Registration
Imbolc Information and RSVP
(January 31st- February 2nd)
Hello my lovelies! Imbolc is here! The time has come for us all to emerge from our bednests and couchburrows, shake off the post holiday hangovers and start planning for spring. Our ritual for Imbolc is the Drawing Down the Moon ceremony- while we still have fun and entertainment- this ritual is our most solemn and emotional of the year so please keep that in mind.
We are continuing with our new donation system. When you fill out the form you will have three options to choose from: 1) Donate $10 per adult via CashApp when you RSVP (include the FIRST and LAST name of the adult in the notes). 2) Bring $15 cash per adult to check-in at the event. 3) Work a 2.5-hour shift on Saturday from 12-2:30 PM as an alternative. Kids are always free! For more information email registration@dragonhaventn.org.
We start our festivities on Friday. Check-In will run from Noon to 5. Since it is so cold, and still getting dark early, we will start our Bardric fire and Bard stories earlier than normal. Also if you have any paper calendars or planners from 2024, you will be invited to burn them at this time if you wish- burn away all that 2024 energy.
Saturday Check In opens at 9 and closes at 2:30- PLEASE MAKE ALL EFFORTS TO BE THERE BEFORE WE CLOSE.
The nest opens at 9am on Saturday as normal.
At 10am we have a Magickal Names class taught by Sage.
Our Adult craft and teen activity will run simultaneously near the Bardic fire at 11am. For adult craft Help wake nature with a Priapic Wand! We will have many strong sticks, shiny ribbons, bells and acorns/cones avaliable to make your wand! Feel free to bring your own small stick or anything else you wish to decorate with. The type of wood you choose for your wand can help channel a specific type of magic.
At 12, Our hatchlings will be making Candle holders in the nest.
From 1-3, We will have an offering altar for the Goddess set up at the cabin off of Camp Rd. If you’d prefer, You may leave your offering on that altar instead of handing it to her in person and it will be brought down to ritual for you. Some previously gifted offerings include handmade crafts, poems, letters, tears, laughter, flowers, wood burned items and expressions of vulnerability. There will also be a bell on that altar. If you desire to speak to the goddess vessel briefly simply ring that bell and offer your thanks or state your question or need. At this time, the goddess vessel will not respond. Do not attempt to open the cabin door or go into the cabin. This is a time of intense reflection and meditation for the goddess vessel.
Our Ritual will be held at 4pm. Drawing Down The Moon is a ritual that involves a chosen vessel who will spend the day meditating and preparing to invoke the full spirit of the goddess to deliver individual messages during ritual. The goddess vessel’s identity is confidential and they will be draped and covered- making it easier to simply see them as She.
To prepare to venerate our goddesses through chant and bring the vessel in, we will all chant the name of a goddess (you will choose your own) repeatedly.
When it is your turn to approach the goddess vessel in circle, it is appropriate to make a small offering. Anything you feel led to offer is perfectly fine. Consider your offering and how it relates to your question or request. When you approach the goddess vessel during ritual, it is appropriate to kneel (if you can) or bow before asking your question or stating your need. We will have guards available to help you up if it is important to you to kneel but you are concerned about getting back up. Our goddess vessel may hold your hands for skin-to-skin contact to strengthen the connection. If you do not want that to happen, simply keep your hands by your side if they reach for you.
This is an interaction between you and the goddess only. Speak loud enough for the vessel to hear you but you are not required to vocalize your question or request for everyone to hear. Once your interaction is complete, please remain in the circle but move away so that the next attendee may have privacy for their interaction as well.
This is incredibly important- what happens at ritual, STAYS AT RITUAL. This often becomes a ritual of extreme emotion. People cry out of joy. People cry out of sadness. People may have a very intense spiritual experience. Do NOT, through your words, thoughts, facial expressions, body language, etc… judge or criticize what someone else is moved to do or say. You may approach someone to ask if they are OK or need anything but DO NOT approach someone asking about the details of their personal experience. THERE IS NO PHOTOGRAPHY OR VIDEO AT THIS RITUAL.
Further details about the ritual will be provided down below.
Following ritual there will be a procession to lead the goddess back to the cabin. All are invited to follow her back and remain outside the cabin to lend your energy to the vessel as she returns to herself. If you choose to do so, please be quiet and respectful during this time.
