Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 18 Dec 2004 The Orbs of Yule Illuminated © Nicholas Sea |
Monday, August 1, 2016
18 Dec 2004 The Orbs of Yule Illuminated
18 Dec 2004 The Orbs of Yule Illuminated ~ Here we have an indoor shot of Circle’s Yule Tree, in the Barn Temple Room. In this photo we see Santa; just beyond Santa are community members celebrating Yule Eve on the land. It is cold outside, that is a given. There are no end to shrines, sacred sites, sacred spaces, and sacred moments at Circle Sanctuary.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
22 Nov 2004 Autumn Sweat Lodge Overlook 02
22 Nov 2004 Autumn Sweat Lodge Overlook 02 ~ This is another photo of the Sweat Lodge taken from up on the hillside looking down toward the creek at the bottom of the valley. The sweat lodge is going into its Winter slumber.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 22 Nov 2004 Autumn Sweat Lodge Overlook 02 © Nicholas Sea |
22 Nov 2004 Autumn Sweat Lodge Overlook 01
22 Nov 2004 Autumn Sweat Lodge Overlook 01 ~ Here I am looking down to the Sweat Lodge from up on the path near the restored prairie. It is plain to see that the season is late Autumn on Circle land in this photo.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 22 Nov 2004 Autumn Sweat Lodge Overlook 01 © Nicholas Sea |
22 Nov 2004 Juniper Sentinel Late Autumn
22 Nov 2004 Juniper Sentinel Late Autumn ~ Elsewhere in my photos for Circle Shrine Walk, I mention this Juniper as a location where a stag marked his territory by rubbing the bark off the trunk of this tree. This is a photo of that same Juniper, younger and smaller. The various types of evergreens on Circle land are some of my most favorite trees.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 22 Nov 2004 Juniper Sentinel Late Autumn © Nicholas Sea |
10 Sep 2004 Creek Side Sweat Lodge Spirit
10 Sep 2004 Creek Side Sweat Lodge Spirit ~ Here is the Sweat Lodge in late Summer. It is another testament to volunteers who mow the lawns and fields and tend the various shrines and sacred sites on Circle land. This is one of the lodges that I built, which are used for a few years and then built anew.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 10 Sep 2004 Creek Side Sweat Lodge Spirit © Nicholas Sea |
04 Sep 2004 Late Summer Ritual Bonfire Quiet
04 Sep 2004 Late Summer Ritual Bonfire Quiet ~ I love being on the land between festivals. There is much quiet and Nature has full reign. The festival bonfire area has evolved over the years. When I first started attending gatherings at Circle Sanctuary, this part of the land was not even developed. It was still but an old fallow farm field.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 04 Sep 2004 Late Summer Ritual Bonfire Quiet © Nicholas Sea |
02 Aug 2004 Green Spirit Steps to Spirit Rock
02 Aug 2004 Green Spirit Steps to Spirit Rock ~ This is one of the iconic sights at Circle Sanctuary, Spirit Rock near Green Spirit Festival time, early in August. When I am out at Circle land, I like to take a photo of Spirit Rock from this angle up top. If one looks carefully at the photos of this location from over the years, one will see many changes. For example, many of the Red Pines are now gone.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 02 Aug 2004 Green Spirit Steps to Spirit Rock © Nicholas Sea |
02 Aug 2004 Green Spirit Circle VW Van
02 Aug 2004 Green Spirit Circle VW Van ~ Here is the Circle Van nestled in one of its earlier locations. If there is any doubt as to why the Green Spirit festival is called “Green”, here is an amazing example of Circle lands all green and glowing early in August.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 02 Aug 2004 Green Spirit Circle VW Van © Nicholas Sea |
22 May 2004 Circle Barn Entrance Shrine
22 May 2004 Circle Barn Entrance Shrine ~ Pagans have no end of doorway charms and window charms. Here is a good example of a entrance shrine at the door of the Barn Temple. There are tub planters on either side of the stairway in. Here we see a basic Pentacle hex sign, some lovely May thyme, and a bit of extraordinary concrete flooring from one of the old, old outbuildings on the land.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 22 May 2004 Circle Barn Entrance Shrine © Nicholas Sea |
22 May 2004 Willow Tree Charm
22 May 2004 Willow Tree Charm ~ I recall when this tree charm was hung on the willow near the creek down by Troll Hole, but I do not recall its prayer. In many locations on Circle land there are tree charms and prayer ties and prayer flags of many sorts. The winds take their messages out into the world.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 22 May 2004 Willow Tree Charm © Nicholas Sea |
29 Apr 2004 Beltane Bonfire Preparations
29 Apr 2004 Beltane Bonfire Preparations ~ Reed has been building our bonfires for more years than I have fingers and toes. He and other volunteers clear the brush and downed trees on the land and we have a firewood supply. On this bonfire pyre, notice that the remnants of evergreen boughs of Yule 2003 are stacked.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 29 Apr 2004 Beltane Bonfire Preparations © Nicholas Sea |
29 Apr 2004 Community Bonfire Circle Ready
