The Hedge Druid

Archive for the ‘Energy work’ Category

Whenever I mention a sacred site to visit I can see the cogs going round in Kal’s mind… “Will there be climbing involved?” Well, in this instance yes. As we  made our way through the Manifold Valley path towards the conjunction of three hills I could hear a familiar tone evolving in his phrases. So this cave…. is it…high up? Yes, it’s high up. And the way is steep. And the path precipitous. But the views are amazing and the climb is worth it for the reward of experiencing the cave’s vast space and acoustic properties.

On this particular visit I had chosen to try to find the easier way up. The walk was longer, but I knew that coming down from the top of the hill from the village of Grindon was not only a muddy experience but a buttock-clenching one too, at times. I hoped to spare Kal the worst for this former vertigo sufferer. Was it appreciated? It didn’t sound like it! Did I offer him soothing platitudes to ease his worries?

Hell no!

Approaching Thors Cave in Staffordshire.

The cave is monstrously impressive! The height, the altitude, the view, the difficulty to get in…. it’s such an effort which is rewarded by the timbre of the acoustics even standing at the entrance. Having been here before I remembered that somewhere deep inside there was what our ancestors used to refer to as a “goblin” inside – an earth spirit. I hoped to meet him again, but that wasn’t the reason I was here.

My main reason for visiting the cave was to test whether I could create my “Perfect Shield” – an energetic construction for protection. The Shield was purely theoretical at this point, and which I needed to have practised before I came to use it “in anger”, as it were, when I needed it. I think the shield is linked with the Shield of Faith that I obtained as a gift from Faery too. Why I would need such protection wasn’t clear yet, but something somewhere knew and had guided me to learn how to create it. I had the image of how it could be done, now I needed the space and time to make it work.

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I had deliberately kept the number of site visits low for Beltane. The daylight hours are still short, the distance we had to travel to get there was sufficient to drain away the day, and I wanted to be able to feel ‘unhurried’ when we got to a site. Almost as if enhancing this mood I had parked at The Broad Oak pub car park in the village of Strelley. It took us ten minutes to walk to Catstone Hill, and really it would have been easier to park right on the corner of the road just before the main village where there was ample parking, and the distance would have been more than halved. Such is life!

That wasn’t the end of our woes finding the site. Intuitively, and with only the barest map navigation, we found our way on to the hill. We inspected the broad flat plateau but couldn’t find any “capstones” for burial chambers. Were they hidden by the brambles and gorse? We tried to find more accurate maps on our phones but failed, so we resorted to dowsing rods. The rods pointed us out in the direction of a ploughed field. Our rationality kicked in and caused us confusion. We split up and went searching. Eventually I found the right place. It was at the end of the ploughed field and off the plateau behind a line of trees. The M1 motorway was is view below. Nice! Being off the main plateau was why we hadn’t seen it. We also realised there was a much easier way in if we’d only taken the steep tracks up the hill instead of following the main path. Once you know, you know – hindsight is clear.

Catstone Hill’s buried chambers

We inspected the area around the capstones. No entry into these chambers, if ever there was any. They were silted up to the brim now. Disappointment began to set in. We stumbled around tripping over the tangle of briars and bramble thorns, the thick dead grass and the outcropping tangle of shrub branches. Our sense of frustration was compounded when we discovered that the site had no energy signature either. There were no earth energies running through the site at all. The disappointment grew. Should we turn away and go somewhere else?

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Judy Hall – one of the foremost active authors on crystal working, has a new book out: Life-Changing Crystals. I was interested enough to consider whether the information that she was giving out in her book had general relevance – could anyone and everyone find the same uses for these crystals?

I dowsed each of the crystals she presents in the pages that can be viewed in Amazon’s preview, where she described the type of crystal and its properties. I asked the question “Would the stated energetic qualities of this crystal work for me?“. In every single case with one exception the answer was “No”. The one exception was Malachite, which apparently I can use for “stepping into my power”, whatever that means, I guess I’d have to buy the book to find out.

Can Judy’s book change your life?

