Summer Solstice Festival
Foundation Centre - Ireland
June 14, 2025
By: Noeleen Watson
Without looking out my window this morning, I could hear the rain falling every heavily. As we drove towards Huntington Castle, the rain completely eased. The skies may still have been dark, but the rain held off. The Goddesses and Gods were certainly looking after us all today for our ceremony. There was a fine crowd gathering in the courtyard, finely dressed and umbrellas tucked under their arms. Well, it is Ireland after all.
Cait welcomed everyone with her friendly smile and her wise wisdom. She invited us all to start our procession and reassured everyone to go at their own pace. We started our procession with a chorus of songs from our Priestesses as we made our way towards the Rose Garden. The colours of the different varieties of roses were amazing but the scent is what really stole the show. Petals led the way as we walked around the central roses. We asked the Rosa Mundi for something that our heart needs.
We moved in silence towards the sacred grove of trees that symbolises the Druid Clan of Danu. Walking through the gardens ignited all our senses from the birds serenading us, to the bees flying by, the debris on the ground was like a soft velvet carpet and as for the grove itself, I have never seen the bark look so vibrant. Here we took a moment to connect with our breath and the ground underneath.
We travelled together to the Abbey, the Noble Order of Tara. Cait told us this was Olivia favourite place, and she loved to spend time here. The window was full of flowers; the sun even tried to peep out to say hello. Again, one could drift off with the magic scent of the roses. A beautiful invocation was made by one of our priestesses to the Goddess Eriu.
As we left the abbey, we made our final journey to the temple and an invocation to Goddess Persephone was made by a priestess. Permission was asked before we entered the temple itself as we walked through the door, the sound of the bell ringing vibrated all through the walls. Everyone gathered around the holy well. Our priests and priestesses made their invocations to their different deities. As is tradition, Cait read an oracle called The Goddess of Muth of Egypt. Even though we all different we are all the same, the trees, humans, birds and insects we all have light within us, and our hearts are all connected. 'Let Love and Truth be brought into that Sacred Marriage which bringeth forth harmony.' Blessings were given and received with love.
As we made our way to the High Altar, a priestess was waiting to deliver her oracle. The oracle from Brigid was one of the most powerful oracles I have heard. It was all about slowing down, taking that breath, taking time to really see, hear and experience Brigid in all of nature. I hope I have this right 'the whistle of the river'. There was so much said and sometimes it is better to absorb rather than try and remember.
Tom, our priest played a soulful tune for us while we all sat in quiet contemplation. Cait shared a little about the importance of this time of the year and how our lives are linked with the different seasons/festivals. I shared a poem called The Ribbons of Bealtaine which I wrote after our last ceremony. Tom brought us on a journey and during the journey seven bells rang out before we made our way back to the temple with a beautiful gift. Cait led us all in sending out blessings to the world and to Maureen, one of our priestesses. We had a surprise Mystery Play based on the Apuleius' novel, The Golden Ass, the Greek character Lucius is transformed into a donkey. Before the ceremony closed, everyone was thanked and Cait asked for volunteers to give healing. Time was catching up on us all. How time flies. All the priests and priestesses gave thanks to their deities.
From the start I felt the heart was such a theme for our ceremony, from the petal path to the gift for our heart, to our blessings and even the oracle was all about the heart too. When we stop and take the breath we go within ourselves and connect with our hearts. Cait said how Olivia had 'hospitality in her heart.'
Our next temple gathering will be for the Lughnasadh Festival on 2nd August 2025 at 11am. (Please note: Festivals are accessible by invitation only - to request one, please see this page: Events)
