The Dandelion Daily

Recent gatherings across the country have left people feeling deeply touched, though not without a few practical niggles. In London, dancers met for MOTION London - Samhain Gathering at the Goldsmiths Great Hall in Lewisham Way. Those taking part praised the moving music and gentle guidance, which gave them room to dance freely and remember lost loved ones. However, several people noted the hall felt far too hot, with both radiators and underfloor heating blasting, while another mentioned strong perfume on the floor.

Further north, Aurora Borealis SPIRITUS Breathwork welcomed participants to Tarradale House in Muir of Ord for guided breathing. Those attending valued the clear explanations and the safe space provided to relax. Meanwhile in Totnes, the Soflty Woven Residential Retreat with Rosemary O'Brien, Emma De Salis Young & Lucy Wylde brought people to Eden Rise Retreat Centre for singing, breathwork, womb work and weaving, leaving guests expressing deep gratitude for their time together.

Community gatherings listed this week offer local theatre, film, talk and song across the country. In Devon, the Moor Imagination Centre in Buckfastleigh stages Compagnie Freres - Mal de Mer! (SEASICK!), an hour-long production by an international group of female theatre-makers that mixes live music, soundscapes and field recordings to follow a Marseille fisherman and his family. The performance is in French, English and Norwegian with subtitles.

Further north, the Mother & Daughter Women's Circle. Connect, Be Seen, Share & Grow Together takes place at Monkseaton Community Centre in Billingham, offering mothers and daughters aged twelve and older a quiet space for meditation, journalling and conversation. In east Greenwich, the Song Circle @ Plot 9 invites singers of all abilities around an outdoor campfire near Maze Hill station to learn simple rounds and folk tunes through call and response. Meanwhile, Pictures in the Pack Shed at Sims Hill Pack Shed features hot food and a documentary screening on migrant farm labour in Italy, alongside a talk about lived experience of the UK asylum system, raising funds for Justice is Not Seasonal.

A varied selection of gatherings is on offer over the coming weeks, spanning scientific lectures, open-air performance and seasonal community rituals.

For those interested in neuroscience and mental health, Rewiring the Brain: Psychedelics, Neuroplasticity & the Windows of Change with Tommaso Barba takes place online. The educational talk explores how psychedelics may reopen periods of brain plasticity, accompanied by practical preparation advice and a live question-and-answer session. High above Buckfastleigh in Devon, seventy singers will gather in an old ruin for BABY. Presented by the Brown Bread Choir, the free open-air Halloween opera features old songs, an ancient apple-smashing ritual, a large monster and a giant marrow. Meanwhile, Bristol's deconsecrated church venue hosts Samhain Portal: Ecstatic Dance, Ancestor Ritual & Live Sound Bath · The Mount Without · Bristol. Suitable for all ages, the sober gathering includes an ancestor altar, Celtic ritual music, dancing, a sound bath and an on-site children's space.