The Hedge Druid

Posts Tagged ‘spirals’

Just a random observation

I have just returned from a relaxing session in whirl pool at the local health suite. Whilst in the water I was pondering (as you do) and watching the water bubble up around me. My attention was caught by one of the jets of water that was shooting vertically upwards.

As I watched the water jet upwards I thought about the energy ‘blind springs’ that Gwas and I have found all over the show (see most of this blog). However in terms of energy we have found such places to exhibit spirals of energy. Looking at the water in the pool there wasn’t a spiral in sight.

This got me experimenting and after a while I was able to produce spiral like formations in the surface of the water. I did this by putting my hands about 8  inches below the water and bringing them together in a kind of clapping formation.

Perhaps this is how energy spirals are formed too, when two streams of energy collide? Also an interesting phenomena for those who want to try it in the pool. If you try that ‘clapping’ exercise underwater you find that because of the water pressure your hand wobbles as it moves through the water. This ‘wobbling’ motion reminded me of how when following energy around a place it seems to wobble too – almost like a gentle zig-zag. Perhaps this is because of energetic pressures similar to those in water?

At the time that I was doing this observation I wasn’t aware of Schauberger’s many years of work on the matter. It seems some paths do lead to the same conclusions.

Kal Malik

Friday 28th May – Newgrange, County Meath

On our second day on the Ireland megalithic tour we were going around the main Boyne Valley sights. It would be rude not to, seeing as we were in the vicinity. It would be interesting to contrast how the Irish valued their sites compared to the English, Welsh and Scottish. That said, I don’t think were were prepared for the…organisation levels that we were about to encounter.

To get to Newgrange from Knowth you have to…er…go past Newgrange, back to the bus terminal near the Visitor Centre and catch the bus back to Newgrange. Of course you do! On arrival we had to wait for the guide to, er…open the small two feet high unlocked gate and to tell us to walk up to the standing stones in front of Newgrange’s famous entrance. The arrangements are all a bit of a faff, but it began to dawn on us that this was necessary to control the number of people at the site and make the experience rewarding for everyone. In the end we capitulated, although Kal still went off and did his own thing whilst I endured the guided tour to get some background on the site first. Later we walked back rather than hurry for the scheduled bus. We wanted time to dowse, of course.

I’m going to recount things out of chronological order now, because I want to relate the interesting stuff together, so bear with me! We found that the constant influx of tourists into the mound was causing a build-up of negative energies. It was only slight, and took a while to accumulate, but was there.

The accretion effect I suspect may be due to the fact that tourists in no way “prepare” themselves for entering such sites. Why would they? Of course they wouldn’t, and yet in my experience this can often be a necessary part of approaching these sacred places – to cleanse oneself of the subtle energies from the places we have visited (or live in) that is like wearing a smelly coat!

We walked around it the ‘correct’ way – clockwise, sunwise. This ancient (and now partly modern) construction  was a chamber whose energies we left were in synchrony with the Sun’s movements primarily. We wondered as to why the main path invited tourists to walk around it in a contrary, widdershins, direction. This was something that we found to be the case at Stonehenge too, Tourists were ‘invited’ to walk around the structure in a way that would neutralise positive energy flows and keep the place feeling…drained. It would take quite a strength of will for a tourist to walk around in the opposite direction to the flow of everyone else. Of course, we did just that! Swim against the stream, young salmon!

One thing we did wonder about was this: if the flow of energies during Spring was clockwise, would it change direction at other times of the year? Perhaps someone who lives closer might be able to tell us that?

As we stood outside the entrance being given the known history of the site both Kal and I were separately thinking about the hidden history of the place. Kal had gone off exploring, and my mind was split between taking in the historical information and feeling for the energy coming from the nearby standing stones. As my eye wandered absently along the line of the stones I saw that there was an alignmentAlignment relates to the concept that humans have their own energy fields that are oriented or formed in a specific way such that the person is either suited better to one energy source of another. Some people have their energy fields empowered by the direct subtle energy force of The Sun, whilst others are empowered by the indirect subtle energy of The Moon. Due to the historical associations and symbolisation of The Sun with masculinity and The Moon with femininity we designate these alignments as either being ‘male’ or ‘female’ alignments accordingly. We interchangeable refer to people as being ‘sun-aligned’ or ‘male-aligned’ and similarly with the female alignment. with nearby tumuli (or mounds) closer to the Boyne River down in the valley floor. Interesting that all these sites are aligned to the path of the Sun, and that they all were built within the bounds of this wide bow bend in the river.

Now it was time for the guided tour of the inside of the Newgrange chamber. We all filed into the chamber, careful not the scratch the artwork, and emerged in the central corbelled chamber. Then Kal appeared again and I could see that he was holding his dowsing rods. He wouldn’t, would he?

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HAMISH MILLER 1927 – 2010 

 Hamish was probably the most publicly-known dowser at the time of his death. He had built a reputation as a tireless educator in the field of dowsing, and there is not a single character in the field who will be able to step into the gap he leaves. His boisterous yet gentle character and permanent smile in the face of what must have been endless questions about the subjects he loved and live were an inspiration to me and I’m sure to many others who will have got the chance to see him dowse, hear his lectures, and learn from his wealth of experience over the last few decades. 

