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

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

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

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

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

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

30 Oct 2009 Sacred Fire Ring Quiet © Nicholas Sea

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Dinner Bell 30 Oct 2014 © Nicholas Sea