VERNAL EQUINOX - next gathering 2014 2013 - Everybody is Doing a Brand New Dance Now - Tara 2012 Nothing

g is as it Seems - Tara 2011 Gates of Revelation - Tara 2010 Reformation & Rebirth - Ardmulchan 2009 In Balance with Nature - Mullaghmeen Forest 2008 Balance - Tara 2007 Vernal Equinox - Tara 18 March 2013 - Everybody is Doing a Brand New Dance Now St Patrick's Day - 17 March 2013 St Patrick's Island off Skerries on the East Coast of Ireland - 53.6 N, -6 W

Connemara marble from Galway on the West Coast of Ireland

Background info We are all composed of the same materials - earth and us - we are all the same stuff. At this time of balance at Spring Equinox we shall be meditating on the flows of life. We shall also have samples of Earth from other sites in Ireland to connect to during the evening. At the Imbolc 2013 planning meet, something occurred that we have never experienced with Tara Celebrations before. Three of us met. We had 3 distinct places we felt drawn to and 3 different themes of what we wanted to do. Before we have resolved these variations into one ritual. This time we did not. And very quickly we agreed that each would celebrate their own inspiration. Although, on the day, two were together on Tara, we worked independently,. And so we come to Spring Equinox 2013 team meeting. No one came and hence no ceremony was agreed. And so, what is the way forward? Is there a way forward? The fact is, every Monday there is a meeting on Tara, organised by many of those who also join in the 8 annual Celebrations. The Monday Meditation and Healing Circle in the Tara Healing Centre. We are actually doing more on Tara than we have ever done before. We are now doing weekly what we once did only eight times a year. This is the new focus of Tara Celebrations. The by line of our website page is gathering to celebrate our lives and all life on earth. We do this every Monday evening on Tara. And

so there will be no separate Spring Equinox ceremony... but, as always, all are invited to come along on Monday night at 8.15pm to Tara to share in the sacred and profound, the fun and joy, as we journey on our paths on earth. Evening Ritual Meditation Music - Primavera means Spring - ends in an a and is therefore feminine by Einaudi male invoking female : Deer's Cry aka Lorica or St. Patricks Breastplate Angelina female invoking male : Be Thou my Vision instrumental (tune Slane) : The Year is Awaking - Brother Sun, Sister Moon 1972 film directed by Franco Zeffirelli based on the life of Saint Francis of Assisi - sung by Donovan Healing Circle - Spend few minutes cultivating lovingkindness. - Contact heart, see how feeling, and cultivate a sense of acceptance for whatever emotions happen to be present. May I be well. May I be happy. May I be at peace, Meditation understanding the Earth Element - Earth energies are waking up now. Burning of the old plant life and history (newspaper), addiing to bowl earth from Giants Causeway, Sligo, Murrisk Mayo, Westport, Clonmacnoise, Inagh Valley, Glenveigh, Derry and seeds of the the oriental poppy to welcome new beginnings. Healing Circle May all beings be well. May all beings be happy. May all beings be at peace, Take that well-wishing into the world radiating outwards.

A message from New York - I hope that you have a joyous Equinox and a beautiful spring. Peace, Jody Today, on the Spring Equinox, I woke up to cold and snow (20 F with a wind chill of 10 F, thats -12 Celsius). My first thoughts were this is not right, it should be warmer with early spring flowers and birds singing! I layered up and dutifully went out to feed my horses. They dont seem to mind the cold, and after their hay is gone they enjoy pawing through the snow looking for some new green grass morsels.

After chores, I went for a walk out back, still feeling sad about the weather, but as the sun peaked through the clouds, the snow sparkled with a million diamonds and the serenity at the ice covered pond, along with the crisp air, cleared my senses. I started my spring meditation there and then continued to my favorite woodland trail where I could see the creek that runs through our property flowing freely. As I gazed into the clear waters, my heart was filled with the beauty of the moment and I realized that spring is here after all, just dozing under the snow until soon she will burst forth in all her bountiful glory. I sang I am So Blessed and as my voice rose up the first songbirds of spring joined with me, the sun burst forth and I felt a golden warmth travel through my soul.

Snow in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Snow in Bakewell, England

24 March 2012 - Nothing is as it Seems The apple appears as a solid red ball. Yet bite into the apple and you reveal a hidden interior, soft, fleshy and juicy. As you continue to eat, at the heart of the apple, you discover small hard objects, the seeds.

