June marks the end of the year at the Dojo as courses, workshops and research projects come to a close. This year saw two building projects completed, a new logo, a new annual series, and two workshops added to the fall lineup. It was a busy year, but because it is rewarding and energizing it hardly seemed like work.
Shishi odoshi is a Japanese device made to frighten away animals from gardens or agriculture; it seemed like a suitable element for the dojo meditation garden. It was meant to be a small building project; however, it morphed into something much more substantial and eventually spurred a rebuild of the main garden gate. Both projects turned out very well, and in keeping with the gift that keeps on giving, plans for a matching road marker are on the drawing board for the new year. Also, the final plans for the hermitage are in the works, and hopefully it will be completed next year if all goes as planned.
Over the last several years, the opportunity to host visiting teachers as well as students on the druid path presented itself many times. Both of these planted a seed for an annual series and dovetailed perfectly with the dream of building a hermitage for the dojo. I have walked the space and sketched out rough images for years. Aside from the dojo, it would be the most ambitious building project for Circle of Trees, and once completed, will be a place for people to stay and reflect on their path as they study the ways of the druids.
Classes and workshops will resume in August with the addition of Vedic Archery and Japanese Swordsmanship. Both of these have been a personal practice for years and we hope these introductory workshops will lead to a full course in the coming years.
Thank you all for the effort and community this year. As always we look forward to seeing you all soon and sharing our paths.