Hallowquest: Lesson 18 The Spear Realm (21st June)

I'm posting this a day in advance - I'm going to the SFX Event in Blackpool tomorrow so won't be around this weekend. I may do the Summer Solstice ceremony on the beach, I'll see.

This is the start of the Quest for the Spear, and there is a list of cards to be studied in the intro (Spear suit, Arthur, Prydwen, Sovreignty, Green Knight, Sun).

Lesson 18 is around the Spear Realm, Spear 10. Questions:

1. What are the nature of the responsibilities which fall on you at this time?
2. Which of your duties can be delegated to others? Which can only you perform? Which are best shared?
3. How can joy and service best be combined in your life this mid-summer?

Meditation - (Spear Castle/ exploration of Spear Realm)

Summer Ceremony of the Spear Hallow (to be celebrated on 21st June in the Northern Hemisphere)

Aerin

ps this all looks fabulous, I'm looking forward to doing this Lesson particularly!

sfx? whatever it is in blackpool you gonna do, have fun

kaz

I'm doing this in Blackpool

http://www.sfx.co.uk/

and I will have fun!

Aerin

looks great!
you go there for just fun, or is it something work related as well?

kaz

Kaz, it was a pure unadulterated weekend of James Marsters-worship.

Oh, and I did the Summer Solstice ceremony as well

Aerin

hey, good to hear you had a grear time.
i did this ritual, i think it needs changing to fit me, so next time i will do that in advance. it was ok, but weird and not "me".

kaz

1. What are the nature of the responsibilities which fall on you at this time?
Best summarised by 'growth' - myself, my business, organisation, and my relationships.

2. Which of your duties can be delegated to others? Which can only you perform? Which are best shared? I share working on relationships, even when taking 100% responsibility for them. The others are my responsibility.

3. How can joy and service best be combined in your life this mid-summer? By making time for everything which is important, while being flexible enough to manage change and the unexpected. By saying 'no' when I am unable to do something or when it would conflict with my commitments and core values.

Meditation - (Spear Castle/ exploration of Spear Realm)
I found this meditation really powerful. Inside the castle I found a labyrinth, with lots of flickering shadows and a sense of prescences which were unseen. Not scary, more bringing me a sense of anticipation. The photos I dispensed with were those which represented other people's goals for me, as against those which I take on for myself e.g. playing the piano excellently. I did some painting, and it was fun!

I flew out over the landscape, and everything is filled with the smells and sights of Summer.

Summer Ceremony of the Spear Hallow (to be celebrated on 21st June in the Northern Hemisphere) : I did this in my head, and adapted it where necessary for me (kaz, with you on this). I found it calming and meditative, and felt very relaxed, grounded, centred and shielded afterwards. (Good, as I then had to navigate through c. 3000 strangers at the SFX con.)

Aerin

Well as I side elsewhere in the study group threads I'm trying to pick up the quest again with this lesson after a frantic time where I had little time.

Questions

1) What are the nature of the responsibilities that fall on you at this time?

Mainly that of providing for my family. Working as a gardener this is my busy time of year. This is the time I have to earn enough to make up for my poor earnings over the previous winter and get a stockpile ready for the following winter.

2) Which of your duties can be delegated to others? Which duties can only you perform? Which duties are best shared?

Looking after our home and children is something which tends to get delegated to my wife particularly at this time of year since I work long hours and she only works about 6 hours a week. Since I am self employed and have no staff then my work duties are things that only I can do. Much as I wouldn't generally call the children a duty bringing them up is something for my wife and I to share. The balance shifts through out the year. I may spend less time with them at this time of year when I am busy at work but when I am quieter in winter I can devote much more time to them..

3) How can joy and service be best combined in your life this Midsummer?

I suppose that the primary way is to stop thinking of my work as work. Concentrate of the positives, like the fact that I'm outside enjoying the weather, I'm getting paid to do something that is for most people a hobby. Really enjoy my work.


I haven't carried out the ritual for the solstice from the book as we went to Pendle Hill in Lancashire for a pagan camp and celebrated the solstice there..

Hmmm. I see that in real life I have been working through what I wrote about 8 years ago.

How very, very interesting.

Spear Realm - Lesson 18

Questions:

1. What are the nature of the responsibilities which fall on you at this time?

My responsibilities are fairly low-key really; they're mostly to do with heeping house. I tend to most household things, care for the pets, shop during the week and keep the household accounts up to date. I suppose I'm responsible for keeping in touch with family, and having creative ideas around the house.
Since we have no children or parents to care for daily, and I don't go to work now, I don't have much respobsibility.


2. Which of your duties can be delegated to others? Which can only you perform? Which are best shared?

This kind of question seems better suited to someone who goes out to work, or has a busy caring daily life. Here I do things during the day (like pet cacre) as there is no-one else here to do them. Some evening taks are shared.But really this question doesn't apply to my quiet life style.


3. How can joy and service best be combined in your life this mid-summer?

I really felt I wanted to apply this question to the subject of gardening. I'd so like to grow more than I do, and have a nicer garden, but I wish my husband liked gardening more and would share working outside with me.
I'd like an inspiring word or vision to help me with this:

THE SLEEPING LORD
"Seeing the ground even of my little garden as the body and the manifestation and resting place of deity. Thus I honour and care for the Land, and the Lady and Lord as I garden!"


Pathwalker