The Hedge Druid

Posts Tagged ‘merlin’

Well, I see that Kal got his summary out first. Still, “if you can’t beat them…”

Generally, what type of year it has been? Dis-jointed, slower than last year’s breakneck speed, measured, with lots of deep synchronicities. When I come to review the year I realise that I still made lots of progress on the various tasks that I was lead to perform in order to progress along my path of Druidry.

Below are the main topics that I have picked out from this year’s blog posts. I have tried to keep the explanations to a minimum, so have included links back to the original postings if you want the detail for each of the topics. What I thought was a quiet year has actually turned out to be incredibly packed and busy. The topics are in no order whatsoever, which kind of fits with the way that the year’s learning has come about – seemingly haphazard, but all threading into and through itself like some kind of cat’s cradle whose overall pattern will only be known when the final moves have played out.

26 topics I have been involved in this year:-

a) Healing – Most of the year has been spent developing healing skills, whether that was using remote energies, balancing the chakras, healing with the hands, or with crystals. I have realised that I am more attuned to healing places than people currently, but that is changing. The healing energies can be attuned to different colours for particular effects. To work with these energies I need to understand which “colour” is missing from a site and then call upon the energies of the local living entities to gather together to create this missing colour and thus heal the site. [related posts: My Five Healing Rays, Healing Rays Explained]

Also, in conjunction with my friend Mike, we created a new healing centre at The Bridestones in Cheshire. [related posts: A New Healing Centre]

Chakra colours, energy frequencies and healing may be linked

b) Re-discovering the bard - Discovered great new music (and that I like the new forms of folk music) at The Green Man Festival, and saw Roy Harper in concert in London. This year music has really connected with my heart and stirred great emotions. I have written more poetry this year than in other years too. [related posts: Green Man Festival, Roy Harper]

c) Astrological links to Venus, Orion’s Belt and Sirius affirmed at almost every site. Also Scorpius, astrological links to Arthur and the Great Bear constellation. The constellations of Serpens, Corvus and Perseus have been especially meaningful to me this year, guiding me along a very meaningful path from one end of 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. to another. [related posts: Serpent at Castlerigg, Arthurian Archetypes of Corvus, The Berth and Death of Scorpius, The Three Stars of Fertility, Absorbing Orion at Lud's Church]

Read the rest of this entry »

There is no rest for a questor and so last weekend I was off on a 2.5 hour drive to Silbury Hill just for the sake of the quest. What rational beings we are. As you may recall, when I got this task I was asked to fly a pennant from the ancient hill. Since I have been a bit lacking on that, I asked the dowsing rods if it would be okay for me to just climb it on Sunday. The answer was a disappointing no.

That was Friday night. Saturday morning was fresh and sunny, better than a summers day considering it was early October. Even though I had a lot of indoor work to do my mind and body were aching to be out in the sun, so I figured a trip to Tintagel, Merry Maidens, The Hurlers or any number of other places would suit me fine. The rods however were not playing ball and to each place the answer came no. I was puzzled, perhaps today was a day to just jolly out with no esoteric purpose. On an intuitive hunch I checked to see whether Silbury was appropriate and the rods swung in. What? Again another nudge had me asking and confirming that Saturday was Okay to go but Sunday wasn’t. Weird!

Was I ok to go without a pennant? Yes. Would I still be able to complete the quested key? Yes. Can’t have a better answer than that, so off I went. About half-way there I recalled that Silbury was a prohibited place and pondered whether I should be attempting this in the eves of night. My thinking was on the lines that I could take a little side trip to Glastonbury and then head of towards Silbury in the evening. I stopped the car at a motorway service station to query this point (yes, I really did). And the answer was No! I must go now. Okay, I continued on.

Warning

I arrived at the little car park at Silbury at exactly noon and was fortunate enough to have no other spectators. Clambering over the initial barbed fence I was just about to leap the next when I was stopped by a Crow landing noisily on the fence behind me. I stopped and stared at it for several moments trying to divine its purpose. Nothing (I’m still not brilliant with Crows). I turned back to the fence and was about to put my hand out when the Crow screeched alarmingly. It stopped me in my tracks and I considered that I wasn’t meant to be going this way. Taking out my rods to see what they had to say I dropped my bag to the floor by the fence and then saw that the fence was electrified. Phew! That was lucky, I’ve been slugged with an electrifying fence in Ireland last year (was it only last year?) and was lucky enough to be warned off by a Crow. Awesome!

Taking a running jump had me over the fence and away to the hill. Silbury hill, as I mentioned, is a protected monument and all climbing is prohibited. This prohibition is enhanced by the head high fence that surrounds it. I perambulated the fence looking for a weak point and as I approached the road side of the hill I saw two police cars, sans constables parked adjacent to the hill.

O crap! I slowly made my way to the back of the hill and pondered. Should I wait? I asked the rods and they almost imperatively told me that now was the right (and indeed only) time. I was going to get arrested. What would be the fine? The notice on the fence didn’t specify. As I reached the back part of the fence a Crow landed on one of the poles. I walked up to the post and saw that the fence was slightly dented there and also there seemed to be a kind of stepping path up the hill. I didn’t have to use the rods to know that this was the way up. I clambered over the fence and only remembered the police when I was half way up.

