The Hedge Druid

Posts Tagged ‘shade’

Last month I visited one of Manchester’s north-eastern satellite towns called Shaw.I went on a whim, and had map-dowsed the place I should go to, only to find that it had family connections – my grandparents had lives there. I remember visiting my grandmother in Shaw, but my grandfather had died before I was born, so I never knew him except via a photograph. When I got there I was directed to go and meet with the 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). of my grandfather. He told me that he had a special message for me, and that I would need to return just before Samhain in order to obtain the information.

I waited eagerly until close to the fated time and then began to get twitchy – when would the day be best to do this? I dowsed it out and found that Wednesday 26th October would be the ideal date, and then the energy associated with this task would wane very quickly. Only one slight snag with that date – I was due to attend a day’s course in London for work and I couldn’t do otherwise!

By Wednesday evening I had almost given up hope of making it back from London in a reasonable time. Traffic was terrible, the weather was bad, and I had missed my motorway junction right at the start adding half an hour to my journey time. Several hours later I was in two minds as to whether to go, given that I only got back home at 9pm. Nevetheless I went, travelling an hour north past Manchester to reach the hills above Shaw. Call it dedication. Call it madness. Call it a calling. I made the journey in the darkness and dampness.

Having recce’d the site before everything was straightforward, even though it was dark this time. I knew where to park, how to get to the hill, and what kind of path to expect. Even though it was new moon and there was no moonlight the hill was oddly lit. Maybe it was the ambient lighting of the towns in the valley below?

The dowsing rods led me to the same place as last time to communicate – a small semi-circular recess slightly back from the edge of the sheer drop into nothingness at the edge of the Besom Hill‘s sheer edge. Oh yes, “Besom Hill”. as in “besom broomstick” associated with witches. On Halloween. I know. Again – I was completely ignorant of this until I came to write this post up and view the place on an OS map. Really! This is just how these things happen.

I crassly asked for a physical sign of my grandfather’s presence. This was responded to by a distant boom, like a loud firework going off or a thunderclap. I took this to be fireworks because Bonfire Night was only a week or so away, and I tried again. Same thing. I asked for one more time. Same happened again. I asked for something more local to happen, and nothing happened. I can’t be sure what happened really, whether I was repsonded to or not, but the dowsing rods confirmed the presence of a spirit that responded as my grandfather.

I put some crystals around me to enhance my protection and focus the spirit. We communicated, and after a few minutes I began to see images and hear my voice talking about ancestors. It was talking about gathering the energy of my ancestors and accumulating that energy to enhance my own personal power – not in an egotistical way, more as a means to increase my abilities. My grandfather’s spirit suggested strongly that I should begin a task of going around finding and collecting any remaining family ancestor energiesA term I have used to describe the subtle energy imprints left at a particular place of power (a power centre, perhaps) by our ancestors - those family connections from whom we are descended and have a genetic link to..

I asked if it was the same thing to obtain the energy of a spirit such as the one I had obtained co-operation from at Clun Castle. The answer was NO. This was different. Then I was shown a picture of ancient people going into megalithic sites to go through a ritual to commune and merge with their ancestors’ spirits. I asked if I could do the same. I felt something sit with me in the same place as I was, and then it began to merge with me so that I was seeing through its eyes, which were my eyes, because it was also seeing through me. I felt the energy form become one with me and I shivered a little, even though I was warm.

I dowsed as to what had just happened. My grandfather’s energy had entered into my own energy form. I had been protected against other spirits doing this, and had only allowed the spirit of my grandfather to do this, so I was happy that I had got the right energy form. I set off back home and got diverted back a junction again on the M62 motorway. Really, someone or something was trying to make this as difficult as possible for me! I was tired enough already from nine hours of driving that day!

When I got home I dowsed if any change had occurred to me – YES, my spiritual and magickal power had increased. I don’t know what this means yet, or how I could measure it, or what the consequences might be, but it was an interesting experience. Time will tell if it was beneficial! In terms of collecting my ancestor spirits – one down and several to go?

Gwas.

