The Flame of Avalon

“The Flame from the heart of Avalon holds the energies
of the Beltane and Samhain fires that still burn in Brigit’s Isles,
of the need-fire that was once lit to restore the life-blood of this sacred landscape,
of the Dragon energy that pulses in the earth beneath,
of the star-fire of Artha and the sun-fire of Grainne,
of the gentle and transforming fire of Brighid,
of the passion and sovereignty of Rhiannon,
of the flame that burns in the hearts of all the Goddesses of Avalon.
Any one who chooses to tend the flame has a part to play in holding Her energies.
Each of us will add our own energy to it as we work with it;
as we do so the Flame will change and as the Flame changes so will we.” 

[Jacqui Woodward -Smith, letter to the Priest/esses of Avalon, Winter Solstice 2004]

The Flame of Avalon sparked to life on the final day of the Glastonbury Goddess Conference in 2004, which was dedicated to the Goddess Brighid of the Triple Flame.

The Flame of Avalon’s Light was created from:

• The 2004 Conference flame lit from the sun, and which burned on the central altar throughout the conference.
• Brigit’s Flame-Brought from Kildare in Ireland
• The Hiroshima Peace Flame-Originally lit by a woman survivor from the burning embers of the nuclear aftermath.
• Bridie’s Flame -From the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides
• The Children’s Flame – From the United States
• The Madonna Ministry Flame – From the United States

These flames were combined with the lighting of the candle on the central altar at the conference, thus creating The Flame of Avalon. Every one at the conference was invited to light tea-lights and take this very magical flame back out in to the world.

After the 2004 Goddess Conference, the Flame was then tended for the next few months by Priestess of Avalon Tammy Furey and on 20 December 2004, the longest and darkest night of the year, the Flame of Avalon was embraced by Priestesses of Avalon who dedicated themselves to keeping the Flame alight.

The Flame lights the land and spreads the love of the Goddess through out Avalon and all over the world shining Her light into the darkest places and warming all our hearts.
As of January 2013: The flame of Avalon is tended in rotation by 31 priestesses and priests of Avalon and by the following tribes hosted by priestesses of Avalon – The Dutch Goddess Temple in Holland, The Tribe of Avalon in London, Diosas de la Cruz Del Sur in Argentina and the Sacred Sept of the Swan in the US.
In addition, the flame has found its way to many Goddess loving people, communities and Goddess temples throughout the world who tend the flame in honour of Avalon. Acknowledging their love and individual connection to the Avalon Goddesses and as well as the Goddesses of their land.
Symbolic of the love of the Goddess and the Heart of Avalon, the Flame of Avalon is always growing, changing and remaining current as it continues to travel and connect us across the globe. Between 2005 and 2012 the following flames were added and now encompass the Flame of Avalon:

• Flame of the Goddess Temple- Malta
• Flame of Iberia – Spain, Portugal
• Flame of the 1st Goddess Conference -Mexico
• Flame of Delphi, Place of the 1st Oracle- Greece
• Flame of Göbekli Tepe, twelve-thousand years old Temple – Turkey (2012)
• Flame from the Australian Goddess Conference (2011)
• Flame from the 17 Goddess Conferences – Glastonbury, UK (2012)
• Flame of the Belgae, lit by merging the Flame of Avalon with the Flame of the Belgium Goddess Conference in November 2014

The Glastonbury Goddess Temple as Flame Keeper – 2015

Once a month the Glastonbury Goddess Temple becomes the Flame Keeper for the Flame of Avalon. The Temple tends the flame from dusk to dusk. All who hold the Flame of Avalon are invited to join together on these days and tend the flame in global community, sharing in the light and love of the Lady of Avalon.
For all those who would like to join in, the Glastonbury Goddess Temple will be holding the flame on the following days (beginning at dusk on the date given and ending at dusk on the following day):

 

Janary – June 2015

1st January

24th January

28th February

31st March

7th April

13th May

18th June

If you would like to receive a Flame of Avalon to tend individually or in community, please contact me.

 

Logistics of Keeping The Flame:

Each person will receive a candle which holds the Flame of Avalon within it. You will use that flame to light any candle you may be using. It is your candle that burns for 24 hours and not the tea light that you receive. Each tea light is a descendant of the Flame was created at the 2004 Goddess Conference in Avalon / Glastonbury, England.
The temple holds or tends the flame from dusk to dusk. If you are not in the UK, and therefore in a different timezone, work with your own…from dusk to dusk. You will not be alone in your part of the world and you can visualize the light spreading across the planet, as each time zone joins with the others.
You “keep” or tend the Flame in whatever way you feel called to. There is no set ceremony. This is your time to spend with the Flame as you wish. You keep the Flame alight in whatever way serves your comfort level in regards to safety. Some keep the Flame burning for 24 hours with special candles to truly honor the “dusk to dusk”, others may be unable to do that due to work commitments or through having curious pets or small children running about. Do what works for you and be safe and even if you can’t keep the Flame alight for the full 24 hours, keep the Flame in your heart. Whilst holding the Flame of Avalon is a lovely experience, we need to respect and be careful with this very transformative element that we are working with. You will be holding the flame with the Temple in Glastonbury, so even if you need to take a break in the tending…it is still being tended by the temple and all those who will be joining in that day.
Please feel free to pass the Flame to others by providing them with candles lit from your own Flame.

May the Flame of the Goddess return to all hearts, thus may She shine bright in all her beauty in the world.

Blessed Be

Anna
Flame Keeper

 

 

 

 

letter wrote by MaryLisa, Flame Keeper chief,

copied entirely from the Goddess Temple website (www.goddesstemple.co.uk)