In for a penny in for a pound, right? Up and up I clambered until I got to the summit and crouched towards the center. It was a hot and sunny day as I sat upon that magical hill, trying to meditate, whilst my mind was conscious of the two police cars at the bottom of the hill.

Trying to dowse whilst crouching would have made a funny spectacle. Nevertheless I managed to find the right place to sit and how many incense sticks to light, four. I sat in quietude and after some time felt a commune.

Perhaps we should do a post on what the feeling of connection is and how we connect. But I feel that it is so individualistic that it would be almost pointless in doing so. Do you disagree? Let me know and we might rethink our position.

I got an immediate sense of a presence and the now very recognisable voice of Caileach spoke to me. “At this time, this hill is yours. Stand and claim it.” like seriously! Not likely love, was my rather flippant response. “Are you going to crawl around on you knees then? O Knight.” Sarcasm, they say, is the lowest form of wit. But I wasn’t going to accuse a potential Goddess of that. She repeated her command. “This is your hill! Stand and claim it, Walk to the edges and around all the perimeter. Claim it and the blue key” Funny, because as she said Blue key, the policemen down below came to my mind. Blue key, men in blue?

For out of towners, men in blue is a slang term for police officers. It’s the blue uniform.

Again, in for a penny…So I stood up and asked the rods to carve out a path for me that would claim this blue key. They did, and took me along the perimeter where the police could clearly see me again and again. I avoided looking down at the police cars, since energy follows focus. Finally my luck ran out and one of the officers spoke to his companion and pointed up at me. With my reckless sense of abandon, I waived in a jolly way and was surprised to see a wave back. Phew! Really, it was time to make a break. A quick yes from the rods indicated that this blue key was under my belt and a slipped and slid down the hill.

I didn’t have much more to go on than the answer that I had got at the top of the hill. As always, Gwas and I look for confirmation signs after we have been asked or do some work. This occasion was no exception, and although the sun shining on us is often agood indicator, in this instance it had been roasting all day so it didn’t count.

No signs were about as I travelled the 3 hour drive to my rooms. As I got in I sat and watched some TV with my landlord and lady and noted that Merlin (the tv series) was on. As I watched I realised that the protagonist on this occasion was Caileach! I couldn’t believe it! The wench had followed me home.

Kal Malik ~ pandering to the whims of Caileach.

The Broceliande Forest is a legendary place, like Avalon, whose exact whereabouts are uncertain. These days it is considered by some to be situated in the Paimpont Forest in Ile-et-Vilaine in Brittany. Having visited this forest in 2009 to see Merlin’s Tomb, I decided that we ought to look at another of the parts of the forest this time. So, having visited the town of Paimpont for inspiration we decided to head for the Val Sans Retour (The Valley of No Return), which seemed to contain some interestingly-named attractions – not least of which was the Golden Tree, and a couple of megalithic sites.

Introduction to the Valley of No Return

Our starting point for a walk in the summer sun was the village of Trehorenteuc. We knew that we were probably in for an interesting time when we found that many of the houses and local shops were decorated with murals with a woodland and fairy theme, or were named after characters from the Arthurian mythology – especially Merlin. This bade well. We parked and picnicked at the tourist information office (which is alongside a church reputed to be a resting place for the Holy Grail, no less) and then headed out of the village on foot to the start of the forest paths.

A welcome sign for druids

Once inside the woodland we were shielded from the intense heat, but you could see that the forest was usually flowing with streams, but that the lack of rainfall over the last few months had dried up all the shallower beds so that it was now possible to walk along their course from the village right up into the hills above. You could tell that in Autumn or Winter some river-hopping would be required at some points in order to make your way deep into the forest.

As we entered the forest we felt like we had crossed some kind of magical threshold, and that from now on things would get a little stranger. That’s exactly what happened.

Read the rest of this entry »

This is the second part of three posts about my Spring Equinox quest to change my energy body to promote the fertility of plants. In the first part I told you about my experiences at Lud’s Church in Shropshire, and how I experienced an intake of the energy of the stars in Orion’s Belt. In this post I will be telling you about my visit to King Arthur’s Cave near Symonds Yat in Monmouthshire, South Wales.

After I had left my friend Michael’s house I had the long journey from Cheshire to Monmouthshire to contemplate what had happened and anticipate what might be to come. I had no idea what to make of the energy intake episode – I didn’t feel any different, but it was the strangest experience I’ve ever had, so that must count for something. Now I was going to sit in a cave at the other end of the country, and was quite excited about that prospect for several reasons. Firstly, I love Monmouth and the whole area around there. I think it’s the most beautiful part of these isles, and for some reason it has a feeling of ‘coming home’ whenever I go there. Secondly, I wanted to see if I could commune with whatever spirits might be present in a cave dedicated to Arthur and hopefully something interesting would occur. Thirdly, I was keen to get this quest over – the third portion was quite some way away, being in Pembrokeshire, and that really would take some planning to be able to get there with my forthcoming busy schedule, so the chance to get two parts done in one day was a relief and exciting at the same time.

