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OCTOBER — The Growing Darkness
Grab a sweater, a thick one, and keep a warm jacket nearby. It’s not unwise right now to pull down the hats, scarves, mittens and probably the boots, because you never know.
In October, we are very aware of the changes in the weather, and we are preparing for the long winter ahead. Like our ancestors, they were very aware of the cold, they knew by the chill in the air it would get colder. Nature is falling asleep, the earth leans back and, like the sun dozes off earlier and earlier. The leaves on many of the trees would change their dress to something very fancy. Then they fell off. These were all signs to let us know not to hesitate in all our preparation. Especially the animals.
As the light begins to recede, we reach toward the last harvest, polish off the canning, and prepare for the winter that will soon be upon us. If lucky, the cold will visit us only for a few days, at first, but it will soon follow by weeks, then months.
October is the time we notice the darkness creeping in. Our ancient ancestors took note of this time, looking up at the twilight attuned to the cosmos, they saw what we see now, but they had a far different understanding, a different consciousness. During October, we will tap into that consciousness through the lecture series, and we will do what our ancestors did in October — make our hands busy.
So, who were these people, our ancestors? Who were the Celts? What did October bring them?
Many think of them as the Irish or the people and countries of the British Isles. The land is called Albion. Albion is what the Greeks called it around the 4th c. BC. It means the White One. It was also the name of Poseidon’s son. The tribes consisted of England (Angles), Ireland (Ériu), Scotland (Alba), Wales (Cymru), but there were close connections to all the tribes of the Mainland dating back before the Western Bell Beaker period.
In the beginning, during earlier times, the Celts came from Indo-European origins. We have been able to solidly trace the inhabitance to the Hallstatt and La Tène Cultures [Austria]. What we know is that the Saxons settled the Isles first around 2400 BC. However, when they arrived, we have since discovered they were not alone. Little is known of those who were here before them, some say the true Briton who emerged as Arthur. Though speculation ranges from the lost continent of Atlantis, magical leipreachán, and the people who worshiped the mysterious nature of elemental beings. Many say they are still around, but can no longer be seen by human eyes, unless they are touched (corraithe).
Still, modern archaeology speculates that many of the people that make up the Isles today arrived around 2400 BC. We will be exploring these people from other worlds into the world today.
October Highlights
- Celtic Radio Tales: Merlin’s Mysteries, Knights Of The Round Table.
- Halloween: Apple Party, Ghost Stories, Perilous Path Fun Festival.
- Immortal Soul & Grail Seeds: Druid rebirth beliefs echo in Arthur’s Avalon sleep, which opens Parsifal’s Holy Grail Quest; Last Supper vessel. Lecture Series & Opera.
- Lecture Series I: Harvest Perils: As light fades, legends preserve ancient fires—mirrored in our forest challenges, pyre rituals.
- Lectures Series II: From oak groves to Avalon’s mist, October opens the veil: Celtic endurance births Arthur’s eternal dream, guiding us through Samhain’s shadows.
- Most Businesses & Lectures Close Early – Friday, 30th October.
- Most Businesses and Classes Closed All Day – Saturday, 31st October.
- Ongoing: Canning, Dressing, Drying, Carving & Meat-cutting.
- Threshold Realms: Samhain veils thin—spirits, fairies (aes sídhe, banshee), perilous paths between worlds.
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.OCTOBER 4th — Blessing Of The Animals
October 4th is the Blessing of the Animals and the celebration of the life of St Francis. One of the local priests comes to the farm and blesses all the animals, including the bees, butterflies, and worms. He will also take a walk through the Perma Forest and bless the animals living in the wood. Before this ritual, the priest will tell the story of St Francis and how he found his way from a life of opulence and sin to one in service of his people and the care of the creatures. This small celebration begins at 10AM. People gather in the lobby by the fireplace. Father Timothy will tell the story, then he and the group will walk to the barn and through the wood, blessing all the animals. Members and residents will also bring their pets to be blessed. The guests and children will sing as they walk: Come Follow Me to the Greenwood Tree, All Things Bright and Beautiful, and The Canticle of the Sun.
At the end of this event, there is an opportunity for the children to make hot pretzels in the cafeteria. Maidens from the Irish Heritage Center come to teach the children how to make pretzels. She tells the story through the rhyme of the Celts and the Trinity.
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spoken when rolling |
spoken when shaping.
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spoken when rolling.
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spoken when shaping.
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| little leaves fall gently down, red and yellow, orange and brown, whirling, whirling, round and round, falling softly to the ground, down, and down, and down, and down, quietly now, without a sound. |
in nomine patris et fillii et spiritus sancti domine libera nos! deo gratias |
in ainm an Athar agus an Mhic agus an Spioraid Naoimh. dia saor sinn buíochas le dia |
in the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost lord deliver us. |
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Procession
After this delightful event, members and residents, along with Father Timothy, will walk some of the animal homes that have been living with us throughout the spring and summer. Once they have arrived, we may take with us an animal that isn’t getting along well with others until arrangements can be made. Father Timothy will then bless those animals and be escorted around the area to other farms and homes of people who are unable to be out and about. On Sunday, after church, there is a little pet parade and, of course, a blessing given to all those animals, and their owners, who attend this local event.
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Saint Frances —
A Rhyme For Francis
— Elenore Farjeon
The kinsmen of Francis 
Were not as another’s.
The birds were his sisters,
The beasts were his brothers.
These were his names
For the great and the small—
Was not God Father
Of him, and of all?
The night and the morning.
The water, the wind.
The star and the daisy,
Were each of his kind.
God was the Father
Of him and all others,
And flowers were his sisters,
And trees were his brothers.
“Brother, good morrow!”
He said to Friar Sun.
“Sister, good even!”
To Moon the sweet Nun.
“God is our Father,
We know of no other,
And Death is my sister,
And Life is my brother.”
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Cultural & Historical Foundations Outline – Druid & Celtic Mysteries. The Arthurian Dawn.
The Before Time, Druids, Celts, Picts, Monks, Arthur —
SECTION I: Ancient Celtic Roots, c. 1200–54 BC Archaeology: La Tène Cultures: iron-innovation, Proto–Celtic: Hallstatt: c. 1200 BC. Unitika Culture, Western Bell Culture, Tumulus Culture, Urnfield Culture.
- Advanced art, migrations across Europe, trade with Etruscans & Greeks, family values, iron innovations.
SECTION II: Tuatha Dé Danann — The Supernatural Race of Ancient Irish Gods.
- Time — Before the Little People.
- Legends — Nuada, Dana, Morrigu, Lugh, Manannan mac Lir, Dagda, Brigid, Ogmé, Dian Cecht, Macha, Goibniu, Aengus Óg.
- The Irish Harp — Uaithne, is a magical harp which belongs to the Dagda. Uaithne could evoke three noble strains of Irish music: Goltraige: music causing sorrow or blindness. Gentraige music causing joy and dancing. Súantraige: music that would induce a deep, restorative slumber.
- The Battles of Moytura.
SECTION III: The Celts & Druid Culture — Daughters and Sons of Albion.
- Myths — Book of Invasions, Book of Lismore
- Legends & Laochra — Heroes: Cú Chulainn, Fionn mac Cumhaill, Queen Boudica of Iceni, Queen Medb, Diviciacus of the Aedui.
- Two Beginning — The Ancient God & The Christian God
SECTION IV: The Druids — The Priests & Druidic Wisdom
- Bards, Ovates, Vates.
- Soul immortality, oak & mistletoe rituals, shape-shifting lore, mystical sight.
SECTION V: The Roman Encounter & Accounts c. 54 BC–410 AD — Rome’s raw & unvarnished.
- Caesar’s invasions (54 BC); Roman withdrawal leaves Celtic tribes resisting invaders.
- Cicero’s De Divinatione.
SECTION VI: The Chieftain Rift — The intense geopolitical history.
- Divitiacus, Dumnorix, and the Aedui campaign in Burgundy.
- Boudicca, the fierce Celtic queen and her rebellion 60–61 AD.
SECTION VII: Celts & Druid Culture & Christianity—Symbols.
- Seasons — Wheel of the year is divided into eight seasonal turning points made up of four quarter days (solstices and equinoxes) and four cross-quarter days (fire and harvest festivals).
- Stories — The Christian Adam
- Threshold Realms — Samhain veils thin—spirits, fairies (aes sídhe, banshee),
SECTION VIII: From Pagan to Christ — The Dark Ages – 376
- The Institutional Shift — The historical annals of St. Patrick (432 AD)
- The Before Time — Tuatha Dé Danann
- Irish Monks
- Saint Patrick and the spread of Christianity, c. 385–461 AD
- High King Lugaid, and the Synod of Whitby (664 AD).
SECTION IX: The Legend of King Arthur: Arthur’s Legend, c. 410–600 AD
- Arthur, c. 400/500 AD, son of Uther, raised by Merlin.
- Merlin Mysteries — Birth of Arthur.
