The Hedge Druid

Posts Tagged ‘labyrinth’

 June 19th, 2010 – Glastonbury, Somerset.

As we did last year, Kal and I travelled down to Glastonbury to enjoy the strong sun energies that seem particularly strong around that town at this time of year. Events had conspired to come to a point for me in particular. I have been finding out what each of the stages of the seasonal year mean for me (see this post for some background on that). The result of this progress meant that I had two tasks that I wanted to achieve: firstly, to conclude the ‘current’ eighth-part of the year, and secondly to determine what the next part would be about.

The first task was to conclude the current quest. The trail of information I had been following through meditations and dowsing at various sacred sites was as follows:-

• Beltane to Solstice was a period to learn about the chakras
• The chakras consisted of seven points within the human body, fed through five pathways from the aura through to the body
• There was a way of integrating the seven chakras with the five channels to form a fully-functioning twelve-fold energy form

By working through the chakras, energising them, cleansing them, balancing them, and getting to know how they worked, it should be possible for me to integrate that knowledge into a unity, a “twelve” that was both a sum and a symbolic reference to the totality of influences over the human ethericSomething tangible to the heightened senses, but invisible and beyond the normal range of everyday human senses. We use the term to describe the subtle energies that surround the human body. We also use the term “etheric” to describe the energy forms of Nature’s sentient spirit energies that can be detected through dowsing, or through deep meditation or states of heightened awareness. energy body. Of course, twelve also has astrological significance, but I will come back to all this in a later post when I want to tie that into some other information related to sacred number. For now, let’s just say that the first task was to discover how to integrate the seven and five into a twelve, whatever that meant physically or spiritually.

Walking the Tor Labyrinth

We would make three trips up The Tor during our stay in Glastonbury. On the first of the journeys I felt the urge to go up barefoot. This has been something that has been happening to me more and more lately. It’s a very hippy thing to do, I realise that! I really felt, however, that I should go up barefoot. Kal of course mocked me relentlessly and pointed out that the “connection with the land” thing would be totally ruined by the concrete steps set into the sides of the hill providing an easy walkway for tourists. What he hadn’t reckoned with was the way that the “urge” would circumvent this. As I began to walk up from the ‘back’ edge – the steepest side coming from Stone Down lane – I got to a decision point. I was letting one dowsing rod guide me with one instruction: “Show me a path with a heart“. This is a reference to a phrase used in the Carlos Castenada novels that both Kal and I have read avidly as a guide to shamanism. There may be some dispute over their anthropological accuracy, but there can be little debate over their usefulness or the impact they have had upon our work now. This directive to find a path with a heart was at the core of this shamanistic philosophy, and right now I couldn’t conceive of anything being more appropriate to my intentions.

The main path went up steeply, but as I tuned into the energy path I should walk I was feeling an urge to go along the right-hand side, along one of the Tor’s labyrinth paths that headed slightly down the hill along its flank. As Kal climbed upwards straight for the top the rod indicated that I should take an alternate route. I veered off along the side path, now beginning to sense an element of danger as I realised the path was laden with thistles and nettles. I put a plea out to be guided safely through the foliage and trusted to hope that I wouldn’t dearly regret my decision to walk ‘connected’.

In the picture above you can see the outline of the path I took. You can just make out two more ridge paths above, too. The interesting thing was that the “way” I had to walk was downwards, not upwards as one might expect. Having spent time walking labyrinths and mazes recently, especially energetic ones, I was familiar with the idea that to make progress one often has to go the long way around and away from the path the your rational mind insists is the most efficient. So, I carried on until my path curved suddenly upwards to meet the main path along the spine of The Tor – the main path from the Chalice Well end.

I hope for some relief by being able to climb the main path, but very soon I was taken around the quiet side of the Tor along its other flank. This time I was rising swiftly, following what seemed to be an animal trail. To my eyes the way was clear. To Kal, who was sitting high above me just down from the top I must have looked ridiculous and random. I climbed steeply at the end to quickly reach the top. Where would the path end, I wondered, now that I was on the top? I crossed the top pat of the path I had started on, curving slowly in a Fibonnaci-style curve until I ended at the eastern wall of the church building. It was exactly the same spot where I had ended my climb last year! For a moment I was stunned. Then I also realised that I had walked up the entire hill and not been stung or prickled once by the thistles or nettles. But how….?

