Stones Rising 2014

Our second time at Stones Rising together.  It was a very different experience from last year's, but powerful in different ways and memorable for different reasons. Of course, there are some things (themes?) that repeat year after year, but each trip down the path to the Stones is utterly unique.

Justin got to do a little more this year with the Stone Crew, something he really loves and to which he feels a great pull, as he does with fire.

I (Sunny) spent most of the week being an active Witness through photos, recorded memories, and an intentional mindset of watchfulness. Not always a quest to see the big picture and not having the same weighty implications as "mindfulness," watchfulness became an exercise in becoming The Observer.  It's an interesting perspective, if you can sustain it.  And quite desirable for the insights it can bring to light.

So, the stone we raised was, as far as I have heard, close to 7 tons. That's 14,000 pounds of pure Earth that, as Orren has been rumored to say, "Is out for blood."  It's one of those things that is hard to describe if you've never experienced it.  Even if your hands never touch the ropes during the actual pull, if you are here (ugh, there; I'm still not used to being back in mundania yet), you are and have been part of the entire working. Which is why I so cavalierly say "we" raised a stone and "we" have been doing this for twenty years.

Here is a view of the "scaffolding" the Stone Crew puts up to support the Stone as it it raised into place.  Hopefully Justin will talk more about this...






Since in the end it's impossible to describe, I thought I would try to capture on video the final pull that brings our new Stone home and sets it into the footing that we (there's that word again) have prepared.  This is the final Rising of Stones Rising 2014.

I am in gratitude to all who made this possible and to all who were part of doing all this in a good way.