The Hedge Druid

Posts Tagged ‘nine stones close’

Kal and I have decided that we will tailor our visits to sacred sites to take advantage of the effects of the Earth’s Magnetic Field (EMF) and the site’s specific construction. For example, we may predominantly look to visit stone circles at times when the moon is full, or barrows when the moon is new. For this reason we chose to go to two of our favourite circles in Derbyshire at a time just past the full moon in July.

The Impossible Sun

All the way from Cheshire to Derbyshire was gloomy and damp. Rain was either pending or descending, and as we came over the Buxton road (A537) we hit the mist and the sheets of driving rain that I had anticipated all morning. We were bound to get wet on our travels this day, I thought. There was not one bright area in the whole sky, only dull slate-grey sheets of rain, drizzle, mist or combinations of the three. Of course, this weather report did not dampen Kal’s spirits. As I ribbed him about “inappropriate clothing” and a southern temperament he seemed to be developing, he reminded me that his confidence in his ability to call upon the Sun was born of his special relationship with the powers of Nature that he had developed since he had found his solar calling. I scoffed, despite having been shown to be wrong on previous occasions. This time there was simply NO WAY there could possibly be anything but rain for our stone circle visit. The rain continued to fall as we neared Bakewell, and continued still as we made our way up to Nine Stones Close. This time, there would not be any need for an apology – the roles would be reversed!

As we stepped out of the car the rain halted. Ah yes, I thought, but only to continue any moment! I got my wet weather gear on – waterproof trousers, coat, hat in my bag, boots. Even the sheep that we passed as we climbed besides Robin Hood’s Stride rocks seemed surprised to see anyone out on a day like this. We trudged through wet grass in the fields and made our way to the stones. As we approached I conceded to Kal that there was a tiny spot of lighter grey above us, but still maintained that this was nothing like a ray of sunshine. Could he deliver, I taunted? Seconds later the sun broke through an invisible gap in the clouds and shone right in my face…

Kal calls the Sun to Nine Stones Close

Kal nearly jumped twenty feet into the air shouting, “See! Unbeliever! Told you I could make the sun shine! You should listen to a Sun Boy!” I was shame-faced again. How had he done this? All around was leaden grey cloud, and right above us the tiniest sliver of an opening through which the sun shone on us. It was like some kind of West End spotlight that was highlighting Kal’s bizarre hop-skippety dancing as he jigged about in glee at his “win”. I promised yet again to post my shame in full view for all to see. Never ever again will I doubt his sun-calling talents. I think I said that last time, but this time I mean it. He’s never ever been beaten in four years! Even my impoverished brain can judge that this is statistically improbable.

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Two Crystals at Nine Stones Close

Apparently I had loaned/given Gwas some crystals a while ago and as we met up for todays journey he handed me a pouch which contained five crystals. I had forgotten them entirely but as they say…

Never refuse a gift

So I accepted them and we were off. I had a hankering for 9 stones close (one of my sites of the year) and since it had been a while since both Gwas and I had visited it, that was first on the agenda.

Although it was a fresh, late Autumn day we found the weather to be auspiciously dry and calm. I have to say I love this site, ever since I was engaged in healing the aura of the Oak tree there I have felt a strong affinity with it. This visit was no exception.

As we walked up the short incline to what is called Robin Hoods Stride I turned to Gwas and said, I think I will leave two of those crystals here at Nine Stones.

As Gwas moved about the sacred site getting his own unique connection with it. I clambered over the wall to commune with the grand Oak.

In our divided way we both made our own greetings to the site and its energies sentient and non alike. It was whilst in the midst of this that four people joined us. Two ladies and a gent. They wandered around the site and I could tell they were energy aware.

A few minutes later Gwas was speaking to the gent and the the other two presented me with a conversation about energies. As we talked the conversation moved to crystals and without thinking I drew out the pouch and offered a crystal to each of them. One the ladies had no clue about which crystal was which but “felt” that one of them was calling to her and she chose it.

The crystal she had chosen was a dark blue Sodalite one and after failing at some guessing games I decided to let them out of there suspense and told her that it was a Sodalite. She became really surprised at this because…

She had just (the day before) returned from Singapore and a healer there had told her that she needed to get hold of some Sodalite to help her heal a throat condition.

