Sacredly holding the re-birth within…..Join your fellow seekers at this time of nature’s re-birth and renewal: a time when we can consciously give birth to our dreams and intentions for the year ahead
* Winter Solstice Experience | Home 2018 | overnight Dowth & Newgrange event *
Sacredly holding the re-birth within
♧ Grianstad an Gheimhridh ♧
..a time when we can consciously give birth to our dreams and intentions for the year ahead.
This is an annual overnight indoor & outdoor experience held by some of Ireland’s wise Elders and Healers
♧ Thursday 20th 03:45pm – Friday 21st 02:00pm ♧
Townley Hall Main House (Meath/ Louth), Dowth & Newgrange
Food, Communal Sleeping space, Sauna & Workshops included 84€ | 64€ | 30€ pre-booking required
What’s New in 2018?
We have some beautiful changes that will deepen your experience of the Solstice. New venue, and the overall theme / programme:
☼ This year’s theme is about:
♧ simplicity (of you just being you, stepping into our fullness and multidimensionality, true version of ourselves)
♧ humanness & is-ness (every moment of being a human just “is”) The preciousness of being alive & cherishing one other)
♧ Loving & Unity in Diversity (being the radiance and transmision of love on our planet now, this very moment)
♧ With humour & humility – mastering our highest human transformational self, regardless of the shocks, the dark passages or sun-full ones
Please see timetable below for the new facilitators we have for 2018
20th of Dec
15.45 – 17.00 Dowth monument ceremony (facilitators to be confirmed) – moving past duality by honouring the masculine and feminine and realising our shared oneness as humans
17.30 – 18.30 Tea & giggles
18.30 – 20.00 Biodanza “The Dance of life” – with Gillian (The language of the heart through the body, in dance)
20.00 – 21.30 Solstice Eve Mediation – with Enda (opening to 5th dimensional consciousness: love & courage)
21.45 – 23.00 Communal heart rhythm solstice drumming session – with Sinead Harte
23.30 – 00.30 Gentle soothing bedtime sound healing with Lorna
21st Dec
06.30 – 07.45 10 mins Body qigong wake up (with Enda) and Toning the power of our voice in preparation for Newgrange sunrise with Mary
10.00 – 11.00 Breakfast
11.00 – 11.45 Songs of Fairy lore and magic with Mary McLaughlin
12.00 – 12.40 Closing ceremony with Ard Druid – John McCormack
12.40 – 14.00 All optional – Dance, Celebration, Clean ups and Sauna
About GILLIAN & Biodanza “The Dance of life”
The language of the heart through the body, in dance.
When we dance with life, together, we open the deepest potentials of human evolution to awaken vitality, creativity, plenitude, rejuvenation, joy, health, well-being, fulfilment, altruism and solidarity – our potentials become possible through expression. Biodanza is a practice that re-connects, supports and maintains our connection as living systems of the universe, as life itself. Joyful, harmonious, revitalising, integrative dances & simple movements activate these life sources on a deeper level. Because the movements are natural and instinctive, the original connections with life that start to flourish from the moment of conception, are re-awakened & enlivened through the experience of the dance and the timeless memory of life in each of our cells knowing the sacredness of life within and in the expansion of the universe surrounding us.
About Gillian
Gillian Gavin is a Didactic Biodanza facilitator with 9 years facilitating biodanza weekly classes, workshops & biodanza Woman’s Temple’s in Ireland & internationally.
She has recently returned to live in Dublin after 14 months residing with Amritanadamayi ‘ Amma’ in Her ashram in Kerala India.
About ENDA & Solstice Eve Mediation
Expanding into our light bodies, opening to 5th dimensional consciousness and being an example of love and courage in the world
Enda has been deepening the integration of the divine masculine and feminine in his life. He is currently on a 3 year path of celibacy (celibate – celebrate) and is passionate about re-establishing the sacred sexuality teachings, transforming the seed of sex to light-body consciousness.
He has been in practice as a classically trained cranial osteopath since 2002 and is an ordained Interfaith Minister since 2012. He produces this Winter Solstice event along with others like Conscious Concert Ireland.
About LORNA, Bedtime Sound Healing:
I’m a bit of a tree hugging, animal loving, wanderer of the woods who has been on an earth based spiritual journey for over 35 years. I mostly follow my own meandering path, gathering knowledge along the way and appreciating that the more I learn, the less I seem to know! Despite that, I love learning new things and enjoying new experiences.
Awarded a diploma in Sound Healing by Celtic School of Sound Healing, Reiki and Moon Mna trained and currently training in Herbalism with Brigids Academy of Healing Arts, I love to help others heal themselves through sound, energy and nature, often combining all three to help bring about balance in our energy fields raise our vibrations and facilitate deep healing.
