Spring Blessing Rite
Friday, March 23 - Sunday March 25, 2007
Time: Friday evening - Sunday afternoon
Location: Mathias, WV & Fairfax Stone, WV
Sponsored by:
Join us for our 4th annual pilgrimage to the source of the Potomac River. At our Spring Blessing Rite, we welcome the return of spring and bless the running waters that nurture our local environment.
We will be staying together in a cabin at Lost River State Park in Mathias, West Virginia (about 2.5 hours from the DC metro area).
On Saturday morning, we proceed to the Fairfax Stone in West Virginia, which is the traditional source of the Potomac. There we will make offerings to the spirit of the river that she may flow strong and clear, bringing abundance and love to our region.
On Sunday we will enjoy breakfast and a nature walk before heading home.
Schedule:
Friday, March 23
Check-in starts at 4:00pm
7:00pm Dinner
9:00pm Opening ritual
Saturday, March 24
8:00am Breakfast
9:30am-12:00pm Travel to Fairfax Stone, the source of Potomac
12:00-2:30pm Spring Ritual of Blessing; lunch; free time
2:30-5:00pm Travel back to cabin
6:00pm Dinner
8:30pm Evening activity TBD
Sunday, March 25
8:00am Breakfast
10:00am Nature Walk
12:00pm Closing ritual
1:00pm Lunch
We recommend that people carpool with others. Drivers will not be reimbursed by Becoming. Arrangements should be made directly with people in your car. Please note that no attendees under the age of 18 will be allowed at this event.
Registration:
To register, email Ashley (at) Becomingdc.org and let her know if you will be paying by a check payable to Becoming or if you want to be invoiced via PayPal. Space is limited to 15 people, so register early.
The registration fee is Fee $40 (Members); $50 (Friends); $60 (Public). Fee includes rituals, lodging, and communal meals. You may pay a deposit of $25 by March 1, 2006. Your deposit is non-refundable after March 1. The balance is due by March 12.
Angela said,
April 2, 2007 @ 2:36 pm
We met Friday evening at our wonderful cabin in the beautiful Lost River State Park. A little later than sunset, we gathered in front of the fireplace, where we welcomed the Sabbath with Carly as we entered sacred space and time for this weekend.
Saturday morning, as we drove to the source, I wondered if there would be a pool of water beneath the boulder or would everything be dry like last year. All winter, I have prayed for snow. I have visualized streamlets and imagined saturated mud. Everytime I wanted to curse the inconvenience of snow, I instead offered up a blessing in gratitude.
I’m not hubristic enough to believe that the forces of nature are bent by my desire, but still I teared up when I saw water in the pool. Not as much as years past, but still there.
We lined up along the sides of the stream and made our praise offerings — songs, poems, heartfelt words, waters from other sacred rivers.
“Water for water, music for music, poetry for poetry, life for life, a gift for a gift.
May our offerings be accepted.”
The weather was overcast and foggy as always, but it’s not a Becoming Rite of Spring Blessing until and unless it rains on us. As I stood on a stone at the edge of the pool (thank you, Evan, for helping me climb in and out of the rather large ditch), in order to place our love-charged, heart-shaped stone directly into the pool, we asked for the spirits of the river to accept our love, our blessings, our offerings, and our gratitude. I dug away some of the leaves and mud, and water filled in. The source was there, but under cover. As soon as I plunged the stone into the pool, the skies opened and rained upon us. Yes! Yes! I believe that our offerings were accepted.
There is no shelter at the source, but that didn’t stop us from having a fun time with our lunch. Some of us wandered around the trees, while others sat on the tailgate barely sheltered by the hatchback of Carly’s Element. We ate our sandwiches, listened to music honoring the nature around us, and laughed with each other as we increasingly got wet.
On our way back to Lost River, the clouds parted and the sun shone brilliantly. Again, a relaxed atmosphere prevailed as we wondered the park, listened to the creek passing our cabin, and did Tarot readings for each other. Esther improvised with her violin to tarot cards picked randomly from a pile.
Sunday, we woke up later, had brunch and more wandering through the park, before packing up and coming home.
Oh yeah, and dates for 2008 have already been determined, and we’ve already reserved the same cabin — March 14 - 16, 2008.
carly said,
April 2, 2007 @ 3:35 pm
It really was an amazing trip. I can’t describe the experience better than Angela did, but there are a few things I’d like to share.
The fog in the mountains made the drive even more precarious at times. The “short cut” that took us down a winding mountain road.
Overall I’m pleased with how the food turned out this year. The “assemble your own” plan worked pretty well again. I’ve created notes and menu updates for next year, so the planning can be nice and simple again.
Lost River turned out fantastic — even better than Cacapon. It really was a happy accident that we couldn’t get into Cacapon this year.
The moment Angela placed the heart in the source and the rain started — well — I wouldn’t have missed that for anything.