In the final part of my Autumn Equinox posts from the island of Anglesey I talk about my visit to the wonderful and mysterious mound of Bryn Celli Ddu with my psychic friend Mike. As you might expect given the company I was in this was a different experience than my usual dowsing visits, and I was also able to find out what the next final part of my healing quest would entail for the next few weeks.

Bryn Celli Ddu

We walked the gravelly path to the ancient mound buoyed by expectation. Our visit to Barclodiad Y Gawres had been disappointing, but now the sun was trying to break through the cloud cover, and the wind was easing back from its incessant howl. Of course, as always happens, we passed some visitors heading away from the site as we approached. This is such a busy place!

As we walked down the path I again “noticed” the moss-covered stone at the corner of the final approach path. As we walked round the corner I saw my old friend the ash tree – one of the tree guardians of the site. I paid my respects and passed the time of day without expecting a response. Mike, however, got rejected when he tried a similar approach. I giggled a little at this – this is exactly how Kal started out when he first approached trees – with an expectation of instant friendship. I knew that the road was much longer and tougher to travel than many people expect when it comes to talking to trees.

We began our approach and I mentioned how “spooky” the hawthorn-lined path could be at night. Even in the day it is a little intimidating. Mike said that he felt we were being watched. I stopped and tried to sense the presence too. Oh yes! Now that I turned my 360-degree attention to the entity I could sense there was something watching our progress, and it wasn’ t the tree. Hmm…I made a mental note.

The entrance to Bryn Celli Ddu chamber

Now we rounded the final corner and opened to gate to the site. it was Mike’s first visit and he drew an appropriately large intake of air in a huge gasp of appreciation.

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A few weeks ago I was back at Woodhenge as part of my travels from Arbor Low to Christchurch. I was busy tracing the line through a barrow which I later found out was called “Ratfyn Barrow” locally, and which was positioned on a hill just south of Durrington and west of Bulford. Woodhenge’s location was a pleasant place to stop off and look around with the dowsing rods again, and also to look at why I had never gone to look at Durrington Walls which is right next to Woodhenge! 

From pillar to post - Woodhenge timber circle in concrete form

I stopped off at Woodhenge in order to have some lunch, like most of the other people who were there it seems, but unlike them I actually went into circles of concrete posts (they mark the original positions of the timber structure).  There were several cars parked at the car park next to the site when I arrived but no-one seemed to be visiting the place. Later, when one couple of girls appeared at the site they lasted, oh…twenty seconds? Long enough to walk from one end to the other, read a sign, and then leave. OK, maybe a minute, but no more! As Kal and I have said many times, what are you expecting to find unless you are prepared to spend time tuning into the place? I expect many people imagine some information board is going to reveal all the site’s secrets instantly, and perhaps they are disappointed by most sacred ancient sites when they don’t actually reveal much to the casual visitor? I often feel like shouting out, “Buy some dowsing rods!!” but it’s a pointless rant.

I had the place to myself to dowse and I began by asking a question that Kal had sent me by text message (ah, techno-pagan that I am!).

1. Were there any of the shades there that he had brought with him from Barnstaple recently? There were – only three though, and I knew that he had brought many more than that, so where were the others?
2. Were these shades nearby? No.
3. Had they departed of their own accord? Yes.
4. Had they followed a 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.? No. I stopped for a moment to think about other possible  methods of egress….
5. Had they attached themselves to visitors, perhaps? YES. All of them? No, some had dissipated due to the energies of the site, and the work Kal had done by burying one of this crystals. This had seen 25% of them shades being grounded and released, but the rest had attached themselves to visitors!
6. Were they doing any harm to these people? No.
7. Were they having a beneficial effect upon their hosts? YES.

Shades and shadows at Woodhenge

I asked if I could release the three remaining shades and got a positive response. With the help of the dowsing rods I visited the site of each of the shades in turn and then, once I had felt its presence, I called upon some spirit guides that I use for this purpose and they helped me to remove the shades safely and for their benefit. None were too reluctant to go, it seemed, which was comforting (I don’t know why, but I guess it makes me feel like it was the right thing to do if they wanted to go anyway).