Mouth agape I leaned back against the supporting wall – well, either I had done something right, or something was looking out for me!

Working with the heart chakra – The Sun and Sunset

Looking back now I realise that this walk was the first part of my work with my heart chakra. Standing on that spot at the top looking out across the Somerset Levels, feeling the powerful 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. running through me – these were the preparatory steps for what was to come. This was the stage of cleansing, and a test of “heart” – was I prepared to endure the hardship of the walk up the Tor in bare feet? Could I overcome the fear of being stabbed and stung? I did. I was ready. We walked down again (this time with shoes on) in search of some food. We would return later as the sun was setting for no reason we could discern.

Hours later, now with a fantastic meal in our bellies from the wonderful Hundred Monkeys cafe on the High Street. Intending to walk around the Tor and back to our accommodation for the night, instead we happened to follow a footpath that took us over fields and towards the Tor. Unintentionally we arrived at its slopes again and decided that, seeing as the sun was about to set and the moon was out too, wouldn’t it be delightful to watch it set on the horizon? Yeah, us and fifty other people!!

We climbed the Tor again, this time with shod feet and by the fastest route. Something magical was about to happen and we wanted to be part of it. Quickly – let’s get up there! We suddenly realised, without saying anything, that we were in the right place at the right time again. At the top we settled for the sunset. Gaggles of Spanish students gabbled relentlessly throughout, which somewhat took the sheen off the moment. However, someone had thoughtfully brought a drum and was beating out a hypnotic rhythm for us to meditate to. As the sun slipped away with its warmth Kal was on one side meditating with the Sun, whilst I was on the other, holding both the Sun and Moon in view and thinking about the integration of my heart chakra energies. All very esoteric and hippy-ish, for sure!

The crack between worlds

For me, the moment was about integration. Holding the two celestial objects in view required focus, but an un-focused focus, if you know what I mean. If I concentrated on either I would lose sight of both. If I didn’t hold them in view with an intention of mind then I would not be actually doing anything. It was a balance. The act itself was the meditation. I found the balance point between meditation and concentration, between sun and moon, light and dark, and at that moment something happened within me – the drum became my heartbeat, and my heart integrated sound, sight and site. All became one.

We descended to tell our respective tales to each other. This didn’t feel like then end of this work, but in one day two powerful episodes involving The Tor had shown me that I was in the right place, that it was the right time to be here, and that I was in the right frame of mind for this integration work with the heart chakra. Still, there was one more thing to do, I knew. Would it involve this incredible powerful place again tomorrow? Indeed it would.

Gwas.

Now I know why the Cuillin Mountains are so-named, for ‘cooling’ they were. M and I woke on Saturday morning on the Isle of Skye to the sight of snow all around. A thin layer that rapidly receded in the March morning sunlight until only the sharp incisor teeth of the Cuillins themselves remained white. A perfect postcard picture that I failed to photograph, but which will remain etched on my mind forever.

The hour or so’s ferry journey from Skye to Harris (Uig to Tarbert) gave us chance to meet my colleague and his delightful wife. The pair were alternately animated and informative, which instantly made us feel at ease and entertained in equal measure. We left them watching eagles soar over the North Harris mountains whilst we headed towards Callenish, or Callenais as it is named in Gaelic. I will use ‘Callenish’ to describe the site, and ‘Calanais’ or ‘Callenais’ to evoke its spirit.

The day was delightfully clear and sunny, but freezing cold still. The more I dowsed the nicer it got, however. Dowsing with gloves on in a freezing strong wind tests your motivation, but rewards you with confidence when the rods smoothly swing to perfect geometric patterns against the blustery wind!

I was intruiged by a border of differently-coloured grass that surrounded the site. I dowsed it and found a 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 stones where peat had been cut in a path around the stones. A 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., you may recall, is one that we have found to be a mixture of female and male energy combined. Was this energy forming to the shape of the border, or had someone cut the correct shape because they knew where the 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. should flow?

I walked the whole perimeter using my left rod to track male energy, and my right rod to trace the line of the female energy. The two streams danced in and out of each other, sometimes in perfect synchrony, sometimes they drifted wider apart or their amplitude ranged in or out until my arms became a chinese puzzle. It felt good to track their dance and I walzted along with them until they decided to part much wider than I could stretch. They did that just as two standing stones that acted as a gateway loomed in front of me. The boggy peat turf path went through the middle of them, but the two streams veered off – the male anti-clockwise around the eastern stone, and the female line spiralled clockwise around the other.

