E07

Earth Temple

Thursday 14th July 1994 (No time recorded)

Earth Temple Air Temple Water Temple Fire Temple

Rob: I can see the cave mouth is heavily covered in vegetation from the Green Man.

Barry: The glade is still.

Rob: It is slipping into night, I can see the constellation of Taurus.

Barry: It is winter, but the air is warm. I can see Orion and his belt shining brightly, Taurus at his shoulder, the serpent at his feet and hunting dogs close by.

Rob: The forest is wrapped in mist. There is movement amongst the branches. I see the wild boar moving amongst the trees. Animals seem more present than before.

Barry: It may be the night to hunt spiritually for the next animal.

Rob: The mask of the Boar hangs from the maypole, and also a Stag with big antlers, like those used at Abbots Bromley Horn Dance.

Barry: The Kestrel and the Wolf are outside the circle.

Rob: The Wolf is alert, not as usual.

Barry: They will help us. We should dance our Totem animal and don mask of the animal we seek. We will succeed when the dance is learnt.

Rob: We will have to leave the circle.

Barry: Yes.

I can see a drum on the maypole.

Rob: It has small pegs on it that I've not seen before.

I feel we should have a fire as a beacon.

Barry: We should take a stone with us, to also help to bring us back.

Rob: A fire is set for us. I use a flint - from the Earth, Fire is brought forth.

Barry: Flames burn bright from the aromatic wood.

Rob: I take a small drum and hang it from my hip.

Barry: I begin to dance in the East near the Kestrel stone, and I move to the South. I can see through the smoke from the fire. I can hear your drum. The beat will keep us together. I begin the dance.

Rob: The Kestrel hovers above you hardly moving.

Barry: I will do one rotation and stop and hover at each quarter. The drumbeat changes from fast to slow at each hovering. I have a cloak of feathers.

Rob: I can see it.

Fennier has entered the circle and is sensing the air.

Barry: I can see you in a mantle of wolf skin, with claws at your wrist. You have a long loping stride. I can hear your drum.

I can see the stag mask through the smoke, the Kestrel will help me to catch its' essence. The Kestrel hovers above the trees buffeted slightly by a strong wind. It/I can see many shapes below.

Rob: We will not put on masks until we return from a successful hunt.

The stones have names, which we must learn. The North stone is Lanu.

The circle is now humming with energy, which I can see swirling, it is circling. The fire burns very brightly.

We must leave the circle and hunt. This is the first time that we have entered the forest. I reach down for a stone as I pass through the circle this stone resonates with the same energy.

Barry: We move into the forest.

Rob: It's dark, and I turn and can see the fire. My eyes need time to assume the form of the Wolf.

Barry: I am myself, but above as a Kestrel.

Rob: I am myself, but also a Timber Wolf.

Barry: I can hear scurrying, it does not seem threatening as it recognises us.

Rob: I am hunting boar, looking for a track.

Barry: I am above. I hunt the stag - it has a faint blue glow which I can see in a large clearing. It is grazing.

Rob: It is alert - it knows you are coming.

I can see a promising path into thick bushes.

Barry: I can see a human figure in the shape of a stag. One dressed like us in a shaman's cloak, it carries a flute and a small bag.

Rob: I see it.

Barry: I feel that the flute plays a part in the stag dance.

Rob: The boar has charged.

Barry: It smells rank.

Rob: It has run past me - I can sense its' purpose. I am giving chase and following it into the forest.

Barry: The stag circles me, it watches me. I can see the figure beginning to play a low graceful tune. The stag dance is circular, but consists of feints and charges to the middle, like the rut. I can't see its' face, but sense no malice. I am taking part, but also above. The stag is large and has reddish eyes, which glow orange in the dark.

Rob: The boar is again in the undergrowth. I sense his essence - it is aware of all the secret forest paths, adept at rooting out delicacies from the undergrowth. It is powerful and fearless, but slow witted. It is pausing before its' next run. If I went in it would gore me. It is not unfriendly; it is not capable of being it.

Barry: The stag and I circle. It charges, we lock antlers - it is very strong. We are playing the flute in temper but not texture. The drum is like the wings of the Kestrel.

Rob: The boar charges at me, but veers off crashing into the undergrowth. It is a master of survival, it will eat anything. I think I know how to catch it, by swinging my consciousness into it and making it run back to the circle with its' essence.

Barry: The stag is wise, it's essence is close to that of the wolf. There is a strong herd instinct that brings protection. It has seen much, not like the Kestrel which sees from afar. It is leading me back, I can feel my stones warmth.

Rob: I am a boar. I am charging towards the circle. Now I'm crashing through the stones. Now I am myself and the Wolf. Now I am myself. I take down the boar mask and put it on - I claim its power.

Barry: I draw close - the stone is warm, and there is a warm red glow from the maypole. I approach from the South. I enter as a Stag and myself. I take the stag mask to claim its power. One of the stag's powers is prophesy. I know what is in the Stag shaman's belt. The colours of the stones represent the ten stones of the circle and the ten totem animals. A yellow stone represents the Kestrel, a smooth lustrous yellow used for journeys and for skrying from afar.

Rob: The power of the boar is to guide one through the inner ways and to give one the courage to explore them, for some ways are dark. Power in these paths can blight. All ways need to be learnt and mastered. The stone to the left of North is Beorth.

Barry: Kestrel stone is to the right of East and is named Lorrol.

Rob: Fennier is sitting outside the circle with a boar. I remove the mask and re-hang it. The boar runs back into the forest.

Barry: I do the same and the Stag bellows loud and long and goes, vanishing into the shadows.

Rob: I take the stone from my pocket and throw it into the fire.

Barry: I do the same.

Rob: Energy circles the fire, like water running down a plughole, and is earthed. The fire dies and it is cold. My attention is drawn by a bright star.

Barry: Orion is bright and proud.