The Red Shoes

Talking of Time and 'The Red Shoes'

I want to take time....time to pause and reflect, time to write and dream and create......there isn't enough time...I need time off.... I need time out....haven't the time......

It seems that I am often craving time to stretch my spiritual and creative self and to live more in tune with my energies rather than be thrust on the conveyor belt that insists I go to work...not that I do not like my work...I am fortunate to have a job whereby I feel I can make a difference and support others to on their personal path. It involves helping to heal the wounds caused by abuse: physical, emotional, mental and financial...the wounds caused by cycles of control, fear, obligation, guilt which go back through generations.The job could be just a job, but for me it is more of a vocational choice and an area that has involved much healing work and personal development in my own life in order that I can feel rooted enough and strong enough to be present for others.

Nevertheless I am at a crossroads in terms of time....time to nurture myself, to see friends, to fulfil creative dreams and personal projects.I wonder how this can be achieved and I often believe that it can be a luxury to even have time when there is so much suffering in the world. I know that much of the work is being done in an every day sense of being in the moment, fully present and aware, of dealing with one thing at a time, of finding 'slow time' as Gill Edwards puts it in 'Life is a Gift'.I also find Reiki healing a salve, as self healing and channeling Reiki energy to heal others seems to slow time and allow me to focus on the present moment as it is in my body. I feel more attuned to energy around me and to my own sense of balance and wholeness. Sending light and healing to where the body knows it is needed seems so simple now as I now trust my body to know what it needs and listen to its voice. This process of trusting the body has for me been a long healing process as given my own history I was body shy for a long time and had not been raised in a family where touch was readily and affectionately given. It was through doing Reiki 1 that I learnt this trust in the healing power of touch and started to discover just how much I could heal in myself just by gong through the key hand positions on the chakras or energy centres.The discovery of how peaceful and grounded Reiki made me feel led me to continue on the Reiki path to Reiki 2 ...healing others...and now to Reiki 3 or Reiki Master/teacher Level.

My process over the past six years since discovering Reiki has led to my discovering Spiritual Healing which I studied with NFSH..the BNational Federation of Spiritual Healers. This involves working in the auric field away from the body and experiencing more subtle energies and powerful ones! This is very useful when touch is unwanted or invasive.It is another way of channeling light energy.

I work with women in women's self development groups in this way ...slowing down the present moment with its anxieties and preoccupations and using meditation and relaxation to focus attention upon the here and now; letting go of the stress and strain held within the body.I also use poetry, games, art, role play and discussion about self esteem and confidence to allow the body the opportunity and time to express what is held within on an unconscious level.I extend the work from indoors to outdoors and use nature and the landscape of Cornwall as a source of energy and healing.This enables me to blend my own interests with my work so that I feel more fulfiiled and happy.

So back to time....it seems I am still here at this crossroads. In my work I have been bringing different skills into practise and realising the potential of healing my own wounds to be able to be there for others. It is an on going process and challenges always arise forcing you back to source...back to centre.

If we do not take time out of our busy schedules and hectic lives to pause and reflect, we carry on in ever decreasing circles like the girl in the story of 'The Red Shoes' by Hans Christian Anderson,unable to stop herself dancing so the dancing becomes all there is and her own soul is abandoned to the obsessive rhythm of the dance.Eventually, she begs for the shoes to be cut off along with her feet as this is the only answer for her dance to stop{although the shoes continue dancing off into the hoirzon looking for another soul/sole to steal}.This is what can happen to us if we don't listen to the wisdom of our bodies and slow down....I see nervous exhaustion and pain every day; caused by situations where someone or thing else has held control and women have been forced to just survive in a situation where there was no opportunity to stop the dance until the basic instinct to escape and live kicked in.

The story of 'The Red Shoes' can be read on a number of levels: red being the colour of passion,lust and the fact the story in its original form by Hans Christian Anderson has a very moral framework with the girl's soul being stolen by the devil and her being 'taught a lesson' as it were for her desire for the shoes which were a symbol of her free will and pride. This story can also be applied to all sorts of obsessive compulsions and addictions..the need for a sharp and painful intervention in order for the mad dance to end...the girl is left with wooden stumps and feet carved by an 'executioner'... the one who cut off her shoes in an act of pity.She returns to the fold of the church.....typical of a Chriatian morality...she is now meek and humble....saved by God's mercy.

