Shamanic Path Holidays

Introductory Courses

These holiday courses are intended to be events of “complete immersion” just as an apprentice to a Shaman would have felt like – living & breathing the learning day after day. We are therefore intending that there will be NO intrusion of modern technology during your stay at Gary; the world will have to wait outside for what will seem afterwards to have been only a few short days.
Program Outline
Events Common to each day:
Breakfast will be available from 8.30 to 9.30 am on a “serve yourself” basis in the dining area of Butterfly Cottage Gite. You will be able, at all time during your stay, to make yourself a coffee or tea in the kitchen, so if you are an early riser by nature, you can make yourself a drink and sit outside on one or other of the terraces & enjoy the views.Lunch – The meal will comprise salads, cold meats and/or fish and a variety of other cold dishes such as quiches, flans or similar. Soft drinks, coffee, tea etc will be available.
The afternoon Session will finish about 4.30 pm leaving everyone some private time to write up their personal experiences of the day, relax and change for aperitifs and dinner.
Aperitifs & nibbles: Will be served each evening from 6.00 pm in the lounge of Butterfly Cottage.

Candlelit Dinner: Will be served each evening at 6.30pm in the Cave Dining Room decorated with prehistoric paintings brought to life by the flickering candle light. Music will weave in the magic & conversation will flow with the wine. Dinner will comprise four courses cooked by our in-house cook Susanne Fox – website www.cuisinedelamour.com, who has kindly suggested the type of menu which will be available (see the Food Ethos page). Appropriate wine will be served with dinner except after 9.00 pm on Saturday evening as it is not appropriate to take alcohol for 24 hours before taking the Algiz Vow.
Coffee/herbal teas will be served following dinner in our farmhouse first floor lounge and will include entertainment stories and music suited to the course to round off the evening. Please see individual day schedule for the likely topics.
Arrival Day: Thursday (Thor’s Day) You will be collected from Carcassonne Airport and driven to the hamlet of Gary where you will have time to settle down in your room & change for an aperitif before dinner to meet your fellow course members. We will start the event with our world renowned local “champagne” Blanquette de Limoux which according to local legend pre-dated champagne.
After dinner there will be a story telling session which will start the journey – Shamanism – evidence from our prehistoric past! Where and when did it all start?

Day 1 – Friday (Freyja’s Day)
10.00 am We will start with a talk on Shamanism and the use of the Runes, covering their importance to the person treading, or intending to tread, the Shamanic Path. Understanding the power and potency of the Runes is fundamental to their function and possible uses, their role in your life in the future. You will have the opportunity on this course to decide whether you would prefer to create your very own Rune Set from natural finds or whether you would like to make them from clay. Making your Runes yourself will enable your Runes to become your own power base for the future.
2.00 pm Following lunch we will take a walk together in our valley through our ancient broad leaf forest where, if you decide to use natural finds for your Rune Set, you will be able to start collecting suitable materials. Our forests are huge – stretching literally from our door to the Mediterranean in the East, over the Pyrenees south to into northern Spain and West to the North Sea & Portugal. The woods are full of magic; they still abound with fantastic wildlife, including wolves, bears, wild goats, wild boar, lynx and other wild cat species and wonderful birds which we have had the privilege to see over the years we have lived here. Plant life starts in the spring with wild violets and primroses in profusion and autumn crocus in September/October close the season. You will have the opportunity to feel the forest and the solitude; you can be truly alone like our ancient ancestors.
Later in the afternoon we will sit together and start to the look at the Runes themselves and start the interesting and absorbing act of creation until we break at 4.30 pm.
Dinner tonight will be followed by a second saga story telling session taking the history of Shamanism through to the beginning of the Viking era, the arrival of Odin the Shaman on the scene and the gift of the Runes.

Day 2 – Saturday (3 Norn’s Day)
10.00 am Bill and I will now help you to start creating your own Rune Set in your own chosen preference. This will be accompanied by explanations and descriptions of the deep and special meanings of each of the symbols.
2.00 pm The afternoon will continue in the creative process which will include the design of your own individual Runic Signature, including the deeper meanings of the Runes themselves.
Dinner tonight will be followed by the story of the Viking Eddas, the Celtic World and the Middle Ages.

Day 3 – Sunday (Sun’s Day)
10.00 am We will start today by looking at the importance of the tree in the Shamanic World and working with trees in the Shamanic tradition. A walk in the forest and valley will give you the chance to identify species and learn to talk to the trees themselves. You will choose an individual tree, talk to it and meditate using the extraordinary powers that they offer. Whilst outside, you will also be able to choose your own place, your own site where you can come this evening to take your Algiz Vow!
2.00 pm Modern Shamanics – A talk and discussions on the role of Shamanics in the modern world. Discussions will centre around the events of the previous days, meditating with the Runes and their meanings and the importance attached to the taking of the Algiz Vow. You will be given the Algiz Vow and you will need to learn it for this evening. We will go through the process of Activating your Runes so that, following the Vow, you will be able to start the process of giving the Runes the Power they require to work for you as an individual.
After Dinner (alcohol free this evening) As soon as it is suitably dark, we will go out together into the valley and each individual privately will talk to the trees, the local spirits and guides and take the Algiz Vow which is the true beginning of Shamanism. It will then be important to immediately write down in your Note Book everything that you feel and experience at that moment in time. This will be followed by the chance to discuss the event either privately with one of us, or in a group. Share a nightcap or a last tisane and retire.

Day 4 – Monday (Moon’s Day) We will lunch out today.

