The Hedge Druid

Posts Tagged ‘faerie ring’

After Bryn Celli Ddu we travelled further along the southern coast road towards the village of Brynsencien. We had discovered some interesting new patterns of energy around the ancient mound and chamber, and had spent time drawing upon the Winter Solstice energies. Now we wanted to see whether those energies might change at the next set of sites we planned to visit: The Bryngwyn Stones and The Soar Stone.

2. Bryngwyn Stones: SH462669 – off the A4080 towards Newborough (South West Anglesey) 

We had a vague idea about the whereabouts of the remaining two massive stones that had once formed part of two small circles, and it was much easier to find the location this second time. We parked in a small lay-by next to the A4080 just past the village of Brynsencien and made our way over a stile through the heavily muddied fields towards the imposing sight of the two tall stones in the stark sunlight. 

What's left of the Bryngwyn circles

 In contrast to the smooth clean paths to Bryn Celli Ddu the Bryngwyn stones were surrounded in deep mud, and I was glad of my walking boots. If you plant o visit these stones – be warned – choose a dry summer’s day, and watch for the heavily pitted approach to them, as cows have turned the fields into battlefields. 

The Bryngwyn Stones fascinated us on our last visit because they dowsed as being two small circles, despite the imposing size of the stones themselves. The remaining stones mark the boundary between two fields, but also between the two circles – each original circles must have been in either field. Oddly, we decided to dowse for the position of a King Stone, which I got to be some thirty feet away from the remaining stone in what can only be described as a faery ring – that unique circle of differently-coloured grass in a ring that marks this feature. Kal confirmed the position for me, and we judged that the King Stone was probably quite close to the outer edge of the original stone circle, almost providing the view in the photograph above.

Excellent hide-and-seek material

Kal began to become interested in bathing in the sunlight that was being captured by the smaller female stone (the one with the flat top). I, on the other hand, had positioned myself resting in the completely diametrically opposite position of lying against the flat and upright male stone in 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).. Not a position I would have chosen, ordinarily, but one which the dowsing rods had led me to take up. Again, this was not something that we noticed initially, but realised when we came to talk to each other – “Oh – look where we’re positioned – opposite each other and standing against the stones that are opposite to our usual polarities!”.  Yes, these are the kind of conversations we have.

I meditated in 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 the tall male stone and I felt the energy that I have gathered at Bryn Celli Ddu begin to, well, I can only describe it as…consolidate, or agglomerate. It was like it was re-arranging itself and compacting at the same time, sort of…sorting itself out, if you like. Later, Kal described much the same process, and we again were astonished at the similarity of the experience. We had both experienced it differently, but the effect was the same. We both used different terms to describe it, but the process we were describing was unmistakably similar.

Rear view of the Bryngwyn stones showing the thin male stone

 As I “came to” from my meditation I began to focus on a point in the distance. I had my back to the flat male stone was the angle made my eyes unvaryingly come to rest upon a small mound that stood out in the middle distance that seemed to have a megalith or a structure on top of it. I couldn’t make it out properly at the time, but when I got home I found that this line led to a Dolmen called Bodowyr.

One day I will walk to it and investigate it, because at the time I felt it was a significant 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., if only for me. Apparently it stands on a rise that has a view down to the Menai Straits, exactly where the Bryngwyn Stones are situated.

3. Soar Stone, SH319864 – Llanfaethlu village on the A5025 (North West Anglesey) 

The tall Soar Stone is situated next to a church building just off the A5025 Valley to Cemaes road at Llanfaethlu village. It is in a field right next to the road. The stone is about 10 feet tall, flat and encircled by male earth energy. This stone is not connected to other sites, but is self-contained, which is rather unusual, so we have found. We took some photographs, did enough dowsing to realise that there was only a ring of male energy around the stone and that’s it, and then Kal wanted to go. I didn’t, however.

The Soar Stone next to a church

I stood on the sunny side of this male stone. Kal did not need to do any energy work at this site, so stood idly by complaining about the bitter cold and how I should hurry up. I relaxed and began a quick meditation, ignoring his complaints. The only purpose I could determine for this stone was to further charge up my heavily-depleted male energies. I came to realise that I had been working almost exclusively with female energy over the last year, and that over that period I had created a huge imbalance. The Soar Stone, catching the Winter Solstice sunlight square on and being enclosed by a male earth energy field, was helping to bolster my male energy and bring my into a state of equilibrium. After five minutes I felt very balanced (purely subjective, of course) and we were able to take our leave. Simple – effective. 

