The Hedge Druid

Posts Tagged ‘death energy’

I think that this was my first ever conscious experience with what we now (Winter 2010) call Energetic Shrouds. Inevitably it was in the company and guidance of that majestic The Ancient Yew that this experience or lesson unfolded.

Gwas and I had arrived at the church late one evening and as usual I wandered over to the Yew tree to express my love of this wonderful creature. As I stood under the eaves and communed with it, I got a message straight off the bat.

“There is a lesson for you in the graveyard below, it’s dangerous but worth your while”

My relationship with Yew has been so trusting that I couldn’t refuse a “worthwhile” lesson, so taking up my rods I asked them to guide me to the place where this lesson was in the offing.

See? You just have to appreciate the versatility of dowsing with rods. Consider, if you got that message and had no rods to work with, where would you go?

I followed the rods as they weaved there way down the path and along its side to a point close to the flowing river. They then took a slight left and crossed over a place where there was a bench. Was I to sit on this bench? Yes. So I sat on the bench and wondered what this lesson would be. As I pondered I began to feel as if energy was slipping out of me.

Ever since I was initiated into Reiki, whenever I am exchanging/sending energy out from me my palms start heating up. This is a common feeling amongst healers particularly those who have been Reiki attuned.

As I said, I felt this energy draining from me and wondered what and where it was going, not only that but it felt disconcerting to have it just flowing out. So I grabbed the rods and determined where the energy was going. It was to the nearest grave, some 5 feet away. What a curious thing. Was something taking the energy from me? Yes.

Intrigued, rather than frightened (in a graveyard, at night), I querried as to what was doing this draining? Was it an entity? A energy being? Elemental? Or any other type of sentient creature? No. Some more pondering and intuitive guess-work and I came up with…

A shroud, a memory, a replicant

I further specified this answer with “not the spirit of a person”. A Shroud? The energetic remains of a living person. The concept was entirely new to me. Of course we have the biological remains, buried or burned. But the Energetic remains? I had thought that that passed on and/or was the spirit. Apparently not!

I sat back down on the seat and pondered this truly revolutionary idea. As I looked across the graveyard, I sensed rather than saw little willo-the-wisps, energetic leavings dotted about the place. I wondered why I had come to this one in particular and not any of the others that were floating around? The answer came immediately, there is not enough energy in them.

Didn’t the Yew ground these energies (months ago we had dowsed that a Yew tree grounds the – what at the time we said were spirits – but now might be changing to energies of the dead)? Yes it does, but visitors leave scraps of energy that we use to manifest. I stopped, “we”? It was then that I realised I was 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 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).. I also felt a nudge from the distant Yew, It’s stealing your energy I came to myself and quickly struck up some protection and as a after thought gave 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). an energetic slap (never done that before).

I felt more solid but could still feel the thing hanging around, it was telling me that it had other knowledge and secrets to impart but I was feeling drained. it had done a good job on me whilst I was sat in the seat. Then I realised that of course, with the seat being there people would be resting on it and thus providing this 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). with its meal-ticket.

I got up and walked warily and wearily back up to the Yew for some grounding of my own energies. Fortunately I was able to get back to some semblance of normality before we departed this place of interesting lessons.

Kal Malik – Definitely on the Edge

PS: Here are the original notes of this experience:

• Yew – you should do it, its dangerous, but it will be a good lesson
• finding the grave – by a seat
• letting the energy flow – or seep out – it feeling un-natural
• “something” accepts the energy
• what are you? a “shroud”, a memory, a replicant. not the spirit of the person
• Something interesting, willo-the-wisps dotted across the graveyard, energetic “leavings”
• why didn’t i go to one of them? there isn’t enough energy in them?
• doesn’t the Yew ground you all? Yes, but visitors leave scraps of energy and we used that to manifest
• getting a call from the Yew, “it” stealing energy, giving “it” a slap
• are you alive? no, we cannot grow, we just fade
• Why did I come to this grave? A sense of the seat is indicated. because people sit there and i have “picked up” some of their energy
• Another attempt to steal energy and an insistence to stay and ask more. Time to depart
• Energetic break, feeling drained

Llangernyw, Conwy, Wales – 23rd October, 2010

For the first half of the year our visits to Llangernyw were characterised by Kal having experiences or encounters with death energies, earthbound spirits or shades, however you want to term the spirits of the dead. As befits a graveyard they are around and about and thanks to the pacifying influence of the yew tree in the churchyard they are docile. My visits to this churchyard were characterised by me taking the mickey out of Kal for being named “Spirit Walker” by the yew tree, and for having the kinds of encounters that he continually rejected. Then came Samhain 2010 and the tables turned.

