A couple of weeks ago I went to a beautiful castle in the hills nearby to take part in an inipi. I wasn’t sure what this would involve but knew it was something like a sweat lodge and would be a new experience. We arrived to find this fire already prepared and the circular lodge constructed from branches and covered with blankets standing nearbyInside there were carpets and a large hole in the centre for the hot stones.
We all were given small bundles of dry twigs which we lit and then used to start the fire Then when the large stones in the fire were hot enough a group of about 20 people stripped off and crawled inside the lodge. It was cold outside but after the stones were brought in and placed in the central hole, water was poured over them and with the smell of herbs we breathed and sang and sweated in the darkness. It was a strange experience but the heat was never so intense that I felt uncomfortable and at the end when we were sitting in total darkness enveloped in steam I recognised one of the songs and surprised myself by singing alone in English while the others hummed.
“The river is flowing, flowing and growing, the river is flowing, down to the sea.”
Memories of Greenham Common although I actually never spent time there!
Duna came too and was very patient as she waited outside during the ceremony.Coming out into the freezing night was interesting and I was the only one to use the icy water provided for a wash down – I was impressed that people here who are more accustomed to warmth and sunshine were willing to stand naked in 0 degrees on a hillside.
It felt very cleansing and a good way to celebrate the New Moon and to say goodbye again to my mother who died this day 9 years ago.