A Sister Circle for Beltane
Walking in it's strange to be in a primary school, a once familiar setting now so alien. I turn right, enter the hall and it's a primary school no more. A beautiful alter creates a a focal point in the centre of the room, the space is ready for the start of a sister circle for Beltane (also now known as May Day). I'm greeted by Anna, who I met at the Imbolc circle she facilitated, and asked if I want to be smudged to which I answer yes. I have somewhere along this journey towards an authentic life become able to embrace what I would have found uncomfortable before.
I unpack my bag. Firstly, taking out and unrolling my yoga mat (my daughter's yoga mat as yoga is not something I do), place my journal and pen next to me and sit crossed-legged on my mat with my blanket covering my feet. Anna goes around the circle, with the invitation for people to pick a card, I guess it's a set of oracle cards. By mistake I take three instead of one! Embracing Change, The Power of Support and Grace. So apt.
Others settle around me, there's a little bit of chat but already a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. Anna opens the circle. We pass a crystal around, say our name and how we are feeling/why we are here if we want to. I then spend an hour on my own, but with others. Some time for me but held in a space with other people. It's a chance to pause and be in the moment, though I can't stop thinking of the chocolate placed on a plate near me - waiting for the end of the circle to be eaten! The circle is a chance to notice the changing seasons and this mid-way point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. It's an antidote to the predominant culture of busily travelling through life.
There's breathwork and gentle seated stretching. It feels good to slow down and also to move in this way. My body lets go of tension and relaxes. We are given journal questions to respond to. I write in my journal with the light of a flickering candle. We are invited to set intentions from our journaling and write them on the pink ribbons laid beside us. I'm definitely influenced by the cards I picked and in tune with what I need as I write: Accept and embrace change on one card, live from a place of ease on another and move towards joy on a third.
The circle continues with meditation and yoga nidra. I can not exactly recall the order, which shows how relaxed I became. Yoga nidra simply involves lying under a blanket following Anna's voice, being guided to focus on different parts of the body, then to visualise different images. No downward dog here! In fact the whole circle is spent sitting or lying down - bliss!
As the circle ends we eat the chocolate (plant-based, made by Anna and in the shape of a heart) and think of our intentions. What's not to love? The circle closes, I leave the school hall and I'm back in a primary school and back to my 'real' life though fully relaxed and ready for my bed!
The next day, I stand in front of the little hawthorn tree in my garden. I give it an offering of seeds as I promise allegiance to the Earth. One by one I tie my three ribbons onto the tree asking for love and healing and laying down the foundations of my intentions. This traditional act of tying ribbon to hawthorn connects me to the past and opens up a direction for my future.
If you want more information about the sister circles facilitated by Anna you can click here.
You might also like to read: A Modern Day Pilgrimage for Imbolc.
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