Sound baths are an extremely relaxing experience which can take you on a deep meditative journey as you surrounded by and immersed in the beautiful sounds and vibrations that are healing for mind, body and spirit.
During a sound bath worries melt away as your energetic vibration is raised through a mix of bowls, gongs, chimes and other soothing sounds. You will be left with a profound feeling of peace and well being afterwards and often a great nights sleep.
About MARY McLaughlin, Songs of Fairy lore and magic
Chanter/singer Mary Mc Laughlin loves to sing with others who, like her, are interested in entering the world of chant and finding unity and joy in communal expression. Born and raised in Northern Ireland, she has performed/taught throughout the UK and USA. In addition to a PGCE her background includes a PhD in Irish Otherworld Song, an MA in Chant/Ritual, a Certificate of Sound Healing and numerous recordings. She also founded a Gaelic choir (Cór Ainglí) in the USA.
Winter Solstice 2012-2017
Timetable
3 – 4.30pm ☼ Sunset ceremony: Honouring the darkness at Dowth & Shamanic Drumming – John (Celtic Druid path)
5 – 7pm Food-Tea-Juice time
6.30pm – 7.30pm Body Movement / Tribal Dance
7.30 – 12 Honouring the Darkness – Bringing in Divine Light with Rob; and Tribal Drumming & Chant with Sinead
OR 7.30 – 12 midnight Sweat Lodges (Facilitators: Trish, Hilary, & Steve)
11pm Supper
Midnight – Bed time Sound Healing with Lisa & Brian
6.15am – Waking up. Morning arrivals.
6.45am – 7.30am Men’s & Women’s Circle (facilitated by Declan and Louise from Soul Medicine)
7.30am ☼ Procession to Newgrange for 8.20am Ritual outside Newgrange (Sunrise@ 8.47am)
10.00 –11.30am Breakfast
11.30 – 12.15pm Guest Speaker: special surprise!
12noon Closing space Enda
12.30 – 1.00pm Trad Irish hoolie!
The Journey: who is holding space this year?
… Facilitators Bios 2012-2017:
This year we will be starting earlier to honour the Solstice sunset alignment at Dowth monument. In this way we pay homage to the darkness before we go on the journey to the rebirth of the light the following morning. John McCormack will be holding the Sunset ceremony at Dowth with Shamanic Drumming.
Read about John McCormack:
John McCormack (Red John) has been following the Celtic Druids path for over 10 years after a lifetime of searching. Walking the Celtic Druid path he connects to nature, the ancestors, the Three Realms, the Three Cauldrons and to Natural Time. John is a member of the Celtic Druid Temple. He is a lightworker and has trained in Reiki, Reflexology, Holistic Massage, Indian Head Massage and Shamanic Healing. John has trained with Irelands Druidschool, Green Tara College and has worked with shamans/healers from Peru, South Africa, and America. John has held the Full Moon on the Hill of Tara since Samhain 2010. To find out more about the Celtic Druid Temple go to www.celticdruidtemple.comGoing deeper - forming two groups: Sweat OR Drum- Darkness to Light Solstice meditation with Rob Hayes
We will then break for a cup of tea.After tea we will be doing some body movement/ tribal dancing
One group will be going deeper into an experience of Darkness with Rob and Drumming Circle with Sinead Heart. Whereas the other group (who have chosen to do the Sweat Lodge) will join Hilary, Trish and Steve for the Sweat Lodges.
Rob HayesRobert has trained with indigenous healers and shamans in the Amazon Rainforests of Bolivia and Peru, the Bolivian Andes, as well as indigenous healers in Ireland and Spain.Robert has facilitated workshops in massage and energy medicine in Australia, South America, the Middle East and Ireland, he also works very closely with the sacred sites and ancestral energies of Ireland.Drumming & Chanting facilitator: Sinead Harte
Sinead shares the facilitation of the Dublin Rhythm Alchemy Drumming with Tom Quinn, her teaching style is empathy based with a focus on inviting ritual into the circle and always ending in a Harmony Song. Sinead has a history of working in addiction services/prisons as a group facilitator and counselor. She also worked as a dancer part time training in 2005 as a Dancing the Rainbow teacher, through this she developed a deep love and awareness of working with groups through Ritual: using the body, voice, and all forms of Music. She runs a seasonal Women’s Drumming circle in Dublin called Si Moon Rhythms. Last year Sinead participated in an Arthur Hull Village workshop Training in Scotland.
About Sweat Lodges:
Trish, Hilary & Steve will be holding space for those choosing to do the Sweat Lodges. Sweat Lodge ceremonies were practiced in ancient Ireland and by other indigenous peoples all over the world. The sweat lodge is a domed structure that takes up to 15-25 people at a time. Stones ceremonially heated in a fire and are placed in a pit inside the structure. The sweat lodge gets quite hot like a sauna. 4 rounds of hot stones are put in the pit. Each round lasts about 15-20 minutes with a small break between each round where the door will be opened. A SWEAT LODGE CEREMONY IS TRADITIONALLY USED TO:- connect with nature, the spirit realm and ancestors
- purify and balance the body, mind, spirit and emotions
- send our prayers
- heal both personally and collectively transformation of the Old Self into the New Self.
