The Hawk

In Native American cultures the hawk represents a messenger.

It often appears in our life when we need to pay attention to the subtle messages found in our surroundings and from those we come in contact with.

As with all messages received it is important to recognize its underlying truth. Because their are so many varieties of hawk its messages vary and can affect all levels of our psyche.

One thing that all hawks have in common is the skill to move between the seen and unseen realms gracefully connecting both worlds together. Their acute vision compliments this ability and their discriminating nature keeps them out of harms way. The broader vision of the hawk allows them to see what the future holds. In man this symbolizes prophetic insight. If this medicine is underdeveloped a tendency towards over analyzing everything is common. In so doing, clear vision is lost. Those who hold this totem should remember to keep their analytical mind under control and not allow it to run wild.

The hawk has many foraging techniques. The most typical in their pursuit of prey is swiftly following the animal's efforts to escape. Once the hawk has secured the prey with its powerful talons, the bird dismembers it with its sharply pointed, strong beak. In man, this suggests that we can run but we cannot hid from our destiny. Sooner of later it will catch up with us. The destiny of all humankind is to awaken from their spiritual amnesia and realign with the original intention of their soul. When the hawk flies into our life we will be asked to evaluate who we have become and rip out the threads of our self created illusions. This enables our inner truth to surface. Hawk signifies union with Great Spirit. A bird of the heavens the hawk orchestrates the changes necessary for our spiritual growth.

Having this totem can be bitter sweet. If we accept its presence in our life we will be asked to surrender anything that doesn't honor the integrity of all life. Be it an idea, a feeling or an action.

Although hard work is involved the rewards the hawk offers us are great. Hawk Wisdom:Clear-sightedness , Being observant , Far-memory ,Messages from spirit , Guardianship ,Recalling past lives , Courage ,Wisdom ,Illumination ,Seeing the larger picture ,Creativity, Truth, Experience , Wise use of opportunities , Overcoming problems

Beltane Blessings- Herne the hunter and the sacred goddess

Beltane is upon us once again....... I love this time of year, everything in the natural world is in growth and this is the time to celebrate union, fertility, love and sexuality. Time to celebrate the sacred union between Horned God and the fertile Goddess.

In days gone by, it was re-enacted by men and women to ensure the fertility of the land.

People made love in the woods and forest, slept outdoors and watched the sunrise.

They walked the labyrinths and mazes and dressed in green to honour the Earth at this time.

The Horned God is usually known as Herne the Hunter, the wild man of the forests.

Herne is transformed into a white stag, and legend has it that he chased the Goddess who turned into a white deer. The Horned God has also been depicted as Pan, the Goat God, Zeus the Bull and Amen the Ram.
Over time, these depictions of the Horned Lord were turned into the Christian version of the Devil, whose lustful nature gave birth to the slang word “horny”, although the old German word for “lust” actually meant “religious joy”.
The God and Goddess become spiritually transformed through their union and the combination of their energies brings fertility to the land.

Celebrations included dancing the Maypole, a symbolic dance showing the entwining of male and female energies. Garlands of May blossom were used to decorate houses.

A Beltane fire was lit at this time, all other fires in village having been extinguished.

The participants jumped the Beltane fire to symbolise cleansing and purification.

A couple jumping the fire together were pledging themselves to each other.

Cattle would be driven through the smoke for protection and fertility.

At the end of the evening, villages each took a burning stick from the fire to re-ignite their fires at home.

Another common celebration at this time of year was (and still is!) Handfasting.

Handfasting is a form of sacred marriage which originally lasted for a year and a day, and would be renewed at the end of this time if the couple both wished it. These days, a Handfasting can be for the traditional year and a day, or for as long as the couple wish, and it is popular to leave the time open, so that the union can continue for as long as it works.

At Beltane the trees are in flower. Apple blossoms, cherry blossoms and hawthorn blossoms lift the heart with the delicate beauty of their soft petals, symbolically promising life’s light, renewal and joy.

