ISC
EVENTS ~ SUMMER GATHERING ~ 2013
When
forming the ISC, we agreed one of our main events should be an
annual Summer Gathering where we come together to take part in
community building, spirit work, ceremony, healing, socialising
and fun.
21-23
June 2013 - Åsbacka, Skåne, southern Sweden
This
year the Summer Gathering is organised by Jonathan and Zara at
their retreat center Åsbacka in the forests of southern
Sweden. This will be a time to come together and celebrate shamanic
community - sit round the fire, meet other members, work with
the Spirits and honour the Earth.
TIMES:
17.00 Fri - 16.00 Sun (arrive from 14.00 on Fri)
VENUE:
www.asbacka.org
PRICE:
ISC
member - Full: £55 / 550 SEK / 480 DKK / 65 Euro
ISC member - Reduced: £45 / 450 SEK / 390 DKK / 52 Euro
Non-ISC member: £65 / 75 Euro.
Price
includes food and lodging. Bed places are limited to 16. Tenting
is very welcome.
Please
note that as places are limited, ISC members are given booking
priority. After 1 May, booking will open to non-members. If you
are a non-member and want to be on the waiting list, let us know.
TRAVEL:
Åsbacka is in the south-west of Sweden. Nearest airports
are Copenhagen and Malmö. From the UK, you can get cheap
flights with Ryanair from Stansted to Malmö. You can also
fly Easyjet from Stanstead, Gatwick or Bristol to Copenhagen,
or SAS from Birmingham to Copenhagen. SAS fly direct from Dublin
to Copenhagen and from many other large European cities. Wizz
Air fly cheap to Malmö from Hungary. There are good train
connections from Denmark and in Sweden. From the airport to Åsbacka,
it is a 2hr train and bus ride, very simple and easy. We will
send you all the information and advice you need for your travel.
To
book your place, contact Zara
**ISC
members can apply for a Travel Bursary to help support their travel
cost if coming from far away or abroad - for info on how to apply,
see the forum
or email info@shamaniccommunity.org
ISC SUMMER GATHERINGS
usually have a wide variety of shamanic work offered - group journeys,
medicine walks, community ritual, singing, social time round the
fire. Working together in this way, the aim is to increase power
so we can find ways to do more, both for ourselves, our Spirits
and the world at large. Gatherings are an opportunity to spend
time with other shamanic practitioners and explore the spirit
of community, and experience what we can be when we are connected
together in purpose and power.
Even if you are not able to physically be at a Summer Gathering,
there are ways of taking part in Spirit. So don't let physical
reality stop you, ask the Spirits for guidance and get in touch.
***
Look forward to coming together **
ISC
SUMMER GATHERING 2012
The
2012 gathering was a true community experience. It was organised
by a group of 6 people: Gemma, Shenoah, Mary, Pupak, Louise O'Donnell
and Nellie. Together they pulled off a remarkable event which
was powerful, joyous and transformative.
We
met at a site in Uckfield, Sussex, south east England. A marquee
had been set up as a dining space and Pupak and John arranged
amazing luscious local biodynamic food, and all who came brought
gifts and offerings of food to share. There was plentiful abundance!
Further away, there was another marquee for the circle work and
also a large Firepit with an amazing opening ceremony.
There
were about 30-40 people attending, about half were ISC members
and many other came because they were curious and wanted to take
part in shamanic community, if only for the weekend. We did a
lot of outdoor work, working with the Spirits of the Land and
with Bees. There were blessings, songs and much engagement with
the Elements. We did a Healing ceremony, danced our gratitude
and our ever-changing leadership, and used a talking piece in
the circle. Nearly all of the work seemed to involve dancing and
there was a very joyous lively feeling which just kept bubbling
up.
It
was a great event showing how the ISC has come of age and is able
to share its gifts with other shamanic practitioners and hold
a space that truly celebrates community, with each other and with
the Spirits.
ISC SUMMER GATHERING 2011
In
2011, the ISC Summer Gathering was hosted by Janey, Nick and Faith
in Wild West Wales. 
On
6-7 August, people came together on Janey's land - 8 acres including
fields with flat ground for camping, an iron age hill fort, and
a converted barn with a beautiful workroom.
They
worked with a theme of Ancestors, which revealed itself on the
first evening. Using the Talking Piece in circle, sun song, journeying,
drumming, runes, pipe ceremony and healing circle, the gathering
moved beautifully through the half moon time and really created
a lot of energy for the whole community.
The
group also did a communcal card reading with Angela's shamanic
Star
Oracle cards for the ISC circle in the coming year, giving
rich and enlightening advice from the Spirits.
On
the final day they journeyed to the Ancestors to ask for a blessing
for the community, and how we can honour and work with them. Some
very powerful and ongoing work came out of this. Though it was
a small group that gathered physically, it was fascinating to
see how much energy and power they brought together for the whole
circle, with their strong intention and joyful work. Every evening,
Nick would send out an email sharing information and stories from
the meeting and showing how we could connect in and share in the
inspiration of the summer gathering. It was a wonderful invigorating
event, keeping the thread of the ISC summer meets alive and well.
ISC
SUMMER GATHERING 2010
In 2010, the ISC Summer Gathering took place 6-8 Aug, at Wild Ways
in Shropshire, UK. Macca was the head of organisation this year,
with the help of John who oversaw the important task of cooking
and food. There was a relaxed atmosphere, with a variety of work,
including journeys and a Nature Blessing medicine walk. Macca also
performed a ritual his Spirits had asked him to do, which members
could join in with wherever they were - for this he wore his Mongolian
shaman's outfit which had been gifted to him while on earlier travels.
The
gathering was a wonderful mix of rain, stars, evenings round the
fire, drumming, singing, sauna and lots of time to talk and get
to know each other. New connections were made and power drummed
for the coming year of community.
ISC SUMMER GATHERING 2009
The
first Summer Gathering took place 3-5 July 2009, in Frylands Wood
scout camp, outside Croydon, south England. Gemma May organised
it with the help of many others, and it was a wonderful weekend.
Both new and old came, and spent time together building and experiencing
community.
A
“Blessing of the Seeds” ritual was held, medicine
walks with the Ancestors, a community Healing ceremony, dancing,
singing and council practice. All rounded off by evenings by the
fire with great food, great talk and great heart.
If
you are an ISC member and would like to read more about what happened
at this gathering, log in to the Forum.
It
felt like a very different way to be together than the planning
meetings, and a free easy open atmosphere wove through the days.
We feel it is an important part of being in community and look
forward to more such gatherings in years to come.
