The Hedge Druid

Posts Tagged ‘llandudno’

In this third and final post on the Beltane trip I will reveal how I discovered the true meaning of the phrase “See with the hawk’s vision” – a phrase that had been given to me during my meditation beneath The Llangernyw Yew tree.

After Llangernyw we drove the twenty or so miles towards the north coast of Wales and soon were speeding along the main arterial road that feeds the northern holiday towns with their tourist lifeblood durkng the summer months. We passed Llandudno, then the junction for Conwy, through the short tunnels and out into the shadow of the hills above Penmaenmawr. This seemingly innocuous and insistinctive village is actually a gateway to one of the tightest agglomerations of cairns, circles and cromlechs anywhere in Wales.

Our destination on this May Day was The Druid’s Circle – a stone circle known to have 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. or association with the energies of the Beltane time of year. We drove up the ridiculously steep hill, threading our way from the centre of the village in alternate left and right turns that were now well practised and instinctive despite the infrequent and late signage. If you plan to visit the stone circle for yourself then we recommend a good map, and a willingness to explore the housing estates above the village!

A beautiful view from Penmaenmawr Druid's Circle

On the top of the hills above Penmaenmawr the view was clear and beautiful. We had endured the harsh winds all the way up and now stood bullied by the winds as we drank in the views across to The Great Orme at Llandudno. F0r the first time we took an interest in some rocks that seemed to form an 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. with the small cairn circle that we previously named “The Little Druid”. There may not be any significance in this alignmentAlignment relates to the concept that humans have their own energy fields that are oriented or formed in a specific way such that the person is either suited better to one energy source of another. Some people have their energy fields empowered by the direct subtle energy force of The Sun, whilst others are empowered by the indirect subtle energy of The Moon. Due to the historical associations and symbolisation of The Sun with masculinity and The Moon with femininity we designate these alignments as either being ‘male’ or ‘female’ alignments accordingly. We interchangeable refer to people as being ‘sun-aligned’ or ‘male-aligned’ and similarly with the female alignment. of stones across the hillside, but nevertheless we noted it for future visits.

Busy Beltane at the Circle

Kal was soon to disappear as we reached the main circle. He had taken an interest in the outlying people and stones, probably because the main circle was populated with several groups of people all engaged in their own Beltane work. I had work to do too. I wanted to connect with 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 place, as I had done previously, and to see whether I could get information about the Hawk of May quest.

I went into the centre of the circle (which I usually avoid, but on this day it seemed charged with potential, whereas it is usually quite confusing and difficult to work with). I stood there and cleansed myself of my worldy energies. Soon I was off towards one of the stones in the southern edge. Kal had been sat at one of those stones too, but now he wandered off in search of something interesting to do. I was trying not to use my rods, but instead to feel for where I should be. I felt one stone in particular was the right one to be at, so I sat there being blasted in one ear by the strong wind.

The stunning setting of the Druid's Circle

This southern stone, not one of the ‘feature’ stones of the circle by any means, I felt had a connection with 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.. I went into a trance and my mind wandered up and down, to the sky and into the earth, then back to the circle. When I connected it to 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.’s spirit then things began to occur. It was difficult at first to hear anything because I was trying to listen over the top of the howling wind. As soon as I made the wind the backing music to the trance then the low distant voice of the spirit of this circle emerged to speak. I made my now customary offering of emotion and information, offering love, gratitude and a download of my recent druidic events in return for the information I might receive. Once I had donated this gift then the gift was reciprocated, and soon I learned some things about my quest.

I was taken into the air, flying like a hawk above the scenery. I knew I was in a hawk’s form because I could switch my perception between two modes – an aerial view where I could see for miles around in all directions, or I could focus on one spot and zoom right into that place in minute detail. I practised this way of seeing for a few minutes until I grew comfortable with how it worked. I wasn’t exactly sure whether I was seeing a real place, or a concept of a place because it was hard to recognise the landscape with these two new ways of seeing. Either way, I went with it, and began to ask my question to the spirit of place.

1. Is this way of seeing the end point of my quest? – NO, this is a gift for you to learn from.
2. Should I been seeking a real or a metaphorical hawk? – BOTH. You should find the hawk that is really in the landscape.
3. In the landscape? Is this a terrestrial landscape figure I should find? – YES.
4. Where can I find the hawk? – CLOSE TO HOME.
5. How will I be able to begin to identify the hawk? It seems like an impossible task! – FIND A HOLY WELL. This will be your starting point.