And so with the blossom laden trees so heavy, may with the goddess's blessing there be a plentiful bounty of fruit to come.New projects - new goals - new endeavors, new ideas!...New Home??!!

Missed the jack in the green festival at Hastings this year , but hope to see you all next year:)

Deep Peace - a Gaelic Blessing

Deep peace,
pure white of the moon to You

Deep peace,
of the whispering trees to You

Deep peace,
of quiet rain to You

Deep peace,
of the flowing air to You

Deep peace,
of the crackling fire to You

Deep peace,
of the running wave to You

Deep peace,
of the quiet earth to You

Deep peace,
of the shining stars to You

Deep Peace,
of the gentle night to You

A Gaelic Blessing .Adapted from Under a dark star - Fiona Macleod-1895

April Birthday by Ted Hughes

By Dana . Loogootee Elementary West Primary. Grade (ages 5-9)

April Birthday

by Ted Hughes

When your birthday brings the world under your window
And the song-thrush sings wet-throated in the dew
And aconite and primrose are unsticking the wrappers
Of the package that has come today for you

Lambs bounce out and stand astonished
Puss willow pushes among the bare branches
Sooty hawthorns shiver into emerald

And a new air

Nuzzles the sugary
Buds of the chestnut. A groundswell and stir
Billows the silvered
Violet silks
Of the south- a tenderness
Lifting through all the
Gently-breasted

Counties of England

Look to this day!

For it is life, the very life of life.

In its brief course lie all the verities andrealities of your existence:

the bliss of growth,

the glory of action,

the splendour of beauty,

for yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision,

but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness

and every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well, therefore, to this day!

Such is the salutation of the dawn.

Ancient Sanskrit poem by Kalidasa.

Spring Equinox -ALBAN EILER

Spring Equinox Blessings to you!

Vernal equinox - Alban Eiler "Light of the Earth")

A Spring Kiss by Moonrabbit

www.moonrabbituk.deviantart.com

Aftr the Winter Solstice the days have lengthened and the nights shortened and here in the northern hemisphere the Spring equinox marks the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring. Light and dark are in balance now, but light is gaining.


The earth awakens... new life emerges, sap rises, buds shoot and spring flowers are celebrated as gifts from nature. Spring returns and rejuvenates our own life force.

Spring is a time of the Earth's renewal, a rousing of nature after the cold sleep of winter, a time to celebrate the renewal and rebirth of Nature herself, and the coming lushness of Summer.

To the Druidic faith, this is a sacred day occurring in the month of Fearn, part of our practices are to clean and rededicate outdoor shrines, believing that in doing we honor the spring maiden.

At this time we think of renewing ourselves.
We renew our thoughts, our dreams, and our aspirations.
We think of renewing our relationships. This is an excellent time of year to begin anything new or to completely revitalize something. This is also an excellent month for prosperity rituals or rituals that have anything to do with growth.
It is an ideal time to clean your home to welcome the new season. Spring cleaning is more than physical work. Some cultures see it as a concentrated effort on their part to rid themselves of problems and negativity of the past months and prepare themselves for new things.

This equinox is also known as Ostara or Eostre - and is celebrated as a festival of new growth, renewal, a re-balancing of energies and the return of longer days. It is also known as the day of equilibrium. Now is a good time to consider the balance of our lives - work, play and relationships.
It is now time to lay the seeds of new projects and new directions that you have meditated on throughout the cold months. Now is the time to start taking action.
Decorate your home with spring flowers and sprouting greens.
Wear green clothing as an affirmation of new growth within yourself and Nature.
Bless any seeds you plan to plant in your garden. Begin a new project.
Key actions to keep in mind during this time in the Wheel of the Year include openings and new beginnings. is a good time to start putting those plans and preparations you made at Imbolc into action.
Start working towards physically manifesting your plans now.

IMBOLC BLESSINGS!

