Ne'kid - the bare bones of Medicine Camp

Further down the A303 after several terse phone calls home (signal-free sat nav, detail-free road atlas, sketchy memory of Google's instructions) I turned off towards Barton St David and the Field of Abundance. Note to self: listen to the inner voice which gives advice (in English accent) to advance on current route for a mile and a half and go the library to print route including waymarkers.

Our number was small, with ten or so assorted canvas structures around the boundary of the camping field. The site did not have abundant facilities, which really was ok. The home fire was kept alight and this provided a place to meet, cook, eat, laugh, chat and chant. I also did a fair amount of shivering and coughing as I am not yet adept at choosing the hot spot, nor the smoke-free zone!

It may not be very natural but I am an ardent watch wearer. Although I can sort of tell what time it is if the sun is showing itself I like to be more precise with my time-keeping. Thus, a 10 o'clock morning meditation starting at 11.30 I found somewhat challenging. At first. I soon settled into slow time and it's a mystery how the week passed so quickly. Oh, apart from the two hours I spent on a vision quest, sitting in the middle of a field... on my own... in the dark. They were hours made of elastic and I'm sure that if I'd not been wearing my trusty timepiece I would have mistakenly returned to my tent after just 20 minutes. I now have no fear of bugs or bats or things that go bump in the night.

The sun, when it managed to burn through the clouds, was hot.
And it rained. A lot.

Most days we were given a teaching. On the Thursday I wanted to leave Camp. I went for a walk, I had a cry and I got over it. The reason? I'd say it was a number of small things adding up to a big thing. In reality it was probably the teaching. Two words (3 if you count the ampersand): Depression & Responsibility. Hmmm I think a nerve had been jangled! RE (Dancing Fox) invited me to journey to the river. He reiterated some of the teaching and surprised me with some character flaws (mine). He was playful and insightful and I'm grateful. I learned so much from the other characters during the week, probably more than from the not-so-formal teachings. Each person and every situation we come across is presented so that we may learn from them.

The way out of Depression:
Do something
Do something for someone else
Create something beautiful
Grow up!

What do I wear for a sweat lodge? I asked SM. No reply, and I'd like to say I heard just a tinkle of polite laughter but Stalking the Bear only does the dirty sort, you know, from deep within the belly. Ok, so I was to enter the lodge naked, stripped of everything except my ego. I could go with that, because it was going to be dark. In fact the whole experience was rather wonderful and I emerged from the womb of the lodge hot, wet and feeling reborn. I gave things away and I took on things new. I felt at ease sitting round the ceremonial fire, unclothed and drying off in the moonlit night. Most of those present had breasts and those that didn't had dangly bits further down. No shame. Nature. The array of shapes and sizes of the female form always fills me with wonder. All are beautiful.

I met some lovely people. I found my voice in the company of others. I'm missing the singing, and the sense of community. I secretly sniff the jumper, still smelling of wood-smoke, that hasn't yet made it into the washing machine.

I'll be back for a second spoon of medicine.

Aum x

ps I really would like a bell tent for my birthday. I've already ordered the fire pit!