The church entrance way at Llangernyw

We arrived at the end of our interesting Samhain journey at Llangernyw churchyard. The now familiar posters and small hand-made signs greeted us telling us all about how the Christian profession was going to celebrate this turning point in the year. This always makes me consider how long the yew tree has been there on that ground – long before the Christian religion was even invented, yet along when this particular church was built.

I immediately went to speak with the tree. Kal had wandered off somewhere else, but I was dead set on finding out what the next part of the year held in store for me. Little did I know what I was about to let myself in for! I meditated a while and connected to the tree, introducing myself as usual, and asking the tree for guidance as to what my quest might be. In my mind I got a picture of the portal stones at the rear of the church and heard the words “Go to the portal stones” in my mind. As usual this was in my own voice, but a deep version of it, and I felt it was some otherness that was producing that phrase. I thanked the tree and swiftly moved around to the other side of the church to find the stones.

The portal stones at Llangernyw

I stood between the portal stones and felt the energy flowing immediately. This was not my energy, but energy that is flowing between the stones by itself. I stood between them and felt myself go into a meditative trace, a receptive state of mind to hear whatever would arise in my mind. Very quickly the words came to me “Free Spirits“. Just that. That was my simply-stated yet clearly complex task – to learn how to free the energies of the dead. Niiiiice. Not something I had anticipated doing, and something that I knew Kal had already rejected. Still, I reasoned, if unquiet energies were disrupting a sacred site then they might need to be cleared so that I could revitalise the earth grid? We will see.

That was our amazing and enlightening Samhain day as we moved into the final stage of the year up to Yule. It seemed that I had taken over the mantle of Spirit Walker and would be the one who would be learning how to deal with spirits and to free them from whatever was binding them. All this was to be learned and practised until absorbed into everyday use. These are the tasks of a practising hedge druid.

Gwas.

I have held back from posting this particular account for a number of reasons. There are some visits that Kal and I do whose purpose is not to dowse for information – sometimes that is a secondary approach. Some visits are more personal than others too, and some more sensitive, or even unbelievable. We have begun this year, as you may have noticed, to study some of the more esoteric aspects of earth and cosmic energy, for want of better terms. I have labelled this approach: “druidry” or “energy work”. Kal, of course, has his own labels for it: “meditation” or “spirit work”. People from different backgrounds with different intentions would read this how they may. So be it. I return to my primary purpose for writing this blog: as a source for me to record and recall the amazing spiritual journey I have begun – a path that I call Druidry, and am proud to do so. The Yew Stage of my learning process is all about discovery of what matters, and its tramsformation into useful and purposeful work. If I can get something out of it, so can those who may also read this work.

So, this post is about a trip one evening in late summer (very late summer) to visit The Llangernw Yew. This amazing tree is said to be over 4000 years old, possibly as much as 5000. Think about that for a second – that means that this tree has seen pretty much all of what we would consider to be human recorded history! It is a truly amazing tree. Here’s a picture of the magnificent yew, straight from the Wikipedia page dedicate exclusively to it:-

The Llangernyw Yew

It goes without saying that this tree was growing into maturity well before the advent of our currently waning Piscean religion known as Christianity. The undoubted earlier spiritual history is nowhere mentioned or speculated upon in the text of the little plaques and signs around the churchyard. Well, this is not something that over the last few years brings me much surprise any more. Christians are obsessive about stamping their own impression upon a site to the exclusion of all else in my experience. That is the way of the “one true” religion. At least, in this case, the presence of the new place of worship has ensured the preservation of the much older tree. Here’s an example of the information you can expect:

You see – the ancient monoliths mark the grave site of an early Christian! Now you know.Matter settled.  Before Christ, you say? Pah!

Anyway – polemic aside – we started dowsing for the aura of this magnificent tree. It was some fifty feet from its trunk, and covered the little porch that was the main entrance to the small church. I think it must have been reaching out to touch the letter that David Bellamy had written about the yew and which was posted inside the porch. He’s an unusual character now sadly absent from our TV screens who has actually written a book about yews; or rather, more a conversation with one. How appropriate that turned out to be in retrospect!! He’s also got an interesting explanation of the work of Viktor Schauberger who studies nature’s energies.

