Brookberg Ostara

This weekend Wonder and I celebrated Ostara on the Brookberg with the Children of the Circle. It's always a beautiful place to be, but at this time it's looking wonderful with the green coming back and sheep with lambs around the lake. The view from the tent was very nice. The lambs were so cute! I have taken dozens of pics of them. We casted the circle among them in the fields. Later, when I was alone, they allowed me to come very close. I really enjoyed myself!

Ostara is the sabbath of growth. To grow you need room, so you have to let go of things you don't need anymore. Letting go is never easy though. It's a theme that keeps coming back for me. Last week (and before) I had accumulated a lot from others without letting go of the negative, heavy energy. I didn't feel well when I arrived on the Brookberg: headache, tired, gloomy. When I left I felt happy and charged with positive energy!

In the weekend of the Imbolc celebration the group built a brand new sweatlodge, but the weather prevented us from using it for the first time. Almost everyone was present again this time and the weather had decided to cooperate too. It was dry and at times sunny.
In the stone ceremony we each contributed 2 stones, one for ourselves and one for someone or something else. With the stone for myself I asked to be able to get rid of the bad energy and be able to let things go. My other stone was dedicated to the protection of a very little baby that I want the best for. All the stones were heated in a big fire built around them.
The stones were used to heat the sweatlodge. It was hot (literally), warm (metaphorically) and good, but also quite heavy. I could release a lot of rubbish. Afterwards some people took a dip in the lake. I wanted to, but got cramps when I walked into the icecold water.

After dinner we had a bit of free time. At 11pm the drumcircle ceremony started. I was invited to join in on the big healing drum. Around us sat the others with drums and other rhythm instruments. We did two sessions: a jam session (in which our drum beated time) and a session with one rhythm all together. It was very powerful and moving. We thanked Mother Earth by playing her rhythm. I was in some kind of trance, felt very good. A great experience!

It was after 1am when we went to bed. The start of the summer time also took an hour of the night, so we didn't have a lot of rest. I slept very well though, as always when I'm on the Brookberg. After breakfast Wonder and I took down the tent and packed his car. I made some more pictures. Then it was time to close the circle, say goodbye, give everyone a big hug and eventually leave...