Lammas  

Aug 1 2001

Festival of Light. Inauguration of New Circle. Initiates V, W, Miriam. New initiates Kr and M. Made new robes for ceremony - white robes with overtunic of green. Except me, I had overtunic in black. Wolf had plain black robe. Was making another plain black robe for my grandson who was supposed to be joining us, but robe kept going wrong and machine breaking down. Concluded he wasnt coming and gave up. He never showed up and no explanation given. Inaugurated the Circle and planted tokens into a pit in the centre, covered by a circular paving stone.

Esbat

4 Aug 2001

Didn't meet

Esbat

2 Sep 2001

Met. Initiates V, W, M, Kr. Kr had meetings and joined us in great hurry. I rushed ahead with ritual for her benefit and we neglected to robe up - no time. Regretted this as all robes prepared and hanging in greenhouse. Good fine night.

Autumn Equinox

21 Sep 2001

Didn't meet

Esbat

2 Oct 2001

Didn't meet. V and W in Germany

THE COMING OF THE TREE TO THE CIRCLE

Thursday 

25 Oct 2001

Some days before I had seen the uprooted tree and wanted it for the circle. W and I went to town and bought a big Axe! 36" handle, 6lb blade. W hacked away at the trunk while I and the dog stood well clear - chips flying everywhere. It proved to be very solid and durable, and took some cutting. It is rowan - one of the sacred trees,

"associated with Dragons, with the coming of new life out of dark winter, with astral travel and vision, healing and empowerment. An old saying: Woe to those with no Rowan tree near". When it was cut and I knocked the soil off the roots it was very dense and heavy. Wolf tied a rope he had brought around the roots and prepared to drag it away. I hurried back to the allotment for more rope and the wheelbarrow. Amazingly he got it into the barrow, though you could not tell which was man, barrow or tree, so intertwined they were. It was a difficult journey. At the edge of the circle W picked up the tree and walked with it to the hole in the centre. I had opened up the pit in the centre and removed the sacrifices put there at inauguration.  He lowered the stump in and the roots took their place in the air! He drove in chocks and then we filled with sand and put the little packages down into the spaces. I fetched water and W watered the sand to settle it, then we stood and looked at what we had created. We were facing south, it was a beautiful warm, still day. He poured the rest of the water in a libation over the airborne roots, and as he did so, a fierce little wind came from the south, rattling the big trees overlooking the plot, they made quite a noise, then I said, "Look, they are sending their leaves as a blessing." The biggest one was a rowan, and it scattered rowan leaves all over the circle. I am sure it was saying 'thankyou for honouring us tree people' and I said to Wolf that I wondered how many hundred years it was since anyone honoured a tree in the old way. Later, we had to go to town, and walking up the road, it was as if the trees had been told the news, and were excited too, as a wind sprang up in the branches of each one we passed. It was a most beautiful and uplifting experience. 

Samhain

31 Oct 2001

Initiates V, W, M, Kr. S was initiated tonight. The Moon blazing bright overhead, an amazing clear sky and just a few bright stars. 28 tealights in glass jars marked the circumference of the circle, and around the upturned tree in the centre, I marked a pentagram, sinking five candles into the soil, then winding strings around to make the five pointed star. A fire burned in the South in its fire basket, and in the North, outside the circle, between it and the polyhouse where we gathered, another fire blazed in our barbecue pit. Inside the 20 x 10 polyhouse, tealights burned on every ledge, five and three branched candlesticks held light, and the camping stove was busy grilling meat I had marinated the night before. Tables were spread, the huge loving cup that holds a litre and half was full of red wine. The company was great. M and S travelled thirty miles to be here. M was initiated at Lammas, S tonight. W was with us. Last night he dreamed he was lying in his bed with M & S, one each side, heads on his shoulder. Just being together, the transference of sacred energy from the male to the female, in Wiccan tradition. Although we are thinking towards an all-female coven, Wolfram should be present at intiations. Next morning . . . 

I went down to clean up after the ceremony. First I opened the doors of the polyhouse - what a wonderful scent of copal and frankincense, mixed with the spices of the food we cooked.  Then I turned to look at the tree, and saw, still burning, one small light from the five candles of the pentagram I had traced round the base of the tree. (I put candles straight into the ground first place, but later, when we began the ceremony, carried out fresh lights inside glass jars, putting them next to the original ones, so that they should continue to keep the pentagram shape. It was one of these that was still burning, the one in the West. An American mystic, Glitter, had promised to be with us in spirit, and had walked a labyrinth at the time we met. Perhaps it was her light shining in the west. It was still burning at 4 in the afternoon, when I paid my last visit.