The 'powering up point' of the Soar Stone

Now that I had achieved and energetic balance Kal was eager to get to the final site that we needed to visit on our little tour of Anglesey – Lligwy Chamber. He felt that something exciting was going to happen there on this special day, and his infectious enthusiasm meant that we headed there without distraction or delay. You can read all about that, including a new energy map of the site, in the next post. 

Gwas Myrddyn.

I have tried to visit The Golden Grove before, but couldn’t find it on that occasion. This time I had better map, not just a printout from MultiMap. This reference may help you locate the site if you wish to find it yourself, because it’s not signposted in any way – SJ085817. Also, here is a link to a description and location details on The Modern Antiquarian: http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/6123/st_elmos_summer_house.html

The first time that Kal and I tried to find The Golden Grove we were coming from the Dyserth side, but failed – we couldn’t find anything that day and were already tired from having spent the day walking around Dyserth, When I visited on my own this time I came by the village of Gwaenysgor, from the A55 side, and had the time and energy to persevere in locating it, right at the top of a path marked as the ‘Clwydian Way‘ in a field on the left as you begin to see Prestatyn and the ‘fun-filled’ holiday coastline of North Wales.

St Elmohas an association with both sailors (this site overlooks the North Wales coastline) and also with the electrical weather phenomenon (as it is ‘scientifically’ termed) that produces glowing light around ship’s masts and suchlike. As stated in the scientific explanation int he link below, St Elmo’s Fire is in fact plasma. Although if you try to get someone in the scientific community to define what plasma is, you’ll have an interesting discussion! Just remember – it’s a fact.  That’s all you need to know. Because facts are the only form of information worth knowing, right? Here is a link to more information about this if you have never read anything about St.Elmo’s Fire – http://wapedia.mobi/en/St._Elmo’s_fire. Note: it’s also an easy-listening pop song by John Farr that was the title track to a 1980s American film. Neither the film nor the song are as interesting as the ‘plasma’; phenomenon, nor hopefully, as long-lasting in the collective memory.

The Eagle As Signpost

On my way up the hill I took a diversion towards where I felt the Golden Grove should be situated. I could feel it’s presence as I got to a gate at the edge of a field that I suspected was next to the grove. As I stood at the gate contemplating whether to enter the field full of sheep, but seeing the farm buildings so close by, a full-sized eagle emerged from somewhere and began to circle around my head, only tens of feet above me! Rather hopefully I asked it to show me The Golden Grove’s location, and to my surprise (why does it still surprise me?) it then changed course to circle in a figure-of-eight over the very place that I had been observing – the lower end of the woods that were shrouded in mist just on the opposite side of the field. I took this as confirmation of my intuitive response – the Golden Grove was in there somewhere, but quite close to the farm buildings, I felt. This made me nervous – would I dare to approach it from this open and gated direction? Not yet. I headed off back up the hill I had been climbing in search of St.Elmo’s Summer House. At least that had a marked path and I wouldn’t be trespassing.

Hill to climb before reaching St.Elmo's Summer House

Upon reaching the crest of the hill I veered left. I was following a combination of bad map-reading skills and occasional dowsing rod confirmations. As I neared where I felt the site was the field was full of young bulls intent on making a nuisance of themselves, I could tell. I tried to ignore them as marched through them up another small hill.

I located the ancient site at the peak of the field. My dowsing rods had indicated that this was the direction to go in when I checked progress with them (I try not to follow them blindly these days, but rather to use them as confirmation of my intuition – I guess I’m working my way towards trying to do without them!). The rods had again proven to be correct. I would have spent quite a bit longer trying to find the site without their gentle confirmations of direction and distance. Who needs GPS? Ha ha. I do! And considering I have a very good one I really should have used that, but I forgot to bring it with me that day.

St.Elmo’s Summer House

St.Elmo’s Summer House is only discernible by a thirty-or-so feet wide ring depression at the top of the hill. As I reached it I noticed that the young bulls were beginning to assemble and come towards me! I continued to try to ignore them, and began to take some energy readings with my dowsing rods.

The remains of whatever Summer House had been built there was signified by two embedded square concrete slabs, the remainder of some form of structure I suppose. Around these slabs were randomly strewn bricks and rocks. As with the legends of many such structures that man tried to build upon a magical place the structure has had to be taken down. Seems like its presence was not tolerated or had been abandoned for some unknown reason.

There is a history of man-made structures that are built upon supposedly magical or sacred ground having had their construction disrupted, or having to be taken down and rebuilt elsewhere. Here are a few links to articles recounting stories of structures (usually Christian churches) that have had their construction disrupted by, well of course, The Devil if you’re Christian! Older stories say The Faeries did it.

