The Hedge Druid

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Generous little site

Part one – the nine ladies

Once you set about visiting Sacred sites you can’t help but get a few more in on your travels. So after that lovely encounter and auspicious start I decided to pop down (since it’s down a slope) to Doll Tor (hope the spelling is right). This is a lovely little sacred site in amongst the trees and by the side of some inviting meadows (I keep promising Gwas that I will run down those long meadows one day).

I had no particular reason to go there, other than it was close by and hey why not. As I approached a couple of crows zoomed out of the trees and flew towards me in greeting and I acknowledged my totem and knew that I was on to a good thing. Again, respecting the threshold, I communed with the Genius LociGenius Loci means 'spirit of the place' and refers to the geological/gaian spirit of place. It is transfixed to a place – being an embodiment of the collective intelligence of the place. and gained a favoured entry. I asked whether there was anything for me to learn here and the rods acquiesced. So I asked for directions and was led to a tree just to the side of the circle. If memory served on a past occasion Gwas and I had noted that a pentagram had been hung from its branches. Now the tree was bare and I sidled up to it and sat down letting my mind open to any impressions. Alas it was not as exciting as my commune at the nine ladies. Indeed, I felt that that last jaunt had depleted my communingAn interaction with an invisible and natural sentient force that is independently identifiable, even if it cannot be named or classified. The interaction takes place at the level of a subtle amalgamation of the mind of the perceiver such that a dialogue or transference of feelings may occur between the two sentient parties. The interaction that is ‘communing’ is purposefully initiated by the perceiver for the express purpose of learning or simply to transfer feelings in a sympathetic manner. energies so I decided to let this place energies me instead and just relaxed. I felt completely relaxed and even the cold wasn’t affecting me. After many moments I arose feeling really refreshed and as is my wont these days I knelt down to place my palm upon the ground in gratitude when I saw something blue on the floor where I had been sat.

At first I thought it was something that had fallen out of my pocket, but then realised that it was a blue lapis lazuli crystal. It was quite big too a good half a hand size. I was about to pick it up to examine it more when I thought to capture a picture of it first. Taking out my trusty iPhone I zoomed in and clicked. Nothing. I tried again, nothing. What? I checked my phone and all seemed fine, but when I tried to take  picture of the crystal, nothing. I tried taking a picture of the site. Again nothing! My phone has never failed me before so I considered that this might be significant. I grabbed my rods.

• Is there a reason why my phone wont take a picture? Yes.
• Am I missing something? Yes
• Is it about the stone? Yes
• Should I take the stone? No
• Was it good for me to meditate on the stone? Yes
• Did it have a good effect on me? Yes
• Was the stone left here with an intention? Yes
• Is that intention stopping me taking a picture? Yes
  

  Lapis Lazuli

I wondered what the intention could be. The obvious thing was that it had been placed in secret and when I asked this the rods confirmed that that was the case. Was the stone placed with a purpose I would consider to be good (you see Elizabeth Browns Dowsing book has influenced my questioning). Yes. I left the stone alone and considered why I had meditated on top of it. My crystal lore has it that Lapis is an excellent 3rd eye stone so I pondered whether this stone had affected my 3rd eye energies? No. Lovely!

Lapis is also known to be good for mental faculties – hmmm - had the stone affected my mental faculties in anyway? Yes. Ah. Okay. I had no way to test this rather ubiquitous response and left it at that. Plus I was getting hungry and the food (left in the car) was calling to me. I placed some grass on top of the Lapis and thanked the site for its pleasure and left.

As I walked up the meadow I found my thoughts racing with ideas and wondered whether it was placebo or the Lapis. But it wasn’t until my next stop that I really believed that the Lapis had engaged the energies I had picked up at the Nine Ladies.

Kal Malik

In this post I will be explaining how I was shown that the next stage in my quest to regain the energy of my ancestors is in Ireland, and that a new form of energy at the other end of the spectrum from death energy was discovered, which I will call “conception energyA subtle energy created during the heightened emotional states of human conception. It is believed in some cultures that at the moment of conception a spirit form comes to join with the newly-formed human and this point is marked by a subtle energy imprint left in the land at the site of conception.”.

