Wild Service: Sacred Action for Stonehenge
In my path of sacred activism, I recently had the honour of being involved in a significant effort to protect one of our most treasured landscapes—Stonehenge. As part of Sacred Earth Activism, I was involved in designing and holding the sacred action and ceremony that was held in support of the Stonehenge Alliance’s appeal hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice (RCJ).
A Sacred Call to Action
The sacred landscape of Stonehenge has long been threatened by a proposed road and tunnel scheme that could cause irreversible damage to its cultural, ecological and spiritual integrity. The plan involves constructing a new dual carriageway and a tunnel within the World Heritage Site, which has sparked widespread opposition due to its potential impact on the landscape.
With Sacred Earth Activism, I have been involved with the spiritual holding of the campaign for a number of years. As we approached the recent appeal hearing, work began with journeying to connect with the sacred landscape of Stonehenge, asking the spirits of the land how they wanted us to be of service. This deep communion with the land revealed to us a vision for a ritual that would unite prayers and love from people far and wide, bringing these collective intentions to the court.
The Sacred Action
The ceremony we developed allowed individuals to send their prayers and intentions, which were then carried to the court in a unified ritual form. This approach exemplifies Wild Service, a method of sacred activism that I have been sharing since 2020. Wild Service is about being in service to the spirit of the land, listening to its needs, and becoming allies to its sacred presence.
We began by creating a prayer staff, adorned with the collective prayers and intentions of people from all over the world. An online ceremony was held, allowing participants to connect and contribute their energies to this sacred cause. The prayer staff became a focal point, carrying the hopes and blessings of many.
On the day of the appeal hearing, we gathered for a ceremony in London, near the RCJ. This powerful ritual involved singing in Proto-Celtic, invoking the ancient spirits of the land and calling on the strength of the ancestors. From there, we processed to the Department of Transport, amplifying our prayers and intentions with with the song with every step.
Our cycle of ceremony finished at Parliament Square, where we made an offering to the land, with our gratitude and commitment to protecting and preserving the sacred landscape of Stonehenge.
Embodying Wild Service
In the Spiritual Rewilding course, we emphasise the importance of connecting deeply with local landscapes through a variety of practices and pathways. These practices include nature mindfulness, shamanic journeying, storytelling and other immersive techniques designed to foster a profound sense of belonging and relationship with the land.
Wild Service extends this connection by encouraging us to explore how we can actively serve the land, protect it, and care for it. This might involve engaging in ecological restoration projects, environmental advocacy, or sacred ceremonies that honour the spirits of the land. These sacred actions are tailored to the specific needs of different places, ensuring that our spiritual practice not only enriches our own lives but also contributes to the well-being and preservation of the natural world.
Service to Stonehenge
For the Stonehenge appeal, our service was to the threatened landscape, currently facing the dangers of a proposed road and tunnel scheme. Through our ceremony, we aimed to weave additional power and intention into the broader efforts to protect this sacred site.
By engaging in Wild Service, we extend our Spiritual Rewilding practice beyond personal growth to active guardianship of the land. This can involve various actions, including supporting ecological restoration projects, environmental advocacy, combined with ceremony and sacred practice, always in conversation with and in service to the spirits of place . Our work at Stonehenge is a good example of this approach, as we sought to contribute to its preservation through ceremonial action.
The appeal hearing concluded on July 17, 2024, and the judges will be considering their ruling over the coming weeks.
Learn More About Sacred Guardianship
If you’re inspired by this approach to sacred activism and want to learn more, I invite you to explore the Spiritual Rewilding online course. Here, you’ll find comprehensive teachings on connecting with the land, engaging in Wild Service, and becoming a guardian of our sacred landscapes.