Speaking to Yew

Whilst Kal milled around the site I knew what I was here for: I wanted to see what the famous yew had to say for itself. I hd been putting off trying to commune with yew trees because of their reputation. An earlier experience with in Rhosesmor had prepared me somewhat for the type of agenda that comes with yew trees: death, rebirth, transformation. Sometimes you’re in the mood to handle that kind of conversation, and at other times you aren’t. I knew for a fact that Kal was in a delicate state, as this was the first time he’d been on an outing for a while since his mother passed away. I understood he had his own healing work to do, and that the yew tree may not figure in that, so I went alone.

There was none of the usual foreboding as I approached the great tree. Of course I asked permission to enter its expansive canopy, and I showed the utmost respect for it. I asked the dowsing rods for the best location so sit, and they took me to a well-worn low u-shaped branch. I could see I wasn’t the first to spend time here! I dowsed for places to put the five crystals I had brought with me. Looking back I think that was unnecessary, but it helped me relax to be protected from external interference at this new site. I relaxed and blended my senses into the tree, its huge canopy, and the surrounding noises of the village of Llangernyw. I used the remaining sunlight as my focal point as it dappled through the low branches in just the way I liked for these occasions. Soon I was unaware of myself except as a space to think.

I slowly became aware of an urge to communicate, so I let a thought emerge, a thought to make contact with the tree. I have learned patience over the last few years, and let the response come slowly slowly, until an Other voice joined my own in my head. A conversation began, during which I asked to be shown a vision that would help me with my work. The result came slowly, but once it started it was quite powerful. In my vision I was lifted up, as though on the shoulders of the yew, and shown an ariel view of the churchyard. I could see all of the lines of energy flowing from the tree and through the church. The church itself disappeared as though it had never been there, and what remained was just the yew tree and some geometric collection of something on the other side of the church, which I hadn’t yet visited. There was more, but I don’t recall it clearly enough to reliably re-tell, so I won’t go on. It felt like an out of body experience, and the nicest flying experience I can remember, floating lazily and in the gentle cushion of the yew’s energy field.

Of course, the first thing I did, after thanking the yew of course, was to grab my rods and begin to dowse around the tree. I picked up a strong line connecting the yew to the church, but intersecting the church at an odd angle. Like I say, it was as if the line was there before the church, ans I raced around the other side to see what was there. What was there? Only a raised tombstone surrounded by a couple of old standing stones! This, I dowsed, was the terminus point of the energy lineThe direction energy takes when moving. It may be straight or curved, in several dimensions and be composed of one or more different types of energies, i.e. negative, positive or neutral. Energy lines can be found at standing stones and ancient sites but are a general feature in all energy fields. going through the church. Now THAT’S a vision, I thought! Where you see things in your mind that turn out to actually be there, although to be honest I didn’t see the stones, only a blurry end point where the energy congregated, but nevertheless, it bowled me over somewhat, and I went off to tell Kal all about it whilst it was fresh in my mind.

The Shaky Hand of Fear?

Kal seemed busy down in the lower graveyard – a long rectangular graveyard packed with headstones and with a rectangular path all around it. I decided to leave him for now, and to take some photographs for the blog. The strange thing is, when I pointed the camera anywhere near the yew tree and check the picture – they were blurred! I couldn’t seem to steady my hand at all. I took, re-took, took again – all blurred. I wondered if my eyes were going funny! I deleted the blurry ones, and became increasingly static and poised as I braced my arm, my hand, breathed out – every trick I knew to get a clear photo. I think I got ONE (the one above) and even that’s not very good. Here’s an example of the blurry photos that I thought were OK on the day:

This is, I have found this is not a one-off happenstance. When I take pictures of some trees, the stronger their aura the more blurred the photograph! I remember taking and deleting loads of pictures to try to get at least a few good ones, then when I got back to inspect the ones I thought were OK – they were almost all blurred. I’m sure this is more a reflection of what a rank amateur I am with a camera than anything else, but I must say it’s another of those odd coincidences, as it seems to happen a great deal with highly energetic places, and especially old trees. It happened to me in the Forest of Dean a few months ago too. Very odd. It’s such a shame too, because I thought I had taken some great shots of the full moon peeking out from beneath the canopy of the tree – all blurred beyond recognition! The ambiance of the churchyard would have been properly conveyed had they been publishable. Ah well, the memory will have to remain locked in my head.

