Blogs from Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe - page 14

Following my literary trail of thought, the next destination was Stratford-Upon-Avon, home of the Bard. I'd been tossing up between Stratford and other destinations, and realised that I was just being silly - I couldn't pass up the opportunity to go to Stratford. Not just because because of my interest in its most famous resident, but also because it's supposed to be one of the prettiest towns in the country. I was in the mood for pretty. At Oxford's bus station I found myself in the queue behind a tour group of Argentinian students and their teachers, also Stratford bound. It's only an hour's coach ride from Oxford, but I didn't want to shell out for a local bus when I already had my handy dandy BritExplorer, so I was lucky that there was one seat ... read more

Went to Stratford Upon Avon today....and here are some pictures!... read more

I've been losing my zen-like detachment increasingly over the last week. With only a day left here, emotions and stress levels are running high, and part of me just wants to crawl underneath a table and hide. I moved out of my flat today, i.e. all of my belongings left and now live in a storage place, but I'm still here, with a computer and an air mattress, and that's pretty much it! I'm getting to the stage where I can't take much more of this letting go and farewell process, it's really exhausting emotionally. Once again I'm reminded of Inanna's journey to the Underworld, the symbolic stripping away of all the outer layers - home, possessions, stability, friends, status - before she can embrace her destiny and her soul's path. On a similar note, I've ... read more

Hey guys, yes i know i wasnt in Atiu, Australia last post (though I'm sure its very nice) but i only had 5 seconds before i got logged out, and it wouldnt post it without a location. the black marked had some huge lime kims made of stone and it was interesting how big they were (similar ones were used to make iron). Also I bought one of those little styrofoam airplanes that come on a flat peice of styrofoam that you build yourself for 39p. It was a brand/model i hadnt seen before and flew very well (yes im a child at heart). Also, on the canalboat tour the water was brown and gross, and though it may have been due to the recent flooding it didnt seem to bother the people who were fishing ... read more

I had a meeting with my friends Anne & Barry last night. They're facilitating my leaving ritual, and as we were discussing it, they asked me which deities I would like to bring in, to protect and bless me on my journey. That's a very good question. For many years, Artemis, Goddess of the moon and of the hunt, has been my patron Goddess, and while her wild independent maiden spirit is still part of me, I feel that this has really shifted and expanded in the last couple of years. Just over the past 18 months or so, I've worked a lot with the Goddess Inanna in all of her aspects, as well as the lover Goddess Venus/Aphrodite. Then, earlier on, I've done much work with Kali, Goddess of surrender and letting go, most apt ... read more