Lammas: Avebury Sisterhood Gathering

Dearest One,

You are warmly welcomed to a beautiful day retreat nestled within the sacred heart of Britian's most beloved stone circle.

This moment in time offers us the opportunity to root into the seasonal shift of Summertime and honour the abundance of the first magnificant harvest springing from the holy soil, and from within our hearts. 

As we turn the wheel of the year a little further we head deeper into the last threads of Summer, by honouring the Celtic festival of Lammas or Lughnasadh (Loo-Nassa). It is a cross-quarterly festival celebrating the first harvest, welcomed through themes of abundance, gratitude, renewal, giving and sharing in the feasts. 

The name Lughnasadh is usually taken to mean “the feast of the first fruits” and it remains an important moment within the wheel of the year to acknowledge the abundant nature of the Earth, the grain harvest and is celebrated with feasts, bread baking and crafts - such as the making of corn dollies.

As sisters we gather to delve deeper into ourselves, our hearts, to ground, lift and celebrate one another - taking this opportune time for harvesting and enjoying the fruits of our labour from the past year.

By taking time to look back and reflect on our accomplishments and progress made during this period, we gain a sense of fulfilment while also looking forward and what stirrings are unfolding from this halfway point between Summer Solstice & Autumn Equinox.

You are invited to join a beautiful afternoon exploration of this seasonal shift, within a sacred circle of women upon the auspicious energetic pulse of Wiltshire. All that is spoken within the circle, remains within the circle.

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WHAT TO EXPECT

Over the afternoon you'll be guided through gentle and delicious practices to cultivate a feeling of celebration and gratitude for the blessings of Lammas. 

Cacao & Rose Ceremony

We open our day together with the potent and magical weaving of threads, sharing a ceremonial blend of Theobroma Cacao & exquisite essence of Rose. Rose is a magical, ancient and cosmic plant medicine encoding the path of the priestess and the divine spark of life. With five petals, Her cosmic imagery has been observed by ancient Goddess cultures for many thousands of years. The highest frequency flower essence, Rose medicine opens the portals of womb-heart-throat to the alchemy and transformation, allowing us to speak with the language of a pure and unconditional love. We will open our space by communing with the purest essence of Rose, in alchemy with the beautiful medicine of Cacao - opening the heart and clearing the path for magic to unfold.

Women's Circle Ritual

Sharing honest words, songs and making our offerings to the circle we will invite the sacred to enter through the doorway of our hearts. Embrace the warmth of an expanding sisterhood and kindle your inner light with beautiful practices designed to inspire dreaming, softness, community and supportive inner tending. Women’s Circle's are an ancient practice and place for women to be held, heard, seen and supported. We don't have enough spaces where we can speak honestly, authentically and without fear of judgement. When we share in held spaces such as this we often find release in speaking the words aloud, and comfort in hearing our stories reflected back to us in the experiences of other.

We offer our circle as a way to empower and awaken ourselves and to form deep connections with those around us. This supports us to go deeper into the work of rewilding and reclamation, where we can begin to transmute and process our experiences on a somatic, and soul level. A women's circle is a truly sacred space and container for those who attend to be witnessed without fear or judgement. A space free from judgement, competition, demands, expectation, pressure or noise. In circle everyone is equal and we can be together authentically, and in trust. The women's circle is a refuge. A space for all to be together in loving trust, initiating ourselves back into the ancient feminine way.

Expect crystal healing, gentle meditations, sharing and journal prompts to guide you deeper into the circle space. 

Voice Activation & Song Circle (at the stones!)

To close our day together we will glide out to the stones and gather in circle to offer our songs back to the land. This is a form of gratitude and celebration for the bounty and abundance that Mama Earth offers us everyday. Please bring along a drum, rattle or shaker (if you have one!) and an offering of a song or a poem to offer back to the land. 

POST CIRCLE PICNIC

If you'd like to stay and share food at the stones after we have finished you are invited to bring a vegetarian dish to contribute and share with your community! You will also need to bring along a picnic blanket/plate/bowl and cutlery. Families and friends, children and partner's are very welcome to come and join our community picnic. 

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THINGS TO NOTE/FAQs:

1. There is very little phone reception at the venue. We encourage you to take the opportunity to disconnect from the outside world, and to fully immerse yourself in nature. Prepare the people you love prior to attending by letting them know where you will be.
2. Some activities may be offered OUTSIDE at the stones, which is uncovered. We are encouraging our community to let go and immerse themselves back into the arms of the land - however please take into consideration UK weather and prepare for cooler temperatures/rainfall/being outside. Some activities may be cancelled or relocated if the weather is poor.
3. Our spaces are open and welcoming for anyone who identifies as 'woman' or resonates with the female experience, including non-binary womb folk, queer and trans women.
4. You are responsible for your own transportation to and from the venue. However if you are struggling please let us know as we will arrange a whatsapp group for lift shares etc.
5. While this work may have therapeutic benefits, this is not supposed to be offered instead of, or as a replacement to, therapy. If you are seeking therapy then we encourage you to seek 1-1 support from a qualified psychotherapist. If you are experiencing significant mental health challenges please contact us in advance so that we can have a conversation about whether this retreat is right for you at this time.