He died on the 25th January this year, aged 82. I had read many of his books (in fact, only a few weeks ago I re-visited is seminal “Definitive Wee Book of Dowsing” for some pointers as to a seminar article  am writing myself and found him, yet again, to be an inspiration to my work. 

His initial inspiration to dowse came from a near-deathexperience (which he talked about every time I saw him). It was to turn his life around in his latter years, after having initially been a blacksmith and businessman. When he turned to dowsing he maintained the blacksmithing, forging his own style of dowsing rods. 

His inspiration 

When I first came across dowsing I was looking for as much information as possible – buying every book I could find, and trying to see how people went about doing dowsing – what issues did they come up against? What was their technique? What kinds of things could they find? Hamish Miller took part in a pilot programme which subsequently did not go to air, but made it to DVD, released as “The Spirit of the Serpent”, and featuring both Hamish and Ba Russell (his long-time partner), and Rupert Soskin and his wife. Oddly, Claire Grogan fronted the programme! A bit incongruous indeed. The team investigated the Merry Maidens stone circle in Cornwall over two days. 

What inspired me about this program was the way in which Hamish visually defined the earth energy spirals he found by placing pegs in the ground at intervals and then looping ribbon around them to visually demarcate the lines. I was inspired by this, and enjoyed listening to his explanations to a bemused Altered Images pop starlet about the way these energies could be discovered. 

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-D2qHKUC0E 

 What he brought to the subject 

For me he introduced me to the concepts of the spiral form of energy and how it could be traced against the background patterns of the criss-crossing Hartmann and Curry grids. His detailed explanation of this fed into my own work on finding the spirals out in the land at so many places around ancient sites. Others may have found this before hand (Underwood or Michell perhaps) but Hamish brought it to life for me.

He also demonstrated concepts such as manifesting energy, in other words, using the power of the mind to ‘bring out’ patterns that already exist within the earth. These manifestations, he showed us, could be chained together from one site to another with increasing complexification occurring downstream. Another practise that I tested myself and found to be somewhat valid (my patterns got increasingly simple!).

 His inspirational books

Hamish might be best remembered for his classic dowsing treatise “The Sun and The Serpent”. A seminal work with Paul Broadhurst (another author whose work I admire). Together they followed the Great 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. Ley Linethat John Michell had identified earlier. This line is an earthenergy line that can be found all the way from Norfolk to the tip of Cornwall. Miller and Broadbent added to this identification by dowsing the male and female “Michael” and “Mary” earth energy lines that moved around this national 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.. Fascinating stuff, and inspiring to a new dowser like myself.

His unique dowsing rods

Hamish was, as I mentioned, a blacksmith. He used his skills to create his own style of dowsing rods. Frankly, I didn’t like or understand them, but that was probably my problem. Hamish certainly made expert use of them, and I could rarely disagree with his findings, although we did differ on the detail, and I was also quite surprised that he never elaborated greatly on his findings in any study paper. But then he was a very practical man, and such things were probably anathema to him.

Hamish's unique and unusual hand-forged rods

Miller – The Teacher

I will remember him best for his practical demonstrations of dowsing, and for his unswerving enthusiasm, even in his later years. I’m so pleased to be able to say that I saw him, learned from him, questioned him, and that he was my inspiration for taking dowsing to even deeper levels. I wish him his peaceful rest.

Gwas Myrddyn

Following on from the Great Man.

In this post I’d like to talk about some of the theories of a man called Viktor Schauberger. I found that I wanted to write a great deal about this man as I sympathised with so many of his views about the way Nature works, and the appalling treatment of Nature by mankind. However, I intend to keep the post limited to those ideas of his that I have found correspond to my own findings through dowsing and druidry. Reading about Viktor’s work with water and centripetal forces will, I am sure, suggest many other interesting areas for me to pursue with the dowsing rods, but for now I wanted to highlight those elements of his theories that I have already found fit with my own thinking about subtle energies.

Viktor Schauberger was responsible for some quite remarkable theories, all of which he derived from his observations of Nature. He was born in Austria in 1885 and died in 1958. He was a “forest master” in the Alps as a young man, and developed a pioneering log flume to transport logs down the steep slopes using the motion and qualities of water that he had discovered. Beyond that, he was co-opted to work for the Nazi government during the war where he developed a flying saucer based on his ideas about centripetal forces, but his prototypes were destroyed on the orders of the German Army, and his papers confiscated by the Allies as the war came to an end.

He was passionate about the idea of replacing the trees that were, and still are, being removed from the environment. He knew that trees gave the necessary 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). to keep the rivers and streams running that supply fresh “living” water to our species. He worked on projects to enliven water through the same processes as he observed in mountain streams, and in such phenomena as tornadoes and water spouts.

He developed new forms of propulsion through his ‘implosion engine’, and developed methods of producing electricity directly from water. In his later years he worked on agricultural projects trying to convert farmers from using iron implements to copper as he knew that iron had a debilitating effect upon the quality of the soil.

To the end Schauberger attempted to ensure that his work would be for the benefit of all, and not to be used for commercial dominance or for military purposes. It is debatable as to how far he was able to do this, as an American consortium cheated him of his patents leaving him a desolate and destitute man.