I was as amazed as they were at this synchronistic event. I think I will always be. I am fortunate these days to have them occurring frequently. Soon after this event the gang of four wandered of to other pastures after having told Gwas about a Five Chambers, a site that we had not heard of but vowed to visit.

As we walked back towards the car (perhaps at the same point as when we were coming) I turned to Gwas and remarked…

Hey, I told you I would be leaving two crystals at Nine Stones Close

Kal Malik – reading the signs aright.

It’s not often that we encounter like-minded folk on our travels – even at stone circles. When we do it is always a pleasure and rarely a chore. On Saturday 20th November Kal and I headed out to Derbyshire again. Kal had come back for a weekend of fun and frolics, so I put a stop to all that by insisting that he accompany me to some special places for old times’ sake, and because it was a full moon. We chose Nine Stones Close, Doll Tor, Bakewell Church and finally Five Wells chambered cairn. This post will discuss the serendipitous outcome of the Nine Stones Close visit.

I apologise now for my lack of detail. I tend not to store facts and figures these days – I don’t see that they have much use – and so I won’t be able to tell you the names of those involved, nor the details of their social interactions, nor many other details that one might consider to be the normal amount of information gathered from a long discussion. Didn’t get any of that. What I did retain was the interesting stuff, and that’s what I’ll report in this post.

For this trip I had taken everything including the kitchen sink. I knew that I would need incense (and I had stacks of it) and for some reason I felt I needed to bring crystals. So I brought around three different collections which all have different purposes. I also dug out a set which Kal had mistakenly left with me and I was determined to give them back to him, which I did. This set was a chakra balancing set of stones with a varied assortment of useful crystals. When we met I explained the mistake and Kal accepted them crystals back again.

A Casual Query

As we walked up me were hailed by a man in a wide-brimmed Australian bush hat with a south midlands accent. He asked if we were local, to which we replied we weren’t, but nevertheless I asked him to ask his question – we might be able to help. He said that he thought there was a hermit’s cave roundabouts and would we know where it was? We did indeed know, having been up there recently having found the cave eventually. Despite visiting many times we had only found it after being a bit curious and wandering way out of our way – thankfully it was a kinder month than November and we were rewarded by finding the cave and some significant other places that were power centres for us to work in should we ever need them. So we directed the man and his two young lady companions (nice work if you can get it, eh?).

We headed on up to the stone circle…

Kal dowses his favourite circle

We did some preliminary dowsing and discover that today is a good day to do some work. As usual I spent a lot of my time in my particular 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 found that I could do some meditation to find out more about which direction I should take my research into spirits and death energies. Kal indicated that he would be working with his favourite tree but instead of it being him healing the tree, this time the tree would be involved in healing him! Most mysterious, and I hope he posts as to what that was about.

I lit some incense and began to prepare to do some meditation, but the group of three arrived interrupting this wok before it got started. We got talking – the girls attracted to the nimble toned physique of Kal (he wishes), whilst the middle-aged gentleman was lumbered with me. I soon identified from his terminology that he was a pagan of some variety and so I mentioned druidry and he responded positively. This was followed by a lengthy account of the Scottish sites we had both visited – he telling me about the wonders of the Orkney Isles, and me responding with my limited repertoire. He recommends that I visit during the Midwinter Solstice. A lovely idea, but it’s a long journey, even from the North of England. One day.

Meanwhile Kal was offering the girls some of his newly re-acquired crystals. Moments later one of the ladies (did I say girls? I was being a gentleman) came over asking her male friend to identify the crystal. He almost said “Lapis lazuli” and I helped him to recall its name, but Kal interjected – “It’s a blue sodalite.” The lady almost fell backwards exclaiming, “That was the crystal that Chinese healer told me I needed to heal my throat.”

For Kal this was a meaningful coincidence – getting the crystals this day, then the lady picking the perfect one out. It was certainly fortuitous.

Our unexpected guests

Kal did some energy healing work with the nearby tree (this time it healed him) and I finished my meditation at my usual stone in the circle. Then I picked up my staff, which I had propped up in one of the stone’s long grooves) and I went to stand in the “unusual” stone’s aura. Which is the unusual stone? Well, it’s the one that we initially picked up bad vibes from, and which seems to have a strong connection to Robin Hood’s Stride – the nearby sandstone ridge. This particular stone is also a funny shape, being wider at the top than at the base. Standing there I got a mental picture of bright aquamarine or topaz – a sort of phosphorescent bright green with just a hint of blue. I tried to meditate again, this time asking whether there was anything else I should be working on – the answer was “Merlin”.

