Dromahair, Co Leitrim

"The feeling of sharing - talents, food, time, losses, sadness, joy - truly liberating."

Friday evening Welcoming Celebration

Friday evening we invite you to make this weekend yours. Activities are participatory, and each woman brings her own energy to the gathering to be shared and honoured.

To participate fully we suggest you bring: a cold food dish, a colourful scarf, small torch and a drum or rattle or other suitable musical instrument.

During the 2008 weekend women will have the opportunity to take part in weaving as part of the pick and mix activities. You are invited to bring a piece of string or cloth about two feet long and 1 in wide or less, that is special to you. This cloth will be used to link your energy with the group energy during the opening celebration and as part of the woven installation.

The activities are differant every year and Friday evening helps to set the energy for the weekend so everyone is strongly encouraged to attend.

If possible, this will be an outdoor event, please dress appropriately.

Ritual Explained

The Wise Woman Weekend begins on Friday with the opening celebration and ritual.  Ritual means to make something sacred or special. Opening the weekend in this way defines the event as something different and creates a safe place to open our hearts and minds.

The ritual is different every year reflecting the diverse workshops on offer.  It takes about twenty minutes once everyone is assembled.  We begin by calling in the four elements of fire, earth, air and water and joining them with the above energy of the heavens and the below energy of the earth.  This creates a place of balance and harmony within ourselves where we can explore all the different facets of the weekend. 

We then invite the energies of the Irish goddesses, the divine feminine to be present, and we honour the ancestors of the place.  This is done by using clear quartz which amplifies energy and the stone larimar which is a beautiful blue stone found only in the Dominican Republic and brings with it the goddess energy.  We then link all the energies with our own creating a circle of light. 

 The circle is the way of the feminine, there is no hierarchy and each and every person shares an equal part and is valued and honoured for their own particular gift.  It has no affiliation with a religious or cultural organisation. 

Food Sharing

Food preparation and sharing a meal is a powerful tradition amongst the woman of the world. It is with this thought that we have chosen to make this a bring and share meal. So bring along a food dish as an offering to the community gathering.

Sage Smudge

Where ever sage is present negative forces cannot enter, they are trapped and blown away with the smoke. The sage will cleanse and purify our inner and outer environments.

Circle Dancing

Sacred Circle Dance comes from the tradition of folk dance with the focus being on spiritual and healing energies and the energy of the circle.

We will be dancing in a circle, spiral or other pattern. The dances will be simple, repetitive sequences, easily learnt and allowing the emphasis to be on the whole experience rather than on technique.

There is a very special feeling in being part of a circle when the circle is gaining a life and momentum of its own. In dancing together we celebrate community; we remind ourselves, through our feet, that we are part of the Earth; we connect with the Divine. The dance becomes a meditation taking us to a different level of being.

The dances will flow and weave in a kaleidoscope of movement, colour, light, sound and energy.

You are invited to bring a colourful scarf and small torch.