After visiting Dinas Bran we made a quick stop off at Vale Crucis Abbey, Llangollen’s imposing ruins that block the very light of the day. With its original furbishing it must have been resplendent. In the weak rays of a Winter morning the sun was trying to refurbish the walls with light and in parts it succeeded at re-introducing warmth. Out of the sunlight the shadows were seasonably chilly.

For me Vale Crucis Abbey was the location where I had been set upon a quest to recover ancestor energiesA term I have used to describe the subtle energy imprints left at a particular place of power (a power centre, perhaps) by our ancestors - those family connections from whom we are descended and have a genetic link to. when I encountered the shadeA shade is the energy body of a human being that has become transfixed at a geographical location. The shade retains many of the qualities of the human that it was attached to (memories, character traits, a level of sentience, movement between places known in life). of a holy man called St Duignan. St Duignan, I discovered through dowsing and research, had come over to Vale Crucis from Ireland. The Duignans were intimately linked to my ancestors and the region I had always known my family to have originated from. I could find no record of “Saint” Duignan in Ireland, so I presume that his canonisation may have resulted from his services whilst in Wales. I have more detective work to do concerning this.

Ancestor energyA term I have used to describe the subtle energy imprints left at a particular place of power (a power centre, perhaps) by our ancestors - those family connections from whom we are descended and have a genetic link to. is a term I have used to describe the subtle energyA form of energy that has so far eluded scientific definition. It is neither electric, magenetic, nor electro-magnetic, so far as our current technical equipment can measure. It does, however, exhibit many of the characteristics of magnetism and electricity in terms of its effects and properties. It may be a form of either or both of those energies that we have not yet identified. imprints left at a particular place of power (a power centreA place where a person of a particular alignmentAlignment relates to the concept that humans have their own energy fields that are oriented or formed in a specific way such that the person is either suited better to one energy source of another. Some people have their energy fields empowered by the direct subtle energy force of The Sun, whilst others are empowered by the indirect subtle energy of The Moon. Due to the historical associations and symbolisation of The Sun with masculinity and The Moon with femininity we designate these alignments as either being ‘male’ or ‘female’ alignments accordingly. We interchangeable refer to people as being ‘sun-aligned’ or ‘male-aligned’ and similarly with the female alignment. (see ‘AlignmentAlignment relates to the concept that humans have their own energy fields that are oriented or formed in a specific way such that the person is either suited better to one energy source of another. Some people have their energy fields empowered by the direct subtle energy force of The Sun, whilst others are empowered by the indirect subtle energy of The Moon. Due to the historical associations and symbolisation of The Sun with masculinity and The Moon with femininity we designate these alignments as either being ‘male’ or ‘female’ alignments accordingly. We interchangeable refer to people as being ‘sun-aligned’ or ‘male-aligned’ and similarly with the female alignment.’) feels particularly comfortable and empowered. The place is an energetic centre where a particularly beneficial combination and formation of energies is formed into a pattern that is harmonic with the person for whom it can be called a power centre., perhaps) by our ancestors – those family connections from whom we are descended and have a genetic link to.

Vale Crucis Abbey - January 2012

As Kal flitted around finding a meditation spot to work in I began to ask whether there was anything I could do here that would progress my spiritual path. Surely, in a place with such particular links for me, I would find some information source or task that I could learn from. The rods came out and I began to objectively quiz them. They gave a rapid response. NO. No? NO. Nothing to do here! Obviously, the next question is “Why?”, but as we know, “Why”-type questions are notoriously difficult to get answers to through dowsing, which requires something of a binary technique (questions with distinct YES or NO answers give the most trustworthy responses).

I began to narrow the scope down by investigating the circumstances of what I had been asking about. I had wanted to interact with the shadeA shade is the energy body of a human being that has become transfixed at a geographical location. The shade retains many of the qualities of the human that it was attached to (memories, character traits, a level of sentience, movement between places known in life). of St Duignan – the answer had been NO. I began to question along this line.