As I stood by the unusual stone I was quivering with energy and asked Kal to dowse me. He found that the energy I was receiving was a new form of energy! We haven’t yet found out what that is or what it might be for. I went back to my 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 sealed the energy in like a battery storing it for later use.

Charging my staff

Now we headed off to nearby Doll Tor. Luckily now we are familiar with how to get to and park at these places. Kal was wittering on about how marvellous he felt and singing a single note of awe at regular intervals. I advise him he should stop before he got a staff rammed down his throat! What the hedge druid gives with one hand, he takes with the other. Balance, see?

Gwas.

Introduction

I had been looking forward to Beltane for a while. The promise of warmer, longer days to work in plus the chance to get back to some of the best ancient sites in Derbyshire had been whetting my appetite for a few weeks, making all else seem like filling in time until the Big Day. For us, we had worked out that Beltane was happening at the full moon on the 27th and 28th April. This is, of course, different from the ‘new traditional’ concept that Beltane is the 3rd May. Some say the 1sy May – May Day. Others maintain that due to the calendar shift caused by Pope Gregory XIII that the actual date is 23rd April.  You see how confusing this all is?

Our reasoning was simple – we timed the change from the third eighth of the year to the fourth as being when the full moon’s energies signalled a phase change, not on an arbitrary and disputed calendar date. After all, for us the interesting change was a change in subtle energies, so why not connect it to a major factor in the strength of those energies, namely The Moon?

Off we ventured with the intention of visiting as many sites as we could within one day. On our list were Arbor Low, Nine Stones Close, Doll Tor, and possibly Nine Ladies if we had time. Oh, we had time! Arbor Low, Nine Stones, The Andle Stone and Doll Tor will all be covered in this first post.

In part two of this set of posts I will describe our experiences at Nine Ladies, but also The Bullstones and The Bridestones which were also added to the list. We worked efficiently and effectively on this auspicious day and here’s the beginning of my account of our work and our findings.

1. Arbor Low and Ringham Low

The purpose we had set out with for this first site was to check our recent information about the movement of the ‘spirit of place’, 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. (henceforth – ‘GL’). Kal had found at Penmaenmawr and subsequent places that the GL enters an energised sacred site like a stone circle through an arc of neutral energy – like a fashioned gap or portal into the dome of energy covering the site. The same was true of the exit too – there was an arcing neutral energy that formed a kind of doorway.

Our intention was to verify whether the neutral arc I had found on my recent visit to Arbor Low was in fact an entrance or exit point for the GL. Here is what we found:-

• 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. travels along a neutral North-South 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. that connects to other distant sacred sites
• It enters the site at the place I identified last visit
• The exit is directly opposite, at the northern-most point of the stone circle
• The path of the GL oscillated more strongly as it approached the embankment of the site
• The path circles around the position where a standing stone would once had been placed on the earthwork (now all missing)

Satisfied with these findings we headed off to a site I had spotted marked on an OS map as being near to Arbor Low. This site as called Ringham Low, but when we got to the place where it was marked on the map, there was no sign of it. We walked the field for a while then got dowsing rods out. We found a circle thirty feet wide on the slightly sloping ground, and wondered what might once have been here. Then we moved on. More interesting work was due next at Nine Stones Close.

2. Nine Stones Close

Our second site was up on Harthill Moor, and was a site we were both very familiar with – our old friend Nine Stones Close. My intended purpose for visiting this site was to try to establish my wider purpose for the fourth eight-part of the year – the time between Beltane and Summer Solstice. We always have a little chuckle about what people might think when they encounter “Nine Stones”, with its four standing stones. Do they think it might once have had nine? It didn’t. Possibly five, but never nine.

Dull weather at Nine Stones Close

Despite the passing human traffic, ramblers and school outings everywhere, I was able to meditate quite deeply at Nine Stones, and to get a lot of dowsing done too. As a precaution, remembering the warning that I had been given by the Llangernyw Yew tree, I put up some energetic protection around myself. According to Kal that did its job, because a passing inquisitive person thought twice about approaching and came nowhere near whilst I has meditating. Just lucky, I guess.

