Some fall on stony ground
Published: Tue, 06/14/16
Our garden got a bit neglected over the early months of this year. Not quite sure why, I guess we were very busy and the focus just wasn’t there. Then Venetia and I had a long weekend at her parents house in Norfolk. Venetia’s father is a very keen gardener, several acres of formal gardens with canals and follies created over the past 40 years from a wilderness. His garden is regularly opened to the public who will pay to visit (all proceeds going to charity). It is always great to find a space in that environment to do my morning training, often accompanied by the free range bantam hens which roam the place.
As well as the formal garden there is also a substantial vegetable plot which has fed the family for over a generation. So, there was a rather stark contrast between our neglected plot and Venetia’s father’s mini estate. The clincher was the tomato and kale plants we were given to bring back, growing strong and healthy and just begging to be planted and nurtured. When we got back we somehow found the time and energy to get the lawnmower, spades, rakes and hoes out and began with a much over due lawn mow. Then, creating growing spaces for the growing plants which were not going to thrive for long in small pots. Once we got started we dug over the larger vegetable bed and created a raised bed using some large lengths of wood I salvaged from a skip a few months ago. Emptied and dug in the contents of our compost bin and planted some seeds myself. Rather late in the season, but not too late.
I am now looking each morning to see what comes up and trying to tell if it is just a weed or something I actually planted. It can be quite difficult to tell when the plant is still very tiny, but it becomes clear soon enough.
I wonder sometimes if many of our problems in the modern world are caused by being so far removed from nature. I don’t just mean lack of good food, fresh air and exercise, although that is an issue for many people. Even more important are the profound lessons learned from experiencing the cycle of the seasons. Recognising that there is a time to plant and a time to reap. Understanding that if you don’t plant and nurture the crop you want to grow weeds will still grow anyway and you have to take some responsibility for letting that happen.
Stav is an education in how the universe works, how natural forces behave, how you can work with or struggle against the energy of creation. The runes are simple keys to these forces, Ar, the harvest and cycle of the seasons, Sol, the sun, Laug, water, Hagl, the hailstone which can suddenly destroy, yet instantly melts to nurture new growth.
The past few weeks have been a strange mix of experiences, from teaching in the USA last month. Encouraging my existing students and seeing Allen again who is willing to help me plant Stav in another part of the USA. Holding our weekend CQC weapons seminar with Fox which was very successful and a lot of valuable knowledge was taken away from that. Then last week a press release and article successfully published, a stand at the town fete, a demonstration which included three juniors (who did very well) but no sign of any actual response from the wider community, some seeds just fall on stony ground as it says in the parable of the Sower.
On the other hand interest is building up for my dagger/tein seminar in Salisbury on the 18th of June see http://iceandfire.org.uk/train.html If you would like to learn Stav direct from Ivar Hafskjold himself Ivar will be coming to Crewkerne to teach for the weekend 24th and 25th of September see http://stavcamp.org/ih.html
If you live in the USA and would like a second chance to train with me this year then I will be in Leaf River, Illinois, about 100 miles West of Chicago, on the 10th to 12th of September. More details http://iceandfire.us/events/
In each case all I or Ivar can do is plant the seeds of Stav training and practice, it will always be up to you to nurture and grow it.
regards
Graham
PS I am not exaggerating about Venetia’s father’s garden, see here http://www.ebts.org/2013/12/hunworth-hall-featured-in-country-life/