Yet he leaves a legacy of ideas that, although unable to be implemented in his own time, I hope will begin to see the light of day in our lifetime, or we will inevitably witness the decline of our own species – his ideas were that important. Here’s what Alick Bartholemew, a writer trying to bring Schauberger’s views back into circulation, say of him:

“In the years to come he will be acknowledged as one of the principal guiding spirits of the 21st century and beyond, who brought about a fundamental shift of Copernican proportions in humankind’s appreciation of Nature and natural energies.” (Nexus magazine article)

 Mystical experience

I find a lot of what Schauberger talks about seems very aligned with modern Druidic philosophy. It therefore was not much of a surprise to find that, as with many great thinkers, he found his inspiration from direct contact with Nature’s intelligence. Here’s a quote from the book Hidden Nature (reference at foot of post) that describes a process that is now very familiar to me:-

“As a young man, searching for inspiration in his beloved forest, Viktor was sitting quietly by the bank of a pristine stream when he unexpectedly found that his consciousness entered the water. It connected with an intelligence in the water that spoke to him. It told him what movements it needed to make in order to stay healthy, and under what conditions. It was from this mystical experience that he built up his awareness of how healthy water is essential for the creation and maintenance of all life.”

The above quote shows that many people who go on to study Nature’s workings are initially inspired by a mystical experience, or that such an experience is a great motivator to continue delving deeper into the mysteries. It also demonstrates that when the human mind resonates in sympathy with Nature all sorts of connections can be made revealing knowledge and inspiration. I liken this episode to the many instances where I have achieved the same levels of connection, a prime example being West Kennet Long Barrow, where I was informed about the purpose of and path through each of the chambers within. That was not information that I could have deduced or reasoned for myself – it took ‘divine inspiration’, if you will.

Male and female energies

Nature favours a constant movement between male and female polarities and continuously seeks higher states of complexification. So states Schauberger,but the theory is also similar to statements made by another more modern mystic Terence McKenna when he talks of Nature’s development, or the journey through time towards the Omega point at the end of time that he called The Eschaton. Nature’s energies spin clockwise and anti-clockwise, they expel centrifugally then pull back in centripetally. These movements, these breaths of life, are the heartbeat of the planet, the pulsations that permeate existence. Schauberger warned us that to head for the stagnant middle ground where nothing oscillates, the stable central point, is to head for a monochromatic existence which will deny growth. Instead we thrive most when dancing around that centre point in active spirals and vortices of creativity and destruction, balancing out their forces through the constant movement between their poles.

I see this reflected at ancient sacred sites where energies play in the sun and moonlight, where the spirals and vortices make the dowsing rods twirl in sweeping movements of sacred geometric patterns. In the ambiance of these living energy fields I feel very alive myself, interacting with the earthly and celestial energies, creating my own imaginary energy movements to contribute to the dance. Some sites I have visited no longer have any of this movement. Destroyed circles and ruined barrows often have mere remnants of these forces. Some may still have a neutral 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. going through them, but the female and male energies that once swirled around these ley lines are no longer there. Sometimes we see the hand of modern man in this destruction – stones removed; iron cages and concrete houses erected; streams dammed or diverted; trees chopped down; power lines swooping overhead; transmitter masts atop ancient hills – all these factors nullify and neglect the interplay of natural energies, and dowsing such sites can be a very dull and dispiriting affair.

The Spiral and the Vortex

Whilst reading about Schauberger’s concepts of energy I had another of those spine-tingling moments when I saw the double-vortex shape. That shape was exactly what Kal and I had dowsed at Arbor Low stone circle. We had talked about our lack of drawing talents and whether we could render the shape sufficiently well to include it in a post for all to see. Here was that shape, not only in its conical format, but also shown as a wonderful spherical shape too. It was at that moment that I knew we were speaking the same language – the mathematics that had arisen out of Schauberger’s energy concepts and which was revealed in its sacred geometry was the same three-dimensional shape that we were dowsing at ancient sacred sites all over the country.

The point at which the cones meet is the “earth point” – the point at which the energies touch the earth. This is where we were dowsing the spirals – on top of the earth – but we knew that we were dowsing a two-dimensional pattern that was something that existed in three dimensions as cones of energy rising above and going down into the earth. The favoured shape of energy is the spiral and the vortex – the spiral being centrifugal and male, the vortex being centripetal and female. These are the most natural shapes in existence:

“Spirals are a basic form of motion in Nature, but Schauberger’s recognition of the vortex as the principle creative movement system in the Universe is at the core of his Eco-technology and the key to his valuable implosion research. From the tornado to plant growth, it is nature’s mechanism for transforming energy from one level to another.” (p.33 Hidden Nature)

The spiral is the shape that is aligned to the male energy and which moves outwards from the centre – centrifugally. The vortex is the shape that is aligned to the female energy and it moves inwards towards the centre – centripetally. Here is a comparison of the qualities of those forms of energy:

• Centrifugal energy:  male, sun-powered, disintegrating, decelerating, dissipating, destructive, divergent, loosening, friction-inducing, gravity -> diffused power is noise -> inward to outward
• Centripetal energy: female, moon-powered, consolidating, accelerating, integrating, contracting, convergent, formative, friction-reducing, levity -> concentrated power is silence -> outward to inward.

