The New Year is always a good opportunity to take stock of your life. Those wanting to rejuvenate their soul or learn more about holistic health will certainly benefit from attending The Healing Light Festival at Heartlands near Redruth. The Festival takes place on the fourth weekend in January and events run from 10am to about 4:30pm on both the Saturday and the Sunday.
Heartlands former mine hosts the Healing Light Festival
Heartlands is a 19-acre cultural park which still shows its earlier history with the Cornish engine house and renovated mining landscape. It hosts a range of events throughout the year and is a fascinating cultural playground for visitors.
Cornwall is a natural gathering place for complementary therapists, perhaps because it is steeped in history and ancient culture. The Healing Light Festival has all types of therapies including Reiki, herbal medicine, healing, jin shin jyutsu, reflexology, homeopathy, aura soma, massage, sound healing and more. The whole event has spiritual and healing undertones and is opened with a blessing ceremony by musician Danu Fox.
This Festival is a wonderful place to find a specialist if you are interested in alternative therapies. The stalls offer a truly eclectic and fascinating mix of spiritual and healing products and therapies. Some are well-known and widely accepted, such as massage and herbal medicine, but other Eastern therapies are less well known, so this is a great place to discover something new.
It's a fascinating place to find out about Mayan and Aztec calendar readings, consult with Medical herbalist, discover Bach Flower remedies and learn more about the Japanese spiritual practice of Reiki.
Healing crystals at the Healing Light Festival
Many of the stalls sell crystals and stones of all kinds, which are believed to be healing tools as part of alternative medicine techniques. Crystals are placed on the body on certain points known as “chakras” or therapists surround a person with crystals to create a grid of natural healing energy. The Chinese have used jade for healing while the Hopi Indians in Arizona practiced crystal healing many centuries ago.
The Healing Light Festival draws other types of mystical practices including tarots, mediums, angels and those claiming to be able to read the future. Anyone with an interest in these things will certainly find plenty to fascinate them, and plenty of stallholders willing to engage them in informative conversation.
Other stalls are more “down to earth” selling natural skin care, herbs and spices, handmade jewellery, ethnic clothing, books, CDs, photographic art and many different crystals.
A weekend of talks and workshops
The weekend also includes talks and workshops which are sure to have something new to offer. Most make a small admission charge and they last for about one hour. Whether you want to learn something new, find answers to life or just pick up some beautiful gifts, the Festival is an interesting day out if you are looking for somewhere to visit in January.
The whole weekend has a very light and festive atmosphere, despite its more serious side. There is live music and entertainment in the glass atrium and refreshments at the Red River Café. There is a small entrance fee of a couple of pounds for adults and under 16s are free. The profits are split between the Porfell Wildlife Park and Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Have you been to a similar festival or event which focuses on natural healing? We'd love to hear your experiences.
Born in Cheshire, Gillian Birch moved to Cornwall at her earliest opportunity and never looked back. After 20 years, her ongoing discovery of popular attractions, quiet footpaths and local eateries has made her a fount of knowledge as she entertains readers with her informative articles on the hidden gems of Devon & Cornwall from a local point-of-view.