Here’s what I found out:-

• I identified the purpose of the time between Beltane and the Summer Solstice
• The purpose of this time of the year is to learn how to diffract, dissociate and extract the different frequencies that my energy field can generate. Then to learn how to bring those frequencies together again to form a pure white energy form.
• I found that my meditation visualisations have changed from streams of fire to those of water – streams, fountains and geysers.

That purpose seemed like a natural extension of the research I had done for the previous eighth part of the year, which had been to learn how to work with neutral energy. I have yet to discover whether there is something about the energies of this time of the year that promotes or encourages that kind of work – this I will try to discover in the next few weeks.

From Nine Stones we headed towards the imposing gritstone structure that is named Robin Hood’s Stride.

3. Robin Hood’s Stride

There was not much to do at Robin Hood’s Stride. The huge outcrop of gritstone is impressive against the surrounding skyline of rolling hills and tree-studded fields, and something made us both want to go and pay it a visit. The one time we had felt like that previously we had found respective power centres, but that had been such a long time ago (in our minds) that we had forgotten where those were. We decided to re-dowse them to see if we could verify the original findings and to see whether that would jog our memories.

Minutes later Kal had found his centre in a small sheltered cave-like formation on the side of the Stride, whereas I was being directed into a crevice. I looked up the crevice to see that there was some kind of hit-like formation of rock slabs above me. Seems like I would have to climb up. I remembered from the last time that I had had to do that to find my 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., so I hoped I could find it again, now that the rods had led me to this spot directly underneath this unusual slab formation fifteen feet above my head.

Once on top I followed the rods until they crossed and circled around inside a square box of a rock shelter. Inside I felt cushioned from the cold winds of early Spring and my voice resonated within the stone chamber as I called forlornly to my now absent friend below. As usual Kal had gone a-wandering. There was a beaten and chewed stick that some dog must have deposited within the chamber which kept attracting my attention. I picked it up and started to bounce it off the walls and floor of the chamber like a drumstick. For several minutes I beat out strange rhythms that seemed inspired by the sound of the wind on the walls of the chamber, but which were immensely pleasing. This was the place I had found the last time too.

Here’s a link to a YouTube video showing you Robin Hood’s Stride.

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Stanton Moor and Eagle Tor, Derbyshire, February 27th, 2010.

Our little adventure in the Derby shire hills began on the first day of the Full Moon. Both Kal and I had felt its influence the previous night – for me it meant a sleepless night and a tight head. I love the Moon but it makes me pay for being so sensitive to it! Apart from the Moon we were astrologically unaware of what was around in the sky. All we were aware of was that  it was a Saturday, there was a full moon today, and we had an intention to awaken the energies of an ancient site.

Muck and Pandemonium

A brisk walk up the hill past Robin Hood’s Stride brought us into sight of the four remaining stones that still form Nine Stones Close. There never were nine stones, by the way. We got asked that by some passers-by. There were five, maybe as many as seven. I am sure that there is a stone missing on one side (opposite from the tree), but the tree side was very difficult to determine – the rods were “hazy” on that, which is a most unusual and disconcerting response. I think the word “Nine” is a corruption of an older word relating to “Noon”, or the high point of the sun. Given our findings at the site this day, it may well represent the low point of the sun too. But we’ll come to that soon enough.

When we arrived the first thing I noticed was that the field has been spread with manure – the stones were covered with it! Nice. And we had already struggled through patches of mud to get there too. Roll on Spring and Summer, I say! Terra firma is required, and some warmer longer days too, please!

A misty day

The first thing I did, after waiting for truckloads of schoolchildren to traipse through, was to go through some of my dowsing checklist. I think of it as a kind of warm-up exercise now (almost literally this cold misty day), as well as feeding into the Sacred Sites section of this site (eventually). Here are my findings for this day:-

• The site is energised by the position of the Sun at particular times of the year, for example Summer Solstice.
• The site was energised by the peaks of the Moon too, so was nearing a maximum again on this day.
• The site has an energetic 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 Saturn – which signifies transformation.
• There is no 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. at this site – it is devoid of external spiritual activity

Looks like we had times our visit right going there at midday on a full moon, but what of Saturn? On my return I decided to see what significance Saturn had. I started by looking at the celestial events around that time. Notice, from the quote below, that Saturn is making itself prominent in the sky on March 1st,

Sunday, February 28

 Full Moon (exact at 11:38 a.m. today EST).  

