A Peregine Butterfly visits
Post date: Feb 04, 2019 1:12:45 PM
The team gathered near the Julian hermitage to reflect on the beauty and presence of the mountain that had been a place where indigenous peoples had gathered for ritual and ceremony for tens of thousands of years. While visiting Julian of Norwich’s hermitage the team reflected on Julian’s experience of being one with the mystery in the natural world. An experience she called ‘oneing’.
The Richmond Birdwing Butterfly paid the Archer a visit recently finding a place to stop momentarily on a bushy tree near the Guest House deck. Their favourite breeding vine has been planted at the foot of this tree under the native bee hive. We hope to entertain many more Richmond Birdwing Butterflies in the year ahead.
Recently the leadership team from Ambrose Treacy College Indooroopilly visited the Archer and to participate in a Celtic retreat experience led my Mary Murphy and Peter H.
Each team member was invited to be a peregrine in the Celtic way. A peregrine is a pilgrim who sets sail without oar or paddle trusting that the divine presence would guide her/him to where he/she was meant to go. The journey of immrama (the way of the peregrine) continued to the dam where the story of Columba was shared. Columba set sail with a few companions in a coracle (small boat) from Ireland and was carried by the capricious currents of the Irish Sea to the Island of Iona. Here he built a small sanctuary and in communion with the natural world and lived the spirituality at the root of Celtic culture. The team then made their way to the labyrinth to walk slowly the path of wisdom and to come to a sense of their ‘own path’ for 2019.
A salmon dinner followed, a fish that the Celts believed when eaten brought deep insight and wisdom. The evening concluded with a sharing of each person’s anam cara (soul friend) and the receiving of a gift from the earth of the Archer, a small jar of mango chutney. They also received a beautifully embossed leather book mark containing many Celtic symbols.
Peter H on behalf of AMEC (2/2/2019)
