We got up this morning at 3 am to help with the initiatory experience of a nest mate, Phoenix. Even Tom got up. We had breakfast and got dressed. I emailed my friend then went out. Tom was helping her put on the mountain climber's harness that she had rented. A picnic table was moved under the tree so they could stand on it to tie the ropes on that were hanging from the tree since last night. She had three metal loops to tie ropes to, one on each side of her waist, and one low on the back. Once she was tied they moved the table out from under her and she reversed herself to hang upside down. We sat by the fire outside of the circle created by the 7 altars around the tree but still within the circle we had put up the night before. Personally I prefer tighter circles but Druids don't even draw circles so a loose circle seems to be a good compromise position, to me. We hung Phoenix about an hour before sunrise and took her down at sunrise. In between we took turns sitting with her, near her so that if she needed help or developed a problem we would be immediately available.
For a time I danced around the fire humming softly. I didn't want to pattern her experience with our rhythms or chants but to let her do what she needed by going within. I wove the energies of Venus and Jupiter, so close in the sky as they move into their conjunction later today, and the energies of the full moon, hanging in the sky as it began to set, with my dance and held the energy for her experience, for her safety, for the beauty of the day, and time, and place, and those who were with us. After a while I went and took my turn sitting with her, keeping an eye on her as she moved to see that she was doing ok. She would hang in the hanged man position by resting one leg against one of the ropes and bending the other leg. Then after a time she would shift and be in the hanged man position but with the other leg upright this time. And I was conscious of holding the energy while I sat there in a kind of nurturing space but not actively helping her so she could do this on her own. It was clear to me that Phoenix was very uncomfortable at times, perhaps in pain, but managing it and not in danger, so I continued to wait.
Finally at sunrise I told her that she was suspended between sky and earth, between the energies of the Sun and Moon, at the threshold place. She could let go of the things of the past and stand at the brink of the future. The ultimate place of balance, poised at the center of magick. Then we brought her back down, untied her, and she lay on a comforter on the ground while her circulation returned to normal and the blood stopped pooling in her head and face. It took her a long time to become grounded again. We chanted om for a bit, and talked with her when she seemed to desire it.
Later she went into the house and changed clothes, dressing in a white translucent dress, pink belly dancer's scarf with jingly pieces on it, and returned to receive her blessings and gifts. She had arranged to get her amber necklace restrung with a new pendant to represent this new level and had asked me to put it on her as she knelt before me, one woman who has already come into her power to one newly doing so. I clasped the necklace around her neck, kissed her, and blessed her. Another put on her tiara, another a bracelet. And then she shared water with each of us individually. I had not realized this was going to be a part of it until we were discussing it last week. I am very careful about taking on watersiblings because it means a great deal to me, and it is a deep, life-time commitment to family and friendship. So I thought about it deeply before deciding that this was indeed a commitment I could make with her and take joy in. I asked Tom about it too, knowing how much more careful he is about it but he said he was fine with it. And so I have a new watersister now, in a deeper level of watersharing than the group level. What a joy to have!
Tom and I gave her the gifts we had for her, an apple wand blank (branch Tom took the bark off and sanded partially preparing it but left her to cut to length and finish as her own tool), a faery on rose quartz to represent for her the bliss and magick that she desires. One person read a poem for her, another gave her a scarf that represents the connection between them spiritually. And she gave to each of us 7 amber beads that had been left out of the amber necklace she has been wearing these last 10 years in circle, when it was restrung. And she gave Tom a box of dark chocolate to thank him for getting up so early for her. I got a strange and lovely clear crystal-looking candle, with faery sparkles in it. Each of us received something special.
After a group hug we finally closed the circle, carried things back to the house, and went in to relax. Linda read some of her poetry so I read some of mine as well. The whole experience was a powerful one for us all, I think. There is something about coming together in this way to provide this experience and to support one of our nest members that is a very growing closer experience as is the watersharing on this level. And the gifting and even poetry sharing seems to all fit in.
With gratitude to Phoenix who gave me her permission to put this up (after all it was about her personal experience:)
Copyright © 2001 Kyril Oakwind