Given that the other crystals had no correspondence with me I am not going to buy that book (although I did buy her book about crystal working at sacred sites – it was too enticing not to!).

So, what is the principle at work here? It’s not that crystals generally have properties and energetic uses that everyone can agree upon. It’s much more the case that crystals have properties that resonate with individual energy fields in very personal ways. You have to find out for yourself which crystals you can work with, and to what purposes they can be put. How do you do this? Who am I, Judy Hall?

I have a couple of methods.  They are:-

1. I shop for crystals in places where the energy feels good generally, and I feel like the crystals are powerful. Then I ask to be shown a crystal that I can use for a specific purpose. I am usually led to see or feel one that I can use.
2. I buy crystals that feel powerful and energetic. If I can dowse them I will. Then when I want to use crystals for a specific purpose I use my dowsing rods to dowse for suitable ones. I dowse for which type, how many I need, and sometimes even a configuration that I should lay them out in which best suits that purpose.

These methods have been continually proven to work for me. I have crystals whose uses have even changed over time as my energy has changed. So, even though some books may say “X crystal does Y” – does it always? Well, there may be some general guidance to be found from these ‘universal’ descriptions – they may lead you to consider what crystals can be used for. However, I have never found these general ‘uses’ the be useful for me.

I recommend picking crystals for yourself, for your own current purpose, and using them on a more personal basis than these guide books can every really inform you of. All such books are useful for is to suggest possibilities of uses generally. It’s then up to you to find or collect the types of crystals that you can make use of.

Gwas.

Destiny is a strange word, for me it means the goal of ones journey, the destination, if you will. We would never have imagined that our journey over the last few years would have brought us to and through so much. And if that were not enough, if we go back to the beginnings of our friendship, oh some twenty odd years ago the very seeds of our life now were planted. Really you ask? And with honest face I reply, really.

Dungeons & Dragons

Twenty and more years ago Gwas and I sat across a table from each other. Gwas wearing the green and brown robes of a druid and I the trappings of a Wizard. Of course these were only imagined robes for in reality (or indeed fantasy) we were looking down upon little figures on a board game now infamously known as Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition. Since that first encounter we played that game of and on for a fair few years and more often than not, of all the characters available, we would choose druid and wizard.

Here we are then, playing those roles for real. A coincidence? Chance fate? Psychological design? What does your dice roll tell you? I have learned over the years to say that, “reality is what you believe it to be” and as you have read here on countless occasion I do truly believe this none-sense.

When you wander in and out of the Wub enough times you cannot come to any other conclusion other than something odd is indeed happening. For me, that conclusion has come and gone many moons many ago.

Here we are then dear readers, once more around that spiral and delivering the years-end review. Although it is Christmas Eve as I write this, for us followers of a different calendar the wheel has already spun.

I speak of destiny because the first high-light that I wish to note was the discovery of an old and long forgotten prayer/wish that I had made when listening to my dear mum’s tales oh so many years ago. Let me remind you then of the path that I followed to learn that I had wished to become a Wali. Here is the link to that surprising and enlightening sojourn.

In these pages we have walked with legend. Nature spirits, sprites, goblins, gnomes and leprechaun’s have been our companions. We have discoursed with the land, with Albion and with its caretakers. Merlin and Arthur. Perhaps in greater stature we have knelt at the feet of Gods and Goddesses. I am awed and humbled in equal measure. It seems unbelievable that it was this very year that I completed a year long quest to become a knight. That conclusion was arrived at just as the cold of winter was departing this land. Indeed it was March 29th that that quest concluded, leaving in its wake more mystery.

Knights Quest

Albion, to me says homeland, I guess we all have what we feel is a homeland. Some feel that they have lost theirs and this year I had a truly magical encounter with such few who were seeking to heal the rift between the people and the land. With amazing prowess and deft they maneuvered me (with my agreement I have to say) into becoming a part of their healing. As part of their persuasion they provided profound knowledge and experience as related here.