It is time to celebrate the first stirrings of spring from the depths of winter!

Horrah!

when the first buds can be seen appearing on trees, when the days are quite visibly longer than they were around Yule, and when there are the first days of semi-bearable temperatures.


The word Imbolc literally means "In Milk." This is because it is the time when the cows and goats generally begin lactating in Western Europe.
The festival is sacred to the Goddess Brigid (pronounced "Breed, " often spelled "Brid"-the Celtic triple Goddess of Inspiration, Healing, poetry and smithcraft.

This is a time of new beginnings and growth. At this time, think of your goals and dreams for this year that you will plant.


As the days begin to get longer, it is tradition for every candle or lamp in the house to be lit for a little while welcoming the return of the Sun.


Esotrically it is the willing sacrifice of the outer self for the inner self.

The period between Imbolc and the Spring Equinox is when self-discipline is practiced.

"I hereby do create sacred space,

In time that is not time; a place not a place,

Today is a day that is not a day,

All malice and worry, now away,

So all within here is right and just,

This is a place of magic, love and trust."

One of the things I find tangeable in the celebration of Imbolc is purification itself.

The concept of Spring Cleaning came from this Sabbat.

Traditionally the greens of Yule that are left in place for our protection during the deepest Winter months are now removed and burned in a sacred fire.

The home is physically cleaned from top to bottom.

I use this period between Yule and Imbolc to do the Soul searching and meditation called for in this season during The Winter Rites held on Yule.

Its a time put my financial life in order, my physical home in order and my relationships in order.

Free now of these burdens, we gather in our homes with brooms in hand and begin to turn whiddershins from room to room carrying with us incense, fire, water & salt, purifying each room of all negative energy. Chanting:

Thus we banish Winter... Thus we welcome Spring!

WINTER SOLSTICE-Alban Arthuan

Solstice Blessings to You!
We stand here at the turning point of the year as winter closes around us and the earth beneath our feet rests, for the harvest is in and the new seeds not yet sown.
The winter solstice, the shortest sunlit day of the year, the day when the sun is farthest away from us and his light is most remote, has been celebrated in ceremony the world over for as long as human memory exists. The celebration was most enthusiastic in areas of the earth where the winter is very dark and very long, and the yearning for sun and light was so passionate. Although we now have electricity, and can "see" with the a light flick of a switch, we still honor the power and mystery of darkness, both literally and symbolically. The nights are long and we may all feel the darkness entering into areas of our life. Let this darlness of the longest night be felt, for only out of darkness does light arise and we become aware that the inner sun rises again in our hearts as at one with the outer sun, bringing warmth to both our hearts and the earth.

The seed stirs in the earth
Once again, the Winter Solstice of the year is upon us.
The season when we learn, from nature, how to honor the darkness of Life's Mysteries without losing faith...how to recognize the seeds of growth and nurture them in our own inner warmth until the Light returns...how to dignify the elder who lives always within us, and to face our own old age with serenity and faith and power.
Once again we learn, that even in the darkest moments, health, serenity, and healing energy are available when we focus on them with positive intent.
As the golden Oak King triumphs in battle over ,darksome twin the Holly King
....now we can see the first flicker of light,
the first ray of hope, the first seeds of solution, to any darkness that has invaded our life light.

