The Silent Eye and De Magische Bongerd

There are photos… a fair few of them. Many, sadly, too grainy to post…which is a crying shame. Some I wouldn’t dare post without permission. I even forgot to take one of the cake when it was lit, but I had, at least, had the forethought to do so before I packed it for transport… because, of course, it was our birthday. We are One.

We are One

Technically, not till today, a year on from our birthing on that hillside and there was a year of work before that… but it was our ‘official’ birthday last weekend. And that is pretty mindblowing for it has been a year that has seen the Silent Eye spread its wings and fly. We have students on four continents, a body of work and a number of books, a course of study that is changing perspectives and lives, a series of talks this year in Glastonbury… and much more in the planning.

Three as One – the Triad and friends

We had come together for a weekend workshop, with friends from across the years and across the world as we welcomed the Companions who would share our first birthday with us. The artist Benjamin Prewitt came from the States, along with our beautiful Nephthys, Jordis. The dearest of old friends came down from the wild north of Scotland, old friends first met on another weekend workshop in Tintagel with the Servants of the Light came from Dublin and Newcastle with their dogs, and Alienora, Morgana and Chris came up from Somerset. Dominic came over from the continent, as well as Debora and Michiel from De Magische Bongerd (The Magic Orchard)… and so many more from across the country! These are people we see all too seldom, and sadly, never get to spend enough time with. I would happily sit down and spend the whole weekend just talking, but with a total of seven rituals and five talks… there simply is never enough time and between rituals some of us seem to be running around like demented chickens. But that’s okay. It is worth it!

Our lovely Nephthys

Some were with us last year, some we have known for years. Others were brand new, never having attended anything like this… all seemed to fit together beautifully and the abiding memory once again is of laughter… much of it in the old Queen Anne next door to the centre, of course, or in the conservatory where we had been treated to chocolate and strawberries by a man who evidently understands the needs of the aforementioned manic fowl and her cohorts.

Smiles and chocolate in the conservatory

As the final rituals were completed the cameras came out again… we do not take photographs in ritual, of course. There was a sadness to come with the partings, but for now there were smiles that speak volumes, laughter and hugs. There was to be cake too…

Sisters in Light

In a weekend that was a delight on many levels, one of the things that struck me most came right at the very end. At all other workshops I have attended, there has always been a mass exodus where the vast majority of people, many with very long journeys ahead, are packed and ready to go as soon as the weekend is over. Not so this time, as everyone congregated in the sunshine and the clock ticked on unnoticed as people talked, laughed and continued to glow in the alchemical light of friendship and a shared adventure. If anything were needed to convince me that the weekend was a success it was this… for people are more important than anything else… and these people were smiling.

Something feral in the doorway…