The Moonlight Spotlight

The sun had dipped behind the trees. I went to catch up with Kal and hear his tales, and they were more interesting than mine, even! I was more amazed at his capacity to delve into himself when most people would simply want to be alone and undisturbed, superficial even. Not Kal!

I showed him the hidden side of the church as the moon began to dominate the sky with its light. I followed the dowsing rods around the church asking to be taken to the first 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. they could find. They found several, all linked with each other, and at significant “features” in the ground, such as a small bump, a faerie ring of grass, around a standing stone, the raised grave, and between two pillar stones next to the church’s southern wall.

I placed my crystals around the small 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. that the rods had identified as being aligned with my own energies, and faced the moon. By one of those unbelievable coincidences the moonlight formed a spotlight through the trees as two clouds parted at just that moment, and the light shone directly into my face and formed a circle the exact same size as the 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. I had just dowsed. I know – even I could barely believe it. Everything felt right, so I stayed their a while feeling the energies bubble up from the earth and into my inner core, powering me, cleansing me, making me feel light-headed and “spacey”.

When I felt the time was right I moved to the two upright pillars next to the church. I dowsed quickly to determine what this feature was that had attracted my heightened attention. The answer that I eventually hit upon was some kind of energetic barrier, that, if triggered, could take me from one world into another. Sometimes the right questions just pop into your head and the rods respond. Tonight in particular, with the full moon, the rods were swinging strongly and clearly, and my intuition was highly tuned.

I placed crystals around me to enhance the energies and stepped up to the space between the two stone pillars. I could feel the energy pulling me, and I knew I could walk forward and something would happen, but I was afraid of what that was, so I didn’t enter. Sorry. I just felt slightly wary of it, wary enough not to go fully into it. Instead I leaned forwards to see what would happen if only my head passed the stones. As my head moved past them I could feel my thoughts being pulled into the church wall, my attention being thrust through the wall and out to the tree, but again I panicked and pulled back. I wasn’t ready for this yet. Soon, but not now.

 With that I removed the crystals, and went back to the 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. to discharge and cleanse myself. I was sure that something amazing would have happened, but this wasn’t the right time to do it. One day soon I will go back and be ready for it. I’m sure that one day Kal will also tell his side of the story, but again – when he’s ready. This stuff take time to assimilate sometimes before it’s ready to come out or be relived.

Them Skulls and Them Bones

A final note: there were masonic or Templar symbols similar to those I have found at Glamis churchyard (see the Gallery page) carved onto the raised tomb that is surrounded by the standing stones. This only goes to strengthen my feeling that this elite brotherhood knew a lot more about the concepts of nature’s energy, energy lines, position and empowerment than they are currently credited with. Of course, that is pure speculation, as so much is when there are few solid known facts about this shadowy organisation and its past. Certainly, I don’t think the use of that knowledge is much in evidence today:  the organisation seems to be more about money and political power now, than esoteric knowledge. The knowledge is being built back up though, by we erstwhile dowsers and energy workers. A picture, however fragmented and hazy, is beginning to emerge of the veneration of place, the importance of symbols and the 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. of sites that characterise the old Templar, and now masonic buildings. A quick search of the web sites dedicated to understanding the significance of the most obvious of the remainders of esoteric knowledge - the Rosslyn Chapel - will lead you down all sorts of interesting blind alleyways of research. Therein you will find reference to King Solomon and the Temple of Solomon, the Freemasons, the Green Man and paganism, and all sorts of modern mystery and myth. I prefer to go back to the source: these people were venerating Nature, and they worked with sacred number and geometry to fashion places that promote power. The rest is embroidery.

There are some great pictures available from The Modern Antiquarian site concerning this yew and the two standing stones that are hidden behind the church : http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/6996/llangernyw_yew_and_standing_stones.html. No-one seems to know anything about them, but for me the dowsing showed that the stones were in their original position, and that other nearby standing stones, placed there at a much later date, formed an energetic gateway – a portal through to the Otherworld. Certainly enough there to keep the curious person busy, that’s for sure.

Gwas.

Dancing in the moonlight.