Besides, it was shaping up to be a sunny day, and that’s always a good portent for an explorer, even if I would be sat in relative darkness for some of the day.

Preparations – or a lack of them

I arrived at the area around Symonds Yat and realised that I had not got a detailed map. In fact, I had only the memory of seeing a picture of the cave to work with, and not much more to go on! There was only one thing I could do – intuitive driving! This is like driving with a dowsing rod in your hand but much safer. This was Kal’s idea – imagine that you have a dowsing rod and that it is pointing in the direction of the thing you are seeking. Then follow the imaginary rod! How could that work??? Who knows, but I managed to pull over into a lay-by and stop the car at what felt like a random place. Was this it? How would I know? Was I on a wild-goose chase here? Had I just driven for three hours for nothing?

I got my stuff together and began to walk down a path leading away from the car and down a hill that I seemed to be half way up. My reason was screaming at me: “Why not UP the hill? Didn’t I see a path up the hill too just before the lay-by? What if it’s not here? How far am I prepared to walk before I give up? Why didn’t I bring a map? I’ve just driven three hours for nothing! Where can I buy a map from? How far away was the petrol station – they’d have a map there….” and so on, and so on. I told myself to shut up and walked to the path down the hill. I had only walked twenty feet when I saw the information sign showing King Arthur’s Cave. Well, well. It worked! My whole body relaxed as my rational side went strangely quiet.

A handy information post about King Arthur's Cave

I walked down to the end of the path which opened out into a disused quarry, now reclaimed by Nature. It was like walking out into a cauldron – it was so hot! I recognised the quarry from the photographs, and so knew I had to take the right-hand path and re-enter the cool walkway beneath the forest’s sheltering branches. I reached the cave shortly after ignoring the first collection of small caves that must have been a trial run, or designed to put off the casual visitor. As I arrived something felt wrong, so I completely ignored that and carried on. I got out my dowsing rods, my crystals and then my …hold on, where was my incense? The “something wrong” feeling made itself felt in my stomach again. I must have dropped it back up the path somewhere!

I made my way back up the hill, wondering just at what point I could have dropped the incense. It was tucked into my small pack, so it could have fallen out anywhere. Just so happened that it had been right at the start, right at the top of the hill I had just walked down. Typical! If I am supposed to learn a lesson it’s always a hard lesson! I stopped to think what this might mean. What lesson was I to learn? Then it struck me – I had just forged right ahead and tried to enter this sacred site without ANY preparations! I had probably accumulated some detritus from travelling down here, I was thinking of lunch all the time, and I clearly wasn’t in the most spiritual frame of mind. Right – I would put all of that right, and then I would try again.

Read the rest of this entry »

It seems sort of fitting that this post is the 400th post on this blog. We have come a long way since we started in late 2008. All of that seems so long ago now, because so much has happened since then. We have grown. So I present the 400th post – a summary of the year’s work for 2010.

Like Kal I intend to do this summary in a single post. Last year it spread across about seven posts. I have learned to be more disciplined in this last year, and I will keep it to one. So, having sifted through all the millions of posts this year here are the absolute best bits. I didn’t believe that 2009 could be bettered, but I was wrong – 2010 was a vintage year that will live long in my memory, and below you will find out some of the reasons why.

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT

Meeting and integrating with the spirit of Merlin

Things had been progressing towards this all year. Firstly I had met Arthur’s 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). at Tintagel, and he tasked me with keeping Merlin’s legacy alive by connecting up and re-energising sacred sites. Then shades that I interacted with began to call me “Son of Merlin”, which I took to mean “follower” rather than literal progeny, or “spiritual inheritor” perhaps. Finally, at Dinas Emrys, it all came together and I descended into the Underworld to meet with Merlin’s 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)., and as we emerged onto earth we merged in a kind of Rosicrucian marriage of male and female energies.

Of course, all of this can and perhaps should be seen symbolically, rather than literally. It works from any point of view – psychologically as the culmination of some form of inner desire, or as a desire to perpetuate a myth symbolically because it serves some psychological purpose. I’m sure it could be read many ways. For me, it was the fulfilment of my magical self. It was the integration of the intention with the delivery. It was the satisfaction of the edict “Make magick manifest”.

Meeting Brian Conquer and Feeling The Goddess in Glastonbury

Man, I almost forgot this. I was thinking about something completely unrelated and suddenly the whole experience came back to me and I had to add this bit into the post on 14th January 2011.

I remember being at the Chalice Well Gardens this year and meeting Brian Conquer, “Just a silly little Hedge Druid” as he described himself to some American tourists in search of free wisdom. I was intrigued by him - his eyes told me he knew many things and together we scolded those who leave Nature in a mess and praised those who make their own tools with love and care. That made me think of Oonagh.