10.00 am We will take a drive together through some of our wonderful and evocative scenery through the Gorges towards Spain to visit the Tautavel Excavations & Museum – Looking at the evidence of prehistoric man in the region of the Languedoc, some of the oldest remains identified in the world to date. Please visit the Tautavel Museum website at www.45000ans.fr
Dinner etc. The cave paintings and the earliest remains of real music in the world – wind instruments with finger holes and stalactites with evidence of drumming with sticks have been found in caves in this area of France which leads us rather neatly into the importance of music, drumming and dance to the Shamanic tradition and, after dinner tonight, we will enjoy a session of rhythmic drumming & dance which will close our course work in a suitably celebratory manner.

Day 5 : Tuesday

10.00 am

A de-briefing event where any outstanding questions or issues can be addressed. It will be possible to walk in the valley, continue Activation of your Runes or any other similar activity which feels best for you. After Lunch, transport will be available to take you back to the airport and normal life can resume but we assure you, it will never be quite the same again!!

OLD VERSION

PROGRAM OUTLINE

Arrival Day : Thursday (Thor’s Day)

trees-2 You will be collected from the Airport & arrive at Gary where you will have time to settle down in your room & change for an aperitif before dinner to meet your fellow course members and our team. Commencing at 6.00 pm you will be served with a chilled glass of Blanquette de Limoux, the local excellent sparkling wine (pre-dating Champagne!!

6.30 pm : Candlelit Dinner

You will be served with a four course dinner including wine, served by our cook Sue. please see our Menu page for an example of the style of food which will be served. Wine, when appropriate will be included. This will be followed by coffee/herbal teas during which a team member, Bill, will tell the Shamanic Path story as we know it from pre- history through to Odin and the Viking era.

8.30 to 9.30 am : Breakfast

On a daily basis Breakfast will be available from 8.30 to 9.30 am. Self service in Butterfly Cottage Lounge.

12.30 pm : Lunch

Unless stated otherwise, lunch will be served at 12.30 pm comprising salads, cold meats and/or fish & a variety of other cold dishes such as quiche, flans or similar, soft drinks, coffee, tea etc.

Day 1 : Friday (Freyja’s Day)

10.00 am

The day will commence with a talk on Shamanism and the use of the Runes, covering their importance to the person treading or intending to tread the Shamanic Path. Understanding the power & potency of the runes and a brief look at possible uses and their role in your future life. This talk will also cover the making of your own runes which can be made either from small stones collected in the wild or from clay then baked in our kiln.

12.30 pm

Break for lunch.

2.00 pm

Will commence with a walk in our ancient broad-leaf forest where you will have the opportunity to collect suitable materials to start to make your own runes later in the afternoon. Return to the house where you will start to make and learn the runes. These runes will form your own power base for the future.

4.30 pm

Break to write up notes, rest and change ready for an aperitif at 6.00 pm followed by dinner.

6.30 pm.

Dinner Coffee will be accompanied by a discussion on the taking of your next Step! Taking the Algiz Vow on Sunday evening.

Day 2 : Saturday (Norn’s Day)

10.00 am

The Rune Workshop continues as you start to make your own Rune Set with explanations of their powers and deeper meanings.

12.00 pm

Break for lunch.

2.00 pm

Rune Workshop will continue with discussions on uses and responsibilities and will include designing your own Signature Rune.

5.30 pm

Break to change for dinner – no alcohol this evening after 8.00 pm ready for the serious business of taking your Algiz Vow tomorrow evening.

6.00 pm

Aperitif at 6.00 pm followed by dinner. Coffee will be accompanied by more stories illustrating the importance of Shamanism in the past – Viking Eddas etc.

Day 3 : Sunday (Sun’s Day)

10.00 am

Modern Shamanics – A talk and discussion on the role of Shamanics in the modern world Discussions centered on the previous day’s events, writing up personal notes & learning the Algiz Vow. This session will centre around the study of, and meditating on the Runes and their meanings. You will be shown how to activate your Runes into full power on Monday following taking the Algiz Vow this evening.

12.30 pm

Break for lunch

2.00 pm

Discussion on the importance of the tree in the Shamanic world & working with trees in the Runic tradition. We will take a walk in our forest looking at tree species and there will be an opportunity to do a tree mediation. Before returning to the house you will choose your own particular place in the valley in which to take the Algiz Vow after dinner.

4.30 pm

Break to change for dinner. No alcohol before or during dinner tonight!!

6.00 pm

Pre-dinner soft drinks

6.30 pm

Dinner & herbal teas to follow. Discussions centered around taking the Algiz Vow followed by (as soon as it is suitably dark!) the opportunity for each person to go their suitable place in the valley to take his or her Algiz Vow. This will be followed by the chance to discuss the event privately or in group, of the individual’s experience. Writing up personal notes, a nightcap & retire.

Day 4 : Monday (Moon’s Day)

10.00 am

Visit to Tautavel Prehistoric Excavations Site & Museum – Looking at evidence of prehistoric man in the region of the Languedoc, some of the oldest remains identified in the world to date. Please visit the website at http://450000ans.com/?lang=en (english version). The cave paintings and evidence of ancient man in the area include the earliest remains of real music – wind instruments with finger holes and stalactites with evidence of drumming marks. This leads us rather neatly in to the importance of music, drumming & chant in particular, to the shamanic tradition and after dinner we will have an opportunity to practice shamanic drumming, the use of the rattle and shamanic dance. if you decide following your experiences during this event that you wish to continue on your very own Shamanic Path then you will need these skills to aid you in journeying and looking for your own power animal.