GOSSip

(Grove Of the Summer Stars – infinite possibility)

May 2017
Dear ‘Grovers’

SAMHUINN 2017
Trees were planted (thank you Richard), a Grove Meeting was held
(thank you Nicola) and we participated in a fabulous, profound and
uplifting Samhuinn ritual on Saturday with a thousand thanks to
Verity and Cate.

“Walking … I am listening to a deeper way. Suddenly all my ancestors are behind

me. Be still, they say. Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of
thousands”

THE WHEEL OF SEGAIS – THE WHEEL OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS /

FOUR SEASONS GOES GLOBAL!!

On Wednesday 19tth April I did a live internet global presentation of

the basic Four Elements / Four Seasons teachings (now called The
Wheel of Segais) that I have been taking some Grovers through for
the past couple of years. I was very ably assisted in the presentation
by Verity, Nicola, Brie, Cate and Les to whom a huge thank you!. Over
150 people from around the world (UK, USA, Netherlands, Germany,
Australia, New Zealand) registered to view the presentation and the
feedback has been great. Philip even joined the live interactive
option. The one-hour presentation was recorded and can now be
purchased at:
http://globalspiritualstudies.com/product/the-wheel-of-segais/

/|\

THE LABYRINTH! CALLING ALL GROVERS!

This from Anne and Glenn

LABYRINTH DEDICATION
WORLD LABYRINTH DAY Saturday 6th May, 2017, 12.30pm
for 12.45pm start

 You are warmly invited to participate in a global event, right here

at the Woolshed!

May 6 is World Labyrinth Day. This annual Labyrinth walk flows

across time zones as others join in around the world, creating a
powerful wave of positive energy.

 To mark the significance of this event Anne and Glenn

Conroy will be dedicating / commissioning their unique Active
Sage portable labyrinth which you can walk for the first time
exclusively at The Woolshed. How awesome is that? Once
blessed, the portable labyrinth will be taken out into the wider
community. Please darn those socks and join us at 12.30pm
Saturday May 6th for an unforgettable and deeply rewarding
Labyrinth experience. Enlightened refreshments will follow.

To learn more about us check out our Facebook

page: https://www.facebook.com/walkthelabyrinth/

 Bright blessings everyone,

Anne & Glenn

/|\
I love this from OBOD’s ‘Inspiration for Life’ newsletter:

'The training of the modern Bard, Ovate and Druid is based on an understanding of
the deep integrity of life: of how thought, feelings and action have real influence on
the course of events; and on an understanding of the responsibility we must have for
any knowledge we gain.' ~ Caitlin Matthews 
Image by Jason Roberts - Liverpool Echo

/|\

TWO ITEMS FROM GROVE MEETING 29.4.17 (Full Grove Meeting

Notes below)

GRADE-BASED MINI-CAMPS?

With taking a year off from Druid Camp next year, we’d like to
explore whether grove members would be interested in a ‘mini camp’
where members can focus on their path within OBOD and do
workshops and activities that are relevant to the OBOD course work.
With so many people at different stages of the OBOD grades it seems
like a great opportunity to get together to discuss our experiences
with the courses.

At the moment the thinking is to have two mini camp/weekends: one

for Bardic grade, and one for Ovates and Druids. Dates would depend
on what suits the members and the Woolshed, but would likely be
around a long weekend (e.g. Labour Weekend in October, Wellington
Anniversary Weekend in January, or around Waitangi Weekend in
February). The style would be more like our mini-camp this year,
with a loose programme and a simple approach to catering.

If this sounds like something that would interest you, please let
Pamela know. If there’s enough interest, we will set some dates and
seek coordinators to plan the camps.

/|\

COMMUNITY OUTREACH:

Do you know of a community project that needs help? We’d like to

find some opportunities to get involved in community projects, as a
way to reach out to the community, and to ‘walk the talk’. For
example, we could help out with local beach or stream clean-ups or
tree planting. Ideally, we’d like to join something that others are
organizing and provide some extra hands to make their work
happen. If you know of something that could use some support, get in
touch with Pamela and we’ll get this idea off the ground!

/|\

GERALD GARDENER AND THE ISLE OF MAN:

This from Linda from her travels on the Isle of Man conjuring up the
image of a man many of us know well:

Our first day in Isle of Man we had a guide who grew up on IOM.  

