Join us for an evening of Stories and myth from the sacred forest and Samhain feasting! As the months grow colder, the leaves shed from the trees and the harvests complete, the Earth begins to settle down into a peaceful and regenerative hibernation.
All hallows eve, or Samhain (Sow-en) as it was traditionally known, was a celebration of the death cycle of the Earth and an honouring of the downtime between the end and the start of a new cycle.
Together with Bristol Fungarium, Sarmado Sibley is putting on another of his wonderful feast nights celebrating local, seasonal produce and the incredible, rare and medicinal mushrooms grown in Somerset. After this, we’ll sit with Andreas Kornevall as he explores and relates to us northern myth and mythical dreaming practices of Northern Europe.
We’ll come together around the fire to connect with with the spirit of Samhain and our ancestors. This time is balanced by Beltane in May - a festival celebrated of light and fertility! As its true opposite, many Samhain (All Hallows, All Saint’s, Day of the Dead or Halloween) traditions, this is a time where the veil between worlds is thinner and is an opportunity for paying respects to and celebrating our ancestors, elders and loved ones who have passed through the veil.
A Samhain feast is being lovingly created by Sarmado Sibley, an experienced chef who’s Michelin training and inspiration from ancient culinary traditions such as Ayurveda meld to create food that’s deeply nourishing and delicious! Working with Bristol Fungarium, Sarmado’s menu is inspired by the medicinal and delicious mushrooms grown just up the road from us.
Alchemist Charlotte Pulver will be here with her blessing booth and our Apothecary bar will be open and serving local mulled ciders, natural wines and medicinal mead elixirs and love Charlotte Pulver’s love potions!
Stories and myth from the sacred forest with Andreas Kornevall
Join Andreas Kornevall for an evening presentation of Northern Myth, Seidr and story. In this session, Andreas will introduce us to the enchantments, practices, wonder tales and myths that form the mythical dreaming of Northern Europe – myths and fairytales that have shaped much of Great Britain and Northern Europe for centuries.
We will also hear about the practice of the Elf-offerings at this time of year which bears a resemblance to the Celtic Samhain, the celebration of our ancestors. Through these stories and myths, we will also explore essential questions about wisdom and our relations and where they can be found today.
Expect a Samhain feast, warming outdoor fire, good company, joy, laughter and a night to nourish you as we transition into the winter.
Weather permitting, there will be an outdoor fire - you may like to bring something to sit on outside. Something to sit on for inside as well.
Some of the imagery of the storytelling could be quite strong, we recommend it’s appropriate for children 12+.
The nights are growing longer and colder, please make sure you bring plenty of warm layers as this event is partly outside.
Arrival at 6pm Dinner at 7pm Storytelling at 8:30pm
~ SAMHAIN festival ~
This is part of a weekend of events for Samhain with Charlotte Pulver holding a medicine making day on Saturday and Andreas returning on Sunday for An Interior Journey of Myth and Land Healing Practice.
Some of the imagery in the stories means we recommend this event is for children 12+ only
Andreas Kornevall is an author, storyteller and ecological activist. He grew up in South America, Sweden and Switzerland, and now directs the Earth Restoration Service charity. As a storyteller, he works with old myths and fairytales which shine a torchlight on life’s journey; his stories tend to gravitate around the Norse material which have led him to lecture and perform in universities and other educational centres. He is also a prize-winning author, whose work has been published in magazines such as Resurgence, The Ecologist, Permaculture magazine and in the Dark Mountain series.
The Bristol Fungarium planted it's mycelial roots from humble beginnings with many small hands at work. As an organic farmer and former forest school leader, founder, Tom Baxter spent two years initiating "The Growing Up Project" which welcomed children from 9 months to 19 years into an organic farm just outside Bristol, encouraging them to reconnect with nature and learn what it means to work with the land.
Sarmado Sibley is known internationally as a leader in world-class, plant-based food, marrying Michelin star kitchen experience with cutting edge nutrition and a flair for flavour.
His signature approach is to combine the power of superfoods with the wisdom of natural medicine on the plate - perfectly pitched symphonies that not only taste superb, but do you the power of good, too.