29 Apr 2004 Community Bonfire Circle Ready ~ In preparation of Beltane 2004, the white outdoor chairs have been carried from storage by the setup crew and arranged around the Community Bonfire Circle. Soon we will be together in the chill of an early Spring night, sharing our stories.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 29 Apr 2004 Community Bonfire Circle Ready © Nicholas Sea |
Saturday, July 30, 2016
13 Apr 2004 Sweat Lodge Firewood Moment
13 Apr 2004 Sweat Lodge Firewood Moment ~ Sometimes I take photos that have a lot of meaning to me in the moment. In this moment back in 2004, perhaps I was reflecting on the volunteer work involved in maintaining the firewood piles we use for different occasions at Circle.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 13 Apr 2004 Sweat Lodge Firewood Moment © Nicholas Sea |
13 Apr 2004 Sweat Lodge Stone Pile
13 Apr 2004 Sweat Lodge Stone Pile ~ Associated with the sweat lodge are several piles of stones. Different sweat leaders handle the stones in different ways. Seen here is the pile of spent stones that have accumulated after many sweats.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 13 Apr 2004 Sweat Lodge Stone Pile © Nicholas Sea |
13 Apr 2004 Sweat Lodge Wood Piles
13 Apr 2004 Sweat Lodge Wood Piles ~ I do not recall when the last sweat was held in the old sweat lodge area. I will sort through my photos and see if I can figure that out. It wasn’t too much previous to my taking this sequence of photos. The fire pit and wood piles are fresh enough to imagine that perhaps it was in 2003.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 13 Apr 2004 Sweat Lodge Wood Piles © Nicholas Sea |
13 Apr 2004 Sweat Lodge Fire Pit Stones
13 Apr 2004 Sweat Lodge Fire Pit Stones ~ There are a number of fire pits on the land at Circle Sanctuary. This fire pit is at the old sweat lodge area, which is right next to the creek and the large cottonwood trees. This was the second location for sweats at Circle. This location is now retired and a new sweat lodge area is being located in Hickory Grove.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 13 Apr 2004 Sweat Lodge Fire Pit Stones © Nicholas Sea |
13 Apr 2004 Deer Trail Down To The Creek
13 Apr 2004 Deer Trail Down To The Creek ~ I have always followed the stag and Herne; look at the license plate on my car. Thanks to Al, one of the Circle Patrol members over the years, I began to seek out more and more deer sign when I visit the land. Lately, it is mostly on Samhain that I am out to Circle, which is the time of the rut. Stag rubs and hoof markings are found throughout the land. This photo shows one of the deer trails coming down from Ritual Mound to the creek. There is a matching trail on the other side of the creek. Some shrines are mobile and ephemeral; the King Stag territorial markings and paths are one of these.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 13 Apr 2004 Deer Trail Down To The Creek © Nicholas Sea |
13 Apr 2004 Community Bonfire Circle Rocks
13 Apr 2004 Community Bonfire Circle Rocks ~ For many years I tended the Circle Community Bonfire circle of stones. I am the volunteer who spread the base gravel that levels the area, and I have added many stones from Circle Land to maintain the fire ring. On this volunteer day I put in a lot of effort digging fresh rocks from the upper parking lot embankment for the Community Bonfire ring and for the various Circle House Gardens.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 13 Apr 2004 Community Bonfire Circle Rocks © Nicholas Sea |
06 Apr 2004 Community Bonfire and Maypole
06 Apr 2004 Community Bonfire and Maypole ~ Volunteers have cleared the mugwort stalks from around the Maypole and stacked a might heap of firewood. The Community Bonfire has a few scraps ready for a small fire and the circle of chairs has yet to be brought out. Coming soon are both Earth Day 2004, and Circle Beltane Festival. Preparations are in progress.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 06 Apr 2004 Community Bonfire and Maypole © Nicholas Sea |
06 Apr 2004 Kwan Yin Trellis Garden
06 Apr 2004 Kwan Yin Trellis Garden ~ Kwan Yin has been at Circle Sanctuary for quite some time. There have been various iterations of decorative components to the shrine. The trellis seen in this image has seen a bit of weathering by 2004. During this time, I began work on the Circle House Gardens. Alas, the gardens have faded over the years as volunteers have worked on other projects.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 06 Apr 2004 Kwan Yin Trellis Garden © Nicholas Sea |
Friday, July 29, 2016
02 Apr 2004 Three Evergreens of Yule
02 Apr 2004 Three Evergreens of Yule ~ For a number of the early years at Circle Sanctuary, live Yule trees were decorated in December and then planted in the Spring. As I recall, there are 5 of these between the barn and the house. Though these trees are not native to the land, they are a deep reminder of the cycles of the year and Yuletide cheer. I particularly love seeing these evergreens in the Winter, albeit here we have them in early Spring. The Yule Tree is very much a poignant Pagan shrine of our times.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 02 Apr 2004 Three Evergreens of Yule © Nicholas Sea |
Thursday, July 28, 2016
02 Apr 2004 Circle Barn Garden in Spring
02 Apr 2004 Circle Barn Garden in Spring ~ Midmorning early in April a few days before the Ostara Moon, we can see that the gardens at Circle Sanctuary are budding green ~ “O’ she will bring the buds in Spring and laugh among the flowers.”