If these energetic forces are removed from water or the earth, then they become stagnant or infertile. They die. The process that Viktor was describing was the very life force of the planet itself. Notice how that life force is also dependent upon the direct and indirect energies of The Sun and Moon, but also how we, the human race, have a responsibility to maintain its vitality and flow as well. This man was defining scientifically the very essence of what I feel it is to be a druid in the modern world – an energy worker, an ecologist, a student of Nature.

The effect of moonlight and sunlight

One of the things that Schauberger discovered very early on in his studies of the properties of water was the effect that sunlight and moonlight had upon it. The “strength” of water was altered by the effects of sunlight, making it “weaker” and less able to support weight. Conversely, moonlight, especially a full moon, strengthened water. These effects were at the heart of Schauberger’s successful construction of log flumes to transport timber from the higher slopes of the Alpine forests to the timber yards in the valleys below.

When water was cooler and moonlit he could transport heavier logs. Temperature was part of this equation certainly, but there is also something more esoteric at work in this finding. Moonlight was having a centripetal effect upon the water – it became more consolidated, had a greater power of levitation. Sunlight made water ‘disintegrate’, i.e. lose its carbonic qualities, shedding oxygen and ‘weakening’. Callum Coats explains it rather prosaically like this:

“In the spawning season, when the rays of the full Moon strike water with a high content of negative-ions at the right angle, its levitational force intensifies to such an extent that even small stimuli are enough to cause a highly excited trout to float upwards in plunging waterfalls. The effect of gravity on the respective body is therefore a question of the inner constitution of the water, the blood or the sap.

Apart from the movement arising from their healthy composition, the carrying and tractive forces of these vital fluids are also influenced by the Sun and the Moon. For instance, were there no Moon, then the heavy Earth would be unable to float autonomously in the space infused with high concentrations of qualigen surrounding it.” (Callum Coats – The Fertile Earth – 2000)

The moon has always had an effect upon us, whether it be literal or metaphorical. It is been associated with the feminine forces of humanity and the Otherworld of myth since we first recorded such things. It is the symbol of creativity and darkness, and is forever associated with the element of water. It is the oscillating effect of the moon as it travels across our  planet between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer that provides the rhythmic pulse of our ocean tides.  The Sun is seen as the direct life-giver, without whose influence life would not exist at all. It is the prime motivator, feeding the movement of all energies. From it we derive the solar-hero myths of taming 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. (energies) through its counter-balancing effects to the female forces.

Sonic fertilisation

One final point about Schauberger’s work that relates to subtle energies. In his later career he worked with farmers trying to solve some of the problems associated with agriculture. The problems he saw were those of how to maintain the fertility of the land in the most natural way possible, again by copying the processes inherent in Nature. He observed a rural farmer’s ritual of stirring a barrel of water first one way then the other, whilst sprinkling soil into the mix and singing. When the water was revolving clockwise, the old farmer would sing up the scale of notes. When the direction changed he would sing down a scale. The resulting soil, he found, had a much-increased fertility over the soil that had not been through this process. The old farmer then used this mixture to sprinkle over his farmland to promote the fertility of the fields.

In my own findings relating to sound and earth energies I have been able to find a that a sacred stone’s energetic aura is composed of various levels, each of which correspond to a colour – one of the colours of the rainbow it turns out. As one dowses closer to the stone, so one goes through levels or fields of energy that resonate at a vibrational frequency that corresponds to a colour. For example the outer edge will be red, then orange, then yellow and so on until the inner aura field next to the standing stone is violet. When I played a musical scale at the boundary points of each of the colour fields I found that I could get a positive dowsing response to musical notes as I moved up the scale, so the red boundary would dowse for the lowest note, and the violet boundary for the highest note. The sequence passed through three octaves, but I need more examples before I publish this information.

Schauberger was also the inventor of the “Golden Plough”. Ploughshares were usually made of iron, but Schauberger knew the effect that iron had upon the earth energies in the soil and knew that they created an effect that neutralised the soil making it less fertile. He produced a ploughshare that was copper-coated, and also one made of phosphor brass. The shape was also a unique design being a vortex shape that turned the soil but didn’t damage the root systems in the soil. All these elements contributed to increases in the fertility of the land that made use of his unique designs. The idea that iron negates earth energy echoes the work I did investigating whether iron spikes can neutralise earth energy spirals - they can. Kal and I have also find that iron cages around trees prevent the tree’s aura from extending beyond the cage (see the post on the Holy Thorn Tree on Wearyall Hill). At the Rollright Stones, the King Stone is caged and its aura is limited, however earth energies still pass into the through this stone somehow. Clearly we need to do more work to understand this fully.

I hope I have whetted your appetite for doing some more research on this fascinating man and his theories. To assist you here are some videos and links to books about him.

Related videos:-

Nature Was My Teacher

httpv://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4770477589537728517&ei=JFQUS9qxM4e62wL6rpVX&q=nature+was+my+teacher

The Extraordinary Nature of Water

httpv://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8915966819502040048&ei=bVQUS9iTF5zE2wKRybWXCw&q=extraordinary+nature+of+water&view=3

Sacred Living Geometry

httpv://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5643559434275921302&ei=TVQUS8ecNJvE2wLl_OjIBA&q=sacrfed+living+geometry&view=3

Related books:-

“Hidden Nature: The Startling Insights of Viktor Schauberger” – by Alick Bartholemew [buy]

“The Fertile Earth: Nature’s Energies in Agriculture, Soil Fertilisation and Forestry” – bu Callum Coats [buy]

“The Water Wizard: The Extraordinary Properties of Natural Water” – by Callum Coats [buy]

Gwas.

