We have a monthly social meeting advertised as Dawn of the Oak, London
Pagan and Heathen Meeting. This is a Moot that has been running since
2009 as an open multi-Pagan/Heathen meeting; it is a friendly and informal
social meet up. It is a good place to find out what is happening in the esoteric
scene in and around London as we have many experienced people from
different traditions who regularly attend; it is a very useful event for
newcomers and visitors to London, and a safe space for newcomers to the
Pagan paths, to find information and advice. It’s held on the 3rd Sunday of
each month from 3pm to 7pm at the Sir John Oldcastle pub by Farringdon
Station. It is also wheelchair accessible.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dawnoftheoak/

We hold 6 bi-monthly public blót (ritual) meetings indoors from January to
November in a hired room upstairs at The Horseshoe Inn close to London
Bridge Station; these ceremonies are mainly seasonal celebrations to honour
the Gods and Goddesses. (Not currently wheelchair accessible).
We hold two public blóts outdoors in Greenwich Park to honour the Goddess
Holda/Frau Holle celebrating the Winter and Summer Solstices. (Site is 50
yards off the path on uneven ground and the access path is on a steep slope,
so wheelchair access is difficult but possible.)

All of these meetings are advertised on Facebook, Eventbrite and Allevents.
We also host one of the Pagan Federation London Open Rituals each year
at the Pirate Castle in Camden. This is a wheelchair accessible venue.

https://www.facebook.com/PaganFederationLondon

We are also involved in rituals for some of the Asatru UK events.
LHK also has a Heathen Information Stall that we take to Heathen and
Pagan events. It has been running under various names since 2008 to
publicise Heathen and Pagan groups, organisations and traders around
London and in the UK, and to promote awareness of UK and international
Heathen contacts, as well as providing flyers and other literature explaining
Heathenry.

We also have an occasional printed publication, Esoteric London, which is a
free booklet listing groups and shops around London that hold open
meetings. This is available at our meetings and at some of the esoteric
shops.

 

 

Moots, Things, Blóts & Sumbel.

Moot (translation - meeting, court).
This is an informal meeting with a mainly social purpose, but sometimes
including some toasting in a Sumbel.

Thing/Thyng (translation - assembly, council meeting).
This is a formal meeting for administrative purposes; again, usually a Sumbel
in there somewhere.

Blót (translation - worship, sacrifice).
This is a ceremonial meeting where Gods and Goddesses are honoured and
called on to participate in and bless whatever the purpose of the ceremony is.
This may be to call on their aid in a Seasonal blót, or give their blessings in a
rite marking a stage in life such as a Naming, Coming of Age, Marriage or a
Funeral.

Sumbel/Sumble/Symbel (translation - feast).
This is a ceremonial drinking of a toast to honour deities and spirits. The
usual drinks used are mead, beer and apple juice. There are many variations
in its practice but the main form is to have three rounds, one to the Gods and
Goddesses, one to the ancestors and one to the local spirits (landvaettir,
house wights, tomte). Up until about ten years ago this was done by passing
a single horn of drink around the people assembled and each person made a
toast and took a drink, the rest of the assembly would respond with “Hail” or
“Wassail” and then the horn was passed on to the next person; however this
was also a great way to pass on whatever virus or other pathogen that
anyone had! So current practice is for everyone to have their own drinking
vessel filled up beforehand and replenished as necessary during the
ceremony.