Goddess Conference 2002

Glastonbury, Wednesday 31st July-Sunday 4th August

The Goddess Conference is changing!

In creating this year's Goddess Conference we were inspired by descriptions of the Mysteries of Eleusis in Greece, in which pilgrims journeyed over several days to celebrate the Mysteries of Demeter the Grain Goddess, at the heart of which was Her revelation in an ear of wheat.

In 2002 we are changing the Matrix, the Motherweb of the Goddess Conference to create a ceremonial cycle of the Mysteries of Avalon, celebrating the Lammas Mother Goddess with all Her beauty, bounty, love and compassion. This is a very exciting development which we hope will allow everyone to have a deeper experience of the Goddess in Avalon.

As in ancient times throughout the course of the Conference we will be making our collective and individual pilgrimages to the Goddess. We will be journeying physically, emotionally, psychically and spiritually into the Heart of Her Mysteries as they present themselves here in Avalon. That journey will include Conference favourites - baking Lammas bread, the Lammas Bonfire, the Goddess in the Cart procession and all the fun we usually have, and there will be new experiences which we hope you will enjoy.

To allow for these changes there are fewer individual workshops and more ceremonies in which we can express our love for Her. The Circles of 13 are being strengthened as support, discussion and pilgrimage groups so that everyone has companions on this journey of exploration. This change is an experiment which we hope you will enjoy.

We are asking everyone to bring with you to the Conference, either an all-red or all-white/silver, all-black or all-yellow/gold costume to be worn at particular ceremonies. We ask for the Goddess's blessing on our Conference.

PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME
(The full final programme will be given to you on arrival at the Conference).

Wednesday 31st July
WELCOME TO THE CONFERENCE

REGISTRATION begins 2.00pm in Glastonbury Town Hall with apple juice & cider in celebration of Avalon, Isle of Apples, with beautiful Goddess wallhangings by Thalia Brown and Willow Rowe. Time to make your personal offering to the central Mother Goddess created by Foosiya Miller and friends, and to book into the cornucopia of workshops on offer. Also to view the inspired WomanSpirit Exhibitions organised by Tyna Redpath and Helen Drever with artwork from Clare Campbell, Di Milstein, Ember Vincent, Foosiya Miller, Glenys Mitchell-Bennet, Jane Brideson, Jill Smith, Jo Tyler, Kay Allen, Kellie Gough, Rachel Clyne, Ronnie Hudson and Sam Smith, plus WEATHERED EDGE: The Deep Landscape of Women, a new exhibition of paintings by Carolyn Hillyer.

WELCOME CIRCLE 4.30pm for all Conference participants with Kathy Jones and Tyna Redpath - Conference Organisers and Mystresses of Ceremony, introducing everyone and gathering in Pilgrimage Circles of 13.

OPENING CEREMONY 7.30pm Invocation of the Goddesses of Brigit's Isles and Avalon by the Priestesses of Avalon, with ceremony, circle dance, song and participation for all, plus VocalAna, Avalonian Free State Choir and a performance of the Goddess Alphabet coordinated by Suthisa Torenbeek.

Thursday 1st August
OPENING OUR HEARTS TO THE MOTHER - PREPARING FOR HER MYSTERIES

Morning 9.30am Ceremony opening the day with the Priestesses of Avalon. Presentations by Kathy Jones on Pilgrimage to the Goddess in Avalon, Sally Morningstar on The Magical Mother - a Wiccan perspective, and Shan Jayran on Mixed Feelings about the Great Mother and (not) being a mother.

Singing the Wheel of the Year - Old and new Goddess chants with visiting priestess Ruth Barrett.

Circles of 13: Make Lammas Bread Goddesses. In the footsteps of our foremothers we shape bread dough into images of the Goddess, which will be baked in the afternoon and eaten at the Lammas Bonfire, while we share our intentions in coming to meet the Goddess in Avalon focused by Tyna Redpath and Collette Barnard.

Afternoon 2.30pm
PREPARATION RITUALS
At the beginning of our pilgrimage to the Goddess, journeying with our Circle of 13, we prepare for participation in Her Mysteries by cleansing ourselves with the natural elements of Her Nature - earth, water, fire, air and space. We spend time considering all that we wish to let go of at the Lammas Bonfire.

Evening 7.30pm
CEREMONIAL LAMMAS BONFIRE
At the Lammas Bonfire we ceremonially let go to the fire all that we no longer need in our lives, we share the Bread Mothers we made earlier in the day and drink holy Red & White Spring Waters in a beautiful valley beside Chalice Hill within the sacred landscape of Avalon. Bring voices, drums and percussion.

