Hi all, I like to take a moment to publicise the meetup group I run. Although I’ ve been organising rituals for over a decade, the meetup groups was only set up about 11 months ago.. where I now put all the different types of ceremonies & rituals I organise..as well as a few that I attend (Druid rituals). Here’s the full info.. and the link is at the bottom. If you are in London and like to attend these, do follow the link and join.. Most events can be accessed without actually joining..but joining means you get the automated reminder few days prior, so you’ll not forget 🙂 BB. -Mani
London Woodland Witches Druids Eco-Magicians & Outdoor Pagans
Welcome! Join us for Rituals & Pagan Social gatherings in London – and explore Paganism, Druidry, Wicca & Witchcraft, and Eco-Magical workings! Our events are a friendly mixture of formal ceremonies & informal socials. These events take place in various public Woodlands, parks and outdoor settings in London. We also add indoor socials/ pagan moots. All of these are great for Beginner wanting a friendly introduction to Wicca & witchcraft, Pagan ceremonies, ritual magic, and for meeting like-minded people.
Connect with fellow Seekers, Magicians and Pagans!
Enjoy feasting & socialising after the ritual. (Bringing food, drinks & wine to share – Wiccans love the social as much as the rituals!)
Why Woods & Outdoors? On Weather & Power of Nature:
If you are looking for the real energies and powers of nature – for personal empowerment, then being regularly outdoors, experiencing nature.. (no matter how challenging it gets at times!) is the best way. For our events, you can attend in ordinary outdoor cloths.. (warm and water-proof) and/or put on cloaks & robes or other tribal cloths once you arrive at the ritual area..!. At times, it will be sunny and warm. Or wet, wild and stormy. And attuning to those energies, energises you, liberates you, empowers you! That is magic…and that is what it means to know real untamed awesome power of nature!.
———————————- Types of Events we organise ————–
• Woodland Witchcraft & Wicca Rituals –(monthly, on the evening of Full moons, or evening before. If it falls on a weekend, we start earlier in the evening. If on a week/work day, we keep these punctual and to the point)
• Seasonal pagan Festivities –– (8 times a year, on a saturday/ sunday close to the Sabbat – Imbolc, Spring, Beltane, Midsummer, Lammas, Autumn, Samhain, Yule. we organise our own Eclectic/shamanic gatherings under `Hern’s Tribe’. We also visit our friends’ `Druid rituals’)
• River Thames-based rituals – (started in 2006, we had 8-10 rituals a year, but now focus on special Thames-Isis rituals or other special ones ..about 3-4 times a year. Some take place in central London, others near Richmond – but always by the river Thames, and often at low tides, so we can work on the banks of the river Thames..)
• Eco-magical explorations / Gaia Guardians– We believe in using magic & ceremony for the benefit & healing of not just us humans, but also the Earth, Environment & animals. Eco-Magic is a ceremony or even a small part of another ritual that focuses on this kind of work. We meet for special days such as Earth Hour, Earth Day, Peace Day. We now plan to meet more often just for these events – Walking & exploring woodlands; Meditation & Nature-spirituality; Eco-art; Nature photography
• Social Events, Pagan Moots, Trips and camps — We are also very sociable. Some of us attend Pagan moots (pub socials) that our friends organise; In the Summer, we organize a Pagan Camp in the Epping Camp site; And at various other times, we gather up our pagan friends and go for trips in or out of London – to festivals (Edinburgh Beltane, Hasting Jack O Green, Eastbourne Lammas, Carshalton Jack, October Plenty, Notting Hill Carnival..and so on).
—————— What we do magically in or rituals —————
Being a Witch, Druid or Shaman is not about power and control – but gaining mastery of inner forces, clarity and empowerment – while working with external forces. It is about sharing that knowledge and wisdom with others (being a Wise-Man or Wise-woman), changing the world for better with your own magical skills – bit by bit!
• Consecrations, Magic Circle & 4 Elements – We consecrate people and the space using candles, incense, bells, rattle; We cast a protective magic circle/ sacred space using a wand, staff or athame (witch’s knife), and open gateways to elements (Air, fire, water, Earth) in 4 directions – east, south, west, north.
• Chants, drums, dance – we use chanting, drumming and circle / spiral dance at ceremonies to raise energy and to shift our focus before or during rituals;
• Spells & ritual Magic – Paganism & Witchcraft involve doing magic spells.. using symbols drawn on objects, visualising, lighting candles, tying knots on cords/strings, planting seeds, cooking food mindfully, and so on.
• Masks, Ritual & Enactment – Wearing masks, robes & cloaks allows ritualists to shift perception – their own and others in the ritual; We also write a ritual (scripted like a play), allocate parts/ roles to volunteers, prepare/ memorise some of that in advance, and enact those rituals; Themes can be seasonal (harvest, birth of Sun child, marriage of God & Goddess), or mythological (Hero’s quest, Fool’s Journey, blessing of boats, birthday of Isis and so on).
• Gods & Goddesses and Magic: We work with Pan (Fertility, lust), Aphrodite (Love & sensuality), Cernunnos (Lord of the animals), Hern the Hunter-god, Diana the Virgin-Huntress who can not be owned my any man, Gaia the mother goddess.. and other deities. We always aim to do some personal magical work (in the group), spells, chants, a bit of spiral dance.. and also put energy towards eco-magic to help protect environment & endangered wildlife in the world.
If all this sounds too much – don’t panic! We give you plenty of explanation and notes at the start, in an informal sociable way.. Our websites are full of information articles, videos and blog links to give you plenty of background. And you can always contact the Organiser/ facilitator and chat about any of these.
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Note to Students/ Researchers / Journalists: You are welcome to `genuinely participate’ in the ritual (NO note taking!!) . But please understand these are real magical ritual explorations. Being observed, probed with questions, photographed or analysed can completely destroy their magical experiences and spiritual purpose of these events.
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About the Organiser:
Mani Navasothy – Sri Lankan Asian, brought up as a Hindu; Wiccan High Priest (initiated in Gardnerian tradition in London); 20 yrs of Witchcraft, wicca & Coven experience; 11 years of running regular Open rituals indoors & outdoors in London; Previous Events Manager for `Pagan Federation London’ (7 yrs); Has given numerous Talks, workshops, media/radio interviews; Astrologer, published Esoteric author (6 books in KIndle), Visionary Artist. Mani integrates creativity, magic, eclectic shamanism, primal side of Witchcraft, as well as transpersonal psychology in most of the events.
QuantumPhoenix 