- Arthur’s Childhood — Illegitimate son of King Uther who used Merlin’s magic to disguise himself in order to seduce a married woman. The child was given to Merlin in exchange for the magic.
- Knights of the Round Table — legendary fellowship of the elite warriors who served King Arthur’s court.
- Camelot — King Arthurs legendary castle. However, it did not appear in the telling until the 12th-century.
- Unites Britons against Saxons & Picts.
- Quest for the Holy Grail in Christ’s name – Immortal Soul & Grail Seeds: Druid rebirth beliefs echo in Arthur’s Avalon sleep and Holy Grail quest; Last Supper vessel.
- Fatal battle at Camlann, mystical Avalon burial — “once and future king.”
- Parsifal — Finds the grail and heals the Fisher King.
SECTION X: Eschenbach’s Parsifal — The Hero’s Journey.
- Legend of the Grail & The Fisher King
SECTION X: Samhain — Hallowe’en Key Pillars
- Harvest Perils: As light fades, legends preserve ancient fires—mirrored in our forest challenges, pyre rituals, Celtic radio tales, and Merlin’s mysteries.
- From oak groves to Avalon’s mist, October opens the veil: Celtic endurance births Arthur’s eternal dream, guiding us through Samhain’s shadows.
Ancient Celtic Roots
| Trí na sléibhte ceoacha, an talamh thuas, na tinte thíos. Tiubh le ceo, ag snámh sa spéir, thit sé sna huiscí fuaraithe, an píosa deireanach den spéir, brat glas, ar an talamh. ~Éireann |
Through the misty mountains, the land above, the fires below. Thick with fog, floating in the sky, fell into the cooling waters, the last piece of heaven, a blanket of green upon the earth. ~Éireann |
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History and Legends of the Celts
The Celts were Indo-European peoples whose culture emerged during the Hallstatt and La Tène iron-age societies of Central Europe (modern Austria and beyond) before spreading across the continent and into the British Isles (Albion) around 2400 BC. They formed a web of related tribes in what became Ireland, Scotland, Wales, parts of England, Gaul and Iberia They shared language, trade (salt, iron), diplomacy through marriage and fosterage. They had both, a sophisticated and a magical oral culture. Mythic ancestors such as the Tuatha Dé Danann (“People of the Gods”) later appear in Irish tradition as a semi-divine race of skilled beings whom Christian scribes re-framed to fit their own worldview.
At the heart of Celtic society stood the Druids — a highly trained intellectual and priestly class (Bards, Ovates, and Vates) who served as judges, astronomers, healers, poets, and keepers of vast oral knowledge. They taught the immortality and reincarnation of the soul, aligned sacred sites with the stars, revered the oak and mistletoe, and marked the year with festivals such as Beltane and Samhain.
The Roman writers, especially Caesar, portrayed them as barbaric (alien) to justify conquest, yet figures like the Druid-diplomat Diviciacus Aedui demonstrated how they moved comfortably in elite Roman circles. Rome systematically suppressed them, culminating in the destruction of the Anglesey stronghold and Boudicca’s revolt.
Throughout antiquity, the northern tribes also wielded a psychological weapon that proved just as devastating as the iron broadsword or the framea: the terrifying, predatory power known as the Celtic gaze. Across centuries of conflict, Roman historians Cassius Dio, Tacitus, Marcellinus, even Julius Ceasar himself record that long before the Roman engaged in the physical clash of shields, legions were broken by the sheer, paralyzing fierceness of their enemies’ eyes.
By the early 400 AD the legions began to withdrew from Britain, opening a power vacuum. This left the Continental Celts largely absorbed or displaced, while insular Celts held on in the western fringes. In Ireland and western Britain the shift to Christianity was unusually gentle: Celtic monks absorbed rather than erased Druidic respect for nature, oral storytelling, and seasonal rhythms, creating a distinctive hybrid tradition that carried old lore forward into the medieval world. To learn more read their history.
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~ Symbols
These are the oldest symbols we know connected to the Celts. Some of them are even pre-Celtic.
- Triquetra: Represents the trinity, unity, and eternal life. It shows the interconnectedness of three distinct realms or forces.
- Triskele: Symbolizes personal growth, human development, and cycles. Its three swirling legs represent movement, time, and celestial transitions.
- Dara Knot: Represents the complex root system of an oak tree, meaning strength and endurance.
- Wheel of Taranis: The Celtic symbol of Taranis, the god of thunder. It depicts cosmic order, solar spirit, and cosmic thunder.
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~ Celtic Seasons
The four main Gaelic cross-quarter days, tied to seasons and agricultural cycles in the Irish, Scottish, and the Manx traditions.
Latha Bealltainn (Latha Buidhe) — Scottish Gaelic for Beltane or May Day (1 May). Literally “the yellow/golden/fortunate day of Beltane.” It marks the start of summer, with bonfires, purification rituals, and celebrations of fertility and protection. “Buidhe” adds connotations of brightness, luck, or the yellow flowers/broom blooming then.
Samhain — Gaelic festival on 31 October–1 November. Marking the end of harvest and beginning of winter (the “darker half” of the year). Seen as the Celtic New Year in some traditions. It’s a liminal time when the veil between worlds thins, honoring the dead, with bonfires, feasting, divination, and protective measures against spirits.
Imbolc — Imbolg – Gaelic festival on 1 February (or 31 Jan–2 Feb). Marking the start of spring. From Old Irish “i mbolg” meaning “in the belly,” referring to pregnant ewes, lambing season. Associated with the goddess and saint Brigid embracing purification, fire, candles, and the first signs of new life. A time of renewal and hope after winter.
Lughnasadh — Lughnasa, Lúnasa — Gaelic festival on 1 August, marking the beginning of the harvest season. Named after the god Lugh, who established it to honor his foster-mother Tailtiu; she died clearing land for agriculture. It involves feasting, games, Thanksgiving for the first fruits and grain, and preparations for autumn and winter.
List of all Celebrations
- Samhain (Oct 31 – Nov 1): Start of winter / Celtic New Year (Cross-quarter).
- Winter Solstice / Yule (approx. Dec 21): Return of the sun (Quarter day).
- Imbolc (Feb 1): Start of spring / Festival of Brigid (Cross-quarter).
- Spring Equinox / Ostara (approx. Mar 21): Balance of light and dark (Quarter day).
- Bealtaine / Beltane (May 1): Start of summer / Fire festival (Cross-quarter).
- Summer Solstice / Litha (approx. Jun 21): Peak of sunlight (Quarter day).
- Lughnasadh / Lammas (Aug 1): Start of harvest (Cross-quarter).
- Autumn Equinox / Mabon (approx. Sep 21): Second harvest / balance (Quarter day).
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The Daughters and Sons of Albion —
Before the arrival of Rome, the spiritual and judicial foundation of the Isles was anchored by a pan-tribal order of Druids: Bards, Ovates, and Vates, who preserved a rich oral tradition and taught the transmigration of the soul. Roman expansion systematically targeted this network, pushing the magical and metallurgical culture underground. [Discover the full archaeological and historical deep-dive on the History]
Cú Chulainn (The Hound of Ulster) — The legendary Irish warrior who defended Ulster and faced death bound upright to a standing stone.
Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) — Leader of the Fianna who gained universal wisdom from the Salmon of Knowledge.
Queen Boudica of the Iceni (Victorious Woman) — The fierce Celtic queen who led a major rebellion in 60–61 AD against Roman occupation.
Queen Medb of Connacht (She Who Intoxicates) — The formidable ruler of Connacht whose ambition sparked the Cattle Raid of Cooley.
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The Grand Transition: From Caesar’s Sword to the Monk’s Pen
The long march toward the medieval world began when Julius Caesar first crossed the channel, bringing the iron fist of Rome into contact with the ancient Druid tribes. For centuries, the Roman Empire expanded on raw military power and rigid administration. But the turning point came with Emperor Constantine, who shifted the entire axis of the Western world by legalizing Christianity. What began as a persecuted underground faith quickly became the new official spine of the empire, forever altering the destiny of what was soon to be known as Europe.
As the centuries rolled on, the centralized power of Rome began to fracture under its own weight, split between the fading West and the wealthy, bureaucratic empire of Byzantium in the East. When the last Roman legions finally pulled out of Britain in 410 AD to defend their dying capital, they left a massive power vacuum.
The classic narrative of the “Fall of Rome” in 476 AD is less an abrupt end and more of a massive cultural realignment. As the centralized Roman administration collapsed, the Romanized infrastructure faded, but its core legal frameworks and the Catholic Church stepped into the vacuum of authority.
This opened the gates to what we call the Dark Ages—a chaotic era of migration where pagan Anglo-Saxons pushed the native Celts to the rugged western fringes of the islands.
Where did the Celts go?
The continental Celts had largely been integrated or displaced by Roman and Germanic expansions.
The insular Celts in Cornwall, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland remained culturally intact.
