Rituals
The Kith were lucky enough to enjoy the garden of a Kith member for rituals for some years. Many thanks for the generosity that allowed camping next to a wonderful tree circle amongst a lovely natural garden. Since that time, we have found several lovely new outdoor sites suitable for rituals or outdoor gatherings. Suggestions of yet more locations are always welcomed, eg woods, gardens, or green spaces. You may not have a large house or garden, but may be willing to open your doors for a quiet gathering such as a meditation evening, a tree dressing, a crystal empowerment, flower blessing or other creative spiritual ceremony related to the eight festivals of our calendar. Please contact us using the contact form.
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The "Wheel of the Year"
There are four fire festivals held during the year: Imbolc, Beltane, Lughsanagh and Samhain.
There are four cross quarter days: Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice.
Imbolc heralds the start of Spring. It is held on or near to the 2nd February. The Kith choose the nearest weekend to the 2nd February for practical considerations of work and family commitments.
Imbolc celebrates the new life emerging after the winter, the return of the light after the dark, the very first snowdrop that peeps through the frost and the first lambs that are born to the mother ewes. The cycle of life starts once more.
Ostara, or Eostre, is known in secular and Christian Britain as Easter. Easter eggs and The March Hare abound. A ritual is held to celebrate the onset of spring and the conception of life. In past years the ritual has encompasssed Chinese Dragons as well as an Easter Egg hunt.
Beltane a is the traditional festival of delight in the return of the sun, warmer weather and renewed energy and zest in living. Many cultures in fact associate May 1st with "fresh starts" and a concern for the rights of the working person.
Among Yorkshire's many Beltane festivals, there are those at Thornborough Henge, near Ripon, and Sentry Circle 19 miles away. Camping, festivities, maypoles, hand-fastings, stalls and wondrous items for sale, delight in each others' company and a feeling of joy in life, can be experienced at these festivals, which are growing every year. Please Google Beltane at Thornborough Henge, and at Sentry Circle, or find their Facebook groups, for more info.
The Sacred Brigantia Players were a theatrical and musical group who were honoured to perform sacred comedy-dramas for Beltane, based on British myth and folklore and specially written in a 9-year cycle by Marcus, first at Thornborough for many years, then at Sentry Circle. See photos in the Archive section!
Beltane festivals often start at noon, when the gates are opened and brightly-costumed people enter the Henge. The Jester hosts the festival, opening it with jokes, hilarity and history. The Green Man plays bagpipes and a hand-made harp. Plays and dramas, musical and drumming performances can follow, depending on the year. Then, couples who wish to be handfasted are joined for as long as they wish! Maybe "a year and a day", maybe for "as long as love lasts", or, for the really daring, "the karmic link"!
At Beltane, there is music and drumming, dancing and mead-drinking from a traditional drinking horn for those who wish. One year enjoyed The Sonic Henge in full glory of sound, and there are plenty of stalls selling crafts, jewellery and clothes.... Yes, these places may be outdoors (and involve all weathers, especially for bold campers!) but there are Porta-loo, food and drink!!
Solstice is divided into Kith doing Kith stuff, and Kith at Thornborough. The Kith meet after Solstace for a group party.
A Kith play...!
In 2008 the Kith performed a most unique rendition of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" complete with blokes in tutus (fairies), Titania enslaved to a Donkey (course it was real!) Ok, Jack dressed up as Thisbe in drag - when did Shakespeare's Thisbe ever have a beard and hairy armpits?! Puck was fantabulous (and had learnt all her words), Cobweb was late and running around unable to find the entry to the circle, Susie was dressed as a bloke playing instruments. Even Jeremy, Susie's kiddo took part. Shakespeare turned in his grave.
In 2009 we turned the wheel accompanied by a rendition of Jethro Tull's "Cup of Wonder" and Jack O' The Green asked the Green Man, the Queen of the Corn Harvest, The Lady of The Brimming Chalice, The Crone of the Cauldron, The Oak King of Black December,The Maiden, The Ancient Standing Stones, The Solar God where they came from and they told him their purpose. The fight between the Oak King and the Holly King was acted out in true Brigantian style, the Holly King wins, and the wheel of the year turned yet again.
Then we barbequed and ate healthy salads, and partook of beverages of all types, and puddings....
A night in the Northern Henge at Thornborough
Those who were keen and brave (most of us) spent the night in the North Thornborough Henge, which is wooded, under the dripping canapy of trees, watching the sun go down, rather a lot of rain falling, and the sun rising at 3.35am in the morning. Damp and cheerful we made our way home (2008) ( a slighly drier experience in 2009). Please respectfully note this is not an open-to-all-comers free for all event.
Lusagdnagh (Lammas) means "Loaf Mass" and celebrates the first harvest of grain. The hard work of bringing in the grain is now finished and thanksgiving takes place.
Samhain takes place at Hallowe'en (All Hallows' Eve) and celebrates the "Third Harvest", the harvest of souls. The dead are acknowledged, the veil between this world and the next is thin, and the ancestors may commuicate with more ease.
