The Hedge Druid

Posts Tagged ‘stars’

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

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

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

26 topics I have been involved in this year:-

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

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

Chakra colours, energy frequencies and healing may be linked

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

c) Astrological links to Venus, Orion’s Belt and Sirius affirmed at almost every site. Also Scorpius, astrological links to Arthur and the Great Bear constellation. The constellations of Serpens, Corvus and Perseus have been especially meaningful to me this year, guiding me along a very meaningful path from one end of an energy leyA straight line of neutral energy linking two or more sacred sites or other energetic centres. This is often confused with Alfred Watkins’ concept of the Ley Line. Strictly speaking a ley line does not necessarily mean a neutral energy line, only a sight alignmentAlignment relates to the concept that humans have their own energy fields that are oriented or formed in a specific way such that the person is either suited better to one energy source of another. Some people have their energy fields empowered by the direct subtle energy force of The Sun, whilst others are empowered by the indirect subtle energy of The Moon. Due to the historical associations and symbolisation of The Sun with masculinity and The Moon with femininity we designate these alignments as either being ‘male’ or ‘female’ alignments accordingly. We interchangeable refer to people as being ‘sun-aligned’ or ‘male-aligned’ and similarly with the female alignment. between notable places, whereas an energy ley is like a radial spoke in a wheel, with energy flowing outwards across the land in a straight line. It has sometimes been found that the energy ley can be diverted from its strict straight path by changes in the landscape or strong attractors that pull it away from its original course. Energy leys may have inter-twining streams of male and female energies weaving along them, as though the energy ley is an attractor, a pathway or a conduit for the male and female energies. to another. [related posts: Serpent at Castlerigg, Arthurian Archetypes of Corvus, The Berth and Death of Scorpius, The Three Stars of Fertility, Absorbing Orion at Lud's Church]

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This year, 2011, I spent Samhain at two places. Not at the same time, obviously. That would be impossible even for a hedge druid who is accustomed to the unusual. I first spent some time with a group of friends in Derbyshire (more about that soon) and then I went with my wife M to Pembrokeshire. In Pembrokeshire we first climbed the hills to visit Arthur’s Grave (see previous post this month) and then I made an unannounced stop off at Pentre Ifan, because I remembered that it was quite close to the route we would take to get back home. Never one to miss an opportunity, I saw this as a chance to discover what the remainder of the year might offer in terms of my healing quest.

As far as I was concerned the visit to Arthur’s Grave an hour earlier had been the culmination of a spiral that had begun at Spring Equinox and had completed this Halloween.  I wasn’t sure, therefore, what I would get out of visiting Pentre Ifan. All I knew was that I felt drawn to it, and that i wanted to see whether its incredible energies would spark any further revelations about my tasks for the year. Perhaps it might confirm that actually all was done and I could rest for the remainder of the year? No more site visits or blog posts, perhaps? All quiet now? Rest and recuperation? Not a chance!

View of Pentre Ifan at Samhain

We stopped at the site information board to take a look at how the archaeologists have reconstructed the mound. Their representation seemed remarkably familiar – it matched the reconstruction done at Tinkinswood in South Wales. Perhaps the neolithic people were all working from a similar template, or perhaps the geometry or the physics of the places simply suggested a natural configuration that was now generally agreed upon amongst The Intelligentsia of our times? I wonder what became of all the rubble that one surrounded the great stones? The site is so clean now. The information sign put the entrance portal at the south. I have previously dowsed the same, so that’s one aspect I agree with.

How Pentre Ifan may have once looked

I re-introduced myself to the site,. seeking the permission of the Spirit of Place before attempting to enter its energetic boundary. Being successful (politeness and respect seem to be viable currency with the spirits that inhabit such places) I began to dowse for the best starting point for me at the site. It was a flat round rock at the eastern edge of the main uprights, and I recognised this as the same stone upon which I had started and energised when I had previously visited the site in the late summer of 2008. That seemed like someone else’s life, and a whole lifespan away, and I found it hard to relate to the person who had stood there only three years ago. Yet it was me. How would the site react to me now, I wondered?