As the mainland fractured into warring kingdoms, a completely different miracle was unfolding on the isolated shores of Ireland and western Britain. Safe from the chaos engulfing Rome and Byzantium, the Christian faith arrived not by the sword, but by a quiet meeting of spirits. The ancient Druid guardians, who had spent centuries preserving the folk soul through oral memory, passed their torch to the Celtic Monks. In their quiet stone cells, these monks did not destroy the old world; they blended it with the new, setting the stage for the wild warrior sagas and eerie seasonal tales that would define the folk imagination.
The Celtic Transition to Christianity
This transition was distinctively smooth in the British isle compared to the violent conversions elsewhere. Instead of obliterating native traditions, Celtic Christianity operated via acculturation, seamlessly blending monasticism with pre-existing tribal structures. Druidic lore, respect for nature, and oral storytelling were repurposed rather than destroyed, allowing local populations to adopt the new faith without entirely abandoning their cultural identity.
The End of Rome came, it was replaced by Christianity. There would not be another Celtic Migration for another 1400 years.
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The Book —Liber
It was a lovely brisk morning, the dew was still very wet on the grass, their woolen mantels were wet at the bottom from walking through the early morning fields. They were coming from the neighboring village, so it was wise for them to bring Conall. Conall a farmer, was well known in the region and well trusted.
When those in the village saw these men walking up the hill, they didn’t see foreign invaders. Yes, they see strangers indeed, but holy men who look unnervingly familiar from a bygone time, carrying with them a guide they already trust. This helped displace any thoughts of violence with more of a deep, watchful curiosity instead.
The Monks looked like the old Druids, dressed in long robes and their tonsure, unlike the Roman Monks, they didn’t shave the tops of their heads, they shaved the front of their hairline from ear to ear, leaving the back long like the old Oaks. When the villagers saw these men walking up the hill, they didn’t see foreign invaders; they saw strangers with a good friend, several holy men, following an already trusted guide.
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St. Patrick and the snakes — There are several stories
- Pagan Conversion: Around the 12th century, snakes were often used as symbols or metaphors for Pagan religions, their sins, and evils. Patrick replaced all of these with Christianity.
- Folklore: Similar stories of saints driving snakes off islands existed in other European traditions at the time and were later attached to St. Patrick’s legend.
- The Opposite: In reality, there were no snakes in Ireland and the Pagan Celtic religion, culture, and customs had dictated more ideas to Christianity than the other way round.
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Arthur, King Of The Brits
Merlin & Arthur — Echoes of the Old World
Merlin stands as the ghost of the last Druids. In the earliest books of the legend he is not a wizard with a wand, but a wild seer, shape-shifter, and master of nature-magic who carries the old Celtic oral wisdom into a changing age. He plays a major role in manipulating Arthur’s conception through deception. He then he guides the boy to the grave yards where upon his father’s death the Sword Caliburn is buried deep into an anvil surrounded by granite stone. After a battle with a strong Knight Caliburn is broken, Merlin takes him to a mysterious forest, in the center is a lake. Placing the broken sword at the shore line, a woman emerges from the waters, she is the Lady of the Lake. She offers him a new sword named Excalibur, he accepts the sword. Merlin then mentors this young king while reading the stars and the future. In the end, For Merlin, the same ancient oak-magic that once empowered the Druids becomes his prison: for Merlin, struck by the Lady of the Lake brings her to his teachings. Once Mastered the magic of Merlin she locks him forever inside a living oak. He remains the bridge — and the warning — between the vanishing pagan world and the Christian court that follows.
Arthur Pendragon, King Arthur, now holds the the destiny of a royal bloodline. In the late 5th and early 6th centuries a Romano-British leader is said to have rallied the native Celts against the Anglo-Saxon tide. The stories give him a miraculous birth, and the sword that proves his right to rule. As he grows he commands hundreds of Knights, 12 who sit at the Round Table. The symbol that represents a return to the Celtic ideal of equality. He is also offered the Quest for the Holy Grail, lifting this fellowship toward the divine. However, catastrophe strikes through the unraveling of incest, adultery, and the his ill conceived bastard son Mordred. A battle ensues, before Arthur kills his son and his son strikes Arthur with a mortal wound, he is carried into the mists of Avalon and vanishes.
It is said that the Once and Future King will return when Britain needs him most. Arthur fought a losing campaign, yet his legend will never die.
Together Merlin and Arthur are the indeed the spiritual memory that formed the rise of Great Britain, and say the end of an old world, perhaps, a world that someday would experience a new spiritual and material awakening. The full stories — the prophecies, the battles, the betrayals, the adventures and the quiet survival of Avalon — wait on the audio book and the deeper pages of history.
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Parsifal
The Legend of the Holy Grail
Mythic / Spiritual / Symbolic
There are stories that live in the heavens and on the earth, that belong to no single time or place but echo across centuries. The legend of Parsifal is such a story. It is a bridge between the pagan past and the Christian future, between the Celtic mysteries of Arthur’s court and the medieval quest for the Holy Grail, a cup still sought after. It is a tale of innocence and awakening, of suffering and redemption, of the pure fool who becomes the healer-king.
Richard Wagner, in his final opera, gave this legend its most profound expression. He set it not in the historical Middle Ages but in a timeless realm where myth and spirit intertwine. The story he tells is not merely about a young knight’s journey; it is about the transformation of consciousness itself, the movement from ignorance to compassion, from self to service, from wounding to healing.
We tell this story in September because it mirrors the season’s own journey. Just as the equinox marks the turn from light to increasing darkness, Parsifal’s tale marks the turn from innocence to knowledge, from the bright garden of childhood to the shadowed temple of suffering. And just as we preserve the harvest against winter’s scarcity, Parsifal preserves the sacred—the Spear, the Grail, the possibility of redemption—against the forces of decay and despair.
This is the story of Parsifal, the pure fool, who asked the question that healed the world.
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Eschenbach’s Parsifal
The Question of The Grail
It is recorded that the Holy Grail was none other than the sacred chalice bound by Christ Jesus at the Last Supper — that solemn final meal which He partook with His Apostles whilst yet inhabiting His human and material form, ere He was given over to arrest, to crucifixion, and to the suffering of earthly death. At this most holy of tables, the bread was given as the substance of His spiritual body, and the wine as the living blood thereof; and in the offering of these He charged His Apostles, avowing, “Do This In Memory Of Me.”
When he was crucified on the cross, a Roman soldier took his spear, stabbing him in the side. As the blood flowed from his body to the earth, Joseph of Arimathea placed the chalice under the wound to collect the spiritualized blood. As the blood flowed from the wound and touched the ground, the earth shook. It was then consecrated and spiritualized with the blood of The Christ. The significance of this act was the fulfillment of the new covenant, redemption for man, and the forgiveness of sin, the promise of eternal salvation was now fulfilled.
The chalice Joseph collected the blood of Christ in became known as The Holy Grail. The Spear that pierced his flesh, releasing the spiritualized blood, was called, The Spear of Destiny. However, both the cup and the spear have a much longer history and connection, which is discussed during the lectures.
“If unfaith in the heart find dwelling, then the soul it shall reap but woe;
And shaming alike and honour are his who such doubt shall show,
For it standeth in evil contrast with a true man’s dauntless might,
As one seeth the magpie’s plumage, which at one while is black and white.
And yet he may win to blessing; since I wot well that in his heart.
Hell’s darkness, and light of Heaven, alike have their lot and part.
But he who is false and unsteadfast, he is black as the darkest night,
And the soul that hath never wavered stainless its hue and white!.”
– Wolfram von Eschenbach
Of the medieval tale as set down by Eschenbach, there exist sixteen books in full. The rendition employed at the PEACH draws principally from Wagner’s Parsifal, itself derived from several sources of which Eschenbach’s poem is foremost; and from these varied tributaries the following retelling is woven, preserving what is most essential in each. Yet it is above all for its question of compassion that the poem endures in the memory of mankind.
In Eschenbach’s telling, the question is put thus: “What ails thee, my King?” Wagner, approaching the same mystery by way of its remedy, frames it otherwise: “How do I heal thee, my King?” In the version that follows, something of both may be discerned. It should further be noted that many of the adventures attributed to Parsifal by Eschenbach were thereafter employed by Wagner in his opera Tristan and Isolde. A fuller treatment of these matters awaits the reader in the January lectures on the Great Mysteries and in those delivered at Easter. It is the contention of this writer that the mysterious voice — that ethereal messenger within the opera — is none other than the swan.
Self-Renunciation, Reincarnation, Compassion
Through long ages men pondered the fate of the Holy Grail, that vessel which had once contained the spiritualized blood of Christ Himself. As legend doth relate, both the chalice and the sacred weapon were withdrawn from the terrestrial world, borne aloft into those high celestial regions beyond the sky, there to be kept and preserved in the charge of the angels. With the removal of the Holy Grail and the Spear of Destiny from the physical world, the spiritual sight of man began its long diminishment; those thaumaturgic faculties — the ancient powers of wonder-working — which had descended through generations from time immemorial, commenced their slow extinction. The mysteries of blood and of sacred lineage, the living knowledge of the stars, the healing powers of the antediluvian ages — all these gradually ceased. In their stead arose the dominion of abstract thought, of individual independence, and of reliance upon the material world alike for healing and for communication.