1. Was the shadeA shade is the energy body of a human being that has become transfixed at a geographical location. The shade retains many of the qualities of the human that it was attached to (memories, character traits, a level of sentience, movement between places known in life). of St Duignan present here at this site? NO.
2. Did the shadeA shade is the energy body of a human being that has become transfixed at a geographical location. The shade retains many of the qualities of the human that it was attached to (memories, character traits, a level of sentience, movement between places known in life). still exist in the form I had encountered it? YES. Then it must simply be elsewhere.
3. Was the shadeA shade is the energy body of a human being that has become transfixed at a geographical location. The shade retains many of the qualities of the human that it was attached to (memories, character traits, a level of sentience, movement between places known in life). in this country? NO.
4. Was it in Ireland? YES. Aha! But why….? Always the ‘why’!
5. Had the shadeA shade is the energy body of a human being that has become transfixed at a geographical location. The shade retains many of the qualities of the human that it was attached to (memories, character traits, a level of sentience, movement between places known in life). returned to the place from which it originated? YES.
6. Does that mean that it had returned to the place that it was born when physically human? YES.

I knew where this would be. I had done my research and have a trip planned there for late Spring this year. Now that I had located the shadeA shade is the energy body of a human being that has become transfixed at a geographical location. The shade retains many of the qualities of the human that it was attached to (memories, character traits, a level of sentience, movement between places known in life)., the remaining spirit energy of someone possibly linked to my own ancestors, I was curious to know why it was important that the shadeA shade is the energy body of a human being that has become transfixed at a geographical location. The shade retains many of the qualities of the human that it was attached to (memories, character traits, a level of sentience, movement between places known in life). returned to its place of origin. This seemed like the most important thing I could possibly need to know. An overwhelming feeling of importance flooded through me. I was riveted to the spot. This was something vital for me to know about my quest this year – something that would guide me way. The hunt began with the dowsing rods and I kept my intuitive senses alert for any other feelings or information that might filter into my tiny blank brain.

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As a follower of a seasonal path, and someone who has developed their sensitivity to the variety and strength of the energies available throughout the year, Imbolc - February 1st – marks the opening of the new year. For me it symbolises the return of the male energies. What does this mean exactly? It means that up until the beginning of February the Sun’s light has been too weak to feed the activity of the male subtle energies that inhabit the Earth, and which are present in living things. Therefore, for me, Imbolc marks the beginning of an increase in the strength and vitality of anything that is enlivened by the influence of male (or Sun-sourced) energies.

In Britain this year there has been an exception to this general rule concerning the presence of male energy. Male ‘subtle’ energy has in fact been available, albeit in a very weakened form. This has been due to the amount of sustained sunlight that we have been receiving. You can feel it in the land – the birds are singing, the buds are appearing, there have even been flowers blooming in January – normally a time when most delicate biological entities retreat into themselves and rest. An unusual year indeed. At this exact moment the frost and cold has returned to bite, yet the sun continues to shine. It is a most unusual beginning.

The heat and height of the Summer

The unusual start makes it difficult to contemplate how the year might work itself out. Are we going to see the seasons having “unseasonal” weather? Are they going to be unrecognisable from our traditional weather patterns? What will this mean for the strength and prevalence of the Earth’s subtle energyA form of energy that has so far eluded scientific definition. It is neither electric, magenetic, nor electro-magnetic, so far as our current technical equipment can measure. It does, however, exhibit many of the characteristics of magnetism and electricity in terms of its effects and properties. It may be a form of either or both of those energies that we have not yet identified. forces, and for the living biological energy of its inhabitants? My feeling is that we are going to see a real peak in Sun energy this year. This may require some balancing out by those of us who work well with Moon energy (female), as we feed a calming influence into the land through selected node points on the energy grid. Let’s not get all hot-headed and hysterical just because the Olympics are coming to town in the height of Summer! It’s just a game, an amusement, a distraction.