Our guide remembers Gerald Gardiner living in Castletown. She remembers

passing him in the street when he was "old and wizened". She pointed out his
house that was known to all as "the witch's house". 

Below is what she told me. It differs slightly from what I found on the internet
so if you are interested it is worth reading the article in the link at the bottom
of this piece as well and it gives more detail. The link also has a photograph
of Gerald Gardener in front of the witch's house and tower. 

Local understanding is that when Gerald died he gave the house and his
significant collection of 'magical items from around the world' to a woman
(Monique Wilson) from the town who was "leader of the Wiccan coven there". 
Our guide remembers going to school with the Monique's daughter. They
"were all scared of the daughter as they were scared her mother would put a
spell on them". 
When Monique died the daughter sold all the magical items to Ripley's
believe it or not in America. [see link as it reports that Monique sold the items
herself and explains why]

http://www.controverscial.com/Monique%20Wilson.htm 

Our guide also pointed out the memorial in Castletown to the only witch to be
burned at the stake in Isle of Man (along with her child). Apparently IOM
courts were hesitant to find a person guilty of anything that had a capital
punishment. They tended to say "not guilty, just don't do it again". This time
however, due to the political / religious pressures at the time they did find the
woman guilty of performing a fertility rite in the expectation of producing better
crops. 

/|\

OBOD 16TH SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE ASSEMBLY 2017, SYDNEY

Charlene and I are booked to go to this and now Rosemary has
decided to join us – yaaay! Anyone else interested?
Friday 11th August – Tuesday 15th August 2017
www.druidryaustralia.org/assemblies/

/|\

OBOD 18TH SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE ASSEMBLY 2019 in NZ

Date: (not confirmed) Thursday 17th January – Tuesday 22nd January
2019 (Wellington Anniversary Weekend)
We can discuss the early planning for this at our Grove Meeting at
Samhain but just to let you know that Joarn and I will be checking out
accommodation in the next month as we know people book venues
months if not years ahead. The requirements are to accommodate
approximately 40 people in cabins, rooms or dormitories/bunk
rooms and for the venue to have a large hall/dining room; a kitchen
for caterers; and sufficient native bush in which to hold rituals.
The venues we will be checking out are Brookfields, Riverslea,
Waihoanga, Tatum Park, Kiwi Ranch, Silverstream Retreat,
Strathearn Retreat Centre and MaryCrest. If you have any other
suggestions please let us know.

/|\
Adding Grunt to our Four (Closed) Festivals
We so much enjoyed the stimulating conversations we had at Camp
at the evening eisteddfodau that we are keen to continue these by
incorporating a topic for eisteddfod at each of the Quarter Festivals –
Samhuinn, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh – as these are the rituals
only Grovers may attend. Other things we are keen to do on these
days is to have our Grove Meeting, do some planting or clearing, etc.,
etc. If we gave over a full day, say from 10am onwards, four times a
year and put them in our diaries then that would be a really strong
commitment to our Grove and each other

/|\

Notes from Grove Meeting 29.4.17

1. Grade-based camps: Bardic, Ovate + Druid. Suggest one coordinator for
each. Lughnasadh will also be on a different weekend, and there will be
potential to do a separate ritual. Lughnasadh ritual date will also shift by
about one week.
Action: Nicola to draft note for GOSSip gauging interest with possible
dates and take it from there.
2. Hinau tree: Richard has mentioned previously the concept of ritually
planting a tree with a set intention (e.g. positive change, transition,
looking forward to the next step), which would act as a touchstone for
members. Focus would be on practical, specific change. Linda has found a
Hinau tree that would be appropriate, Richard would like to organize a
ritual early in the Celtic new year – before Winter Solstice (18 June),
Matariki (rising 4 June)? Closed to grove members only.
Action: Confirm date as morning of winter solstice (18 June), Richard to
shape ritual, get information to grove. Meet 10am, start at 11am,
following on to Winter Solstice at 4pm.
3. Content for blog/SerpentStar: Imbolc is the next edition, theme hasn’t
come through yet. Please keep the contributions coming.
4. Grove outreach: At the last ritual there was discussion of the labyrinths
near the Porirua and Hutt hospitals, which haven’t been maintained. Do
we want to reach out and offer to maintain them? Anne has reached out to
the Porirua one, who say Scouts are doing that one. Anne has asked Joarn
to ask about the Hutt Hospital. We could also turn up and walk them
regularly to keep the energy.
We’d like to find outreach options, especially around waterways, beaches,
tree planting. Stokes Valley river cleanup, Nga Uru Ora Trust (which did
the planting near our grove).
Action: Nicola to write something to GoSSIP about what we’re trying to
achieve, so we can keep an eye out for opportunities.
5. Labyrinth: Next Saturday is World Labyrinth Day, where people across
the world will be walking labyrinths at 1pm in their time zone. Anne and
Glenn have a custom-designed portable labyrinth they would like to bless
and consecrate that will be at the Woolshed next weekend. Gather at
12:30pm at The Woolshed (Nature Day is earlier in the day). Need people
to hold the directions. Still holding the concept of having a permanent
 labyrinth at the Woolshed in the future, and will bring some options to a
meeting at 18 June between tree planting and Winter Solstice.
6. Caring for sick grove members: Want to talk about how we share
information when people in the grove are sick, how we communicate
what we need.
Action: Grove will find a way to share resources about planning for
illness/death, a time to talk about this further, and also thinking about
how to register these wishes in a place that grove members can see it.