This year has definitely been one of learning. Although not much of that has been reported here however I can say that behind the scenes consolidations, explorations and reading has been an almost daily occurrence. I have learned so much and yet…and yet so little do I know. Over the years we have explored and indeed communed with shades, that which we once thought were spirits of the dead. This year I was introduced in a deeply emotional and personal way to an energy from the other end of the spectrum. Whilst shades are a kind of death energy, conception energies are on the other scale. A kind of life energy. Here then is the marker for the little adventure that drove my understanding deeper with a visit to the gardens of Babylon no less.

I am tempted to use the word again, what the heck go for it. It is strange that this year was called the Year of the Dragon. In fact at the beginning of the year I had penned a little draft concerning that very fact. Then as the year progressed it seems that Dragon was going to be the theme (of sorts) for the year. Gwas and I visited the emerald isle once again and there, dragon indeed became the loci of my experiences. A set of experiences that led to the gift of the soul of a dragon, or perhaps not so? You can judge for yourself in these pages. Certainly the genesis of an adventure to be had.

Do you ever wonder what Gwas and I talk about? Amongst all this stuff I mean? Well we have our un-resolved puzzles that we occasionally bring up and ponder as to the how, why and what of it all. One such puzzle was born on a trip to Dinas Bran this year, where believe it or not a hand sized Citrine vanished. I suspect that my energy double was behind it, after all it has done that kind of thing before and at the same place.

Talking about crystals, this year has definitely had some amazing crystal energy authored results. One such pattern (I believe) led me on a rather frightening and death-defying journey.

Each year the adventures get more bolder and more amazing, without exception. I have no reason to doubt that that won’t be the case in 2013. Gosh!

Kal Malik

In the second part of the day spent visiting the megalithic sites of Antequera in Spain we travelled the mile or so down the main road out of town heading towards the dominant feature in the landscape – the mountain of La Pena. We drove into what can only be described as an industrial estate, down a road whose tarmac suddenly ran out, and then down a dirt track, all the while following vague brown signs pointing towards ‘El Romeral‘. As we turned yet again into an area that seemed all ‘wrong’ for an ancient site, we could begin to see some grass and trees at the end of the track. Was this it?

As we pulled into the car park with its dedicated ticket booth (oops – should we have paid at the previous site?) El Romeral loomed with it circular crown of cypress trees. It looked like a crown jewel among the slovenly industrial units and their dumping grounds that surrounded the site. We noticed that yet again there was a bus full of school children visiting the place, so we sat and had lunch while we waited for them to finish their noisy procession in and out of the central chamber.

At the time of visiting I didn’t have my bearings of the place and its surroundings. Only later did I do some research and find that there is a cardinal alignment between El Romeral’s chamber and the El Torcal sleeping dragon that faces it due South of the site. It’s like the dragon is watching the chamber from far above. The only noticeable alignment on the ground is with the La Pena mountain - the lady in the landscape. A gap in the line of trees shows the mountain’s profile perfectly.

El Romeral due North of El Torcal

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The Andalucian landscape does not have many sacred sites compared to an island like Britain, but the ones it does have are rather special. After having visited El Torcal and seen the sleeping dragon in the landscape I wanted my fix of megalithic sites. Can’t go a whole week without one! I had identified three in the area – two together and one a further mile away. Seemed like a plan to go visit them as the clouds started gathering. No sunbathing today!

Alongside the town of Antequera there are two dolmens – “Cuevas De Menga Y Viera” (Megalithic Portal link]. The Menga dolmen is reputed to be the largest in Europe. Luckily for us the site has now been fully restored and turned into a proper visitor attraction. Did I say lucky? I meant… lucky for the site. Because the restoration has been very well done. The site is clearly looked after, well visited, and protected from harm. The restoration work itself seems to have been both sympathetic and without any lavishness or unnecessary additions. I would go as far as to say it’s one of the most pleasant ancient sites to visit anywhere, and this one is on the outskirts of a busy large town – surrounded by homes, businesses and busy roads. Yet, it is given the proper space, the right restorative treatment (despite a crumbling economy), and the dolmens are free to go and see. What more could you ask? English Heritage take note!

The entrance to the huge Menga dolmen at Antequera

Inside the chamber one begins to appreciate the size of the construction. Here is a plan showing the construction, and then a picture I took inside the dolmen.

