For the first time I had an impulse to drive the 650 round trip to Keswick, Cumbria, to take part in the Winter solstice Druid ceremony of Alban Arthan at Castlerigg stone circle.  I had no idea why I felt the pull to go and it didn't make any logical sense but I felt I had to be there! I was able to combine this with staying with my sister who lives 30 miles from Keswick, which was a lovely treat so near to Christmas.

Solstice means 'stand still' referring to the seasonal movement of the sun's path (as seen from the earth) as it comes to a stop before reversing direction - the Winter solstice is the point of greatest darkness when the night is longest.

This is my beautiful son Neal.   I don’t think I’ve ever publicly spoken about him, except to describe his passing as the major catalyst for my spiritual awakening, and to acknowledge he is still a very large part of my life. In spirit form he is very present in my day to day life in a way he couldn’t be in his physical autistic form with all kinds of challenges that stifled his communication and understanding and meant he found life extremely difficult to cope with.