Visually the seed is solid and pebble like. If we hit a pebble it shatters into many fragments, revealing that it is totally composed of stone. Sometimes we get a suprise and discover a geode filled with beautiful crystals. But this is a rare experience. However on opening the seed we discover a soft and very different interior. The real truth has been in shadow, hidden inside a toughened shell. In this ceremony we now look behind the facade and bring everything into the light. We do this by celebrating the basics, the intention of the evening being to recognise, acknowledge and thank the primal elements of earth, fire and water and reclaim the hidden energies, potentials and wisdom of the earth and of ourselves. For those unable to attend in person this is the planned outline format of the ceremony of course on the day the gathering may take on its own form and content: We stand around 3 plates one covered with a cloth, one contains pebbles, one with a bowl of water. We thank the elements of earth (pebbles) and water (bowl) and then reveal the covered plate and thank the element of earth. Gifting apples and water to the earth we then meditate on our own hidden selves. When we bite into the apple we discover a sweet interior, We consider our own hidden core. When we walk the Path of the Unknown, our Life Path, we do not need to know the outcome, for it is the journey that is important, the act of living. As we journey we seek the hidden wisdoms, potentials and energies in ourselves and in the land around us. This spring we have a chance to nurture these with the primal elements of earth, fire and water. Open heart contributions bring your inspirational readings, writings and songs to share with the group. If you do join with us in your own ceremony and have any photographs you are willing to share we would be delighted to post them on this page. Seasons greetings and blessings to everyone, The Spring Equinox planning team, John, Bernie and Nora. Thanks to Bernadette for these photographs:

white chrysanthemums adorn the well

We close by walking up the symbolic Pebble Path of the Unknown and into the future through two red gateway lanterns - notice the red and white theme that arose during this event. During the evening our eyes were constantly drawn skywards as lovely bright Venus, Jupiter and a thin sliver of new moon apparently weaved their way across the dark night sky. Of course, nothing is as it seems, it was us that was moving, not they. Every constellation seemed to be visible... Cassiopeia, the beautiful queen, Orion, the great hunter, King David's Chariot, aka The Plough, circling the Pole Star, the sisters of the Pleiades... all watched as the mists arose on the horizon.

Many thanks to Anne for this verse inspired by the apple: turn around, upside down, side to side, turn over apple harvest's autumn time in spring we have the clover! nothing quite the way is seems topsey turvey times instead energy patterns out of place one wonders what's ahead? southern apples chomped in spring harvest at the sowing and eat the fruits of what's to come before we start the growing.

Martin joined in Cork, lighting a candle under the watchful eyes of Buddha

Two balanced equinox Catkins from Gearragh, Cork

Nothing is as it seems: Part of the Cork St. Patricks day parade 2012....Dragons and Leprechauns all representative of earth energies which are waking up this time of year. 20 March 2011 - The Gates of Revelation

Hill of Tara -Spring Equinox is the time of year when the sun rises due east and sets due west giving us equal amounts of daylight and darkness. It is a time that the earths axis is straight as a door post and suggests to us a time of balance has arrived. The Northern Hemisphere celebrates Spring whilst the Southern Autumn. Our ceremony shall be based on a group meditation carried out on 11/03/11. There were 6 of us (3 men and 3 women coincidentally) gathered to tune into what would be an appropriate use of time and space and through a laborious process of threshing out ideas generated at the meditation we believe we are delivering a spirit filled, mystical experience. The Gates of Revelation is a ritual based on rebirth. We are using the Banqueting Hall on the Hill of Tara as our ceremonial place, it is in effect the ritual birthing canal onto the Hill. We welcome all those present and joining in in spirit. Opening with the introduction (by Nora at lower gate ) and directions we then gather as a group of souls, in silence, with nothing, just waiting, cut off from the outer world by high embankments, contained, as if within the walls of the womb. We start our journey and negotiating the pit falls we arrive at the first of 5 Gateways, the Gate of Earth. A Gate Keeper holds the energy of each Gate

