i have had to take an extended break from my laptop as my bout of bruxus continued through most of last week, its only the last few days that i have really been back to 'normal' and felt able to fire up the laptop again.
i am so glad it has passed because sunday was the
gorsedd of cor gawr midwinter gathering at stonehenge
the gorsedd has been meeting at stonehenge since the 1990's for rituals the dawn on midsummer's...
day and again on the sunday before the winter solstice at around sunset...
a group of us met up in the main car park and waited until the site was closed to the public and then following the sound of a drum we all made our way onto the site where we waited just outside the huge outer circle of saren stones before walking in one by one, being smudged as we stood under the trilithon.
we all then walked around the huge inner stone gates and ring of bluestones where we found a place to stand.
swampy and i chose to stand by the two remaining bluestones that are just inside from the sarsens we walked in through, directly opposite the alter stone...i found this picture of the exact stone on wikipedia...
the space we walked through is the central one here and i spent the entire ritual connected to the rounder of the two bluestones here.
the stone in the distance on the right is the heel stone (research suggests there were two of them) which shows the point of the mid-summer sunrise.
i love this photo as it shows the waning moon slightly to the left of where i was standing with 'my' bluestone.
this was a very special time for, not only was it my first trip to the stones in 28 years-during which time the opportunity to get up close and personal with the stones became all but impossible but un-beknown to me at one point there was the opportunity to choose to be initiated as a bard of the gorsedd of cor gawr.
when it was announced about an hour into the ritual that initiation into the gorsedd was going to happen i thought it might have been for people who had been previously selected to undertake initiation but i was soon aware it was for anyone there.
when those who wished it were invited to form a ring around the great bush of mistletoe hanging from a tripod in the centre of the circle it was as if something took over my feet, in fact i don't even really remember the feeling of physically 'walking' up to the mistletoe...its as if my body was just 'transported' and i joined the group of about 20 people who all then turned to face outwards and joined hands and recited three times the dedication....
*there are various translation options for cor gawr, one being 'giants dance' which i think is most perfect*
2 comments:
I am very envious of your trip amongst the stones.... I think it criminal that worshipful access is so difficult to achieve... I look forward to witnessing how your initiation progresses for you! Hope you have a lovely Solstice!
oh wow! that sounds so fabulous! happy solstice blessings to you, i'm so glad you are feeling better.
love & blessings
~*~
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