Winter Solstice 2011
On the approach to Stonehenge at 7am in the morning it was obvious that there were a lot more people attending than ever before. The byway (or Drove) was full to both north and south tracks, traffic was backed up on the A303 and cars were parked for half a mile from Stonehenge on the A344.
The ‘contingency plan’ is supposed to be that English Heritage will open their visitor centre car park in such circumstances to minimise disruption to traffic and to help ensure public safety. Instead it seems that their car park was full of cars and coaches from people who had paid for privileged access and effectively jump the queue.
We will investigate this and report when we have more information.
3500 people were counted in to celebrate the sun rise.
Aes Dana grove often chooses not to hold ceremony in the inner circle. It may be noisy and theatrical in there but rarely is it spiritual. We chose instead to hold a small circle on our own in the south, closest to the rising sun. We cannot have been alone in wanting a more spiritual rite as our little circle expanded within minutes from around ten to around 80 people, which was delightful.
Frank and Kate led our circle and welcomed Ian, leader of the Dorset grove of Druids to walk us through the Druids Prayer. We were also honoured by the presence in circle of the Mayor and Mayoress of Amesbury.
The sun rose just a few minutes late to the joy of everyone present.
A Small circle...
Then
Merry Solstice !
Frank was asked for his opinion of the Occupy movement by one of the protesters from London, this was his reply:
“The 99% of people who feel that they have been dominated and trashed by runaway capitalism, verses the 1% who have got it all, is that everyone wanting to be a personal millionaire means that somewhere else, on the other side of the planet, somebody has to be like a slave. It hasn’t worked. We’ve used up all of the resources and we’ve used up time.
The way forward, as we go through the transition year of 2012, is not to let go of dreams but to achieve them together. A community, even one the size of this circle, by working together we can do anything. We could buy a 50 acre farm with a woodland, or a boat, working together we can do that. Even better, as a community we belong. We are not on our own anymore with a big wad of money or fighting off the tax man. Instead we are a community of people, with young, with old, with people who are watching out for us.
I believe that 2012 and the struggles that we are entering now, are all about turning
around and making a community where 99% are happy. We can still do it, be rich in
each other and we’ll look after the earth. I would say to everybody in this circle
for when you go away this year: everybody is going to be moaning and is going to
be fearful. Fear is our enemy. Tell them to look up. This is our wake-
We are one circle of equals and we are going to do this together...and we will be fine.”
Video by frantag.