Saturday was a rough day. It started out fine visiting Jack and Kim at their campsite farther back in the woods, talking with Steve. He asked me to call a direction in the pre-AGM ritual (Annual General Meeting). I chose fire. Before the meeting I put my long red underwear on, and my red dress/robe over that. I focused on the transforming aspects of fire, the burning away of the dross to leave the pure gold of spirit, of our higher selves.
At the meeting Elizabeth invoked the circle. We called the quarters by using the CAW mudras and saying the element and a related word to focus specific energy, that is except for air. Morgan called air using a longer invocation. I invoked fire, transform; Jack called water, Love; and Amy called earth, Ground. Then Conrad, Elizabeth, Steve, and Elle performed an escalating argument over Conrad being too tall. They would stop and sing "Water Shared is Life Shared", then argue with increased intensity. This went through several rounds. They fell to the sand of the fire pit and dance area saying, "demons out", named different ones, anger, ego, pride, self-righteousness. "Gaia, mother take it and transform it." Then they pledged to hold silent in the meeting and not to speak but to hold the energy.
Steve had a proposal to present on the behalf of Oberon as well as a letter by Orion to read so he could not be silent. He transferred the energy of it to Kim, though, and she held it for him. They sat for nearly 5 hours silent and holding it. There were times when the energy became angry and contentious and they moved to the sand again and laying down spread out pressed to the earth and everyone quieted down again.
Steve read Oberon's proposal, which was to revoke a BoD action but there was no support for it. After lengthy discussion and counter-proposals he withdrew his proposal so we didn't have to vote. Riverheart said she would challenge any proxies that were not written and signed as she was unable to have her proxy voted in one of the elections because she had not provided a written proxy. But since we didn't need to vote it didn't become an issue.
Candy was handling the voting and tallying. She announced the results and people did happy dances. I was delighted when Kris won even though there were only write in candidates against her as I think she is needed right now on the BoD. Candy called me up to do a happy dance for her since I whooped when she announced it. So I did. Later Aeona came up and told me that it was the best happy dance she has seen in quite a while.
Maerian and Jeanne flew in for the meeting. It was a total surprise to everyone. It was a hard, strenuous, painful, heart-wrenching experience but necessary, I think. They needed to be heard and we needed to hear them but some got insulted and hurt in the process. They spoke for a long time. Finally they spoke about their A list of items that they needed to have before they left. And the new BoD was able to give them some assurances on those items. They felt that with previous problems that came up they didn't get the matters dealt with so why should they believe that it would be dealt with now. I stood up and said because it was brought before the membership and we would keep an eye on it to see that it was followed up on.
Steve read the letter that Orion had sent and it was equally painful. He spoke of what he had done for the community, the work he did, the festivals he led, the nests he visited, and this in response to comments by members implying that he didn't do much as a priest or at least questioning it. It was an impressive list both in the past and recently. His pain over the many political issues that he has had to deal with through the years and continuing this year was quite evident. It made me cry. I hope that he can hang in there and find the joy in our community again but I wonder.
When we finally adjourned I felt that I had been through the ringer. I can only imagine how the principle parties felt.
Later Tina showed me the lovely necklace she had made for the auction. She put it on me and said she wanted to gift me with it and was thinking about making something else for the auction. It was very sweet of her to want to. I told her to put it in the auction - it would bring money to help Green Egg.
I got stoned with one of the people there but I felt kind of ill, light-headed and my heart beat too fast. I got up and moved away. I was also having body distortions that were rather trippy. I went to Jack and Kim's for a while, knowing that I would be safe with them.
There was a handfasting as well that evening. Raven worked to banish the energies left by the pain and contentiousness at the AGM from the space before the circle was drawn. Little bottles of bubble soap were passed out and we blew little bubbles around the circle. Sparklers were used for lighting the candles. People spoke at some length before lighting the candles, which allowed the sparklers to go out necessitating the use of a lighter. After the first one went out though one would have thought that the others would have paced it better or at least lit the candle and then talked:) Conrad's lasted though. Leave it to the actor to time it right (grin). Elizabeth's also went out but with simple improvisation she lit the wire of the sparkler in the fire and lit the candle with that. Ronn invoked the God into Jim and the Goddess into Candy for the sacred marriage. Candy wore a white bustier and skirt. She was beautiful. Jim looked quite handsome, in purple I think it was. It was getting darker under the tarp and my color sight isn't that good when it gets dusky. They exchanged vows. It was very lovely. And it brought us together as a community. I feel that this is one of the joys of a tribe, to share the passages of life, to celebrate our handfastings and pleasures, birthdays and anniversaries, and the times when we are strong together. We already share enough of the pain. I was glad for the opportunity to share their love and joy.
I was very tired and drained and went to bed early. I fell asleep right away with earplugs in but woke up only two hours later and had to pump up the mattress. Then I couldn't get back to sleep for three hours. I woke again at 6:30 am this morning. I am feeling very low energy today.
Today I sat at the campfire with Tina and Callista, the new treasurer, and talked. I had a good talk with Aeona too. She has decided after taking a year and a day sabbatical from StarSpring Nest to go ahead and leave it. But we are ok about it. She was also spreading the Bonobo Butt Rub as a meme.
I asked Ronn if he would invoke the God in the healing ritual I am facilitating tonight. Since he and I had such serious conflict it makes sense to me to find a way past it and heal our own part and this is a way to model that, to put that energy into the ritual.
Copyright © 2001 Kyril Oakwind