Plan view of Menga dolmen in Antequera, Spain

Inside La Menga dolmen with its central pillars

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We’re off. Only a 6 hour drive in an amazing record beating downpour. This is the adventurers life. Gwas and I were off for a 2 day trip to Iona. An 11 hour journey in total, including two ferries. As far from civilisation as one can get in the Kingdom. Did that stop us? Of course not. Scouts R Us as we say!

Looking East from Iona

Although we started our journey in the rain we arrived to a greeting from the great Sun god Ra i.e. the sun accompanied us on all 2.5 days of our journey (whilst the rest of the kingdom had torrential rain I might add). Of course, to non believers, being followed by the sun is pure coincidence. Seriously!

As is the case most often, Gwas and I begin our trip with a purpose or two in mind. Although these purposes take on a life of their own after we have created them. In this instance I did have two

1. I had been given to me (by whom?) the task of awakening a Dragon that sleeps in Iona.
2. If you recall I had done a major piece of energy work in my room 6 weeks ago. I wanted to know how much of the events since then had been influenced by that piece of magic.

Iona

We landed on Iona at about 1pm and dropped our kit at our lodgings and were off. First stop, the Nunnery. I was inclined to ignore it and make my way to the abbey but the rods twitched otherwise and so Gwas and I side stepped the amazing (for this time of the year) tourists and made our separate energetic paths around the inner walls of the ruin.

I have to say, you guys really have to come on a visit with Gwas and I one time. What is really amazing is how we can get to a site and then wander of on our own energetic paths, quests and work. Occasionally we will bump into each other and remark on some finding, but more often than not we are happy to be hedge i.e. lonesome.

The Iona Nunnery in daylight

I asked for a place where I could learn something and was taken to a bench at the back corner of the place. It was a bench that had been dedicated to a person, I’ll call her Sarah since it plays a prominent part in the Iona tales and I don’t want to give the actual name. So I lay on the Sarah dedicated bench basking in the amazing sun as well as the peaceful energy of the place, when a few seconds later Gwas turned up, following his rods. He came and sat on a mound just in front of the bench. It was a power centre of course and the strongest in the nunnery.

Gwas meditated (I think) and I amused myself with a general meandering of thought when a voice spoke to me, “hello there” Of course it was a voice in my head (Oh dear, senility it seems is setting in) In any case I opened my inner sight and perceived what I thought to be a shade over by the side of the bench. As you know, I’m kind-of done with shades so I brushed it away, “go pester someone else” I thought and continued my thoughtful meandering, taking a moment to whip up some protection. I wasn’t interrupted again and I lay quite contented until a thought entered my head, perhaps this was the shade of Sarah, the person to whom the seat was dedicated. I looked across at the shade and felt there was something different about it.

“I’m not a shade,” the shade said to me and I was hit by an intuitive thought. This was a thought form. Of course, I know a little bit about thought form magic and wondered who had created this one. “I wasn’t created intentionally” Sarah said to me. “I came about because of that” She pointed to the seat I was lying on.

A seat dedication creating a thought form and a conscious one to boot. I don’t think so. There was more to this than that. I pondered for a moment and was absent mindedly looking across at the mound that Gwas was sat on…Aha…

• A dedication,
• Many people thinking of who Sarah might be,
• Perhaps relatives remembering her here

AND a power centre. Of course, that combination could have created this being. I grabbed my dowsing rods and a few minutes later had confirmed my intuitional knowledge. So Sarah, I said, (though of course she wasn’t even the shade of Sarah, pun intended) what can I do for you? It was supposed to be an introductory type question but she got me with her response. “Quite a bit” Hmmm….Not likely I thought.

Thought Form

We discoursed for a bit, quite boring really but Sarah told me that she knew where the Dragon slept and would show me if I did something for her. I have (er…) learned my lesson about making deals with things so I wasn’t about to shake hands on anything, I did say that I would consider helping her if I judged the request fair. It was a deal of sorts and Sarah became my guide to Iona.

See you later as Gwas and I traverse the Isle of Iona.

Kal Malik