• St Mary’s Church, Ambrosden : http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/england/oxfordshire/legends/st-marys-church-ambrosden.html
• Waldron and Alfriston Churches in Sussex: http://www2.prestel.co.uk/aspen/sussex/devil.html

There are so, so many such tales. The underlying theme seems to be either related to the power of the earth energies at those sites, or that the sites have a reputation for being sacred to pagans, or believed to be the site of a crossing point between this world and The Otherworld of faeries and earth or elemental spirits. It was interesting to actually be stood on such a site, and I can tell you from first-hand experience that there was something about the energy field at this site. It was palpable! That’s all I can say at the moment. I need to visit it again at a crossing point of the year such as a cross-quarter day, at sunset, or in full moonlight- preferably at a combination of those times. Then I feel I may understand more about the forces there.

Angry Young Bulls

By now the young bulls had decided that my dowsing was not appropriate, and began to assemble, then follow me around the ring as I dowsed. The more I dowsed the closer they got until I could feel their breath on my elbow! They eventually forced me to abandon my quest and beat a hasty retreat for the nearest gate as they started to get a strange look in their eyes and become increasingly …well, angered by my presence is the only way to put it. I knew that they didn’t want me there once they saw/felt what I was doing.

The Golden Grove

I beat a hasty retreat to the other side of a nearby gate followed rapidly by a stampeding herd of bulls. I stood the other side of the gate, out of breath and somewhat annoyed at having been ousted before I had managed to absorb the atmosphere of the place, and to finish dowsing for whatever energies were there (and there were some, but they went completely out of my head as I dashed for the gate). I decided to head for the woods to have some lunch and recover from the heat.

A I entered the woods I realised that I must be somewhere near Golden Grove. I tried to orientate myself as I ate, then wandered down the hill in 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 the woodland trees. Suddenly I was on a defined path, edged by stone. Why was this here, in this innocuous wood? As the trees became bigger and more beautiful I realised that I had found a way to The Golden Grove! The defined path showed me that at some time or other this had been a well-trodden path, as someone had gone ot the trouble to make it.

Then, at a junction I stopped. I knew that I had arrived by the girth and height of a ring of trees that sat in a triangular space between three paths.

Standing in what could only be The Grove I could feel the power and presence of these old trees, and looking at them I could see faces and features in their ancient bark patterns.

There was something very anthropomorphic about the way the bark was smooth, and had contours that resembled the marbling of flesh. I thought I could make out faces and features on each and every tree in that small circle. It made me feel that I was in the presence of some very special trees that had a life force that was not only apparent, but insistent on making me aware of their presence and dominion over this area. It was a feeling whose source was intangible but collectively those trees made that feeling very real and clear. It got the the point where I began talking to them, and addressing them ‘face to face’ when doing so!

I wished I could have stayed longer, but the dogs on the very nearby farm were sensing a different presence – me – and were beginning to react as they usually do. I thought about making myself invisible to them, as I had done once before when visiting Llandrillo circle late at night. I didn’t feel as though I had the motivation to maintain such a ‘cloak’ and relax into the presence of the trees in the grove at the same time – the two things felt incompatible.

I decided it was best to leave this time.I couldn’t resist masking my presence to the dogs as I left and very soon I heard the barks subside as I slowly walked away back down the hill to where I had parked. That’s a useful trick to learn, by the way. I learned it from reading Emma Restall-Orr’s books and find it very useful if I am visiting sites close to habitation. I may have left this time, but I am determined to re-visit the site to spend some contemplative time there one day soon.

Gwas.

Guided by eagles – bullied by cows and dogs.

This is part two of my Isle of Lewis posts. I visited the island of Harris and Lewis recently with my wife ‘M’ and we had a lovely (if windswept) weekend exploring the many megalithic sites of west Lewis. Previously I posted about the main site Callanish I, and in this post I will explore Callanish II and III. “Callanish” is our anglicisation of the gaelic (and preferred) “Calanais”. As I am inter-changeably sympathetic to both parties I will use whichever one I happen to type!

We started our Sunday on the Isle of Lewis by heading straight for Callanish III circle at Garynahine (thereafter shortened to “Gary”). It was the closest site to where we were staying, and is easily accessible from the main road, perched on a slight hill that became a promontory overlooking Loch Ceann Hulabhig.

Loch Ceann Hulabhig

The weather was so different to the day before. On Saturday it has been bitter cold but bright and sunny. Today was cloudy and cold, with a wind that brought drizzle like a fine mist. We were not going to get stunning vistas in our photographs today. I concentrated on the dowsing instead.