Later, as I walked around the grounds he caught up with me and gave me a precious gift – a rugged clear quartz crystal. “Take that and go stand between the yew trees.” he instructed with a twinkle in his eye. “Call for the goddess.” I did what he said and minutes later she responded by visiting me – getting right inside me - expanding my aura to an incredible size and strength. So much so that a lady who was standing behind me went nuts, “Oh my God!” she kept screaming, “That’s AMAZING!“. I knew. I was feeling it. A stunning unforgettable moment for which I will repay Mr Conquer one day. 2011 is my year of service, after all.

WHAT I LEARNED

Here is a list of the twenty most valuable lessons that I learned from this year’s tasks, quests, encounters and experiences….

The Bull sigil

1. Sacred sites have an energetic imprint that can be dowsed. This imprint or sigil can reveal information about significant dates associated with the site. For example, the date when the site is most energetic, or the date when the site was created. Some reveal a sigil specific to the resident 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..

2. Most sacred sites have some form of astrological 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. – either they are oriented towards the Sun, Moon (as calendars), or they may be designed upon a sacred number that is associated with a particular planet, or they are imbued with (or resonate to) the frequency of energetic emanations from particular stars. Often particular entrances can be found that align to celestial bodies, or significant stones are aligned to these heavenly objects are particular times of the year. These then act as guides to the types and timings of subtle energies within that sacred space.

3. There is a fourth kind of subtle energyA form of energy that has so far eluded scientific definition. It is neither electric, magenetic, nor electro-magnetic, so far as our current technical equipment can measure. It does, however, exhibit many of the characteristics of magnetism and electricity in terms of its effects and properties. It may be a form of either or both of those energies that we have not yet identified. beyond the male, female and neutral forms – Primal Energy. This is energy without gender association, and which has yet to be shaped or transformed by any agency such as the sun, moon or human. We recognised it first in crop circles, but then realised that we had been dealing with it energetically for some time without knowing what it was. I do nto have a clear distinction in my mind between primal and neutral energy forms and this is something I will endeavour to clear up in next year’s work.

4. It is possible to imbue objects with energy such that they can retain that energy and it can be drawn out from the object at a later date by those who are aware of it. The energy imbued is in a primal energy form – neither male nor female until shaped after extraction. One one occasion I absorbed the remaining spirit energy from an ancient dying oak tree before it was lost completely.

5. It is important to have a purpose when visiting sacred spaces. Having a purpose means that the rewards from the visit are less random, and the information can be chained together over a period of time leading to pools of new insights, rather than just patches of new knowledge.

6. Spirits are real. Whether these be further sub-divided into spirit, 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). or ghost I have come to learn that they have a real existence beyond my imagination. This has seen a complete reversal in my belief system on these subjects. Previously I imagined them to be something created by humans, or were simply an expression of Nature in her many forms. Now I know that they are sentient and purposeful in their own right, and only an expression of Nature insomuch as we are all an expression of Nature.

7. I have developed trust and lost a fear of the dark. By walking barefoot at sacred sites for much of the year, even at night, I have learned to overcome my fear of being hurt, and to place my trust in those spirits who are concerned with my welfare.

8. The earth’s energy grid is in need of healing. I have been led to this conclusion by many different experiences over the year. At the start of the year I was told to go and re-awaken some sites. Later I would re-energise and link sites up. After that I would create my own neutral energy bridge between sites after pledging to take this role on, in the spirit of Merlin. I suspect that we have simply demolished, destroyed, desecrated and saturated too many of our “earth acupuncture” points on the earth grid upon which our islands lay. I feel it is my task to make what efforts I can to re-energise these points, especially after the death of Hamish Miller this year.

9. Arbor Low is a hub for neutral energy lines. This finding sparked a deep investigation into the nature of neutral energy. We later found that this sacred site was particularly beneficial for learning. I spent a time tracing where these neutral radial lines went to and found some amazing correlations which all need further investigation.

10. Stimulating, cleansing and closing the Chakras are a means to controlling the flow of subtle energyA form of energy that has so far eluded scientific definition. It is neither electric, magenetic, nor electro-magnetic, so far as our current technical equipment can measure. It does, however, exhibit many of the characteristics of magnetism and electricity in terms of its effects and properties. It may be a form of either or both of those energies that we have not yet identified. between the human energy form and other energy repositories. I spent a long time this year working through these processes at various sites and found the whole process very mystical and beneficial to my understanding of how the human energy system can be controlled.

11. The sacred geometrical numbers five, six, seven, eleven and twelve kept cropping up this year. Particularly, ’5+7=12′ and ’5+6=11′ were important equations. The 12 equation represented the current order of things: five being man, seven being spirituality and twelve being civilisation. The 11 equation seemed to represent an alternative or older way of thinking: five being man again, six being magick, and eleven being a bridge between worlds. It was like I was being shown that there was an alternate route to a higher consciousness through other numbers than those which society currently enshrined.

12. My spirit guide can be communicated with via symbols of crosses, particularly ancient Celtic crosses. It took a visit to Ireland to discover this, but I have since found it useful in this country too. I haven’t found out why this is so yet.

