A Fall Evening Under the Stars – Connecting with the Night Sky – facilitated by Olivia Woodford

Friday, November 13 – 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm. Arrive by Sundown to get settled and purchase Huichol art. Stargazing will begin after dark. If there are clouds or rain – this event will be cancelled. Registration Required

Gathering near the dark of the moon, the features of the night sky are not diminished by the moon’s light. In this darkness, the sky is revealed in all its splendor. 

BRING YOUR SLEEPING BAG AND PAD TO COMFORTABLY LAY OUTSIDE ON THE GRASS TAKE IN THE NIGHT SKY

Make your reservation via eventbrite link (limit of 50 people outdoors). You will receive confirmation and directions through eventbrite so please check your junk mail.

Masks required until you are settled in your place 6 feet apart from others. This is one way we will safely and responsibly respect and care for each other.

Huichol Art for Sale from 5:30-6:30 pm in the council house. All proceeds go to honor and support these indigenous people in San Andres Cohamiata, Mexico.

A fire will be lit in the council house in case you need to warm yourself. Masks required inside council house.

Suggested Donation $10 -30/person

Children and Families Welcome

Let the water settle and you will see 

the moon and the stars mirrored

in your own being.

~Rumi

Please join an experiential evening for an intimate, educational and communal experience of the Autumn Night Sky facilitated by Olivia Woodford.  In contact with the night world, the mountain at rest and the crispness of the air, become better acquainted with the constellations and planets and the stories that have been told about them by peoples that came before us.  Orienting to the North, South, East and West directions we will observe and experience the procession of the planets and stars that cross the landscape of night.

  • The sun will be setting as we arrive with time for us to settle in, welcome each other and watch the stars begin to appear.  
  • Everyone will find a place on the lawn near the council house, spaced at least six feet from their nearest neighbor. 
  • We will wear masks as we enter the space and get settled and have permission to remove them once seated.  
  • Laying beneath the stars, Olivia Woodford will talk of the movements of the heavens, identify the constellations and the ancient stories told about them.
  • All are welcomed to tell the stories they have come to know of these stars. 
  • A fire will be lit in the council house in case you need to warm yourself. Masks required inside council house.
  • Chairs are available onsite for those who wish to sit. 
  • Bring your own water and snacks and none will be available or passed around.
  • Suggested Donation:  $10 – $30/person -to be offered to Olivia for her service. A small percentage is shared for use of the council house and land.
  • Dress as warmly as possible
  • Bring a pillow, a heavy warm blanket and, if at all possible, a sleeping bag and mat. 
  • Coming prepared will allow us all to be as comfortable as possible beneath the beauty of the fall night sky.

From the dawn of humanity, peoples worldwide have watched the movement of the heavens, embedded their stories and wisdom in the star configurations, and engaged the cosmic mystery by sitting beneath the canopy of the night sky and watching the drama unfold, much like people sit around a television screen do now – except these stars do not win Oscars; these stars emanate something that evokes an ancient and timeless presence.

For our ancestors, the constellations and movements of the heavens provided a calendar for when to hunt, farm, travel, and set festival dates. It functioned as their Wikipedia, with all the wisdom of their culture embedded into the stars through stories that could be told and passed on to their children. By coming into relationship with the stars, we come into relationship with our ancestors, the soul of humanity and feel the imaginal connection between heaven and earth. We deepen this connection with the natural order of all life and the feeling of being part of something larger and more vast than we could ever dream.  Bypassing the rational mind, we come into the language of the soul and awaken to the beat of our ancestral heart. 

About Olivia

Olivia has been a practicing astrologer for 34 years and is certified in several forms of astrology including AstroMythology a methodology that explores how our distant ancestors saw and interpreted the movements of the night sky at the dawn of civilization.  She is also a Storyteller and Founder of Healing Theatre. Olivia lives in Burnsville and is a member of the Sacred Fire Asheville Community.  For more on her astrology practice:  livbydesignastrology.com