In many ways this is a story about possession the mad, obsessive energy that accompanies it so that the will of the human is subjugated to the energy of the thing itself whether it be a drug, a drink, religion, work....whatever....it does not matter what the compulsive activity is it is just that the body suffers to the point of exhaustion and potential breakdown if it carries on unchecked by maybe an inner consciousness or awareness of the dangers it holds.

This time of the year is a time to draw inward, reflect and to let go of what is no longer needed, as well as dream into being the next part of the journey.The need to be able to stop the dizzy dance of external demands and come back to source energy, to centre is vital to nourish the soul and heal the body of any unwanted energies. Taking time out is not easy when there are mouths to feed, jobs to be done, deadlines to be met....but as the evenings draw ever closer inward and the stars appear in the indigo sky or as the dawn light wakes us, try to pause..try to take 'slow time'.....

Blessed Be x

Figgy Dowdy's Well

On the slopes of Carn Marth on the ouskirts of Redruth towards Lanner lies Figgy Dowdy's Well. The well is reached via the lane past Wheal Amelia mine to Carn Marth quarry and can be accessed through a gap in the hedge and small flight of granite steps.This was originally a spring which was the main supply of drinking water for the surrounding area but was later enclosed by a well structure. It is also known as Margery Daw's well.Margery Daw is thought to be an early Cornish saint and Figgy Dowdy may hark back to an early fertility goddess.Today the well is unfortunately locked in with a barred gate so it is difficult to sample the water but it is obviously still in use as clouties adorn the surrounding tree and the bars. This is a very hidden and peaceful well with obvious links to a female deity. Girls still baptize their dolls here on a Good Friday so there is an association with healing too.

The views from Carn Marth are particularly impressive with a 360 degree panorama from the summit towards the lunar landscape of China Clay and St Agnes Beacon. Carrick Roads and Falmouth are to the south with the imposing sister carn of Carn Brea to the North west. The quarry pool is extremely serene and exudes a special quality of light and magic on a clear, still day with the sunshine glittering on the surface. It's a great spot for reflection and the walker can enjoy a range of paths from the top towards the mining villages of St Day and Carharrack, as well as Gwennap Pit.

It is a very peaceful and healing place where one can get a sense of perspective and wonder with Cornwall spread out before you on all sides. it was from this spot that I enjoyed the Eclipse as the view is so stunning. As you can see on my particular walk there were just a few ponies munching grass enjoying some Autumnal afternoon sun.

Hazel Moon

The Hazel - August 5 -Sept 1st

'Wakening from the dreaming forest there, the hazel-sprig
sang under my tongue, its drifting fragrance
climbed up through my conscious mind
as if suddenly the roots I had left behind
cried out to me, the land I had lost with my childhood -
and I stopped, wounded by the wandering scent.'
- Pablo Neruda

The air surrounding hazel trees is said to be magically charged
with the quicksilver energy of exhilaration and inspiration.


'August 5 - September 1: The Hazel Moon was known to the Celts as Coll, which translates to "the life force inside you". This is the time of year when Hazelnuts are appearing on the trees, and are an early part of the harvest. Hazelnuts are also associated with wisdom and protection. Hazel is often associated in Celtic lore with sacred wells and magical springs containing the salmon of knowledge. This is a good month to do workings related to wisdom and knowledge, dowsing and divination, and dream journeys. If you're a creative type, such as an artist, writer, or musician, this is a good month to get your muse back, and find inspiration for your talents. Even if you normally don't do so, write a poem or song this month.'
•Magical History & Associations: The bird associated with this month is the crane, the color is brown, and the gemstone is band-red agate. The Hazel, a masculine herb, is associated with the element of air, the planet of Mercury, the day of Wednesday, and is sacred to Mercury, Thor, Artemis, Fionn, Diana and Lazdona (the Lithuanian Hazelnut Tree Goddess).


