The Goddess Circle - A Winters Creation ('06/07)

The Circle

So please bear with me regarding this blog.....

This weekend a project has been returned to me, that if I'm honest I'd forgotten about, well not so much forgotten about....but something I'd passed onto a sculptor for its next stage.....lives took over and the next journey never begun.

So over the winter/Imbolc of 2006-2007 I created a circle of 9 very simplistic Goddesses. Once I started one.....the seed for the next one was sown and they just kept flowing. Once completed.....I then found out I was expecting our second child.

Personally I prefer a Deity Statue where 'less is more' not really into faces and that kind of thing. I prefer to be able to visualise those things myself rather than someone elses 'vision' if that makes sense. Theses 'girls' are very raw....they are the first sculpt, the journey and ritual creation. The plan was these were going off to be 'fine tuned' and reproduced in someway.....but alas it never came to be......so here we go, let me just put them here and see what happens :)

The Shroud

The Shroud - Spirit/Circle Centre

She represents that place we all need to go to sometimes, to wrap ourselves in, to recharge our batteries.

I am The Shroud,

Come close, Draw up near.

Your Path is well travelled,

There's nothing to fear.

Snuggle deep in my cloak,
I'll cleanse you anew.

Then when you move on,

Your light will shine through.

Seed

Seed - Imbolc

The beginning, the spark, the start of all new life and new ideas. Those first burst of energy we feel after Winters dark.

I am the Start,

The Beginning.

I am the Spark,

The flame in the dark.

I am the stirring,
The quickening.

I am the Seed,

Waiting to grow.

Feel my power,

Beginning to show!

Spring

Spring - Ostara
She is Maiden, but ripening. Watching life unfolding in front of Her. New ideas put into plan. The start of things to come.

She is Spring,
She is Eostara.

She is Maiden,

Waiting to become Mother.

She is Seed,
Bursting through the ground.

She is the egg,
Waiting to hatch.

She is the milk,
Waiting to flow.
She is Spring!

Flame

Flame - Beltane

She is Lover, ripe and bursting with passion! Full of Life and Creation. A flaming embodiment of sexuality!

My fires of passion,

Spark to life.

My sacral flame,
Burns deep inside.

A fertile blaze,

Between my thighs!

Ebb

Ebb - Litha

She is the full flow of emotions, where everything starts life from. The journeying river carving out Her Path.

The Oceans water of power and might,

Streams and rivers running bright.

The ebb and flow of emotions pull,
The clouds that rain, I fill them full.

All that flows, starts through me.

Mother

Mother - Lammas

The full, ripe and pregnant Great Mother, from where we're all birthed.

Great Mother of us all.
Spiral weaver,
Lady of our Earth.
Spinner of Life,
Giver of birth.

Gaia

Gaia - Mabon
Mother Earth, Protectress of our Lands. All seeing guardian. Fate weaver.

Mother Earth,
Guardian of our Lands.
All seeing protectress,

Our fate rests in your hands. 

Scry

Scry - Samhain
Thinning veil, darker nights, winters beckoning. A time to turn inward, focus and reflect over the passing year. 

All seeing, All knowing,

In my cauldron I stare.

All seeing, all knowing,
Look inward, do I dare? 

Cave

Cave - Yule

The place we all start our Journey from.....and the place we all return to.

From me is where you all start,
A small spark in the dark.

From me is where you journey,
A glowing light burning bright.

Back to me is where you return,
A dimming flame waning in.

So there you have it......like I say....not sure where to go with them now.....I feel something needs to be done with them. They weren't for 'me' if that makes sense. They came from that deep channelled place.  So any feedback will be gratefully received.

This Land Knows Me

I suppose my journey to the Inchnadamph Bone Caves, in the Highlands of Scotland, began this time last year. I had travelled to Dartmoor for one of Carolyn Hillyer's Shaman Weavers women's workshops. That particular weekend we journeyed deeply with Tundra....with Reindeer, Blue Ice and the tribe people who walk that Land. One of my fellow Tundra Sisters spoke deeply with me about our love of The Highlands and how she was visiting in the summer and would be specifically visiting The Bone Caves, I shared with her that I planned a visit too, but it wouldn't be till October. As we left Dartmoor, said our goodbyes and hugged she whispered to be me "I'll tell The Caves you are coming."

