Samhain 2024

It’s that time of year again where we hold our Samhain weekend.

Step into a transformative journey this Samhain with our immersive weekend dedicated to the concept of liminality—the space between worlds, moments of personal change, cultural and historical transition. Over the course of three days, we‘ll explore liminality through meditative practices, drumming, circle time, reflective nature walks, creative rituals, and personal storytelling in holding spaces. Join us for a powerful weekend of interior meandering, community, and transition as we embrace the thresholds that shape our personal and collective journeys.

After this weekend, we’ll carry forward the tools and experiences gained to navigate future thresholds with greater awareness and intention.

Throughout our time together we will use the way of council upon which there are four pillars.

1. Speak from the heart – Say what it is that you are here to say
2. Listen from the heart – You don’t have to agree with what another man is saying but you are committing to listen deeply to him
3. Be Spontaneous – Try not to rehearse what you are going to say. When we do this, we cannot deeply listen from the heart to another
4. Be lean of Speech – This does not mean that we need only say a few words. What it does mean is that we let the words we use come from that deep place of gold within us and let the dross of the uncommitted conversations float away unspoken

On top of these pillars is confidentiality. Whatever any man says is kept heartbound in the strictest confidence and we honour each other by keeping it so. We are men transforming men through a power greater than ourselves. 

During Council we will use our talking stick. We call him “Grandfather” and he is a piece of carved Bog Oak and he is older than the Pyramids so he has heard many stories. This ensures that when a man is holding Grandfather, he also has the floor and nobody talks over him. This is to fairly give a man time to say what is his to say.

Journal: There will be time for solitude and journaling, so bring your journal with you.

Story, Song, Poem or Prose: Come armed with a piece. We’d love to hear it!

Clothing: We will be spending some time outdoors so bring appropriate clothing for such.

Come to Castletown full of curiosity and a beginner’s mind, for, in the words of Shunryu Suzuki: “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few.”  

Along with the actual content of the gathering we will also drum so if you have one, bring it along with you. We will also spend time in silence and break up into smaller groups at intervals.

Really looking forward to sharing time, space and our stories there. Give yourself this time for YOU. You will re-enter the world in a better and more grounded way.

Times:

Registration on Friday the 15th November from 5pm to 6pm followed by dinner. The weekend will conclude after lunch at 1pm on Sunday the 17th November.