Hazel wood is one of the nine traditional firewoods that is part of the Belfire that the Druid’s burned at Beltane – it was added to the fire to gain wisdom. In fact, in ancient times the Hazel was known as The Tree of Wisdom. It is often associated with sacred springs and wells and salmon. Celtic legend tell of a grove of Hazel trees below which was a well, a pool, where salmon swam. These trees contained all knowledge, and their fruit contained that knowledge and wisdom in a nutshell. As the hazelnuts ripened, they would fall into the well where they were eaten by the salmon. With each nut eaten, the salmon would gain another spot. In order to gain the wisdom of the Hazel, the Druids caught and prepared the salmon. But Fionn, the young man stirring the pot in which the salmon were cooking, accidentally burned his thumb with the boiling stew. By reflex, he put his thumb into his mouth and thus ingested the essence of the sacred feast; he instantly gained the wisdom of the universe

.•Magickal usage: The Hazel has applications in magick done for manifestation, spirit contact, protection, prosperity, wisdom, divination-dowsing, dreams, wisdom-knowledge, marriage, reconciliation, fertility., intelligence, inspiration, and wrath. Hazel is a good herb to use to do magick associated with asking for wisdom and poetic inspiration since the Hazel is known as the Tree of Immortal Wisdom. In England, all the knowledge of the arts and sciences was thought to be bound to the eating of Hazel nuts. Hazel also has protective uses as anti-lightning charms. A sprig of Hazel or a talisman of two Hazel twigs tied together with red or gold thread to make a solar cross can be carried as a protective good luck charm. The mistletoe that grows on hazel protects against bewitching. A cap of Hazel leaves and twigs ensures good luck and safety at sea, and protects against shipwrecks. In England, the Hazelnut is a symbol of fertility – a bag of nuts bestowed upon a bride will ensure a fruitful marriage. The Hazel is a tree that is sacred to the fey Folk. A wand of hazel can be used to call the Fey. If you sleep under a Hazel bush you will have vivid dreams. Hazel can be used for all types of divination and dowsing. Until the seventeenth century, a forked Hazel stick was used to divine the guilt of persons in cases of murder and theft. Druids often made wands from Hazel wood, and used the wands for finding ley lines. Hazel twigs or a forked branch can be used to divine for water or to find buried treasure. The wood of the Hazel can help to divine the pure source of poetry and wisdom.

Hazelnuts can be used for love divination. Assign the name of your passion to a nut and throw it in the fire while saying:
”A Hazelnut I throw in the flame,
to this nut I give my sweetheart’s name,
If blazes the nut, so may thy passion grow,
For twas my nut that did so brightly glow.”

If the nut burns brightly you then will know that your love will burn equally as brightly. Hazels are often found at the border between the worlds where magickal things happen, and therefore Hazel wood is excellent to use to make all-purpose wands. Any Hazel twigs, wood or nuts should be gathered after sundown on Samhain since it will be at the peak of its magickal energy. Hazel must not be cut with a knife, but with a flint.

withttp://dutchie.org/h

THE CELTIC TREE ORACLE

As well as poetic skill, this Ogham card represents intuition, the power of divination leading straight to the source. Hazel twigs have traditionally always been used for divining because of their pliancy and affinity with water.

So the Hazel embodies many talents: Poetry, divination and the powers of mediation. Through the guidance of this card, these talents can also be a channel for creative energies, especially that which allows you to inspire or increase these capacities among others, through your work, interests and pursuits. The Hazel, in fact, allows you to be a catalyst of transformer, working though the promptings of intuition to bring ideas to the surface.
by Liz and Colin Murray


LESSON OF Hazel
from The Wisdom of Trees by Jane Gifford

The Hazel encourages us to seek out information and inspiration in all things and emphasizes the value of the enquiring mind and of learning of all kinds. Just as the hazel concentrates all its goodness and its continued existence in the kernel of its fruit, so we attain wisdom by reducing knowledge down to its purest form and passing it on down the ages. Through meditating on the essence of wisdom, we gain creative inspiration. Like the limbs of the hazel, we must remain pliant in our approach to learning. Concentrated thought in an open mind can, like the hazel, become a connection with the divine source of all things. The hazel teaches us the noble arts of learning, teaching, communication, and healing.


