Weaving Celtic Tree Roots on Our Path of Balance & Harmony: A Virtual Qualifying Workshop with Barrie Carter Gibby, Veriditas Faculty, Advanced Certified Facilitator

. . . “We are not alone, and the rest of creation is not there simply as a resource for us.” 
~Richard Powers, Overstory

Balance and harmony are the life partners of the Celtic people, bowing to the sacredness of their surrounding tree wisdom and nature. In today’s culture, how do we infuse this nature-focused lesson into our labyrinth pilgrimage of seeking harmonious life? What shifts will take our internal journey to the vigilant path of building more branches for a just “tree community”? 

Waxing into increased light, between the Quarter and Full Moons, we gather to experience the complex branches and roots of the Celtic Tree of Life and Celtic Tree Zodiac and to interweave parallel earth rhythms of poetry, soundscapes, birth tree stories, and lunar cycles that honor the seasons of tree life and our own on the labyrinth quadrants. As we celebrate Celtic tree wisdom on our collective odysseys, we will harvest seeds of birth time and groundings, awakening pathways of new consciousness for radical actions of harmony. (Included are the loving sound seeds from Virginia.)

The Celtic culture holds in reverence the oneness of all beings in balanced relationship with each other. The profound reality that trees play into that same unique bondedness is exemplary of harmonious life and the relationship model we seek to perpetuate. That same bondedness is manifested by walking the labyrinth quadrants toward that center place of breath and balance. 

In the spirit of Celtic life, the tree gifts of healing medicines, animal burrows, a presence of permanence and longevity offer the sacred symbols of stability, open-mindedness, strength, and universal connectedness. What better tool is there for today’s thirst for radical harmony than the shared archetypes of Celtic life, trees, and the labyrinth?

Shared materials include Celtic Tree Zodiac information, rituals, poetry, writing prompts, music resources, labyrinth downloads, and other references.

Barrie Carter Gibby:

A long-time educator, writer and avid traveler, Barrie interweaves her background in design, music, theater production and ritual-making to facilitate labyrinth workshops across the nation on a variety of themes. Her many pilgrimages to the 13th c. Chartres Cathedral labyrinth and others worldwide have guided her passion for the layers of symbology, cultural understanding and synchronicities in her labyrinth work. As an Advanced Certified Facilitator and on faculty at Veriditas, Barrie finds sacred spaces everywhere.

VA Virginia Schenck is an international vocal artist, social activist, arts advocate, licensed and board-certified music therapist, and Veriditas-trained labyrinth facilitator. In her retreats, VA brings the same emotional connectivity to her work as a performing artist. Known for her impact in the world of vocal improvisation, she also loves to dance in the labyrinth!