FIRES RISING
Time :
Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 12:00pm - Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 6:00pm
Location :
Four Quarters Farm
Fires Rising 2012 will be held Wednesday May 30th through Sunday June 3rd, with All Night Alchemical Fire Circles happening Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights until sunrise the next morning.
The Co-Laborators of Fires Rising are proud and happy to offer three structured all-night Alchemical Fire Circles, true to the traditions of Jeff and Abbi McBride and grown fresh from the Land! Come stay awake all night, engaged in community-driven ritual play designed to create a vessel for transmuting leaden patterns of thought and behavior into a beautifully adaptive, golden new reality.
We live in changing times, and it is 2012, a year of doomsday prophets and elections. We must be the change we wish to see in the world.
This year, the Co-Laborators of Fires Rising invite you to the deepest exploration of Alchemy that we have ever attempted - an entire gathering under the sign of the Caduceus. Two snakes entwine around a winged staff. What seems frightening can also be healing. What is grounded can also soar. Change is neither good nor bad and we have the potential to change for the better.
At Fires Rising, we work a philosophical and spiritual Alchemy, a creative approach based on ancient symbolism, modern psychology and the Alchemical Fire Circle traditions of Jeff and Abbi McBride. Each of us is the Alchemist of our own lives. The gathering is our Laboratory, and the sacred space we build together is the Vessel where we transmute our personal Lead into purest Gold. Over the course of three days and nights, we spend time together exploring complex metaphors in co-creation of ritual and beauty. In play, study, and service to each other, we work to alter any leaden or maladaptive patterns we possess into a golden new reality.
This is a conscious process and a celebration of creating a present of our own choosing. We support one another while taking personal responsibility for our own safety, healing, entertainment and engagement in this process. In that spirit, we refrain from alcohol and other mind-altering substances. Fire, Community, Creativity, and the Night are our active ingredients. Together, we turn our energies into rhythm, song, dance and symbol; we speak our truths, listen, and give of ourselves for the good of all.
Bring your whole Self; your strengths and talents as well as your hurts. Bring on the didgeridoos, gongs, singing bowls, frame drums, incenses and oils, the drums, chants, spoken word, dance, painting, fire spinning, theater, decorations - and most of all, your love and kindness. All faiths and ability levels are welcome. Seek within and see what you find there. The Caduceus awaits!
“Search, therefore, this fire with all your strength of mind,
and you shall reach the goal you have set yourself.”
~Pontanus
What to expect for 2012:
More Alchemy-specific workshop content, but hopefully without making
anyone go cross-eyed. Rhythm and music-making rolled into each Alchemy
workshop. Yoga and tie-dye back by popular demand. A different plan
for moon service. More time to rest and relax.
Tentative schedule:
WEDNESDAY May 30th
All day: Early Arrivals. Setting up camp and fire circle.
Mid evening: Home Coming Fire
THURSDAY May 31st
Morning: Building the Laboratory.
Afternoon: Playshops
Mid afternoon: 4 stages of Alchemy. Then: Affinity Groups.
Late night until dawn the next day:
First Night Alchemical Fire Circle -
The Fire of the Four Temples
FRIDAY JUNE 1st
Dawn: End of first all-night fire.
Morning: Sleepytime.
Afternoon: Playshops
Mid afternoon: 7/7/7 of Alchemy. Then: Affinity Groups.
Late night until dawn the next day:
Second Night
Alchemical Fire Circle:
The Fire of the Seven Planets
SATURDAY JUNE 2nd
Dawn: End of second all-night fire.
Morning: Sleepytime.
Afternoon: The caduceus and healing applications of Alchemy.
Mid to late afternoon: Affinity Groups works of co-creation
Late afternoon early evening: Full Moon Service Dinner and Ritual.
Late night until dawn the next day:
Third Night Alchemical Fire Circle:
The Fire of the Caduceus
SUNDAY JUNE 3rd
Dawn: Packing up the Laboratory; Breakfast and Closing Ceremony.
Morning and afternoon: Free time
Early evening: Leave-taking Fire
Volunteers and participants co-create Fires Rising; arriving early on Wednesday to set up and build the Alchemical container. If you can, do plan on arriving Wednesday, you will be glad you did! Saturday arrivals are welcome, but please arrive in time for the afternoon playshops.
Members $65, Guests $85
pre registered by April 1st
Children under 16 are
loved, cherished and FREE
To register, visit our page at the Four Quarters web page, here: http://www.4qf.org/index.php/events-a-schedule/four-quarters-events/fires-rising-early-june
Later registration prices will most likely be higher this year. Pricing structure for later registrations TBA.
Fires Rising is not anti-child, but we are positively pro staying up all night! Behaved, supervised children are welcome. No Children’s Programming will be provided.
Handicapped, Special Circumstances? CALL US!
You are welcome to arrive before Wednesday and stay later than Sunday. Early In and Late Out camping is $5 a night for Members and $10 a night for non-members.
Four Quarters has two hot shower buildings equipped with super low-flow dual-flush toilets, state of the art on-demand heaters for our low-flow showers and drinking water spigots throughout the camp. We are Green!