'Ihonor the energy of hazel, the tree of wisdom.

I will heed my own inner intuitions, and will be wise and informed in my choices.'

So mote it be.thegoddesstree.com

Landscape and Memory

It has been three months since I last posted on the blog and Lammas season is upon us with its mellow fruitfulness. This is the time to celebrate the harvest of the first fruits and to give thanks for the blessings we have harvested personally since Summer Solstice. Now is a mellower time of year...the evenings are already starting to draw in, but we can still enjoy the summer while it is with us and make the most of the light for gathering with others outdoors or simply appreciating the blessings Mother Earth has given us.

Over the past two weekends I have enjoyed some lovely walks and really been aware of the abundance of purple and golden colour in the Cornish landscape from heather and blackberry to gorse and 'whispering jacks'. The sky when not full of cloud or rain has a brittle blue hue.Last weekend I enjoyed blackberrying on the cliffs between Chapel Porth and Porthtowan,as well as walking along the shoreline at lowtide and revisiting a pool from childhood where I had learnt to swim which nestles in the wake of a yawning cave on Porthtowan beach.
For me a walk is an opportunity to enter slow time:to be transported by landscape and elements into a space rich in inspiration and imaginative potential.I enjoy walking alone as for me the senses are heightened and it is possible to be more in the moment.The stretch of cliff from St Agnes to Porthtowan and beyond is stunning at this time of year; a patchwork quilt of purple. yellow and orange. The bracken is starting to turn copper and one is lulled into contentment by the lazy buzz of bees and song of larks. The landscape on these cliffs is a scarred honeycomb of mine workings, shafts and proud haunting engine houses staring out on an undulating terraine of iron oxide, quartz and copper stone.Heather covers the ugliness of Nineteeth century industrialism with its canopy and the cliffs slope steeply into the ocean beckoning in duck egg blue beyond. These North cliffs are expansive and invite the mind to stretch beyond mundane worries and concerns to a wider perspective. For me this landscape touches me with its vastness..the cliffs paw the shoreline clumsily and adits and caves lurk ominously around every bend. The sand is swept daily by tides and it is easy to get cut off. Nevertheless here is liminal space, my footprints shadow those of gulls on the shoreline and the odd shell and scraggy scalp of brown shiny thong weed mark the places where the tide nudges higher.
Being born and raised in this part of Cornwall means that every walk in this area is a walk into my childhood and teenage years and that I can trace my own shadows lurking here along this tide line. It is as if as I follow the golden thread of silted sand I am also picking my way back into my own past and sniffing out a memory lying beneath the cliffs.
The memory for me on Saturday was jolted into being by the corner of a second world war cement wall and the echoing of laughter and a hollow splash ...I followed the trail of awoken sense and clambered up barnacled rocks to look down into a pool of shady petrol blue half hidden in the cliffs. Here was the swimming pool of my early childhood: my minds eye flashed bathing caps and black full piece swim suits, a child's blue duck rubber ring, my grandpa in his wet shiny trunks holding me up in
strong tanned arms so I could float and learn to swim...barnacles sizzled, salt water stung, my skin tingled with sunshine and heat and was immersed in cool, lapping water
Here was that moment Wordsworth calls a 'flash upon the inward eye'.....slow time....the wonder that comes upon us when we are transported in a moment to another moment and another.......so we can hold infinity in an hour.

Lamma blessings xx

Beltane, Holy Wells and Bluebells

Well,well well....... it's that wonderful time of year again when the hedgerows are a feast of greenery and the woods and meadows shimmer with a sea of hazy mauve. The last few weeks leading up to Beltane have been really hot and sunny ironically the minute Beltane was upon us all that changed and we were blessed with wind and rain. My vegetables are flourishing as a result in my back patio which I have had fenced for shelter and I am growing as much as I can in pots and green recyclable potatoe bags which cost £1 each and are a gift, as not only are they much lighter than pots but they are really more versatile and hold a lot of soil.i have potaotes, runner beans, lettuce, rocket, tomatoe plants, strawberries,chard and herbs all starting to really shoot away.