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 02 Apr 2004 Circle Barn Garden in Spring © Nicholas Sea |
20 Mar 2004 Circle Maypole on Spring Equinox
20 Mar 2004 Circle Maypole on Spring Equinox ~ Midmorning on Spring Equinox in 2004, the Circle Maypole stands regal inside the Mugwort Circle. The old stalks of mugwort will be removed in time for Beltane which is 6 weeks away. The New of the Moon was on the evening of March 20th in 2004, therefore the Ostara Full Moon will come in two weeks on April 5th.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 20 Mar 2004 Circle Maypole on Spring Equinox © Nicholas Sea |
25 Feb 2004 Circle Barn Garden Winter 02
25 Feb 2004 Circle Barn Garden Winter 02 ~ Here is another photo of Circle Barn Garden back in February of 2004. It is a look at the barn and at Circle House 12 years ago. Much has changed since then and yet the iconic nature of Circle’s buildings endures. This photo of barn garden and shrine was taken from the south end of the barn.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 25 Feb 2004 Circle Barn Garden Winter 02 © Nicholas Sea |
25 Feb 2004 Circle Barn Garden Winter 01
25 Feb 2004 Circle Barn Garden Winter 01 ~ On the east side of Circle Barn is a long raised garden bed constructed and planted by the Garden Circle. Many renovations on the barn have happened over the years, including this garden addition. The Circle Barn Garden is both beautiful and functional. The garden structure provides a bit of buttress to the barn foundation. I consider the Circle Barn Garden to be one of the multifaceted shrines at Circle Sanctuary. It is important because it is wheelchair accessible and because it has so many components and people who have nurtured and cared for it. This photo of barn garden and shrine was taken from the north end of the barn.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 25 Feb 2004 Circle Barn Garden Winter 01 © Nicholas Sea |
Friday, April 15, 2016
02 Nov 2009 Skye at Spirit Rock 03
02 Nov 2009 Skye at Spirit Rock 03 ~ Here I have taken off
my glasses so that I would have a mix of photos. These are ideal for social media sharing and
will be posted on my profile too.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 02 Nov 2009 Skye at Spirit Rock 03 © Nicholas Sea |
02 Nov 2009 Skye at Spirit Rock 02
02 Nov 2009 Skye at Spirit Rock 02 ~ I had hoped to get one
good photo of myself out of the day.