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Kal had just flown back from New York where he had been taking a well-earned break from his work in Devon. I, too, had just got back from my holidays in Northumberland and was eager to get out and about to fulfill the third and final part of my Spring Equinox quest. You may remember that I had been given the promise of some form of change that would take place in me, possibly to promote my ability to grow plants, and that tis had involved me identifying three stars in three constellations that had the right energies for me to use int he process of this transformation. Having done the previous two site visits in one day (Lud’s Church and then Arthur’s Cave) I now had a final destination that was even further afeidl that I wanted to get to – Beddarthur – a sort of stone circle in the far reaches of Pembrokeshire.

Sunday 29th May began with spots of rain and dark cloud making the whole sky grey and uninviting. I had just decided to make the journey to the Preseli Mountains in Pembrokeshire when I looked at my phone to check for messages. There was one from Kal, which was a surprise because he had been unusually silent for the last week or so since I got back from Paris. I was about to send out a search party when I noticed the text message and read it. “What are you doing today? Wanna meet up? Usual place?” Aha! So, he was alive, and was around too. I texted him back – “I’m going out – wanna join me on a quest?” How could he resist? He didn’t. We agreed to meet an hour later which gave me time to get everything prepared.

When it came to leave I drove off with Kal eager to tell me his tales of New York. We hadn’t got far when I realised I had forgotten two very vital ingredients – my staff and my wallet! About turn! Kal revealed that such things were a major part of his two weeks in New York too. He had done plenty of going back over his trail in his adventures, but I’ll let him tell you all about that in his own time. For now, let’s continue with the story of the stone circle in Pembrokeshire. The journey was tediously slow. I have noticed this about this particular task. It seems that there is a particular timing to be achieved and the universal forces at work are ensuring that my timing is correct by placing barriers in my way such that I arrive at the correct time. On my other day out to the other connected sites in Derbyshire and Monmounthshire I encountered the same thing – really slow traffic getting in front of me at every turn, impeding my progress. So much so that on the first day out I could only do two of the sites in stead of all three in one day, which was my original intention. I felt that this was all designed for a reason yet still it was very difficult to live with.Driving for four hours at 40mph becomes quite a cross to bear when you are eager to get things done. Nevertheless, it seems that this slowing down of progress was necessary – you will see why timing becomes important when I mention the energy of the constellation Perseus.

The constellation of Perseus - The Hero

We arrived and began to walk up the hill. After a few minutes I stopped – I had forgotten something! The small hand-worn stone that I had collected from Le Jardin Des Tuileries in Paris during a psychic moment had been left in the car, even though I had got it out and shown it to Kal, and then left it in a prominent position, ready to be taken out once we parked up. How could I have forgotten it? I had to go back down the hill and retrieve it from the car. Yet again I had to retrace my steps. I blamed the episode on Kal. Clearly, his strange energies were creating this phenomenon, I joked.

We arrived at the summit of Carn Sian and caught sight of our destination marker – a gathering of angled bluestone rocks called Carn Bica that were the place where several paths came together on the way to Carn Menyn. Carn Menyn is the mountain from which the bluestones that were transported to Stonehenge came from. That particular summit was not our destination today – today I only had eyes from finding the small stone circles known as Beddarthur. As we sat on the angular rock outcrop overlooking Carn Menyn I spotted the stone circle just below us in the saddle between the two mountain peaks of Carn Sian and Carn Menyn. We descended the short distance and prowled around the outside of the circle warily, looking for an energetic entrance and assessing the circle. The first thing to notice was that it was not a circle! It was much more of a lozenge shape, an oval flattened at either end and with almost straight sides that only curved slightly at the ends. The stones at each end were embedded rather than prominent, giving the feeling of entrance points, and each of the standing stones that made the circle was angled inwards. The whole structure looked like a human rib cage rather than any stone circle we had seen before.

Beddarthur - looking like a rib cage

I entered by feeling for a space in the energy field. I asked permission to enter from the guardian spirit and felt like I was able, nay pulled, to enter. Straight away Kal took my dowsing rods and began to look for the best place for him to be. I already knew where my perfect spot was, 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 I walked towards it and bumped into Kal as the rods in his hands circled on exactly the same spot. We laughed. Looks like we would be fighting for the best place! Someone had also found it to be an energetic centre because they had left a hand-sized chunk of quartz that was striated with layers of the local bluestone too. Interesting. For now I left if there. There was no time for playing about here – I had work to do and it would be a difficult and involved task, I felt, so I had better get on with it. This was the culmination of three sites and their energies, and I had not a clue how to proceed to make this whole energetic transformation work. The pressure was building.

