Samhain at Four Quarters
Friday October 27th - Sunday October 29th, 2023
The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
-J.R.R. Tolkien
The Stones stand tall, holding vigil as night falls.
The Ancestors' Crypt is open, lit by candles and steeped in memory.
We stand together, in Circle, and we remember...
It is now the time of Transition; the start of the Dark Time of the year when the veil is thin.
A traditional time of remembering All Those Who Have Gone Before and honoring their lives.
This is the time when we draw close to the hearth fires, standing with our brothers and sisters for warmth and companionship against the gathering cold.
As the veil between the Worlds twists and thins in the chilly night air, we gather once again to celebrate Samhain at Four Quarters. We stand, embraced within a ring of Standing Stones, and honor the Ancient rites of the Eleusinian Mysteries-the Descent of Beloved Persephone and her Ascendancy as Queen of the Underworld. Living traditions carried out in reverence for the Mystery that binds us All to the Great Wheel of the Year.
Join us in our Samhain Observances...
Samhain 2023 at Four Quarters will feature four major ceremonies, including a challenging midnight ceremony for the truly mad among us! We will feature expanded Children's programming, Labyrinth Dig, Saturday Afternoon Sweat Lodge, and all of your meals are included, because we recognize that breaking bread together forms the bonds of community and honors all that which makes us truly human. On Sunday we will be closing Sweat Camp for the season – willing hands very welcome. [ Scroll down to view the Draft Schedule ]
So, in the Circle on the Hill, we will celebrate Persephone and Hades, and the bargain that ensures that the Seasons will continue. Won't you join us and add your magic to ours?
Friday evening light Dinner, Saturday and Sunday Continental Brunch, and Saturday evening Feast are all a part of your registration.
Register On-Line
$55 for Members
$65 for Non-Members
To Register, visit our Shopping Cart above or call the Office: 814-784-3080
Sharing food is sharing Community
All meals are included in your registration!
But your donation is apprediated! $10 a meal about covers costs.
Dinner: Friday; Brunch / Feast of the Dead: Saturday; Brunch: Sunday
We can accommodate vegetarian and gluten free, let us know when you register.
Our meals are hearty and all-you-can-eat, but... do bring high energy snacks for in-between times!
Call the office at 814-784-3080 with your questions or to RSVP / register.
Late Registrations, CALL US!
Handicapped, Special Circumstances? CALL US!
You are welcome to arrive before Wednesday and stay later than Monday.
Early In and Late Out camping is $10 a night for Members and $15 a night for non-members.
In-Camp Car Camping Permits are $15 each. (your vehicle must remain stationary)
In-Camp Car Parking Passes are $25 and very limited. (you may enter and leave camp with your vehicle.
Unlimited free Main Parking. RV hook-ups, contact our office.
Handicapped? Please contact us for your free In-Camp parking pass.
Lodging at Four Quarters - Call the office to inquire.
Rooms have double-beds, blankets and pillows; Bunks have fitted sheets.
Must call the Office to reserve. 814-784-3080.
Samhain 2023 Draft Schedule
(Draft Schedule Updated 9/7/23)
Friday, October 27th
12 noon-4:00 pm: Camp Set-Up
6:00 pm: Dinner
Join us as we celebrate the beginnings of the Eleusinian Mysteries- the union of The Kore and Hades, and their flight to the Underworld.
9:00 am: Brunch
10:00 am: Activity – Labyrinth Dig
10:00 am: Activity – (TBD)
12:00 noon Activity – Jack o Lantern Carving with Holland Hook
12:00 noon Ceremony – Sweat Lodge
2:00 pm: Activity: Story Time
3:00 pm: Performance – Persephone and Hades: A Match Made in Hell
A dramatic retelling of the tale of the King and Queen of the Underworld. With Pamela Alexander
4:00 pm: Activity – Mirth and Reverence
A workshop for children and their parents on how kids can get the most out of ceremony! With Michel Lehmuller
A Reflective Supper based on the Mysteries of the unfolding Seasons
When The Kore descends into the Underworld, she is reborn as Persephone, Queen of the Dead, and ascends to Goddesshood. Here we celebrate the Goddess ascendant and ripe with Mystery.
Explore the rites of ritual ecstasis and catharsis through the worship of Attis and Cybele. (Yes, we know it will be cold, and we are crazy for doing this!)
9:00 am-Mid-afternoon: (with breaks for Brunch and Ceremony) Sweat Lodge Tear-Down and Clean-Up
Many Hands Make Light Work. Come and help as we respectfully put away the Inipi for the Season. (All are welcome, no experience necessary) Wopila Tanka!
10:00 am – Brunch
12:00 noon – Ceremony The Bargain Sealed
As we say farewell to the Underworld we give thanks to the Mysteries that keep the Seasons of the year in their proper place, and honor the bargain between Demeter and Persephone.
We realize that we each have a limited lifetime, and that your time is precious. Every effort will be made to keep everything on schedule inasmuch as possible, but circumstances can and do sometimes intervene. Listen for the tolling of the Great Bell to announce times for activities and Ceremony.
Read or Download the 2023 Samhain Draft Program (PDF file 946kb)
As always, everything is subject to change, due to the needs of ceremony, the whims of weather,
and the antics of mischievous gods. Updates will be posted as they occur.
 |
“Let us make future generations remember us as proud ancestors – Roh Moo-hyun |
The Labyrinth
To walk our labyrinth is to walk a purposeful path – no obstacles, no puzzles – inward to the center, then outward into the world.
The Labyrinth, showing the most recent pathway stones.
https://4qf.org/samhain#sigProId69f6a808f3