/|\

UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday 18th June
WINTER SOLSTICE / ALBAN ARTHAN
4.00pm at The Woolshed,
Born is the Sun God as a dependent infant – who in some
mysterious way has managed to escape the powers of darkness
seeking to destroy him while he was still in the cradle of Winter.
The survival of light through Winter was symbolised by one tiny
hair on the young child’s head. (Nuinn)

The Winter Solstice ceremony of the Druid tradition is known as

Alban Arthan – which can be poetically translated as “The Light of
Arthur”. Here Arthur is equated with the Sun-God who dies and is
reborn as the Celtic ‘Son of Light’ – the Mabon – at the Winter
Solstice. The name of the ceremony, therefore, encapsulates or
epitomises the essential theme of this rite. During the ceremony the
apparent death of the sun is mourned, and then as the fire is lit at the
actual or symbolic time of the Solstice, the rebirth of the Sun and by
association, the return of Arthur, is celebrated.

This is an old act indeed. The Christian nativity story is but a recent
version of the theme of the Sun’s rebirth.
The Sun-God Mithras was also born at the time of shortest light and
maximum darkness, and it is at this time that the mystery of death
and resurrection or rebirth is acted out symbolically by the very
planets themselves. The symbolism of the Winter Solstice ceremony
is deeper and older than that of Summer.
Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, is a time when nature
seems to stand still; a key moment of deepening and withdrawing. It
is an opportunity for us to reflect on what lies within our own
darkness that is awaiting birth. What have we offered to the Great
Mother for gestation and holding? As we light candles at Solstice, we
focus on what we are kindling within ourselves.
ALL WELCOME!
Bring stories, poems, reflections, readings, etc. appropriate to this
powerful time of the year.
A contribution to our Yule Feasting afterwards would be appreciated.

PLEASE NOTE: The Quarter Festivals (Samhuinn, Imbolc, Beltane

and Lughnasadh) are for members of the Grove of the Summer Stars
only. The Sun festivals (both Equinoxes and both Solstices) are open
to all.

MEMBERS’ NOTICEBOARD
Thursday 4th May and Thursday 1st June
FOUR ELEMENTS / FOUR SEASONS SECOND GRAND CYCLE
FROM LUGHNASADH TO SAMHAIN (Air/ Earth / Consolidation)
7-10pm at The Woolshed with Pamela Meekings-Stewart
Cost: $30
Each quadrant or Season/Element of the Second Grand Cycle of The
Wheel of Segais will now be addressed in its three segments with
sessions from 7-10pm on the first Thursday of each month. A session
each month will allow us to experience more directly the energies
and elements that are strongest at that time both within ourselves
and in the world around us.
Here are the dates for the final two in the Cycle.