This week Kal and I visited a graveyard in the small village of Rhosesmor in North Wales. Kal had been there previously on the recommendation of a friend who had talked of the unusual atmosphere of the place, and how it was surrounded by ancient yew trees. During the visit Kal and I both surveyed the site with dowsing rods, and meditated under the canopy of a triangle of yews.

We dowsed quickly, affirming some of Kal’s previous findings concerning the location of power centres for each other respectively. Soon we decided that meditation was the order of the evening, and so found places close to each other in a triangle of yews to one side of the graveyard. After settling down, quietening and protecting ourselves we each went into our own meditation. Here’s what I found out from this encounter with one of nature’s teachers concerning the subject of rebirth and transformation.

Rebirth

1. Asked about the process of rebirth:  the tree showed me someone having a revelation after a near-death peak experience. I compared this with Hamish Milller’s near-death experience and how that turned him on to dowsing.
2. Asked if there was a slower way of achieving the same result, and the tree showed me smaller time slices but emphasised that each slice should work on a particular aspect to be changed, eventually achieving the same ends as the revelatory approach.
3. Asked where this should be done and I flicked through several typical types of megalithic site in my mind, hoping that the tree would show me which type I could use. It responded that each site is unique. Unique, like each type does one thing? No, unique in every respect – the energies it transforms, the memories it holds, the effects it can have. Each site has a unique combination of energy fields, and you need to find the one that fits you at the time that you need it in order to transform and rebirth yourself into a higher state of mind.

Lessons about the life force

Then I was swept up inside the tree’s inner core. Inside I could see the inner life force of the tree snaking upwards, its lively redness coiling and curling up and down inside the tree. Around it was a thin black sheath forming the inner core.  It showed me that this life force is always active, even when the exterior is dormant or appears dead. That’s just a shield to the world. Inside the life force flows excitedly. I knew that this life force was fed by the death energies and earth energies around the graveyard.

Transformation

1. The yew tree told me that when I go through transformation experiences I should retract an inner core of my own life force energy. When the outer shell of my body was cleansed I could then let my life force flow back into the body’s field and I would re-fill the empty vessel I was previously, but still with an inner core that was me up until that point.
2. I suddenly saw that the inner core that was black in this tree was very thin. Like the tree, I too had such an inner core of blackness. The tree showed me that it had to work on removing those inner darknesses until the majority of its trunk was its natural reddish colour. Only a thin sheath of black remained inside. I saw that this was a state that I would progress towards by working on my own inner weaknesses. Each transformation would be a rebirth process and would thin that inner dark core a little more each time.

This was the lesson of the yew tree concerning rebirth and transformation.

Gwas.

Learning every day.

When I first read a book by David Cowan called “Ley Lines and Earth Energies” the title seemed to match my desire – to learn as much as possible about ley lines. I wasn’t quite so sure about whether I was really interested in earth energies at that stage, or even what they were, in truth. So, I made an attempt to read it, but fell short of completing it. I was too new to the subject to grasp what Cowan’s ideas were, or how they had been achieved. I parked the book until a later date.

As fate would have it I recently purchased a copy of another book he’d done, and this book was kinder. Or maybe I was more prepared for it. For the first half of “Ancient Energies of the Earth” I was simply nodding in agreement – “Yep – we’ve found that too.” Then Cowan began to come out with a stream of properties about the energies – how they worked, what they were powered by, what they linked to, how they circulated, what forces attracted and repelled them. I was overwhelmed with information so I started to make notes.

In the following section you can read some of those notes I took which I think encapsulate a number of pieces of information, some coherent, some random, and they are classified by us as either confirmatory (confirmed), or speculative if undesignated. That is, his ideas either correlate exactly to our own findings, or we have not yet shown them to be true enough for us to convince us yet. We aim to try the speculative ideas out this year.

Cowan makes reference to two terms that I will mention: cup-marked stones and telluric energies. Cup-marked stones are large stones ranging from small boulders up to huge megaliths that have man-made carved depressions, hollows and gouges. Cowan links these stones intrinsically to the functioning of ancient sites. Telluric energies are simply Cowan’s term for the male and female earth energies that we have discussed many times on this blog.

