Avalonian Intensives remembering reclaiming renewing
PHOTOS: JHENAH TELYNDRU he Sisterhood of Avalon (SOA) has been offering powerful and immersive Avalonian training intensives around North America and Great Britain since 1998. These four-day residential intensives provide women with an opportunity to learn Avalonian ritual, techniques, tools, and philosophy in an experiential and supportive environment. Come to connect with the Goddesses of Avalon, immerse yourself in the transformational spiritual traditions of the Celtic Britons, and learn how to heal and empower yourself as you align with the Cycles of the Universe. The foundation of this work is laid with Seeking Avalon Within, an intensive open to all women. Those choosing to continue on the path can broaden their understanding and deepen their knowledge by attending Realm of Land, Realm of Sea or Realm of Sky intensives; each intensive building on the insights gained in the previous. Our newest offering is a series of Avalonian Goddess immersion retreats open to all women.
Seeking Avalon Within is for all women seeking the Ways of Avalon. For newcomers to the Goddess Path, it is an excellent starting point; for women who have engaged in this journeying, it is sure to deepen connections both with the Lady and with the self from an empowering Avalonian perspective. Seeking Avalon Within lays the foundation work needed for all the SOA intensives and is open to all women (members and non-members of the SOA). Journey the archetypal landscapes of the Realm of Land, the physical plane where the majority of our conscious experiences occur. This is the realm of manifestation and the dwelling place of plants, animals, elementals and entities connected to the land. This intensive opens the inner pathways to a holistic and uniquely Avalonian healing system and begins our exploration of the Lunar Mysteries of the Avalonian tradition. The Realm of Land intensive introduces powerful tools, practical techniques and transformative practices firmly rooted in Celtic British spirituality and Welsh traditional lore. Members of the SOA who have attended Seeking Avalon Within (or as it was previously known, Calling the Barge) are welcome to attend. Journey the archetypal landscape of the Realm of Sea, the dwelling place of the ancestors, the underworld to which souls return before again seeking manifestation. The maternal waters of birth and rebirth, and the sacred Cauldron of the Goddess. This intensive is a guide through the realms of Annwn, where the Cauldron of Transformation and the blessings of the Ninefold are sought. Using ancient Druidic techniques, seek the sacrament of Awen and activate a wholly Celtic energy system. The Realm of Sea intensive is a deepening of immersion into the Avalonian Mysteries and the wisdoms of Celtic British spirituality. Members of the SOA who have attended Seeking Avalon Within (or as it was previously know, Calling the Barge) are welcome to attend. PHOTOS: JHENAH TELYNDRU Journey the archetypal landscapes of the Realm of Sky. The abode of the divine; the final destination of souls who have completed the cycle of bound and rebound, rejoining the All once more. Here too are all things celestial, the patterns of the Sun, Moon and Stars exist here and derive from this progenitor of Cycle. This intensive builds upon the healing work of the Realm of Lands and the deepening energies of the Realm of Sea, bringing together tools and techniques to assist in personal exploration of the Avalonian Tradition, while also learning to serve the Holy Isle and its Sisters as a facilitator of the path for others. Members of the SOA who have attended the Realm of Land intensives and the Realm of Sea intensives are welcome to attend.
Avalonian Goddess Immersions The Sisterhood of Avalon is pleased to present our newest in-person offering a series of Goddess Immersion Retreat experiences, open to all women. Focusing on each of our five Goddesses in turn, each immersion will see women gather to remember her mythic and historic legacy, reclaim the power inherent in her story, and renew our connections to the transformational lessons she holds for us. Through ritual, deep journey work, sacred drama, music and song, creative expression, and oracular mysteries, we will work to forge a profound and lasting relationship with our beloved Goddesses.
