The Hedge Druid

Posts Tagged ‘frodsham’

What an unwieldy title! But it covers all of the weird things that happened to me this evening. I had engineered some time on the way home from work (a favourite time for me to work, early evening) and I arrived at some local caves just as the sun was about to set. The position of the caves didn’t allow me to watch the sunset properly, but that’s not why I was there. I was there for another reason – I was in search of the sound that would activate my root chakra.

No-one else was in the caves so I asked permission of the earth spirit, the genius lociGenius Loci means 'spirit of the place' and refers to the geological/gaian spirit of place. It is transfixed to a place – being an embodiment of the collective intelligence of the place. of the cave, to allow me entry undisturbed. It was granted, so I stood for a moment on a power centreA place where a person of a particular alignmentAlignment relates to the concept that humans have their own energy fields that are oriented or formed in a specific way such that the person is either suited better to one energy source of another. Some people have their energy fields empowered by the direct subtle energy force of The Sun, whilst others are empowered by the indirect subtle energy of The Moon. Due to the historical associations and symbolisation of The Sun with masculinity and The Moon with femininity we designate these alignments as either being ‘male’ or ‘female’ alignments accordingly. We interchangeable refer to people as being ‘sun-aligned’ or ‘male-aligned’ and similarly with the female alignment. (see ‘AlignmentAlignment relates to the concept that humans have their own energy fields that are oriented or formed in a specific way such that the person is either suited better to one energy source of another. Some people have their energy fields empowered by the direct subtle energy force of The Sun, whilst others are empowered by the indirect subtle energy of The Moon. Due to the historical associations and symbolisation of The Sun with masculinity and The Moon with femininity we designate these alignments as either being ‘male’ or ‘female’ alignments accordingly. We interchangeable refer to people as being ‘sun-aligned’ or ‘male-aligned’ and similarly with the female alignment.’) feels particularly comfortable and empowered. The place is an energetic centre where a particularly beneficial combination and formation of energies is formed into a pattern that is harmonic with the person for whom it can be called a power centre. that I had identified previously to offer love and gratitude in thanks for this ingression. I moved gingerly deep into the caves because I knew the ground was usually littered with cow dung. I picked my way past it all, carrying three incense sticks with me to clear a way, spiritually. A meagre small torch allowed me not to bump my head as I went deeper and darker in.

Suddenly a hare ran at me from out of the darkness and I jolted upright narrowly missing a rocky outcrop. I laughed a little. That made me perk up! I began to follow a dowsing rods, asking it to lead me to the perfect place for this sonic experiment. It led me to a place that I had already identified on a previous visit as the best place acoustically in the whole set of caves. Well, that proved nothing! Still, I made myself comfortable in amidst the broken glass bottles and crunched cans left by revelling raucous rebels of recent times past by sitting on a sharp-topped sandstone nodule that invited my seat. I faced the back of the chamber, some fifty feet into the cave system and only a foot away from the end wall I now faced.

Humming isn’t just for bees

I began trying to find a low sound that I could make comfortably and which felt as though it did something. I tried out several different types of sound, from whistles to singing but eventually, for the root chakra, I found a deep low hum that made my head and everything around me vibrate. This was it! Unfortunately, due to a condition I have developed in recent years the amount of phlegm in my throat prevented me from sustaining that note for very long. In fact, I noticed that this was a particular problem on this day – bad timing on my part, I guess.

I managed to get about 20 seconds of low continuous hum going. As I did so I began to feel my voice reverberating off the walls around me. Then the vibration went through me, from the rock upon which I was sitting, through my body and back into my head. A flow, a vibrational flow, was emerging from the base of my spine! It was like an experience I had had at the chamber of Fourknocks in Ireland where I had sat inside a similar enclosed space that had these acoustic properties of reflecting back my own sound. There too I had managed to achieve the same result and make my root chakra vibrate. It felt wonderful. Then my voice croaked and the whole experience disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. I could see that I had to get just the right note, and sustain it for a time, and then this would happen. I was happy with that.

I began experimenting with higher levels of sound to see if I could find any of the other vibrational points for other chakras. I was just thinking that I had found one when my “spider senses started tingling” and I got a rush of adrenalin that meant that I should be wary. All my usual senses went onto high alert – was someone in the cave? Was something happening outside? Was there “something” in the cave with me already? My rational brain was somersaulting but another part of me was calm and I packed away my things and left quickly. There was no-one in the cave, so it wasn’t that.

