The season of Samhain, and the festival which marks the beginning of the Irish New Year, is one of four important festivals in Irish tradition: Imbolc (Spring); Bealtaine (Summer); Lughnasadh (Autumn) and Samhain (Winter).
The word Samhain means ‘Summer’s end’ and is seen as important in all Celtic calendars. Samhain is the beginning of the dark season and is greatly associated with the dead (ancestors) and the Otherworld. The Irish, in common with many indigenous cultures, placed great importance on their dead ancestors and this was reflected in their customs and beliefs. At Samhain, focus was placed on the telling of our ancient myths and legends; storytelling and the telling of anecdotes; fireside craft; study and learning. Samhain Eve was a time of setting out on voyages to the Otherworld and the blurring of customs through mask-wearing and cross-dressing. In ancient times, the fires were put out in the home and relit from the sacred fire on the Hill of Tlachtga.
Samhain Eve is a liminal point with deep potential, a place between one season and the other, a point of chaos. We are, alongside this natural liminal point, in times of deep change. At such times, our traditions hold even more importance, and the cultivation of such spiritual practices can provide solace, comfort and a powerful foundation to aid us in accessing deep sources of support. Such support provides us with the depth and strength required to stay in loving awareness and to hold to an ethical approach to life and growth. Unfortunately, in a world that focuses on success, such foundational practices are often neglected.
In this workshop, we will prepare for the coming of Winter, exploring our ancestral stories and the evolution of familial and cultural traditions. We will explore those practices that root us and draw us back to the centre of our being, which benefit us whether we belong to a spiritual tradition or not. Through shamanic journeys, creativity, sound and movement, we will explore the fears we carry societally and individually, represented by the masks we wear at Halloween.
Each participant will have two sessions of HB as an experiencer, or “breather,” and two sessions as a partner, or “sitter.” In addition to Holotropic Breathwork® breathing and sitting, topics explored in these modules are especially relevant for anyone working with others in expanded states of any sort for transformation and personal healing.
Previous experience with Holotropic Breathwork® is not necessary. These modules are open events and suitable both for participants in the Holotropic Breathwork® training program, as well for those attending primarily for their personal journey of transformation.
Our guest speaker is a Druid and an Ordained Priestess Hierophant of the Western Mystery Tradition, a Healer working within the traditions of Ireland. She works with individuals for healing at her centre in Co. Wexford. She also works with and teaches groups in Ireland aid internationally. An essential part of her work is in the area of Women’s Mysteries in which she has conducted workshops and ceremonies around the country. She also facilitates sweat lodges within the Irish Tradition and performs Rites of Passage within the community. She is a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids and a member of the Fellowship of Isis.