13. Wounds from the past can be healed by acts of redemption in the present. I found this out when I was encouraged to clean up a local pond. I took a day off work to do it. No-one saw it, no-one helped me, but when I had finished I had healed a deep distant scar from yesteryear.

14. The Arthurian metaphor works best for me. The symbols of the dragonDragons are spirit or energetic beings that reside in sacred sites and have a particular location in them and also move throughout the day (and or season). They also leave the sacred site on occasion, which again differentiates them from Genius Loci which don’t. (spiritual energy), Merlin (celestial energyThis is a term that I use to collectively describe any energetic influences that reach us from celestial sources. As with its companion term ‘Telluric EnergyA general term encompassing all forms of earth-bound or earth-generated energy. This is in differentiation to forms of celestial energy. Telluric energy can be both subtle energy and what we may call “gross” energy – in other words, energy that can be measured by current scientific instrumentation and which is electro-magnetic in nature.’ the energies of the celestial sphere are many and varied, ranging from cosmic rays (which can be scientifically measured), the sun’s various energy frequencies, the reflected energies of the Sun which arrive via the Moon, and those of the stars and planets within and beyond our solar system.), Arthur (earth energy) and all those associated medieval concepts – these are the images that I work best to interpret and bring through into my magickal learning. There is no value in my spending time learning any other symbol system or lore.

15. The star Sirius has emerged as an important energetic influenceon many things – it affects fertility, offers protection from harmful radiation, is a facilitator of the enlightenment process, radiates a blue light that resonates with our throat chakra, and it provides a strong motivational energy.

16. Weather systems are very complex and shouldn’t be toyed with. It almost didn’t need saying, yet I learned a valuable lesson when I tried it.

17. Crystals and incense are valuable tools for creating the right atmosphere, and for taking the burden when performing magickal rituals. I am now well stocked with both and appreciate their value after extensive use this year.

18. Giving promotes the right state to receive. This year I have done a lot of energy healing on humans and sacred sites. I have also done more charitable work than ever. All of this has been done unbidden and I in return I feel that I have been offered more gifts than I can possibly take on board. I hope to continue with this form of work.

19. Using the proper respect when dealing with sentient entities has led to easier access to their knowledge and beneficence.

20. Coloured energy lines can be used to reveal a picture of the energy status of a site. For example, black lines indicate an unhealthy influence on the site, whereas white, gold and purple lines are very positive and healthy. This is an area that deserves a more detailed examination next year.

THE HARDEST LESSON

In amongst all of the good things that happened there were some hard lessons. If I were to resolve all of those lessons down to the one important factors that is going to change the way I view life then it would be this…

Warning signs should be heeded.

The leprechaun energies of Ireland taught me that. Now I pay special attention. Signs generally are more worthy of our attention, especially if we are following the ‘flow of the universeTo join with the flow of the universe is to follow a natural progression in tune with Nature’s own direction of development. Religion has called this concept “following the divine will”, but then has proceeded to make it a law, rather than a useful option for personal and communal progress.’ through the ‘wheel of the year’ (see glossary). The more in attunement with Nature, the more we should pay attention to her signs.

The consequences of ignoring signs deliberately can be dire and dramatic.

NEW PATHS STARTED

When the Wheel of the Year turns around to a new year it is very difficult to see where the rotation of the wheel will take you on that journey, or what wonder you will pass on the way. This year here are some of the new paths that I have ventured down, or threads that I have picked up from previous years’ work.

Spirits (including Siddha). Specifically I have become attuned to and aware of a spirit guide. Beyond that I have extended my awareness to include a spirit helper for healing, and have acknowledged a spirit guardian. Up until this year I would say that I was one of the last people who would have acknowledged these forces, yet they have graciously made their presence known when requested to do so, and I have received nothing but help and kindness from them.

Shades. I had no dealings at all with death energies of energy forms until Kal relinquished his dealings with them part way through this year. Then, from that moment on, I seemed to get requests to learn about and deal with shades. Shades, as we denote them, are the remnant energy forms of spirits that once inhabited human bodies. Having moved on they can leave a form behind unless this energy is grounded properly (as it was in earthen mounds in ancient times through ritual and right attitudes to death).

Ash staff. I have found and restored an ash staff this year. It is now one of the most treasured objects that I take with me to sacred sites. My interactions with the staff have been crucial this year, and it has become a powerful druidical tool for me to wield out in Nature.

OLD PATHS DISCARDED

Of course, no path is ever completely discarded – it is only passed by on this journey. Later in the journey the path may re-appear. However, these are the aspects of my spiritual journey that I have chosen not to pursue further unless I need to.

Crop circles. After finding that they were created by extra-terrestrial forces and then filtered through Siddha, we gave up trying to understand their relevance to us on our spiritual quest. They remain an interesting quirk that I predict will end by 2013.

