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Erraid

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

A light breeze
Sweeps the foxglove and the heather
Queen Anne's Lace thrives amidst the trees
The skies are ever changing with moody weather

Through the spongy peat and grass
Rocky pilgrims line the paths
My Welly's squish across the bog
Wishing on the Wishing Stone on the peak of the mountain

Flies vocalize and spin
Smell of mold, sand on my skin
I try not to panic at my broken contact
Connections cut loose, I am unexpectedly facing liberty

I looked out of Balfa Bay
Across the Atlantic all the way
And from a distance I can see
The coast of North America before me!

I shall go by ship across
Through the waves to familiar land
From Erraid I can feel
The world outside, is it all real?

Ah the sun charms the clouds away
Through my window it claims the sky
The birds unite in sacred song
I feel it, I will sing along.

Rose

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Findhorn

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Ah.
Where to begin.
I am in the "Cyber Lounge" as it's called here at Cluny. Cluny is the original site (some say it's debatable however) where the founders initially worked as managers at this beautiful old fashioned mansion-turned-hotel.
I have learnt much in the past several days, both about Findhorn, and about myself.
I have also had the experience of some deep meditation, and I am finding that I can meditate basically anywhere I choose. This particular part of the planet is teeming with energy and positive vibrations, the soil is rich and there are flowers and trees and "weeds" everywhere.
A practice known here as attunement is the common way that people choose their direction, their next step in life (or more accurately, it chooses us). We stand regularly in circles, hands clasped, and everywhere there is camaraderie, connection and inner evolving.
The land is reflective of the deep sense of alignment the community feels here... it rolls softly into the rocks, the shimmering quartz and crystals on the beach.
We've been blessed for the past three days with warm sun and blue skies: on Tuesday I swam in the Findhorn river, and yesterday, I swam in the North Sea.
I have booked a trip to a small island off the west coast of Scotland called Erraid. It's inhabitants are several Findhorn folk who stay there for eleven months of the year and tend the land and houses.
Words to describe my Findhorn Experience thus far:
Playful
Rejuvenating
Insightful
Restful
and yet...
Painful
Challenging
Floodgates
Release
Synchronizing

Faith and Flexibility

Pure and light
Energy
Elemental
Musical
Dancing
Awakening
Soulful
Lively
Stretch
Compassion
Revelations
Collaboration
Every continent but South America represented!
Language
Silence
Family
Intrinsically manifesting my own.

I feel that I am developing a deeper sense of self here and my awareness of the values I have is heightened as I spend more and more time getting to know those around me and to feel more within myself.
Honesty via the internet is no simple task: it often feels pretentious to me and too many words can tear apart the meaning.
I therefore close this entry with a blessing to all of my community and I wish you peace of mind and heart.

Love,
Rose


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The best things in life come for free

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Dear Family and Friends,
In the form of a letter, I will now put down some of the observations I've had these past two days.
As I wandered the streets of Edinburgh, through the hundred year old buildings and new pavement, I felt somewhat disoriented. I felt as though I was in an odd Tango with the past, dancing through ancient tradition and music, and yet it was music playing loudly out of speakers to draw attention to the many tourist shops.
Kilts were being sold, full garb, sporan, knee high socks, the tartans and Scottish pouches covered in furs... all by competing businesses, eager to capitalize on the thousands of tourists meandering down the streets.
To visit the Edinburgh castle, the public must pay 13 pounds. To go into nearly any traditional site, it costs. This is the way that everything seems to have become less connected to the actual culture and more about the sale of a cultural past-time.
It's sort of on a par with walking through a museum and finding lots of doodads that are reminiscent something ancient and idealistic.
The accents of the people are so thck, it's hard to understand what they're saying at first, until you hear modern words like "facebook" and "cars" and other things that don't completely add up in the mind till after the fact!
Anyway, time's about to run out.
Write later...
Rose

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Again

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

So I got another internet pass (about 80p for half an hour), so that I could book my trip to Inverness. In any case, I'm back on so I may as well blog a bit more. :-)
Here's another anomaly: blue skies.
It's happened again. Edinburgh is having the best weather they've had in months, and I'm here to witness it. I went on a personalized sightseeing tour yesterday, stopped in Scott's Tower and went up to the top where the wind was hurdling at high speeds through the wiring that separated me and the drop into the streets of Edinburgh. It was a magical view, and I took loads of pics. I was trying to refrain yesterday, calculating that if I could ration out photos (say, 5/day), I'd keep it under five hundred for the trip.
Heh, not happening.
There are plenty of people from all over in this hostel: lots of Aussies (all of them seem very congenial and easy to get to know), and people from Central Europe. Not quite sure exatly where, I'll have to ask.
Funny, possibly unnerving story: I came back to my room yesterday (the one I'd been in alone... nice to have the privacy) to find other people's belongings on two adjacent beds. It was clear to me that the shirts/backpacks were male belongings, but I decided not to go to the front to change rooms and to just play it by ear.
So after I went to bed, I closed my screen, put all my stuff in the locker and made sure it was locked, I heard two guys coming into the dorm. They tried to be quiet, they knew I was there (though we never saw each other, even after this morning... no surprise since I woke up at 6am).
Then, to my astonishment, I heard greetings take place and there was a big influx of other men.
I was trying to figure out what to do: kind of stuck between stay silent, or let them know that it wasn't an all-boys club so they didn't start stripping with me in the room.
I decided on sticking my head out (to their surprise) and announced my presence with a polite hello and apology for using a different bed than I was assigned (since I was formerly the only one in a room of 8 beds, I figured I'd sleep in the one I wanted).
They were friendly, and I thanked my lucky stars that everything went all right: they tried to be fairly quiet, and the lights were out shortly after they arrived, with voices hushed after a few minutes to respect my privacy.
I am going to change rooms for tonight, look for an all-female dorm.

On another note (do I have you shaking in your boots yet, mom and dad? :-P) I have discovered that the Bay's (my nana's surname) are tied to the Maclean's in Scotland. I found the family tartan, traced through history with the connection to the Bay's, so I now have claim to Scottish heritage. At a Kilt Making exhibit/store, the friendly workers gave me a piece about the size of a long scarf for free of the Maclean tartan. I feel like one lucky lassie. :)

Besos from Edinburgh,
Rose

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Day 3

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

My experience has grown considerably better as the days pass. My first impression of this hostel was certainly effected greatly by my worry and anxiety of being in a new place. Since, I have met several people and have begun to feel a much more friendly vibe in the area. This morning I woke again around 6am, which appears to be my body alarm clock. I am about to book my pass from Edinburgh to Inverness, and I am excited to experience a bit more of Edinburgh before I head up north this weekend.
Sunday is Summer Solstice: what a great time to be starting out at Findhorn!
I have to keep this a bit briefer than I'd like since my time's running really low.
I am sending my love out for my uncle, who recently passed on to another realm.
Best to my "home crew"!

Rose

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