Rejoining the path I continued dowsing to pick up 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. that I felt probably re-joined from the stones (but didn’t actually dowse). Sure enough within a second of walking past the stone sentries I had got a fix on the two energies again. As I followed the path around the site the female line diverted off again towards the inside. The line went around a dis-coloured patch of grass in a square shape. Even more odd!

I started asking more questions:

• Was the female line attracted to something? YES
• Was there something buried beneath this patch of grass? YES
• Was it something human? YES
• Was there any trace of death energy at this spot? YES
• Was this a human burial site (ok, obviously it was, but I wanted confirmation). YES.
• Was the burial recent? NO
• OK. How old? Less than 1000 years? NO. More than 2000? YES. More than 3000? YES. More than 4000? NO. I eventually got it narrowed to between 3750-4000 years old.
• Was this a male burial? YES.
• Was it a person of renown? YES.
• Was it a King? YES.

At this point I didn’t know where else to take it without straying into even more dodgy territory. Speculative or divinitory dowsing can be fun, but both Kal and I have decided to try to keep its use to an absolute minimum as we search for corroborative answers. We only use it when necessary. This wasn’t necessary, so I stopped.

The ‘proper’ entrance seemed to be from the gate in the north end, along the longest avenue. It was a strange avenue though, almost in two parts, and some sixty or so paces long. It wasn’t, however, the path with the greatest energy. That award went to the male 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. that flowed from the Visitor’s Centre side entrance, and which then wove gently and directly along the site’s half-remaining avenue of stones to the south. This trail ended at another King’s grave that was positioned at the southern circle’s edge.

Marking the second King's Grave

The idea that these people of renown were still radiating set me thinking. Were they still spoken of? Were these kings buried here still exerting an influence over this site in some way? Were people keeping their memory alight in the collective consciousness of our time, some 4000 years since their demise? How else could they be still radiating death energies? I was confused about the nature of these death energies now. One had a strong male line going either into our out of it – the other was causing a female line to join with a neutral pool of energy elsewhere on the site. Was there a combination or consistency to these energies that I was missing or mis-reading? Or do the energies reflect the abiding personalities and gender traits of the person, rather than their biological sex?

I decided to see if there was a female line anywhere near to this strong male line leading to the king’s grave closest to the outer stone ring. I found a female line flowing in and around the male line, veering off to each side to form spirals that re-emerge to cross over the avenue and back again until they flow in a heart shape through the main 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..

Everything kept leading me back, drawing me towards this flat stone 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 overlooked the unusual stone boxes int he centre of the site. This centre is a white 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. – there are no black centres or lines anywhere on the site, that I could find. It was all positive. I felt that the outer 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. had been created as a protection mechanism by someone who knew what they were doing! Just a feeling.

I wanted to do some energy work now. I was ready. The windswept haunting beauty of the site was making me feel alive and attuned, and there was no-one else around. I saluted the four elements – a range of mountains forming a headland, the sun on my back,  the fine drizzle, and the wind blowing the clouds northward. Crystals were placed on the main 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., and I stood over them, looking west.

I asked that the spirit of Callenais form a bridge between this stone circle and the apple tree in my garden. I also directed it to travel to Kal’s front room to make a similar bridge to these energies. Then I cleared the spot. I now concentrated on mingling with the spirit of these stones. I then sent this spirit to my house to see what form it would take.

On the way out we visited the Visitor Centre to view the local artist’s paintings, see the statue of a Celtic shaman, and buy an official guide book. I wanted to check some dates that I had dowsed with those of the archaeologists. I flipped the pages – date of the building of the site? 5000 years ago. Check! Radiocarbon dating of the burial material found, guess where, right where I had located the heart shaped energy formation and the second King’s burial site – dated 1750 BC. 3750 years ago. Check! Maybe there’s something to this archeological dowsing, eh? I felt quietly pleased about the accuracy of the dowsing, and even more sure about the grave locations and the dowsing of the death energies.

We shoot forward now to Monday evening, and our return home after a very long days’ travel down stunning highland roads and endless motorways. When I got back I dowsed for any energy around the tree. I got the Venus symbol. The horns were on one side, the tail on the other. The eye was the trunk itself.  I also dowsed inside the house in my usual energy-sending place. I found something completely unexpected!

