Faces of the Crone: Lydia Lyte

Lydia is well known community member in Glastonbury, much appreciated as ritual drummer and ‘seer’. She is a renowned ceremonial musician, who has played at many events, concerts, community events, ceremonies and musical gatherings, as well as part of the bands: ‘Wild Women’ and ‘Divine Roots’.

Lydia is druid and priestess of Isis and has been the sword bearer of Glastonbury for many years. As Druid and environmentalist, she is a teacher of the Earth Mysteries and lover Avalon and of sacred places. She has also been an amazing carer and guardian of many children and young people, a journey she shared in ‘Mother-matters’, a sacred performance around the different forms of motherhood.

Throughout her adult life she has been involved with the creation of what mainstream society might call ‘alternative community ways of being’.

Living in connection with the land, being actively involved in Greenham Common, and later, as manager of the Assembly Rooms, always striving to honour the portals between the seen and unseen.

In the Goddess Conference, it is great to have Lydia as part of the sacred musicians in most of the major ceremonies and during the procession of the Sunday programme, as well as the great Lammas fire ceremonies, like she has been since the beginning of this event.

Lydia used to come into our ceremonial group meetings for a few hours, to feel into the ceremonial and energetic intention and walk through the ceremonial flow, and always had a special way of getting what was needed and what was trying to be ‘birthed into being’, with her joy and willingness to give all her support to the Goddess Conference. Lydia has a way of knowing, of sensing, that is a real gift, and she shares this with wisdom, while aiming to encourage and enhance: a skill I admire and appreciate hugely. Often it is in only a few words, or a comment that sticks in your mind, that she manages to share what we may have overlooked, or not felt fully.

During the actual ceremonies or in the procession, she always knows precisely what sound, rhythm or presence is needed to open the space and carry the energy. Her harmonious weaving of the magic in collaboration with us all are always delicious, as are the meeting of eye, to silently acknowledge the little moments of connections when the energy is felt, shared and manifested between us all.

She led the ceremonialist with her funeral drum in 2014, as we processed the ‘Death-road’ that had been created by Conference participants and Annabel Du Bouley, from the Assembly Rooms into the Goddess Conference Temple in the Town Hall. It was a moment of the unstoppable reality of walking between the realms, following the hypnotic drum of Lydia which was opening the way of the ‘mystery of the veils’.

Other particularly memorable occasions include her drumming with July Felix, Lady Olivia, and bringing her drumming circle to the GC ceremonies out on the sacred land of Avalon.

Inspiring in her self-responsibility and her deep and lived understanding of the mirror of Avalon, for being a wise woman who speaks the Crone’s wisdom, gifted drummer and as a balance keeper of the portals of Avalon, I honour Lydia Lyte as trail blazing Goddess Conference Elder.

Katinka Soetens
Goddess Conference co-organiser