FOI Samhain Letter 2022
From: Cressida Pryor
Dear Friends,
As ever the time between these letters seems to be paper thin...I think this is the privilege of living in
generally calm times. Time seems to speed up when there is less to notice and little disruption to the
expected flow and pattern of life. Yes, we in the UK have had a lot of change in the realms of leadership
and governance recently. But these changes have been ordered and have followed an expected course.
This reminds me how blessed our lives are in Western Europe and similarly the US.
I say all of this is relation and contrast to the unfolding protests in Iran...young girls and women who are
demonstrating and throwing off the shackles that constrict everyday life choices under a patriarchal
regime and taking huge personal risks in doing so. Many have died and now face persecution.
I once worked with a young Iranian refugee offering him psychological help following the torture he had
experienced in Iran for being from the minority Zoroastrian faith...progress was slow as we met
linguistically through a third party; the interpreter...we started with trying to establish somewhere
psychologically where he felt safe. After many false starts his face lit up and he shared this with me: ‘I
feel safe in my room here in this town, with a British Police Officer standing there with me...’
I was humbled that despite all our local problems, a generally straight forward and honest member of
our Police force felt so safe compared to the aggressive corruption he had experienced in his home
country...and it emphasised to me how we take so much for granted.
This time of year is when we acknowledge and connect with those who have gone before...those special
ones where our earthly relationship has had to change, through their death, to something very different.
Sadly there seems to be many younger folk who have died recently; girls and women in Iran, young
Koreans crushed celebrating Halloween and those traversing a foot bridge in Gujarat...may these
untimely deaths stop as we learn what we need to do to prevent more in the future...may girls and
women be respected and given their voices so all can learn from their wisdom and gifts. May all our
wasted resources be used so the ancestor’s protection can be harnessed that we all may flourish.
And finally may the smile and grace of the Goddess be with us all this sacred Samhain. Amen, so may it
be.
Cressida Pryor, FOI Steward.