As with all previous years that I have followed my spiritual path I returned to the Llangernyw Yew Tree for inspiration. CommuningAn interaction with an invisible and natural sentient force that is independently identifiable, even if it cannot be named or classified. The interaction takes place at the level of a subtle amalgamation of the mind of the perceiver such that a dialogue or transference of feelings may occur between the two sentient parties. The interaction that is ‘communing’ is purposefully initiated by the perceiver for the express purpose of learning or simply to transfer feelings in a sympathetic manner. with this tree seems to set the spark on the year’s tinder and soon a flame of encouraging light emerges from the kindling provided by this ancient life force nestled deep in the heart of a small village in North Wales. I will talk about the visit in more detail soon, but the outcome was one word: “Renown“. I will be spending the year seeking out sources to increase my personal power. Renown is a subject that I will return to and explain more fully in subsequent posts. No doubt I have much more to learn about it as the year goes on.

Now let’s talk about specific preparations that I am making for Imbolc, and that you could make too.

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Llangollen in North Wales was Kal’s choice of venue. It seemed a perfect choice for the beginning of the year – we only had a few hours of daylight and Llangollen has many interesting and previously fruitful sites in close proximity. There was no debate. There had been a sudden cold snap which had settled in making the mornings frosty and hardening the ground. This was a mized blessing. For Kal (who never brings a coat) this was going to be a cold climb, but he also has no proper walking shoes so the hard ground would be mean he wouldn’t get too muddy. Ups and downs.

It had been a while since I had visited the spirit of Bran, whom I had discovered was still present at the top of the ancient fortress named after him – Dinas Bran. I was looking forward to it, because it was never a dull visit – something useful or meaningful always came out of my visits to this stunning site.

Castell Dinas Bran

We have had some strange experiences at the location and we know that the views are spectacular if nothing else. It has traditionally become part of the start of our year. The story of Bran is interesting, and part of the old Welsh mythology being re-told in the Mabinogion tales. He is supposed to be a giant figure whose head remained alive after it was cut off in battle, and it was subsequently buried as a protective ward for the country. There are also links between Bran and Arthur in terms of this protective role.

“According to the Welsh Triads, Brân’s head was buried in London where the White Tower now stands. As long as it remained there, Britain would be safe from invasion. However, King Arthur dug up the head, declaring the country would be protected only by his great strength. There have been attempts in modern times to link the still-current practice of keeping ravens at the Tower of London under the care of Yeomen Warder Ravenmaster with this story of Brân, whose name means Raven.” (source: Wikipedia)

The relevance of the raven will become apparent as my story unfolds.

I made it up the hill first. On arrival I was greeted by a big black bird circling on its own above me near to the entrance I had chosen. I stopped to observe it. It circled like a hawk, and had the wing tips that I always associated with a hawk. I felt that this was a familiar symbol to me now, a welcome sign. Then, as the bird drew closer and closer my certainly began to melt away – the bird was definitely coloured black – I wasn’t just seeing it as a shadow. And how the straight break of the bird began to cast doubts on my initial reading. This was no hawk! Then I realised it was a raven – a huge lone raven. At this point it cawed identifiably and I knew it was a raven for certain. How odd that I had thought it was a hawk and in fact it was a raven? I carried on into the castle’s grounds seeing that Kal was also watching the bird as it flow close to the summit. Kal’s totem bird is a crow, so my first thoughts were that this was more a sign for him. I was wrong. It wasn’t a crow.

Bran’s Winter Home

One of the first things I did was to light some incense. three sticks dowsed as being perfect for a connection to Bran/ I next asked for Bran’s current location. Every time previously he had been located in a small dip on the summit close to the centre of the site. Today, this was not the case! He was in a part of the castle that I had never visited before – the “East Wing”, if you like. There was a stunning view of the Trevor Basin below and I felt this was significant to the quality of the energies I was feeling at that spot. – the view was important to any work done, and that the energies available in sight, such as the river below, the trees, the hills, all of these were important parts of the connection to Bran. The area was exposed and the wind chill was bitter and relentless. Nevertheless I made myself as comfortable as I could and began a communion with the great Bran’s spirit.

