One Year Course:
A Foundation in Ancient Rooted Ways
Ritual, pilgrimage, story, sacred speech, self enquiry, vision quest, tantra, tribal living and "the music of what is" in wildest Wales and Ireland.
Courting the ecstatic in life, culture and in our own unfathomable body.
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If you listen to my story; you’ll be somebody else at the end.
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From the MAHABHARATA
Welcome! A thousand times welcome
This course has run since 1994, many times, though all participants and crew should know that it has always developed as Shiv's scope and the Spirit Horse experiment in remaking culture increases and gathers weight.
Nevertheless, in the tradition of these few decades we are delighted to announce with a thousand friendly welcomes once more, may heaven allow us another year of life... The 2018-2019 One Year Course.
If you have been to Spirit Horse and caught the scent of something wild, smokey, audacious, ancient and rooted, you’ll know that “it” can’t be “explained” and shouldn’t be. This invitation is to a pilgrimage, adventure, dreamtime, gateway, challenge, merry ramble, intense exploration, made in the company of new friends who will regard each other well for decades after for having met and touched soul on such a wild flowery path.
This pilgrimage prayerfully and wildly ventures into the soul memory. It is for understanding the bones of living culture beyond the poverty of the White Man’s world. It’s a reminder of home; in a deep, spiritual, wood-smokey, “mud between the toes”, intelligent, learned and emotionally authentic way. With humility and reverence but not without vitality and panache.
You will encounter, the smell and feel of an ancestral dreamtime, the storied, sophisticated, courteous, ritualistic world that is the bedrock of all pagan, earth loving culture.
On an Enlightenment Intensive, you will face your illusions about yourself and in so raw and real a fashion as to awaken a bliss beyond the body mind identification - who you think you are - and your mind stream will move further out into the ‘Unknown”. You will discover how to allow that to happen by itself. A flash of the supreme may occur, and if you are lucky your chest will be soaked in it!
None of this will make you special, important, or immune to pain; but you may become a real person. There is no certificate at the end; but you might have to burn a few of the ones you already got!
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The student asked Dong Shan, ‘Is there a practise for us to follow?”
The Master said, “yes there is: when you become a real person”
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If you undertake this initiation to completion you will never be the same again. As it says in the Mahabharata: (also part of the course) “if you listen to my story; you’ll be somebody else at the end.”
It will not make you a better person; you are already perfect, but you probably don’t know what you are.
It will not make you stronger: you will learn to live with greater vulnerability.
It will not make you happier: you will understand living in ecstasy is accepting grief.
You won’t feel better about yourself: you will move out beyond personal feeling into a spiritually adult world where that is small stuff.
You won’t feel clever or knowledgable: you will realise how little you know and can ever know!
But you WILL develop some style!
These are important gateways of maturity and not just cool things to say.
you’ll go deeply into:
Ancient Traditions of Story.
Natural Culture: its roots and bones and blessing.
Breath: how to move beyond thought/control into feeling/knowing/being
Ritual: on a level you won’t find anywhere else in the White Man’s world.
Speech: which gives life to the earth, the people and the spirit.
Self enquiry/Self realisation: (how far you go is up to you)
Pilgrimage: the re-enchantment of the land - and happy wandering!
Celtic mystery: and a good few other old traditions too.
An exploration, celebration and even consecration of your sexual spiritual self.
Vigil and vision quest/night of power.
Magnificent poetry and literature - the “lore of the world”.
Presence and pleasure in true speaking.
Bringing forth your unique gift or contribution to the world. Your true work.
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This course is also an initiation and introduction into the tribal world of Spirit Horse.
From a year with us you’ll get at least one living, noisy, bantering, tearful, out of control, ecstatic version of tribal community togetherness on a rugged, real, rooted way.
SCHEDULE
6 meetings, or rather 5 meetings of the group and one solitary vigil at the end.
And some other ridiculously good and delicious options.
Introduction Weekend
12th - 14th October 2018
Friday evening to Sunday 2pm.
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Storytelling and Ancestor Ritual
8th - 11th November 2018
Thursday evening to Sunday 2pm.
Ritual speech and the Poetic History of the World
22nd-25th November 2018
Thursday evening to Sunday 2pm.
Enlightenment Intensive Self Enquiry Retreat
Recommend (optional)
29th November - 3rd December 2018
Based squarely on Charles Berner's technique.
10 day pilgrimage in Shiv's secret land in Ireland
6th - 14th April 2019
Vigil/ Vision Quest/ Night of Power
September 2019 - any time around equinox 21st
By individual arrangement. Secret location. North Wales .
As a member of the ONE YEAR you are also offered and fiercely encouraged to seize with both hands:
Sacred Man Sacred Woman
1st - 5th August 2019 - Half Price! £125
Individual counselling with Shivam
Whenever needed as part of the course.
If you can’t make all the dates but still want to do it - talk to us, there may be a way to catch up or do some parts next time.
Erika Indra will attend most meetings and you will have the benefit of her counsel and guidance and womanly support.
There’s a list of things to read and list of things to watch.
Things to collect and start doing now or very soon.
These will be sent to you when you send an email confirming your definite interest after which we arrange your payment.
Payment conditions
£1600
By standing order (£150 per month) set up 10 days prior to start day.
Or £1000 deposit in cash on start day and £600 remainder.
Option 1:
Pay in full - discount rate of £1400 if paid in cash on start day.
If you wish to take this option, we would prefer to receive a deposit. This will be £400 bank transfer (non-refundable). The final £1000 can be paid in cash on the first meeting.
Deadline: 30th September
Option 2: £1600
Pay part cash - part instalment
£400 deposit paid by 30th September (non-refundable)
£600 paid in cash on start date
£600 instalments (Either £100 or £150 per month)
Deadline: 30th September
Option 3: £1600
Monthly Instalments of £150
Set up a Standing Order to Shivam's Account starting 4th October.
A deposit will be needed for this option - please write to us to discuss.
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Email: Annabelle on Annabelle.spirithorse@gmail.com for payment plans
This payment covers all meals, accommodation, travel, teaching, counselling and support.
For the Irish pilgrimage you have to get yourself to Shiv’s house in Galway, everything else is covered after that.
(Cheap flights/shared car etc less than £100 is easy enough)
For all other meetings you have to get yourself to Spirit Horse in Wales.
Work exchange option:
Up to £300 off may be negotiable based on how much hard work you can do as a volunteer at Spirit Horse.
No guarantee, please contact us to discuss this option.
HOW TO BOOK
Deadline to sign up: Sept 30th 2018
We are delighted to announce that the One Year Course has enough sign ups this year to go ahead! For this reason, we have extended the deadline to all others who are yet to find out about it. You are still able to register your interest and pay your deposit up until 30th September. Limited spaces are available so follow your gut and don't miss out!
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You undertake with a clear promise to pay for and do the entire course at the outset.
(If one or two dates are difficult; talk to us)
Email us with your clear intention and we will send you bank details.
Email: shivam.spirithorse@gmail.com
Phone: 00353 83 1533 558
Staying in wild places, Shivam may be away from email and phone signal for days on end, so you may also want to contact Erika:
Email: erika.spirithorse@gmail.com