A New Embercombe Council – Rising in the Ashes of the Old

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Our old council were a group of people who stepped forward, seeking to find a way in the changes that are happening within our daily lives, with the many complex issues surrounding our Earth, whilst holding open a gateway to our future generations to come. The unseen council of the future observing us from beneath the ground is often in our mirroring of a future imagined.

Dreaming in the Council long before Embercombe’s beginning, introducing and growing the idea into the hearts and minds of the people, was brought about by Mac Macartney. Mac gathered around him a group of friends to bring into existence a council based on a democratic process known as the Circle of Law, based on indigenous ways of governance.

In forming the Council,  which was no mean feat, we drew upon the principles and morals from the Council of Law, from the circle around the children’s fire. This template as a foundation was aligned with our land, with the stone circle known as Magpie Wheel.

This stone circle has 16 stones which all represent an aspect of our world. There are many circles from indigenous cultures, including our own.

This is but one of these all with different interpretations, the circle of law has 8 places around its fire all directions on the circle had a representation to purpose to governing of people tribal, family and philosophy,

Within these parameters our Council group was founded using the 16 stones, we decided that each place would be held in balance with one woman and one man at each stone this dreaming brought about the opportunity to gather 16 women and 16 men in balance around the council and children’s fire each holding a modern aspect of what was felt to be appropriate in our world at this time both personally and collectively. The people chosen through electected processes.

This was a challenge in itself both exciting and adventurous, full of laughter and humour and sometimes grueling hours.

So this Council at the time was specific in it’s purpose as being an influencing body and not a decision making body in support of the mission of embercombe at the time.

Exploration of issues concerning Embercombe, from land management, to welfare of people, to animal husbandry, to conversation of climate change yet to name a few were engaged with many times. The gathering of council would discuss and look at it’s own process, all this being new ground, new challenges meeting us time after time in many ways .

Gathering four times a year the council often met the challenges of our busy lives, we all lead processes of our modern lives and all these personal commitments played their part in absent chiefs often observed around the fire, around the circle. Also notable was the difficulty in finding 16 women and men to take there place around the council circle, who knew Embercombe well and could make the commitment required.

With all these challenges after a few years the Council took a courageous step and made a decision on its own behalf influencing itself to transform in order to grow.

In 2015 the Council and  Chiefs stepped forward to the Children’s Fire and the Council as it was known was ended in a beautiful ceremony at the Magpie Wheel. I would add here that there were also two presiding chiefs who helped the facilitation and government of council rules and laws. Traditionally this would have been two women two men .

Dreaming this Council in, bringing into a substance, being, seeking and stalking away through. Further, dreaming deep reflections and mirroring of our existences within this world where we all live, is an incredible journey, when so much is happening around us.

A heart felt gratitude for all those who stepped forward, for their time so freely given, their commitment to this exploration, their willingness to the idea of using this tradition, mixing ancient with modern, expressions of joy, humour, laughter and the integrity along with honesty to meet these unfolding times .

We also met our grief in many ways from people stepping away from stones including the loss of our friend and Chairman of the trustees Steve Onyett. Physical illness to physical death of much loved and missed chiefs.

Honouring all who gave and have given so much, all those who show up as witnesses to observe council in session, held within the centre of our circle, as this Council represents our people, to place all in this honouring in place .

The final decision from the old Council was to set up a working group to form the renewal and emergence of a new Council which was two women and two men. This has now been concluded. The new Council intends to be smaller to start with and will grow in time .

Right now there are six Chiefs three women and three men, it is held that this Council will eventually grow to eight, this is all still in alignment with our Stone Circle, Children’s Fire and Circle of Law. The new council will be holding a spiritual alignment and long term view of all aspects of Embercombe through it’s support of the mission. Holding ceremonies, gatekeeper stone circle, people’s circle, creation of roundhouse dwellings, are among some of the representations going forward.

This Council will be seeking the wilder nature of our existence, both within ourselves and in our land. Held within beauty are challenges that confront us moment by moment, where do our edges lay?

Manicured lawns meeting wild grasses, hedgerows and woods. We meet these even in our conversation, many questions such as, what do we mean by wild? What is truly free? What is honestly cultivated in us as we cultivate our gardens and lands, seeking to follow a heartfelt magikal life?

The new Council will look to these questions whilst tending a fire, making ceremony, working with tools of prayer, joy, care, humour, axes, knives and arrows, stalking, tracking, dreaming, stories of remembering and meeting the new challenges and most of all meeting the new Chiefs seen as they come into view.

Here once again, this is made possible from the ashes of the old Council renewed and ignited going forward into the unknown beauty beyond our wildest imaginations of infinite adventures and opportunities.

Quote from Wolf from Joseph M  Marshal IIIrd rosebud Sioux reservation Author.

Wisdom travels many roads and knows no boundaries

It is a fleeting gift. Grasp it while you can, for it is

Not yours to keep, but to use and pass on.

Much love Joey on behalf of the newly forming Council Chiefs

Joey

We are in process of inviting the remaining chiefs. We wish to approach this in a mindful and timely manner. Meanwhile life moves apace and we are honouring the turning of the seasons and …..4 ceremonies