Distant Dinas Bran on a cold January day

I lit some incense despite the howling bitter wind. They soon went out, but for a moment I had created a triangle of incense within which my space had been cleared. After I grounded and centred I felt that there was a drawing out of the end of the year’s excesses – all of the detritus – emotional, spiritual and physical – were being sucked out of me and dissipated in the ground, sent out into the surrounding earth to leech down into the river where they could be swept away by the tumultuous torrent of the river’s waters.

As I sat and communed with Bran I felt his presence arrive, familiar and yet monstrously huge. I asked Bran whether there was anything that he wished to communicate to me. The series of thoughts that came to me were a series of pictures of Bran in various locations that fitted with the story of Bran The Blessed that I knew – sailing across to Ireland, his head in London. I asked what he wished me to do with these locations and the answer was that he wished me to visit them, but to take him along with me. He would accompany me in the form of a crow.

Suddenly I understood the hawk turning into a raven that I had witnessed earlier. The raven was a symbol of Bran, and he was showing me that when I saw The Raven then I would be seeing and feeling his presence. I asked for confirmation, and got a pleasing sensation throughout my body. A certain sense of affirmation. So, why, I questioned, was this association significant for me? I knew the symbolism from the stories, but what did it mean? Such questions rarely get an answer, but this time Bran was very clear in his response, and the sentence formed in my mind that I should carry his energy with me whenever I visited those places associated with him (Ireland and London) so that he could be there with me. I agreed, and left to find shelter in the lee of one of the castle’s walls. The bitter wind had nearly frozen my extremities to numbness.

The Signs of Bran

This was Bran’s request for me this year. To travel with me. I already have plans to visit Ireland, but by an odd coincidence my wife added an impromptu visit to London the very next day! She insisted that for my birthday I should take the day off as we would be going to London for a big surprise. Well, I didn’t have the heart to tell her that half of the surprise had been pre-empted by the ancient Celtic energy form of Bran the Blessed! Now I can add a visit to London to my itinerary, in the Olympic year too. I wonder what will happen if Bran is with me, and where he wants me to visit?

We walked down the hill and instead of taking the usual path I steered Kal to follow the lower path. As we rounded one of the lower slopes we came across a wooden sculpture positioned at the junction of two paths. It was a raven holding a chalice. Just a coincidence, of course. Bran’s association with ravens meant that I would inevitably come across such a symbol eventually, but its significance TODAY of all days was notable.

Bran as a Crow and Chalice

As I write this I am playing a random playlist of all the songs on my computer. As I type this the song playing is PJ Harvey, from the album with John Parish called “A Woman A Man Walked By” and the track is called “The Crow Knows Where All The Little Children Go“. Just a coincidence, I’m sure. Just a silly little coincidence to start the year off.

Gwas.

Following on from what my fearless friend has begun to put out there into the Make-It-So-O-Sphere, I too have a list of things that I am anticipating doing this year. Inspired by Kal’s list I have dug deep into my bonce and lifted out some thoughts that were lurking within, and then combined them with some “I should have done that”‘s from last year. Of course, life is always more interesting than the rather rude and dull tale of it that we imagine will be its unfolding. It is always much more cleverly-crafted and exquisitely wrought than our feeble imaginations can hope to furnish. Notwithstanding my own feeble imagination, I wish to present some imaginings for the forthcoming year, but before I do that let’s just go over some of the background to this infamous date.

Planetary alignment with the galactic core in 2012

Why is 2012 being talked about?

Good question, if I do say so myself. Why is it different to any other year, except perhaps the turning of the millennium? Primarily the hype has been generated by a number of people who have not only jumped onto a moving bandwagon, but have actively gone out of their way to assist with its maintenance and enhancement, even going as far as tuning it up so that it runs faster and with more of a roar! Lots of New Age types have been “pimping the ride”, so to speak, of the 2012 bandwagon.

