2023 - Let it go to Let it in - Teltown

“Spiritually, angel number 22 can mean being open to love and guidance and letting these energies lead us deeper into self-awareness. It can also be an encouraging sign from your angels to let go of anything that is holding you back so that you can make space for spiritual growth.”

So of course 22 people turned up at Teltown to Celebrate Lughnasadh and the fact that it was a Full Moon added to the magic of the occasion. It was great to see everyone there – familiar faces and first-timers alike.

We decided to head for the River Blackwater which runs through the land of Teltown but before we reached it we came upon a marvelous spot in the woods surrounded by Beech trees which almost literally stopped us in our tracks. It was felt that this was our spot and we set up to begin proceedings.

“Under the Magical Beech Trees”

After the usual calling in of the Directions/Spirits, Smudging & Opening the Space, we were led on a beautiful Drumming Journey by Anne to seek advice from our Guides/Spirits/Subconscious as to what we should “Let Go” of later in the ceremony. After this, with the advice still on our minds, we wrote it down – with our non-dominant hand - and burned it to symbolically Let it Go. The idea of writing with the non-dominant hand is that it takes longer to write and therefore greater insight is attained. Not content with THAT, we then got physical and literally shook off our negative energy from our bodies to the forest floor. This all happened shortly after the actual time of the Full Moon.

“Sacred Space in the Woods”

It was then time to express gratitude for the harvest both of nature and our own personal harvest as some of the things we manifested previously came to be. Before it was announced what the next part of the ceremony was, it just happened organically, as people made their own personal contributions by playing some music, reciting a verse or simply talking from the Heart.

Again, organically and without announcement, we moved on to the stage of Honouring Mothers. It is said that Lughs foster Mother, Tailtiu, is buried in Teltown so it was deemed appropriate to honour Mothers past and present as well as Mother Earth and Mother Nature. We finished the Celebration with a Healing Circle for ourselves, loved ones and all beings. At this point we remembered our absent friends and sent our Healing and Loving “vibes” around the world. The circle was then closed and the Celebration ended…or did it?

After the ceremony a lot of us adjourned to the coffee shop in Teltown where we enjoyed coffee, sandwiches and scones. There was a lovely feeling there as we sat in the dusk chatting and catching up with old and new friends.

There’s something else which needs to be said too which I don’t quite know how to put into words, so please bear with me. I don’t know if it was a post-pandemic thing or the Full Moon or the Sacred land of Teltown or the amazing ENERGY of the people present – perhaps a combination of all of the above – but there was a Magical feeling about this Lughnasadh Celebration and it wasn’t just me that felt it. I’ve spoken to people who were in different COUNTRIES at the time and they felt it. It was there when we were drumming in the forest, when Sinead O’Connors beautiful voice came from our speaker, when people read powerful pieces in that space under the Beech trees – ironically now known as the Fairy Garden. There was a presence there, of absent friends living and passed, of warriors of the past who used to partake in the Tailteann Games in Teltown long before the Ancient Olympics were even thought of. As we stood there in our sacred circle and healed each other to the sound of donkeys braying in the next field, there was a sense of connection to each other, to Nature, to the Earth and to our Ancestors. I can still feel the effects of our ceremony and I hope others do too.

“They knew I was coming!!”

A big thank you to Renee and Alison of Teltown who served us refreshments until well after sundown. I’d personally like to thank everyone who turned up both physically and psychically and I know that future Celebrations will be just as magical.

Until the next time, Love, Light and Healing to you all. Pat.

Anne's Reflections on the evening

First glimpse of the Full Supermoon - double because it is taken through double glazing.

Sinead O'Connor had died the previous week. Well known for her honest and strong yet fragile voice, she was a singer / songwriter who expressed her views on politics, spirituality, history and philosophy eloquently through her music. This was one of the songs they sang during the evening.

Eileen S in Ireland

Lá shona dhaoibh go léir Happy day to you all

Daniela in Denmark

Louise in Derbyshire

Marta in Switzerland

Original Plan

We will meet in Teltown at 7.00pm on the evening of August 1^st 2023 to Celebrate both Lughnasadh and July's Full moon.

If you are interested would you email@taracelebrations.org or send a facebook message as it would help to have an idea of how many want to join in 'face to face'. Thanks.

Lughnasadh traditionally is a celebration of the first harvest when our Ancestors reaped the rewards of the preceding months hard work on the land & while we also celebrate that to a lesser degree in modern times, it is an opportunity to be thankful for the abundance of food we are blessed with these days – most of which still comes from the land. We can also use the occasion to celebrate the “Harvest” of intentions we set earlier in the month/year.

The 1st August 2023 also happens to be the night of July's Full Moon which is said to be a good time to “let go” of all that is of no use to us and make room for the manifestation of that which we planned on the last new moon/new year. That said, our Celebration this year will incorporate both Lughnasadh and the Full Moon together.

Teltown is a location steeped in history and is named after the Goddess Tailtiu who was Lugh's mother. Lugh was a sun god who founded a festival in honour of his mother and that festival was held at Teltown on the banks of the River Blackwater (which is a tributary of the River Boyne). As part of our celebrations, we will remember our own Mothers as well as all of the Legends associated with Teltown and Ireland in general: The Tuatha De Dannan, Chieftains, St Patrick et al.

To this end, it is intended to have a proper, ancient Celebration Ritual with drumming, dancing, feasting etc. We will also acknowledge the occasion of the Full moon by symbolically “Letting Go” of that which not useful to us by writing it down and burning it (safely, in a container). Therefore we will be Letting Go to let in the bountiful harvest both of the Land AND of our own personal plans for our lives. “Let it go to Let it in”.

We will also symbolically wash away that which we want to see the back of using water from the nearby Blackwater.

Note: “that which is of no further use to us” could be something physical, emotional, etc, It could be a habit which is stopping us from living our life as we would like, a relationship, a job, extra “baggage” (which in my case, for example, includes about 3 stone of body fat!)… anything or nothing – it could be simply resolving to reduce screen time and spend more time in nature. Whatever, why not take this opportunity to “Let it Go to Let it In”?

After our celebration, the coffee shop will be open & we can eat, drink and be merry! (Thanks to the owners Renee and Kevin).

AS USUAL, although representations WILL be made to Lugh, (a SUN GOD), it IS Ireland so dress appropriately – i.e. bring a rain jacket, sunscreen, a brolly and sunglasses.

Anyone who would like to get involved in the organising/running of this event is absolutely more than welcome – just let us know through the usual channels. Folk may be asked to help out on the night for such things as calling in Directions/Elements, reading intentions etc. but everyone is entirely free to just take part (no one has to do anything if that’s not their “thing”).