Our 3-day pilgrimage. We started from Lincoln on the cusp of Leo and Virgo in the British Landscape Zodiac where we met our hosts, Sarah Dawkins and Andrew Clark. With the help of a large poster of the British Landscape Zodiac, Sarah indicated the route we would take along the old Fosse Way from Lincoln to Bath which sits on the cusp of Capricorn and Aquarius.
Sarah and Andrew explained the purpose of our pilgrimage was to envision the light of beauty in the human heart and in nature; connecting with the flow of universal love and making a heartfelt offering to the land and all who are sustained by it; envisioning an arrow of light, moving from the northeast to the southwest of Britain; energising through song and dance the British Landscape Zodiac in harmony with the landscape zodiacs of Scotland and Ireland; and thus helping us all to
flourish and become Beacons of Light.
Our first day began with an early morning hour of Paneurhythmy, led by Sarah beside Lincoln Castle. Curious dogs and their owners added their energies. As the weather was very wet, we quickly walked between the Castle and Cathedral where we sang in the beautiful Chapter House, energised by Andrew’s choice of songs. We remembered Suzy Straw who danced there as part of her Encircling the Land with Sacred Dance. We danced clockwise around the central pillar, echoing her travels through the landscape. Lincoln Castle was our next stop to view the Magna Carta and Charter of the Forest. Lincoln is celebrated as the only place in the world to hold both original charters from 1215 and 1217 respectively.
Two ancient churches, St Mary Magdalene Chapel and St Mary le Wigford (c. 980 AD), provided fitting locations for our next renderings of heartfelt songs and harmonies. We walked off our delicious supper heading back up the aptly named Steep Hill.
High Cross
Day two repeated our early morning Paneurhythmy by the Castle, energising our beams of light down the Fosse Way. By midday we had made our way to High Cross (the centre of the British landscape zodiac) where we radiated our energy out to all three landscape zodiacs - British , Scottish and Irish - through the singing of Aoum, Christ Child Lullaby, Oscail Mo Chroi (Open My Heart) and From my Heart Blooms. Our next way station was the beginning of the River Thames in
Cirencester before finishing in Box where we enjoyed delicious, authentic Bulgarian cuisine.
Saturday dawned on a glorious sunny morning for our visit to Solsbury Hill. We joined in with the full-throated song of soaring skylarks, sending love over Bath and beyond, throughout the British Isles and Ireland. Bath on the old Fosse Way marked our final stop at Bath Abbey, singing in the small Chantry Chapel of Prior William Birde (d. 1525). We were delighted to be complimented by a choir member on our singing!
We finished our pilgrimage on the banks of the River Avon, which flows through the centre. Our group expressed gratitude for the pilgrimage, scattering rose petals and singing, to carry beams of light and love down to the sea, connecting with the flow of universal love and our own fellowship and friendships over the past 3 days. We truly felt we had fulfilled our purpose.
River Avon, Bath (Capricorn)