Wet Through But Not Completely Washed Out!
UK 2008
I spent two weeks in England this month - I was going to say this summer, but it rained most days and the temperatures never went above 50 at night and 60 in the day. A whole 30 degrees colder than the steamy Florida summer I left behind. THIRTY degrees! The sun shone in weak little spurts here and there - just to let us know she hadn't completely forgotten about us. It is almost the wettest August on record and people were talking more about the weather than ever. In case you don't know the English really do talk incessantly about the weather. It's the first topic after any two people (even strangers) have said hello. There's always lots to say because it's so bloomin' capricious!
In spite of the weather I had a wonderful time with family and friends and an absolutely fabulous three days with The Travelling Homeopaths Collective in a (muddy) field somewhere between Bristol and Oxford!
Thank goodness for the rented GPS that came with the rented car that took me everywhere I wanted to go without any difficulty whatsoever. In the bad old days I would have gotten hopelessly lost. With a map! The GPS even gave me a warning beep before each and every the speed camera on the way! These are the bane of UK motorists' lives - spitting out 'tickets' automatically if people are even a few miles over the speed limit. It has meant that driving, especially on the freeways, is not quite as hellacious as it used to be when people could get away more easily with driving like maniacs. Here's something else that was riveting to me. Not only is it illegal to use a cell phone while driving in the UK, it is also an offense to eat or drink while driving IF eating or drinking causes the driver to lose control of their car. I wonder what British cops think of American drivers putting on their make up or even reading while driving - I have seen this on more than one occasion with my own eyes! Of course young people are having a lot of (crashing) problems when texting while driving which isn't so different from reading. Maybe worse actually.
The Travelling Homeopaths Collective (THC) have been taking homeopathy to the people at outdoor fairs and festivals around England for nearly 20 years. They are a dedicated, colorful group of homeopathic healers who treat thousands of people every year for a great variety of acute complaints - introducing homeopathy to many people who have never heard of it before - introducing more people to homeopathy at a grass roots level than any other group. Their mobile clinic is peopled exclusively by volunteers and provides fantastic opportunities for students to gain hands-on, acute and first-aid prescribing experiences.
The THC's First Homeopathic Camp was held at Watchfield Farm - a beautiful organic farm on the Oxfordshire/Wiltshire borders, close to the 3000 year old Uffington White Horse.
I'm sure you will notice how well wrapped up we are most of the time - even in the sunny photos people have hats and boots on!!! Ahhh. Me hearties!!! There ain't nothin' like an English Summer!!!
The Crop Circle
Watchfield Farm is home to Westmill Wind Farm - five, huge, graceful wind turbines that provide thousands of local homes with energy.
It's a brilliant cooperative venture that I hope other progressive farms and 'landowners' the world over will copy.
In the middle of a wheat field under the 3rd turbine a crop circle appeared this summer. I have never seen a crop circle or walked in one before - it was a fascinating experience.
Fascinating mainly because of the precision and neatness with which the 'stalks' had been flattened. The center circle had small, precise tufts that acted as dots around edge - clearly visible on the photo above - here is a tuft below - see how beautifully neat all the stalks are!
On the way to the field one bold soul literally ran down the combine harvester that was about to mow that field and begged the farmer to stop. Not only did he stop and park up his monster machine, he caught up with us and sang and danced with us in the middle of the center circle.
Some of the children brought musical instruments and one of them led us in a sweet song and circle dance as the sun faded.
A glass of spring water was placed in the center of the middle circle and left there all night to 'collect' the moon's rays. It wasn't any old moon - it was a full moon (in Aquarius) and partially eclipsed to boot.
The glass was collected before dawn - before the sun was up and it will be made into a homeopathic remedy at Helios Homeopathic
Pharmacy. It will be interesting to see it's healing potential when the
proving is conducted.
The camp was a relaxing, friendly, homeopathic experience with as many children as adults present. There were tons of activities for the kids including circus and juggling skills in one big tent, face painting, kite and flag making in another, story-telling and singing around the camp fire and movies at night. The huge field, with it's stream and trees to climb and explore, provided more than enough interest to fill in the gaps.
The activities for the homeopaths were brilliant as well. Talks and workshops kept us all busy and thoughtful for days.
The camp's main tents and the cafe ran mostly on solar power - impressive because the sun was not on main beam most of the time.
The Camping
Nearly every shape and size of tent were represented!
And there were some wonderful 'RVs' as well
Here's a 'pop up' with it's own solar panel!!!
The Shower
A shower and sauna operated out of a cozy caravan providing limitless heat and hot water for the four days of the camp.
The Teachers!
Sam Aukland and Andy Kirk presented an experiential workshop on The Visible Face of Spirit in our Practices. It was just lovely to get away from the headiness of homeopathic learning and to do some guided inner and meditative work.
Angie Zajac (pictured here with Andy's wife Sue) talked all about LM potencies - 'everything you ever wanted to know but were
afraid to ask!'
Marcus Christo talked about how each event had its own unique energy which in turn attracted certain types of people who in turn tended to experience certain patterns of acute diseases.
Here I am in the 'teaching marquee' exploring a new proving of 'Mobile phone' and comparing it to some of the other 'radiation' remedies. Thanks to Ali for the photo of me!
Mike Bridger and Peter Fraser also gave homeopathic presentations and Surjit Singh Hassapuri gave an Indian Music Workshop.
The People
Marie, Stim and Simon cooked up a vegetarian storm from morn till well after midnight every day. Endless supplies of hot meals and drinks, home-made biscuits and yummy cakes. The Coconut Carrot Lime Drizzle Cake was particularly sublime!
Andy kept all sorts of things working smoothly - like the showers and sauna.
Here are Marcus (one of the founders of the THC) and Michael (the camp photographer!)
Jess
Petra
Sam
Madeleine telling stories around the camp fire.
The Kids
There were over 50 children - here are a few of their sweet faces! Thanks to Ali Culshaw for the photo above and some of the kids below!
The THC Kite which flew itself (there was so much wind!)
After two wet weeks in the UK I came home to Hurricane Fay and nothing but rain for over a week. The Florida drought turned overnight into a Florida flood. I am lucky not to have been flooded out of my home like some poor peeps - just fed up with the gray skies and enjoying the scraps of sun that are beginning to shine through.
Here wishing you all a dry rest of this summer of 2008!
Comments (2)
do you know of the cost of one of those windmills to generate power?
bmw hid san diego
@KatieStiller - gosh katie i have abolutely idea ... i'm thinking it must be in the 10s of thousands