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Sunday 29th May – Dowth, Boyne Valley, County Meath.

Dowth (“The Place of Darkness”) is the lesser-visited site of the three famous megalithic structures in the Boyne Valley complex. It is less visited because there is no convenient bus taking tourists to the site, and instead intrepid visitors have to walk the mile or so from the bus terminus, or a mile and a half from the Knowth site, in order to reach it. Luckily for us this late May day was about as beautiful and sunny as May days get, and so we walked along the blooming hawthorn-lined lanes in utter delight. Some days it pays to be a (would-be) druid.

When we arrived at Dowth we had the place to ourselves with the exception of a solitary photographer who busied himself with setting up some arty shots. We read the information board (always amusing, sometimes useful) and then looked at each other. We felt there was something we should do before going in – but what was it? We decided to wait. We didn’t know what for – perhaps just to let our blood cool from the walk, or to become totally attuned to the ambiance of the site before we entered. We weren’t sure. But we waited for ten minutes, then entered.

Information created by archaeologists

The site exuded a sense of spirituality from the outset. As soon as I entered I got my dowsing rods out and asked them to lead me to the place that I was best attuned to, my power centreA place where a person of a particular alignmentAlignment relates to the concept that humans have their own energy fields that are oriented or formed in a specific way such that the person is either suited better to one energy source of another. Some people have their energy fields empowered by the direct subtle energy force of The Sun, whilst others are empowered by the indirect subtle energy of The Moon. Due to the historical associations and symbolisation of The Sun with masculinity and The Moon with femininity we designate these alignments as either being ‘male’ or ‘female’ alignments accordingly. We interchangeable refer to people as being ‘sun-aligned’ or ‘male-aligned’ and similarly with the female alignment. (see ‘AlignmentAlignment relates to the concept that humans have their own energy fields that are oriented or formed in a specific way such that the person is either suited better to one energy source of another. Some people have their energy fields empowered by the direct subtle energy force of The Sun, whilst others are empowered by the indirect subtle energy of The Moon. Due to the historical associations and symbolisation of The Sun with masculinity and The Moon with femininity we designate these alignments as either being ‘male’ or ‘female’ alignments accordingly. We interchangeable refer to people as being ‘sun-aligned’ or ‘male-aligned’ and similarly with the female alignment.’) feels particularly comfortable and empowered. The place is an energetic centre where a particularly beneficial combination and formation of energies is formed into a pattern that is harmonic with the person for whom it can be called a power centre., taking me by a “ritual path”, as I called it. My intention, the thought I had in mind, was of the path around Glastonbury Tor – the labyrinthine path that I would soon take again at the Summer Solstice. Eventually, after much to-ing and fro-ing around the edges of the mound I was led into the centre to a spot where someone had had a fire, somewhere near the centre of the hollow that formed a giant hole in the middle of the mound. Kal calls this form of perambulation in trance a “walking meditation” and says that groups he works with do them quite frequently.I wouldn’t know anything about that – I did it because it felt right to do. At the burnt spot the energy spiralled indicating 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.. It was here that I meditated on my throat chakra. I wanted to clear myself and energise at the same time, with special attention to my throat chakra.

Fire pit power centre at Dowth

Then, like at the entrance to this unusual site, I got the oddest feeling. I felt that I couldn’t progress until I had recited a poem that recounted all my efforts to this point – a kind of announcement as to why I was here. Was I not in a land of poets? Was this not the land where the Blarney Stone is kissed for its gift of eloquence? And so I began to recite some dodgy rhymes, somewhat self-consciously even though there was no-one else around except Kal and he was over the other side of the hill. I told the spirit of the hill all about the other places I had visited to work on various chakras, and what the result of each encounter had been. As soon as I completed my poem I felt a wave of relief (release) and I picked up my dowsing roads again to see where I should go to next in order to work on my throat chakra. I felt like I had opened a doorway into an opportunity, and now was the time to step across this Mercurial threshold.