Following the the wet footsteps of the water wizard.

Silbury Hill, Wiltshire – September 2009

It’s time to introduce you all to the concept of Guerrilla Dowsing. It was invented by my colleague Kal on your first visit to Stonehenge. He was a bit miffed by the fact that we had travelled a long way to visit the site and it was all cordoned off. You couldn’t get within two hundred feet of the actual stones, unless you had made a prior arrangement to visit after normal visiting hours. Well, we were only down for the day and hadn’t made such arrangements. Consequently, Kal was all for jumping over the low cable strung around the edge of the site and dowsing until he was forcibly ejected. It was only my protestation that made him reconsider. On reflection I wish I had not said anything. We should have just done it, but I am a bit less gung-ho than Kal when it comes to breaking the rules. That’s a lifetime of English culture bearing down on me, I suppose.

But tonight I was heading across country with two purposes in mind: firstly I wanted to confirm my findings at West Kennet, and secondly, I was just going to climb Silbury Hill and dowse on top of it – to hell with the consequences. And so I did just that, and I’m glad I did. Barbed wire or no barbed wire I wasn’t going to be denied “my heritage”, especially not now that I have found the Way of the Druid. Silbury Hill was made for people like me, by people like me, and is NOT the preserve of some archaeological unit. For some reason English Heritage have not seen fit to re-open the site despite stabilisation work started in 2007 that was due to be completed in Spring 2008. It’s late Summer 2009 and the site remains closed off to the public. For our own safety and the preservation of the site, of course.

It was a very steep slimp up the 51 degree slope. Apparently this angle is the same angle that the Great Pyramid of Giza shares with Silbury. Perhaps the designers conferred before construction, or maybe they got the same guys in to design it? I followed a well-trodden path up the ‘back’ slope away from the lights from passing traffic on the A4. After a few minutes of excited but exhausting climb the slope levelled out briefly before descending into the circular depression that had presumably been repaired. I trod carefully watching out for potholes or sinking chalk, but the ground was stable. Perhaps it would be less stable if we had rains like those of 2002 when the site was closed off?

Moon over Silbury

It was a beautiful night atop the hill and despite the darkness the view was stunning – twinkles of lights in the distance all around and the occasional sweep of car headlights rearing over The Sanctuary and then passing behind me. Above me was the celestial majesty of a curtain of stars laid out all around. Directly above me was The Milky Way, and I haven’t seen it so clearly since I went up onto Moel-Ty-Uchaf stone circle above Llandrillo in North Wales last year. It seemed to me that the centre of the Milky Way was directly above me and craning my head back made me want to sit down to get an easier view. I vouched to do that in a minute or two.

Firstly I soaked up the atmosphere a bit more. A slight breeze was blowing, just enough so that you would know you were on top of a hill, exposed, but ducking down into the hollow immediately engendered an almost complete silence – not a breath of wind was felt. I marvelled at how I could see so clearly and looked up to the east to see a quarter moon bathing the hill in moonlight. I was quite incredible how the hilltop caught the light like I was on stage or something.

Time to dowse, I felt, before I did a bit of meditating. I picked up my dowsing rods and walked to the edge of the hollow area, edging towards the steep slope from which I had come up. From there I asked 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., and was led back to the hollow, but instead of going into it I began to circle around it, widdershins (i.e. anti-clockwise). I traced a path around the edge of the hollow, and then began to spiral inside the hollow ridge. I must have circled around some six or seven times before eventually reaching the spot near to the centre of the hollow – right where I had first sat! I looked around – yes, I had managed to put my bag right on the 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. in the absolute middle of the hollow without realising it (because initially I had no idea how far the hollow extended when I put it down). Another startling coincidence in a long catalogue of such things.

I dowsed to find out which energies were present at this 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 got reactions for male, female AND neutral. So, it would seem that I was situated on 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. linking with other nearby sites (not surprising considering where I was, close to Avebury, The Sanctuary and West Kennet). The combination of male and female energies also meant (to me) that I was on what we call a “white streamA flow of positive energised and healing subtle energy. The white streams usually emanate from a source of good energy such as a holy well, a sacred site, a power centre or a place of worship of good intent. We have found that white stream energy consists primarily of male and female energy combined in a balanced and harmonious blend, such that the two streams “play” with each other, warping and wefting in a dance that invigorates and enlivens everything that comes into contact with it. If a human stands in such a stream then they will feel positive, happy and energised, warm even.” – a very positive energy centre. It certainly felt strong – streams of energy could be felt rising out of it if one quitened down and tuned in keenly to the body’s sensations.

