With a lot to prepare and a lot to pack, Kitty.in.a.Van knew that something was a foot. Determined that she was not to be left behind again she stowed herself away believing that she wouldn’t be found until it was too late. No such luck Kitty, sorry but you can not join me on this trip.
Life had become increasingly hectic, almost overwhelming with the quantity of “to do’s” on the list and the ever increasing sense of time dwindling into none, it felt like I had been working to the wire for weeks. I knew that once I arrived in Stroud I could drop that load, take a deep breath and focus only on the task in front of me. I was not disappointed, although the drive there tried to thwart me. Traffic had come to a standstill with in a mile of entering the motorway, but switched the engine off to keep her cool in the rising temperature, enjoyed the sun streaming in through the windows and was stocked with plenty of water. A golden opportunity for some much needed silent sitting meditation time. Half an hour later we were off again. Other than a bit of a back up due to road works at the M5/M4 interchange, it was a pleasant sunny drive.
Minchinhampton sits at the top of the Cotswold Downs, surrounded by open common land, stunning views and big, big skies. Arriving at Heartshore in the late afternoon, early evening the sun had lost its intensity and gifted us a beautiful balmy evening. My entire being felt like it took a deep relieving breath in and release all of the stress and tension I had been holding, the moment I parked up the van and turned off the ignition.
Dawn and I sat on the tack room veranda soaking up the evening warmth and the big sky vista, watching the ravens swooping and diving in their courtship dance and horses happily grazing in the buttercup meadow. We discuss our plans for the weekend and share our happenings since we last met at the Mammoth Dreaming. Then it is time for Dawn spend time with her daughter and grandson whilst I pitch the tent and make camp, late dinner and off to bed tired and very happy.
What a beautiful place to wake up, all be it to an alarm clock. A peaceful morning lying in bed watching the horses and the ravens, with Trevor’s morning melody muffled with in the hen house. It feels good to be finally using the bell tent for the making sessions as this was the purpose for which she was purchased, and with an heatwave forecast for the duration it will be the perfect place to lace the drums and still have connection with the herd.
Our first day starts with a sharing circle, putting down the foundation for the weekend ahead and bringing our energies into this sacred circle container with a brief introduction of self, our piece for the altar and a discussion around formulating our intents for the work ahead and our on going journey with the drum that we are bringing into being.
Dawn shared with us that a rift has formed in the herd as they have spent several weeks split in two whilst grazing conservation land and returned to find a pair of new comers to add to the mix. This of course will be an energy that is mirrored amongst the herd of humans that have been drawn to gather at this weekend to transition this herd of Red Deer spirits into drums with the aid of the magic of the Heartshore Empowered Herd of Horses. Three herds, three fractures and three days, let the magic of the reweaving begin.
We grounded with a guided visualisation before heading outside to learn how to body scan in preparation to meet the herd and connect with the equine individual who was prepared to work with us. After time with the herd each participant was invited to share their experience and name the two horses they had felt the strongest connection with. Each on in turn was then invited to draw a rune from my rune pouch to give them a flavour of the energies working with them at this time. This also enabled Dawn to assess which of the two horses they had felt drawn to, would work best with them. This process allowed for the fact that some would be drawn to the same horses.
After lunch we journeyed with the spirit of Oak, the wood used to make the frame upon which the skins would be laced, before taking the hoops out to the herd and their allocated horse to continue deepening their connections and gathering the various energies coming together in each drum. Whilst with the horses I gentled played the drum from the herd of Red Deer skins I had made as the demo for this workshop, “White Cloud”.
Time for a bit of hoop decorating and waxing during tea break before learning how to halter their horse for the skin choosing ceremony. Each participant leads their horse to a part of the meadow where the skins are laid out in an arc and allow their horse to show them which skin is for them. It amazes me each time we do this how particular each horse is and how definite they are in decided which skin they want and which they don’t. This is the beauty and the magic of this work that I love so much, awe inspiring and humbling.
Thats a wrap for day one, once their skins are left to soak. A full day, an intense day, a good day. With a plethora of synchronicities the energy is flowing well.
Dawn and I sit and prep for day two and appraise day one before feeding the horses and putting the chicken to bed. Oh and don’t forget the goats.
Day two and the morning starts with a cock, a doodle and a do.
Swallows and crows dance with the morning air
Whilst magpies squabble with the hens.
Herd dynamics are shifting and changing
A new order is being established.
Everywhere is sound and song
Everywhere is colour and hue
Everywhere is stillness in blue
Fresh, crisp breeze gives promise of breath
Not yet heated by the gathering sun.
Rooks scan the floral line
All manner of corvids beat in time
But the ravens must wait their turn.
Talking of cock a doodles, it’s probably time that I introduce Trevor. Trevor is the little Big Man of Heartshore, little in stature but gives it large with attitude. Whilst I gallantly let the hens out in the mornings, fed them and put them to bed at night, Trevor had an issue with me. It could have been because Big Red, his lady wife and twice his size, was more interested in me and my van than Trevor or just that Trevor was Trevor and Trevor has an attitude. Meet Trevor……
Today is the big day as the skins and the hoops are laced together finalising their transition into a new form, a new being, that is DRUM. We start with a journey to meet with the spirit of the Red Deer and then go straight into the bell tent to begin the lacing and the process of transformation. after a couple of hours labour we can take a break for lunch and some time with the horses before going back into the labour tent to finish lacing the handles and completing the birthing of their drums. Beautiful work was done this day and all should be proud of the work they did, there was a lot of holding and a lot of releasing done and by the end of the day the fractures in the herd were closing, they had found each other again and were re-bonding. As friendships within the herd were rekindling we lit a ceremonial fire and drummed to celebrate the birth of our new beings, releasing the old and welcoming in the new. The close of another full, intense, heart warming, healing and successful day.
Our final day, Sunday, a slowly gather it all in day. One last act of creation, one last act of gratitude and one last ceremonial rite of passage. this day is the day we craft the beat finder, the bridge from human heart to heart of the drum, the heart beater. A chance then to offer deep gratitude to our horses, spending time with them and the newly birth Red Deer Drums in grooming gratitudes, allowing this opportunity of tender deepening to take us into that liminal space and connect in with the spirit of our drums completing this medicine journey.
And finally the name ceremony, where each drum wearing its own medicine bundle is gifted their name in the presence of their horse guide and presents itself and the medicine it brings to its birther.
I feel truly blessed in do this work and am hugely grateful to work with Dawn and this empowered herd of horses, this is my happy place.
Coming to Heartshore this weekend to birth a medicine drum with Dawn and Louisa was beyond every expectation. It has been powerful, poignant and very profound.
For three days we were journey, working with the herd of horses and the energies of the skins for the drums and the oaks for the rings
Integrating all these beautiful energies and lessons, that we received over the weekend have been hugely important for me. I was blown away by the attention to detail that both Dawn and Louisa went into with us. Working with an empowered heard Of horses was incredibly special. I’m sure there is a lot to still understand as I move forward in the days and weeks coming,
This is a life changing event, and that is just The time you spend in birthing the drum. The power of which will unfold as I get to send the frequencies out into the world through my drum I created.
Best regards BB
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