“O light shine down on me
You know what I need
Shine down on me
Shine down on the garden
Sweet earth alive under me
You know what I need
Cradle me like a seed
As I lay in the garden
O wise and beautiful tree
Standing high over me
Oh the things you have seen
Tell me your story in the garden
Tell it to me in the garden”
– Ruth Moody
Greetings one and all, from your faithful friends here at Sirius!
Oh how the time flies by when you’re having fun! Days have turned into weeks, and the dull browns of winter have suddenly burst into full-on greens and golds of all hues. We start each day off with a smile on our lips, and retire in the evening, souls full to the brim with pure light and joy.
In the previous blog post, I described the lovely and quirky qualities of each intern. Gillian was our newest arrival then, and now deserves their own complete introduction, so here goes! We are ever so lucky to have them in our midst, as their grounded energy and enthusiasm make them a valuable asset! They also bring so much joy and silliness to the group, and always have a captivating fact or theory up their sleeve to whip out at the perfect moment.
We have also been blessed with the presence of another new intern! Natalia brings a special spark of gentle enthusiasm and curiosity to our group, and always has a beautiful smile on her face. She’s ready to dive right into all the wonderful and silly experiences we find ourselves in around here. We are so happy to welcome her to Sirius!
Our days remain full of good, honest work. The weather is getting warmer by drastic degrees, which means bare feet, lots of sunscreen and bug repellent. If we’re lucky, we may even snag a minute here and there to go jump in the pond – a cold, refreshing dip that enlivens our bodies as well as our hearts. One of our joyful productivity activities this month was to dredge the fallen leaves out of the pond, which was a task that required much grit. The day we started, the temperature was sweltering and we had to collect and haul loads of heavy, sodden leaves to the compost pile. Yet though the day was hot and the work taxing, we laughed and cheered each other on, and even stopped to say hello to a dear little salamander friend.
Another project that we recently tackled is moving a big stone dipping bowl that Llani has been working on sanding out. Pictured below, you’ll see it getting moved up the hill to the stone circle to be used by those who wish to rinse their hands in ritual upon entering. First, we had to leverage the stone up onto a wooden sled, a step that took all the group effort we could muster. After towing it up the hill with the tractor we each took a minute or two to visualize the best placement for the dipping bowl, following our feet to the spot that felt right to kneel down and let the water flow between our fingertips. The place felt pretty intuitive to all of us, and we soon found ourselves creating a rock platform for the dipping bowl to rest on. With all of our strength, we pushed it off the sled and onto the rocks, adjusting it as necessary. In the end, it simply clicked into place, and the only thing left to do was to fill it with water and have a moment of intention and gratitude.
Aside from moving stone dipping bowls, pond dredging, and a handful of other miscellaneous tasks, most of our work this month has been gardening. As we plant, weed and harvest, we engage one another in soul nourishing conversation. We discuss dreams, process our thoughts and emotions through exchanging viewpoints and validation, and offer the gift of vulnerability. Sometimes, we are so deep in conversation that we look at our watches, shocked that it’s time (or even well passed time!) to pick up and be done for the day.
We have recently said goodbye for now to Tim, who will be venturing off into the world. We will miss his presence dearly, and we are also excited for all the new and wonderful experiences coming his way! Thank you, Tim, for all of the in-depth conversations, new points of view, and for your ever-peaceful energy – we are wishing the best for you, and look forward to a visit or two from you in the coming months!
As spring is slowly turning towards summer we are settling into the daily rhythms of life here, taking root in our new home just as a seedling would. We are finding ourselves more and more a part of the community and the land here. A part of the trees, the flowers, the bright sunshine and the glittering stars above. A part of the wild furry creatures and the warbling birds, and the warm soil beneath our bare toes. We bask in the sunshine, and laugh ourselves silly amongst the baby plants that will one day nourish our bodies, allowing us to venture out into this beautiful, magical world each and every day.
We are ever so grateful to be here. Here in the garden.
Love and light,
Faith