Friday 2nd August
APPROACHING THE DARK MOTHER

Morning 9.30am Opening Ceremony with the Priestesses of Avalon. Meeting the Mirror - Journeys with the Dark Goddess - discussion panel focused by Jane Meredith and women who have faced the Dark Goddess. Chocomama's Blessing - Womankind's Delicious Dark Mother. Poetry from Rose Flint. Goddess Songs with well loved singer songwriter Julie Felix and Glastonbury¹s own shamanic drummer Lydia Lite, moving our energy and bodies. Circles of 13 : Sharing our own Dark Mother experiences in our pilgrimage support groups.

Afternoon 2.30pm Choose ONE from six special 3 hour workshops which will allow us to go more deeply into the journey to meet the Goddess:

WEATHERED EDGE: The Deep Landscape of Women with Carolyn Hillyer - with ritual ceremony, group work and union with the spirit women of the sacred land, or

IN THE TEMPLE OF THE DARK GODDESS Coming to meet Her in ourselves with Australian priestess Jane Meredith, or

EXPLORING THE SELF AS MOTHER/MAKER One of Women's Five Blood Mysteries with Letecia Layson, High Priestess of the Circle of Aradia, or

A MOTHER GODDESS RITUAL Create together a special ritual honouring the Mother with Lady Olivia Durdin Robertson, founder of the Fellowship of Isis, or

ENERGETICS FOR RITUAL AND MAGICK with Ruth Barrett & Falcon River - a skills intensive for women who wish to deepen their magical skills, or

THE GODDESS ALPHABET with Suthisa Torenbeek - an opportunity to learn the Goddess Alphabet movement meditation seen at the Opening Ceremony.

Evening 7.30pm
THE MYSTERIES OF AVALON OF THE HEART

Journey through AVALON CEREMONIAL CYCLE which includes opportunities to -
WALK THE SEVEN CIRCUIT GODDESS LABRYNTH - to meet your Self and the Goddess in the centre
RECEIVE THE GODDESS'S BLESSING in Glastonbury's new permanent GODDESS TEMPLE in the Courtyard of the Glastonbury Experience
SIT IN VIGIL in Carolyn Hillyer's exhibition WEATHERED EDGE - Deep Landscape of Women
DANCE AND SING to the Temple Drums in the Courtyard of the Glastonbury Experience
SIT IN THE SILENCE OF THE MOTHER in the Glastonbury Assembly Rooms

Saturday 3rd August
THE MOTHER'S HARVEST

Morning 7.00am Special LAMMAS CEREMONY at Chalice Well with Lynn Orchard, Guardian of Chalice Well and Natasha Wardle.
9.30am Ceremony in the Town Hall to open the day with the Priestesses of Avalon.
With contributions from Letecia Layson, the fabulous virtuoso tambourines of Alessandra Belloni, and beautiful songs from the Wheel of Ana with VocalAna.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION and SPIRAL DANCE with Starhawk.

Afternoon 2.30pm
BRINGING THE MOTHER HOME - THE LAMMAS HARVEST CEREMONY- Focused by Jane Meredith, Julie Felix, Lydia Lite and friends. Wear your red, black, white or yellow costumes.
5.00pm GIFTS TO GAIA : A Wiccan earth healing ritual with the Magpie
Hedgewitches in the Courtyard of the Glastonbury Experience.

Evening 7.30pm
GORGEOUS GODDESS GALA MASQUE & ORGANIC VEGETARIAN BUFFET Come dressed as the Goddess or God you are, masked or veiled. Eat a delicious organic vegetarian buffet specially prepared for us by The Spiral Gate Organic Cafe. Listen, make merry and dance to Conference favourite Julie Felix and for the first time at the Conference the fantastic Earth-loving Seize the Day with Shannon Smy, Theo Simon, Tina Bridgeman, Avril Evans, Richard Osborne and friends.

Sunday 4th August
PROCESSION & THANKSGIVING

Morning 10.00am ANNUAL GODDESS IN THE CART PROCESSION through the streets of Glastonbury with Goddess banners with singing and percussion - bring instruments, to a CEREMONY with Priestesses of Avalon, and FRUIT FEAST on top of the TOR. Please bring fruit to share. Open to all.
Afternoon GIVE AWAY - Bring something lovely to give away to another person.
CIRCLE DANCE CIRCLE of Thanksgiving
CLOSING CEREMONY CLOSE OF CONFERENCE 4.00pm