By Calne Town Mayor Robert MacNaughton
As a part of my Mayoral year, I said I would organise River Blessings across the South West. I know this only makes sense to a certain few, but at our latest River Blessing on the River Frome in Stroud, forty people came along.
We are trying to help our rivers cope with the poisons that our uncaring government is allowing corporations to pour into them.
Rivers are living beings with their own consciousness. They are not inert as modern science thinks. We believe they can be strengthened by our care and attention, as much as we are strengthened when we feel the care and attention of others.
In our ceremony people are asked to bring water from their local stream, river, well or tap even. Each person tells a short story or anecdote about their chosen water. These waters are mixed together into a bowl which is then poured into the river we are blessing by our youngest member.
Kate, our Shamanic practitioner, brings a wreath of flowers and greenery which she then releases into the river.
The different waters being poured into the River Frome. Kate releasing the wreath into the River Frome.
It floats away, people watching from the bridge applaud.
Our youngest member Tara is standing next to Simon, a local vicar based in Stroud.
We are open to people of all points of view who also care deeply for our rivers. We will holding our next River Blessing in Calne on Saturday March 16th. Please come if you can. It is for all ages.
