Samhain- A night around the fire

Samhain Evening Gathering
5:00pm – 8:30pm YMCA Activity center, Ramptons lane, Reading, RG7 4QT.

Join us for a Samhain celebration and and spend the evening with us around a fire.

As the year turns towards winter, we’ll gather around the bonfire with a intimate group to pause, reflect and mark this ancient seasonal turning point together.

The evening will include storytelling around the fire, exploring some of the stories and traditions of Samhain and what this time of year can invite us to consider.

We’ll spend some time thinking about those who came before us, where we have come from, what we carry with us, and what we might want to leave behind or carry forward into the darker half of the year.

There will be a guided meditation, time for quiet reflection and a simple Samhain ritual. There is also an invitation to take part in an arrow break — a powerful experience of meeting fear, setting an intention and stepping forward.

Nothing is compulsory. You’re welcome to simply sit by the fire, listen to the stories, take part in the meditation and enjoy an evening of connection and reflection.

The evening
🔥 Bonfire and storytelling

🌿 Samhain reflection and ritual

🕯️ Ancestral remembrance

🧘 Guided meditation

🏹 Optional arrow break

☕ Tea and coffee

✨ Time to simply gather, talk and be

Ancestral altar
If you’d like to, you’re invited to bring a small object, photograph or something that belonged to one of your ancestors to place on a communal altar during the evening.

There’s absolutely no obligation to bring anything. It might be something meaningful, something you’ve inherited, or simply an object that helps you feel connected to those who came before you.

What to bring

Please dress warmly and wear comfortable outdoor clothing and shoes. We’ll be outside for much of the evening, so come prepared for the weather.

You may also want to bring:
- A yoga mat or something comfortable to lie on for the meditation

- A blanket or camping chair if you have one

- Food or snacks to enjoy around the fire

- A warm drink if you prefer your own

- An ancestral object or photograph for the communal altar, if you wish

Tea and coffee will be available.

We’ll be around the bonfire for much of the evening, but we won’t let a bit of rain stop us.

If the weather is particularly wet or heavy, we have a cabin available where we can gather instead.

On-site parking is available.

Come as you are, bring what you need to be comfortable, and spend a few hours marking Samhain with us around the fire.

You are welcome to arrive from 4:30pm and settle in to the evening.