On the way out I dowsed a ritual path that would retain all of the energies that I had collected, or rather, would prevent me from losing energy. Blooper alert - watch me heading in a sun-aligned direction at first and then correcting it for moon-aligned folk (such as myself). If I wasn’t filming it I would have giggled. Here is the result:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHWxwZMoC7o

Gwas.

In this post I will attempt to define my current understanding of the ghost, the 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 the spirit. Before I begin to do that let me say that although both Kal and I have read considerable amounts on these subjects, and though we are energetically-aware, the world of ghosts, shades and spirits has been a topic that we have stayed well away from. We both have had good reason for this, and yet, I have recently been led back into a set of tasks that will place me directly on such a path where meetings with such energies cannot be avoided. Such is the path of the druid who learns his skills without shirking his responsibilities. My aim is complete knowledge of my path, and thankfully I have been expertly guided to and through these processes by my mental and physical teachers. Without their guidance, without the dowsing, I would not be attempting this at all.

DEFINITION OF A GHOST

In my experience ghosts are known by several names and pahrases, each of which is entirely synonymous and interchangeable. These are:-

1. Ghost
2. Apparition

For a plain definition of this phenomenon I turn to Linda Williamson, a plain-speaking medium, author of several books on the subject, who defines a ghost like this:

“If a person has experienced intense emotion such as pain, suffering or fear in a particular place, some fragment of their energy may linger there. It can remain for many years, even for centuries, imprinted into the very bricks and stones of a building. This fragment of energy has no consciousness and cannot interact with the living. It is just the empty shell of the person, like a suit of clothing the wearer has long since discarded. The peron’s spirit, their real essence, has passed on into the spirit world.The fragment that is left behind is a ghost.” (Source: “Ghosts and Earth-Bound Spirits” by Linda Williamson)

This is a simple explanation, and has several things that need developing further, but it is a neat starting point because it introduces some concepts about these energies – they remain for a time, they are remnant energies, they have no intelligence, and they are often linked to a particular place. We will develop and explain each of these concepts momentarily.

Some questions arise out of this definition. Why are emotions imprinted? Why do some emotional imprints fade only slowly whereas others fade very quickly? How interactive are these ghosts, and how can they communicate? Why are their energies linked to a specific place? Good questions. Here is my current theory, developed largely in conjunction with Kal.

EMOTIONAL IMPRINTING
When strong emotion of any sort is given off by a living being it has the ability to merge into and be absorbed by surrounding materials. The stronger the emotion, the wider and deeper is the energetic “bow wave” or “explosion” of that emotional impulse. Usually, the earth, the air, fire and water will all diffuse and dilute these emotions transmitting them away from the source like the resonance of a shout heard on a hilltop. The more genuine emotion is involved in the outburst of energy then the stronger that energy is. If that emotional state is prolonged or strong then there is more energy flowing into the surroundings. In open land this will easilyand quickly dissipate, but in enclosed spaces the energy gets reflected and absorbed by the surrounding material, like a wall would absorb dampness. Water is a very apt metaphor for this effect. If a bucket of water is thrown at a brick wall every day (symbolising a large outburst of energy regularly) then soon the wall will become damp inside as it absorbs the moisture. If a tap drips onto a wall slowly over a long period of time it may have similar effects, eventually causing the wall to crumble with the amount of moisture it has absorbed. In this way emotion seeps into static absorbant material.

THE LONGEVITY OF ENERGY
Emotional imprints will fade and dissipate if they are not fed by an energy source. If a man pours his misery into a particular room for a day then leaves that room never to return, how long will the energetic imprint last? Not long – hours only, maybe days. The factor that makes emotional inprints remain for longer is that the emotional is imprinted upon a source of earth energy. This is one of the many reasons why ancient burial structures are sited near to other megalithic structures such as stone circles. Whereas stone circles were areas for activity of the living, dolmens and mounds were the areas afforded to the energies of the dead. These structures were situated on top of earth energy centres where the earth’s own energy rises up at a poit of weakness in the underlying geological strata. Whether it be a chalk aquifier, two seams of permeable and impremeable rock meeting, fractured seams, or igneous rock with a high crystal content, all of these areas of natural geology gave rise to the deliberate siting of ceremonial and burial sites.