A similar tale can be told involving a Deer Sister Michelle. She too was heading to The Highlands in the summer, whilst there they sang Elen Chants and mentioned I was coming to visit. Those poor caves that hold so many tales, must have raised their eyebrows, metaphorically speaking.

I had read a little about the place itself and the finds that had been excavated over the years. Within the caves the bones of Reindeer, Wolf and Bears have been found including a Polar Bear! It's a beautiful limestone valley carved out from the Ice Age melt. The glen sides are full of Red Deer and the majority of the walk is following a very free running river which further on becomes a dry river bed. The river itself is fed from natural springs; these can be seen on numerous occasions bubbling up in the river and pools. It is deliciously icy cold to drink from and refill bottles at. The whole landscape is amazing but nothing prepared me for the caves themselves, so awe inspiring and the ancestor energy is intoxicating at times. I sat in different spots within all the caves and each definitely has its own feel and energy, I'd love to know if the different bones were found in the different caves. One in particular drew me to take out my Cerh Mala and practise Her chant.

Cerh Mala in the Bone Cave

After spending a great deal of time in the Caves we started our walk back. I felt a real pull on my heart and solar plexus, tears started to flow and a song sprang from my lips. I can only explain the moment as a gift from the Land, a place which knew I was coming and had heard my name.

This Land She Knows Me,
She Calls my Name.
This Land She Knows Me,
She Calls my Soul.
This Land She Knows Me,
She Calls my Name.
This Land She Knows Me,
She Calls my Soul.

And She Breathes Out,
And I Breathe Her in.
And She Breathes Out,
And I Breathe Her In.
And I Breathe Out,
And She Breathes Me In.
And I Breathe Out,
And She Breathes Me In.
And She Breathes Out,
And I Breathe Her In.

 I Breathe Her In, Deep Within.

If you'd like to hear the song actually sang, you can hear it here on YouTube. *She mentions bravely* I'm hoping to post more chants and Magical Mala practises via YouTube in the future. 

and so it's begun......

Yep......the seeds are being sown for 2015.....Plotting and Planning has begun!!!

The New Moon showed Her pretty little face on Christmas Eve and since then the need to de-clutter, streamline and get organised for the new year ahead has beckoned.

2014 has been an amazing year I have to say!!! What started out with a definite 'January/February Funk' got kicked (ie up the arse) into touch by my Deerest Suzi. I've been to Dartmoor, my Highlands twice, done a sweatlodge (no words amazing), had wonderful times with Elen Clan, made over 100 sets of Malas (didn't see that coming lol), joined the 'Singing over the Bones' writing course and generally had a very busy but great year.

As always, this time of year gets me a thinking.....what areas in my life do I wish to be rid of? What things do I wish to improve? And what new things do I want to get out there???

My Blog is always a bit of a grey area....I always have the best intentions but never the discipline *hangs head in shame*. So here's me pledging to try again!

I want to post my 'Singing Over the Bones' Journalling/Writing here.....I want to do regular postings about my 'Magical Malas'.....share more Elen musings....and eventually share images and in-depth posting from the 'Oracle of the Antlered Road'.

I cannot promise that my writing will be great, but it will be passionate. 

I cannot promise it will be grammatically correct, but I write quickly when enthused.

And often my tablet or phone causes me to spell badly, you have been warned :) 

So hopefully, if you can over look those couple of foibles then my blogging of 2015 might be of interest.

So I raise a glass (actually its a piece of ice) to 2014, I say a massive thank you to all you've given me and mine. 

2015 I'm coming to getcha!!!!  

Walking the Antlered Road

Walking the Antlered Road

By Mother Earth

And Father Sky.

By Raging Waters

And Mountain High.

By Ancient Landscape

And Ancestral Birth.

By Blood and Bones

And Clan Fire Hearth.

By Wolf Packs Song

And Owls' Silent Wing.

By Deer Trodden path

And Crows' Raucous Ding.

I Walk The Antlered Road, 

Strong and True.

With Respect For Me and Respect for All of You.

Today I have purchased my new website name and domain. A further commitment to My Path and Journey along The Antlered Road. Its all very exciting!!! Nothing there at the mo...but there will be soon. Its a Road for my artwork, my workshops and retreats, my word weaving and my Elen Priestess-ing. Watch the Journey unfold! 

www.theantleredroad.co.uk