At 6pm we will have a communal Feast and stories in the circle. This is not a potluck but there will be a separate thread on FB if anyone would like to coordinate their meals among themselves. Start thinking about meals that you can easily prepare and bring down to the circle so we can all break bread together after such an emotional ritual.
Finally- PLEASE remember this event will be COLD. Dress yourselves and your children accordingly. Bring hand warmers. Lets all say it together- PAGAN ONIONS PREVENT PAGAN POPSICLES.
See you all At Imbolc!!!!
More Ritual Information
As we approach our Imbolc festival at Dragon Haven, we want to take this time to cover a few things about this particular ritual as it can be one of heightened emotion and deep experience.
Though Imbolc is typically associated with Brigid, we use this event to celebrate the divine feminine. While some rituals are a bit more light-hearted and fun, this ritual is a bit more on the somber side.
We will be conducting the rite of Drawing Down the Moon. (You will read about an altar being set up a little further down, there will be more information about Drawing Down the Moon posted on that altar.) Drawing Down The Moon is a ritual that involves a chosen vessel who will spend the day meditating and preparing to invoke the full spirit of the goddess to deliver individual messages during ritual. The goddess vessel’s identity is confidential and they will be draped and covered- making it easier to simply see them as She.
After we call the quarters we will venerate our goddesses through chant until the goddess vessel joins us. Prior to entering the circle our goddess vessel will enter a trance and welcome the divine feminine power of the goddess in. Using our collective energy, they will continue to channel the goddess and speak and interact with us individually.
Here is where your homework begins. You are being given the opportunity to talk to the divine in physical form, what do you want to say or ask? This may sound a bit intimidating. Many people have some degree of social anxiety or fear of speaking aloud in front of others. Some people aren’t sure what to say or ask. That’s OK!
Here is a list of things you can do to help prepare yourself for this ritual:
To prepare to venerate our goddesses through chant and bring the vessel in, we will all chant the name of a goddess (you will choose your own) repeatedly. This will come naturally for a lot of folks as they have a matron goddess they already work with. If you do not, do some research and find a goddess who resonates with you and consider that connection. Use that goddesses name when the time comes.
When it is your turn to approach the goddess vessel in circle, it is appropriate to make a small offering. Anything you feel led to offer is perfectly fine. Some previously gifted offerings include handmade crafts, poems, letters, tears, laughter, flowers, wood burned items and expressions of vulnerability. Consider your offering and how it relates to your question or request.
*We will also have an offering altar set up at the cabin off of Camp Rd. If you’d prefer, starting at one, you may leave your offering on that altar and it will be brought down to ritual for you. There will also be a bell on that altar. If you desire to speak to the goddess vessel briefly simply ring that bell and offer your thanks or state your question or need. At this time, the goddess vessel will not respond. Do not attempt to open the cabin door or go into the cabin. This is a time of intense reflection and meditation for the goddess vessel.
When you approach the goddess vessel during ritual, it is appropriate to kneel (if you can) or bow before asking your question or stating your need. We will have guards available to help you up if it is important to you to kneel but you are concerned about getting back up. Our goddess vessel may hold your hands for skin-to-skin contact to strengthen the connection. If you do not want that to happen, simply keep your hands by your side if they reach for you.This is an interaction between you and the goddess only. Speak loud enough for the vessel to hear you but you are not required to vocalize your question or request for everyone to hear. We will have drums going in the background to fill the silence.
Once your interaction is complete, please remain in the circle but move away so that the next attendee may have privacy for their interaction as well.
This is incredibly important- what happens at ritual, STAYS AT RITUAL. This often becomes a ritual of extreme emotion. People cry out of joy. People cry out of sadness. People may have a very intense spiritual experience. Do NOT, through your words, thoughts, facial expressions, body language, etc… judge or criticize what someone else is moved to do or say. You may approach someone to ask if they are OK or need anything but DO NOT approach someone asking about the details of their personal experience.
On the lighter side of things, this ritual can visually be so beautiful.
Here are a few ritual garb color suggestions associated with Imbolc.
Silver: to represent the goddess and the divine feminine.
Sky Blue: to represent the hopeful essence of the early spring sky.
Green: to represent the new life emerging from the soil, and the verdant landscapes to come.
Yellow: to represent the return of the sun and the days growing longer.