It has been our intention to organize a group pull on all the equinoxes and solstices of the year because they mark very natural transition points from one part of the year to the next. These are great moments to celebrate and/or acknowledge the season we are leaving and welcome the next part of the cycle. Our autumn pull on the 23rd of September was a small but beautiful gathering of friends since we were too busy this summer to organize an event for a bigger group.
For the Winter Solstice Pull we invite a (still small) group of members and friends to light up the darkest day of the year and help us welcome the sun back with a group pull in the tripod. In addition, we will build a fire out of all the small trees that were sacrificed this year for rituals to mark the beginning of another cycle here at Smertekirken!
Photo by Katarsis Foto, Summer Revival 2023
Date and time
22 December 2023
Arrive from 10:00, light lunch at 12:00, we start piercing for the pull at 14:00. Once everyone is pierced, we will begin. Anyone arriving after that will not be getting pierced, so Do Not Be Late!
Where
Smertekirken—Øgardshøgda 382, 2332 Åsvang, Norway
Cost
NOK 1500
Please pay as soon as possible, no refunds.
Number of people
8–10
What
A hook pull (1–2 hooks per person) in the tripod where everyone pulls from a central point for as long as they would like. Since everyone is connected to a point anchored at the center of the tripod, we can feel one-another's energy vibrating through the circle but the circle remains balanced no matter how hard any one person pulls. The sensation is somewhat different than being lifted off the ground and suspended from hooks. The point is not necessarily to pull as hard as you can but to work on your focus, intention, and observe the energy flowing through your body and connecting you to the circle. Hook pulling can be a profoundly powerful experience. The sacrificial bonfire will be placed near the tripod.
Photo by Katarsis Foto, Summer Revival 2023
Food
We will serve a (vegetarian/vegan) light lunch, dinner, and breakfast the day after for people that want to stay overnight. It will be made with love and vegetables from our garden.
Accommodation
We have limited space in the house, but we can manage to accommodate seven or eight people inside the house. Please bring your own sleeping bag and mat. (We have one 120 cm bed and a 160 cm mattress available, but you will have to share.) If you want to camp in your car (or other camping option) you are welcome to do so.
Transportation
If you will be arriving by train, we can book a maxi-taxi for everyone who wants to share the cost. If you would like to do this, we suggest that you arrive at Stange station at 10:34 (this train—RE10 to Lillehammer—leaves Oslo S at 09:34). We can also arrange a maxi-taxi back to Stange station the next day (at either 12:30 or 13:30). Since the 24th is Xmas eve, it is important to organize transportation as soon as we can.
Photo by Smertekirken, Nico suspending on 10 Desember 2022
Weather
December is usually our coldest month of the year, depending on how much snow we have. Since this is a Solstice pull, it will happen on the date no matter what the weather conditions are like. If you sign up to join us, please make sure to dress accordingly and be ready for a winter chill. If you have any questions about what to wear or pack, please get in touch! We will make sure the house is nice and warm for everyone.
Sign-up
Send us an email at contact@churchofpain.org to reserve your place. We will be taking sign-ups on a first-come first-served basis. Since this is a small event, we ask that you commit to your spot when signing up and understand that we cannot reimburse you if you must cancel. Let us know of any health or dietary issues that we need to know about, if you want to spend the night, and if you want to share a taxi from/to Stange station. We would also like to get your travel information when you have it.
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