There are a number of phases to this 2012 ride:-

Phase 1 (20 years to go) – A few isolated voices were trying to find a reason why the end of the Mayan Calendar might be important. Some said that the Earth itself would align with other planets in our Solar System along an axis that aligned with the centre of the Galaxy itself, and that this would cause something to happen. 2/10 panic rating.

Phase 2 (10 years to go) – John Major Jenkins, Ian Xel Lungold, Carl Calleman and a few others try to explain their theory that time may be speeding up and consciousness may be developing to match it on a global scale. As the internet develops this seems like a worthy theory. 5/10 panic rating.

Phase 3 (5 years ago) – Every man and his dog have boarded the 2012 train but everyone has their own idea of where the train is headed. Splits, factions and mayhem ensue, but everyone is still thinking that something is going to happen. 9/10 panic rating.

Phase 4 (today) – The factions have split off into four main interest groups – Doubters, Touters, Slackers and Backtrackers. There are those who think that nothing will happen (The Doubters), those that think that something will happen (The Touters), those who regularly change their minds (The Backtrackers), those who are hedging their bets (The Slackers). 3/10 panic rating.

So what is my opinion? Where do I stand? As you may expect, I stand at the outside of these four interest groups in an interest group of one. I watch what they do, and I see where it takes them. I don’t intervene, interfere or offer any advice to them. They’re all mad. I have my own madness to work with, and if any of them want to follow my 2012 theories then they are free to do so. But I shan’t be telling anyone what they are. Just like a hedge druid.

Where my own path is leading me

In amongst all the 2012 theories (and I have read many of them) I come back to finding my own path through the year. Surely, that is all that any of us can do in such circumstances? In the midst of, and often in spite of, the potential for ensuing chaos and derangement here are the topics that I anticipate I may be involved with in the next round of the Sun.

a)  Ancestor energyA term I have used to describe the subtle energy imprints left at a particular place of power (a power centre, perhaps) by our ancestors - those family connections from whom we are descended and have a genetic link to. recovery
b) Teaching and Presentation of data (one course developed, several others in preparation)
c) Diagnosing and Healing people (using some of Elizabeth Brown’s methods of causative diagnosis)
d) Learning the way ancient site energies work (an ongoing task)

Here are some of the ancient sites that I want to visit:-

• The Pyramids of Egypt
• The Pyramids of Bosnia
• Rathcrogan in Ireland
• Kilmartin in Scotland
• St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall

I can see a theme developing there – I may be visiting a lot of mounds and pyramids. It must be something to do with the Sun energies, the male forces, that I have found can accumulate and intensity at the peak of such structures. Something in my druidic unconscious has already set about telling me that I need this energy next year. Let’s see if that is indeed what happens!

Gwas.

Well, I see that Kal got his summary out first. Still, “if you can’t beat them…”

Generally, what type of year it has been? Dis-jointed, slower than last year’s breakneck speed, measured, with lots of deep synchronicities. When I come to review the year I realise that I still made lots of progress on the various tasks that I was lead to perform in order to progress along my path of Druidry.

Below are the main topics that I have picked out from this year’s blog posts. I have tried to keep the explanations to a minimum, so have included links back to the original postings if you want the detail for each of the topics. What I thought was a quiet year has actually turned out to be incredibly packed and busy. The topics are in no order whatsoever, which kind of fits with the way that the year’s learning has come about – seemingly haphazard, but all threading into and through itself like some kind of cat’s cradle whose overall pattern will only be known when the final moves have played out.

26 topics I have been involved in this year:-

a) Healing – Most of the year has been spent developing healing skills, whether that was using remote energies, balancing the chakras, healing with the hands, or with crystals. I have realised that I am more attuned to healing places than people currently, but that is changing. The healing energies can be attuned to different colours for particular effects. To work with these energies I need to understand which “colour” is missing from a site and then call upon the energies of the local living entities to gather together to create this missing colour and thus heal the site. [related posts: My Five Healing Rays, Healing Rays Explained]

Also, in conjunction with my friend Mike, we created a new healing centre at The Bridestones in Cheshire. [related posts: A New Healing Centre]

