I had been looking forward to doing the ‘Listening to the Landscape’ course at Silver Wattle for ages and had booked in months ago.  I knew it would be just what I wanted and needed.  It was!  The magic and wisdom is in the land itself of course, but our course leaders taught us to delve deeper, to stop, to listen, to wonder…

I stayed on at Silver Wattle for three extra days, as I wanted to soak up the landscape and also to have a good rest.  The way I learn is slowly, through lots of reflection, almost without my conscious mind having anything to do with it.  Though the desire to learn and grow has to be there.

It was a glorious early afternoon and I was wandering around the property, in the revegetation part, I think.  The sky was a light, soft blue, the clouds were puff balls and scudding quickly across the sky, the kangaroos were resting in small groups.  It was peaceful.  All was right with the world.

Something suddenly caught my eye.  It was floating down from the sky.  It was white and doing a sort of dance.  What was it?!  I thought it may have been a feather released by a bird but the way it was coming to earth wasn’t quite right.  Then I realised that it wasn’t a feather, it was a cobweb.  It spiralled down with such grace and beauty.  I stood there transfixed, not thinking anything, just watching and appreciating.  That’s when something extraordinary happened.

All at once, I became aware of something long and ethereal streaming out from the sides of my body.  What was it!?  I wasn’t alarmed, just extremely curious.  Then I realised.  It was a very long stream of cobweb which had somehow wrapped itself around my back and was streaming outwards from my sides, about twenty feet on each side.  I raised my arms and held them outwards, in line with the cobweb.  I felt one with all creation.  My smile must had been a mile wide!  I felt awe and wonder and gratitude.

Then, I thought that the wind had just caused a very long strand of cobweb to wrap around my body and pfft, the feeling of awe and wonder disappeared immediately.   As it should!  I had shut myself down to wonder, to something other, to God.  Which version of this experience is true?  They both are.  But the first experience was the Higher truth.  I felt the veil had been lifted for just a few seconds.  It felt like an act of Grace to me.  And, so it was.

The second experience was caused by people, not Nature.  There were about ten participants in our course.  One lady had a beautiful, small harp.  It is called a reverie harp and that is a very apt name.  You can pluck any string or strum it in any way and the most beautiful, resonant sounds are generated.  I was watching and listening to the quiet, shy woman who was playing this harp from time to time.  The harp was exquisitely made and very beautiful in itself.  Then one day, the shy lady with the beautiful soul invited me to play.  I looked into her eyes and smiled my assent and gratitude.  I sat there, outside on the front veranda and made some beautiful music without a tune.  It was meditative and yes, I did go into a sort of reverie.  I was deeply grateful for this opportunity.

Experiences of grace can happen anywhere and anytime but there is something about Silver Wattle which makes it more likely.  I think it is something to do with the land and the spirit of the place.  Also, I think, probably unconsciously, we open ourselves up more to experiences of the divine while staying there.  We are more receptive and more aware.  I also feel that Silver Wattle may be a ‘thin place’.

We are blessed to have Silver Wattle Quaker Centre.  It can only stay alive and grow with our participation and effort.  It needs support in all sorts of ways: work, prayer, money, weeding, tree planting, IT support, planning and visioning, enthusiasm …  The co coordinators need our love and emotional support as well as practical support.  When the program for next year is released, take a look.  See if a course speaks to you.  Open yourself up to the possibility…