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Ground-Blessing Marks New Beginning for
AzureGreen’s Beltane Hill
Beltane
Hill's opening event of 2008 was the April 12th Ground
Blessing. Over 125 people from town and town-affiliated
organizations. There
were current town officials, ex-officials, 9 members of
the Bell family, members of the Middlefield church, the
other church group (Chalice Well Fellowship), the
Grange, and many more.
This
narration of activities follows the order of the
picture
slideshow
We
gathered beyond the processional arch formed by Dave
DiNicola's excavator.
To
honor the first land stewards, the opening ceremony was
of Native American tradition, led by Fidel and Susan of
Humanity In Concert (who organize the Pittsfield area
Pow Wow). They
prepared an offering basket of cedar and tobacco, to
accompany the prayers and blessings.
Fidel
prepared the sacred fire, with help from another Healing
Winds member, Thomas, with son Gabe.
With
a white eagle feather, members of AzureGreen were
blessed.
All
around, the multi-generational audience formed the
circle of community encouraging them.
With
a pinch of the sacred cedar and tobacco given to the
fire, Adair and Marin came to the center of the circle
to speak of their prayers for the future, and open the
floor for others to do so. |
Those
gathered came forward to share their thoughts and wishes:
Santha, who grew up in the parsonage in town.
Members of Chalice Well Fellowship with grandchildren
in tow. Eila, Tom,
Dave & Karen & dog, Anita, Lee, and dozens more said
what they wished to, as dozens more bore witness.
Lisa, Spiral Scouts organizer, and Susan, Isabel’s
mom, spoke to the opportunities this project would mean for
kids. Becca Smith
brought along, and showed, the school project she had done on
her mother Amy’s workplace at AzureGreen.
The building’s architectural designer, Rob Blanchard,
and his daughter Ania got to join the ceremony.
In the end, everyone got to pick out a give-away quartz
crystal.
General
Contractor Eric Tayor, of Restorations, brought the golden
shovels over, while his co-worker, wife and kids stand behind
him, looking on. Later,
GC and engineers line up to dig the foundation line of the
pyramid. Bella
helps Adair hold one end of the measuring cord, and Meg helps
Marin hold the other, while Shawn explains the way Ancient
Egyptian temples were ceremonially measured and blessed.
Members of the Society of Elder Faiths spread sacred
myrrh along the foundation measure cord.
The
pyramid had been marked with balloons by Tim, who helped Adair
end the festivities by giving the balloons out to kids.
It was a wonderful, heart-warming, life-affirming day
that well-represented the essence of the Beltane Hill
community endeavor.
Wider
community network links:
Fidel
and Susan’s upcoming events include the 1st
Berkshire Blossom Film Festival June 6,7,8, 2008 (at
Pittsfield’s Colonial Theatre), and the 3rd
annual Pow Wow on Aug 30,31, Sept 1. For
more information check http://www.blogtheberkshires.com/bravo/2008/04/
For
a picture newsletter of past Middlefield Spiral Scouts
activities check: http://www.chalicewellfellowship.com/id5.html
Shawn
and many other members of the Society of Elder Faiths added to
the day. For more
info on these neighboring land-stewards, check http://www.elderfaiths.org/
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