Another great weekend with the Peaceweavers, pics

Dear Diary,
    I spent another weekend with the Peaceweavers.  I had a great time as usual.  I drove up there after work on Friday.  It is not an easy trip after working all day however, I made it up there by 9pm. 
I made "circle" and was fun to meet the other guests before Saturday morning.  After circle I got back into my vehicle and drove to W’s house where I was staying along with two other women.  We had the house to ourselves and it was quite nice.  
I stayed in W’s and A’s room on the first floor.  The other two women stayed upstairs. 
We woke up at 6:30am on Saturday, dressed and drove back up to the long house.  There we were greeted by the other guests and the peaceweaver crew.  Morning practice was waiting for us up in the meditation room.  We practiced with C who is a great guy.  We do do-in which is a practice that stimulates your meridians.  The practice is done by gently using a fist and tapping on your body in various ways.  It really feels good and wakes you up.  We also did some stretches and then meditation with GL.  After meditation it was off to breakfast which consisted of oatmeal, rice cereal, raisins, almonds, maple syrup, rice or soy milk and tea. 
At breakfast we all sit at a huge long table and interact with the other guests.  After breakfast and clean up, we were off for a walk around the property.  It wasn’t too cold but cold enough to layer.  The walk is nice but it is the same walk all the time and I would like to switch the walk, but maybe another visit.
When we came back I was very tired and it was time for a workshop with GL.  I decided to skip the workshop and instead lay on the couch and sleep.  I readily fell asleep and slept the entire time the workshop went on.  When I woke up little 10 yr. old R came in and we had a long talk about FOOD, LOL.
She is a doll and all their children are home schooled.  They are really great kids and quite bright.  They do a lot of activities outside of their environment such as soccer, theater, dancing and baseball for the little boys. 
When the rest of the guests came downstairs it was time for lunch.  We had a light lunch in anticipation of sweat lodge.  After lunch and clean up we made prayer ties for the sweat lodge and this is done by using small pieces of different colored cloth which we wrap around a small amount of tobacco.  Each little bundle is then tied to a string.  The colors represent the different directions plus the earth and the sky.  Each color also carries with it a healing prayer.  I tied about 6 bundles for various prayers and for various people.  I had to run to the house and get my lodge clothes and towels. 
We then changed into our lodge clothes and headed out to the sweat lodge.  I was the first to arrive as GL and C were tending the fire which housed the 52 red hot rocks for the sweat.
I stood by the fire and watched.  Soon the rest of the guests arrived and we sat and stood around while GL packed the peace pipe.  Soon we disrobed and filed into the sweat lodge.  I sat by the door where the ground was froze solid.  C brought in the water and soon we were sweating like nobodies brother LOL.  The only thing was that my feet never warmed up because of the frozen ground.  It was confusing my body which was hotter then ah ah ah.  
I tried to wrap them in a towel but the towel didn’t stay around my feet.  I just endured. 
We were in sweat lodge for about 3.5 hours or maybe 4, I’m not sure. 
We filed out and I didn’t feel like putting on my boots so I ran back to the ceremonial building to change into warm clothes BAREFOOT!  I YI YI, I thought my toes would fall off from running up there in 6 inches of snow LOL.
We changed and the guests went to the long house but I stayed and helped W and C put everything away.
I drove back to the long house with C in the pick up truck. 
We got back, smoked the piece pipe then it was time for dinner and then meditation and then BED.  I couldn’t wait to lay my head down on that pillow and close my eyes. 
I was back at the house, in bed and falling asleep by 9:30pm.
Sunday morning was the same but I decided not to go out for the walk.  I stayed inside and talked to GL.
I bought some small items at the gift shop and then after again having a discussion with GL about the hissing in my ears and several other issues I was off for my trek home.
I arrived home at 8:15.  It was nice to relax and take a load off.
I had a great visit with the peaceweavers and in April I am going to go up there and help with the planting for the garden and fields.
I love it up there and I love the sweat lodges. 
Peace,
LYB
Here are some pictures I took… not many…..

The buildings in the distance are the piece weavers long house and other structures.  I am standing on a trail which I would love to hike in the future.

This is looking the other way down the trail.  You can see a blaze on the tree in the center of the picture.

Guests at the medicine wheel.

This is a structure used for the summer gathering which they host about 200 guests.

The man in the center looking towards the camera with the blue coat is C.  He is explaining the medicine wheel to the guests.

This is us after the last circle.  I am in the middle with glasses.

This is the altar looking out over the mountain. 
Peace.

I just got this picture of the Peace Gathering in January at the Princeton University Chapel which is really a Cathedral.  Look at all the orbs!  We were doing a ceremony to honor the dead from the past year and when the photographer processed this picture all the orbs appeared.  Orbs are spiritual beings of the dead.  The photographer and everyone else were blown away with this picture.  The ceremony consisted of standing and saying the names of those who passed this year.  What a picture!