Yet the ancient knowledge was not utterly extinguished; in certain elect souls the great mysteries continued to burn, made manifest through dreams and visions vouchsafed to those whom posterity has called Initiates. Of these, one stood pre-eminent: King Titurel, the Noble. Upon the heights of Montsalvat in northern Spain, there was bestowed upon him, through divine vision, the foreknowledge of the Holy Grail — that cup which conferreth everlasting life. The angels of Heaven charged him with the keeping of both the Holy Grail and the Spear of Destiny, and laid upon him a sacred duty: to raise a Temple of the Holy Grail, and to establish an Order for its protection. These elect guardians were henceforth known as the Knights of the Holy Grail, bound by solemn oath to chastity and devotion, their lives consecrated wholly to Christ. To King Titurel himself fell the daily celebration of the sacred mass; and as he elevated the Grail during the holy sacraments, a violet light would descend from the heavens above, a dove would come to rest above his crowned head, and all the Order, receiving from his hands the host of everlasting life, would be made new in body and spirit, filled with profound reverence for the works of the Lord.
The story of Parsifal has its true beginning in the death of King Titurel, and in the passing of his sacred duties to his son, Amfortas. Yet ere his father’s death, this prince-in-waiting had already descended into an arrogant and perilous darkness. By an abuse of the Temple Oath, he took up the Spear of Destiny as a weapon of war, intending thereby to vanquish a certain sorcerer; but through trickery he was undone — the spear wrested from his grasp, wherewith the magician dealt him a wound to the thigh before vanishing utterly from sight. Thus did Amfortas return to the temple bereft of the sacred weapon, only to discover that his father had passed from this world and that the burden of kingship had already descended upon him.
In this hour of grief and transition he found, moreover, that the wound in his thigh would grant him no respite from its anguish; and as time revealed to him what darker intuition had perhaps already whispered, he came to understand that it would not heal — not, it was believed by many, until the Spear of Destiny should be restored. Suffering without surcease, he was yet compelled to continue his holy duties as Keeper of the Grail; and as his torment endured, the fair lands about the temple and the temple itself fell by degrees into decay and ruin. Upon the burial of his father, a prophecy was uttered — that one alone could deliver the Fisher King from his affliction and restore the temple to its former glory: “Only a Pure Fool, chaste and enlightened by compassion.”
Who is Parsifal?
Parsifal was the son of a knight of King Arthur’s court, raised in the depths of the forest by his mother, far removed from the knowledge and clamor of the wider world, in a state of pure and untouched innocence. His tale constitutes a singular bridge between the old Celtic and Arthurian mythologies and the emerging Christian world of the Middle Ages. We have repair to King Arthur’s court, acquainted ourselves with the Knights of the Round Table, and follow their quest for the Holy Grail.
The story of Parsifal turns upon his early encounter with the wounded kingdom of the suffering King. There he comes to know two figures of singular power and mystery: Kundry, that wild and cursed woman who is at once helper and tormentor; and Klingsor, the dark sorcerer who sets himself in opposition to the Grail and all that it represents.
Through the trials of his journey, Parsifal passes from a naïve young lad, through the fires of temptation and the dawning of spiritual consciousness, until at last he becomes the healer for whom the land has long and desperately waited. Parsifal is, in its deepest nature, a drama of compassion, of suffering, and of redemption — and his story, with its many resonances, shall accompany us throughout the turning year.
What is Parsifal?
Parsifal is the quest itself — the sacred task reserved for that one whom prophecy had foreseen: “Only a Pure Fool, chaste and enlightened by compassion,” worthy to heal the Fisher King and restore the temple to its former glory. It is the narrative of a desperate mission entrusted to the chosen, encompassing initiation, the fall of the Grail King, and the promise of a redemption long foretold.
Lecture: 3rd Friday
Opera: 3rd Sunday
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October 15th – Third Harvest
Throughout the month of October, the harvest continues. All heirloom seeds are collected, dried, and stored safely away for next year’s planting. Pickling, honey collection, silk, qiviut and wool spinning continue.
This is a season of unpredictability for plants, animals, and man. The days are noticeably shorter and the temperatures can change drastically from day to day, from warm and sunny to a humid bone-chilling cold at night. What is open standing in the garden needs to be brought in now. What is left in the fields and beds should be turned under or composted. The animals will need extra food and an alteration in their diet. We will begin feeling the seasonal drag, start dressing in layers and perhaps sleep in or hit the hay early. The fluctuation in life can change with the weather, yet as our bodies grow tired, our minds awaken. Being in tune with nature at this time of year will help both animals and man, boosting our immune system as we prepare for the winter to come.
This is also the time of animal slaughtering for meat. In the past, this was done between mid-October through Martinmas. Choosing the number of animals that went to slaughter depended on the amount of food one had in store, along with the age of the animal.
If you didn’t have enough to feed over winter, the animals could starve. This took careful calculations of grains and hay-feed, along with hoping for an early spring. Once the farmer addressed the slaughter, the animals were sent to be butchered, and the meat smoked.
Age was usually the deciding factor. A sick animal in the dead of winter could infect other animals, so this was the proper time to skin and bone. Most of the animals were at their best this time of year, very fat and healthy, a perfect source of food. Since the invention of the icebox, and now the deep freeze, there will be plenty of meat to make it through the winter, and with good luck through next year’s kill.
Our particular farm is for growing crops, collecting eggs, and milk during the warmer months of the seasons. However, we purchase most of our meat, save fish, from a farm up the road. The animals are free roaming and organically raised. Those within our Community will often work with the farmer, picking the animals we will need, helping with the butchering of beef, pork, chicken, and turkey.
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In November, it is deer season. A group of fathers and sons will go out into the wood hunting deer, ducks, quail, and pheasants. Women and children will harvest and collect wild nuts, berries, roots, and mushrooms. It is also the time to thresh the seeds from the plants gathered in the barn from the harvest.
Our Community butts up to Federal and Native lands. In the middle of their reservation is a wide and fast-moving river. Many in the Community will venture out with the locals, catching salmon, snagging carp and catfish. We trade labor for fish and work to share what we have between our communities.
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The Áes Sídhe
Celtic Tales — 
When the Tuatha Dé Danann lost their dominance, they grew smaller in popular imagination over the centuries, turning from a pagan pantheon of gods and goddesses into the aos sí – the fairy folk.” — W.B. Yeats
(eess – shee) — Supernatural Race in the Irish and Scottish Gaelic Tradition. The áes sídhe are considered to be the descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the ancient pagan gods of Ireland who retreated into a parallel, invisible universe after losing a war to the mortal Milesians.
They are not small, winged pixies; they are powerful, magical, and demand deep respect. They live in ancient burial mounds, portals, or “fairy hills” (sídhe). While they can be generous neighbors who grant blessings, they are fiercely territorial. Harming their sacred hawthorn trees or fairy rings can result in swift, severe retaliation.
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- The Nuckelavee — The Devil of the Sea.
- A Broonie (brunaidh, brownie) —Helpful Household Spirit.
- The Banshee (bean sidhe) is a demon, a spirit, and a fairy.
- The Doullahan — The headless horseman in Irish folklore is The Doullahan.
- The Kelpies are shape-shifting water spirits from Scotland. T
- The Milesians — the last race of invaders to settle in Ireland before the Christians.
- Sìdh, sídh, sìth, shee — a Gaelic term meaning fairy mound or hollow hill and the supernatural race of fairies or ancestral spirits, Aos Sí, that dwell inside them. According to Gaelic Folklore, The Tuatha Dé Danann retreated to this underground sídh after the coming of mortals.
Scary Celtic Mythological Stories — the eerie side of Celtic folklore.
- The Abhartach (The Irish Vampire) — A cruel, dwarf-like wizard chieftain who refused to stay dead.
- The Sluagh (The Host of Unforgiven Dead) — Flying, flock-like spirits of the unrepentant dead who hunt the night sky for lonely souls.
- The Dullahan (The Headless Horseman) — A terrifying, unearthly herald of death who rides a black steed, carrying his rotting head tucked beneath his arm.
- The Cailleach (Goddess of Winter) — Celtic Crone, Goddess of Winter.
- Áine Chlair (Áine Cliar) is the Irish goddess of summer, light, wealth, and Sovereignty.
~Celtic Tales — Every Saturday In October On PEACH Radio — 7PM
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An innocent fellow named Tim
Met a zombie quite horrid and grim.
Tim patted its head,
Before it had fed.
I wonder what happened to him!.
bíodh eagla ort!
have fear!
Devil In The Garden — The Legend of Stingy Jack
The Man Who Tricked the Devil.
Long ago in a small village in Ireland there lived a clever, but notorious, miserly drunkard named Jack Killian O’Sullivan, a.k.a. Stingy Jack. He was held in low regard by the folk in the village.
One evening, the Devil overheard the stories of his devious deeds and decided he must have this fellow’s soul. Jack may have been stingy, but he was also very clever.
