Bright blessings to all Stonewylders at Imbolc - and this year I really
can feel the beginnings of spring already. Some years it seems
we’re still totally bogged down with the darkness of winter at this
time. Maybe it’s the amazing snow we’ve had over the past weeks
- when I wrote the last newsletter just before the Winter Solstice,
we hadn’t yet experienced the incredible snowfall. In Reading the
snow has been especially heavy, both in December and early
January. In fact just today I noticed some dirty piles of it still sitting by
the roadside. But generally now the days are noticably becoming
longer, the birds are singing more jubilantly, and there’s that fresh air
of expectancy and excitement at what’s coming ...
Many thanks to our lovely Cornmother for the photos of Imbolc - the
image of daffodils in the snow was courtesy of her sister-in-law Mary,
and the St Brigid’s Cross in the snowdrops was her own.
Cornmother is a multi-talented lady and our community wouldn’t be
the same without her.
I have not been busy on the Stonewylde front since the last
newsletter, having spent a busy Yule and New Year’s Eve with
my family and friends and taking a breather from promotional
events for a few weeks. Last year was especially busy and
hectic and this few weeks of calm were desperately needed. I
have been doing things - see the next section of Breaking News
for details - but am trying very hard to keep public events to a
minimum in 2010. It’s a shame because I’ve received so many lovely
invitations to do talks, book-signings, workshops and just turn up at
events, but I really do need to put a limit on all this. I have books to
write ...
However in the Diary section you’ll see some of the events I’ve
already agreed to attend, and there may be a couple more added to
this list later in the year. But I won’t be travelling all over the country
like last year I’m afraid, lovely though it was. I do hope many of you
will be able to come to some of the events I have booked. And many
Stonewylders meet up regularly all over the place - see more details in
the Stonewylde Community News section.
I do feel that 2010, heralded by a beautiful Blue Moon, will be a year of
hope and fulfilment, and the start of a wonderful new decade. I think
that both ecologically and emotionally, as a nation we’ve moved
forward immensely since the beginning of this millennium in 2000.
Stonewylde, with its green message of love for our precious Earth and
all of nature, is more than ever a concept of our times. For all it
focuses on old crafts and ancient magic, Stonewylde has never been
more timely than now, at the beginning of this exciting decade.
Imbolc is the festival of new beginnings, new brooms and bright new
promise. Happy 2010 to everyone!
Breaking Stonewylde news
We have a few of the lovely Stonewylde Green
Labyrinth T-shirts left after a heavy demand
over Christmas. On sale at £9.99 plus P&P -
We’re still running the highly successful special
offer in the Stonewylde Store. You can buy the
trilogy of Stonewylde books, personally
dedicated and signed by me, and also a
beautiful Stonewylde Wheel of the Year
greetings card (blank for you to write in) for
I’m delighted to have been invited to lead a
course at Monkton Wyld in Dorset - the Green
Man at Beltane, seeking the green spirit within
and without. This will be a lovely weekend of
creativity and green spirituality and should be a
lot of fun. Do book early if you’re interested as
places are limited to only 25, and are open to
public bookings too. Click here for full details.
I can’t say too much at this point, but next
week after three months of negotiations, I shall
be travelling to Mayfair in London to sign up
with a major literary agency. I decided last
year that the time had come to move
Stonewylde forward and hit the world with our
tales of Yul, Sylvie and the Green Magic of
Stonewylde. I’ve worked hard over the past
four years since first publishing Magus, and I
feel we’re now ready to take on the world.
Once I’ve signed the contract with the literary
agent, the rights to Stonewylde, both abroad, in
the film industry, e-book, audio book etc will be
up for grabs, and my new agent will hopefully
be arranging lots of good deals. I’ll let you
know all just as soon as I can! This is a very
exciting time for Stonewylde and one I hope
you’ll all be part of with me.
I’m now on Twitter so please follow me!
Stonewylde Newsletter 26
February 1st 2010
Bright blessings at
to all Stonewylders
What’s been going on ...
This festival, also
known as Oimelc,
marks the beginning of
the earth's awakening
after the cold and
darkness of winter.
Some sources say the
word means "ewe's milk" and some "in the belly". This is
the time when female sheep begin to lactate, and is the
start of the lambing season. But it's also the time when life
begins to grow in the womb of the earth, so both
meanings of Imbolc make sense.
The festival is a Celtic cross-quarter day, and marked the
time in the old farming calendar when ploughing began.
The corn dollies saved at Lammas, believed to hold the
spirit of the corn, were ploughed back into the earth at
Imbolc to symoblise the return of the corn spirit to the
earth, thus ensuring fertility for the year ahead.
Imbolc is the festival of the Goddess in her Maiden
aspect. The crescent moon and white candles are
symbols depicting the strength and purity of the virgin
goddess who brings new life to the earth. She has many
names - notably Brigid or Bride, which are apparently the
origin of the word "bride". The custom of the bride wearing
white and carrying flowers at her wedding are said to
come from this pagan goddess.
Brigid or Bride was later
christianised as St. Bridget,
but her origins go back
much further. The Brigid's
Cross , an important Imbolc
symbol, is woven with four
arms. The one pictured here
was made by Cornmother,
and seems to be the perfect
corn dolly for Imbolc,
particularly as it features a crescent moon.
Dates for your diary ...
