LUGHNASAD FESTIVAL at FOUNDATION CENTRE,
CLONEGAL.
AUGUST 3, 2013
BY: MINETTE QUICK
The Festival was, as Olivia would say, a great
success! Sadly, once again she was not able to be with us, but she sent her
blessings and was delighted to hear that it went so well. Still patiently
waiting to be fully rehabilitated and back on full form at the Castle, her
spirits and general health is excellent and everyone who visits remarks that she
is really looking very well and rested.
Having gathered in the Theatre
for a short introduction, the Procession set off singing, through the orchard
and down to the spiritual home of the Druid Clan of Dana in the Wilderness, the
Druid Grove of giant redwoods. Here David de Roeck of the Ascension of Isis
group, opened the portal between the trunks of two of the great trees before the
company entered, and Eimear Burke of DCD led the invocations. Unfortunately rain
began to fall as they proceeded onwards to the Abbey, spiritual home of the
Noble Order of Tara. After the traditional portal was opened invocations were
led by Cait Branigan. Because of the rain these were necessarily quite brief and
the procession moved on down the steps to the Garden Gate to the Temple, where
Maureen Sullivan invoked Persephone in her beautiful garden shrine under the
sheltering cover of the steps to the balcony above.
The portal to the
Temple once opened the company moved to the Gate into the Shrine of Brigid na
Mara. The bell was rung and Priest and Priestess questioned and answered and
admittance was gained. At the Well, Lady Olivia’s recent ‘Rejoice’ message to
the Fellowship was read, as an invitation to all to approach the Well of Truth
in happy communion and equality of spirit with those who represent Deity and
love and guide all who seek their aid. The priesthood invoked many Deities in
both Irish and English and as it was Ra’s Birthday, it being not only Lughnasad
but also near to Opet, his presence was specially invoked by his priest.
The Holy Grail filled with water from the Well of Truth was lifted as
Brigid’s presence for healing was invoked and individual Blessings from the
Goddess were given to each one attending. At the High Altar a priestess in
trance awaited, and we were given a most beautiful, calm and clear Oracle by
Mairé Doyle, which spoke of the message of balance, needed so much at this time,
not least between the masculine and feminine energies emphasised by the time of
Opet.
Presiding at the Altar, Cait called upon Deirdre Wadding to unfold
for us the drama of Lughnasad. The story of Lugh – the Sun God’s miraculous
birth, his divine gifts, and magically foretold battles with his evil father,
was played out with the eager participation of both primed and unprimed members
of the audience who stepped forward to take part. It was all great fun! We were
reminded of the remarkable parallels in the stories of so many of the great
messengers of truth over the ages. Cait then took us on an evocative mystical
Journey up the Nile to partake in an ancient Egyptian Ceremony which everyone
enjoyed very much. Then it was time for notices, giving thanks and opportunities
to receive healings and counselling. Maureen & Eimear presented Marian with
a beautiful bouquet of white lilies as a mark of our appreciation of her
devotion and care of Olivia during her long stay in Waterford, during which time
she was able to send out so many encouraging and excellent messages to us all
with Marian's aid.
Our thanks to Minette for sending this report
and to all members of the Rainbow Circle of Brigid.
(Photo by Minette Quick of Brigid's Well of Truth with commentary: "Presided over by Child Figure of Bride to the left. The notice on the wall represents the All-Seeing Eye of the Deities, Angels and Star Children, above Brigid's Well, are the Tears of Truth and the White Dove of the Holy Spirit descending into the Grail.")
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