Ynys Afallon. Island of Apples. The Blessed Isle.
Avalon.
Her very name evokes the sense of serenity and wholeness one would expect for a place revered as an Island of Healing and a resting place for the beloved dead. Known to us from the pages of legends and through the transmission of folklore, Avalon today holds a special place in the heart of Neo-Pagans, especially those who draw spiritual inspiration from Brythonic Celtic lore, Arthurian tradition, and Welsh mythology.
For some, she is the Summerland, where the souls of the dead abide in joy as they await rebirth and where a healed King Arthur sleeps, anticipating Britain’s need. For others she is the British iteration of the cloistered women’s communities which can be found dotting the historic and folkloric landscape across the Celtic world; the women of these Ninefold Sisterhoods were renowned as healers, shape-shifters, augers, and priestesses. For still others, the Holy Isle of Avalon is a symbol – an archetype for the whole and empowered person, who is complete unto themselves, having feasted upon the fruits of their own inner wisdom and found the Divine dwelling there within.
It is a powerful exercise to meditate on the ways that the women of Avalon and the other examples of the Celtic Ninefold Sisterhoods – be they the Breton Korrigan, dancing by moonlight around holy wells, or the Gallisenae dwelling on their sacred island off the coast of France, or the cloistered women of Cill Dara tending the flame of Brigid in Her fire temple – may have built thriving and enduring communities which were perhaps founded on principles of communal self-sufficiency, collective interdependency, and interpersonal balance.
The joy of all that is Avalon is a powerful song in the heart of all who are called to seek her shores. Beyond the mists of distant memory, the Island of Apples awaits… The renewed quest for the Otherworldly Vessel of Transformation brings with it the blessings of Awen — the Divine Spark of Inspiration.
Here then is a sharing of some of the fruits of my personal journey into the Mysteries of Avalon and the power of the Cauldron of Changes. This site contains some of my writings and publications, music and art, workshops and trainings, resources and recommendations — all inspired by almost three decades of formal study, inner questing, dedication to the Holy Isle, and in service to my Sisters and the Goddesses of our tradition. It is my hope that there may be some small seed of something on these pages that will inspire you in your own quest for Ynys Afallon, and that however you choose to journey, you will come to drink deeply of the Vessel of Sovereignty that lies nowhere but within.
“In a world in which many women are struggling to find a spiritual connection that makes sense to them and a connection to their own self-esteem and empowerment. Jhenah has offered a path that pulses with ancient wisdom and modern relevance… In terms of ancient wisdom, Jhenah’s scholarship is impeccable. In terms of modern relevance, her insight is inspirational.”
— Tiffany Lazic, Psychotherapist and Author of The Great Work . Kitchener, ON Canada