Animals, plants and energy lines

• There are many tales of cows and insect swarms being attracted to geomagnetic areas.
• Cows sit on tumuli, barrows, etc.
• Church stonemasons had a tradition of sleeping where cows had been stood or had lain, as this ensured a good night’s sleep.
• Evil water spirits in the form of a horse,bull or cow are often associated with tales about lochs, lakes and tarns.
• Hares make their burrows on hills that have blind springs running beneath them.
• Mole nests and badger sets are also associated with the location of blind springs.
• Some plants grow better in areas where earth energy columns arise.

We have found an abundance of faerie rings with unusually lush grass growth forming circles around hilltops and sacred sites. At Arbor Low stone circle we found a column of energy arcing out of one faerie ring and joining to another some thirty feet away.

Energy Formations

• Quoting Guy Underwood, Cowan says that blind springs (crossing points of underground water) send vertical spirals of energy arcing into the air.
• The book shows an illustration of The Staff of Aesculapius symbol of entwined light and dark serpents (similar to the Caduceus symbol). A similar double-helix energy formation is shown emerging from a standing stone. (Confirmed)
• There are at least two types of straight leys: containment leys and national leys. National leys follow geological fault lines, whereas containment leys can be constructed with a stone and a mound.
• Underground energies are shaped like an inverted tree with the trunk being a spiral at the surface.
• Cup marks carved in a stone produce an energy beam. One ray per mark (although it could be two as the line may come back into the stone ).
• To make an energised stone carve a cup mark in sunlight. Once carved the stone can be moved, and the beam of energy directed by turning the stone.

Energy Properties

• Cup marked stones are the SOURCE powering circuits of energy linking several ancient sites into a circuit of energy on both a local and national geographical scale.
• Straight 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. leys differ from the earthy telluric energies (male and female lines). 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. leys are neither male nor female, he says. Neutral, we say. (Confirmed)
• Telluric energyA general term encompassing all forms of earth-bound or earth-generated energy. This is in differentiation to forms of celestial energy. Telluric energy can be both subtle energy and what we may call “gross” energy – in other words, energy that can be measured by current scientific instrumentation and which is electro-magnetic in nature. follows the path of least obstruction, e.g. animal trails, tramlines in cornfields, or through forests. (Confirmed)
• He equates the telluric energies to the Yin/Yang properties discussed by Chinese geomancers. The male energies come from edges, whereas the female energies emerge from hollows. These energies are also attracted to features of a similar type: i.e. male energies seek edges, whereas female energies seek hollows. (Confirmed)
• This energy tunes into resonant cavities – holes or hollows, skulls and bones. These cavities are resonated by wind passing through them, causing vibrational resonance.
• Qualities of the energies:

1. takes the easiest path,
2. attracted to bodies of water,
3. attracted to recent death sites.

• The wavelengths of telluric energies are phased, and seems to be based on a two-minute cycle. Dowsing the same wave twice within that two minute cycle ought to yield variations on the position of the wave.
• Straight leys do not cycle their phase and are STATIC. (Confirmed)
• SOLAR ENERGY produces the shape wave around objects on the earth (trees, stones, tumuli). This means that the size of the “aura” of that feature is linked to the extent of its shadow in the sun. The extent is mirrored not only on the shadow side, but on its opposite side too, like an anti-shadow.
• In derelict houses the energy will enter the door and leave by another “hole” such as a chimney, or window.
• The energy will often pass across bridges.
• Male lines spiral clockwise, female lines spiral anti-clockwise. (Confirmed)
• Streams, rivers, roads, paths, railway lines and electricity pylons all act as carriers for telluric energies. Straight leys are not re-directed by the presence of obstacles, but travel in straight lines naturally. (Confirmed)
• The width of the holes in standing stones or cup marks in stones denotes the breadth of the telluric line that emerges from it (or travels through it). Narrow holes or slits concentrate energies into thin lines, whereas wide or gaping holes emit a broad encircling line of energy.