Ancient centres or sites of megaliths are just oen example. All over the world there are places created by either geology or by natural energies from rocks, trees or water that have become places of natural earth energy and power. Another commonly-used example is the siting of large houses, stately homes or halls upon ley lines. Where two ley lines cross there is a natural vortex produced that acts in exactly the same way as a natural earth energy centre in that it is a “sticky spot” where emotional energy can become fixed and empowered, ensuring a longevity that it would not otherwise have if allowed to dissipate naturally.

INTERACTIVITY OF GHOSTS
Some mediums consider that ghosts are like two-dimensional imprints and they cannot or should not be interacted with. I have found in my own personal experience that they are primarily dumb. Watching a ghost is like watching a video of a partcular set of sequences from a person’s life. Some ghosts do not move much at all, whereas others follow a pattern acted out in life. ghosts should therefore not be feared because they can do nothing to harm you having no malice or intent in themselves, only the emotion that they were imprinted with.
For sentitive people, people who are aware of these ghosts, then those people can unwittingly perpetuate a ghost. Standing in the same place as a ghost will lead the sensitive person to mimic or attune to the emotion that is imprinted. If the sensitivie person then gives out the same frequency of energy they can unwittingly feed the energy form, and thus perpetuate it. If you walk into a dark corner and feel fear because fear is imprinted there then the fear will take longer to dissipate because you have just fed more of the same energy into it.

SHADES or EARTH-BOUND SPIRITS

DEFINITION OF 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).

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). (also called an earth-bound spirit) is a human energy form that is much more interactive than a ghost. 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). has a sentient intelligence and a range of emotions, even if the expression of those can often seem more or less refined than our own. Kal calls these forms “Energetic shrouds”, a term derived in part from the work of the mystic and priest C.W.Leadbeater.

Shades can range all the way from mischievous and disruptive spirits (sometimes labelled poltergeists) through to lost souls and other forms of confused or disorientated and trapped forms, and on up to figures of renown and importance whose veneration remains in our psyche. Some people, who refuse to believe that sentient forms can remain in existence, believe that such entities are merely thought-forms conjured upon conception. That’s a real “If a tree falls in a forest...” conundrum. Do things only exist if we give them attention?

Shades gain energy from the sun and moon, and from living human energy fields (particularly the aura). Often they will try to keep a living human talking if he has made contact with them in order to drain his energy unwittingly in order to prolong their own existence. In this sense they could be called ‘psychic vampires’.

SUSTENANCE OF SHADES

In order to remain present on the Earth shades seem to need recognition, in whatever form. This could be the adoration of a following who remember them, the esteem they have been accorded in history, or as a fond memory that is frequently remembered perhaps via a celebration or a particular date to trigger a regular remembrance. I call this requirement “renown” – shades require the energy of renown to remain. Shades are maintained, therefore, from the energy of love and gratitude in all its forms.

Another attractor is a place on the earth which has some natural or unnatural 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.. At sacred sites, whatever their form but particularly burial mounds, natural 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. is often being captures and enhanced by the positioning of sacred stone sites over geological fault lines and other areas of surface weakness. Sites that have a predominantly crystalline geology are particularly effective at generating and corralling this earth energy.

If a human has imprinted emotive energy at a place (due to a moment of high emotion) then that energy can become imprinted into the fabric of the place, absorbed into the rock or the soil of a place. How long this energy lasts is a matter of whether the place has any of the geological characteristics mentioned above, but the mere fact of an emotive imprint is often enough to attract shades, who seem to be able to make use of that energy to sustain themselves – like re-charging a battery through osmosis.