Tarot. Although I have found a talent for using the cards I have found little use for them despite believing that I would. I am not discarding them completely, and I encourage anyone to use them if they would be of value, but for me they have little use compared to the inter-relationship with spirit forces. I think the cards are just a means to access this same information anyway, and I now prefer a direct spiritual connection rather than a symbolic one. Again, I re-iterate, they have their uses, but I don’t see much use for them myself. Watch next year be totally dominated by tarot now!!

THE UNEXPECTED

There always seems to be something unexpected arising on my journey. This year I have been surprised by getting involved in the following things….

1. Shades and spirits – thought they we a bit of nonsense, actually, but found I was very very wrong. Might all still be in my mind, but if that’s the case then my mind is very very wrong!
2. Charity work – I wasn’t one for doing “good deeds” until this year. Then gradually I have been finding myself saying ‘yes’ to more and more events, and going off doing things just for the sake of it and without recognition or reward. Most unlike me! But I like the new me.
3. Psychics – I met a psychic and listened to him rather than laughed at him. Well, I could hardly laugh at him now that I was talking to spirits myself! Anyway – turns out he made a great deal of sense, and has been very insightful. I am pleased that I was led along this path to meet him.

WHERE THIS LEADS ME

Looking back I think that all of this leads me to begin the next year by turning my attentions to the following areas:-

Colour dowsing – I need to know what the colours mean (for me) and what colours can be found in Nature and specifically at sacred sites.

Sacred geometry – I kind of left this one hanging, but I mean to dowse for the sacred structure of stone circles and see if this has an astrological correspondence.

Earth energy grid – I want to determine why certain sacred sites seem to be linked together energetically, and if those links are damaged I want to set about repairing them, to restore the sites to their full working capacity where possible.

Book – yes, folks, I have been ‘advised’ that I should write a book. Never one to question the muses I will be putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) almost as soon as this post goes live. I don’t even know what it’s about yet, but I’m hoping ‘unseen forces’ can help there. I hope to post status updates through next year.

SUMMARY

Of course next year I will continue to follow the seasons and the Wheel of the Year, but I suspect I will not be as keen to mark every full moon. Yet the full moon is definitely an indicator for me that the energies around that time can be put to good magickal use and I will continue to preference dates close to full moons as opposed to their strict calendrical dates.

This year has been the most remarkable year of my life so far. Thanks, as ever, to my faithful sidekick Kal for his courage, inspiration and motivation - he truly does make this all worth the effort. Thanks, too, to those who have helped me. That includes you. dear readers, who have have witnessed my remarkable year on these pages, and I hope that you too have been inspired to go out and make your life’s quest as meaningful and magickal as you can. I am looking forward to what next year will bring if only to see if it could possibly match the wonders of this year.

Happy New Year, folks.

Gwas.

Related posts:-

• My Eight-Fold Year – The First Four Folds
• My Eight-Fold Year – The Final Four Folds

After last weeks weirdness at Glastonbury I was worried. Having gained a monumental answer that there was something wrong with the world. I was flummoxed at the enormity of it all. An Internet “chat” with Gwas had got him dowsing to confirm that I was getting the correct results.

Still, I wasn’t really afraid that much because we have mis-diagnosed dowsing a couple of times, enough to be wary of such enormous statements.

So, in an effort to explore this question more fully I hopped into the car and headed of to the coast and that famed residence of Merlin and Arthur, Tintagel.

But before I got there, it seems that the world had other things on its mind…

Slaughter Bridge

Tintagel has a couple of mainish routes to it and since I was coming from the North of Devon the route that I had got me about 5 miles to famed land before the road-work gods had decided to close a complete road off! Seriously people! So I re-progammed the Sat-Nav and it took me another 25 miles around to get at Tintagel. However in this diversion there was a bonus.

As I meandered down country lanes (the A roads of Cornwall) I took in the scenery and the quiet little hamlets. Since Gwas wasn’t with me, I had to be the one on the look out for curios along the way and today fortune had blessed me with one.

I saw a gaudy flag and a sign with “Arthur” written on it flash by me so I hit the brakes and did a double take. At first glance it looked like some kind of touristy thing and it was closed so I nearly got back in the car when I had a intuitive nudge and so put my guerrilla dowsing head and clambered over the fence.

So here I was again in no man’s land, quite literally as this was the supposed place where Arthur was mortally wounded by his nemesis Mordred (who also got the chop here too). Anyway I dowsed to ask whether this place had any connection to Arthur, the answer was a resounding YES. I asked if he had died here? No…Now that was a bit disappointing, but I wasn’t going to give up so easily so I asked whether this was the place he was mortally wounded? Yes! Ah…

Before I could even wonder about it let alone ask I felt the drain of a Energetic ShroudAs coined by Kal after reading the definitions of C.W.Leadbeater – the early 20th Century mystic. Leadbeater considered that man, when he died, could become stuck in a “ShadeA shade is the energy body of a human being that has become transfixed at a geographical location. The shade retains many of the qualities of the human that it was attached to (memories, character traits, a level of sentience, movement between places known in life).” – an energetic shell that would retain many of the characteristics of the human in his physical life. It is frequently taken to be what is termed a ‘ghost’ but although it has a certain amount of sentience, it would seem to be limited in terms of its ability to move from the space within which it has anchored itself. It must be stated – it is NOT the person who has died – it is a remainder copy that contains the memories and characteristics of the original energetic fields of the human, but now has no physical organism to work with.. Well, it had been a battlefield after all and (as my dowsing confirmed) the energy being used in keeping its memory alive was also feeding the shades too.