When the Devil came to collect his soul, Stingy Jack successfully made the case that the least the Devil could do was allow him to have a final drink at his favorite pub. So, off to the pub they went, and Stingy Jack had his drink, then claimed he had no money. He suggested the Devil turn himself into a coin to pay the bill, and then they would be off on their journey to the underworld.
The Devil, thinking this was an easy catch, he turned himself into a coin and Stingy Jack grabbed him up quick, he took the coin and put it into his pocket alongside a crucifix. He trapped the Devil in his pocket. The Devil begged and pleaded with Stingy Jack to set him free, but Stingy Jack said he would only release the Devil after extracting a promise to leave him alone for ten years. Once the Devil agreed to the terms, albeit reluctantly, Jack released him.
Exactly ten years later. The Devil found Jack stumbling home from the pub. With a heavy sigh, Stingy Jack looked at the Devil, knowing full well that he intended to drag him to hell. Jack then made the request of the Devil to climb a nearby apple tree to get him one last ripe apple to eat before the journey southbound. The Devil, still forgetting how clever Stingy Jack was, climbed the apple tree. While the Devil climbed the tree, Stingy Jack carved a cross into the trunk of the tree, thereby trapping the Devil up in the tree. The Devil once again begged and pleaded, and only upon agreeing to never taking Jack’s soul to hell was he released.
Many years later, Stingy Jack took his last breath and died. His soul flew to heaven. However, St. Peter refused him entrance for all his evil deeds. Then St. Peter locked the gate and Sting Jack was cast down into hell, but due to his contract with the Devil, he wasn’t allowed into hell either. Stingy Jack was barred from both heaven and hell. The Devil began to laugh. This left Jack stranded in the pitch black.
Mocking him, in a final parting gift, the Devil tossed Jack a single burning ember from the fires of Hell to light his way. All Jack had left in his pocket was a turnip and a knife. Jack carved out the turnip, and placed the ember inside. Now he was doomed and cursed to wander the earth forever, earning the name, “Jack of the Lantern.”
In Ireland, on Halloween night, families carve terrifying faces into turnips—and later, in America, the children carve soft pumpkins to scare away Jack’s wandering spirit from their homes. Still, it is best to keep an eye out for a restless wandering soul every time you see a Jack O’ Lantern, for it may just be the hellfire glow from the lantern of Stingy Jack.
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How many ways to tell a story?
The Modern Evolution of Samhain
Never forgotten…
ná bíodh eagla oraibh!
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Have you seen the ghost of Tom?
Long white bones with the flesh all gone.
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh…
Wouldn’t it be chilly with no skin on?
Have you seen the ghost of Tom?
Eyes bugged out and a nose too long.
With big ugly teeth and a shiny white chin,
Only one cheek to keep his tongue in.
October 31st – Late Autumn Festival
The Perilous Path ~Samhain — Hallowe’en
Threshold to other worlds, between the dusk and the dawn, spirits, and elves have their way, and their play. There’s a fresh chill in the air, the nights grow long and the sun hangs low, and the snows are not far away.
How we celebrate.
All Hallows’ Eve has a long, somewhat convoluted, history. When and where did it begin? This topic has always been contentious for hundreds of years.
So where do we begin? Tricks n’ Treats in the US, since the 1960s, has been a purely commercial venture. Best we can tell, the origins of this festival may have been derived from the last Middle Ages. Perhaps, a few towns handed out treats at the end of harvest, or some wayward lads playing a few devilish pranks before All Saint’s Day. The last chance before being bad can be forgiven and forgotten.
There are a number of Pagan stories passed down since time began. One such story in Ireland is taking the children to a nearby cave to sit through the night with the bodies of deceased relatives. A morbid notion now. Yet, it was thought of as a way to impart wisdom upon the children from those who had crossed over to the next life. A ghostly gateway to other worlds, or perhaps to have one last night with the dearly departed. Wonderful tales that now seem rather frightening.
This was also a time to clear the land, burning all that lay dead and drying on the fields. This is the time to burn the debris. The ash, however, was very good for the soil, snow was soon to follow, and this all made for what we would later call, poor man’s fertilizer.
During the great Irish migration to the USA, many brought with them their local or parish customs. These, no doubt, merged into what we call ‘Tricks-or-Treats’ today. According to my great-grandfather, you didn’t do both. You needed to pick one, either scare or surprise the local gentry, cause a ruckus, play a trick or prank, or go into the kitchen to make sweets to share at church for the holy days ahead. This seemed unfair since it was the boys who got into mischief and had all the fun. As the Irish established themselves in the New World, we see the many tribes merge all the elements from the Old World, rituals, both Christian and Pagan.
The idea of parties, dress-up, ghost stories, and apple bobbing was developed mostly in the United States. Many of these small festivals took place in the after-school basements of the local parish. A way to keep the boys out of trouble on this night.
We have our own traditions at the PEACH. It is the Perilous Path, a series of dangerous twists and turns in the forest that one must undertake at night. Ghosts and goblins creep, trees and shrubs come to life, cackling witches and mysterious vampires slither about, whilst demons and trolls hover under bridges, guarding a secret cavern. To end your journey, a perilous deep pit to swing across with a hard and coarse rope, and a dimly lit fire to read your palm or listen to a spooky story.
This event is for children ages 4 through 14. After each successful trial is met on the path, the child is given a little treat to carry back in their sack. Each year, the challenges are different, designed by a team of older teens and adults. In the cafeteria there is apple bobbing, a show of homemade lit pumpkin and turnip carvings, a circle of seasonal songs, practice for the night ahead, and a scene from Beowulf in cut-out silhouettes.
After these events, the evening draws to an end. Everyone gathers dry twigs, branches, wheel-barrels full of debris or whatever refuse they can carry from the garden. The traditional horn called, the Carnyx is then played, and all walk while singing the songs of the season. The sound of singing lures and draws the ne’er-do-wells out of the forest with lighted torches, they follow us all into the open field. Dancing and bouncing around, hooting and hollering, poking and prodding, trying to steal the sacks of treats from the children, as we go.
In the center of the field is a two-story pile of hay, surrounded by garden and field chafe. Everyone adds their refuse to the heap as they form a circle around the pile. If it’s not too windy or too wet, the demon architects run in circles round the hay, screaming like banshees while lighting the pyre. Once the flames have reached their zenith, the Carnyx is blown again.
The daemons drop and cower in fear. From the edges of the field, a band of angels and saints come toward the circle, descending from all sides. They surround the daemons. The daemons shiver and shake, they wail and cry. Then the choir of angels and saints speak these words, first in Gaelic, then in English:
“Back! Back! Back! Back you go! Daemons and banshees, bogeymen and phantoms, zombies and poltergeists, shadows of the soul. Be Gone! [clap] Be Gone! [clap] Be Gone! [clap] Into your holes to hell!
Air ais! Air ais! Air ais! Air ais thèid thu! Daemons agus banshees, bogymen agus phantoms, zombies agus poltergeists, faileas an anam. Bi air falbh! [clap] Bi air falbh! [clap] Bi air falbh! [clap] A-steach ort tuill ifrinn!
The Carnyx is blown, again, and with the help of the saints and angels, the daemons run to the far edges of the field. The angels and saints surround the circle, then fly after the daemons to make sure they find their hole back into hell.
The Carnyx musicians then circle the periphery of our fields, blowing their horns, making sure the daemons do not return.
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OCTOBER SCHEDULE ~ Celts and Druids ~ Late Medieval
October arrives on the heels of the harvest. The canning and cleaning that began in September continue throughout the month, the gardens are put to bed, and the darkness comes earlier each evening. The Celts understood this turning better than most — they called it the thinning of the veil. We honor that tradition with storytelling, the Perilous Path, and the great Apple Party on Hallowe’en. The woods are at their most beautiful and most mysterious. Go outside for a lovely walk.
I. Festivals & Celebrations — October — Autumn
All participants check in with Club Leaders the day before each event at 4PM. Potluck Dinner at 6PM.
10/04 — Blessing of the Animals. October 4th, Saint Francis Day. Gather at the chapel at noon.
10/01 — 10/18 — Ongoing Canning and Cleaning, call for times and instructions. Farm and Kitchen. The second harvest continues. Root vegetables, cold crops, pumpkins, preserves. ~All hands welcome.
10/01 — 10/14 — Lecture — History of The Celts — 1st and 2nd Monday & Wednesdays 7PM. Lecture Hall I. Celts, Druids. ~Open to the Public Without Distress.
10/21 — 10/28 — Lecture — History of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. 3rd and 4th Monday & Wednesdays 7PM. Lecture Hall I. ~Open to the Public Without Distress.
10/03 — Lecture — Saint Francis 7PM. Lecture Hall I.
10/09 — Lecture — Silvanus — Roman God of Wood — protector of the forest & carpenters. 7PM. Lecture Hall I.
10/12 — Lecture — Columbus Day. 7PM. Lecture Hall I.