Monday, March 1 This evening Saturn shines left of the great big rising Moon, which is just past full and just past perigee. By dawn Tuesday morning they’ve shifted way over to the west-southwest, and Saturn has turned to the Moon’s upper right.

The exact wording about the position of various bodies is not what struck me. What made me jump was that we had spent the weekend discovering that Nine Stones Close was being influenced by Saturn, and here was Saturn about to loom large in the environs of The Moon at its peak. Energetically, I felt this was significant, influential even.

Preparations for Pan

So I look around and Kal is jigging about beneath his favourite oak tree. He invites me to record him on his phone doing this, so to humour him I do so. Right. Er…is that normal? I enquire as to his state of mind. “I feel the urge to dance. This site is invigorated by dancing energy.” he states. Of course it is, I think to myself, of course it is. And continue with some preparations for my real purpose at this site today – to awaken the site’s energies. This has been the theme of the Imbolc to Spring Equinox period – to awaken the energies of the sites through human intention.

My preparations involve placing my ash staff in its proper place to focus and collect the energy generated, and for me to place four sticks of incense at appropriate power centres on the inside of each of the four remaining stones. There are more power centres at this site (six – which leads me to think there were originally six stones) – but the other two centres are not required for this awakening. Then I place my hand over four of the cup-marks in the Key Stone (as I’m calling the cup-marked stone).

Kal looks over at me as I break off from this ritual declaring it complete and says to me simply, “Pan!” We make a connection between the dancing, the Trickster god so beloved of Kal and the return of Nature spirits to the newly awakened site. Interesting! I dowse to see what this means and come up with the idea that a Nature spirit, a Pan (not THE Pan – they are multitudinous) is preparing to return to the site. We wonder when this will occur but don’t dowse for a date – it doesn’t seem appropriate to do so.

Kal ignores tricky questions concerning his certifiable behaviour

Saturn, Pan and the Solstices

As if by magic, Saturn appeared! What I mean is, having dowsed for the energetic influence of Saturn I researched the associations. Pan is associated with Saturn because Pan is the name we have given to one of Saturn’s moons. OK, interesting coincidence, but what did it mean for Nine Stones Close? We had prepared the way for a Nature Spirit (Pan) to return to the site. There was once a 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.at Nine Stones Close but it left over a thousand years ago because no-one believed in it any more. When I say “believed in it”, I think I mean, “maintained its presence energetically” – a process of feeding human energy into the site through intention in order to attract and retain the presence of a Nature Spirit. This is a more intense relationship that “worship” which can be done without any knowledge or interaction with The Other (the Nature Spirit) – more intense because it involves purposefully giving energy to maintain the correct ambiance.

Saturn, in mythology, is the god of agriculture and vegetation. Well, here we were in a field, recently manured, expecting the return of vegetation and in the midst of agriculture (surrounded by farmland). Nine Stones Close is particularly linked to agriculture, as it stands in a currently worked field. Not a stunning link, but a link. Saturn is also associated with the astrological sign Capricorn, and thus the Winter Solstice. My dowsing results showed that the position of the Sun was significant to the energies of the site, so I could see how the Winter Solstice position would be a significant time. Oddly, when I dowsed for an astrological symbol, I couldn’t find one. I don’t know why.

Stones covered in cow crap

The final piece of interesting information was dowsing for a sigil. Despite the fact that I knew there wasn’t a 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.here (yet) I asked whether I could dowse for the sigil that used to be here representing that spirit. The answer, fortunately, was YES, I could. So I asked for the best location to do that and was directed to an area right next to my 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.. The shape that emerged was this double spiral shape, also called the Cornu spiral:

The sun sigil, or Cornu spiral

I have seen this spiral before – it is the double-headed spiral that is engraved on the entrance stone at Newgrange in the Boyne Valley in Ireland, and many other megalithic sites too; some well beyond these isles. According to one researcher, this double spiral represents the pattern that is traced by the path of the Sun as it moves across the heavens in relation to our Earth. It is a kind of universal pattern that emerges out of the patterns of Nature herself. It is Pan’s symbol.

