| Spirits of Nature The Newsletter of the University of Bristol Earth Religions Society |
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| Lughnasadh & Mabon Welcome (back) to Bristol and the second official year of UOBERS! While you were away two big Pagan feast days (or Sabbats) took place; so lets get up to date! Lugnasagh or Lammas falls on the 4th of August and marks the beginning of the autumn harvests, more precisely this festival marks the corn [cereal] harvest. The corn has ripened in the summer sun and now must be cut down in its prime. The sacrifice of the corn (and the mythical archetype John Barleycorn) is of importance in both a literal and a metaphorical sense. The corn must be cut to ensure food for the winter and to provide seed for next year’s crop. Here also lies a model of balance, the cycles of life, the old makes way for the new, death makes way for rebirth, the God dies that he may be reborn at Yule. We make our own sacrifices in life; and Lughnasadh is a time to think about these everyday changes. Right now freshers are making many of their own sacrifices: Leaving the security of their parents and the towns they know, for a new life, these changes appear frightening at first but we make them that we may move on to better things, make our own lives and eventually, families. The wheel turns. Mabon, the Autumn equinox is also the time to harvest fruit. The trees have grown strong over the summer, and put all their resources into the fruit. At Mabon the land prepares for the winter, the trees are sleepy, soon the leaves start to turn and within a month they will be in hibernation. The land waxes and wanes like the moon, growing strong and declining in a cycle of perfect balance. This is a festival celebrated in many religions and cultures, for instance as Harvest home or thanksgiving. Celebrate the fruit harvest by drinking wine, the product of a successful harvest! October: Samhain, Celtic New Year October 31st |
| Meetings every Tuesday at at 7.30 pm in the union. All our meetings are followed by drinks at the Epi! 8th Oct- Cr4 First meeting: Q & A on Paganism. 15th Oct- Cr4 Speaker- Introduction to Northern Path Paganism. 22nd Oct- Cr4 Speaker- Introduction to Witchcraft and Wicca 29th Oct- Cr4 Workshop- Meditation and energy play 5th Nov- Mr4 Speaker-Runic Magick 12th Nov- Cr4 Speaker- Introduction to Shamanism 19th Nov- Cr4 Speaker-Introduction to Druidry 26th Nov- Cr4 Workshop-Candle making 3rd Dec- Cr4 TBA 10th Dec- Cr4 Speaker-Earth spirits 17th Dec- Mr4 Storytelling workshop Celebrate Halloween (Samhain) with UOBERS join our Pub crawl; fancy dress optional but desirable! Meet in the Epi Fri 1st Nov Also to come: Archeological guided tour of Iron Age Clifton. Pagan Federation Annual Conference Odinic Rite AGM (9th Nov) Visit to Waylans Smithy Private Access visit to Stonehenge (Summer term) And much more…. Keep up to date with our activities, ask to be put on the e-mail list. |
| Membership of UOBERS is open to all and costs just £1. For more information about UOBERS or Paganism see our website at www.oocities.org/uobers or e-mail uobers@hotmail.com. |
| What we did in 2001/2002! A brief overview of a year in UOBERS Stonehenge-Private Access. At the beginning of last summer term, a group of UOBERS members and Cardiff Pagansoc members paid a very special visit to Stonehenge. We all wandered about, awed by the magnificent stones (usually off limits to tourists). Nick regaled us with the archaeological significance and the phases through which Stonehenge was developed. Yvonne lay on the floor a lot and the Davehog took up an unhealthy interest in the endangered lichen that grows on the stones. (See the photos on our website to understand more!!) We plan to repeat all this in 2003. Avebury Our members took the chance to explore this enormous stone circle, where we met up with Warwick Uni PaganSoc. and also our friend Chris, who brought his dog Dexter. Ed and Dexter galloped about like a pair of mad hounds with big floppy ears. Afterwards Ed said ‘Hanna looked very beautiful at Avebury’. Which we won’t deny, although Ed is rather biased! We ate lots of nice food in the Red Lion. Yvonne showed everybody the rude stone. We went in the church, which has some Saxon bits in it. After perusing the gift shops we went home via Silbury hill and West Kennet long barrow. PaganSocs Conference in York. Our chance to meet up with many Pagan Societies from other Unis, we had a tarot workshop and guided meditation and a recital from Mad Mick the pagan poet. Glastonbury Shopping in Glastonbury in the morning, followed by visits to the Chalice well, and a walk up the Tor for those feeling more energetic. HOME |