Imbolc

Spring is stirring and bring hope of better times with longer brighter daylight time, new growth pushing it's way up from the soil and catkins on the Hazel getting longer.  It's time to start sewing early seeds and planning what the year might bring.

One of the goddess mostly associated with this time of year, the comping of spring/tale end of winter with more fertile times coming is Brigid Brid Bride Brigantia Bridgit.or however you choose to spell her name, usually pronounced Breed Brigg-id or Bree-id. 

Artwork - Jo Jayson

A great mother goddess, she was one of the most widely worshipped across Britain and Ireland.  It’s quite possible that the Northern British Tribe, the Brigantes derived their name from her.

Brigid is a Fire, Sun Goddess, Goddess of the Dawn.
She is also the Goddess of the Well and the Waters. There are healing wells still dedicated to her in Ireland.

The spark of inspiration, the muse of all creativity, Brigid is the Goddess of ...

• poets,
• musicians and singers,
• storytellers,
• scholars and teachers,
• artists, trades persons, and artisans, especially metalsmiths
• healers and herbalists,
• magick-workers,
• seers and prophets
• Midwives.

Brigid’s Cross is an ancient symbol for Brigid and is also known as a Celtic Sun Wheel or Solar Cross Solar Crosses are one of the most ancient of symbols and are found all over the world.

Brigid’s Crosses are traditionally made with rushes or straw and hung for protection, especially from fire but also from ill intent, mainly hung over the doorway but also by the fire for fertility
The intention could be whatever you want your Solar Cross to be for -- honouring the Sun Goddess, protection for your home, blessings and protection for your loved ones, etc.
It may also be given as a blessing and protection to someone you care about.
Another option is to offer it to the Goddess. You can hang it on a tree (particularly hawthorn) or leave it in nature somewhere, or burn it in a ritual fire (a bonfire or cauldron).  You could also hang it above your altar, to keep Brigid's presence near you all year long.

These are some I made at our moot last year from straw, reed and Willow.

The Demotion to Saint Brigid
In Ireland and other Celtic countries, Brigid was a primary Pagan Goddess. This didn't sit well when Christianity took over. But the people were unwavering in their devotion to this Goddess, and the Christian fathers couldn't eradicate Her worship.
So they did what has worked so well throughout the ages and around the globe: they incorporated Her into their own mythology.
In the 5th Century, She was remade as a Christian saint. She was given a fictitious history, and canonised. (Then in 1960, I guess the Church thought they'd made a mistake, and de-sainted Her! Or maybe they thought they could at last do away with this so-tenacious and beloved female deity.)

Love all the Brighid representations in this art work by Danielle Barlow, most of the Brighd symbols I knew but not how the serpent was linked to her. 

I did a bit of research and found that according to Celtic mythology an awakening hibernating serpent will emerged from it's lair at Imbolc, and by it's movements it was calculated how many more days of winter there would be, if it returned to it's lair then spring wold be a month or more in coming.  Although Brigid is a triple goddess she is mainly thought of as a spring goddess, so as she is to usher in spring this would be imported to know.  Serpents also represent new life and fertility, much like spring, as well as transformation, creativity and inspiration,
Paths of Earth energy, ley lines, were also called serpent paths and at Imbolc they are stirred from their slumber as the earth warms.

Derbyshire Pagans Lammas Camp 2019

1st - 4th August 2019

Kniveton, Derbyshire DE6 1JL

It's nearly time for Chesterfield Derbyshire Pagans Lammas Camp again, our 16th one this year.

It's a wonderful Celebration of Summer with Ritual, Dancing, Drumming and Fire as well as Workshops and Crafts.  

This year we have a Handfasting and Saining to celebrate as well.

We try to keep costs low so most can get together with other like minded spirits and enjoy time away sharing knowledge, experiences and friendship.  The total cost for the whole weekend per adult is £26, extra of course if you want to buy yourself something shiny from the Stalls, look out for mine ;0)   Our lovely caterers there again if you want to relax and forget about cooking and washing up.

Want to find out more about Lammas Camp?  

Check out my web page and click Lammas Camp in the menu.  

See you over there :0)

Derbyshire Pagans Lammas Camp - a few photos

Derbyshire Pagans Lammas Camp is fast approaching again and so I thought it would be a good to dig out some photos from previous years to remind me of the lovely times shared there while looking forward to this years camp.
We've had some wonderful handfastings over the years but unfortunately I can't find photos of them all now.  We have a lovely handfasting organised for this years Lammas Camp as well as and a Saining.
We have had some fantastic Fire Ceremonies and Lammas Rituals, great drumming, dancing and chanting around the fire and wonderful sunsets and sunrises and I think this years will be just as amazing.

Can't wait for this years Lammas Camp which will be the 1st - 4th August 2019
Tickets available from Morning Star Craft website click on the Lammas Camp tab for more info about the camp site and ticket form, see you in the field soon :0)

Have a look below for some fab photos of Lammas Camp

Summer time means flowers, right?

The lovely warm weather we've had has made me want to do things with flowers, no not just walking amongst the Bluebells that are out already, but messing with flower beads and twisting wire.

Trying to decide if it would look better on chain or cord, decisions decisions, best made over coffee.

In the end I went with chain, have a look at the photos below.  Right decision do you think?

I've made some other pieces from the flower beads as well but unfortunately forgot to photograph them.  I'm going to make some more so will make sure I do take some photos of them before they go.

