GTT U.S. (CO) Deepening into Samhain: Tending a Shrine in a time of Darkness

The season of Samhain marks the start of the Irish New Year and is one of the four great festivals in Irish tradition, alongside Imbolc in spring, Bealtaine in summer, and Lughnasadh in autumn. Its name means “summer’s end,” and it has long been understood across Celtic calendars as the threshold into the dark half of the year.

Closely linked with ancestors and the Otherworld, Samhain reflects the deep respect many indigenous cultures hold for the dead. In earlier times, this was a season for ancient myths and legends, for storytelling, for fireside craft, and for study and learning. Samhain Eve was also associated with journeys into the Otherworld, as well as the blurring of social boundaries through mask-wearing and cross-dressing. Traditionally, household fires were extinguished and relit from the sacred fire on the Hill of Tlachtga.

As a liminal moment between seasons, Samhain carries a powerful sense of possibility and uncertainty. In a time of profound change, traditions like these can offer comfort, stability, and a meaningful foundation. They can help us remain in loving awareness and support an ethical way of living and growing. In a world that often prioritizes success, such grounding practices are too easily overlooked.

In this workshop, we will turn toward winter by exploring ancestral stories and the development of family and cultural traditions. We will look at the practices that bring us back to the centre of ourselves, whether or not we belong to a spiritual path. Through shamanic journeys, creativity, sound, and movement, we will explore the fears carried both individually and collectively, as reflected in the masks associated with Halloween.

Each participant will take part in two Holotropic Breathwork® sessions as an experiencer, or “breather,” and two sessions as a partner, or “sitter.” Along with the breathing and sitting components, the themes explored in these modules are especially relevant for anyone who works with others in expanded states of consciousness for transformation and personal healing.

No previous Holotropic Breathwork® experience is required. These are open events, suitable both for those enrolled in the Holotropic Breathwork® training program and for participants who are joining primarily for their own personal journey of transformation.

Our guest speaker is a Druid and an ordained Priestess Hierophant of the Western Mystery Tradition, as well as a healer working within the traditions of Ireland. Based at her centre in County Wexford, she works with individuals for healing and also teaches and supports groups in Ireland and internationally. A key focus of her work is Women’s Mysteries, and she has led workshops and ceremonies throughout the country. She also facilitates sweat lodges within the Irish tradition and performs rites of passage within the community. She is a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids and the Fellowship of Isis.