FIRE

The element of Fire is both creative and destructive, its qualities are Brightness, Thinness and Motion and its mode is Active. It is fire that we and our ancestors used to warm our homes, we use it to cook our food, we sit around it to ward of the darkness of night, and it fuels our passions. Fire, unlike the other elements, does not exist in a natural state.
Its physical form can only take place by consuming some other element. Fire is the transformer, converting the energy of other objects into other forms: heat, light, ash, and smoke.To feel the manifestations of this power, go out on on sunny day and feel the warmth and light of the Sun, hear the crackling of logs and smell of smoke from a burning fire. As you gaze into the transformational flame of a candle, immerse yourself in the energy of Fire.
Fire is the natural element of animals and mankind, and they "have, in their natures, a most fiery force, and also spring from celestial sources."
In order to gain benefit from the energy of this element, we need to control Fire's destructive aspect. When we light a candle, we are not only calling upon the energy of Fire, we are also limiting its power.
This destructive aspect should not be seen as negative, forest fires, actually help, clearing away underbrush and encouraging seeds lying dormant within the Earth to burst forth into new life.Fire is a masculine element, its aspects being change, passion, creativity, motivation, will power, drive and sensuality. It is sexuality, both physical and spiritual. Fire is used in spells, rituals and candle magick for healing, purification, sex, breaking bad habits or destroying illness and disease. Fire is the element of authority and leadership.The properties of Fire, Heat, Making things fruitful, Celestial light, Giving Life to all things. Its opposite the Infernal Fire are a parching heat, consuming all things and darkness, making all things barren.

AUTUMN EQUINOX -Alban Elfed

Once again we have reached the point of balance, night and day are equal in length.( 23rd sept)The leaves are beginning to fall and the Equinox tides and winds may bring storms and floods.
The last harvests of fruit and vegetables are now in and it is time to accept what we do and don't have and what we have achieved.
Equinoxes can bring many unexpected things and many may find their lives reaching an unexpected turning points in spring, so it is necessary for a good autumn clean out.
We spring clean in order to make way for new growth but in autumn it is to make way for reflection and study.

Why in Autumn do we want to match the animals in
nature and hibernate?
The energy on the planet changes.
This energy is called life-force energy, Christ-force energy, Universal energy, Supreme Being's energy.
In the Autumn this energy is drawn down into the Earth. Outwardly, the leaves are drawn off the trees. Inwardly, we experience feeling drained.
But the good news is that the energy that is draining is most likely not our own anyway. We took on someone's energy (thoughts, emotions) and obligingly, or in most cases, ignorantly carried it around, until the fall season draws our attention back to ourselves where we experience a change in energy within and around us. That is one of the purposes of the seasons, to be different from all the others so that we notice changes we might not have if everything stayed the same.
Each season prompts us to reflect (go inward).
It makes us pause to review our lives.
With Autumn equating to the harvest time of year, what have we harvested in our lives? Well, it depends what type of seeds we have planted.
We are farmers with our thoughts, ideas and emotions as much as a farmer who uses soil as his medium. That is why it is so important to put our attention on what we truly want to experience, and then create the correct atmosphere (attitude or medium) for that to manifest. Autumn is the season between Summer (the season with lots of activity) and Winter (hibernating, slowing down time),a balancing time, equal time.
In Winter we plant our seeds (do our mock-ups or New Years resolutions). In Spring they sprout, in Summer they mature, and in Autumn, they are harvested. So like seeds in the ground, our ideas are also nurtured and grow, through the combination of cosmic and earth energies.

Not only is it harvest time, but it is also time to prepare for the next season of crops (mock-ups).
The Autumn Equinox symbolizes harvest time outwardly and inwardly.
Because the Autumn Equinox happens during the time of year when people generally slow down, it is a great time to get rid of all the excess baggage before New Years so we can start anew with a clean slate.

We may notice that many of the creatures around us are making preparation for winter, birds are migrating and squirrels and hedgehogs are gathering food and preparing nests for hibernation.
The darkness is increasing and energy levels begin to drop so we may have to accept that we may not feel like making any great achievements and instead prefer to curl up in our warm and cosy home for some inward reflection.
So celebrate making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods, walking in the woods, scattering offerings in harvested fields, offering libations to trees, adorning burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over!