I have been fortunate to have some much needed time off work to relax and unwind and have spent my time quite happily walking the parts of the Cornish coast I haven't visited for a while and reaquainting myself with some magicl sites like the Holy Well at St Just in Roseland church. This time of year is definitely my favourite as it heralds a flourish of growth and activity with the evenings drawing out and a sense of long summer days waiting on that orange red horizon. Sacred sites seem particularly potent and lush with flowers adding a faery quality and otherworldliness that transports one from one's daily grind to the timeless tranquility and restorative power of another plane.

I was partcularly stuck by this at the little creek near St Just in Rosleand church with its stillness and secluded peace. It maybe the most attractive and visited churchyard in Cornwall due to its tranquil and slightly exotic air. It is situated opposite Mylor and the Carrick Roads and the church is right at the bottom of a steep valley hill nestled in trees beside the gently lapping waves of the creek. The Holy Well is situated just outside the churchyard, through the lych gate and along a little path which leads into a mossy, ferny dell. The well water is clear and the spot safely shaded from view so that one is touched deeply by the sound of water and the faery magic of the place.The Goddess defintely dwells here in this moist and fertile shade

It seems to me that Holy Wells have a liminal quality where the worlds of nature and spirit touch and unite. One looks into the mirroring depths of the well water and is reflected. One dips one's fingers and cups one's palms in an act of healing and baptism. Wells are a place of purification and a way of touching an age old magic and ritual. They are places of healing and pre-date any surrounding buildings. Water is our source of life, vitality and renewel.

It seems fitting to me that this well was the beginning of a long 7 mile walk and that I visited two churches that of St Just and St Mawes, as well as St Mawes Castle,isolated beaches, tide carved creeks and flourishing paths full of campion, wild garlic, Herb Robert, cow parsely and of course the bowing heads of bluebells. The woodland at Bosworgas was a faery dell with the stream running through to the creek full of dappled shade and what looked like ancient earth works. This was a forgotten part of the estuary and I walked peacefully without seeing a soul apart from rabbits playing and a fox who whisked behind me and romped joyfully through the depths. The walk finally took me back inland and out to the National Trust field path that lends stunning almost ariel view of the Carrick Roads.The sun shone brightly and the skies were a china blue with the sails of yachts scudding down river to open sea.

I finished back at the church where the rooks continued cawing and nestbuilding making black fans in the skies to refect those of the sails at sea.

This place definitely speaks to the heart and soul. It is a wonderful feeling to take a day's pilgrimage out of the toxic noise of everyday. The King Harry Ferry will do just this..transport you to another time and space....give you time to pause in slow time. I couldn't believe it when I realised that this is only half an hour from my front door and that I had gone a distance of only 30 miles as a round trip taking in Portscatho Harbour and village too.

Beltane is definitely a time to celebrate Nature's fertility and the life force filling every shoot and tree.The Goddess is dancing and laughing rejoicing in all this beauty and growth. We can find her in the meadows and the fields, the woods and streams. The Holy Wells resonate with that same sap that life energy and it for us to drink in the beauty and celebrate it with song, dance, pilgrimage and healing. 'Sumer is icumen in' the obby oss dances and the Maypole reminds us of that regenerative, potent magical wand of fertility and echoes the blossoming trees. The Goddess Flora is abroad and everywhere there is a reason to celebrate the joy of being. At this potent time in the Wheel contemplate what areas in your life have grown from the seeds of hope you planted and consider whether these are still the areas you wish to grow in. If they are then continue to nurture and water these; if not then there is still time to sow new seeds or weed out anything unwanted. take a walk into Nature, make a fire for Beltane and celebrate the strenghtening light, enjoy the fertility that will come to a climax in 8 weeks at Midsummer Solstice.

Blessed Be xxxxx

Walk Lizard Head March 2011

Last weekend, I walked with two good friends towards Lizard Head from Lizard Village. It was a sunny afternoon despite a wyrd sea mist inland.The Lizard is one of the prettiest spots in Cornwall and the sister headland to Landsend which I had walked 2 weeks before. There were fabulous views out to sea and along the coast as well as Sheltand ponies grazing and a seal in the cove beneath the Lighthouse. Ice plants were already starting to glow pink and yellow another sign of hope and the light shimmered over the Manacles where so many ships were wrecked.

