Connecting to the ancestors & the spirit of the land through ceremony
The Earth as a living being
For 98% of human history, our ancestors lived, breathed, and interacted with a world which they saw and felt to be animate. There were no words to define animism, it was just how human beings felt and connected with the world around them. The outer world was experienced as pulsating with life as energy transitioned through different forms. The elements (earth, air, fire, water) were seen as vibrant, dynamic forces, each imbued with their own spirit and presence, guiding, and shaping the lives of those who lived within their reach.
The rise of Mother Goddess
This worldview was expressed through a shared knowing of the flow of energy from the Earth into all beings, which was symbolized by archetypes such as Mother Earth, Mother Nature, Mother Goddess, Gaia, Isis, Pachamama amongst others. The first deity worshipped for millenniums in many lands was symbolised as a woman, the giver of life. Artefacts of women figures, shaped with child birthing hips, breast and/or vulvas have been found across the world, suggesting that female deities were worshipped in palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic times and beyond. Pictured is an example of a Sheela na gig figure, a carving of a naked woman with an exaggerated vulva. These carvings arose in the Middle Ages and are found in castles, cathedrals and other buildings across Europe.
Agricultural practices and attuning to life cycles and rhythms
A field of wheat in east Scotland where Ailie’s mother is from
As humans evolved, a significant shift occurred around 10,000-15,000 years ago, marking a time when the faces of the Mother Goddess began to diversify. This is when global climate stabilised and weather patterns became more consistent, and humans shifted from nomadic hunting and foraging to settling, growing food, and rearing animals. This was a time of new social practices, such as early agriculture, when humans became intricately linked with the natural rhythms of the Earth, guided by the seasons, lunar, and solar cycles. From this time, perceptions of gods and goddesses began to evolve and branch out, each embodying specific elemental energies and aspects of the outer world. Agricultural practices meant that humans started living into older age, expanding language, culture and the relationship with the outer world became more complex, deeply tied to life cycles and natural rhythms. A continuation of this in more recent history is the Celtic Wheel of the Year, which encompasses eight festivals marking the transitions through the seasons when communities would gather for specific farming practices, such as planting and harvesting, as well as social traditions (i.e. feasting, singing, dancing) and through rituals to connect with gods and goddesses.
The Spring Equinox – a point of balance & the beginning of Spring
Spring Equinox artwork by Samanth Symonds
The Spring Equinox is one of the Celtic festivals, marking a point in the solar cycle when the whole Earth experiences a time of balance as day and night become equal. In the northern hemisphere, the Spring Equinox (20th or 21st March) is also considered as the beginning of Spring and the astrological new year. This yearly cycle ends in the water sign of Pisces and begins in fire sign of Aries. Pre-modernity this milestone of surviving Winter and darkest months of the year, would have been met with hope for the forthcoming brighter, warmer months of growth and aliveness. The Spring Equinox therefore embodies harmony, symbolising a turning point in the year that resonates with the hope of renewal.
Reviving with the Goddess of Spring, Ostara
Spring is the season to revive and the rising life-force energy in nature is portrayed through the myth of Ostara (also known as Eostre). Spring is when animals emerge from dormancy to mate and breed, migratory birds return to nest, flowers bloom and tree sap rises to provide energy for new growth and blossom. Spring is planting season, when seeds are sown with the hope of what harvest they may bring. Spring is regarded as the beginning of a new cycle and the time when the goddess of Ostara comes to light. Ostara reflects the characteristics of Spring, the face of Mother Nature at this time of year. Envisioned as a goddess of fertility, a creatrix, who embodies fire energy and can stimulate ripples of transformation. Ostara is an archetype of the Otherworld which connects us to the spirit of the land at this point of the year and can help us revive back to life from Winter.
The power of ceremony – connecting us to the ancestors & spirit of the land
Ailie in circle with others at the Rising Pheonix Retreat held by Sofia & Sandra Barnes (Love All Ways Yoga)
When we gather in ceremony, we can tune into the energies of the land in the present moment, enhanced through ritual and the art of storytelling and envisioning we can experience collective consciousness. This connection, also referred to as group-soul, folk-soul, or the Otherworld, allows us to journey together and consciously experience the energies of our outer world within our inner landscapes. By choosing to collectively experience the revival of Spring after Winter, we connect as a community, reminding ourselves that we are part of something larger than ourselves. This shared experience helps us feel the uplifting spirit of our surroundings and marvel at the life cycle of nature, as our ancestors would have felt before us. This connects us to our ancestors and to the spirit of the land. Ritual and ceremony facilitate this connection by slowing us down, calming the analytical self-critic, and shifting us from the mundane to the sacred, allowing us to feel into our bodies, taking us into our hearts, to listen for inner wisdom. Through breathwork, somatic movements, sounds, smells, and envisioning, we deepen our connection with Mother Earth and the Great Spirit, the universal life-source. As social beings, our energies are amplified when we gather and share. Ceremony welcomes an opening so we may be channels for creative expression, wonder and experience the mystery of life beyond the constraints of the logical mind. This practice helps us engage with the world around us, rather than shutting down from overstimulation, overwhelm, or fear, and reminds us that we are not separate from nature. In this connected state, we can attune to the rhythms of the animate world, allowing our nervous systems to calm and transitioning into a relaxed, harmonious state where healing, restoration and deep insights can occur.
“feel the uplifting spirit of our surroundings and marvel at the life cycle of nature”
Come join a Celtic Wheel of the Year ceremony and experience the connection of ritual.
Forthcoming ceremonies
Spring Equinox Yoga, Sound Healing & Tea Ceremony – 30th March 2025