Greetings All,

Thanks to those who joined last night's session from my mysterious mountain hideout!

If you missed the session, you can catch the video via this link:

https://youtu.be/GPUYfhsJBhY

The tasks help us lean into the key themes of the story: gifts & gifting, fire, and birds as messengers.

In full:

Gifting

Journal questions

In the story, the bird struggles to find someone who can receive the precious gift that she brings.

When have you brought a gift that wasn’t received at first, did you find a suitable recipient?

Sometimes it is hard to acknowledge and own the many gifts that we carry. Make a list of your own gifts, see how many you can list (get at least 10!)...ask others if stuck.

Recognise someone else’s gifts and let them know you see them, 'hey, I've noticed you're really good at.....", or invite someone else to bring their gifts, 'I noticed your really good at this, would you be up for assisting me sometime?'

Fire as gift from the gods

Make a fire this week. Stretch your fire making skills a little. If you've never made. fire before, just lighting with matches may be enough. Maybe gather some natural tinder, use a fire striker (flint and steel) or even bow drill if you feel more adventurous!

In the story, fire connects our imaginations to the people in Tiir Na Nog (the Celtic Otherworld). Spend time with the fire reflecting on a particular moment in the story or reflective question…reflect upon the images that are conjured by the flames and shadows.

Birds as messengers

Notice a migrating bird that has returned to or left your area recently. Learn about that bird.

Learn to recognise the song of one bird that you can hear from your sit spot (you can cheat and use the Merlin App!)

The first Ceilidh

In Scotland, the tradition of the ceilidh is simply a gathering where each person is invited to offer something for the collective entertainment (a story, song, poem, cake etc). I see the ceilidh as a social survival tool through the long winters!

They are also a good opportunity to invite people to share their gifts.

Arrange one ceilidh gathering through the winter months.

......

That's all for now.

Wishing you all an inspired week.

Dougie