Well, I wondered if there was any chance of gaining some wisdom from the Arthur’s legendary pal, Merlin. In regards to the world not being right. No, or rather I should continue on my journey to Tintagel where I would gain more answers. Now that’s a promise I like to hear. So after lighting a few respectful incense sticks and generally giving some gratitude energy I was off again.

Tintagel

Only a short hop later I was parking up in the rather windy and a bit drizzly town of Tintagel. Of course it is only a town in the Cornish sense of the word, a little villagette might be a more accurate for more city dwelling folk. Nevertheless I digress.

As per usual (why stop a good thing) I was dressed in my normal all weather atire, i.e. jeans, t-shirt, fleece, jacket and non water-proof highy liquid soaking trainers. Fantastic! Due to Gwas’s absence I also had incense sticks and crystals, should the need arise.

I would say that Tintagel is probably a gorgeous place in the summer, but having been there this summer and the weather was no different from today i’m guessing we just caught it at a bad time. Anyway, enough…I was off onto the hillock were Gwas had done his little bit of Arthurian communion. I, however was looking for a kindred wizard, Merlin.

Having already got an answer at Slaughter-bridge (what a name!) that I would be able to gain some answers here. I dowsed for the best place to seek these answers. And as usual the rods took me on a winding path right to the edge of the cliffs. Hmmm a sense of humour? Not

So there I was, with the wind blowing in my face, rain threatening to downpour and trying to commune with that shyster Merlin.As per usual, to get my bearings I did some dowsing? Was this the best place, Yes. Did I need any crystals? No, Any incense (like I could light it??) No, phew!

I stood looking down into the crashing waves, wondering about the world and its not rightness. What a strange thing to find, and what an egotistical thing to believe that I could do something about the world, I mean come-on “The World” we’re talking about here.

This was the province of sooth-sayers and doom mongers, 2012, cataclysms and Ragnarok came amusingly to mind. And I had tried to stay away from such nonsense. I laughed, was this going to be one of those things…

Gwas and I have often found that when we are truly averse to some belief or notion and try to avoid it, it keeps coming around demanding acknowledgment.

Was this going to be “one of those things?” I wondered. Then I swear, I heard a laugh, I turned around thinking that some other mad person must be touring this site in this weather, but no, there was no one there. I put it down to the waves and the wind and returned to my musing.

Whether it was the wind pushing me or just getting tired of looking at the same view, I ambled off without thinking about it and wandered around the ruins until I found a nice little nook to keep me warded from the wind. As I hunkered down I began to visualise…

“You are a funny one you are”

Now, i’ve had my fare share of chats with Ancient Yew but this was something else. It was like…trying to catch a soft feather in the wind, the mere movement of my hand would push it away further. That is how I would describe trying to hear this voice.

Like being in the dark trying to listen for sounds coming from downstairs I was straining to find a word, a whisper…an imagined voice? Then I caught another sentence…

“You’re trying to hard”

Ah, a bit of useful advice I thought, so I stopped trying and just, hmmm, casually listened. Nothing, not a peep. For a fair few minutes and so I started listening harder again and I heard the voice.

“I’m not talking about listening, i’m talking about your problem”

Ah, ok, duh…say on…Hang on, what do you mean my problem? I got the sinking feeling…Was I going to have to heal the world, pardon the pun!

“There isn’t a problem with my world”

Okay, I felt a distinct inflection on the word “my” in that sentence, it was obviously loaded with meaning. But I thought, obviously there isn’t with “your” world, your a 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). or a entity or any number of other type of thing. Your world could quite distinctly be different from mine. Sadly the dis-jointed one line sentence conversation/commune continued…

“The problem is with your world”

Now, you have to appreciate, if intent had power my ears would have been the size of a radio telescope I was trying that hard to hear, o and understand of course.

“The problem is with ‘your’ world”

This time I caught something, call it intuition but I got hold of the edge of understanding and pulled hard…you mean “my” world, don’t you? Not “The World” but “my” world.

I listened hard for an answer, nothing. I waited, nothing…then on a cloudy, windy and rainy ragged coast-line, the sun came out. In honesty, I sat back in awe.

A few moments later I shot up realising that my jeans were now soaked through.

It seemed as if I had been given enough of an answer to build something on. I quickly got my rods out and asked the obligatory question…Was that experience real? Yes. Had I been speaking with Merlin? Hmmm a tentative yes. Merlins 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). or spirit? Again a tentative yes, almost as I had to force a yes out of the rods.

Was the answers given sound? Oh Yes! It wasnt something wrong with “The World” it was something wrong with “my” world? Yes.

By implication this meant that there was something wrong with me, so I asked. Is there something wrong with me? Yes.