Luck was with me and there are three.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 02 Nov 2009 Skye at Spirit Rock 02 © Nicholas Sea |
02 Nov 2009 Skye at Spirit Rock 01
02 Nov 2009 Skye at Spirit Rock 01 ~ There are so few photos
of me, many of which were taken at Circle Sanctuary as it turns out. On Monday, the day after Circle Samhain
Festival 2009, a few of us were on tour up to Spirit Rock. Here I am in one of
my favorite places with Spirit Rock behind me.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 02 Nov 2009 Skye at Spirit Rock 01 © Nicholas Sea |
01 Nov 2009 Sacred Red-Tailed Hawk in Flight 04
01 Nov 2009 Sacred Red-Tailed Hawk in Flight 04 ~ The
red-tailed hawk is in full flight, having been perched on a branch above its
nest only seconds before. This
collection of photos was taken over a period of 71 seconds.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 01 Nov 2009 Sacred Red-Tailed Hawk in Flight 04 © Nicholas Sea |
01 Nov 2009 Sacred Red-Tailed Hawk Aerie 03
01 Nov 2009 Sacred Red-Tailed Hawk Aerie 03 ~ The hawk is
taking to flight in this photograph. It
was on the branch momentarily. Perhaps
it was aware of my presence.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 01 Nov 2009 Sacred Red-Tailed Hawk Aerie 03 © Nicholas Sea |
01 Nov 2009 Sacred Red-Tailed Hawk Aerie 02
01 Nov 2009 Sacred Red-Tailed Hawk Aerie 02 ~ Here one can
see the hawk on the branches above and to the right of the nest. It is perched only for a moment in the 71
seconds necessary to capture these images.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 01 Nov 2009 Sacred Red-Tailed Hawk Aerie 02 © Nicholas Sea |
01 Nov 2009 Sacred Red-Tailed Hawk Aerie 01
01 Nov 2009 Sacred Red-Tailed Hawk Aerie 01 ~ Yes, one day
at Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve I spotted both the red-tailed hawk and its
nest at the same time. One of the most
serendipitous 71 seconds possible. I
took a distant photo of the nest, the hawk landed, the hawk took off into
flight again, and the hawk soared. In
slightly more than a minute’s time, four photos show the feat.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 01 Nov 2009 Sacred Red-Tailed Hawk Aerie 01 © Nicholas Sea |
31 Oct 2009 Cemetery Altar Samhain 2009
31 Oct 2009 Cemetery Altar Samhain 2009 ~ Each Samhain there
are memorial or burial services up in Circle Cemetery. During Samhain 2009, ashes were
interred. Elsewhere, I have more photos
and video of parts of the ceremony in 2009.
Here is the altar prepared for the services which follow.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 31 Oct 2009 Cemetery Altar Samhain 2009 © Nicholas Sea |
30 Oct 2009 Sacred Amanita Shaman
30 Oct 2009 Sacred Amanita Shaman ~ I was quite surprised
when I spotted this Yellow Amanita mushroom on one of the paths up to Circle
Cemetery. I am always on the lookout for
the more renowned Red Amanita, which typically grows further north. Though this
mushroom is not used, as it is so toxic, it is a part of the Amanita family of
Shamanic mushrooms, as I understand it.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 30 Oct 2009 Sacred Amanita Shaman © Nicholas Sea |
30 Oct 2009 Maypole at Samhain
30 Oct 2009 Maypole at Samhain ~ In every season the Maypole
stands. Here the whole setting is
classic Wisconsin Autumn. The grass is
brilliant green, the skies are overcast and grey, and the leaves remaining on
the trees are mostly browns and yellows. The colors of the ribbons on the pole
are reminiscent of a Scottish tartan of long ago.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 30 Oct 2009 Maypole at Samhain © Nicholas Sea |
30 Oct 2009 Circle Bell Lichen
30 Oct 2009 Circle Bell Lichen ~ For me, the Circle Bell
feels like it is in a land apart. It
stalwartly stands during all weather clement and fierce. When it is time to ring the bell, one goes
out to the bell, as if through a veil or over a bridge, to its place and
purpose.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 30 Oct 2009 Circle Bell Lichen © Nicholas Sea |
30 Oct 2009 Kwan Yin Summer Kitchen
30 Oct 2009 Kwan Yin Summer Kitchen ~ Here is a closer look
at Kwan Yin in front of the Summer Kitchen. There is plenty of green grass and
green herbs, late in the season.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 30 Oct 2009 Kwan Yin Summer Kitchen © Nicholas Sea |
30 Oct 2009 Kwan Yin at the Door
30 Oct 2009 Kwan Yin at the Door ~ There are several statues
and figurines of Kwan Yin at Circle Sanctuary.
Here Kwan Yin is by the Summer Kitchen side door. She is moved from time to time to different
positions in this area depending on what is happening for events and festivals.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 30 Oct 2009 Kwan Yin at the Door © Nicholas Sea |
30 Oct 2009 Kwan Yin Shrine on Stone Block
30 Oct 2009 Kwan Yin Shrine on Stone Block ~ With the
backdrop of a white wall, Kwan Yin stands on a block of stone in one of the old
Circle gardens. This shrine is followed
by many people in the Circle community.