The connection faded. Either I was weakening energetically, or the information was dwindling. The connection faded and I returned to normal waking consciousness and found myself back in the circle with all the other people and the howling wind. I had almost forgotten about them for however long I had been away! Now the wind made itself known again and I wrapped myself up against its cool penetrating fingers as they pulled my hair around into stupid shapes.

This new dimension to the quest made it more exciting. It was just like something out of “The Secret Land” that I had finished reading some weeks before, where terrestrial landscape figures were found by scouring old maps. Now I had my own local quest to find a hawk in the lands close to my home. I couldn’t wait to start searching, but first I had to search for Kal, and to thank the spirit of this marvellous circle for again providing me with the state of mind where I could explore this quest in more detail. Despite, or perhaps because of the sense-blocking weather conditions, yet again I had come away from the Druid’s Circle one step closer to achieving my goal.

Gwas – Hunting the Hawk of May

There are two places we go to when we need some information – two sites that have never let us down when it comes to getting answers to tricky questions – The Druid’s Circle stone circle up atop Penmaenmawr near Conwy, and the Llangeryw Yew tree that is about half an hour away from there nestled in the north-west tip of Wales. Kal was going for answers to some life and death questions – i.e. questions about his life, and related to the death energies that he was interested in, but certainly wasn’t going to study, oh no. I was going for a host of things: mainly to get some answers about neutral energy and then some miscellaneous bits that had been unresolved for a while.

Maen Crwn

The long trek up the hills behind Penmaenmawr takes you past Red Farm (whose stone circle  we have yet to visit) and a standing stone known as “Maen Crwn” or “Round Stone”. Blimey – you can’t leave some people to do the naming, can you? They’re a right ‘un-poetic’ bunch! Anyhow, Round Stone is the noticeable hunk of rock that protrudes through the middle of a field of sheep as you pass by the lone house on the way to the top. Previously we have had negative energies coming off that stone and have avoided doing much with it. The last time I was up that way I felt the urge to “sort it out” and managed to do so merely with some good vibes and a cleverly-placed stone that helped to re-shape the energies.

We checked its’ current status as we passed, and for me it felt fine. For Kal, it was OK, but not somewhere he should remain fro long. That’s fine, at least it wasn’t detrimental this time. I asked Kal to check whether it had been changed due to my previous intervention – he dowsed a “yes” which pleased me. Nice to see your work bearing fruit. There was certainly a less ominous air surrounding the stone, and the area as a whole felt more inviting. The sheep were happy to browse around the stone too, whereas on one memorable previous visit the sheep had actually chased us away as we approached!

Cylch Glanhau

Before we reached the Druid’s Circle there was preparatory business to attend to. There is a small cairn circle known inventively as “Circle 275” in megalithic “circles”, but which I am going to name “Cylch Glanhau” (a perhaps too literal translation of “The Cleaning Circle”). There you go – it has a purpose and has been so named. Kal wandered off to admire the view and check his flies or something, but I remembered that the last time I was here I had been directed to stand within this small circle before going to the Druid’s Circle, and I wanted to see whether that was a necessary step for this particular journey. There was nothing energetically awry with my own field, but the dowsing rods indicated that Kal would need to be cleansed before he visited if he wanted the most favourable “reception” from the circle’s energies.

Kal being cleansed - dirty boy!

So, I called him over and made him stand in the circle for a few minutes before we carried on. He gave me looks which said “Is this strictly necessary?“. I wasn’t being argued with.

Druid’s Circle

Also known as “Y Meini Hirion“, which translates rather prosaically as, “The Standing Stones”. There they go again with their poetic naming – sheesh the romance is killing me! The site is a fair hike to get to and a strain on the car’s engine to even get to “base camp” as it were. Still, the trek is always worth it – Druid’s Circle always rewards effort, and today was no different. The first reward was the view – for the first time ever I could see as far as The Orme at Llandudno.

The long view

I entered the circle by the entrance I had been shown on my previous visit, in the eastern side. That was also how I approached the site, from across the dark heathland and through the marsh at the head of the small brook that runs silently beside the circle. I don’t know why – it just felt right to approach from that way, following animal tracks and instinct.

Once I had entered appropriately, stating name and purpose, I waited for the customary ‘tug’ at my energetic centre – the navel chakra. I got one and so went in, pleased to be back and welcomed. I deposited myself on the usual female recumbent stone in the western edge of the circle, as was my custom. I felt very comfortable now, and wanted to get on with some work. I picked my rods out of my bag and began to dowse almost straight away.

I started by asking is there was any Neutral energy here at the stone circle. I got a “yes“. Good, because otherwise it would be a wholly different experience than I would have hoped for.

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