At first I couldn’t trace it because it seemed very intricate and went back on itself. I wasn’t going slowly enough! I found the centre of the formation. Then I asked to be lead out of the formation along an energy path. It lead me around in what I thought was a sort of fat horn shape – sort of like my Venus symbol, yeah? No. I asked if this was correct. The rods said that what I had found was accurate. I continued. Same again – a fat rounded horn shape that wasn’t the Venus horns. I started afresh. Simply follow the line. I walked around in a path that formed what can only be described as a Celtic labyrinth pattern.

I asked some questions:-

1. Was it from Calanais? YES.
2. Had I helped to create it? YES.
3. Was it composed of any detrimental energy? NO
4. Did it have any spectral colours? NO.
5. What was the gender of any energies that comprised it? FEMALE and MALE. 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. emergy.
6. Was the pattern going to be around long? Hmmmm. Was it maintained by my thoughts of Calanais? YES.
7. Can it be used to strengthen the energies of the house? YES.
8. Is it a pattern that should be walked? YES.
9. Is it a labyrinth, as a dowser would understand that term? YES.
10. Is it possible to learn something from this formation? YES.
11. Is it here to stroke cats? NO. Just checking!

Now I have a riddle piled on top of an enigma. Time to get thinking.

My next installment will be a post about the visits to Callenish II and III – two more great stone circles in the vicinity of Callenish I. Also up soon is the Truiseil Stone megalith, and other curiosities of the Isle of Lewis.

Gwas.

Following in the footsteps of Time Team.

It was a dark, starry night when Gwas and I set off towards the far distant destination of Cirencester and the British Soc. of Dowsing annual conference. It was a 3 hour trip and we aimed to get there for about 8:30a.m. A monumental feat since my clock doesn’t have a such early times on it.

Nevertheless – my motto is very simple – Its the company that counts – and since that was fantastically provided by my dear friend. The journey promised to be filled with lively debate.

So…with hearts filled with adventure and minds yearning for new knowledge and meetings we set off – heading almost into the sunrise

Some of the questions that came into our minds on the journey were: Would we know enough to fit into the conference? Would the conference speakers fulfill our expectations…It was an interesting speculation to be sure. I have to confess a couple of the titles in the presentation list did not inspire me with confidence.

Anyway – the journey was wonderful, with mist and fog rising at certain points and they days promise of sun was all we needed to keep our spirits enlivened.

We arrived at the wonderful Agricultural College (where the conference was set) in good time – Gwas will no doubt furnish the blog with pics – and we walked about the crisp autumn coloured grounds with coffee in hand wondering what the day would unfold.

Dr Serena Roney-Dougal

To begin with we attended a lecture by Dr Serena Roney-Dougal entitled ‘Where science and magic meet’ – and I was completely engrossed – I felt a real connection with Dr Serena – The way she brought ideas together and connected disparate pieces of information and wisdom was very much akin to the way that my mind works – There were several salient points that she brought to bare on the topic some of which I will note here:

• A calcite crystal forms in the brain at puberty
• The pineal gland (thought to be influential on Psi activity) decreases as one ages – beginning at puberty
• The earths GMF affects the Pineal Gland
• Decrease in GMF helps Telepathy and Remote dowsing type activities
• Increase in GMF promotes healing abilities and interestingly poltergeist activity

There was plenty more – but my mind is still assimilating the ideas and so patience is needed.

Nothing more could show my enthusiasm for Dr Serena’s work in that I immediately went in search of both her – alas slightly old books.

There was a one hour interlude where I – synchronistically? – met a lady who had a fascinating tale to tell – which I have pinched for my other blog originalpurity.wordpress.com.

The rainbow maze that wasn’t

In one of the quads they had laid out a maze using coloured ribbons – the purpose of this escaped both Gwas and I. However, we dowsed it and found that the coloured ribbons which were laid out in circles should have been spiraled and that the center was off by about 3 feet.

And since we have recently come into dowsing colours – we dowsed the coloured concentric circles and found that the ribbons were about 2 foot less in radius. or about a colour out if you like. In our estimation, red was where they had put orange, orange was where they had marked yellow, and so on.