ALBAN ELFED

Autumn Equinox, Fall, Second Harvest, Mabon, pronounced MAY-bon , after the welsh god Mabon ap Modron, which literally means 'son of mother', Michaelmas, the feast of the Archangel Michael all names for a wonderful season!
All the leaves are turning colors and the air is getting a bit crisper.
After today we start heading into the dark half of the year.
This time of the year, we, as Pagans, give thanks for what we have sown.
Not just what we sow in the garden, but what we have sown in everyday life.
Our work, children, relationships. All these things that we have put time and energy into, we give thanks for and reap the benefits.
Mabon appears in 'The Mabinogion' tale. The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair, and honour the Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to the trees.

Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer are appropriate at this time.

The Welsh know this time as 'Alban Elfed', meaning 'light of autumn' or 'light of the water'
The Wheel turns and the time of balance returns,Alban Elfed marks the balance of day and night before the darkness overtakes the light.

Symbols of Alban Elfed are wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates , vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.
Foods that can be used are: Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions.
Colors are very rich and colorful. Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown and gold are the colors of Mabon.

The time of the second harvest, usually of the fruit which has stayed on the trees and plants to ripen under the Summer Sun. It is this final harvest which can take the central theme of the Alban Elfed ceremony.

Thanking the Earth, in her full abundance as Mother and Giver, for the great harvest, the beginning of Autumn.

We now enter the all-important time of inner growth.

During summer, there was little time for the juices of contemplative creativity to bubble up from deep within us.

Now is the time to prepare for this to occur most fruitfully.

Only when we surrender to our inner nature can we begin to hear the still small voice within, and we must set our outer affairs in order now to be ready when it calls.

Our inner fire burns brilliant and strong to guide our way through shadows long.

Hold sacred and close passion’s fierce flame for when all falls away,

it is our dreams that remain.

- Mara Friedman

The change in the world is becoming obvious now.
A scattering of fallen leaves gathers at the roadside.
The grain harvest has been brought in, and only stubble is left on the fields.
Here and there, leaves are beginning to turn to golden or russet, and the virginia creeper in
next door's garden is beginning to blush scarlet.
The last fruits are being picked, and the Goddess is letting go of this world.
She is turning inward, to look at the mysteries within.
And so must we. It is time to look back over the past year and examine what we have gained and lost.
We are asked to see how we have changed, so that we can take what we have learned
on to another revolution of the Wheel.

MUSING ON THE CIRCLE

The circle is a sacred symbol of life,

individual parts within the circle connect with every other ;

and what happens to one ;

or what one part does affects all within the circle

The circle is used by many traditions the world over from time immemorial is referred to by such names as the Medicine Wheel, Sacred Hoop, and the Wheel of Life .
It has also been used in the sacred art of many religious traditions as an image of wholeness.
Ceremony and religious rites were practised in circles, life was lived in circles and moved with the changing seasons.

The circle symbolizes the sacred unity of existence and is used in the designing of sacred spaces all over the world.
Today's lifestyle has removed us from this natural experience, cushioning our senses with central heating, piped water, flush toilets and supermarkets.

The seasons pass us by year after year and we become more anaesthetized.
To step into the circle is to say yes to becoming - becoming more aware of who we are as individuals and more aware of our interactions with others and the environment we find ourselves in.
It brings a fuller sense of being and knowing, that the journey we walk in this life has a rhythm, and that rhythm can become revealed to us.

Stepping into the Circle, Stepping onto the Wheel

Stepping into the circle is about aligning ourselves to a rhythm.

Nature offers a constant reminder of movement through the changing of season, from the Sunrise and Sunset points to the Moon's ebb and flow.
To bring ourselves into alignment with these changing seasons brings us onto the wheel of life and our own energies into alignment. http://livingintheround.blogspot.com/2007/06/eight-fold-yesrt_1821.html

How often have we felt frustrated in the middle of Winter wondering what to do with ourselves instead of taking the time to be still and allow ourselves to rest? The CIRCLE is a reminder of wholeness and the round-and-round nature of life-cycles. We can take a lot of comfort in the way seasons and the very hours of the day repeat endlessly.
In becoming aware of what our changing energies do at these seasonal times gives us a picture of who we are, how effective we are in our actions, how our energy comes and goes....
Stepping onto the wheel means becoming conscious of where we stand at any one moment on the cycle or rhythm of life.
To become aware of our own personal circle of energy also brings us in touch with a greater sense of awareness around other peoples' energy fields - knowing when to offer healing and when to stand back; knowing that perhaps what is being said is not quite what the person is feeling.

