The Great God Pan

Originally Posted by norseman

It is cold here for about 6 months, then the winter comes and stays for the rest of the year. Our weather is mostly from Northern Russia and the Norwegian Glaciers, moderated slightly by the North Sea. It's a "hard", beautiful land of upland moors and dales.

Samhain to me is more austere, a time of the ancestors being revered and contacted in spirit. This is a solitary festival for me, a time for "journeying".
Mabon, the Herfest, we will celebrate at Thornborough Henge.

Yes...I understand...we have The Mock Supper and an effigy of my Beloved...but it is a Celebration...for us the solemn time is YuleTide.

YuleTide is a time of introspection through the longest night of the Year--when we reflect upon what we have learned during the Wheel that is passing--then determine our goals for the Wheel that is being born.

Our Mabon is a Celebration of Thanksgiving and the Second Harvest of Fruits, Nuts, and Grains--which occurs at the Autumnal Equinox.

Thank you for (always) being so willing to share your perspective--regarding the way in which you Celebrate the Wheel-of-the-Year.

[norseman]

Last year's Mabon at Thornborough

[BriarRose]

I'm loving reading, and seeing these images. I have always incorporated some of those objects into my life without really understanding why, for instance the pomegranate and the stag. I know what they represent now, of course.

I am not acquainted with anyone other than myself with pagan tendencies. It's a revelation to be in touch with the two of you, and I am grateful that I found this site. As for Yule, last year I found a book called "The Fires of Yule" that discussed the season as a time to move inward, a time for contemplation. I tried to follow along with the meditations. All this talk of Yule and Samhain make me wish they were here.

[Jenny Crow]

Originally Posted by RosieCotton

All this talk of Yule and Samhain make me wish they were here.

Oh, RosieCottom please don't wish my summer away, we have just come out of the worst winter in years over here in Ontario, Canada and are just now starting to enjoy summer.

It's amazing isn't it how we instinctively incorporate things into our lives and/or rituals without really knowing why. Perhaps you were guided or even, maybe, 'remembered' from a past life.

Best wishes to you on your path

Jenny Crow

[norseman]

Rosie, Britain is, and always has been, a pagan country. Only 5% of the population are active christians and that is still falling. Pagan festivals all over the country draw ever-increasing crowds and all the ancient sites and standing stones are revered. Thornborough Henge in my photos above is about 5000 years-old and we still use it in it's original purpose. Christianity was only ever skin-deep here.

www.sacredbrigantia.com

This is my "altar and temple" in the high dales

[Jenny Crow]

Ohhh I want to be there so badly, Norseman, it's soooo beautiful. I miss it so much. Love your pics I can smell it and hear it, lol.

[BriarRose]

I always sensed that was true about Britain, Norseman. It gives me a sense of peace to hear it's true. Britain is the home of my heart, although I have been reincarnating in the United States for a few centuries. I think the veneer of Christianity was always thin in the Scandinavian countries also.

Jenny Crow, so sorry about your hard winter. I live in Southern California, and we just had a winter that was no winter at all - even for us. Little rain, few clouds, and temperatures that seldom dropped below 80 degrees. It felt "wrong", and out of balance. I would know it was "wrong" without the warnings of science.

Weather has been an issue for us (as well) including strange patterns that alternate between drought and flood conditions.

I'm tired of one extreme--or the other and crave more Seasonal balance.

[norseman]

I agree with your comments concerning the Scandinavians, Rosie. The area of England where I live was once part of a Viking kingdom, so we and they are intermingled. My bloodlines are Celt, Saxon, and Norse with a bit of Roman thrown in.

We still get Vikings raiders on the weekend but now they come on North Sea ferries for our bars and shops. Christmas time, we even get chartered ships from the Faroes with a thousand Faroese at a time coming over to shop and party-hearty. I don't know if you have ever heard the Geordie dialect, it contains many Norse-Germanic words even now after all the centuries. The southern English find us hard to understand but the Scandinavians have no such problems. Norwegians, Swedes, Danes, Faroese - we are close 1st cousins !

p.s. I was in Shetland last year for the Viking Fire Festival - great, pagan fun !

I love the pics...Norseman! The Spirit & Power of your Altar emanates from the picture.