Parting the Mists

First of all, blessed Lughnasadh! (Or Imbolc for those in the southern hemisphere.) May the harvests be plentiful and the games joyful.

Second, welcome to Parting the Mists, a blog dedicated to sharing experiences and thoughts on the Avalonian spiritual tradition. Posts here might be serious, they might be funny, but first and foremost they will be about the spiritual journey to Avalon for all people: men and women, Pagan and Christian, or anyone that feels the call.

The Avalonian tradition is heavily influenced by myth and stories and can be afflicted with a few folks who are, shall we say, creative to the point of confusing reality with fiction. So I want to be very clear about a few things:

I am not the reincarnation of Morgan le Fay, the Lady of the Lake, or Dion Fortune.

I do not receive psychic messages from the spirits of any of the aforementioned ladies.

King Arthur has not returned from the Isle of Avalon (to my knowledge, anyway) and named me the official mouthpiece of the Avalonian tradition.

I am not a Celtic scholar or New Age author.

I’m just an average woman in the Midwest of the United States who has followed the path to Avalon for more than six years and has been drawn to the myths and legends of Avalon and Camelot for almost 20 years. I’ve been fortunate to be part of a group of women dedicated to Avalon and have learned much from them.

But most Avalonian groups and websites I find have limitations – they are either only for women or just for those who have a very narrow view of what it means to be Avalonian. It seemed a shame there wasn‘t a public forum that was for both men and women, both Pagan and open-minded Christian (or other faiths), and for those with various ideas about what Avalon means to us today.

I’m also a practical, grounded person who likes for people to do their research. But there is so much reading and research that can done, so I’m not claiming to have done it all. However, I am not easily wooed by those who put forward speculation or UPG (unverified personal gnosis) as fact. Not that those views don’t have a place, I simply prefer my nonfiction to have bibliographies.

Look for posts twice a week: every Tuesday and Friday is the goal. I’m posting this introduction today, a Monday, but we’ll have a regular post tomorrow. While I might miss a post day here or there, one sure thing is a broad range of topics: gods, goddesses, saints, and literary characters connected to Avalon; reviews; places where Avalon might have been located (and if it ever was located in the physical world); current events specific to this path; recipes, guided imagery; the occasional joke; and more.

I’m a Pagan and will often write from that perspective, but I am interested in including the Christian aspects of the tradition – perhaps via guest bloggers if some can be rounded up. And as I have eclectic interests, you might see some surprises thrown in from time to time. Having input about what you would like to see would be wonderful and welcome.

Whatever happens, I hope others will join me in discovering the spirit and beauty that lies beyond the mists.

Blessings of Avalon!

Thistle

© 2011 PJ Graham