I wanted to dowse one more thing before I stopped – what could the purpose of this hill be? This is a altogether trickier thing to dowse for, and usually involved a combination of educated guessing and listing things that have previously given a response at other sites, as well as some creative questioning. “Proper” dowsers would be abhorred by this, I’m sure. Scientists would wet themselves laughing, but I have found that some sense can be gained if one tries hard enough. The technique I use is to quiten down the mind and allow the genius lociGenius Loci means 'spirit of the place' and refers to the geological/gaian spirit of place. It is transfixed to a place – being an embodiment of the collective intelligence of the place. of the site to speak for itself. Sometimes a response can be heard, or a thought pops into your mind that you wonder where it came from. That’s often a good starting point for investigation and confirmation with the rods. I did this, and the thought arose that the combination of energies at a single point was significant, as was the structure of the mound itself – the shape rising to a pyramidal point suggested the concept of “focus”. I heard myself repeating this word, so began to ask questions about the concept of Silbury being a focal point. Soon enough I hit upon positive responses, and finally I concluded that the best guess I could make with the rods was that it was a central point in the surrounding complex of sites, and the hill shape was constructed to be the focal point for all the energies travelling through it from connected sites. The question of why this should be so is much more difficult to get at and will require further visits, I feel.

A few weeks later I was reading Paul Devereux’s book “Earth Memory”, which talked about Silbury Hill in terms of it being the centre of the Marlborough Downs complex too, AND he displayed a diagram showing 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. connecting Beckhampton, Silbury and West Kennet Long Barrow. Here’s a quote from Chapter 3 -”Being and Seeing” :

“Many people have commented how strange it is that Silbury Hill, a tremendous achievement of Neolithic engineering, should be located in such a low position, tucked away alongside Waden Hill. A superficial, imposing display had clearly not been the intention of its builders. As I looked at the great mound, it suddenly dawned on me that the focus of the Avebury complex was not the henge…but Silbury Hill instead….I suddenly felt as if 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. had whispered in my ear.” (p.75)

I felt completely validated by this! It was a wonderful moment. Until I visited the hill I hadn’t really considered how it fitted into the overall scheme of things because I couldn’t get to it to dowse it and verify things for myself. Now I knew that my idea wasn’t an isolated crazy notion. Someone else shared my madness, even if Devereux would be horrified by the flakiness of the energy dowsing that he seems to despise so. We had got to the same point by similar means – allowing the hill to speak for itself.

Back to the action. After my connection with the spirit of Silbury (however fleeting or superficial that was) I decided to sit back and admire the Milky Way and Moon combination that was hovering in the sky around me. I propped myself up on my backpack and sat looking directly up into the heart of the Milky Way.

After a few minutes I began to drift into the core of the galaxy, my mind travelling further and further into the dark heart of the universe. Then the Milky Way began to slowly churn around, lazily drifting clockwise around me as I ascended into it. This effect got stronger and faster the longer I held my gaze and suddenly I became cautious and awareness of what was happening dawned on me. As it did so I managed to pull myself free by seeing the periphery of my vision again, unfocusing from the centre. I had known I needed to re-engage with the earth because I was beginning to get physical sensations of nausea accompanying the ‘journey’ and it momentarily made me aware of my body again. I knew this sensation – it was dizziness! My eyes tried to hold onto something nearby, but I was spinning as though I had spun around twenty times! I stood up and fell over again immediately. Wow! What the hell…?

I had to roll myself away from the 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. quickly, I knew that. I crawled on my hands and knees to the rim of the sunken area and grabbed onto a clump of vegetation to steady myself. The feeling passed after a few moments anchored to the rim of the hill. I stared at the 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. where I could make out the shape of my bag in the moonlight, trying to take this in. Sitting and letting my mind wander on that 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. had been a trip and a half! Such an upsurge of energy! Now I was in no doubt at all – this place certainly was a focal point for energy and I had been foolish enough to let myself swim in its effects for a few moments, and was nearly swept away!

David Inshaw's 'Silbury Hill on a Starry Night'

This left me in no doubt – Silbury Hill forms a powerful link with other sites, and is a focal point for all three forms of energy (male, female and neutral) to combine with immense force. I felt that I had to reclaim the use of this site for energetic experimentation. It’s incredibly and indescribably strong and full of potential for shamanic uses. I for one will return again another day or night to work with these energies again.

Gwas.

Positioned on a point of power.

We had left Callanish II in a slightly confused state of mind. Callanish III had been lovely, Callanish II the complete opposite. We picked ourselves up and headed for the recommended Carloway Broch – a partially reconstructed shelter that we expected would be like a small stone shelter big enough to possibly fit us both in. Our sense of scale was about to be flabbergasted.

Dun Carloway Broch looked like a small pillar-box hat on a bald man’s head as we approached it from the landward side. The winds had decided to have a contest to see which of the Four Winds could rip our faces off, but still we approached the round stone tower.  As we neared the small entrance portal we were literally stopped in our tracks by the screams of the winds. I crouched and entered. Complete silence! I was startled, my mind thinking that perhaps I had made the wind up or something. I bobbed my head back out for a second only to get an ear-lashing blast that made my hat shift nervously and made my eyes squint. Back in again – pure silence. Amazing!

Both inside now we marvelled at the architecture – half exposed circular staircases that spiralled upwards between two layers of stone. Cavity walls! Around the base were three small square openings. This looked like dowsing territory, so I whipped them out (sounds like a Frankie Howard gag).