Sigh…

Why me? Is the lament of the lost (hey that’s a good quote) so I didn’t bother with it and after just the briefest pause I started on the trail of this “personal” wrongness.

I asked about all the “usual suspects” was I infected with Leprechaun energyAn intelligent and aware energy with a penchant for causing mishaps, stealing treasured items, and being territorial.? No, any other energetic blob, entity, 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)., awareness??? No, no and no!

Was I infected with anything at all? No, Was my dowsing working properly? Yes, Hmmmm (dont ask)

I did some quick energy dowsing and found a few male and female power centers, all seemed well with the dowsing. Then an idea came to me but to explain, I have to go back in time a few months…

Self Healing

For many years I have practiced energy healing on others often and on myself daily. If you’re aware of Reiki then that is the school that I have been taught in, though it doesn’t really matter…energy is energy, right? Anyway almost on a daily basis I practice energy healing on myself. It only takes a few minutes and the results are well worth it.

However for a few months (I cant tell exactly when) I havent been able to do it. I can still practice healing on others and send it to others from a distance, but when it comes to myself. Zip, zero, Nada! There is some kind of blockage that is preventing me from practicing healing on myself.

How can you tell, you ask? Good question. Well it’s in the visualisation, or lack thereof. When I do healing I visualise the channeling or creation of energy and then it being sent to whomever or myself. Now, I can still create this energy and send it to anyone or place. But when I try to send it to myself…it just fizzles away…Almost as if there is a barrier between me and it.

If you’re a healer you are probably coming up with many and varied suggestions, yes yes and yes, ive tried them all but to no avail. Also I haven’t been able to get a intuitive hook onto it so that I could dowse questions. It seemed that this…phenomena…had a bit of a SEP (sombody elses problem) field around it too which hampered investigation.

Before I continue with the narrative there is just one other peculiarity that I want to mention. If I say so myself, I am a good Dreamer.  Always have been, by this I mean that I can create visualisations before I sleep and then in my sleep wander (almost consciously) through them. It has helped alot with intuitive problem solving. I find the answers in my dreams, by asking the questions before I go to sleep.

This self-healing issue has continuously evaded any “dream” exploration. I cant dream about it.

Back to Tintagel

So, as I was saying, I had an idea…Was this “something wrong with my world” to do with my self-healing issue? O yes, the rods fairly swung and hit me in the chest. I felt I was on a role and that perhaps here at this energetic site I would get further answers to my dilemma. Alas it was not to be, I lifted the rods but intuition was not forth coming. Could I “fix” this problem, yes? Could I do it here and now? No. Was it something to do with me only (i.e. not my environment) Yes. Only me.

I asked a few questions as to the why of it all, but none of them were revealing and so I left it for the time being. If you are asking, how could I? Then you dont practice dowsing often. There is a kind of energy that it takes out of you and after you’ve been doing it intensely for a bit, you just, hmmm, dont want to for a while.

Still, I was leaving Tintagel on a positive note. The world was safe again and I had done more to learn about my self-healing issue than I had done for about two or three months!

The game was indeed afoot!

Kal Malik 0f 22b Baker Street London

I was doing some research into the ancient hill fort of Dinas Emrys, and found this excellent and comprehensive re-telling of the story of the foundation and inhabiting of Dinas Emrys taken from Puffin children’s book “A Book of Dragons” edited by Roger Lancelyn Green (pages 68-73).

The hill has become special to me, being renowned as Merlin’s Castle, and it is a place where I recently connected to the spirit of Merlin again to re-invigorate my campaign to re-energise the failing parts of the energy grid of these ancient lands in which I roam.

Here is the story….

=======================================================

The Red DragonDragons are spirit or energetic beings that reside in sacred sites and have a particular location in them and also move throughout the day (and or season). They also leave the sacred site on occasion, which again differentiates them from Genius Loci which don’t. of Wales

In the days before Caesar conquered Britain there lived a king called Lludd who built himself a city in the south-east of the island, set about it a wall with towers and gates, and named it after himself, Caer Lludd – which the Romans called Londinium and the Saxons London. And in today’s city Ludgate is still called after that ancient king.

Lludd ruled peacefully for many years. But not long before the first coming of the Romans, many strange evils fell upon the land: and among them was

‘a shriek that came on every May-eve, over every hearth in the Island of Britain. And this went through people’s hearts, and so scared them, that the men lost their hue and their strength, and the women their children, and the young men and the maidens lost their senses, and all the animals and trees and the earth and the waters were left barren.’

‘And thereupon King Lludd felt great sorrow and care, because he knew not how he might be freed from this plague. And he called to him all the nobles of his kingdom, and asked counsel of them what they should do against this affliction. And by the common counsel of the nobles, Lludd the son of Beli went to Llevelys his brother, king of France, for he was a man of great counsel and wisdom, to seek his advice.’

King Llevelys was indeed wise beyond all men living at that time. For after a little he was able to tell his brother both the cause of that terrible shriek, and how he might set free the Island of Britain from it.

King Lud and assorted progeny

Read the rest of this entry »