The Gifts of Mystery

After a long break from podcasting, I am happy to share this shorter than usual episode with you.  I hope you are well?

I create intentions for a sacred space as usual at the start of the episode which is how I like to share and connect with those who choose to come into the Antlered Path and find sanctuary here.

The Gifts of Mystery is my take on a few insights linked to the notion of mystery in the spiritual context.  Mystery can be a motivating force for us to seek more from life, from Nature and act like a creative muse too. 

I share about the connections between curiosity and mystery - because in order to explore aspects of something that feels mysterious, one needs curiosity!  And an open mind/heart. 

Sometimes we will not find resolution or answers, the mystery can remain such for eternity.  But when we activate ourselves to embark on a quest, however small, it is a wonderful thing and can lead to such inspiration and feelings of accomplishment. 

A sense of mystery is something that helps us to manage our mundane lives. 

The motivation for this episode came from a little quest I was on last Autumn, when I was researching the Dorset Ooser, a mysterious horned man mask that used to ‘reside’ in a nearby village.  What happened to it, is a mystery.  It is this mysterious element to it’s story that absolutely compels me and sets me off on some walks and explorations around the area, making connections and looking beyond the here and now.

I wrote about this on my Substack here.  https://antleredpath.substack.com/p/the-dorset-ooser-mask-mystery-and?r=1k4u52

If we experience a deeply moving sacred connection often we will not choose to share it or all of it’s elements, because in this sharing we dilute the fuller meaning and impact of it.

Please do like, share and comment if you feel called to do so, it helps other like minded folks find the podcast.

After over 6 months, the Antlered Path podcast returns with an episode linked to tree spirits! I share an opening meditative connection to World Mother Tree, to help us ease into a sacred space.

I share folklore and other insights into tree spirits together with poetry and hone in on two species in particular - Hawthorn and Hazel.

I have a lovely guest this episode, Louise Tarrier. I have known Louise for many years. We started a women's circle together out on the land in mid Dorset and have a very deep shared love of trees! So it was a lovely gift to have Louise with me to share this passion.

 She has spent over a decade involved in reforestation and ecological repair, including her work with Carbon Positive Australia, where she supported large-scale tree planting initiatives across Western Australia. There, she witnessed the quiet resilience of the land — and the powerful role of trees in healing it.  Her work is grounded in both transpersonal psychology and conscious leadership, and she brings these threads together through her platform She Changes, guiding individuals and organisations to lead, from a place of passion in purpose, and  in harmony with nature — not separate from it.

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Show notes

"Awakening and Renewal"

A belated Imbolc episode, though I feel the content is still relevant! So, wow it has been some months since the last episode and we are so glad to be sharing this with you now.

Join me out on the trods and connect to Imbolc tide blessings and energies with this episode that focuses on the shifting of Winter into Spring. There are blessings and a poem, there are trodcasts too!

Oh and I pronounce the name of the Goddess Brigid in the contemporary Irish 'Breej'. It is what felt right!

The trodcasts that I share in this episode were recorded in different local West Dorset sacred spaces in late January.

The first one is in Cattistock churchyard where there is a beautiful little well and Snowdrops, plus lots of incredible birds. The following one is in the garden by Silver Well at Cerne Abbas and then the Beech Grove at Giant Hill Cerne Abbas. This is a very special place of pilgrimage, myth and recent archaeological exploration. There is a large Beltaine/May Day gathering that takes place at the well and on the hill with a local Morris side at Dawn.

I simply share the messages and insights that flow through me whilst connecting to spirits of place. I hope they resonate with you.

It was my intention to release this episode in early February, so apologies for the later publishing!

Imbolc is still taking place, so hopefully you will feel the awakening and renewing Imbolc blessings reaching you where you are.

The blessings and poem:

First blessing is by Caitlin Matthews 'Brigid of the Mantle' from Little Book of Celtic blessings and an excerpt by John O'Donohue fromthe blessing, 'For Presence,' found in Benedictus (Europe) / To Bless the Space Between Us (US).

'Goldfinch' from the 'Lost Spells' by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris.

Many blessings across the Ways to you.

With Love, Hilary and Tony x

Welcome to the Sacred Sea!

A delve into a few Celtic and British Isle linked stories and archetypes...

Come explore the sacred domain of the Sea where Mannanan Mac Lir abides and rises from the Ninth Wave, dry and full of stories of flowers and abundance.

We also explore a very old story from Orkney, call out to the Red Billed Chough - a feisty sea bird ally linked to Cornwall and King Arthur. Plus a lovely wee chat about Selkies with my special guest Jude Lally from Path of the Ancestral Mothers.

Plus more!

We hope you love it and let us know what you think.

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https://ko-fi.com/antleredpath

In this episode I explore a few of the sacred aspects of Rivers and a little bit on a mythical Scottish river creature and a mention of the very sorry physical state of rivers in the UK. 

I am also excited to share that the trodcast of the episode is actually the sounds of three different rivers that I recorded through August and September.   I like to think of these three recordings as river songs, each river has shared it’s different tone, energy and flow.

A creative exploration of the Celtic and possibly pre Celtic Antlered God, Cernunnos. Includes a delve into how he has been portrayed in different Cultural contexts and how he is possibly a younger Antlered deity than the Antlered Goddess.

Includes a relaxed short trodcast chat where the Podcast editor, Tony and I chat about how do we feel about Cernunnos when out on the land.

Hope you enjoy! Do let me know your experiences of Cernunnos in the comments or whether you have enjoyed the episode.

In this much belated Spring episode I share three sacred spells that arose intuitively during the process of planning the episode.

One is a guided meditative experience, one that connects to the trods, through a trodcast and one that enables you to give back and seed healing intentions into the land around you.

There are connections to the Green Fire energy of Spring too. I do hope you enjoy the sanctuary of this episode.

Blessed Be.

In this late winter/early Spring offering, I explore the importance of sacred relationships with our allies (seen and unseen) in supporting and guiding us through fragile spaces. These spaces are both within us and around us.

Contemplation and rest, stepping back, observing are all key aspects of this. We need fallow times to process. We need to honour and love the fragility of life, in order to dig deep and find the light of resilience and hope.

I record a few different trodcasts too in this episode and Tony has very cleverly edited them together to form one trodcast! Ah the technical gifts he has are indeed a wonder!

I do hope you enjoy. Much love - Hilary xx

Join me as I explore the connections between ancient standing stones and the Winter tide. There is a trodcast too! I take you to a local ancient stone site near me, where the mysteries of stones and blackthorn mingle with the cold, damp of winter. I also share insights linked to an ancient site in the heart of Orkney linked to the Midwinter Solstice Sunset - Maes Howe.

Come sit in circle to honour sacred wildness.

Welcome to Season 2 of the Antlered Path podcast!

Over the past five years I have been in awe of the deer rut which occurs locally in the ancient deer park of our village. The deer and the energy of this place has really affected my spiritual path and practices, immensely.

In this episode, I reflect on the effects of the deer and the rut near our home and how it shifts the energy into winter tide. I also share some inspiring research from the 1930s conducted by J G McKay on the pre Celtic deer cult and deer Goddess cults of the ancient Caledonians. This along with a special guided pathworking to meet with deer magic aims to bring through an invocation of strength, gentleness and vitality.

I hope you enjoy and do share your thoughts.

Blessed Be x