Sennen Antiquities

Whilst on the walk we passed through Maen Cliff Castle with its granite gateway and stunning views over the cliffs and land. Then through Sennen Church town with its 2 Cornish Crosses and Church.

March Walks- Sennen to Landsend

Thought I would post some inspiring pics of Cornwall at the beginning of Spring...sites and seascapes. The weather has been so sunny and warm and it's been wonderful to feel a sense of awakening. The sea has been dancing and shimmering with light and the clarity of the air and horizon has really breathed into my soul with a new sense of joy and anticipation of warmer days to enjoy.....

Hope you like these and feel the urge to get out there and explore or just enjoy the view!

Blessings xxx

Spring Equinox - Forest Schools- Nature's Education

I have been thinking about this time of equinox and it's theme of balance and outer growth...it's time to reach outwards and begin the process of growth which will reach fruition at harvest. I have been enjoying the beautiful warm Spring sunshine and the mellow warmth of the air. How good it feels to walk the woodland paths lined with clusters of daffodils and primroses, to hear the call of birdsong and to look up through newly budding boughs at clear blue skies. Nature is such a tonic for the senses and the mind. It is the best cure for anxiety and depression I know and has the greatest potential for inspiration and creativity.

My own growth since Imbolc has been surprising and unexpectedly rich this year in terms of placing strong roots in the world outside. I have been asked to become Community Relations Director for 'Catch A Wave Uk'...a social enterprise which unites water sports, outdoor activities and holistic therapies and aims to improve health and wellbeing for all, especially those who are more vulnerable, have suffered health issues or need the confidence to try surfing in a more holistic and supportive environment.We also arrange beach cleans, foraging and workshops. Check out the website!

My other new venture is that I have enrolled on a Forest School Practitioner course which so I can put together my teaching skills and my love of nature to work more creatively in nature with groups. I've been so inspired by Richard Louv's 'Last Child in the Woods' and the back to nature movement as a panacea for the stress,poor health and loss of imagination and sensory awareness of the media and computer age.I really want to take this further in the work I do and help bring disadvantaged groups back into relationship with nature and each other.

Forest Schools were launched in Scandanavia in the 1950's and are the basis of all their early years foundation education....'kinder gartens' up to 7yrs-the child is viewed as a young and tender plant who needs to be carefully nurtured and rooted in a natural environment to grow healthy and confident.Education in natural settings where children were less resticted by space and time; and immersion in play and creativity has been proven to produce more creative, confident, aware, happier and more adaptable children. A 13 month long study carried out in Sweden on children from similar backgrounds found that children attending forest school kindergartens in the countryside environment were far happier than children in kindergartens located in the urban environment. The study concluded that children in the forest school were more balanced with greater socially capability, had fewer days off sick; were more able to concentrate and had better co-ordination than the city kindergarten children.

The movement took off in Britain in the 1990's after early years professionals and nursery nurses from Bridgewater in Somerset visited Denmark to see the effect for themselves. Denmark and the UK have a similar climate and so it seemed natural to set up Forest Schools and Forest School education in the UK.

Since its introduction Forest Schools has developed opportunities in an outdoor setting for children and adults of all ages to develop a variety of life skills: altruism, independence, self awareness and social communication skills, all of which assist individuals to grow in self-esteem and confidence.
Participants gain confidence in their own ability. Kinaesthetic learners [learning by doing] are particularly suited to learning in this woodland outdoor environment.

Carn Euny Fogou and Chapel Euny Holy Well

Last Sunday, my nephew and I visited Carn Euny Fogou and ancient Ironage village settlement. It was a grey, foggy day and the normally clear views from village to ocean and Scilly beyond were veiled in mist, yet one can still appreciate the defensive position of the village nestled protectively in the lee of Caer Bran Hill fort, commanding a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape and coast on the ley of the ancient trackway that once led from Lands End to St Michael's mount. Carn Euny's secret is its Fogou; an underground passageway complete with a 'creep' and 'beehive' hut. The fogou offered welcome retreat from the now steadily falling rain as we entered its depths- an experience as close to entering the womb of the Earth Mother as I can imagine and one which powerfully affects one's psyche. The passageway was particularly dank and flooded half way with muddy water. The massive granite roofing slabs overhead and green walls are a powerful presence and the floor slopes downwards so it is literally like walking into the underworld.