Bluebells from my walk, just cos they smell lovely and welcome the spring :0)

New Website again

Yes I've remade my website again and hope this one will be a lot simpler for me and anyone visiting a lot easier to use.  It's still the same address MorningStarCraft.co.uk and still has a Lammas Camp page for 2019 tickets as well as my items for sale.

I'm still tweaking and messing with it but it is now live so if you want to take a peek please do and let me know what you think.  It has a blog on there as well, yes I know I don't write much on this one so how am I going to manage two?  We'll see how it all goes, there are some posts already on there if you want to have a mooch round.

One of the things I impressed myself with is that I've made a favicon for it :0)  What's a favicon you might ask, I did too.  It's the little icon you see at the top of tab pages on the computer, you know like facebook has a f in a blue square and gmail has an envelope with red on the edges.  Mines a purple star, thought it fitting as Morning Star Craft and cos well purple ;0)

So off to twiddle some more, post some more items for sale, add a bit more to the Lammas Camp page, try to get google to find it and all that stuff, need coffee first though I think.

Hope to see you there
Dawn

Samhain Shindig and Tree of Life Willow Pentagram

Gosh October already, can definitely feel the change in the air.  Doesn't seem very long since the Autumn Equinox and now it feels as though Samhain is almost upon us.

The leaves and autumn colours are looking lovely in their russet reds and golden yellow colours mixed with the green, the rose hips and honeysuckle berries in the garden are still bright red and the Sunflowers are just hanging on with their big yellow discs.  I suppose the darker earlier nights mean you can get the candles lit earlier ;0)

I'm going to wrap up warm for my run to the post office, when I've wrapped up the latest orders to be on their way to their new homes, though yesterday at the carboot there were still people strolling round in shorts brrr. 

This is one of the items I'm posting today, a Tree of Life hanging Willow Pentacle.  The Willow is from the tree in my garden, love it when it has the little furry catkins on. 

I've got some more pentagrams woven together, just need to get on decorate them. 
What would you decorate a pentagram with?  In the past a few of the things I've used are moons, hares, crows, ravens, goddess, owls as well as beads, shells, ribbons and such like. 

Tree of Life Willow Pentagram

If you're wanting to warm up with a bit of partying and dancing or just warm your knees around the fire our Samhain 2019 event is on the 27th October at Eyre Chaple in Newbold, Chesterfield.  It's the same place we have the drum group on the 1st Thursday of each month and just down the road from The Old House where we hold our moot ever 2nd Monday of the month.  Any like minded or folk with friendly interest are invited along to any of our events.  

The Samhain Shindig will start with ritual, hopefully outside if it's not too wet or windy, or inside if it is.  There's to be drumming in the ritual as well so bring your drums if you have them.  Afterwards it's food share and prize giving for best fancy dress and pumpkin decorating.  You could win free tickets to our Lammas Camp in the summer, give you something to look forward to in the cold of winter ;0)  Then it's party time with music and dancing or hanging around chatting and chilling by the fire.

  

If you'd like more details please have a look at our facebook page Chesterfield Derbyshire Pagans

Lammas Camp 2018 Chesterfield Pagans

Lammas Camp is fast coming up only a few weeks now.  Early Bird tickets go on sale at Imbolc and we think oh it's ages away yet and then Early Bird finishes and we think oh no not long now, better get cracking and so a list has been made of the workshops confirmed so far, other will be confirming soon hopefully.

Lotions and potions parts 1 & 2 - Tan Harvey

Talking with Trees - Simon Sheriff

Goddess, Kundalini, sunrise and Family yoga classes - Danielle Baker I will also have a sacred space to guide and support you through physical, emotional and energetic healing. I combine different therapies involving touch, sound, crystals, smell and breath work to promote a holistic approach to recharge and repair your body, mind and spirit!

Power Animal Workshops - Cherill Royce-Dexter 1 Importance of Animal Spirit with guided meditation 2 Animal Spirit Guides at the four quarters The importance of Animal Spirit guides is a talk first, followed by a guided meditation to take you to meet your current Animal Spirit guide.

The second talk will be a recap on talk number 1 but a longer guided meditation to take you to the four directions to gain wisdom from the Animal Spirits who are there for you at this time. I will also show you how to call upon your animal spirits to get help and guidance in everyday situations.

Tarot Birth Reading - Lara Ramsdale A workshop teaching how to perform tarot birth readings using traditional cards, and discussing symbology and the co-ordinates of your birth. Finding your soul challenge for this lifetime and examining your life circumstances, as fated by yourselves and the gods.

Lara will be offering FREE tarot birth readings/tarot readings when she is available for all three days of camp.

Runes I & II - Darren Ramsdale & Suzanne Martin Workshop 1: Basic Runes discussed, practical demonstrations of Runic techniques. Workshop 2: Advanced Runes - Practical techniques for more advanced application.

Darren Ramsdale will be available throughout the three day camp for advice on all matters spiritual and Rune related, and can also make bind runes with the appropriate rituals to take home for personalised solutions and aid, for a small and negotiable price.

It's the 2nd to 5th August this year at our usual place in Kniveton near Ashbourne.  Even though the ticket prices are at the normal rate of £26 per adult for the weekend it's still very good value, workshops, rituals etc are included.  There will be fire, drumming, dancing, in glorious countryside and if you don't want to cook we have fantastic caterers with a menu for everyone vegan, veggie or meat eater.

Check out more info at my MorningStarCraft website on the Chesterfield Pagans tab.