On a warm and still night we made our way to our traditional Samhain circle, a long walk, we walked in silence contemplating our reconnection with this special place. 

The sacred flame was lit and the circle created.

We stayed out well after the ‘witching hour’ and celebrated the new year with our ancestors wandering round us…and plenty of homemade damson gin and feasting.

We celebrated the return of spring on a windy starlit night in the woods.

Welcome back to the sun after the eclipse, the light time of the year and the super new moon. 

Welcome new beginnings, growth, new life and new inspirations and the maiden goddess of spring.

The forecast was for strong winds and heavy rain on Wednesday night so we

visited the most exposed of our woodland circles to experience

 the  elements and reconnect with the spirits of the place.

The rain didn’t arrive till well after midnight and the wind was howling – magic.

Happy 2015. We are now accepting applications for membership of Blackthorn. We will be starting our next introduction group on Wednesday May 13th this year.  We have found the perfect venue at Earth Spirit Healing Gardens in Stalybridge and plan on meeting up there once a month with other occasional outside circles, usually on Wednesday evening.  This will take place for six months ending at Samhain 2015.  After you have completed six months with the introductory group you may be invited to apply to join the coven.

A few things to consider if you would like to join us-

• We are an outside group so whatever the weather you will find us out in the woods at night sometimes staying until  after midnight. If this doesn’t appeal to you then neither will Blackthorn.

• The average age of the group is 46.

• You will need to be capable of carrying ritual stuff and walking through woodland in the dark.

• We meet up most weeks usually midweek and sometimes, to fit in with Sabbat celebrations, at the weekend. Commitment to this is very important to us.

• If, after reading this, you still want to join us then we would be delighted to hear from you! Please email and we will send you more details.

• blackthornmoon@hotmail.co.uk