The beehive hut attached by a small entrance to the passageway is dated earlier than the fogou and is approximately a few decades to several centuries older poss 500BC. The fogou itself is believed to date from before 380BC-250BC - when charcoal found under the floor of the North eastern end of the passageway was carbondated it fixed a date for use if not construction. My nephew and I pondered on the use of the fogou and hut: possibilities are a grain store, a place to shelter from attack or a ritual space. Sitting there in the dark and muffled space we could not imagine any grain stored here would survive storage in this damp; as for a place of refuge, once discovered you would find it difficult to survive any attack and there was the possibility that you could easily be trapped down there. We both sensed a ceremonial purpose..the curving entrance down into the dark so like the entrance to the womb and the muffled hushed space ideal for gatherings of a ritual and mysterious nature.One can imagine circles of people crouched in the dark of the beehive hut and torches lighting the passageway as well as the sun returning to light the chambers and fill the dark with light at key points in the wheel.Ian Cooke a local artist and historian discovered that the tunnel was directly alligned to the Midsummer Solstice.

We shall never know for sure and that is the gift of this place that is does not offer up its secrets readily. All we could do was ponder and that pause was significant enough.I had taken my nephew away from his computer games and Facebook to this ancient village, this elemental place softened by mud, mist and mystery and there he was pondering on his ancestors and finding space to be alone with the soul of the land.He left eager for more, vitalised and energetic, his cheeks ruddy and his boots wet with rain and mud. He stopped by the ruins of the dilapidated granite cottage on the site and started imagining picnics he could enjoy here with his family when the sun shone....ancient memories of tribal family gatherings....the spot is perfect for a picnic on a warm summer's day with the sun melting beneath teh Atlantic waves on a sparkling sea......from darkness to light and from ancient mystery to acts of imagination...

Images and invocation for Brigid, Bride,Brighid, Brigit

Poem for Brigid

Hail and welcome Brigid
Goddess of the North East
Come Bride
Bless this hearth
With life and light
With milk and mead
With the flame of poetry
Forged in craft and fire
And the soft white light of healing
As the crone washes in the sparkling well
And is reborn anew
Welcome Brigid
Bride of Spring
As you emerge pale and fragile
From dark winter's loam
And sing to us in a quiver of bare branches
And a shiver of sun
Fingering your way between snow clouds and rain
Floating on icy tides
Lady of Swans
Your breath soft as down
Whispers
Flickers
Inspires
Desires

Snowdrops at St Loy, near Lamorna, West Penwith

Celebrating Brigid in these Times of Change

Wednesday 2nd February is calendar Imbolc, feast of Brigid, Goddess of healing, smithcraft, home, hearth, poetry and inspiration. 2011 seems to be a time to follow our inspiration and plant our ideas firmly in the earth as an act of healing for the future. The present times seem extremely unpredictable as we witness global protest against authoritarian government regimes, extreme environmental disasters and sweeping cuts which seem to be affecting the vulnerable in our own back yard. In many ways one could view this as bleak, just like the icy wind and barren earth outside. Yet change brings not only instability, but also possibility. This time is an urgent wake up call. Inside each of us is the seed of possiblity and the potential for positive change and growth.

For me, the past few years have felt like a time of deep personal healing accompanied by unforseen, sudden changes in home and hearth along with huge opportunities for growth. I am now feeling an inner urgency to translate that inner growth into outer action: a need to contribute, to heal, inspire and work in harmony with others. I have always felt strongly that change has to occur within before it can manifest in the external world. It seems for the last ten years I have been slowly learning to 'school the soul'...Keats and that this is the journey we are all on. Part of my process at present is an increasing awareness and sensitivity to the need to contribute in my own backyard. Malcolm X actually advocated this and I believe it holds much truth. We need to set our own house in order and endeavor to make changes in ourselves, our family, our community, workplace, relationships first and in doing so we can change the world in which we live. Ghandi said:'You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.'And 'Be the change you want to see in the world'....He also said there was no better way to find yourself than to lose yourself in the servise of others.