Callanish III (Cnoc Fhillibhir Bhig) is a beautiful circle to visit. Nothing about its positioning or proximity to the local populous would bring you to expect that from the road. A short walk up a slight incline, however, reveals something quite magical. Two concentric rings of tall stones made from the impressively pink Lewissian Gneiss that is unique to this landscape.

The outer ring still has eight of its original thirteen stones in place, although there are embedded stones or discoloured grass marking the other places (mostly). As I arrived I saw its inner four stones standing proud amidst a set of nearly-submerged faerie rings (small circles of different-coloured grass). I walked around the outside to get a feel for the site, and to locate an entrance. The bitter cold wind and drizzle meant that I was working expediently – only asking essential questions.

Where was the entrance?  I found two embedded stones (both of which dowsed as containing female energy). The entrance was aligned NW/SE. The stone that I am pointing to on my left (your right) was identified as the Transformer Stone. Within a stone circle certain stones can be found to dowse positively for specific qualities. A transformer stone will be transform the radiant energies of either moonlight, sunlight or starlight – sometimes a combination of these. The energy then gets transmitted into the circle’s nemeton, or energy field. Soon I would discover just how this theory worked out, but that’s to come.

Were there any black streams? NO. Glad about that. It didn’t feel like there were. Any white streams? YES. So, there were some good energies at this site – a mixture of female and male energies combined forming ‘white streamA flow of positive energised and healing subtle energy. The white streams usually emanate from a source of good energy such as a holy well, a sacred site, a power centre or a place of worship of good intent. We have found that white stream energy consists primarily of male and female energy combined in a balanced and harmonious blend, such that the two streams “play” with each other, warping and wefting in a dance that invigorates and enlivens everything that comes into contact with it. If a human stands in such a stream then they will feel positive, happy and energised, warm even.’ energy. I had somehow returned to the entrance again, so I walked out of the circle and dowsed for the size of the circle’s nemeton – it’s area of influence, if you like, or the range of its energy field. It was about six feet out and dowsed for male, female and neutral energies. However, it was too cold to get into sorting that mixture out, so I pressed on.

I walked back into the circle to investigate the tall elegant inner four stones. One tall straight stone near the centre was the most powerful. Standing next to it I could feel an energy stream flowing out of its edged side. We see this a lot at sites – a stone that is almost triangular in shape, whose apex edge seems to focus energy along that edge of the stone. I dowsed for the qualities of the tall central stone and discovered that it could charge, discharge and control energies. Again, too cold to go into more detail. Next time I’ll come back in the height of summer!

Next – and with little hesitation – I turned my attention to the concept of finding any cross-over points or accumulations of energies. We call these ‘power centres’ because they always turn out to be the places we need to sit at in order to effectively work with the site’s energies.  There was a male 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. in a clump of faerie rings inside the circle where there is a gap between some of the outer stones. The female transformer stone in the outer circle dowsed as being a female 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 went around checking the qualities of each stone. Amongst all the stones there are three female stones amid predominantly male stones.

The last thing I wanted to know was how the site got its power – where were the sources of the male and female energies that combined so well to form a good white streamA flow of positive energised and healing subtle energy. The white streams usually emanate from a source of good energy such as a holy well, a sacred site, a power centre or a place of worship of good intent. We have found that white stream energy consists primarily of male and female energy combined in a balanced and harmonious blend, such that the two streams “play” with each other, warping and wefting in a dance that invigorates and enlivens everything that comes into contact with it. If a human stands in such a stream then they will feel positive, happy and energised, warm even. all around the site? I dowsed the male path and found that it circled the site twice (at least). Then it went into the transformer stone. Was this the origin? YES. I dowsed to see which radiant energy was producing the male energy. Surprise, surprise – it was sunlight.

I repeated the exercise for the female energy and was surprised that a female line squirmed out of the female transformer stone that formed part of the entrance, and headed off around the circle, then swerved out into the heathland on the south side. I tracked the line for five minutes as it marched me up hill and down dale. Finally it stopped at a two feet high stone, beautifully sculpted into a smooth mound, that was practically hidden in the heather about 50 feet away from the stone circle. This stone dowsed as drawing female earth energies out of the ground, and supplying them clockwise into the circle’s nemeton field.

All in all a well balanced and beautiful site on any day of the year. In the next Lewis post I will describe a very quick visit to Callenish II, and the Truiseil Stone – a quite spectacular standing stone hidden away in west Lewis.

Gwas.

Following windswept trails.