Goodbye Venus – Hello Jupiter and Uranus

Jupiter and Uranus playing pool

Outside the cave things were all “wrong”. In the darkening clear star-littered sky I could still make out the ground as the sun had only just set leaving enough light to see. Birds were twittering…nervously. A rabbit on the hilltop ran for its life, but not away from me, away from something else. There was a noise like a person walking down the hillside next to the cave, but as I watched for their arrival out of the bushes they never emerged. Strange. All very strange.

I ambled quietly along the side of the hill, leaving by a different path to the one I had come in on (which was quite muddy). As I arrived at the crest of a slope the Moon was framed perfectly for me to stare at, so I did. Beside it I saw a symbol created by some heavenly body that looked familiar -it was the Venus Symbol that I had seen a few years ago at Bryn Celli Ddu at about this time of year! I was stunned. However, now I had the means to identify what the objects were that made this symbol. Was it Venus? No – it was the near conjunction of two planets - Jupiter and Uranus. Well, that clears that up – but nevertheless the symbol did look exactly as I had drawn it those few years ago.

The Jupiter-Uranus Conjunctions

Here’s a hint at what the forces of Jupiter and Uranus could mean when together:

“The themes of freedom and independence are especially prominent during Jupiter-Uranus conjunctions.  These conjunctions portend discovery, invention, and innovation (Uranus) combined with expansion, experimentation, and exploration (Jupiter).  The force of change (Uranus) is very strong (Jupiter) when these planets congress, which can lead to protests and political change.” (source: Gary Brand Astrology)

“The conjunction in Aries is asking us to expand our awareness towards what we need to do for our selves as unique and independent individuals. Aries is the warrior; the individual who faces their fear and is willing to forge ahead into uncharted territories. When Jupiter is in Aries the expansion of fearlessness can take on a reckless quality. However reckless in whose mind? The resistance will be in part against conservative concepts that promote the previous paths that are slow, steady and safe. When Uranus is in Aries it demands rebellion against the established conservative and control based thinking. The two together forge a union that can break through fear and grid lock in life to push the limits of what others say is impossible or can not be done.” (source: Donna Page)

At the second that I had identified this planetary image my car alarm went off! The car was a few fields walk away still. This was the third time it has done this when I have visited the caves so I was not too disturbed by it, but still I hurried along. Even though no-one lived nearby I didn’t want to attract too much attention (ha! too late!). As I approached my parking place I found a policeman sitting in a squad car making notes alongside my car. I tapped his window and asked if everything was OK? Yes, just checking because there had been an undisclosed incident nearby and policemen are naturally suspicious about unattended vehicles. With my best magickal work I gave off an air of “Nothing to see here“. He scanned me and only asked if I had been “walking”. I told him I was at the caves, and he wished me a good evening. The hint was taken.

I left, thinking about the “nudge” I had got, and when I would next get to try my other chakra sounds in such a helpful environment.

Gwas.

At Lammas (or Lughnasadh) I was with a group of friends who had collectively decided that we will walk the Sandstone Trail thorough Cheshire in September. In order to get some meaningful practise in we were doing the 17 mile stretch from Beeston Castle to Frodsham, where a pint of alcoholic ginger beer over ice awaited us. What more incentive could be required?

I was particularly aware that this weekend was one of the special dates in the Druid calendar, and so was looking forward to being out in nature, walking the countryside, and was looking to take any possible chance to have a long old commune with anything that I was passing.

When I had walked this section previously I had seen a group of llamas (or alpacas, couldn’t tell you which was which) that usually grazed behind the tea rooms atop the village of Utkinton, but sadly the field was empty. Nevertheless, I took the chance to pass my regards to various species along the way: all types of trees, some rabbits, several colourful butterflies (cabbage-whites are particularly plentiful right now), and many more.

I was really in a fantastic mood, reciprocated by the whole of nature as I passed over her body as it languished in the day’s sunshine after having been washed by rain for every day in the past fortnight. How coincidental?! For me, this WAS celebrating Lammas. Making crude corn dolls, picking up stones in my path and energising them, and speaking to all the animals and large trees as I walked past. Luckily I was mostly up front or at the back so my madness was not particularly remarked upon!