PSYCHIC VAMPIRES

Shades have one final ‘food source’ – us. We give off emotive energy quite often and the more emotionally unstable or extreme a person is the more likely they will attract the attentions of 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).. People who have psychic talents, I have noticed, are particularly prone to being preyed upon by shades, and I suspect this is because they are often unaware of the state of their aura. Controlled use of psychic energies is unpredictable to the 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)., but if a psychic person has an aura that is leaking energy then this can become an habitual food source for shades, who will attach themselves to the damaged part of the aura and live off that energy, often draining the host psychically, mentally and physically.

Of course, if the host is completely drained then they fall ill and don’t generate much energy, so the relationship is usually kept at a symbiotic level where both host and 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). are maintaining a constant cycle of rising and falling energy levels (the more extreme the better). I have seen a friend go through this unwittingly, and even when it was pointed out to him, he still continues to act as a host, unwilling to expunge himself of this parasitical entity because it keeps him just below the level where he has enough energy to do something about it. Of course, I have offered to help, and now intend to raise my friend’s energy levels sufficiently that he can rid himself of this pest.

SPIRITS

As mentioned in my prelude post, ‘Body, Aura and Animus’, Spirit is animated by the Animus. Spirit is the literal form of that animus energy, albeit a very diffused form.

In the true sense of the word ‘spirit’ this refers to the essence of the human being that is extant before and after his or her existence in physical form. Some forms of non-human and human spirit can make their presence known to living people, and these come to us in many forms:-

• avatars (messengers),
• spirit guides,
• ascended masters (enlightened humans)
• god forms

Some may appear as archetypes from myth of legend that have become embodiments of a collective human expression of qualities that living humans seek to attain, such as Merlin or King Arthur.

Some spirits, I have learned, regain an interest in humans if they are given a task to complete that involves us. Without the bindings of duty, or the incentive to progress, the temptations of the whole wide inhabited universe must have its appeals. This is mainly speculation, however, because apart from spirit guides I have no information about the motivations and further existences of spirit – it is a world too far removed from experience to describe with any certainty.

Gwas.

Bakewell, Derbyshire – Saturday, 20th November

The air was charged with a sense of the impending arrival of Winter and the festive season. I could smell ice – a talent I have developed since I broke into the world of druidry. Bakewell town was alive with well-wrapped people jostling to see potential presents in the rows of unique shops that the town’s inner sanctum exhibits. Kal and I had just finished our lunch at one of the local cafés, and stopped to admire a tree in the town centre that we had somehow never noticed before – it was a bare ash tree adorned with coloured lights, and making many people stop to admire it.

I wanted to do some work with spirits and decided that Bakewell Church, with its ancient Celtic cross, seemed like an appropriate place. We walked away from the throng and up towards the hill upon which the church was perched like a gothic gargoyle overseeing the business of the town below.

Bakewell Church at a jaunty angle

Overlooked by several tall townhouses we nevertheless had the place almost to ourselves. By now we were used to working in the glare of the public spotlight, so we were unfazed by curious onlookers as they passed through the churchyard starting at us and our obvious tourism. How times have changed! Only a year ago this would have been very uncomfortable, and we would have had to do this work in the late evening or even at night. Now, we were unabashed.

We investigated the cross with our trusty copper L-rods, but it had been enclosed in iron and now had no energy left at all. It had once been strongly energetic, we reckoned, but this had been completely banished by the imprisoning iron cage. All that was left was inert decorated stone, but pleasingly decorated with swirls and animal carvings that we knew to be symbolic in many instances of the subtle earth energy flows. In this instance, however, it felt out of time and place, and I longed to have seen it in its original position, uncaged, possibly acting as an acupuncture point to mark and manipulate the earth energy beneath it.

A cross that looks strangely out of place

Releasing the Old Lady

We turned our attentions to other work. Kal identified 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). which he found to be at one end of a bench near to the stone cross. He then wandered off to find other work to do (kicking his feet out at the spot where he had found the 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). in mock repugnance to ward off its clinging draining tendencies). Ah, the simple life of a sidekick – in every sense!