Sometimes a person will be away for several years and visit first the
Kwan Yin Shrine on returning to the land.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 30 Oct 2009 Kwan Yin Shrine on Stone Block © Nicholas Sea |
30 Oct 2009 Sacred Fire Cord
30 Oct 2009 Sacred Fire Cord ~ Every shrine, every sacred
site, every activity of spirit, has some labor of love; conception, creation,
maintenance, provision. The various land
stewards, volunteers, and Sacred Fire Circle tenders spend much time in tasks
such as providing firewood for the various activities on the land.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 30 Oct 2009 Sacred Fire Cord © Nicholas Sea |
30 Oct 2009 Sacred Fire Ring Quiet
30 Oct 2009 Sacred Fire Ring Quiet ~ One of the various fire
circles on the land at Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve is the Sacred Fire
Circle fire ring. This fire ring draws
one into the circle of community, into the self, into the land, into spirit. The quiet of the space is palpable and I
consider it an honor and privilege to visit between Circle events and festivals.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 30 Oct 2009 Sacred Fire Ring Quiet © Nicholas Sea |
Sunday, April 10, 2016
03 Nov 2014 On Top of Spirit Rock
03 Nov 2014 On Top of Spirit Rock ~ Of course, one of the
most notable sacred sites on Circle land is Spirit Rock. To fully understand Spirit Rock requires a
visit. To fully see the expanse of
Spirit Rock means viewing if from many angles.
This photo shows one standing on top of Spirit Rock looking outward.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| 03 Nov 2014 On Top of Spirit Rock © Nicholas Sea |
03 Nov 2014 Medicine Wheel in Autumn
03 Nov 2014 Medicine Wheel in Autumn ~ There is a tale to be
told here. I was not a part of the setup
of the Medicine Wheel up by Spirit Rock.
I only have a few photos. This is
another location worthy of some research and writing.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| Medicine Wheel in Autumn 03 Nov 2014 © Nicholas Sea |
03 Nov 2014 Sacred Fire Area Eagle
03 Nov 2014 Sacred Fire Area Eagle ~ Ever sitting vigil in
the Sacred Fire Circle area is the sacred eagle sculpture. The layout of the grounds here is quite
complex; a meditative retreat area regularly in use.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| Sacred Fire Area Eagle 03 Nov 2014 © Nicholas Sea |
03 Nov 2014 Stags Rub Juniper
03 Nov 2014 Stags Rub Juniper ~ A bunch of years back when I
was on my Samhain land hike, I followed the trail of the King Stag and his
markings. He was very active that
year. I have photos some place. One of the trees he rubbed was this Juniper
(also known as Red Cedar). This tree is
above the old sweat lodge area and at the lower edge of the upper prairie
restoration acreage.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| Stags Rub Juniper 03 Nov 2014 © Nicholas Sea |
03 Nov 2014 Veterans Ridge Art
03 Nov 2014 Veterans Ridge Art ~ A part of Circle Cemetery
is Veterans Ridge, where a number of recumbent headstones remind us. A cut steel silhouette of a kneeling soldier
is a simple work of art, ever vigil.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| Veterans Ridge Art 03 Nov 2014 © Nicholas Sea |
01 Nov 2014 Bonfire Prep Samhain
01 Nov 2014 Bonfire Prep Samhain ~ For many years, Reed has
been assembling the ritual bonfire for such festivals as Samhain. The photo shows the splendid results of his
efforts for Samhain 2014.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| Bonfire Prep Samhain 01 Nov 2014 © Nicholas Sea |
01 Nov 2014 Gnome Home and Oak Leaves
01 Nov 2014 Gnome Home and Oak Leaves ~ At the entrance to
Circle Cemetery as one comes up the steep Shrine Trail is Gnome Home. A number of different Gnome figures have
lived here, some slowly being absorbed back into the land. This is where the Yule Log has rested throughout
the seasons, year to year.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| Gnome Home and Oak Leaves 01 Nov 2014 © Nicholas Sea |
01 Nov 2014 Community Campfire
01 Nov 2014 Community Campfire ~ The community campfire area
was one of the first locations where we built bonfires on the land. There are currently at least 9 fire ring
locations on the land, a few obscured.
There have also been ancient fire rings on the land. Where the community campfire is located, is
considered an ancient sacred site because of artifacts found in its vicinity.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| Community Campfire 01 Nov 2014 © Nicholas Sea |
30 Oct 2014 Circle Dinner Bell
30 Oct 2014 Circle Dinner Bell ~ In addition to different
shrines and sacred sites at Circle Sanctuary, there are touchstone features on
the land that we all come to know during our time at festivals and other
events. The familiar call of the dinner
bell has been ringing out for decades, calling us to mealtime.
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Wisconsin, USA
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| Circle Dinner Bell 30 Oct 2014 © Nicholas Sea |
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