and reflects on its qualities. The Earth Gate is where we manifest form as spirit using earth as our building blocks. We attune to the energies of this gateway (solidity, physical, groundedness, darkness, foundations, first principals) and pass through allowing assimilation of the energy. (which we do for each subsequent gate). Water is the next gate. Here we reflect on the fluidity of form and the smoothness of life and how we move through it. We may consider movement, emotion, flexibility, circulation etc Air is the third gate. We consider lightness, breath, life, levity, inspiration, paired with the solidity of earth this makes a harmonious balanced pairing. The Gate Keeper of Fire reminds us of the volatility and passion of life, its heat, pleasure, expansiveness and creative transformation. Fire is paired with water as a contrasting balance. The Gate Keeper of Ether reminds us of the mystery of life, the spirit that brought us here from the void, breathed the passion of life into our clay bodies and experiences life in the physical. Having passed through this final Gateway we birth into the world in procession, to joyous drumming. We are now standing in the secret Neolithic monument on the Hill, a place where east meets west, up meets down, above meets below, north meets south, straight line meets curves, where the baby is birthed. This is our birth day and birthdays are reasons for celebrating. So we assemble in a circle whose balance point is the center marked with a fire brazier. John will introduce the fire and offer each person the opportunity to dedicate the fire for a celebratory role: Participant I dedicate this fire to ..joy, fun, passion, abundance, growth, love, life, clarity, happiness, healing, health, hopefulness, understanding, wisdom, peace, unity, diversity, grace, self belief, confidence, strength, wonderment, etc etc. John will then light the fire on our behalf dedicated to our intentions. Tom and Bernie will drum up the fire energy until established. Open Contributions are invited, each bringing their own creativity in the form of short verse, song, story. We now gather up this energy by sharing our heart infused intentions in the circle of spirit and then start the soft chant Shanti (Sanskrit for peace) turning out to offer peace and wholesome balance to the world. We end by closing the directions, snacks and small drink.

21 March 2010 Reformation & Rebirth The Vernal or Spring Equinox is a time when the Sun rises and sets directly over the Equator. On the earth we experience it as a time of equal day and night and from now on the days will be

slightly longer than the nights. The sun will rise and set further north each day and every mid-day the sun will be higher and higher. We will hopefully feel the days begin to warm as we head towards the summer. It is a time of re-birth and re-awakening. A time of retrieval of things gone into abeyance, a time of re-turning to warmth and growth. A time for re-inventing ourselves.

Ardmulchan. Early Christian site with medieval tower dedicated to the virgin. St. Melchu was the founder saint, a nephew of St. Patrick. He preformed miracles before St. Patrick to prove himself innocent of scandal. He is the Saint who ordained St. Brigid a bishop when the Holy Spirit distracted him during her ordination as a Nun. He and his 3 brothers have a line of monastic enclosures that lye in an east west line over the country. His feast day is (6th Feb) Imbolc, His mothers Feast day is March 22nd( Equinox) and His brothers feast day is 6th August (Lughnasadh). Coincidence? Just today the Frogs returned to the pond in the garden, a full month later than this time last year and Claire said that, being Welsh, she had always daffodils for St. Davids day (1st March), but this year they are still only peeping above the ground. So this year the annual cycles seem to be noticeably behind. However, having said that, I did spend most of the day in the garden and got an amazing amount tidied . I got the onions and elephant garlic in and started to clear away some of the many plants that this years extreme cold had killed. Very often we expect things to be a certain way and when we find they are not we have to some how reconcile the reality with the expectation. So again this reflects the balance of birth and decay expressed at this time of the year.

This year for Vernal Equinox we thought we would be going to the North of Ireland. So we went on a reconnaissance trip up beyond Newry to Kilbroney forest park. Whilst we were impressed by the setting and the scenery we both felt it wasnt the place to hold our Equinox gathering so we returned via Slane and climbed a mud track through rough ground festooned with brambles on the Hill of Slane, but again feeling this was not exactly where we were looking for. The sun was setting and we were racking our brains as to where might be a supportive environment for our activities when Ardmulchan seemed to suggest itself. Ardmulchan is an early Christian site perched on the banks of the Boyne about 2 miles from Navan. It is host to a ring fort, standing stone, ancient holy well and the remains of a medieval church complete with a bell-tower dedicated to the virgin. It is named after the founder saint, saint Maelchon or Maelchou, who is a bit of a mystery man but may have been the nephew of St Patrick . The picture below shows a stretch of the river lying in an almost perfect East West Alignment, most appropriate for equinox.

