Dwelling in The Woods, Silent Retreat with Harmony

This Blog dedicated to the Songs of Yusef Cat Stevens Islam

Day One.....

 Arrived one hour early to The Dwelling in the Woods.  No surprise there as 1. I'm always early and 2.  Google Maps didn't give me an accurate time of arrival...  Along the way I was given, shown, honored, overwhelmed and titillated to see soaring above the road in my direction a HUGE eagle!  I did scramble the best I could to grab my camera while driving to get a picture but alas, it was not to be.  I got the meaning though!  Soooooo, arrived and greeted the owner and of course bought some chatski's  while waiting for Harmony to arrive.  In drives Harmony and away we go...to the wonderful Octagon Dwelling.

On a side note here, I have been doing some research on all the Mother of Teresa's and one in particular....Mother Teresa of Avila who I might add was also know as St. Teresa of Jesus.  What does this have to do with this Silent Retreat you may add?  St. Teresa is best known for her "Devotions of Silence".  So interesting that I had been researching her and boom, I'm on a Silence Retreat.  So things kind of come together Serendipitously.  She was also a reader of Mystic texts.....wink wink.

We finally all arrived and got our rooms situated and then shared a meal and then began by going over the guidelines for the weekend.  Did some meditation exercises and had an all about good time giggling at the childlike wonder of Dana and the Rain Sticks.

Harmony even worked on me prior to Dana's arrival as I had and have a tooth that is bothering me big time but I wouldn't let that prevent me from attending.

We went for a lovely walk along the trails and got some much needed fresh air and good vibrations outside.  When all was done, Harmony and Dana went to there rooms to either a. sleep or b. meditate on the weekend.  I'm not sure as I ran outside to partake in my evil habit and take some FABULOUS shots of the moon.... I'm being followed by a Moon Shadow, Moon Shadow, Moon Shadow...

Off I went to bed....early for me at 11 p.m.


Day Deux

 Morning has broken, like the first morning........Blackbird has spoken.....

Day Two.....Complete Silence....

 For most people this would be hard to do...not me.  I love it.  I have sought it out all my life when I've needed to recharge after an over stimulating world.  So.......on to day two....

 6:30 a.m.  Woke up with anticipation.  Quickly looked out the window to see if I could see the sun rising....alas no...So I quickly got dressed and took my camera with me..(it's attached at the hip).  I walked to the end of the driveway into the road.  Facing East I caught the shimmer of the deep pink rising sun in the distance.  I stood there for 10 minutes greeting the spirit of the East as it's morning rays began to rise up and begin a new day of hope.  I then walked back to our cottage as the snow gently began falling.  Just a light powdering falling.  The air fresh and clean in my lungs until of course I got to the cottage and had to have a smoke before going in.  (surprisingly I smoked 1 pack in 3 days)

7:00 a.m.

Came inside and prepared  a fresh pot of coffee for my other soul sista's asleep upstairs.  Then I ate a wonderful bowl of oatmeal.   NUM NUM for the TUM TUM.

I then proceeded to walk around the cottage and landed in the one of the little libraries and was looking at the books when boom....a book jumped out at me....You guessed it.....Mother Teresa, No Greater Love.  Well seen as I've been researching all St. Theresa's in my book she counts as one and I proceeded to grab the book and start reading.

Sat outside on the stoop wrapped in my blanket and of course had to have a smoke and it was most quiet...  Whats that?  Then I hear, knock, knock, knock, knock.  I'm looking around for the source of the sound and over in the distance on a branch high up was a wood pecker.  I'm wondering what this is about...so I tuned in further...and it must have been his favorite tree as he was most diligently pecking away at it.

It reminds me of Morse code and although I was never a boy scout and did not understand the exact message coming through, I felt in my heart and soul that it was for me.  This was confirmation was confirmed when he sent a vision into my brain case...  Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail popped into my head.  As the Knights are reaching the cross bridge they are met by a very old man in raggedy diaper britches, with a sly grin upon his face.  I think this "man" is God.  Yes, in one of his many disguises to throw you off his trail.  He gets his message across one way or another...and I think he is a comedian....one word.....Platypus.

I walk to the bridge and the questions are put before me.......

WHAT is your Quest?
 WHAT do you Seek?

 Although he was most gracious and didn't ask me what the high speed velocity of an Eagle holding two coconuts was......Thank You...  Again, comedian.

 So, throughout the day these two questions have been running through my head.

 WHAT is your Quest?
 WHAT do you Seek?

I'm seriously starting to question those Wood Peckers now.

At 9:30 a.m. Harmony gently knocks on my door and hands me a book with a page marked with a little note.  The book....Mother Earth Spirituality marked at The Sweat Lodge Ceremony.  The note; "for your sweat if you want to read it" .  Well, I have been having the urge for about 6 months or more to do a Sweat Lodge and lo and behold, The Dwelling has an outdoor SAUNA!

Well after reading this chapter I quickly grabbed the items I needed, threw on my shorts and sweat pants and merrily walked on down to the Sauna..  It takes about 40 minutes for the ice cold room to get to temperature once you make a fine fire.  I'm good at making fire and it helps when they have the neatest starting materials.  Little paper egg carton cups with paraffin in them.  Makes life much easier.

So as I wait for the room to heat up, I walk up to the main house with the bucket and get some water and go back down to the sauna.  Put some offers out and prepared to enter the dark, warm, womb of the Mother.  I also grabbed a pine branch to bring in with me along with my gift from Harmony of a sage/mullein bundle and my tobacco and sage from home.  Dropped down to my skives aka shorts, grabbed everything and walked inside.

Dropped some water on those hot rocks and SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH the steam begins....I place the wet pine branch on the rocks along with my sage/mullein bundle and can smell the sweet smell of mullein and lavender and sage with a touch of pine.  Sat in there for a good 20 minutes, threw more wood in the stove and stepped out for a cool off in the snow.  

Went back in again for round two and by the time the next 20 minutes was up the temp in the room was a hot, steamy 130 degrees so out I came for another cool down in the snow and a quick drink of water...You can see the steam coming off me.

Yes, I look miserable but went back in for a third round!  The toxins were pouring out of me and I definitely needed it.  I have learned one thing....pictures inside the sauna are not that good...

but the benefits of this purification are fabulous....as you can tell by the happy grin as I completed round 4.......

 One last snow bath and into the hut I went to put my shirt on...but I walked back to the cottage in my shorts and t-shirt carrying my coat as it felt wonderful...  Went into the cottage where I saw Dana sitting on the couch doing some reading and with eye and hand gestures told her to go to the sauna!  I realise I have been at the sauna for a little over 2 hours now and the need to shower is great.....Sweaty toxins need to go bye bye.  Jumped into the shower and just let it go down the drain...

Ah, refreshed and reinvigorated....  Got dressed and proceeded  to go down for lunch.  A fabulous meal prepared by the Ladies at the Dwelling.  The Food Is FABULOUS!  Although my IBS is not used to such good, natural meals and did some complaining.  I went and took a two hour nap.

Upon waking I found that the others had gone for a walk in the woods.  I dressed and went my own way out into the wilderness.  It is a wonderment as to the beauty that surrounds us in the natural world.  The sun setting in the west with brilliant colors, trees all around,tall, majestic beings guarding, encouraging and showing the way.  No hurry they whisper, one step at a time, stop to take it all in.  Energy pulses up from the interconnected underground roots of life.  The pulse of the Mother beating through my feet with each step I take.

WHAT IS YOUR QUEST?
WHAT DO YOU SEEK?

 To be continued  ;)