I started with one of the square openings. A female line came out and spiralled four or five times into the very centre of the broch. Good start.  Female lines came out of and went into each of the holes, one of them leading out of the entrance door. I dowsed for a male line in the doorway. Yes, there was one which spiralled loosely into the broch and then joined to a mound of irregular stone on the floor inside the broch. This stone had not been cleared or chipped away to make the floor even like the other parts – and it had two parallel lines etched into it. The male line came into the stone and then followed the line and width of these scores in the rock.

Lines on stone in broch show male energy lineThe direction energy takes when moving. It may be straight or curved, in several dimensions and be composed of one or more different types of energies, i.e. negative, positive or neutral. Energy lines can be found at standing stones and ancient sites but are a general feature in all energy fields. location and direction.

I went back to the entrance again. A male and a female line here on either side of the entry. Wat about the middle? I dowsed across to find a neutral line there and followed in straight to the back wall – completely straight. I turned around to see where this line through the doorway pointed…

At a nipple, by the look of it! I got out my compass and checked the 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.. I was facing due North. It struck me that this all fitted into some kind of design principle and aligned with something that I couldn’t determine at this scale. I would check to see if it was connected directly with something further south or north one day soon. I went to sit on the unusual rock, which had a white streamA flow of positive energised and healing subtle energy. The white streams usually emanate from a source of good energy such as a holy well, a sacred site, a power centre or a place of worship of good intent. We have found that white stream energy consists primarily of male and female energy combined in a balanced and harmonious blend, such that the two streams “play” with each other, warping and wefting in a dance that invigorates and enlivens everything that comes into contact with it. If a human stands in such a stream then they will feel positive, happy and energised, warm even. 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. on it. We both did. We smiled.

As we sat there, me stratching my head at the fact that the energies seemed to map themselves along the lines scored in the rock, who should make an appearance? The lone mad cyclist. He looked wild-eyed and inquisitive and we chatted briefly about the splendour of the construction, and his foolhardy choice of a day to be cycling. We retreated to the car to let him absorb the same atmosphere of stillness that we had just enjoyed, sheltering from the elements.

Having heard, however, that Sunday was not a day to be without provisions on an island this far from a corner shop we had sandwiches, and were now seeking out a good place to eat them before continuing our site visits. Dalmore beach (Dail mor) looked promising, so we determined to head for that. We parked up to watch the white horses on the waves tumbling backwards in the high winds then crashing in orchestral union across the expanse of the bay. The birds had grounded themselves and hung around on the beach looking pensive and shifty, out of their element.

M and I spent some time drawing spirals, shapes and names into the pristine expanse of sand, then headed back to the car with a buzzing feeling in our heads and hearts.

We stopped briefly at Na Gearrannan Village – a vision of how people once lived. It was a restored and rebuilt village of thatched longhouses called blackhouses. We spent far too long in the toilets examining the way these buildings were constructed, but luckily we were the only visitors for the duration. Not a tourist day today!

Our last stop that day was the Truiseil Stone – a huge menhir, twenty or so feet high. I dowsed it eagerly finding that the stone was strongly male (not a great surprise). I wondered if it had a wide-ranging energy field, as it was so high. I retreated down the small aimless path to a good distance and began dowsing for its edge. About thirty feet away I got a barrier response and looked down to spot a stone embedded in the path at that point. It extended to the same length on both sides.

There were male lines sinewing fairly directly into the stone along the centre line of the path. Female lines wavering around to touch each edge of the path (skirting along edge of a dip in the path on one side). There was a feeling of immense power when walking into the nemeton field. I asked the rods to find the strongest and most beneficial place for me to stand. I walked around the stone’s base until I stopped at the flat side (facing camera in picture below). Here I felt warm, bubbling with subtle gentle rising energy which felt like an internal bubble bath. I hung around for a while enjoying the experience. Where was the wind? I could see its effects in the grass of the fields around me but couldn’t really hear much of it, and could barely feel it blowing, yet I knew it was still very strong all around me. Strange.

Showing extent of nemeton, from pillar to outlier – 30+ feet.

We had enjoyed a full weekend of interesting, amazing sites and sights. The highland lochs, the pass of Glen Coe, the Argyll & Bute forests, the mountains of Skye and Harris, the Coullins in perfect white shroud, Callanish stone circles aplenty, lone standing stones, ancient stone towers of superb construction, a huge menhir, eagles and deer, bays and beaches. It really had been a treat for the senses and the soul.

Gwas.

Following the northern lights and sights.

Monday 2nd February – Dyserth, North Wales.

In this final part of my account of a visit to the sites around Dyserth village near Rhuddlan I describe what happened when I returned early the next morning after having dowsed various sites the day before. I was keen to find out whether there was any difference in the strength and character of the energies that we had found the day before. This is part of my plan to test each of the four solar and lunar festivals to discover what effect they have upon the energies.

Monday morning I was up and out for 7am. I needed to be at Dyserth for sunrise because my intention was to see how I felt when I tuned into the energy patterns at a known site. That site was going to be St.Bridget’s Church again. The previous night’s snowfall meant I didn’t get to the village until 7:50am – just when the sun should be appearing over the hills at the back of the church. I wondered of there would be a shaft of light slithering to cross the large stained-glass window?

