Beltane open ritual

Beltane approaches and tonight I joined with others in an open Beltane ritual out in the New Forest hosted by the Clan of the Pheryllt. I've attended Pheryllt rituals, and the occasional moot, for some years now, though recently one thing and another had meant that I'd missed more than one or two. I've missed these gatherings. It was lovely to be back in the circle with so many familiar faces, as well as several new, it was as if no time has passed at all. Solitary practice is all well and good, and something I'm used to after years of shying away from groups having met some right chumps. The Clan of the Pheryllt and the people who congregate at their open rituals couldn't be more different though, good folk, friendly and open. The clans rituals are a joy, there was appropriate solemnity, though plenty of humour, a phallic Maypole, dancing, singing, and bardic offerings by way of music and poetry too. A lovely evening, a lovely ritual, with lovely people, in a lovely setting...lovely.

Solstice ritual

The wheel has turned and Solstice approaches, it's time for ritual celebration. Tonight I joined other pagan types of differing paths in the forest for one of the Clan of the Pheryllt's seasonal open rituals. I saw many a familiar face and new ones to boot; I think I've been attending Pheryllt rituals for nearly 4 years now, they're a great group, very friendly and welcoming. As is usual with the  Clan of the Pheryllt's open rituals it was an friendly affair, the ritual was an OBOD* one and so Druidic in nature; I liked that as it was through such rituals I came to my spiritual path and feel very comfortable with them.  As I said, the participants are a nice bunch and the rituals always have a family feel to them, undertaken with genuine reverence for our natural world and all who dwell therein, with love and often with a fair portion of humour. Tonight there were a couple of bardic offerings too: a lady with a flute/whistle type thing which had a First Nation sound to it played a beautiful tune, followed by Spanish lady singing a captivating song she had written. I wish I had the confidence to participate I see in others. Another lovely ritual leaving you feeling good. Afterwards we adjourned to the Forest Inn in Brockenhurst for the moot portion of the evening, I wasn't going to go what with up early tomorrow, though was talked in to swift one, planning to go before 2200, it was 2300 before I left, still that's by far the earliest I've got away from a Brockenhurst moot. All in all it was a lovely ritual and moot, an evening well spent; a big thank you to the Clan of the Pheryllt.

* Order of Bards Ovates and Druids.