May 4 Three segments of 4ES2:

Air /Earth / Ripening – The gaining of wisdom.
Movement towards harvest/completion. Focus is
required. What will carry you forward?
AND Earth / Air / Healing - The way ahead is clear. The end
is in sight. Success is within grasp. The final adjustments
need to be made
AND Earth / Manifestation / Harvest – A time of completion
and harvest. A time to gather all you have learned into
your basket of knowledge.
As we are now entering the quadrant of Earth, the work becomes a
lot more practical and pragmatic and I am sure we can complete
these three segments in the time (7-10pm) 

June 1 Earth / Fire / Reflection This is a time of Decay and

Genesis. A time to reflect on all that you have gathered
and learned in this Second Grand Cycle. This final
workshop will include a celebratory dinner.

Elementally Yours, Pamela

To register your interest please contact me at:
pamela@thewoolshed.com or 2399234 / 0272068876

Saturday 6th May

NATURE DAYS at The Woolshed
From Mary:
The next meet up for Nature Days is on 6tth May. Rain or shine we
will be there and welcome you to join us from 10.30am onwards at
the Story Telling Tree.
Nature Days are for our tamariki to explore outside and develop a
connection with Papatuakuku. It's a time for adults to step back and give
their children opportunity to explore the wonders of nature and make
their own discoveries while we keep them safe and plant seeds in their
minds and hearts.

Nature Days start at 10.30am and run for a couple of hours on the first
Saturday of every month. Sessions will start by gathering for a sharing of
kai and a story before we set off to play. When children are ready, we
come back in for a sharing circle. Afterwards there will be an
opportunity for the children to walk a mini labyrinth at the
dedication at 12.30pm. (Bring socks!)

This is an initiative of Mary’s fully supported by The Woolshed and

Grove. https://goo.gl/forms/cdKcwAU7Pa9lSjpM2.

Saturday 6th May

LABYRINTH DEDICATION with Anne and Glenn
12.30 at The Woolshed. (Bring socks!)

Thursday 11th May

FULL MOON – CRONE MOON
7pm at The Woolshed. For women only.
Saturday 3rd June
NATURE DAYS
10.30am at The Woolshed
Nature Days are for our tamariki to explore outside and develop a
connection with Papatuakuku. It's a time for adults to step back and give
their children opportunity to explore the wonders of nature and make
their own discoveries while we keep them safe and plant seeds in their
minds and hearts.

Sessions will start by gathering at the Storytelling Tree for a sharing of

kai and a story before we set off to play. When children are ready, we
come back in for a sharing circle.
https://goo.gl/forms/cdKcwAU7Pa9lSjpM2. This is an initiative of
Mary’s fully supported by The Woolshed and Grove.

Saturday 10th June

FULL MOON – CAVE MOON/TRANSFORMATION
7pm at The Woolshed. For women only.

STIRRING THE CAULDRON

The Grove of the Summer Stars is your Grove. This Newsletter is
your newsletter. So please get involved! I will be sending GOSSip
out every month so if you have anything that you’d like to go in it,
send it along!

BLOGS & MAGS:

Our blog - https://summerstarsgrove.wordpress.com/. Always

something interesting to respond to or contribute. Following our
conversations at Camp and the material we have sent to SerpentSar, I
would expect our blog to be buzzing! Mary writes, “If you haven’t
read Under the Summer Stars recently there are some posts about
Lughnasadh and Sustainability. Upcoming posts include a book
review and an overview of our recent Camp.”

Editions of the Australian OBOD magazine SerpentStar are available

on line https://serpentstar.wordpress.com. SerpentStar publishes four editions
a year – Lughnasadh, Samhuinn, Imbolc and Beltane. – and our first
Aotearoa pages will appear in the Lughnasadh edition due out any
day! Guidelines for submissions are located
here: https://serpentstar.wordpress.com/about/

You might also like to send your contributions to other blogs or

magazines. There is a blog – druidsdownunder.blogspot.co.nz:
“Druids Down Under has been set up for the purpose of exploring
Druidic spirituality in Australia. “Through combining the inspiration
of our tradition in Druidry with the spiritual essence of the land we
live in, we aim to find a connection with the sacred landscape.”

Druidic Dawn is also a good read. They publish a free global

magazine – Aontacht - 4 times a year – www.DruidicDawn.org - and I
notice in Volume 8, Issue 2, there is a lengthy article from Kristoffer
Hughes. Druidic Dawn has been publishing Aontacht quarterly since
2008.

Yours in the Awen /|\

Pamela (Modron)
2399234 / 0272068876 pamela@thewoolshed.com
www.thewoolshedretreats.co.nz