St.Bridget’s Church

It was unsurprising that I was the first pair of footprints in the snow that layered the churchyard. It was an entirely different scene from the previous day. Today it looked like a proper Winter scene, and I hoped I was going to be able to do something useful in the still-freezing air as I took out the copper rods and drank in the atmosphere as I stood next to the tall and wide window at the back of the church building. There was no shaft of light, no St.George’s lance. No St.Michael’s flaming sword to pierce the gloom of dawn. Instead the greyness shifted rapidly through lightening tones until the dawn had almost slipped past unnoticed. A light grey day emerged, threatening snow. But had anything happened to the Male Sun energies? I prepared to test the wide stream of energy coming into the window.

I needed a way of measuring the relative strengths of that band of Male Sun energy, and quickly determined a way of doing it. I stated that the strength of the energy going into the church window the previous day was rated a ’5′ on a scale of ’1′ to ’10′ – one being the weakest the energy could be, and ten being its strongest. I then asked what strength the energies were today and the rods reacted to a rating of ’7′ (half reaction) and ’8′ (stronger reaction). Somewhere in between seven and eight, then. Therefore the energy strength had increased this Imbolc Monday morning since I last dowsed there, only the previous day.

With that established I switched to the yew tree whose nemeton I had traced the day before. I found that the yew tree’s nemeton was consistent with the canopy again, but if I asked to trace just “energy” around the tree I traced a square shaped cross (like a fat plus sign) around the tree that went towards and around particular graves situated next to the tree, but seemed to avoid others. Hence the plus-shape.

Skull and crossbones - a significant grave

So, this seemed to indicate that something’s aura or nemeton is a distinctly different energy formation and extent than that of it’s energy generally. I confirmed that what I had dowsed as just “energy” was in fact its rainbow colour patterns, and I got a positive agreement from the rods. Exactly what Kal and I had found recently at Delamere Forest. Two are at least two distinct ranges of energy fields – the nemeton and the aura of rainbow colours.

Here I was finding that I need to be careful when bandying around terms. An aura consists of rainbow colours that can be affected through the manipulation of coloured energy bands of differing frequencies. A nemeton is a different energy field. How are they different, though? They seem to overlap, so was there anything they had in common? I dowsed for the answer:-

• Are the two energy fields inter-related? – Yes.
• Can a person be healed by changing their rainbow colour field? – Yes.
• Is this healing via the rainbow colour field done by stimulating the chakra points? – Yes.
• Can a person be healed by changing their nemeton? – Yes.
• Is this healing via the nemeton field done by stimulating the chakra points? – No.
• Are a person’s nemeton and their rainbow energies the same energy frequencies? – No.

So, these two fields overlap, but they resonate at different frequencies. The rainbow colour field can be healed via the chakra points, but the nemeton is not healed in that way. I asked some more about the nemeton:-

• Is the nemeton a measure of a living thing’s extent of inter-connectedness? Yes.
• Was it also a measure of that living thing’s energetic influence? Yes.

I had enough to think about. I wanted to get back to some real-world measuring again. I dowsed the Male Sun energy across the window and found that the energy still came into the window at the same width as they day before. Time to move on to the next site now that it was daylight. The Imbolc sunrise had arrived by the back door and slipped in almost unnoticed. Confound our cloudy skies!

Return to Castle Dyserth

The first thing I wanted to test here was the “little castle”, the almost circular small ring cairn in the field before the site of the old castle. This had been a spot that I couldn’t stand on the previous day. Today I found that I could stand on that spot without any adverse effects! I questioned the rods – was I able to do this because it was Imbolc today? Yes. And did that change the nature of the energies through this cairn? Yes. Good stuff!

Next I wanted to dowse the two circles that Kal and I had built on the castle site: Kal’s was created from Male Sun energy, whilst the one I had built had attracted Female Moon energy. It turned out that things has got much more complex than had been in evidence the previous day. Here’s what I found:

• Confirmed female energy emitting from the crack high up, and that male energy was coming out of the massive rockfall stone at the bottom of that slope.
• A female attractor was identified between the rocks, just like Sunday. I found that the mound of stones was acting as a male attractor.
• The trail of Male Sun energy went from the large stone to a small pile of stones nearby (outside the circle). Then to another pile of stones at the back of the circles, on to the large man-made mound of stones, back to a small pile of stones and spiralling into a 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.. A little male energy circuit! One line then came out of this system to join to Kal’s Male Sun circle.
• Likewise for female energy – it went from the crack high up then went to the Female Moon circle, went around the perimeter three times, and then back through the gap between the fallen large stones.

There were many more spirals and interconnections between the two new circles that there were the day before – the whole patterning of paths of energy had linked to the existing source and had developed into a complex circuit of Male Sun spirals, out of which emerged Female Moon paths and spirals, out of which came another male path and spiral – and so on until returning to the source(s).

I spent the rest of the day seeking out and visiting caves, which was very exciting. I get scared by the sense of claustrophobia that such places engender, but they fascinate me. I found some great caves to visit and to meditate in when the weather gets a little warmer. For some reason I didn’t dowse the various caves. I can’t explain why, though, looking back. It seems rather odd. One of those things, I guess.

Gwas

Following Offa’s path