Thursday, March 02, 2006

chilled out

We have just spent a very relaxing few days at the Chalice Well, chilling out in Little Saint Michael's retreat house. The best bits were seeing a goldcrest bathing in the water by the healing pool, and meditating in the Upper Room. Normally I'm useless at meditation, but the quality of the silence in that room is wonderful, so I could really meditate properly. The room has held a meditative hush for 40 years, so it's very special. Also the light is all golden.

We saw the goldcrest twice, once on the first day and once on the last. She was drinking and bathing in the stream by the cascade in King Arthur's Courtyard. She was so tiny, and so close to us. She was splashing about and sticking her head under the flowing water. The birds in the Chalice Well gardens don't seem to mind humans, presumably because they move quietly in the gardens.

The flowers at the Chalice Well were lovely too: crocuses and snowdrops and dwarf irises. On the second day we walked round the bottom of the island, almost down to the Levels, and heard woodpeckers and curlews. We had views of Glastonbury Tor from lots of different directions.

1 comment:

Sophia said...

I agree - the Chalice Well Garden is amazing. I think the birds and other wildlife know that it is a holy place and that they won't be harmed - I can't explain their unusual behaviour in any other way.

At the Well I've seen a white owl on the night of the full moon, nearly walked into a foraging hedgehog and even shared a bench with a robin who sat and looked up at me as if he wanted to ask me what I was up to - and that's only the ANIMAL experiences. And those trees...! I'm glad you guys got to take some time out and stay there, well done dears.