3rd Weekend in October — Father & Sons Camping Trip.
October 31st — Fun Festival — Woods and Cafeteria. 4PM. The great autumn festival ~Samhain — Hallowe’en for children and adults. Apple bobbing, ghost stories by firelight, the Perilous Path through the woods, games and costumes. See The Festival page for full details.
10/29 — Lecture — History of AllsHallowEve — Samhain. 7PM. Lecture Hall I. The threshold to other worlds in the dusk and the dawn.
10/30 — 10/31 ~Hallowe’en For wee ones— Apple Party, Ghost Stories & Perilous Path. Friday 4PM–6PM & Saturday 4PM–9PM. Cafeteria & Woods
10/31 — Samhain ~ Hallowe’en: Apple Party, Ghost Stories & Perilous Path. Older kids and adults. 6PM–10PM.
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II. Clubs — All Clubs are in full swing!
IIa. Fine Arts Clubs — Rehearsals: Christmas Play Oberufer Continues. Dance, Theatre, and Music preparing for autumn festivals and the winter programs ahead.
Dance and Movement Clubs —
- Autumn Studio Hours: Time: 24/7. Topic: Skilled Members. Location: Dance Studio Northwoods.
- Russian Dance: 7AM. Ballet M-W-F. Hopak T-R-S.
- Focus: Rehearsal, Event: Oberufer — R, 7PM-9PM.
- Practice: Traditional Dance:. S, 1PM–4PM.
- Couples Dancing Lessons: T, 7PM–8PM. S, 4PM-6PM.
- Ballet Stretching: T, 5PM–6PM.
- Hopak M, 5PM–6PM.
- Personal Dance Studio: Specialty Dance – M-W, 1PM-3PM, 3PM-5PM. Sign Up.
- Eurythmy: F, 10AM–Noon. Curative: F, 1PM–5PM (appointments only).
- Yoga: M, 10AM-Noon.
- Contra Dancing & Pot Luck: S, 6PM-9PM. Location — Factory.
Film & Photography Clubs —
- Autumn Studio Hours: Time: 24/7. Topic: Skilled Members. Location: Klint Art Building.
- Film Work — Time: F, 7PM. Klint Art Building Theatre.
- Film Friday — 8PM. Topic: Silent Films — Celtic Legends. Saturday Matinée 2PM. Location: Klint Art Building Theatre.
- Film Class — Time: D, 4PM–6PM. Topic: Focusing & Depth of Field. Location: Lower Level — Klint Art Building.
- Photography — Time: Studio open 24/7 to members. Dark Room 8AM–10PM. Location: Lower Level — Klint Art Building.
- Photography Classes — Time: D, 4PM–6PM. Topic: Focusing & Depth of Field. Location: Lower Level — Klint Art Building.
Music Clubs —
- Autumn Rehearsals & Performances – Studio Open 9AM–9PM.
- Specialty — Events: Druid Singers – R, 7PM–9PM. 1st and 4th Sunday Concert, Chapel.
- Specialty Focus — Music Oberufer — R, 7PM–9PM. Rehearsal Theatre.
- Concert Band Performance Rehearsals — Time: T, 7PM–9:30. PM. Topic: Sight Reading, Autumn Festivals Music. Christmas Play. Lower Level — Klint Art Building. Performance: None.
- Epic Concert Band — Time: Friday 7PM–10PM. Topic: Sight Reading. Lower Level — Klint Art Building.
- Choir Rehearsals — Time: R, 7PM–9PM. Topic: Practice & Warm-ups., Autumn Music. Lower Level — Klint Art Building.
- Choir: Special Rehearsals – Time: D, 7PM–9PM. Performance: Druid Singers — Location: Chapel.
- Chamber String Ensemble: Time: – M, 7PM–9PM Rehearsals & Sight Reading Klint Art Building. Performance – 2nd Sunday Autumn Concert 2PM Chapel.
- Wind Ensemble — Time: W, W, 7PM–9PM. Topic: Rehearsals & Sight Reading. Lower Level — Klint Art Building. 3rd Sunday. Autumn Concert 2PM Chapel.
- Duets & Trios: Studio Rehearsals – Studio Availability. Performance: Tea Room, Café, Lobby.
- Piano: At Will In Lobby.
Painting —
- Autumn Studio Hours — members have 24 hour access.
- Classes — Time: T, R, 2PM–5PM. Topic: Oil, & Alfresco. Location: Klint Art Building.
- Farmer’s Market. Time: T, 10AM–4PM, through October 15th. Location: Court Yard.
Theatre —
- Alls Hallows’ Eve — Rehearsal Antics — Time: S, 2PM–5PM. Topic: Party & Path: Helpers, Goblins & Angels. Location: Theatre — Klint Art Building.
- Focus: Oberufer — Rehearsal — Time: M–F, 6PM–8PM. Topic: Christmas Medieval Play Preparation — Rehearsals underway. Location: Theatre — Klint Art Building.
- Artisan Fair — Rehearsal Antics: St Nick, Santa Lucia, Elves.
IIb. Folk Art Clubs — Autumn collecting season in full swing. Corn dolls, basketry, spinning, knitting, candles. Nature field trips are posted on the bulletin board and online.
Book Binding — Autumn Book Binding
- Time: Saturday Classes 9AM–Noon. Topic: Stitching. Securing Cover. Location: Big House. Closed Mondays.
- Farmer’s Market. Time: T, 10AM –4PM, through October 15th. Location: Court Yard.
Cordwaining — Autumn Shoe Making
- Saturday Classes 9AM–Noon. Topic: Leather. Location: Big House. Closed Mondays.
- Farmer’s Market. Time: T, 10AM – 4PM, through October 15th. Location: Court Yard.
Culinary Arts Club — Autumn Culinary
- Class I — Time: Wednesday, 10AM–Noon. Topic: Chili & Pesto. Community Canning. Class II — Time: 2nd and Last Wednesday, 1PM–5PM. Topic: Chili Cook-Off. Family Dinner. Community Canning. Location: Cafeteria.
Folk Arts Clubs — Autumn Folk Arts
- Time: M–W–F, 9AM–Noon. Topic: Craft Class — Corn Dolls, Basketry, Spinning, Knitting, Candles. Knotted & Borders, Flax & Reed Weaving, Silk & Wool—Spinning & Dying. Location: Klint Art Building.
- Time: F–S–D, 9AM–Noon. Topic: Nature Field Trip Collecting & Brewing. Dates and times are posted online and on the bulletin board. Location: Meet-up at the Skill Shed.
- Farmer’s Market. Time: T, 10AM–4PM, through October 15th. Location: Court Yard.
Sewing Club — Autumn Sewing & Fiber
- Quilting Circle — Time: M–W, 9AM–Noon and at will. Topic: Quilting continues. Costumes for Christmas Play. Fiber Art: Knitting. Location: Klint Art Building, top floor and Mom & Tots Patio Room.
Stained Glass Club — Autumn Stained Glass
- Time: S, 11AM–2PM & W, 5PM–7PM. Topic: Lamps, Windows, Individual Creations. Location: Swan Building, 4th Floor. No Solo Studio At This Time.
- Farmer’s Market. Time: T, 10AM – 4PM, through October 15th. Location: Court Yard.
IIc. Skilled Art — Stonecutters continue through October. Ceramics, Farming Glassblowing, Blacksmithing, Woodworking, and Printmaking resume regular hours.
Black Smything Club & Studio — Autumn Studios
- Workshop I, Daily Time: T–W–R–F–S, 9AM–4PM. Journeymen Only. Topic: Tools, Forging and Hammering. Location: Studio Buildings.
- Workshop II, Time: Saturday Class 1PM–4PM. Topic: Coopering. Location: Outside Studio Buildings.
- Demonstrations last Friday of month 4PM–6PM.
- Farmer’s Market. Time: T, 10AM – 4PM, through October 15th. Location: Court Yard.
PEACH Farm & Garden Club — Autumn Harvest
- Second Harvest. Time: Sun up, Sun down. Topic: Farm Life: Morning and Afternoon chores start at the crack of dawn. Ongoing harvest work. Final roots, cold crops, pumpkins. Putting beds to rest, compost, straw cover, final landscaping. Location: Barn, Outside Buildings, Gardens, & Busy Triangle.
- Ground Walkers — Time: Daily Morning after Sun up by 9 AM. Evening, sundown, by 9PM. Topic: 3 volunteers rotate, 7 elders backup: Check on Bees, Butterflies and Worms. Check on and collect eggs for chickens & ducks. Feed goats and guests. Check barn solar power line and creek wheel.
- Farm Meeting — Time: October 1st, 7PM. Topic: Form Monthly Schedule. Location: Farmer’s House.
- Knotting & Whittling — Time: After Dinner. Location: Farm House Porch. Whittling: spoon, fork, knife, lucet tool fork, nal-needles, small bowl, whetstone, beeswax, seed-oils, sandpaper. How to tie knots.
- Farmer’s Market — Time: Tuesday 10AM–4PM through October 15th. Topic: Sell Farm Goods. Location: Court Yard.