Working with Mandala

The word Mandala arises from the Sanskrit and means sacred circle, they are used as objects to aid contemplation.

The circle symbolizes the womb of creation; and mandalas are geometric designs that are made through uniform divisions of the circle. The shapes that are formed from these divisions are symbols that embody the mathematical principles found throughout creation. They reveal the inner workings of nature and the inherent order of the universe.
Mandalas act as a bridge between the higher and lower realms. They are interdimensional gateways linking human consciousness to the realms of archetypes and the infinite. The relationship of form, movement, space and time is evoked by the mandala. Mandalas offer a way to engage with the inherent harmony and balance of nature. They bring the principles of nature into our field of awareness. For thousands of years, mandala imagery has served as a means to an expanded way of thinking. The images transcend language and the rational mind. They bring about a certain wisdom of universal knowledge and a deeper understanding of human consciousness.

The circle is perhaps the purest, most profound and the most common symbol in existence. It has many interesting associations and appears in or lives in a number of forms.

With the probably infinite billions of stars, planets, moons and galaxies full of the same, the circle is well represented in the physical universe in the form of spheres.

A circle, having no beginning or end, represents infinity, eternity, wholeness and femininity. Other meaningfully significant symbols or objects are circular: Stonehenge, Ouroboros, the Wheel of Life, a halo around the head of a saint, etc. In a very practical way, it can be said that circles rule the world.The circle is a sacred symbol of life, individual parts within the circle connect with every other ; and what happens to one ; or what one part does affects all within the circle

Think of all the things that are circular. From the symbol for nothing to the symbol for the powerful life-giving sun, circles cover a lot of territory. Circles are egalitarian and inclusive; it was for very good reason that King Arthur placed his knights at a Round Table.

As the Tibetan woman spins an endless prayer written on a strip of paper coiled inside the cylinder..........

Give some thought to all of the interconnecting circles in your life.

How can we invite a more inclusive way of being into our lives?

COME ON INSIDE....OUR YURT

WELCOME! come step inside.. please take off your shoes.we are still moving in ,so please excuse the mess:)

carpet has kindly been donated , which we laid down last week,moved the bed round twice.. think we've found the right place now!

splashed out on the hand carved chest.. its made of cedar wood and smells wonderful... got somewhere for our clothes to be hidden away in and it doubles up as a stunning alter.

It was beautiful on tuesday , lying on the floor cushions with the sunshine beaming through the crown wheel. Hoping for some good weather this weekend , with a clear sky so we can have the cap off at night and stare at the stars! (might just need that mozzy-net though)

really enjoying spending time in this space, love the light and the beautiful shadows that are cast on the canvas each morning.. it changes each day.

Definately prefer living/ sleeping in the round.. woke the other morning thinking i was in the yurt and being boxed in by right-angled walls felt really strange .

UTOPIA

UTOPIA

we'd gather around all in a room fasten our belts engage in dialogue

we'd all slow down rest without guilt not lie without fear disagree sans judgement

we would stay and respond and expand and include and allow and forgive and enjoy

and evolve and discern and inquire and accept and admit and divulge and open and reach out and speak up

we would share and listen and support and welcome

be propelled by passion not invest in outcomes

we would breathe and be charmed and amused by differencebe gentle and make room for every emotion

we'd provide forums we'd all speak out we'd all be heard we'd all feel seen

we'd rise post-obstacle more defined more grateful we would heal be humbled and be unstoppable

