Twelve Apostles stone circle

In September the moors will still bear their crown of heather, veiled in autumn mists and the promise of gold. The moors around Ilkley are my heart’s home, a place that is, for me, unlike any other. At Solstice Steve, Stuart and I shared a magical day there, working in and with the landscape that bears the traces of our ancient past and the idea was born that we, the Silent Eye, could run a small, intimate workshop there with those who also feel drawn to the life of the land and the moors.

From that initial idea the Harvest of Being was born and we invite you to join us in September for an informal, magical weekend in the heart of Yorkshire.

We will meet for dinner in the Cow and Calf Hotel, a cosy inn high on the edge of the moors on Friday 12th September and over the next two days will explore our common spiritual journey as it is echoed in the landscape itself. There will be no formal lectures, just a shared exploration and a response to what we find in ourselves and the land as we visit sites both in the town and on the moors, linking them to aspects of our journey through life:

The river Wharfe at Ilkley

The stepping stones across the Wharfe that mark the points of progress as we face our fears, learning consideration and discrimination in the fast flowing waters of experience.

The church that for a thousand years has been a place of Christian worship. It stands on the site of the old Roman fort of Olicana and houses Saxon crosses and Roman altars. Faith and continuity… the imposition of external forces… the inner seeking for the light; these are some of the themes we might explore here.

The river that runs through the town, a silver streak of wild water in a place constructed to respond to the needs of everyday life.

Sunset at the Cow and Calf

We will walk the moors themselves, finding a deeper connection in the high places to the roots of our being:

The Cow and Calf rocks, a place of safety and shelter for our ancestors with the ancient quarry behind where arcane carvings still guard their mysteries. Here we will greet the dawn and invite you to join us to watch the sun rise over the hills and flood the Dale with light.

Dawn on the Cow and Calf rocks

The cairnfields and carved stones of the Green Crag necropolis, a liminal place where life meets death as the wheel turns.

The falls and healing spring of White Wells, where the water is born from the earth.

The silent stones of the Twelve Apostles circle on the high moor where we will share a moment of communion, out of time and far from the world.

Please join us, if you can, for this informal gathering as the year turns.

To reserve a place and for further information please contact us at rivingtide@gmail.com

Morning mists near Backstone Circle

When: 12-14 September, 2014.

Where: Ilkley, West Yorkshire.

To keep the admin to a minimum, accommodation will need to be booked by the attendees, who may choose their own hotels. We will be based at the Cow and Calf Hotel, which is on the edge of Ilkley Moor itself.

Please bring clothing and footwear suitable for walking in the hills in an English September. Please be aware that although we will not be walking huge distances many of the paths are uphill tracks through the heather and can be wet.

Meals are not provided and we will use local services as appropriate.

The workshop price for the weekend will be £50.00 payable either on arrival, or via PayPal using steve.tanham@googlemail.com (not gmail). All other services are the responsibility of the attendees.

If you would like to join us you will need to book your own room at the Cow and Calf, or another hotel or B+B in the Ilkley area. The Cow and Calf phone number for bookings is +44 (0) 8451 551551.

The website for the Cow and Calf is http://www.vintageinn.co.uk/thecowandcalfilkley/

Sunrise on the moors