Glassblowing Club — Autumn Assist
- Safety, Observation, Assist — Time: W, 4PM–8PM. F, 2PM–6PM. Topic: Safety policies, continued observation, gathering glass, shaping, blowing, and assist. Location: Swan Factory.
- Experience & Demonstration by appointment. Topic: Basic Glass Techniques. Location: Swan Factory.
- Farmer’s Market. Time: T, 10AM – 4PM, through October 15th. Location: Court Yard.
Masonry & Mosaic Club — Autumn Work
- Carry On — Time: Between 8AM and 7PM Topic: Call for Time and Location. Apprenticeship Model. Location: Mason’s Shed, Job site, Klint Art Building; Small Office Next to Swan Building.
- Art Building Floor Project — Time: Usually Weekends, Call for Time and Location. Topic: Motto — learn by doing. Location: Klint Art Building.
Pottery & Ceramics Club — Autumn Throwing
- Wheel — Time: T & R, 1PM–4PM. Topic: Throwing — Shaping Bowls. Continued Slab Work. Location: Studio Buildings.
- Demonstrations last Friday of month 4PM–6PM.
- Farmer’s Market. Time: T, 10AM – 4PM, through October 15th. Location: Court Yard.
Printshop & Printmaking Club — Autumn Printing
- Planography — Time: R, 9AM–Noon. Topic: Lithography Location: Printer’s House.
- Newsletter — Time: S, 9AM–Noon. Topic: Computer Printing and Mark up Location: Printer’s House.
- Gutenberg-style printing Demonstrations. Time: Last Friday of month 4PM to 6 PM. Location: Printer’s House.
- Farmer’s Market. Time: T, 10AM –4PM, through October 15th. Location: Court Yard.
Woodworking Club — Autumn Wood
- Wood Projects — Time: W–F, 1PM–4PM. Topic: Drawing, Design, Layout, Carving, Building. Location: Studio Buildings.
- Farmer’s Market. Time: T, 10AM –4PM, through October 15th. Location: Court Yard.
IId. Educational
Book Club — Autumn
- Adult — Time: R, 7PM. Topic: Classic Novels. Location: Lobby. No Meetings All Hallows Weekend.
- Tots — Between 3 and 7 — Time: 2nd and 4th Sunday at 2PM. Topic: Fairy Tales — puppet troupe. Location: Mom and Tots Room.
- Children — Between 8 and 11 — Time: S, 2PM. Topic: Reading aloud by the fireplace. Location: Library.
- Teens — Time: F, 4PM. Topic: Classic Beowulf. Location: Library Conference Room.
Business Club — Autumn
- Time: Advance. M–W, 3PM. Beginners. M–W, 4PM. Location: The Cabin.
Father & Sons Club — Autumn
- Meetings — Time: M, 7PM–9PM. S, 10AM–4PM. Topic: Prep Skills for Camping, 3rd Weekend. Location: Admin Building, Free Speech Conference Room.
- Animal Husbandry — Time: Daily, Crack of Dawn & Twilight. Topic: Daily Animal Care. Location: Farm
Goethean Science — Autumn
- Goethean Science Ongoing— Time: S & D, 9AM–Noon. F, 7PM–9PM. Topic: Weeks 6 — Remarks on Goethe’s Morphological Views. Week 7 — Goethe’s Way of Knowledge. Week 1F — Faust Books I & II. Locations: Dance Studio In the Woods, or Lecture Hall I.
Home Life Club — Autumn
- Office Hours: T, R, 10AM–Noon.
- Group Meetings — Time: 2nd Wednesday, 7PM. Topic: Emotional Soul Classifications: Sadness & Wish. Location: The Cabin.
Lecture Series —
- History of Western Culture — Topics: Celts, Druids, Late Medieval. Location: Lecture Hall I.
- History of Western Civilization — Time: 7PM, 1st and 2nd Wednesdays. Topic: Part I. History Celts and Druids, Anglo, Saxon, Pict and Jute. Part II – 376 through 871. Superstition and the wretched curse, time of the faeries. Indo-Europeans, The Celts. Christianity, Surfs and Fairies. Death Of Merlin. Location: Lecture Hall I. Speakers: Professor James Burke & Alexander Archiver.
- Art History of Western Civilization — Time: 7PM, 1st and 2nd Mondays. Topic: History of European & American Film & Photography Arts. Location: Lecture Hall I. Speakers: Professor Knestor Jackdaws & Alexander Archiver.
- Philosophy History of Western Civilization — Time: 7PM Friday. Topic: Middle Ages — Arthur, Crusades, Charlemagne. Location: Lecture Hall I. Speakers: Alexander Archiver & Keith Woods.
- Religion & Spirituality Series — Time: 7PM, 1st Sunday of the Month. Topic: TBA. Location: Chapel. Guest Speaker: Rev. Bergmann.
Mom & Tots — Autumn Play & Work Time
- Circle, Play, Snack, Walk — Time: M–W, 9AM–Noon. Topic: Regular Schedule — Outside Play, Baking, Nature Walks, Storytime. Location: Admin Building Play Room & Patio.
Writer’s Club — Autumn Writing
- Heroes — Time: 2nd Saturday 1PM–3PM. Topic: Legend and Mythical Hero. 1. His physical features. 2. His mission, what lay in his heart. 3. His cunning and wit. 4. His adventures and legacy, a biography.
III. Sports & Movement All Autumn sports in full swing.
Angels & Demons, Hallowe’en Rehearsals — Time: Weeks 1, 2, & 3. S, 3PM-5PM. Location: Theatre Dressing Room, Cafeteria & Woods. Time: Festival Day 30th & 31st, 2PM to 9PM. Location: Cafeteria and Woods
- Week 1 — Introduction: What is expected Dressing room.
- Week 2 — Cafeteria: Games and stories for children.
- Week 3 — Woods: Perilous Path for little ones and adults.
- Week 4 — Festival : Friday and Saturday arrive 2PM. Dinner 4PM — Stage 5PM through 9 PM.
Dance Studio In The Woods — Open to all performers at various times. See Dance Club Schedule.
Father & Sons — Camping Trip 3rd weekend. Thursday through Sunday.
Field Sports, Games At-Will — Tennis, hiking, camping, fishing, biking, football, jump rope, chalk, soccer, frisbee. Equipment available M–D 8AM–6PM. Please return all equipment to the shed when finished. Report anything broken to Nancy Dean, Rev. Graham, or Father Tim.
Volleyball Teams — Autumn
- Girls, ages 14–17, Time: T, 4PM –5:30PM Location: Gym. Women, Time: T, 7PM–9PM. Location: Gym.
- Boys, ages 14– 17, Time: R, 4PM –5:30PM Location: Gym. Men, Time: R, 7PM–9PM. Location: Gym.
Spatial Dynamics — Autumn
- Tiny Dancers, Ages 6–9, Time: S, 9AM–9:45AM. Location: Dance Studio.
- Dancers, Ages, 12–15, Time: S, 10AM–10:45AM. Location: Dance Studio.
- Adults: Ages 16 and up, Time: S, 11AM–12:30PM. Location: Dance Studio.
Sun Walkers — Autumn
- Daily, 10 minutes before sunrise. Chapel Door. Open to the Public Without Distress.
Sunset Watchers — Autumn
- Daily, 1 hour before sunset. Track Stands. Open to the Public Without Distress.
Yoga — Autumn
Dance Studio In The Woods. Independent Group. M–F 8AM–9AM. Dance Studio.
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IV. Spiritual Services — Sundays 7AM, 10AM, Noon. Holiday Services — check schedule. Note: Yearly Schedule via Admin: Nancy Dean.
- Ásatrúarfélagið Magnus Hjaltason — Asatru.
- Revered Thomas Graham — Lutheran.
- Father Timothy Meadows — Catholic.
- Revered Rosemary Bergman — Christian Community.
V. Administrative Regular Business Hours, 9AM–5PM. Meetings, Thursdays 2PM, Conference Room.
- Office of the President — Contact Nancy Dean for scheduling and appointments.
- Community Events Committee — 1st and 3rd Weeks, Thursday 1PM, Library Room 1.
- Elder’s Club & Guardians — Thursdays, 4PM, Conference Room. Potluck dinner.
- Festival & Seasonal Events Calendar Committee — Members meet M–W–R, 9AM–Noon (by appointment), Festival’s Office, Library Room 2. All participating leaders meet the night before each event at 7PM for updates and last-minute changes. Potluck Dinner at 6PM (in the cafeteria).
- Guardians — First Thursday of the month, Noon–4PM. Lunch served in the Conference Room.
- Maintenance — Regular hours. Leave a phone message, fill out a form at the Post Office, or contact online. Emergency number for after-hours only.
- Residents — Residents are asked to keep a watchful eye for any problems or emergencies and report them to the police if necessary, but always notify maintenance immediately. If it causes you worry, it is not a burden, we want to know. Please use common sense, do not put yourself in harm’s way. Never speculate — report as many physical and factual details as possible, including numbers, times, and dates. We want everyone who lives, works, and visits our community to remain safe and always feel that they can enjoy our community without Eris or Discordia.