When I asked which 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). I should work with the rods led me to that same 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).. (For a definition of 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)., please see our Glossary page). I prepared to do some work along the lines of what I had been reading by various spirit rescue workers. Firstly I put up a lot of protection and lit some incense surreptitiously underneath the bench. The gentle aroma of Nag Champa drifted lazily up into the cool afternoon air making some passers-by sniff curiously as they wandered past.

Despite the cold chill in the air I found it relatively easy to slip into a light trance after a few minutes of quiet meditation. I have mentioned my meditation technique in previous posts (also available in audio format as the first podcast ‘Natural MagickThis is a system of belief that is often defined as being the appropriation and re-use of naturally occurring forces for the purposes of healing, transformation, communication, or a host of other subtle effects. The natural elements of the magick can also be seen by the under-pinning concept that the use of these forces should be co-operative rather than coercive. Ritual‘ – see Podcast page). It has varied slightly since I first developed it, but whichever element feels most important I try that, and then see what works 0n any given day. Today I connected to The Sun and The Moon, and with The Earth. A stalwart visualisation that usually works in all situations. Once grounded in the earth and centred in a bubble around myself I set up some hardened protection for my ‘shell of light’. I brought in some light blue energy because I felt that was most protective in this instance. My energetic sphere reacted accordingly, solidifying against unwanted energies permeating my space.

I turned my attention to the 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). beside me on the bench. I tried to let the image of whoever it was appear in my mind and soon I was seeing an old lady with short white hair, kind of trendy looking, in a long knitted dress with grey and black hoops stretching all the way down to her black boots. She looked thoroughly modern, and a little vacant, distant, unattentive – world-weary, almost.

I reached out my energy to mentally tap her on the shoulder. I asked her if she knew she was dead and she said she did, but that she was staying because she thought her family still needed her. I understand that asking such a question is bad form, now, so I won’t do that again. Lessons learned every day, and I’m new to this work.

I asked her if she was really needed here, and whether she ought not to move on now. She agreed that things had changed since she first decided to stay, and now she would be happy to go. I offered to help and she shrugged, which I took to be a non-committal sign that she would be prepared to leave if I assisted. I intended to, if only because I needed the practise with a mild-mannered 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). such as this before I would even contemplate anything more intense. I realise this was a semi-selfish act, in that I was primarily practising my art, with her release as a secondary effect of this. Such is life and death – I will atempt to rectify this in future, because I am essentially good at heart.

A gloom-laden Bakewell Church

I tried to imagine a light for her, and to generate some love and compassion but it wasn’t my day – neither felt like they were being generated. Something wasn’t right – I was doing something wrong. I snapped out of trance and picked up my dowsing rods – I needed some help here! (Serves me right for being selfish, huh?) I dowsed if some crystals would help me, and the rods swung quickly to say ‘yes’. The dowsing rods indicated my single rose coral crystal would be the most useful. Of course! This was the crystal that the lady in the folly tower crystal shop in Ryde on the Isle of Wight had said would be the most useful for my work when I needed my heart. And here was just such a need.

I placed the coral crystal against my heart, filled it with love, and then placed the crystal on the seat where the 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). was hovering. This time when I imagined light there was a huge phosphorescence in one corner of my eyes towards which I could feel the 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). moving. I implored my spirit guide to assist with the release. In a blinding flash and dissolution of the light I knew that the sending had been completed. The dowsing rods confirmed this.

I was pleased to have possibly been of some help, but I was more pleased that I had found a good method for doing this work involving the coral crystal – this seemed to fulfill the prophecy that the crystal shop lady had made, and that closed off at least one long loop of coincidence. Now I felt ready for more of this work, and more confident about having a method to do it.

Gwas.

It was the finest day of a long series of fine days that were typifying the last of the lingering end of year sun. We were loathe to call this Autumn when it felt like Summer. The sun was shining, the air was warm, the ground was dry, and there wasn’t a hint of wind. We set sail for Derbyshire in the mid-afternoon, heading for Arbor Low. Surely, if any day, today was the perfect day to avoid getting blown over, dying of hypothermia or being flooded out? Surely, today was the day to have a pleasant experience at Arbor Low?