In the centre they had marked a manifestation pattern – two in fact. The inner pattern was familiar to me – a trefoil, three leaves of a flower. The outer pattern was a shamrock shape with three leaves again. We could only confirm the inner petals; the outer petal shape eluded us. Dead centre they had placed a flower pot containing several roses not in water. Inside those they had placed a pot with water, and in the water they had placed some shard of coloured glass. Most intriguing!

Hamish Miller

Gwas has on many occasions mentioned Hamish and his theories and experiences. I was prepared to meet a dowsing ‘giant’ and from the few glimpses of him during the day he did seem to be the part. The father of Dowsing – hmmm. And so I was so looking forward to Hamish’s presentation.

Hamish is a world renowned writer and dowser having dowsed many ancient sites across the globe. An interesting phenomenon he mentioned is that a manifestation pattern he found at one juncture of a major – world crossing 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. – will grow and change as one travels along other junctures along the line.

He also told a story of a manifestation created by a Maori girl in a sacred spot. She manifested an energy pattern through song and rock.

For the latter part of his talk, Hamish concentrated on the responsibility of Dowsers to aid in the “setting to rights of the world” – I am all in favour of setting the world right – but I have no more responsibility of it than anyone else has.

And in essence those were the salient points of his talk, I was left deeply disappointed and now that I think on some of his experiences I find myself wondering…see upcoming post…on his theory and recollection.

Some aura work and Ego’s

Gwas and I were prone to laze in the afternoon sun as most of the other participantsof the conference were. However since this was a ‘dowsing conference’ we decided to stray from the norm and er…well…do some dowsing.

Whilst I was sat on the grass, Gwas dowsed my aura (ok – “Nemeton”!) and found it to be some 3/4 foot slightly oval shaped around me (with a bit of a bulge in the back (hmmm – was that were the tree was?)

I said to him – “Dowse it again and I will make it bigger” As Gwas walked away, I visualised my aura expanding (by filling it with crown chakra channelled energy) to about two and half times the size he previously measured it – and sure enough his rods flew apart at that distance! Fantastic!

Another conference participant was sat some feet away and Gwas asked to measure her aura. She agreed and it came to about 5 feet away from her body. She said she would expand it. Gwas asked “How far back shall I walk” The lady replied all the way to the end of the Quad – this was some 60 metres away…

As she was directing Gwas further and further across field – I felt a tinge of trickery enter my oft devilish mind – and so while Gwas was dowsing her aura – I placed a shell that pushed her aura in and in – and so it was that Gwas eventually arrived at a foot before her body before the rods announced the boundary. She was highly disappointed and I had a grin on my face – and Gwas looked at me with a suspicious druid eye

Then it was turnabout and I dowsed Gwas’s aura. He told me to wait a moment as he settled under a tree. I started to dowse and found his aura expanding some 30 feet before him? It was my turn to raise a suspicious eye now – why did he sit under the tree? Mr Druid

Michael Bott

Michael has done a lovely DVD (“Standing with Stones”) of his and his mates’ visits to over 100 sites – really nice and artistic. Dowsing content = nil point! Still – nice to see! O and I did say we should go to something else – but too late we had already sat down – still – nice DVD [Gwas notes: Actually, the alternative lectures were already full - that's why we ended up at this one.]

And so…

Well the conclusion of our trip left me with the following:

• We are definitely in frontier territory already – see my intent blog item from only last week! It was worth the money just to know that
• Serena has some really interesting stuff on Parapsychology – I might even get in touch with her and see if I can get involved – ok – I was impressed!
• I’m a people person and I got a lot to assimilate from my chat with…see my own blog – link above
• Hamish is a nice guy on a mission
• We (Gwas and I) really need to sort out a methodological way of reporting and making notes – because although we know loads – our conversations are spattered with “o i forgot that we knew that or did that”
• We have to visit some of the sites Michael’s DVD showed – Callanish in the Hebrides of Scotland – is definitely a contender

O yes I forgot

There was a guy (Dr Darvill) who did a one hour talk to tell us that Stonehenge was used for healing (D’oh!) – O and he was also the guy who was on the Timewatch program this weekend (see blog date) just gone.

Kal

PS – notes:

• use ribbons to map out spirals and energy paths
• video our dowsing activities
• be more concise with note taking
• never throw away a theory or suggestion no matter how wild – indeed the wilder the better