Winter Hill cup-marked stone

Ancient Site Construction

• Two standing stones side by side form a portal that focuses energy lines along a particular direction. (Confirmed)
• Standing stones are situated on the crossing points of two or more underground streams.
• Some piles of stones (cairns) attract the paths of energies, and may even be sources of energies themselves. If one stone is moved away from the pile then an energy path will come with it. (Confirmed)
• The gaps in piles of boulders attracts telluric energies, as do man-made gaps between hills and split stones (like The Praying Hands of Mary in Perthshire).
• Telluric energies avoid Forestry Commission Plantations. The trees being so close together form an impenetrable barrier.
• Four-stone circles work differently from other types of stone circle. They are called “four posters”. These circles transmit energy out to circular burial grounds.
• Dolmens or cromlechs seem designed as parabolas for the purpose of concentrating energy. (Confirmed)
• Suggests that Arbor Low is a hub for many radial 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. leys. Kal found 12. (Confirmed)
• Confirms that energies come out of the FLAT side of a stone in a circle (like at Druid’s Circle, Penmaenmawr), circles around, then comes back into the stone. (Confirmed)
• Sites tend to be built upon geological fault lines, and lines cross at nodes where activity is strongest.
• Lakes, tarns, lochs and just about any standing water body acts as an attractor pulling energy currents towards them, even uphill.
• Sacred sites usually have some element of PARABOLA involved in their design. These concentrate the energies coming in to a single point.

Consider the position of power centres in stone circles, which are always off-centre and closer to the edge of a site. There is also an interesting story (upcoming blog post) about some Tibetan monks being observed and photographed by a German scientist demonstrating their powers of levitating a megalith by using sound energy. This was achieved whilst stood in a semi-circle a precise distance away from the stone and chanting whilst drumming.

Death Energies

• A ram’s head skull found int he path of a ley lineThe term used by many British dowsers to describe 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.. It is easily confused with ley and therefore its use is not recommended by dowsers. had a set of concentric rings around it in the shape of the skull. These got narrower apart at the outer edge. The spread of these concentric waves supposedly can vary according to how recent the death of the animal was.
• The burial sites of ancient warriors is a likely place to find telluric energyA general term encompassing all forms of earth-bound or earth-generated energy. This is in differentiation to forms of celestial energy. Telluric energy can be both subtle energy and what we may call “gross” energy – in other words, energy that can be measured by current scientific instrumentation and which is electro-magnetic in nature. flowing through (cf. Hawarden – the Gladstone tomb). (Confirmed)
• Healthy lines turn to unhealthy lines when they pass through a graveyard.
• The more recent the death, the stronger the attraction for energy lines.
• The paths of the dead were always straight, and many straight leys run through ancient burial sites. It seems as though the dead were transported along these straight trackways (or “doodwegen” - ’dead ways’  in Dutch). Many cultures believe that the recent dead travel in straight lines.

Scientific and Paranormal properties of energy

• The dowsing brain is sensitive to electromagnetic fields. Passing through these fields with increasing speed increases the voltage in the brain from around 4microvolts @ 1m/sec to 400microvolts @8m/sec.
• Rotating the head also causes a similar increase in voltages. Are increases in voltages associated with altered states of consciousness?
• Welsh folklore has it that cup marks and petroglyphs hold the key to all knowledge of the arts and sciences of the ancient world. See also the book “Lost Arts and Sciences of the Stone Age”
• Apollonius Rhodius (Greek poet) said: “Stones placed at the apex of a tumulus are so sensitive as to be movable by the mind.”
• Telluric energyA general term encompassing all forms of earth-bound or earth-generated energy. This is in differentiation to forms of celestial energy. Telluric energy can be both subtle energy and what we may call “gross” energy – in other words, energy that can be measured by current scientific instrumentation and which is electro-magnetic in nature. may be capable of splitting stones, or causing weaknesses in stone to be exposed to weathering, thus creating unusual gaps along the paths of straight leys.
• Up until the 1950s it was common for Glasgow women to draw “step charms” in chalk on their doorsteps. These were intricate patterns of sacred gemoetrical shapes. The idea was to give whoever stopped over them the benefits of their benevolent energies. In India they are called “kolams“.
• Kiva, or magnetic chambers, used by the Native Americans for the purpose of transformation of consciousness. Souterrains like Bryn Celli Ddu, or Lligwy chamber, serve this purpose too. (Confirmed)
• Chladni patterns produced by sound vibrations shaping sand on a smooth surface – are these designs the format of crop circle designs? Does that mean that crop circles are produced by energy at differing frequencies?
• Crop circles could form ever more complex patterns through the input of ever stronger electromagnetic forces, producing a pattern much like when sand on a flat plate is vibrated at higher and higher frequencies.
• Margaret Watts-Hughes used her voice to create patterns (lycopodium grains, sand, powder and a ‘singing tube’) – they are called Eidophone Voice Figures. This was simply done using a pipe with some rubber stretched across the ‘trumpet’ or bowl section. The power and sand are mixed with some water and spread across the membrane. Gentle tonal singing through the tube then produces patterns.