Chakra colours, energy frequencies and healing may be linked

b) Re-discovering the bard - Discovered great new music (and that I like the new forms of folk music) at The Green Man Festival, and saw Roy Harper in concert in London. This year music has really connected with my heart and stirred great emotions. I have written more poetry this year than in other years too. [related posts: Green Man Festival, Roy Harper]

c) Astrological links to Venus, Orion’s Belt and Sirius affirmed at almost every site. Also Scorpius, astrological links to Arthur and the Great Bear constellation. The constellations of Serpens, Corvus and Perseus have been especially meaningful to me this year, guiding me along a very meaningful path from one end of an energy leyA straight line of neutral energy linking two or more sacred sites or other energetic centres. This is often confused with Alfred Watkins’ concept of the Ley Line. Strictly speaking a ley line does not necessarily mean a neutral energy line, only a sight alignmentAlignment relates to the concept that humans have their own energy fields that are oriented or formed in a specific way such that the person is either suited better to one energy source of another. Some people have their energy fields empowered by the direct subtle energy force of The Sun, whilst others are empowered by the indirect subtle energy of The Moon. Due to the historical associations and symbolisation of The Sun with masculinity and The Moon with femininity we designate these alignments as either being ‘male’ or ‘female’ alignments accordingly. We interchangeable refer to people as being ‘sun-aligned’ or ‘male-aligned’ and similarly with the female alignment. between notable places, whereas an energy ley is like a radial spoke in a wheel, with energy flowing outwards across the land in a straight line. It has sometimes been found that the energy ley can be diverted from its strict straight path by changes in the landscape or strong attractors that pull it away from its original course. Energy leys may have inter-twining streams of male and female energies weaving along them, as though the energy ley is an attractor, a pathway or a conduit for the male and female energies. to another. [related posts: Serpent at Castlerigg, Arthurian Archetypes of Corvus, The Berth and Death of Scorpius, The Three Stars of Fertility, Absorbing Orion at Lud's Church]

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In the second part of my Winter Solstice expedition I hereby present the story of  Thor’s Cave. You may remember that I was directed to seek the sanctuary and sanctity of a cave atmosphere as a suitable space within which to see out the end of what has been a very interesting year. I think there are several reason why a cave would be a suitable space. Firstly, because I was visiting at the Winter Solstice, this time of year is all about closure. It is about letting go of any tensions built up in the year, of concentrating all of the information learned in that yearly cycle, and then of closing down to wait for the energies to re-appear at Imbolc in February. With a cave’s aura-shaping capability, it made sense to me that seeking a dark enclosed space within which to agglomerate all of the year’s teachings would be the ideal choice. Kal and I learned about the aura-shaping aspects of caves earlier in September from our visit to South Wales.

Thor’s Cave is probably quite easy to get to if you approach it from the road below, but you would be presented with a very steep climb. Instead, Mike and I approached from the footpath just at the edge of Wetton village and there was very little climbing involved, but the ground was wet, muddy and slippery in many parts so we had some amusing episodes both there and back as we struggled for grip. One you reach the front of the cave, however, the entrance is awe-inspiring in size.

Entrance to Thor's Cave - he was out when we called

It may not be obvious from the pictures but you can’t walk into the cave – you have to climb. For us at this time of year this meant scrambling over wet smooth rocks and all hands and feet were needed to get into the cave without sliding back out. I would recommend you visit on a dry warm day. For some reason I was totally unprepared this day and hadn’t brought a torch! Luckily, Mike had – this was a complete role-reversal that amused us both for ages.

Shafts of remaining sunlight filtered into the cave from the huge entrance and the tall slit in the rocks at the side of the cave, letting in enough light for us to make our way slowly and carefully to the back of the cave. There, the ground rose slightly and split into several hollows arranged around a central protrusion of rock. We tried to make ourselves comfortable to begin a meditation, but the intense slope of the ground and the dampness of the rocks made it difficult to find a comfortable position. We rapidly decided that a standing meditation would be sufficient today. “Adopt, adapt and overcome“!

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