VI. Businesses All Businesses Closed Mondays — Some Closed Sundays. The PEACH is not automated, it is a People Oriented Community [POC]. Please keep that in mind and call first to see if the business is open or in attendance. If we are here, a person will answer. During the holidays or special events, feel free to listen to the updates on the phone, website and on the radio during news updates.
~Please Note most Businesses, Clubs, Lectures, and Classes will be closed Friday & Saturday Afternoon and evening, October 30th and 31s for Hallowe’en.
Bicycle & Ski Co-Op — Autumn Hours: T–W–R–F–S 10AM–6PM. D, 10AM–3PM. Studio Time: Do-it-yourself bike building. 24/7 Emergency Bicycle Repair Box. Closed Mondays.
Café Four Seasons — Autumn Hours: T–W–R–F–S 10AM–9PM. Sunday Brunch 11AM–2PM. Saturday Morning Breakfast 8AM–11AM. October Menu: German & Brussels. Lunch 11AM–2PM. Mutton Pie. Dinner 4PM–8PM. Closed Mondays.
Charlotte “Lotte” Gallery — Library Hours 9AM–5PM. S, 9AM–2PM.
Daughters of Asclepius Apothecary — Autumn Store Hours: T–W–R–F–S 10AM–6PM. Services: Field Trips and Preparation. S, 9AM–3PM. Home Visits & Delivery: 11AM–4PM. Closed Sundays & Mondays.
Daughters of Asclepius Clinic — Clinic Hours: T–W–R–F, 9AM–3PM. Home Visits After 4PM (appointment only). Closed Sundays & Mondays.
Four Winds Co-Op — Autumn Hours: T–W–R–F–S 9AM–9PM. D, 11AM–4PM. Closed Mondays.
Four Winds Co-Op Bakery — Autumn Hours: T–W–R–F–S 7AM–2PM. D, 7AM–Noon. Closed Mondays.
Farmer’s Market — Tuesday 10AM–4PM through October 15th. Circle Drive or gym if weather is harsh. For a table, call the Farmer’s Wife. Open to the Public Without Distress.
Fensalir Thrift Shoppe — Autumn Hours: T–W–R–F–S 10AM–4PM. Closed Sundays & Mondays. Drop-offs by appointment. 10% off with any theatre ticket. Also, see the able at the Farmer’s Market.
Mason & Mosaic — Irregular Hours, CALL. Always M–D 8AM–7PM. Closed all Federal Holidays. Masonry, Walls, Penny & Mosaic Floors.
Musicians — Strolling musicians available throughout October. Contact Nancy Dean for events, birthdays, anniversaries, and just-because.
Post Office — Regular Hours M–F 9AM–4PM. S 9AM–Noon.
Print Shop — Monthly Newsletter.
St Crispin’s Cordwaining — Autumn Hours T–W–F, 10AM–4PM. R, 10AM–8PM. Saturday Classes 9AM–Noon. Closed Mondays.
Swan Glass Factory — Autumn Hours: M–F 9AM–4PM. Closed Lunch Noon–1PM.
Tè Chay Tea Room & Confectionery — Autumn Hours: T–W–R–F–S, 2PM–10PM. D, 11AM–9PM.
In The Closet: Chess Boards, Backgammon, Mancala, Hounds and Jackals, Hnefatafl, Scrabble, Cribbage, Go, Chinese Checkers, Tarot.
- Bookshelf is full of Poetry and Short Stories available at all times.
- Tuesday 6:30PM till close — Chess, 6 tables. Contact: General Chief.
- Wednesday 8PM till close — Live Open Poetry, 6 tables. Contact: Emily Dickinson.
- Thursday 6PM till close — Candlelight Conversations, 12 tables. Contact: Staff.
- Saturday 7PM–9PM — Conversation With the Author, Tommy Fitzgerald. He will talk about the Tuatha Dé Danann. 10 tables. Contact: Silvia Zelts for details.
- Sunday 11AM–2PM — Musical Trios, Duets, Solo. Contact: Staff.
- Sunday 2PM–4PM — Trivia, 10 tables. Contact: Greg Smith.
- Sunday 4PM–6PM — The Stoics are back.
- Sunday 6PM–9PM — Epic Poetry Reading: Iliad and the Odyssey, Beowulf, Gilgamesh.
Vidar & Seshat Book Binding — Autumn Hours T–W–F, 10AM–4PM. R, 10AM–8PM. Saturday Classes 9AM–Noon. Closed Mondays.
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VII. Community Events
St Joseph Autumn Friday Meal — Spaghetti Dinner — Every Friday, 4PM–8PM. Factory Hall. Family style — spaghetti, meatballs, salad, bread, cheese, cookie. Adult Meals $10. Child Meals $5. You may responsibly bring your own bottle of wine. Dine-in and carry-out available. Pre-order by Wednesday 5PM. Volunteers welcomed, Thursdays 3PM and Fridays 4PM–8PM. All proceeds support St. Joseph’s Kitchen, Sports Programs, Father & Sons events. Open to the Public Without Distress.
Contra Dancing & Potluck — Saturday, 6PM–10PM. Gym or Swan Factory. Members and Guests only.
Chapel — Sundays & Holidays. Open to the Public Without Distress.
Eurythmy — Friday 10AM–Noon, Movement. 1PM–5PM, Curative (appointments only). Dance Studio in the Woods.
Farmer’s Market — Tuesday 10AM–4PM through October 15th. Open to the Public Without Distress.
Sun Walkers — Daily, 10 minutes before sunrise. Chapel Door. Open to the Public Without Distress.
Sunset Watchers — Daily, 1 hour before sunset. Track Stands. Open to the Public Without Distress.
Yoga — Monday, After Sunrise and 10AM-Noon. Open to the Public with permission, must contact instructor.
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VIII. Resources & Classes Members & Guests only, with exception.
Family Education — Family Gardening at will. Home & Community Walk-in Wednesdays 4PM–9PM.
Goethean Science — S & D 9AM–Noon. F 7PM–9PM. Weeks 6 & 7 — Morphological Views and Goethe’s Way of Knowledge. Faust begins. Lecture Hall I and Dance Studio In the Woods. Must register.
History Lectures — History of Western Civilization: The Celts. 1st and 2nd Wednesdays 7PM. Lecture Hall I. Open to the Public Without Distress.
Languages — Greek & Celtic. W, 9AM–Noon. Audio in Library. Independent meet-ups at the Tea Room. Open to the Public Without Distress.
Library & Charlotte “Lotte” Gallery — Hours: M through R 9AM–5PM. F 6PM. S, 9AM–2PM. Barrow, Member’s Only .
Mosaics — Indoor marble work continues with Master Mason Kipling Scott. Contact Kip for dates.
Newsletter — M–F 9AM–Noon. The Monthly Newsletter released on the weekend of the 15th. Volunteers welcomed.
News & Radio — Music and books based on season. Radio Show Schedule Open to the Public Without Distress.
Philosophy Lectures — History of Western Civilization: Middle Ages — Arthur. Fridays 7PM. Lecture Hall I. Film follows at 8PM. Open to the Public Without Distress.
Radio — Chapter A Day — October: Celtic & Early Medieval Themes. Open to the Public Without Distress.
Salon Rambouillet — Available by submission. Contact Nancy Dean.
Spiritual Wisdom — Pagan, Christian Groups, Junto Club. Halloween Chapel observance. Check schedule. Open to the Public Without Distress.
Strolling Musicians — Throughout October. Chapel, Swan Factory at Lunch, Dance Studio In the Woods, Art Lobby, Admin Lobby, Elder Building, Tea Room, Café, Kindergarten, Happily Walking the Grounds weather permitting.
Studio — Open to all members based on skill level and attendant present.
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IX. MISC — Announcements Outside & Inside Organizations News & Hosted Events
~St. Joseph’s Catholic Church — Italian Friday Night Dinners — Every Friday through Thanksgiving. Spaghetti & Meatballs. Factory Hall. Suggested donation. Bring your own wine. Open to the public.
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X. Addendum — What’s New, Proposals, Updates, Topics. What’s on the agenda? Get informed early.
Proposal – Prepper Store. “The Sutler” (zoetelaar) Update – Mission Statement. Updates – UP Expansion — Long-Term SEEDS Community Goal. Proposal – Basque Shepherd — Community Recruitment Goal. Ongoing – University Partnership & Academic Credit Goals.
What is missing in October? What is missing in the Calendar? Let us know? End
Note: October is the month the ancient world understood best — the veil thins, the harvest is in, the darkness comes early and with purpose. The Celts didn’t fear this. They lit fires, told stories, and honored those who had gone before. We do the same. There is, as always, never nothing to do at the PEACH — and in October, the woods are ready to, fall, a, sleep.
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Living Pan-European and American Cultural and Heritage Community Center
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EMAIL: peachcommunity yahoo.com.
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