The Wheel of Life

One day... one lunar cycle... one year... one incarnation...

All of these can be laid upon the Wheel of Life. It connects us to our past, to our future, it shows us who and where we are.

The energy of the new day surges, then lapses into sleep; the new moon waxes, then wanes into another cycle; the power of the sun on the land grows through the year and then diminishes; and so our time on earth from our birth to our death is a cycle of energy that waxes and wanes before returning to the earth.

Cycles are evident in all things. We now know that our planet recycles herself. As new land erupts from the depths so the old is taken back via the mechanism of tectonic plates. All galaxies have a black hole in the centre recyling the material particles.

In the physical world, no particular state lasts forever; everything that comes, comes to pass. As you look back on your own life you will see evidence of this.

Work with the Sun cycle, this is what gives our land its vitality and so it vitalises us as well. As we connect with nature, we channel this energy into all that we do. To do otherwise only depletes our personal resources and we become ill.

There are points in the year when the energy changes and these are times of celebration. Gathering together at these times gives us the chance to share our ups and downs, our achievements or struggles. Most of all we gather to give our thanks to Mother Earth, to our deity and spirit guides, to our ancestors. As we give thanks, so we root and reconnect with all that is important and come away strengthened and encouraged.

If we decide to follow path through the woods into the Earthshine Grove will will find the Place of the Wheel.

Laid around the Wheel we can see the key points in our life. Our birth, our childhood, our youth, our early adulthood, our professional life and/or parenthood, our second surge, our retirement, our death, our time in the liminal place. The Wheel allows us to see backward and forward.

We can walk the Wheel casually, simply observing what it shows us. At a first glance many things will be in order, maybe one or two things we might want to change but, one the whole, the Wheel looks just fine.

We step back on to our path and enjoy our new found connection with the woods but, very soon, we find the Wheel is ahead of us again.

This time we need to take a closer look. For the Wheel is helping us find the way forward, the true way. This needs to be worked at a much deeper meditative level.

Meditation is a vital part of life. Quiet contemplation, listening to our spirit guides, renewing our connection to the land or place, awareness of the natural world around us. In these moments, many of the things that trouble us in daily life are suddenly resolved or seen in a new light. For when we connect to our Mother, she gives us strength and insight.