Feasts, Faeries and Feral adventures
Aug 31, 2024 8:00 am
Greetings fine folk and story lovers,
I hope your summer has been adventurous and your harvest bountiful.
It's this time, around Lughnasa (associated with the Celtic sun god Lugh), that we reap the fruits of the year, and begin to reflect upon the active, brighter months, however they've unfolded. It's a time of harvest, celebration, feasting, gratitude as the season shifts from summer towards the darker months.
For me, I'm celebrating a glorious trip to Vancouver Island, my first storytelling tour, and a popular run of my Animate Lands show at the Edinburgh Fringe.
It's been a frenetic summer, a stretch of my skills and sanity, but I feel I've gathered some golden experiences this year that will support me through the next cycle. In fact, although I'll be sad to see the daylight and sunshine fade, I'm kind of excited for a more fellow autumnal phase of reflection, integration and planning.
I could say more about the BC tour, and even the fringe, but I think I'll share further musings via blog or podcast, and keep it concise here.
I do have a few fun things to share though...a podcast episode with faery story, a blog post on wolves, and some updates and opportunities online and in person through the autumn.
Myth as Medicine
My favourite way to slide into the darkness is amongst a cohort of fine folk, diving deep into mythic enquiry, self reflection and nature connection. This is how Myth as Medicine unfurls.
Over 10 weeks, we explore one northern myth each week, muse it, dream it, act upon it, glean the wisdom of ancestral cultures and apply the learning in our modern lives. I've heard this course changes people. It certainly makes an impact, fosters lasting friendships, tunes our ears to mythic meaning, courts mythic encounter, and is a delight to share.
Following a Celtic wheel template, the stories have been specially curated to fulfil a complete 8 week cycle, with intro week and a ceilidh finish.
The next cohort will start on Sunday 22nd September. Places have started to go quickly, I haven't even announced it properly yet!
Sign up here:
https://buytickets.at/dougiemackaystoryteller/1369223
More info:
https://storyconnection.org/myth-as-medicine/
If you prefer your stories around a fire with the earth under your feet...and possibly even the sound of wolves howling in the distance, the next two offerings might be more up your street.
Wolf Tracks and Tales
This is finally happening! Having been down the wolf myth-history-ecology rabbit hole for a few years now, and enchanted by my own experiences of tracking wolves, I'm delighted to be teaming up with one of Europe's premier trackers and wilderness guides, Greg Sommer.
If tracking wolves by day, and hearing wolf myths by fire at night, is your idea of a good time, then come join us in Brandenburg (1 hour from Berlin) in October (10-13th).
https://buytickets.at/dougiemackaystoryteller/1350415
If you're curious on my approach to it all you might enjoy this blog post:
Coming Home to the Land
Don't worry, there are fine times to be had in Scotland too.
In just a few weeks we'll be gathering to explore 'Culture and Beauty Making', up above the banks of Loch Tay in Central Scotland.
This experience will fuse story, land connection, craft and song, as well as featuring a hike up to the Cailleach Shrine in Glen Lyon. Make drums, gather by waterfalls, summon beautiful speech and old stories, tune in with the land.
Last year we did something similar and it was epic!
Dates 12-17th September (although weekend attendance is possible).
Booking and enquiries:
https://www.alunahealing.co.uk/events/coming-home-to-the-land-gathering-scotland/
Free offerings
If the purse strings are tight, there are a few free creative offerings that you might enjoy.
First up, I joined my pal Daniel Allison on his House of Legends podcast. It's one of the podcasts I always recommend to people who are getting interested in storytelling and especially Scottish tales. He's got an epic back catalogue, but if you want to start with his most recent episode you'll hear me telling a Scottish Faery tale. I'd love to hear what you think?
Podcast Link:
And finally, relating to the above project on wolves, if you'd like to read my musings on wolves in lore, history and wilderness, I got a bit carried away and wrote a blog post.
I quite like it. Again, I'd love to hear your thoughts?
Embracing the Wolf blog post:
......
That's all for now!
Hearth Fire sessions, Scottish International Storytelling Festival and Herbal Hearth announcements coming later in the autumn.
Story Blessings
May your harvest be bountiful
Dougie