Towards the end of the walk several of the less fit members of the group were really feeling the heat and the distance. Blisters were forming, old injuries were flaring up, and people were generally getting very tired. I, on the other hand, had been drawing energy from the landscape as and when I needed it, but now here was a chance to help the others too.

To do that, I located energising spirals that helped my friends to recover their energies. Yes, they looked at me strangely. Yes, they probably think I’m crazy. Yes, I could have kept my mouth shut. But instead I got my rods out and dowsed for the location of any energy spirals or power centres that could provide beneficial healing energies for them. I looked for and found two quite soon after asking.

The first spiral was one that I recognised that I had discovered many months ago when M and I were walking through Delamere Forest together. It was a small spiral at the base of a tree, where lush moss grew. Then it had healed her of her painful ankle, and on this occasion it served the same purpose, healing several people of aches and pains. Mostly unbelievers, it should be pointed out! All who tired it said they felt much better very quickly. I argued it away by saying that it must only be psychosomatic, psychological or they were just trying to appease me by being kind. But actually, one lad who was ready for giving up at that stage suddenly was bouncing around like a spring lamb! He was utterly bamboozled by the experience.

The second spiral was found, again, under the boughs of a tree at a spot where the grass was tough and different from the surrounding area. This time I had asked to find a spot where the people who stood on it could be re-energised. Two people tried it and came away refreshed after only two minutes of exposure to it. They then finished the walk, although I suspect they’re not so relaxed today!

So, next time you’re out with your dowsing rods and wish to find and benefit from the healing properties of any nearby trees, then you should ask the rods to locate a place suitable for whatever your healing needs are. In a suitable environment such as a country walk I can say that they are easy to locate, and seem to be in plentiful supply!

Gwas.

Finding the healing power of trees.

Sundown, Thursday 10th July.

If you’ve been following these posts you’ll know that I have been tracing a straight 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. (one which aligns without deviation through several points of ‘ancient’ or ‘sacred’ significance) that I believe runs from at least Overton Hill in Frodsham to the field which sited the 2007 Welsh Eisteddfod just south-east of Mold in Clwydd.

Actually I suspect it runs much further, and may end at Honley in Yorkshire at its northern-most point, and a mountain overlooking Llyn Bodlyn, which is just inland from Cardigan Bay in west Wales. Hawarden (see earlier post) is also on this line. But more on those and other sites when I get the chance to dowse them.

This particular evening I decided to stay closer to home and look at the intersection points with easily accessible roads from the ley which I think runs stright through Helsby village, across the face of Helsby Hill, and then on to the monument on Overton Hill atop Frodsham in Cheshire.

I printed off a map with some rough estimates of crossing points and headed to dowse them to check whether they were where I thought, and to see whether I could actually sense the presence of the earth energy at those places I had plotted, or close by if my estimates were off.

Of course, I held open the possibility that I may get nothing at all too. Fair’s fair! The dowsing and I have to work together on this one – no tricks! It was a gentlemen’s agreement we had. I would ask sensible questions, where possible – the responses would be accurate and true, where possible. It had worked so far with very few exceptions, all of which could be put down to over-stretching the mark on my part, either with the line of questioning, the intention of those questions, or my stubborness to listen to the answer. All this must be worked out like learning to ride a bicycle again. It is humbling, but exciting. If you follow simple rules of humility, good intent and a willingness to engage – unusual stories are created for you. In many ways you truly become a ‘follower’ – following the paths, the energies, the beautiful landscapes, the occasional sign, leting the rods lead you on to places you wouldn’t normally go….you are a follower. Often it takes a while to catch on. I put that down to the social conditioning, and many people can teach you how to break those barriers down. Choose your teachers carefully and begin your own search for yourself!

Enough pontificating! Push onwards!

“Now is the Winter of our disconten…” – only kidding. Enough speeches.

I started in the village of Hapsford – embarrassingly close to the A56 – I still haven’t learned to relax about dowsing in front of people yet. Another lesson I’m learning as quickly as I can. I dowsed down the road into the village and asked for a powerful straight 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.. Just at the end of the row of houses the rods started to turn inwards. It was a slow process which spanned 12 or so feet in width, the crossing getting strongest at the middle and then ebbing away to an uncrossed position next to a Public Footpath sign. Next!