The traditions of the people state that, to save the bells of Ardmulchan from the church robbers of the Reformation, the parishioners threw them into Lug-Gorrom, or the Blue Hole, a deep pool in the Boyne, opposite Taaffe's lock. Our celebration this year will be in keeping with balance, the yin and Yang, the darkness and light, forward and reverse, silence and sound, highs and lows, potentials and realised powers, revulsion and redemption. Directions: Take the R153 Kentstown road out of Navan and at the first Y junction at the Ramparts car park, just outside the town, turn Left. Proceed past the cemetery on your right,

continue another 6Km until you see a sign Ardmulchan pointing down a narrow laneway on your Left, It is the first road sign for a T junction you see after the cemetery and at the time of writing is actually pointing back to Navan!. Drive past all the houses and park in the carpark (Hide your Valuables). What we will be doing: We will begin with a general introduction and a brief tuning in period to our own energies. This will be followed by a brief tour of the area taking in pleasant and unpleasant energies. We will be walking between both sets of energies and finding what each has to offer us. After leaving the unpleasant energy we may choose to re-appreciate the view of the river. We will be meditating on striking the balance between stress and peace, and then choosing to rebalance ourselves in the peace rather than the stress. We will be make a simple mandala from what Nature has to offer us and focusing our intent on Balance and healing and blowing bubbles with the intention that the bubbles will carry our healing and positive vibes into the ethers. There may be some time for dancing and singing as well as the all important open heart contributions where we encourage participants to contribute some thoughts, poetry or music to the proceedings. So a warm welcome to those joining us on the ground or in spirit. (If you want anything read out on your behalf contact us here).

Below:The trees where we will be meditating on balance and peace

Above: The Beech tree of wisdom at Ardmulchan

Above & Below: The Beech tree at Ardmulchan, site of the Spring or Vernal Equinox

Above: Roots of the tree at ritual site

Above: Part of the symbol laid out to represent Equinox Blessings

Above: Part of the symbol created for equinox Blessings which was then "Danced" into the earth

Equinox ritual at Ardmulchan with the candle representing the fiery southern energies

Above: More frogs!

Frogs with colours!

How many frogs?

First buds of Spring 21 March 2009 - Mullaghmeen Forest Here I stand tall and thin. See the life that stirs within, Stretching from the air to ground, Spreading roots all around. Reaching from the ground to sky, To feel the wind passing by. This verse came to one of us during meditation with the trees. Thanks also to all those who join with us at a distance and emailed in contributions and poems which we read out, our words echoing through the forest to the ears of all seen and unseen participants. Thanks to Anne, Tom and Martin who recorded the day - a picture paints a thousand words...

The cushion softness of the deep moss underfoot, the crunch of the dry beech leaves, the alarmed flight of woodcock, the thrush calling from a high branch, the abundance of small and large beetles in the leaf mould, the bee, the spiders... the peace, the joy... the silence...

Wood anenome, small delicate yellow primroses on exposed clay banks, tangled brambles and ferns....

At the base of a moss covered tree we gathered fallen branches, placing each on another in a balanced framework. Rose petals, primrose and daffodil flowers scattered on the ground, mead and honey mixed with Tara well water poured by each in blessing. Crusty bread, broken from a long loaf, shared with woodland creatures and spirits. An expression of our appreciation and thanks to the woodland and all its inhabitants.

We shared laughter and contemplation on the top of a moss covered mound in the woodland. With a meditation and a picture of an Indonesian elemental, the retelling of the Tuatha de Danaan and Milesian coming to Ireland, the Song of Amergin, and a commitment to do an earth serving activity, we connected in unity and harmony with all beings. Our intentions were for Balance with Nature.

The distant view and the plan...

Sow in Spring and reap in Autumn; in life as in the seasons Hello everyone. Thank you so much to everyone who came to the FourKnocks at Imbolc. I think everyone agreed that it was an excellent, atmospheric and moving ceremony which saw Brigid return to her maiden persona of the goddess after her role as the dark caileach. We are still in Imbolc and Spring Equinox is the mid point of that season where the days and nights are of equal length. After winter Samhain it marks the time of year when fertility replaces barrenness. We enter the male half of Imbolc where Patrick complements and balances Brigid. Their integration brings the birth of the Bealtaine leanbh na Griann (Child of the sun...a golden child). Our theme for this equinox is standing in balance with nature.