I had no set agenda when we arrived at the small lay-by near to the farmhouse (that is actually a guesthouse too!). I was here merely to bask in the rays of the evening sun and to marvel at the fact that it was pleasant to be here for once. As often happens when I head out on such journeys to sacred sites my expected peacefulness was shattered by a small amount of dowsing that I did. You know, sometimes you should just leave things be! No, I’m glad I did it because I got to meditate in the evening sunset and found out some useful information, and picked up a new skill into the bargain.

Entrance into the Otherworld

The Spirit of Arbor Low

I had entered the site asking to find the current location of the Spirit of Place. I was taken around the trench that rings the site in the shadow of the raised embankment. When I stopped I was standing at the left-hand edge of the southern entrance. I felt a little shudder, which is how I know that I am in the presence of an energetic form. I then asked to be shown the path that the spirit had taken, from the current moment back to midnight. I began to follow a path that curved around one of the many recumbent stones that formed the inner circle of Arbor Low’s henge, and then into a tight spiral that turned anti-clockwise.

I reversed the path so that I was now following the chronological sequence. I unwound the spiral, travelling clockwise as I traced the spirit’s path through the dark hours of the night and into the morning. At the position that represented dawn the path straightened, and then began to turn anti-clockwise as the “day” unfolded beneath my rods. This was the inverse path of one that I had dowsed for another Spirit of Place at Moel-Ty-Uchaf, which had followed what I assumed was a convention of being clockwise in the day and anti-clockwise at night. Clearly, such assumptions are fallacious, yet the principle remains that the Spirit of Place traces a double spiral pattern on its journey around the site during the course of a day.

The Spirit of Place's path over a day

I stood once more in the place where the spirit was currently located and tried to commune with it. As I entered into a trance state  I asked, “What can I learn about my forthcoming task of meeting the spirit of Merlin?“. A feeling came through that made itself resolve into a notion that I could learn about invisibility here at Arbor Low, that this was a place where learning was easy, and in fact the site was designed for this purpose. I came back out of trance, thanking the spirit and began to dowse again, “Take me to a place where I can learn about invisibility.” I asked of them. They led me to a slight dip in the ground near to the central stones.

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“It was a dark and stormy night”…actually, it was. For a reason that remains a mystery to this day Kal and I had decided to go out that evening on a mission without a purpose. That purpose took us out on a sunny and calm evening heading deep across the North Wales coastline heading for The Druid’s Circle near Penmaenmawr.

Rather than walk up the full length of the path I was determined to make the fullest use of the car’s four-wheel drive system. Big mistake. If you visit Druid’s Circle from the Penmaenmawr side, I strongly urge you to park at the two sandstone columns and go no further unless you own a Jeep or a Land Rover – the ruts and holes will kill your suspension!

Somehow we gingerly forced the car to climb the steep rutted path until we reached a flat bit and I let out the breath I had been holding for five minutes. As we stepped out of the car, relieved, we stepped into a Force Eight gale! The wind was picking up quickly, and we hurried to get properly attired (well, I did anyway).

Light fades over the Druid's Circle at Penmaenmawr

It was still light although dusk wasn’t far away. We stomped off along the now familiar right-hand path round to the top of the hill above Penmaenmawr. Twenty minutes of fighting with the wind and we were in sight of the stone circle as the light faded quickly. When we arrived we laughed – how were we supposed to dowse in this wind??!! Madness. Yet, when we tried, attempting to locate the best place to sit and meditate, the rods turned – against and into a gale!! Dowsing works, folks. It just does.

The dowsing rods led each of us to one of the stones in the south-western end of the circle and we hunkered down behind them. As I sat I noticed that the wind noise abated substantially. It felt like I was in the one place where I might be able to meditate in this howling gale!

Druid Diary excerpt for Druid’s Circle: DD-PMM-041010-1

 

I was right – this was an unusual evening in many ways, and it was about to become even more strange as I met with an entity that I had never encountered before.

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