A quick hop to park at the bottom of Lower Robin Hood Lane (Robin Hood? You mean The Green Man?). At the corner of the park it crossed again. Then at a junction at the foot of the hill. Then again on Old Chester Road, just past the intersection. Regular. Strong. Repeatable. Straight. Dead straight.

I was drawn into the trees on the far side of Old Chester Road and found a path weaving in a long pulse left and right along the bottom of Helsby Hill. I asked to be shown the nearest 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. – a place where either lines cross, or energies begin to create a swirly, a vortex if you will, of concentric energy lines. Often we have seen these formations in the centre of stone circles, ancient or modern, and often being ‘fed’ or ‘transmitted’ by a large tree.

I soon came across a widening in the path – a bulge in roughly circular formation, and as I approached the centre of it, as the rods directed me to, they started twirling around in my hands – the indicator movement for finding what you asked for. In this case – a conjunction point. I looked around. To my right a path down the hill joined just on the edge of 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. (which was slightly on an incline, just where it’s lush grass and ferns wouldn’t be disturbed by walkers on the path.

I pushed on. What else was there to find, I wondered to myself? I asked the rods to trace the path onwards, and I absent-mindedly followed the rods again (or one rod in this instance – a favourite method of mine). In the centre of the crossing of the lines was a stunted, spiral-branched half-alive birch tree. I rested my hand on it, and thought to myself – after what happened at Birchen Edge, I wonder if it would happen again? Was I about to get a rude awakening? Or an earthly delight?

I lowered my eyelids until I could only see flickers of light through the branches in the lowering sunlight of early evening. I relaxed and thought, “What are you got to tell me about today?”. Another thought followed as if in answer, “Follow the bird and see!”.

Not this “follow the bird” thing again! That’s what had happened at Birchen Edge. There it had led me to see a ring of trees on a distant hillside, which I interpreted as a Druid’s Grove. What now? The answer came immediately as I looked up – a bird flew from the road, through the tree, across the path not six feet in front of me!

I lowered the rods for a moment, and walked apace further along the path. Around the next corner I felt attuned to the direction of the energy I had been dowsing, enough to trust it was flowing beneath (and around) me. I looked up and saw the bird sitting on a horizontal birch tree branch, as if waiiting for me. By now, I was ready to notice a signal, and as I approached the tree the bird took flight again off up the hill.

I rested my hand on the trunk of the birch tree. Again, the light from the westward setting sun through the trees dappled the light so that it sparkled in my eyes. I relaxed.
“What is the nature of male and female energies?”, I asked.

An image formed in my mind of a ray of sunshine beaming in a straight line, and this was accompanied by the words, “Male energies are like the rays of the sun – they wish to be straight, force through, push on.” The image changed to in fade out the sun, and the round pale image of a moon over water began to come to the foreground.
“Female energies are like the tides of the moon – they swirl and weave, ebb and flow around.”
I saw a picture of the serpentine energies flowing around obstacles, oscillating along paths, and concluding their journey as swirls.
I tried to burn that image into my memory to think about later, and then asked another question. “How can I distinguish between the two energies?”
The answer came back as a thought, “You are in a good place here to find out.” came the response. I shook myself out of my reverie with the intention of trying it out straight away!

From the vision I saw that the two energies must be linked to the influences of the planetary bodies to which they were linked – male energies may be influenced by the position and strength of the Sun in terms of their oscillation rates, their strength and possibly their direction of flow? Female energies may be linked in a similar way to the Moon’s qualities?

I took my rods back to the energy centre back along the path. I asked to find ‘sun/male’ energy, and within a foot I had crossed rods, so I followed their direction. They oscillated gently between the outer edges of the path.

I went back to the centre again. I asked to find ‘moon/female’ energies this time, and within two steps I had a cross. This time the energy zig-zagged with higher, shorter waves around the line of the path, but then curved sharply left to swirl into the centre of a clump of ferns and some lush-looking grass. Wow! Different types of lines – different behaviour.

As a third experiment I asked to trace the route of the straight ley that ‘guided’ those sun and moon energies, and this time to rods went in a straight line from the energy centre, along the path, and into a large pine tree that stood at a kink in the trail. The path re-joined behind the tree.

Three types of energies. Each with its own characteristics. I felt I had been answered. I thanked the forces which had guided me, and I headed back to the car, pondering the nature of energy lines.

Seems you can have fun on your very own doorstep!
Gwas Myrddyn.

Follow your true path.