Newgrange entrance stone showing double-headed spiral

Having prepared the way for the return of a Nature Spirit we left for the next site in high spirits. We had only intended a fleeting visit to Nine Stones Close, but again it had delivered a mystical and profound experience. Next, to a new site for us – Doll Tor stone circle on the hill opposite Robin Hood’s Stride.

Gwas.

There have been many wild and fantastic suggestions and theories about the coming of the group known enigmatically as The Shining Ones. Some “theorists” have said that they were so called because they gave off an unearthly light, or that they were extra-terrestrial visitors who came down to give knowledge to the human race to move them out of savagery and into civilisation, and that they established the concept of kingship because the savages they encountered viewed them as gods from another world. Maybe this was actually what the people believed, but we can never know this from archaeology or any written source. Instead, their influence is only fleetingly spoken of, and the last remaining scant written evidence is from the Irish myths of the Tuatha De Danaan.

This group of people are known by many names: The Shining Ones, The Tuatha De Danaan, The Annunaki, The Great White Brotherhood, or The Ascended Masters. Of course, each of those who is a devotee of these subjects will argue that they are subtly different, but the idea of ancient hidden knowledge being carried through to our own time is the essence of each of those designated groups, irrespective of their supposed sources or incarnations.

My quest has been to get back beyond the time of the Druids to the source of the megalithic structures, or certainly the inspiration for their design. To do this the only tool I have available is dowsing – no amount of scholarly research is going to reveal anything that isn’t utterly without a duality of meaning and a massive degree of interpretation. Besides – we simply do not have any written knowledge from those times, and I am talking about before 3000 B.C.E.

I am interested in understanding stone circles and other megalithic structures – how they work who made them, why they were made, and for what purposes they were built. The only method I have available is a blend of gnosis, intuition, and the application of rationality after a collection of knowledge has been obtained.

It may strike you as a completely illegitimate and unreliable means to recreate this lost knowledge, but the tool of dowsing is capable of allowing us to tune into the flow of the universal consciousness and retrieve knowledge. Using these tools I have re-constructed the following pieces of knowledge concerning this shadowy group known to us as The Shining Ones. Take from it what you wish – discard anything you do not trust, or cannot verify for yourself. Dismiss anything you don’t instinctively apprehend as having a high probability of being true. How can you tell? You can’t – it’s all guesswork, but over the years I have developed a sense of trust in my dowsing responses, and that’s all I can offer in terms of validation.

After having established a degree of trust in my dowsing work with whatever the source of this knowledge might be, I felt it was time to try to work out who the Shining Ones might be, or at least to try to get some pointers on their influence in the process of megalith building. So Kal and I visited the Nine Stones Close circle, as it seemed to have the right kind of character to acquire knowledge from.

Information source!

Here is what I found out after having “unlocked” the power centres at Nine Stones Close stone circle, and then dowsed about the Shining Ones:

1. Shining Ones were human, they lived before Druids, and there are none around today
2. Although they discovered the way to harness the properties of the earth, they did so not for its worship, but for the benefits they could extract from doing so. They supplied the knowledge of how to build the megalithic structures – the template, the basic mathematics, the sacred geometry, the planetary alignments – but they used the cover story of worship in order to motivate the populous to help them to build these structures.
3. They installed the concept of kingship in human society
4. The Druid Orders, then The Knights Templar, and finally the Freemasons were the inheritors and protectors of their secrets. This is against Nature, as no knowledge should be denied to those who may comprehend it. Those who cannot understand will be shielded from it, if not its consequence.
5. Our paths are not their paths, although there may be many crossing points. We can learn their lore, but we should not follow their teachings.
6. The Shining Ones understood the workings of Nature.
7. These people were influential from the period of 5500 bce up until 150 bce. The Druids came after them and inherited much of their knowledge and status.
8. They were not in any way connected with extra-terrestrial beings- they were learned human beings who received their knowledge from Nature through processes of Gnosis and meditation and the use of their megalithic structures to induce connectivity and trance.

The Matthews categorise any being within the Otherworld as being “Shining Ones”. Does that take the shine off their special status? Not if we examine the myths surrounding the appearance of this group of people – in these myths their status is exemplary: they are the bringers of truth, wisdom, knowledge, law, and skills. All of these are brought to the uncivilised groups living in the northern hemisphere spanning from Ireland across the Celtic landscape and into the Indes.

