Silent Eye’s April Workshop draws nigh!

The Silent Eye School of Consciousness, a Modern Mystery School –(https://thesilenteye.co.uk/) – was born in April 2013, after its three Directors (Stephen Tanham, Sue Vincent – https://scvincent.com/ – and Stuart France) had laboured long and lovingly to bring it into the world.

I already knew Steve and Sue from Ritual with Purpose and Gathering of Light weekends run by Servants of the Light – and, when I heard about Silent Eye, I was keen to come along, witness its birth and meet up with friends both known and, at that point, unknown.

That first April very much set the tone, and the tight seal of friendship, upon subsequent ones – and, no matter what’s going on in my life, the end of April is always bright upon my calendar and the workshop booked and ready.

I am trained in ritual magic. I have also been a member of a drama club since 2001. So the combination of ritual and drama, along with talks about elements of the Western Mystery Tradition, attracted me immediately. We learn through cerebral means, but also through action – and through direct contact with earth and elements, sun and moon.

The Silent Eye school teaches through the medium of the Enneagram and this symbol dominates the Temple space too. The weekend consists of five ritual dramas, interspersed with talks and down time in which to renew old friendships and kindle the spark of new ones.

Set in the beautiful village of Great Hucklow, in Derbyshire, and surrounded by hills and natural beauty, this weekend is a treat to the senses, the mind and the emotions.

I shall soon be dusting off my ritual robes (unused since I moved to Glastonbury), collecting the other bits and bobs needed together and, with my friend, Dean, driving to Great Hucklow for what I know will be a fabulous weekend.

The dress I mentioned yesterday – mentioned! More like wrote the novel about! – is my costume, in embryonic form, for the forthcoming weekend. The care I am taking with it; the love I am pouring into its every fold; the blood from needles spent upon its shiny surface; the occasional light swearword as I inadvertently sew the wrong bits together, all represent the high esteem in which I hold the Silent Eye team and school, and the effort, a pleasure in itself, which I am prepared to expend in order to be a fully-working member of the team.

Now? Now I am getting really excited! Like a child, I suppose, awaiting Easter Eggs – or, in days gone by, that same little girl waiting to dance around the Maypole at Beltane.

I know that some of you reading this will be my cherished companions at the end of this month, and I rejoice at the thought of our common memories, the sharp delight of last year (still so fresh in my mind) and the days of learning, lore, love and light to come.

Ritual has power even if one is a lone celebrant of the seasonal mysteries. But, with companions, it transcends the norms of life; it inspires, awakens, births knowledge we did not know, consciously, that we had; it puts us in touch with our common heritage, the traditions from which we all came into conscious being, the stories and music which make up the liminal worlds we are all aware of.

I can’t wait!