Esbat

1 Nov 2001

Met with K 22 Nov

Esbat

30 Nov 2001

Initiates V, M, S. K joined us - she is self-initiated. Guest Wy joined us. W went out as we were going to be all female tonight. Since everywhere was so soggy and clouds obscuring the Moon, I thought we might stay in the house, but left it to discussion to decide - we went to allotment, robing up in the house first and going there in drag!  When we got down there it was so light, even though the Moon not visible. We lit the fire basket inside the greenhouse but it smoked so much and we were afraid the blaze was going to melt the polythene roof! It didnt. Rain stopped and we did ritual in the circle, hoping by the time we were finished the fire would have burnt down and it would be warm inside and safe to go in. So it turned out to be. M did the officiating with me. First we did the meditation from 'Jaguar Wisdom' We whirled, but although we had five, some of us are small and we didn’t have enough span. Some kept falling in the tree! After the ceremonial bit was over, we sat in the greenhouse and had a feast of dips and corn chips and Italian panettone, with the huge cup which holds a litre and a half of wine, and everyone talked, we shared experiences and gave support to each other, it felt wonderful. We mentioned the idea of field trips in the summer months. Perhaps Glastonbury and Long Meg. When I got home there was an email from C who said she would like to meet us. That night I dreamed of the goddess, and she told me that I would become pregnant that night, she must mean pregnant with a big enterprise. I also heard the tree saying we should address the prayers directly to her, and not project them into the ether. This seems right. We must make the tree more a focus of our energies. 

Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe

12 Dec

V, W. Went down half eleven and performed vigil through midnight for the Virgin. Cold, clear night. Looking up into the heavens above the tree, all the stars seemed gathered into the space directly overhead, with hardly any anywhere else. Curious. Meditation for the Virgin and for Diana.

Winter Solstice

21 Dec 2001

Open Meeting. Initiates V, W, M, S, K. Guests Kath and Paddy. Weather very cold. Native American meditation round tree with guests. Big log fire on spare allotment. Candles on tree blew out. Wind made it seem colder. Good reaction from guests, asked when next one is? Will invite for Imbolc.

Esbat Eclipse

28 Dec 2001

V, W. Very still clear night. Circle of Candles burned with clear light without wavering

New Year's Eve

31 Jan 2001

V, W. Personal celebration.  Fantastically cold and still. Kept bottle of bubbly chilling in tree for week. Like drinking iced bubbles! Candles burned still and clear. Snow on ground, or was it thick frost? It sparkled blue and white like diamonds were strewn everywhere.

Esbat 

28 Jan 2002

Mad stormy rainy night. Initiates V, M (S ill) K. C (self-initiated) joined us. Guests Wy and My. New gas bottle struggle to understand. Called up W to do it. Went out later into the gale and rain as it seemed to be easing off. Ritual conducted in slashing rain with Wy wiping the pages of the book like a windscreen wiper. M said how nice to feel the rain on her face - how much nicer on whole body! M performed magic for E. S rang up from sickbed just as we were about to start.

Imbolc Sat

2 Feb 2002

Made The Bride from French stick, dressed in bridal gown and veil with tiara - looked sweet! Bought pink apple blossom in plastic to trim her. Another simply dreadful night weather-wise. Kl got up from sickbed to be with us. Sh not able to get out of hers. M, V, K, C. One male, W.  Very dark, no Moon, not able to see much at all. Finished evening at house.

Esbat Tues/Wed 26/27 Feb 2002

Snowy. cold, roads bad. M, Sh and I made it to Waggon not fancying another cold night on the allotment. Kl phoned slid off road into field. Unable to continue so C unable to be picked up. 

Wed 20 March

Arranged to meet at Cross Gaits for quiz night - social get together. Please come if you can

Spring Equinox Thu 21 Mar

No celebrations held

Esbat Thu 28 Mar 2002

Met at the Circle. Val, Wendy, Michelle, Sharron, Cathy, K + Freddie (new member). Wonderful still evening with huge Moon. Candles stuck in ground burning brightly did not go out. Some kids on motorbikes up and down lane but did not prove to be a problem. Mediation, ritual, moon-water, cleansing with candles, spells. Val fell right on top of fire and blistered bum, though nothing burnt!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wed 10 Apr

Cross Gaits quiz night - come if you can

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Esbat Sat 27 Apr 2002

Beltane Tue 

30 Apr 2002

Esbat Sat/Sun 25/26 May 2002

Summer Solstice Fri 21 Jun 2002 

All Night Vigil to greet Summer Sunrise. Location to be discussed.

Esbat Mon/Tue 24/25 Jun 2002

Esbat Tue/Wed 23/24 Jul

Lammas Thu 

1 Aug 2002

Esbat Thu/Fri 

22/23 Aug 2002

Autumn Equinox Sat 21 Sep &

Esbat Sat/Sun 21/22 Sep 2002

Will combine and hold on 21 Sep

Esbat Sun/Mon 20/21 Oct 2002

Samhain Thu 

31 Oct 2002

Esbat Wed/Thu

20/21 Nov 2002

Esbat Thu/Fri

19/20 Dec 2002 &

Winter Solstice Sat 21 Dec 2002

Will combine and hold on 21 Dec