I do a very simple act when I go out walking and this is just picking up any letter I see and either recycling it or putting it in a bin. I am horrified at the amount of litter in the hedgegrows and back lanes near the town in which I live. This act is easy and I just make sure I take a bag with me when I go out so that maybe that path I walked down will be clearer for the next person or someone will see me and maybe think twice before they walk over the next pizza container in the street. I feed the birds regularly, I recycle what I can, I endeavor to smile and to be friendly to others and help them. None of this costs anything and yet it is amazing how far a smile or an act of empathy can go.I believe that once you make changes at this very basic level it is surprising how that energy can act as a flame for others and inspire them into acts of growth and healing. I have chosen to work for a domestic violence charity and in doing so see daily how far a smile or act of kindness can make the difference to the day of a woman or child feeling alone, vulnerable, afraid and in need of warmth and hope.

At this time the first shoots are struggling to emerge from the earth and the bulbs are heralding potential for growth stored within the earth throughout the winter. The evenings are starting to draw out and the light in the sky is clear and sparkling in unblemished blue. Brigid is heralding her return as maiden and the branches have begun to sing. So too can we as we heal ourselves and our commmunity. the church renamed Imbolc as Candlemass...it is a festival of light. We too can light the flame of hope and inspiration in our hearts as we extend Brigid's gifts of healing and light into a world that so desperately needs it.

A good idea for Imbolc is to light a candle and ask Brigid for healing and inspiration. Or maybe go on a walk and notice the signs of change in the air and in the hedgerow.Visit a holy well and hang a ribbon or 'cloutie' as a prayer for healing. Thanks Brigid for her gifts and cleanse your own home and hearth in preparation for the Spring.Welcome her energy into your hearth, home and community. Walk your path with intention and stay grounded in what you seek to manifest. The earth at this time is wet and muddy, the sap is starting to rise and the rain to fall...there may even be a last flurry of snow...and yet the first snowdrops are appearing like little lights in the dark green shades of the woods and one by one they create clusters and those clusters create carpets and before you know it there before you is a spreading mantle of pure,flickering, angelic light.

Blessed Be xxx
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New Year...New Moon....Partial Solar Eclipse

This is a time of new beginnings - sun and moon are together in the same sign which happens to be Capricorn.Also, today was illuminated further by a partial solar eclipse: the moon passing in front of the sun!The word ‘eclipse’ comes from the Greek word ékleipsis, or ekleíp(ein), which means to leave out, forsake, fail to appear.I tried to view it between 8am and 9.30am but most of the sky was obscured by cloud. Today's eclipse was visible across much of the Middle East, Europe, North Africa and central Asia.There will be four solar eclipses in 2011 and two lunar ones.And meteor showers tonight.

Last night I went outside to look up at a beautiful clear night's sky prompted by BBC 2's excellent 'Stargazing Live'with Professor Brian Cox which will be on over the next 2 nights at 8pm. He urged you to turn off the TV after the programme and go outdoors to view the stars and planets above you. It was a refreshing reminder that there is so much to see at night if we can be bothered to get up from the sofa and discover it. Jupiter was visible in the sky due south.I also found this beautiful simulation on U Tube.



New Moon is a good time for meditating on new projects you would like to begin...whilst the moon is in Capricorn look at your foundations and how comfortable you are with your own laws, rules and regulations.Saturn ruled Capricorn focusses on career, public life, achievement, reputation and personal accountability. This is moon for achievement and sure footed starts.

Another major event happening today is Jupiter's conjunction to Uranus in the sign of Pisces - the last of three conjunctions (for about 12 years) that began June of last year. The need for progressive change is strong under this influence. We might take risks for the sake of freedom. We can open ourselves up to new ways of thinking, approaches, and attitudes now. Enthusiasm runs high, the desire for freedom from restrictions is strong, and thirst for adventure is with us.

Blessed Be xx