss us! After we finish our ceremony, we will head over to a local pub to continue the libations and conversations.
First time with us?
If you have never attended or taken part in a pagan/druidic/OBOD ceremony, worry not! Our ceremonies are flexible, open to whatever you would like to contribute and are proudly inclusive of all identities. There are simple ceremony roles to have a go at, with pre-prepared lines to read out, but there is no obligation whatsoever to do so. If you'd like to have an idea of what's involved, please get in touch with us.
Preparation for the day
All registered attendees will be sent a link to the ritual script booklet online as well as a preparation coversheet containing details of what to prepare/bring a week before the event. Key ritual items will be brought for the ceremony, though all are welcome to lay any personal items in the altar space we create.
Please do print your own booklet for the day, especially if you have a speaking role in the ceremony or if you would like to read along with us. This is not essential as you are welcome to come and simply soak up the words and actions performed by others. A 'herald' at each ceremony will lead the ceremony and ensure everything runs smoothly.
We are mindful of the weather and dress appropriately, bringing water, a hat, suntan cream, coat and waterproofs, etc. Come rain or shine, hail or snow, we will meet!
After the ceremony
Food and drink (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are usually brought after an outdoor gathering: please do feel free to bring something to share though there is no requirement to bring anything or to take part in having something to eat and/or drink, particularly if you are socially distancing. We do share mead but again, please don't feel you need to partake, bring your own or share. As we will be heading to a nearby pub after the ceremony, please do not feel that you need to bring any food or drink but you are welcome to do so.
Gifts of music, poetry and readings for a small Eisteddfod after most of our ceremonies are always most welcome and there will be an opportunity to sign up for any offering of creativity you would like to share, if desired, once the ritual script link has been circulated for other occasions. For this ceremony, however, we will gather in a local pub after the ceremony: you may wish to bring your creativity there! Again, there is no requirement for you to take part: there is just a general 'ask' that we all support these bards as they share their talent and inspiration by us giving them our full attention.
To register to attend this event and receive an online copy of the ritual 'script' booklet (when finalised) with details of what to prepare and bring on the day, please email us by Thursday 23rd September.
Subscribe to our mailing list to keep up to date with this and future events and please do get in contact if you have any questions.
We look forward to seeing you for our second harvest celebration of the year,
Corr réisc Grove.
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