The Freedom of Water
A ceremonial retreat with Paul Hougham.
This retreat is an opportunity to spend time
in attendance to the oceanic vision of the water element, the hexagonal dreams
of its gifts, and the world that we are invited to participate in as we engage
with these dreams.
Our focus will be the dynamic intelligence of
water in and of itself as well the role of water in human psychology and development.
In questing the Freedom of Water we will explore some of the global themes of the
water element, and the balance of water when it holds an equilibrium. We will also
look towards the potential inherent in water when it is tuned to the fifth element
of Ether, and so holds a link to our destiny and the Circle of Soul.
Author Tom Robbins has described the future of
humanity as depending upon a combination of being able to “lighten up,” with the
creative vision of a shamanic state of consciousness. This is a re-alignment of
our intelligence into a relationship with both possibility and sentience in a way
that places humanity in a merry participation rather than heavy dominion. The work
of the great Austrian hydrologist, Viktor Schauberger (whose work we will explore),
described contemporary science as being “one octave too low” in how it described the
world. We will be seeking to blend these insights, to re-tune ourselves to embody
questions that reveal our participation with the elements, and at this time,
the Freedom of Water.
This is the third of five annual ceremonies tracking
the ancient wisdom of the elements. During this workshop we shall spend time in meditation,
conversation, chanting, prayer and walking the land as we quest the Freedom of Water
inside ourselves. The teachings will be given from the Medicine Wheel wisdom of Turtle
Island (North and South America) and in particular the lineage of Metis Medicine Woman
Arwyn DreamWalker and Navajo Holy Man Grandfather Tom Wilson, as well as the Daoist
lineages of qigong and acupuncture traditions.
Paul Hougham is a teacher, writer and traditional
acupuncturist, practicing in the Malvern Hills in England. He has trained with teachers
from different traditions and, principally, has completed a nine year apprenticeship
with the Metis Medicine Woman Arwyn DreamWalker (www.morningstarlodge.net) in the
lineage of Navajo Holy Man Grandfather Tom Wilson. He also holds teachings from the
Daoist lineages of QiGong and Evelyn Carter’s rainbow vision of the Great Work.
His work aims to enable a deeper relationship between the people and the rich wildness
of the natural world through a weaving of teaching, ceremonial work and dreaming.
His style of teaching and holding ceremony seeks to catalyze and help each person
to find sovereignty within themselves and with the Land.
Paul is also the author of The Atlas of Mind, Body
and Spirit published by Gaia Press. It is a panoramic perspective of the various ways
in which spiritual and scientific traditions have mapped the landscape of the body,
and explores with extensive illustrations the Vedic chakras, the Kabbalah’s sephiroth,
the meridians of acupuncture, together with the LightWheels of Native America and a
holistic and environmental understanding of our physical forms. The Atlas is available
in all good bookstores and at a discount from Amazon on
http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Mind-Body-Spirit/dp/185675247X.
It is currently available in 9 languages worldwide, including Japanese, Spanish and French (but not German as yet).
Paul is also a past President of the British
Acupuncture Council (www.acupuncture.org.uk) and Principal of CTA - The College of
Traditional Acupuncture (www.cta-uk.net) in Warwick, England, one of the leading
international colleges teaching the Five Element style of acupuncture practice.