Sweat Lodge facilitators: Trish-Hilary-Steve
Trish Cameron and Hilary Healy are medicine women working within the indigenous ways of Ireland and of Grandfather Tom Wilson of the Dineh People. They have been working with Arwyn Dreamwalker, a shaman and Nagual, for over twenty years. Both have finished their apprenticeships and now are Journey Women bringing the teachings to the people. They are both Irish, mothers and grandmothers. They bring a warmth, simplicity and much heart to help people understand how it is to walk in this time to reclaim balance and harmony on the Earth. www.soulceremoniesinireland.com Steve Gregory is one of the founding members of the Irish re-birthing association, he has worked for 30 years in the field of breathwork, counselling, yoga therapy and has facilitated trainings and workshops including sweat lodges and shamanic journeys.Midnight Sound healing (optional)
After both groups (Drumming-Meditation & Sweat Lodge) are finished, we will have a festive communal supper and optional midnight sound healing meditation to send us off to sleep for the night.Lisa McLoughlin & Brian CunningJourney through the inner planes and renew your inner light with the celebration of the return of the Sun.
Lisa & Brian of SoundHenge Ireland invite you on a deep immersion into Sacred Sound & Vibration.
Using giant gongs, Himalayan singing bowls, drums, rattles and a variety of world instruments we produce evocative soundscapes which encourage deep relaxation and meditation whilst restoring positive energy balance for the body, mind & soul.Lisa Dunne is a gong & sound therapist trained with world renowned gong masters Don Conreaux, Aidan McKintyre & Mitch Nur. Brian Cunning has been working in Shamanic techniques for over 22 years. He is a qualified Shamanic Practioner & Shamanic Counsellor accredited by ICSS.(Both floors of Glebe House will be padded with duvets, so remember to bring your sleeping bag or over-blankets.) Those who wish to remain chatting will be able to do so in the adjacent cafe / chai bar area : )
Morning Men's & Women's Circles: Declan& Louise
On Solstice morning Declan and Louise will prepare us energetically for the procession to Newgrange.Declan Hammond is co-founder and former director of The Irish School of Homeopathy, a homeopath, transpersonal therapist and shamanic practitioner. His life and work has been a passionate search for the most effective healing tools for himself and his patients. This journey has taken him all over the globe studying Eastern and Western approaches to healing, tantra yoga and traditional shamanic practices. Declan has developed a unique synthesis of these ancient and modern healing techniques and works with individuals and groups to empower deep personal growth and spiritual transformation. Louise and Declan are currently undergoing Tantra Essence Soul Mate Training with Mahasatvaa Ma Ananda Sarita.
Louise O’Donnell is an experienced shamanic practitioner, having undergone extensive training and initiations across Europe and Latin America. She weaves worlds of the masculine and the feminine. Louise has facilitated transformational change in a variety of organisations, including large corporates and government bodies. She guides individuals and groups in shamanic work and ceremony in Ireland, the UK and internationally, and is a community and event organiser in the International Shamanic Community and for Brigid’s Way Celtic Pilgrimage. She has a number of published articles about shamanic work, sacred sites and transformational change. Louise is a final year student at the Open to Channel Mystery School, working with multi-dimensional spiritual groups and planetary healing.Newgrange
We will then go to Newgrange for sunrise and participate in an inclusive ritual. This year we will have more still, private, sacred experience:
The sun shines in Newgrange chamber for 5 days over solstice. We will be at Newgrange on the Sunday morning 20th. As a group we will have built the energy from the day before and be able to do ceremony while very few of the public are around (as most go Newgrange on the morning of the 21st of December) This is a great opportunity for us to go very deep into the experience of Newgrange without the distraction of a busy public gathering around us
After-Newgrange-breakfast guest speaker:
Returning to Glebe House for breakfast and after breakfast we have a guest Speaker (to be announced shortly)After the guest speaker Enda will facilitate the closing of the this years Winter Solstice
Enda Donnellan
Enda is a conscious event producer (Conscious Concert / Earth Fest Ireland / Winter Solstice Experience, Sacred Union Stage Electric Picnic)He is a registered osteopath since 2001 and ordained Interfaith Minister since 2012. He has actively explored various forms of spirituality for over 20 yearsCelebration afterwards: Music & dance
Sacredly holding the re-birth within…..Join your fellow seekers at this time of nature’s re-birth and renewal: a time when we can consciously give birth to our dreams and intentions for the year ahead