The Winter Solstice, also known as Yule, heralds the shortest day, with the least hours of light. The Oak King fights the Holly King (oh yes we do) and the Oak King always wins. Light reigns and the nights get shorter from then on. Those stalwarts who have thermal undies camp out at Thornborough. The rest of us pack hot water bottles in our beds and turn on electric blankets.
There are four fire festivals held during the year: Imbolc, Beltane, Lughsanagh and Samhain.
There are four cross quarter days: Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice.
Imbolc heralds the start of Spring. It is held on or near to the 2nd February. The Kith choose the nearest weekend to the 2nd February for practical considerations of work and family commitments.
Imbolc celebrates the new life emerging after the winter, the return of the light after the dark, the very first snowdrop that peeps through the frost and the first lambs that are born to the mother ewes. The cycle of life starts once more.
Ostara, or Eostre, is known in secular and Christian Britain as Easter. Easter eggs and The March Hare abound. A ritual is held to celebrate the onset of spring and the conception of life. In past years the ritual has encompasssed Chinese Dragons as well as an Easter Egg hunt.
Beltane a is the traditional festival of delight in the return of the sun, warmer weather and renewed energy and zest in living. Many cultures in fact associate May 1st with "fresh starts" and a concern for the rights of the working person.
Among Yorkshire's many Beltane festivals, there are those at Thornborough Henge, near Ripon, and Sentry Circle 19 miles away. Camping, festivities, maypoles, hand-fastings, stalls and wondrous items for sale, delight in each others' company and a feeling of joy in life, can be experienced at these festivals, which are growing every year. Please Google Beltane at Thornborough Henge, and at Sentry Circle, or find their Facebook groups, for more info.
The Sacred Brigantia Players were a theatrical and musical group who were honoured to perform sacred comedy-dramas for Beltane, based on British myth and folklore and specially written in a 9-year cycle by Marcus, first at Thornborough for many years, then at Sentry Circle. See photos in the Archive section!
Beltane festivals often start at noon, when the gates are opened and brightly-costumed people enter the Henge. The Jester hosts the festival, opening it with jokes, hilarity and history. The Green Man plays bagpipes and a hand-made harp. Plays and dramas, musical and drumming performances can follow, depending on the year. Then, couples who wish to be handfasted are joined for as long as they wish! Maybe "a year and a day", maybe for "as long as love lasts", or, for the really daring, "the karmic link"!
At Beltane, there is music and drumming, dancing and mead-drinking from a traditional drinking horn for those who wish. One year enjoyed The Sonic Henge in full glory of sound, and there are plenty of stalls selling crafts, jewellery and clothes.... Yes, these places may be outdoors (and involve all weathers, especially for bold campers!) but there are Porta-loo, food and drink!!
Solstice is divided into Kith doing Kith stuff, and Kith at Thornborough. The Kith meet after Solstace for a group party.
A Kith play...!
In 2008 the Kith performed a most unique rendition of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" complete with blokes in tutus (fairies), Titania enslaved to a Donkey (course it was real!) Ok, Jack dressed up as Thisbe in drag - when did Shakespeare's Thisbe ever have a beard and hairy armpits?! Puck was fantabulous (and had learnt all her words), Cobweb was late and running around unable to find the entry to the circle, Susie was dressed as a bloke playing instruments. Even Jeremy, Susie's kiddo took part. Shakespeare turned in his grave.
In 2009 we turned the wheel accompanied by a rendition of Jethro Tull's "Cup of Wonder" and Jack O' The Green asked the Green Man, the Queen of the Corn Harvest, The Lady of The Brimming Chalice, The Crone of the Cauldron, The Oak King of Black December,The Maiden, The Ancient Standing Stones, The Solar God where they came from and they told him their purpose. The fight between the Oak King and the Holly King was acted out in true Brigantian style, the Holly King wins, and the wheel of the year turned yet again.
Then we barbequed and ate healthy salads, and partook of beverages of all types, and puddings....
A night in the Northern Henge at Thornborough
Those who were keen and brave (most of us) spent the night in the North Thornborough Henge, which is wooded, under the dripping canapy of trees, watching the sun go down, rather a lot of rain falling, and the sun rising at 3.35am in the morning. Damp and cheerful we made our way home (2008) ( a slighly drier experience in 2009). Please respectfully note this is not an open-to-all-comers free for all event.
Lusagdnagh (Lammas) means "Loaf Mass" and celebrates the first harvest of grain. The hard work of bringing in the grain is now finished and thanksgiving takes place.
Samhain takes place at Hallowe'en (All Hallows' Eve) and celebrates the "Third Harvest", the harvest of souls. The dead are acknowledged, the veil between this world and the next is thin, and the ancestors may commuicate with more ease.
The Winter Solstice, also known as Yule, heralds the shortest day, with the least hours of light. The Oak King fights the Holly King (oh yes we do) and the Oak King always wins. Light reigns and the nights get shorter from then on. Those stalwarts who have thermal undies camp out at Thornborough. The rest of us pack hot water bottles in our beds and turn on electric blankets.
The Lord & The Lady Trees at the ritual site near York
Photo: Jack Firminger
