EarthSpirit Stone Circle

Sacred Land

Open house & seasonal celebrations with EarthSpirit

EarthSpirit’s home in the Hilltowns of Western Massachusetts

2023 Sacred Land open house & seasonal celebrations with EarthSpirit:

Sacred Land open houses begin with a walk of the sacred sites on the land, followed by a celebration of the Celtic holidays from Beltane to Samhain.

This is a great way to connect with EarthSpirit, whether you are new or a long-time participant in earth-centered spirituality.  The Land is beautiful and giving, and we love sharing it with people.

Please attend the Sacred Land walk if you have not before (usually at 1pm, except for Summer Solstice, 4pm). Rituals begin at 3pm (6pm for Summer Solstice). Rituals occur outside, nearly always, so please dress accordingly.  Sturdy shoes and appropriate layers are truly necessary, since we walk through beautiful woods, creek edges and rough fields of old farmland.  Also, it is often cooler in the hilltowns than surrounding lowlands.

Kids are welcome! Please let them know that there are times of quiet contemplation, as well as times when it is fine to run around and be active.

For directions and questions email openhouse@earthspirit.com or call 413-238-4240.

Also, for more information and last minute information (such as about weather) see the EarthSpirit Community’s facebook page or the EarthSpirit google calendar entry for that event.
The EarthSpirit google calendar is in the footer of every page on EarthSpirit.com and on the Events page.

2023 Sacred Land dates:

  • Beltaine – Sunday, April 30th at 1pm
    Our Beltaine Celebration has moved online!

    With a full inch of rain expected at Glenwood tomorrow (April 30), we are moving the Beltaine ritual online this year. We hope that you will be able to join us there, and join us in person again for our Summer Solstice Sacred Land event in June
    Here is the zoom link for Beltane Sunday at 1pm:
    Meeting ID: 820 3283 1291
    The Password private, so if you would like to come, you can send us a FB message here or write to earthspirit at earthspirit.com before 12pm on Sunday.
    All ages are welcome!
    We know it is last minute, but if you are able please have ready:
    a seed
    a candle or other flame
    a dried leaf of small bit of paper to burn
    3 or more strands of ribbon, cloth or yarn
    Making pie out of the mud here in the hills!
    Beltaine Blessings everyone!

  • Summer Solstice – Saturday, June 17th at 4pm (Sacred Land walk at 4pm; ritual at 6pm. Singing run-through at 5:15pm. Join us!)
    An honoring of the sun, flowers, our own summer intentions and fire itself. The ritual finishes at the top of a somewhat large hill, followed by a potluck “finger food” feast up there at the fire shrine! (We love substantial food that is easy to share, picnic style.  For this ritual feast, we carry all our needs up and back down the hill.  Help is available!)

  • Lunasdal – Saturday, August 5th at 1pm (Sacred Land walk at 1pm; ritual at 3pm)
    At the first harvest, Lunasdal, we gather with gratitude, to feed the stones in the sacred circle and to feed each other. We honor all that has contributed to the bounty in our lives. We sing, make offerings and share a potluck feast!

  • Autumn Equinox – Sunday, September 17th at 1pm-6:30pm (Sacred Land walk at 1pm; ritual at 3pm, Singing run through at 2:15. Join us!)
    An honoring of the sacred grove, and all trees. And of streams, and all water. Within this ritual event, we tend the trees of the Sacred grove, weeding and mulching. Potluck “finger food” feast follows!  (We love substantive food that is easy to share, picnic style.  For this ritual feast, we carry all our needs up and back down the hill. Help is available.)

  • Ancestor Observance for Samhain –Sunday, October 22nd  at 1pm-5pm (Sacred Land walk at 1pm; ritual at 3pm).
    A quiet observance in the woods by a stream. For the ritual, please bring a memory to share of someone who has passed whom you consider to be among your ancestors. It could be someone from long ago, or a very recent death. During the ritual we will each have an opportunity to speak their name and, if we like, share a story about that person, then hang a memorial clootie in the Ancestor Shrine.

More information:

The Sacred Land walk is a short and simple way to learn and experience a lot about the EarthSpirit Community, each other, and the beautiful Land in an afternoon. Even if you are an old hand with EarthSpirit, you will learn things about the Land that you did not know! Sacred Land walks are usually at 1pm (before the 3pm ritual), but the Summer Solstice Sacred Land walk begins at 4pm.

The walk begins in a large airy room with filtered air and windows that will be a bit open. It is a quiet, intimate time where it is pleasant to be able to sit comfortably and be able to hear each other speak. Seating will be distanced, and we may require masks to be worn depending on current conditions. Some surgical masks will be on hand if you need one.

The walk itself takes about 90 minutes, and goes up a couple of small hills, then down one hill in the woods.  Please wear sturdy shoes, for walking on uneven ground in the woods. The paths are very rough and steep in parts, and will not be accessible for all mobility challenged people.

Please bring your own picnic utensils if you can, as we move toward an ethic of “reduce and reuse.”

The Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox Sacred Land events in particular will be “pack in/pack out” events, where we will feast at the top of a hill and in a grove, so no trash cans!  We all help each other with the carrying as needed though.

Participation is free of charge, but donations of $3-5 are gratefully accepted to help us cover expenses.

Covid expectations for EarthSpirit Sacred Land events:
Please do not come if you are ill, infectious or within quarantine timing
We will be outdoors most of the time because the ritual and Sacred Land walk are outdoors.
Some of us may feel most comfortable masking, and that is fine.
Let’s all be communicative and kind, stating our own preferences and requirements as needed!
Please come expecting to follow guidelines communicated on site by organizers if needed.

FOR DIRECTIONS and questions: email openhouse@earthspirit.com.

Guidelines for Visitors:

  • Please come to the site only on Sacred Land event dates.
  • Please notice the private homes in the middle of the land, and respect the privacy of residents.
  •  There are portable facilities available for visitors.
  •  Do not bring any alcohol or drugs, and leave pets, including dogs, at home.
  •  Dress for being outdoors, including good shoes/boots for walking in the woods.
  •  We prefer to maintain a cigarette smoke-free environment, but if you need to smoke, please do so outdoors away from the buildings and field-strip your butts.
  •  Please use no candles or incense, because of risk of fire.
  •  Please angle park on the right as you drive in.

   Honor the Earth and all beings
    Gather for traditional holidays that mark the cycles of nature
    Travel a labyrinth, enter a stone circle, sing at a peace cairn . . .

    We walk to honor & greet the sacred sites, then gather for seasonal rituals
    based on earth-centered traditional Pagan practices of Celtic Europe.
    Deepen your connection to the Earth and the places you love.

EarthSpirit™ is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1977, dedicated to the preservation and development of Earth-centered spirituality, culture and community; we particularly focus on the indigenous traditions of pre-Christian Europe, known collectively as paganism, which have survived in varying degrees to the present day.