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THE VENUE & TRAVEL - The Henge Shop, Avebury

The Henge shop is a unique place, set in the most beautiful and ancient of landscapes. Set along the High Street in Avebury it is a part of the local community and the wonderful staff with an in-depth knowledge of the historic stone circle and the many related belief systems that are important to this magnificent and historic setting.

The gallery in which we will be within looks directly out to Avebury’s prehistoric stone circle. It is the largest in the world. The encircling henge consists of a huge bank and ditch 1.3 km in circumference, within which 180 local, unshaped standing stones formed the large outer and two smaller inner circles. To be within this space, to sit in circle with like minded individuals is a truly wonderous occasion in which feels like an honour to hold with so many women. We hope you feel this too.

We will be there in the afternoon but If you can make a day of it come to Avebury in the morning so you can have a walk around the stone circles, perhaps pop to Silbury Hill, The manor house wonderful shops (albeit less than a handful but if you like Crystals, magical books, fairies; folklore you won’t be disappointed) or even the pub which is very popular around the days of a celebration such as Lammas.

There is a gorgeous tree in Avebury you may have heard it be called Tolkein’s Tree as it is rumoured to of inspired JRR Tolkein to create the Ents in the Lord of the Rings. Those who come to visit may add wishes, notes, ribbons and hold the tree close to them in comfort. 

Walking footwear would be advised as it is hilly and sometimes muddy (weather dependant) The sheep are often grazing on the land too and there can sometimes be other animals around. 

Parking in Avebury is at the National Trust Car Park, situated very close to the high street a few minute’s walk, parking is charged at £7 for the whole day if you are a National Trust Member it is of course free! The Red Lion Pub also provides parking and this is free to anyone who is drinking or eating in the pub, you just need to register your number plate on the app provided in the pub itself (so might be worth a cheeky drink there before you gather with us) There is also a disabled car park opposite The Henge Shop itself which also caters for the local community/workers of the village. The Gallery where we will be within which is above the Henge Shop itself has toilets, Coffee & Tea making facilities and a small fridge for any food to be popped into for anyone who'd like to stay and share picnic food with us afterwards. 

The Henge Shop, High Street, Avebury, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 1RF

https://www.hengeshop.com

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EXCHANGE

£45 including Ceremonial Cacao & a little token keepsake

If finances are a concern/barrier to entry please send us a message to have an honest chat about skill swaps etc. We will always endeavour to support you as best we can. 

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YOUR FACILITATORS

Molly Anne Chinner @mollyannemusic

Molly-Anne Chinner is a sound healing artist, vocalist, songstress, Yogini and creatrix of The Sacred Sisterhood.

Passionate about the ancient healing powers of sound, music and voice - Molly finds great joy in weaving her beloved crystal alchemy bowls, pure and soulful voice and hand-crafted shamanic drum into her uniquely ambient and explorative soundscapes that inspires deep connection and kinship of the heart. Molly uniquely combines her ethereal channelled soul song with a lifelong exploration into the songlines and folk stories of the British Isles - sharing deeply emotive, otherworldly soundscapes that guide the listener deeper within the inner landscape and invite connection with source, consciousness and self.​ Her leadership within the women's space comes through a seven year initiation and deep relationship with weaving transformational spaces and working with the medicine of music and the land. She shares her medicine from a place of heart-centered joy, calling in a new paradigm frequency of love and harmony, for a new Earth to rise through the hearts of women. 

Charlotte Morton @medicineofthesisterhood

Charlotte is a mother of two daughters, a yoga teacher and women’s circle facilitator who has been teaching and holding space since 2019. Her background begun In yoga many moons ago but she also holds sisterhood circles under the name of ‘Medicine of the Sisterhood’.

Medicine of the Sisterhood was created in the Spring of 2021, when Charlotte birthed her eldest daughter, she birthed a new version of herself & a dedication to bringing women together in safe spaces. Charlotte holds circles on a monthly basis in mainly Avebury and Cirencester close to her roots but of course takes them wherever she finds a calling too. Charlotte has and continues to study Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which she weaves in her yoga teaching and circles as well as a deep connection to the seasons of nature whether that be through cyclical living, the elements or lunar phases. All can be found within Charlottes approach to life and wellness.

Charlotte has just finished her training in being a Pre and Postnatal Doula and welcomes this into her work alongside Women.

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Do you feel the call? 

You’re invited 🤍