FRIDAY MARCH 5th - SATURDAY MARCH 6th - Devon, Cornwall, the Scilly and Channel Isles Pagan
Federation Spring Conference 2010
I’m one of the guest speakers at this very exciting event, to be held at the Penstowe Manor near
Bude in Cornwall. This will be a fantastic conference, starting with music by Damh the Bard in the
bar on the Friday night, and followed by a packed day of events on the Saturday, culminating with
a gig by The Dolmen. You don’t need to be a member of the PF nor live in the area to attend! You
can just come for the day on Saturday, or make a weekend of it and stay at the self-catering
holiday village at Penstowe Manor. More details here.
SATURDAY MARCH 20th - East Midlands Pagan Federation Annual Conference
I’ve also been invited as guest speaker to this conference, to be held in Lincoln. Tickets are on sale now - hope
to see you there! More details here.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY APRIL 24th to 25th - Elf Fantasy Fair,
Netherlands
Mr B and I will be returning to the amazing Elf Fantasy Fair following our wyldly
successful visit last September. A group of Stonewylders are also making the
trip, which really is well worth it. If you enjoy dressing up in fantasy costume
(faeries to stormtroopers and everything in between) and also enjoy mediaeval
stalls, incredible shows and a chilled atmosphere, this is the festival to attend.
We’ll be dressed as the Green Man and May Queen, and I’ll be giving talks and
doing book signings. Also a chance to meet our wonderful Sorcha and Ebany, two of the original fans. This is
an event not to be missed! Details here.
FRIDAY TO MONDAY APRIL 30th to MAY 3rd - Green Man at Beltane, Monkton Wyld, Dorset
This event has been organised by the green, holistic centre at Monkton Wyld, and I’m the course leader (with
Mr B to assist) for this lovely three to four day event which spans Beltane. We’ll have lots of fun being creative
and spiritual, with plenty of opportunity to soak up the magic of Dorset in May and lots of Stonewylde-type
activities too. Bookings are through Monkton Wyld - click here for more information.
SATURDAY MAY 15th - Charity Day at Charborough Park, Wimborne, Dorset
I’m honoured and extremely excited to be invited to the Drax Estate in Dorset to take part in a
day's fundraising event in aid of Life Education Wessex. This is the estate with the long
boundary wall (and five-legged stag over the gate) which first inspired me with ideas for
Stonewylde. This estate is rarely open to the public so this is a very special event, and I hope
many of you will join me. No details are available yet but do put the date in your diary - watch
our website for updates and the next newsletter.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY JULY 10th and 11th - Quest
at Newton Abbot, Devon
I’m delighted to be running two big workshops at this
event, including a special guided Stonewylde meditation.
This is a wonderful event with a very special atmosphere,
and there’s camping available too. More details to follow. Visit the Quest website here.
Stonewylde Community news ...
The online Stonewylde Community continues to grow - we now have over 500 members!
I haven’t been visiting as much recently but the community thrives regardless, thanks to
the amazing input of so many lovely people. I was featured in a blog by a wonderful
American woman, Mrs B (absolutely no relation at all!) who reviewed Stonewylde and then
ran a competition for her hundreds of readers. This resulted in a new splurge of interest
from the USA, so a big welcome to all new readers there. And many thanks to all of you
who bought Stonewylde books as presents for Yule. We sold a huge number of books
over the Christmas period and saw a massive jump in subscribers to this newsletter
afterwards! The power of word of mouth thrives as ever, and I’m very grateful to everyone
for continuing to promote Stonewylde.
The community have been planning several meet-ups for 2010 and if
you’re interested in getting together with like-minded people then do
join the community and take a look at the Events page. These get-
togethers are very informal but great fun, and anyone who loves
Stonewylde is welcome to come along. Mr B and I hope to be coming
to some of the get-togethers too if possible.
As I mentioned a few months ago, we’ve officially appointed Where the
Wild Roses Grow as our Stonewylde jeweller, and
she’ll be licensed soon to create our Stonewylde
pendants. These will be available in eight different
designs, one for each of the festivals, as described in
the books. The other side will feature a special Stonewylde design, and Wild Roses will also be
creating individual totem charms by request as extras to attach to the Stonewylde pendants.
The pendants are not yet available (you’ll be told just as soon as they are - probably in late
spring/early summer of this year) and should Stonewylde really hit the big time, these will be in
even greater demand. We will always give priority to people who are members of the
Stonewylde Community and recipients of this newsletter. More details to follow, but in the
meantime do take a look at what this very talented lady does. Visit Wild Roses here.
We’re still welcoming new members so do come and join us - click here to visit the community.
There is much folklore about the Maiden crossing
the threshold at Imbolc, which makes this a liminal
festival - a sacred time when the door between the
worlds is open. It's also a time to clean and get rid
of the old season's clutter, both in the home and
one's life. The besom (old fashioned broom) is
therefore also a symbol of Imbolc, and is often
placed at the threshold. Christianity subsumed this
ancient festival and renamed it Candlemas, echoing
the white candle theme, and marking it as the
purification of the Virgin Mary. The links here with
the pagan goddess and Bride are very obvious.
To celebrate Imbolc, light
white candles in your home,
have a good clearout, plant
bulbs or seeds and
remember this is the time of
celebration of the strength
and power of young
womanhood - Brigit, Isis,
Athena, call her what you
will.
Imbolc at Stonewylde is
described in detail in the fourth book in the series,
yet to be published. It involves a young maiden who
wears white, and the Archer – a young man chosen
especially for his prowess with the longbow. Some
believe that Robin Hood and Maid Marion are
actually derived from old folklore and the young
couple who symbolised Imbolc.
Even though this festival can appear to be in the
middle of winter when the weather is at its most
bitter, nevertheless there are often many signs
around this time of the beginning of life stirring in
the cold earth. The goddess is never dead – only
sleeping – and Imbolc marks her first awakenings.
©Steve Perry