The Sisterhood of Avalon intensives are an incredible opportunity to become immersed in the transformational work of Avalon and to build sacred community with sisters. We hope you will be able to join us! About the Facilitator Jhenah Telyndru holds an MA in Celtic Studies from the University of Wales, Trinity St. David, and has a bachelor s degree in archaeology. The founder of the Sisterhood of Avalon, Jhenah s published works include Avalon Within: A Sacred Journey of Myth, Mystery, and Inner Wisdom, The Avalonian Oracle: Spiritual Wisdom from the Holy Isle, and Rhiannon: Divine Queen of the Celtic Britons. Jhenah teaches four day residential training retreats around North America and the UK, and facilitates pilgrimages to sacred sites in the British Isles and Ireland through Mythic Seeker Tours. She is a frequent presenter and guest speaker at academic conferences, religious symposia, Women s Spirituality gatherings, and Pagan festivals. Co-facilitator of Ithaca Red Tent, and co-coordinator of local World Goddess Day events, Jhenah also teaches workshops on writing, tarot, Celtic Paganism, and the Divine Feminine in Ithaca, New York. A priestess in the Avalonian Tradition for almost 30 years, Jhenah has been active in the Goddess Spirituality movement since 1986. PHOTOS: JHENAH TELYNDRU
General Information The intensives run from Thursday evening through to Sunday noon. All retreat sites offer settings of natural beauty and peace. Time will be spent both in experiential workshops and in quiet devotion and inner work. Women attending will have the opportunity to participate in rituals over the four days of the intensive that will include a drumming/ chanting circle and an Avalonian Moon ritual. You will return home with tools for self-exploration and for connecting to the Goddess within you. It is sure to be a transformational experience. Prices for all intensives include three nights lodging, nutritious vegetarian meals and all workshops. Please contact intensives@sisterhoodofavalon.org for suggestions on accommodations for this location. Preregistration is required. For more information, contact the intensive coordinator: intensives@sisterhoodofavalon.org. Reserve Your Space Today Please complete your registration online at: http://www.sisterhoodofavalon.org/intensives Please note: we can only accept Paypal at this time. An initial, non-refundable deposit of $200 is due upon registration. A second payment of $200 is due 60 days before. The balance is due 30 days before the intensive date. Anyone who does not have their balance paid 30 days before the intensive will lose their spot. Their deposit will be forfeited and the amount we have received beyond the deposit will be refunded. some cases, may need to share a queen sized bed. Single beds are assigned on a first come, first served basis (the earliest paid-in-full reservations have the option of choosing between a single bed or sharing a queen bed). Please be sure to indicate your sleeping preference on the online registration form. There are limited, partial scholarships available for current members of the Sisterhood of Avalon based on financial need. All requests for scholarship assistance must be received by February 28th. For more information, please contact boardpresident@sisterhoodofavalon.org. Cancellations Although it is rare, intensives may be cancelled for reasons beyond our control, or if we do not meet our minimum number for attendance. Because of this, we recommend that you purchase flight insurance. Although we will do our best to reschedule cancelled events in a timely manner, we cannot be responsible for uninsured travel arrangements. In the case of a cancellation, all deposits will be returned, or applied to a future intensive according to your preference. In order to keep costs down we have chosen sites that, while beautiful and serene, have modest accommodations. At most sites participants will need to share a room with at least one other woman and, in
A Booked Intensive Once an intensive is completely booked all attendees will be sent an information packet specific to their intensive, providing detailed information on the location and specifics of planned activities and what is needed to bring, etc. All attendees will participate in a special intensive email list so they may communicate directly with each other to sort out ride-shares or travel plans, if they so desire. There will be plenty of opportunity to connect and have all questions answered about an upcoming event. Attending the intensive not only opened my heart and my mind to the Avalonian Tradition and offered me tools to help me know myself, but it also gave me an opportunity to meet Sisters face to face. I was unsure of what the experience was going to be like not really knowing anyone. I feel blessed that the Sisters attending opened their arms and their hearts and made me feel welcome from the very beginning. Space really was sacred and I walked away from the experience having an even deeper understanding of the meaning of Sisterhood. If you are able to, I encourage you to try to attend an intensive. You won t regret it! PHOTOS: JHENAH TELYNDRU