we'd hold close and let go and know when to do which

we'd release and disarm and stand up and feel safe

lyrics by Alanis Morrisette

EIGHT FOLD YEAR

The purpose of celebrating the eight seasonal festivals is to create a pattern or rhythm in our year that allows for a few hours’ pause every six weeks or so in our busy and often stressful routine, so that we can open to the magic of being alive on this earth at this special time. It gives us a chance to fully enter the moment, to connect with the life of the earth and the land around us, and to feel the influence of the season in our bodies, hearts and minds. If we celebrate on our own, it is a time when we can enter into meditation, perhaps reviewing our life since the last festival, thinking forward to the next one, then returning to open ourselves fully to the Here and Now – soaking in the energies of earth and sky, and the trees and plants around us, and radiating our love and blessings to the Earth and all beings.

Adapted from What Do Druids Believe? by Philip Carr-Gomm, Granta, 2006

Living in the Round

Our earth is round, not square, and multitudinous forms that surround us in the natural world are round in structure. So why do so many of us choose to live most of our lives in cube-shaped houses and apartments? How can we bring the sacred circle consciousness into our daily lives?

Indigenous nomadic peoples, from the freezing Asian steppes to the windswept plains and deserts of the Americas have, since the dawn of prehistory, held sacred the belief of living or worshiping within the sacred circle. Whether it was a tipi, kiva, igloo, yurt, or wickiup, or hogan, the idea of a symbolic circle was basic to their concept of a balanced existence.

A circle represents both movement and completion to nomadic people, just as the seasons of the year are part of the circle, or cycle we call a "year." Nomadic hunter/gatherer peoples had objectives in their journeys- following game and the ripening foods as they matured and were ready to harvest. Their wanderings were not linear with some abstract goal that was never reached, but harmonized with the cyclic pattern of the seasons.

YURT LIVING- the start of an adventure

Having a deep love and respect towards of all life, and an increasing desire to live life simply , living off and close to the earth - living in a Yurt feels like a natural progression for us.

To live simply, eat simply, harvest food fresh from the veggie patch which i am fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to work on.

The idea of living in a simple dwelling has been appealing for many years, the dream of a Yurt about twelve or so years in its coming!

Motivated by recent ill health, and the realisation that life pasess too quickly its timely to realise this dream.
I guess we all have ultimate dreams, many of which are never realised....
we can wait for the "full package" , or work towards the ultimate, small steps to realise some if not all of the ultimate along the journey .. or we can but dream and never realise any of it. Purchasing some woodland, land and to build a simple cob dwelling.. an ideal... an ultimate.
So right now i find myself at this point , with this opportunity in front of me.
Not sure how long this site will be available for us, but thats the beauty of a Yurt, we can move on!
And the Journey... working the land for many years, simple dewelling from the allotment shed to a beautiful and sacred round space in the form of a Yurt, nestled between my carrots , potatoes and herbs!!!

Having researched the various Yurt makers, we decided on Yurtworks based in Bodmin Cornwall.Finding a Yurt maker with the skills to produced a beautiful Yurt, was one thing , but the bussiness ethos and the intent that the Yurt would be made was very important to us.

Yurtworks

" A Yurt cannot be made without the wood and making that connection from tree to tent has remained a central part of the Yurtworks ethos.

We continue to manage the woodland here, when deer and squirrels allow, and also coppice an ash plantation nearby which currently supplies most of our coppiced material.This connection between the yurts and the local environment is the underlying principle behind each part of the business.It is our aim to be as sustainable as possible, supporting both the business and the environment we depend upon.

The yurts themselves are made from trees from local well managed woods, and are finished with organic oils.

The yurt holidays not only make little impact on the land but also bring people a little closer to it while they stay here. It all
enables us to look after the land for a great variety of birds, beasts and
butterflies and the plants they depend upon."

http://www.yurtworks.co.uk/

JAN O7

So it was that in Jan07 we approached Yurt works and yurtmaker Tim Hutton, and located a suitable site for the yurt.

15th Jan we placed the order for our 14ft yurt.