We have been inspired to hold this next ceremony/ritual meditation in the beautiful forest setting of Mullaghmeen (mullach mn, smooth summit). On a sunny day recently we were led to a site deep in the wood where there was a small hillock set like a navel in the forest.... silence, the aroma of pine in the air and a profound sense of tranquillity, moss covered logs, stones, trees and ferns. So moved were we by this tangible presence that we decided to use a very unobtrusive approach to the planned ceremony. We will have no smudge, no bowls, no cauldrons, no incense, no crystals...few if any of the trappings of ritual as this place is in itself a living breathing entity. We felt to go in smudging and crystaling would disrespect the energies who reside there and may not be used to human contact. For those that are coming with us please bring something to acknowledge the environment. We are suggesting a poem or an inspirational quotation or a prayer or perhaps flowers....having to spend time considering what you will bring will allow you to invest your time and energy in tuning in to honouring the environment. For those on our e-mail list near or far we extend the same invitation. If you want something read out then please send it to us before Saturday and we will include it in our ritual. Outline of what to expect on the Day: Introduction and explanations Acknowledging the local directions/environment Creation of a circle from fallen twigs and branches Story telling Meditation with the trees

Creation of a temporary shrine from forest materials in front of which it may be nice to make a personal pledge to honour the environment by recycling more, plant a tree, tend a garden, learn about herbs, use renewable resources sustainably etc. Reading of poems and open contributions Acknowledging the local directions/environment Sharing of some nice crusty bread Mary Des Yamann Nora Martin

Bright Blessings -

2008 - Balance

Flowers remind us of this season of renewed hope. Eggs and rabbits remind us that energetically the earth is waking up the creative generative potential within each of us, calling us to be more than we are. The black and white crystals and the Scales symbol remind us that this is a mystic time of balance and intergration leading to a time of growth. The seed for instance must crack its shell and expose itself to the dark but yielding soil to ever hope of seeing the light. March 17th, St Patricks Day, starts an amazing week. We are all probably aware by now, 21st March is Good Friday and a Full Moon day, and we have also arrived at the midpoint of Imbolc, Equinox. And yes, we lose an hour in bed as clocks 'spring' forward on 30th March when Summer time begins. So many special events. An auspicious time to join together for a celebration of the season on Tara.

The symbol at the top of the flyer. It was created by putting a stylised Brigid's Cross within a circle. Traditionally the circle calls in the feminine energies but this depiction also calls awareness of Patrick, for the central square carries male qualities. The circle also represents the sacred whilst the square stands for the physical world. Contemplating the symbol provides an opportunity to review if we are integrating these, in a balanced way, in our lives. There are five sections within the circle and, as at Autumn Equinox, this energetic vibration will be present in our activities, especially as we stand in the fifth province, Mide, and continue connecting to the fifth element - aether.

One suggestion of how to use this symbol is in 'Balance Walk' section

Below some wild Spring primroses (and a violet) in the Gabhra Valley, Tara

Below Lus an chrom chin an Irish (and Scottish, translating I think into golden headed lighted one) name for the flower below, to me the english language isnt poetic enough to describe it, photographed on the sun set of the vernal equinox at St. Patricks well Tara and planted by Adge the Druid who watches over his handy work. [All blessings BE Adge]

The Black Patrick It occured to us recently at the meditation group that there was at equinox relatively few positive male role models to draw upon for Irish archtypes. For instance burish Patrick energy came in destroying an already intact celtic christianity. The church stands as an intermediary between us and the divine and regulates from a basis of fear and egoism. Modern leaders have become charalatins slick with deceipt, dishonesty, corruption, unreliability, cheating, cowardice and abuse, are dishonorable, deceitful, egocentric, unjust, unlawful, short-sighted and unaccountable.

So at this time of balance at the equinox we invoked a positive archtypal male energy, one that complemented and supported perfectly the brigidine energy. An energy that portrayed loyalty, fedility, protection, activism, stewardship, courage, honour, integrity, justice, even handedness, wisdom and responsibility. Hence we turned over the Black Patrick to recognise the Golden Patrick. The return of the sun on Easter Sunday 2008

2007 - Vernal Equinox - Hill of Tara

Tune in at the gate onto Tara, walk to the western trees and set up altar. Invocation of the directions, create sacred space with a candle and smudging. Coloured egg circle game, share water from St Patrick's Well, Tara. Walk the eternity symbol around a tree and the altar as centres. Renewed intentions for the year then food. Segerblt Again, many thanks to Thomas Eriksson, Sweden for this information I thought I would send you some information about the blt celebrated at the time of the spring equinox.But all I could find about it is next to nothing.I could only find the name

of it and the reason for celebrating it, which is basically the same reason as for any holiday around this time of year. This blt is called Segerblt."Seger" is Swedish for "Victory", and it is celebrated as the victory of daylight over nightly darkness and the victory of warmth over the coldness of winter.