That is about it for the information we have about them. As one might expect from a time when written records were minimal, and considering all of the great literary losses our race has endured over the centuries (e.g. The Library of Alexandria), coupled with the sense that the written medium was only beginning to be introduced when this supposed race of people appeared, then we are unlikely to be able to verify any of this with factual material. What we are left with is more questions than answers. I only hope that through my dowsing work I can at least begin to scratch the surface of the intentions and origins of these historically and mythologically important people.

References to Shining Ones:

Excerpts from The Book of Leinster about the Tuatha De Danaan

Books:-

1. “The Shining Ones” – by Christian and Barbara Joy O’Brien [buy]
2. “The Ancient and Shining Ones” – by Deanna J. Conway [buy]
3. “The Shining Ones: The World’s Most Powerful Secret Society” – by Philip Gardiner [buy or view in Google Books]

Videos:-

• Learning from History – Part 1 [link]

Links:-

• A typically vague description provide here.

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Gwas.

Section 8 – SITE VISIT LIST for 2009

The penultimate post is a reminder of the sites we have visited this past year. The sites are ordered from North to South.

• Callenais I, II and III, Dun Carloway Broch, The Truiseil Stone and other sites on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland [Callenais I, Callenais II, Callenais III, Truiseil Stone]
• The Eassie Stone, Glamis Castle, St.Fergus’ Well, The Fowlis Wester cross, Lundin Farm circle, and Monzie circle in Scotland [Eassie Stone, Glamis Castle, Fergus' Well, Fowlis Wester cross; Monzie Circle; Lundin Farm]
• Castlerigg circle, Long Meg and Her Daughters circle, Little Meg circles, Mayburgh Henge, Oddendale, Kalmott ring cairn, Gamelands circle in Cumbria [Mayburgh, Kalmott, Oddendale & Gamelands; Long Meg; Little Meg; Castlerigg]
• Pendle Hill in Lancashire [Pendle Hill]
• Arbow Low, Nine Ladies stone circle, and Nine Stones Close circle in Derbyshire [Arbor Low 1, Arbor Low 2, Nine Ladies, Nine Stones Close]
• Alderley Edge, Delamere Forest, Frodsham Caves and The Bridestones in Cheshire [Alderley Edge, Delamere 1, Delamere 2, Bridestones]
• Bryn Celli Ddu, The Soar Stone, the Bryngwyn Stones and Lligwy Chamber on Anglesey [Bryn Celli Ddu 1; Bryn Celli Ddu 2]
• Cerrig Pryffaid, Dyserth, Moel-Ty-Uchaf, Penbedw Park, Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfall, Dinas Emrys, Snowdon, and Penmaenmawr Druid’s Circle, Rhosesmor, Hawarden and Conwy Falls in North Wales [Dyserth, Moel-Ty-Uchaf, Pistyll Rhaeadr, Dinas Emrys, Druid's Circle, Rhosesmor]
• Golden Grove and St.Elmo’s Summer House in Mid-Wales [St.Elmo's & Golden Grove]
• Llangernyw village, Lake Vyrnwy and Bala Lake in Wales [Llangernyw 1, Llangernyw 2, Llangernyw 3]
• Mitchell’s Fold and The Hoarstones circle in Shropshire [Mitchell's Fold & Hoarstones]
• The Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.
• Waylands Smithy, Uffington Chalk Horse, and The Rollright Stones in Oxfordshire [Wayland's Smithy, Uffington, Rollrights 1, Rollrights 2]
• Alton Barnes White Horse, Winter Hill, Windmill Hill, Silbury Hill, West Kennett, and Avebury in Wiltshire [Alton Barnes, Silbury Hill, West Kennett 1, West Kennett 2, Avebury]
• Crop Circles at Knighton Hill, Alton Barnes, Silbury Hill and others in Wiltshire [Knighton Hill, other crop circles]
• Stanton Drew stone circle, Barrowbridge Mump and Glastonbury in Somerset [Stanton Drew, Glastonbury]
• Carnac, Locmarquier, Créhen, Lampouy, Ile Grande, Merlin’s Tomb, Mont St.Michel, Champs Dolent and St.Uzek stones in Brittany, France [Merlin's Tomb, Lampouy, Créhen, Carnac 1, Carnac 2, Carnac 3, Champ Dolent, Mont St.Michel, Ile Grande]

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Gwas.