A Life In Transition: Serving The Waters Of Glastonbury

So much about my practice has changed in the past few years. So much has stayed the same.

It was the dedication to my practice and connecting with the water and the water spirits that brought about the circumstances that changed my life. At the time, it was exciting; I was focused on what I was gaining and this new, exciting adventure I was about to embark on. I never once stopped to consider there would be loss. I knew that the move from Oregon, U.S.A. to Glastonbury, U.K. would result in the pairing down of my personal belongings, but I didn’t expect that my personal practice would change so drastically. I won’t be writing fully about that today, but I will be exploring this in future writings and social media posts.

My life before was filled with quiet mornings in the gardens I planted. I spent my time doing healing work for clients and working with other Priestesses in Ritual Theater performances. I wrote a lot, I created so much free content for the water community, I became involved in water activism, and I spent much time in meditation, solitude, and growth. I loved the quiet days of sitting by my creek and tending the little homestead I spent 8 years building. I deeply defined myself as a Witch and Priestess, and my first two books were published.

Then, Spirit called me to move to Glastonbury. The message came in like a flood. It was loud and clear, and I immediately told Spirit there was no way it could happen. It was impossible. Then, what Spirit spoke came true, and 6 months later, I was boarding a flight with 2 suitcases.

Annwyn Water Priestess Blessing using the Alchemical Glyph for water.

Almost as soon as I arrived, I began volunteering at the White Spring. All I wanted to do was serve the place that had changed my life so many times (more on this later). I began with a single shift on Sundays and helping to clean. Within 6 months, I had more responsibilities than I expected. Within 1 year I began facilitating the ceremonies and had taken on leadership responsibilities. It is exciting, but it is a lot of work!

When I first moved here, I thought I would spend a few hours serving at the spring and tending to Chalice Orchard, but that is not what Spirit had in mind. I wanted to spend my days working on my art and rituals, creating content for my international water community, keeping things the way they were before I moved here. I was about to experience a simultaneous death and rebirth that dragged on and on. (more on this later as well) Because it was so unexpected, I met the transition with resistance. The resistance led to confusion and then overwhelm. I quit showing up in online spaces, I quit attending conferences and retreats that filled me, and I poured into my online community and began pouring into the local Glastonbury community (Specifically the White Spring) as well.

Today, my practice looks similar but very different. There is so much I do that you will never see because it won’t end up on the internet. The White Spring has a no photo/video policy, so the rituals I host for 50-200 people are never recorded. There are no authorized photos of the altars I help clean, dress, and tend. So they won’t be posted on Instagram like my personal altars and rituals are. This means that I am posting much less online, but I am doing so much in the physical world.

Annwyn Avalon at the White Spring – Photo by Southwest Wilding Photography – Debra Smitham

My activism has changed as well. I am no longer as vocal online, not because I am staying silent but because I just don’t have as much time to post online. You will not know the stories of holding space for folks praying at the peace altar or the folks who have come through the doors who I had conversations with, which led them to become activists. These aren’t my stories to share, and there are too many to even try to tell you now. This is the work I am doing.

You may never see what I have beheld in that place. The magic and the mystery of covens, druids, goddess healing circles, weddings, baptisms, and unimaginable beauty and extraordinary magic take place deep within the cavernous walls of the old well house.