Healing with Energy

• There is an ancient tradition of burying silver bells to ward off malignant energies. As the bell shape is concave it deflects bad earth energies.
• Lines from a stone can pick up healthy negative IONS by following a stream or river (especially a lively one).
• Energy lines that follow a stream or river can be attracted and directed around houses to form a shield against unhealthy energies in the area.
• Drilling a hole in a stone (The Cheesewring, Cornwall, for example) causes it to emit a form of energy that is traditionally associated with healing.
• Healthy energy waves can pass through glass, but unhealthy waves cannot, and avoid or go around the glass obstacle.
• Confirms that electricity pylons attract and act as a conduit or carrier for both healthy and unhealthy energies.
• Putting a mirror or glass (glass is the key) beneath a bed will deflect harmful energy lines (‘black lines’) and aid a restful sleep.
• T.C.Lethbridge believed that waterfalls, spring and streams were places where humans could interact best with the natural force field, as they generate negative (good) ions. They certainly have the power to enervate the human spirit.

The Geology and Geography of Ley Lines

• There is a long straight ley running from Glastonbury Tor to Edinburgh Castle
• Cowan speculates that highest telluric currents originate from volcanic activity (volcanies, volcanic plugs). These volcanic plugs often have large castles situated on them that housed rulers and kings.
• Magnetic anomalies of Croy Brae, Ranmore Common (Surrey), Isle of Mull, Mt Cavo in Italy, and Long Mynd in Shropshire all have unusual effects. Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire has an extremely high geomagnetic field.
• The Isle of Staffa (near Mull, site of Fingal’s Cave) and the Giant’s Causeway – both originators of straight energy leys, and made from volcanic basalt rock. The cave is huge, and combined with the volcanic source material, projects a powerful ley across to Iona.

Tiamat: The Chromatic Dragon

Miscellaneous

• Names for the energy dragonDragons are spirit or energetic beings that reside in sacred sites and have a particular location in them and also move throughout the day (and or season). They also leave the sacred site on occasion, which again differentiates them from Genius Loci which don’t. around the world:

1. KUEI (China) – travels in straight lines, dislikes iron & steel.
2. ECHIDNA (Greece) – lives in caves, moves at night, shuns the daylight.
3. ORME (Gaelic) – worm that suns the daylight.
4. TIAMAT  – lives below water, is evil.
5. OMNIONT (N.America) – giant snake, when angry makes thunder, lightening, hail and rain.
6. WHOWIES (Australia) – lives in caves, travels only at night.
7. BUNYIP (Australia) – lives in damp sand.
8. UROO (Australia) – water serpent that twists and turns below the earth’s surface.

Conclusion

Many assertions that need testing, wonderful description of layering up over energy systems over a wide area. Describes how to build a ley system. Second half of book is by Anne Silk and is attempt to scientifically (specif. geologically) explain paranormal phenomena via earth energy qualities. Similar to work done by Paul Devereux.

It is clear there is a link made by Cowan (as by many other researchers, archaeologists and dowsers) between the siting of ancient burial sites and their energetic potential. It seems as though death, or the extinction of life in particular, attracts telluric energies. A connection we were not keen to explore after our Norton Priory experience last year (see blog post), but may have to revisit.

I heartily recommend the “Ancient Energies..” book as a useful insight into how David Cowan deconstructed then reconstructed the makings and working of a large-scale 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. system and its associated local telluric energyA general term encompassing all forms of earth-bound or earth-generated energy. This is in differentiation to forms of celestial energy. Telluric energy can be both subtle energy and what we may call “gross” energy – in other words, energy that can be measured by current scientific instrumentation and which is electro-magnetic in nature. systems. When you see the scale of the work done by ancient cultures it only further impresses you with its ingenuity and sensitivity. We know little of its actual power potential, however.

References

1. David Cowan & Anne Silk : “Ancient Energies of the Earth“  (buy)
2. David Cowan & Chris Arnold : “Ley Lines and Earth Energies“  (buy)
3. If you want to see what kind of subjects David is drawn to research then you should visit his website: http://www.leyman.demon.co.uk

Gwas,

Following in the footsteps.