Kal's vision quest on Dowth

I began to follow a single dowsing road as it led me around the curve of the hollow and back to a new 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 rocky scar in the hillside similar to one that I knew from my many visits to Gop Hill in North Wales. I went there and lay down to ‘doze’, to get myself into an attuned and trance-like state of mind, a receptive mind state, if you will. As I entered a light trance state and became comfortable with the hill I heard and fleetingly saw a familiar figure – it was The Lady. The same lady that I had encountered at Gop Hill (this was something I felt, rather than positively identified). In my half-sleep I was able to ask questions of the Lady of the Hill. My questions were answered by the reaction of the sunlight – if it went behind a cloud then the answer was negative in nature, and vice versa. The strength of the heat or cold indicated the strength of the answer.

Some of the information simply formed in my mind, or bubbled up from somewhere, and then I tested its validity using the clouds. This sounds stupidly un-scientific, I know, yet it was utterly consistent. I could ask test questions which had simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers and the clouds would react accordingly and immediately, uncannily so. Those test questions provided the assurance that this was some form of divination allowing me to interact with this powerful yet elusive Lady figure. This was not the first time I had encountered this kind of divination opportunity, and I recognised it for what it was, and wasn’t about to squander it.

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This is a short and simple post explaining the sources of four of the types of subtle energyA form of energy that has so far eluded scientific definition. It is neither electric, magenetic, nor electro-magnetic, so far as our current technical equipment can measure. It does, however, exhibit many of the characteristics of magnetism and electricity in terms of its effects and properties. It may be a form of either or both of those energies that we have not yet identified. that can be dowsed.

1. Male Radiant - from the radiant energies of The Sun
2. Male Earth - from the action of primal underground water over rock
3. Female Radiant – from the reflection of the energy from The Sun on The Moon, the Planets, and from other Stars (in descending order of strength)
4. Female Earth - from living or dying organic material (animals and plants)

There is an additional energy, which we call “Neutral“, and we will spend more time this year uncovering the properties and qualities of this particular energy, because we feel we don’t yet know enough about it to write authoritatively or from deep experience. Stay tuned for that post coming later this year.

In subsequent posts I will also discuss the ways in which some of these energies can combine to produce subtle energies with different qualities.

Gwas.

Section 2. Dowsing and Earth Energies

A lot of work was done by Kal in particular this year relating to the modification of energy centres within houses. Some people call this “house dowsing” or “healing sick houses”. It relates to a concept called “geopathic stress”, but we have found that this “stress” has more causes than simply a water course running under the house. There was a fantastic checklist produced by a British Society of Dowsers member in the December issue of the group’s quarterly magazine ‘Dowsing Today’, which lists these causes, and I will post more on that soon, because I think the information bears repeating and distributing.

I was lucky enough to spend a day at Carnac in France this summer. It was a most glorious day and highly productive, but I absolutely must go back to spend longer there. I feel there is more to be learned still from this massive and impressive site. Other interesting sites this year include: Druid’s Circle above Penmaenmawr; also Nine Stones Close and Nine Ladies stone circles in Derbyshire. I will publish a full list of sites as one of the summary posts in this series.

Here are some of things we learned about dowsing and earth energies this year:-

2-1. House dowsing:

• We can dowse houses accurately, either locally or remotely
• We can either send and receive energy to specific points in the house, providing the house has not been “sealed off” and permission is given
• We can modify the energy formations on site
• Crystals can be used to repair this energetic state, and to change unhelpful or misaligned energies into helpful and aligned ones
• Plants can be asked to contribute to this
• The beneficial effects take some time – depending on how far the energy has to convert from harmful to beneficial, this can take from hours to weeks to achieve. Also dependent upon the amount of new positive input into the formation(s).
• The Moon or Sun can also contribute to the energetic change, acting as a catalyst for the change, and also providing either male or female energetic input.

2-2. Flat recumbent stones attract female energy (moon), whilst pointed stones attract male energy (sun). We don’t yet know which elements of a site attract star or planetary energies, but we know they are present at sites, especially stone circles.

2-3. Kal found that certain geologically faulted locations with water running through them can pin energy to a place.

2-4. Ironwork and iconography (in the case of stones in Brittany I found that it was Christian crosses) can restrain the energy of a standing stone, reducing its aura (field of effect).

2-5. Earth energy spirals are created from sacred geometrical principles and number. Even manifestations created by us have the same properties. Of particular significance has been the discovery that stone circles are based upon sacred geometry in their design. For exmaple, Moel-Ty-Uchaf stone circle in North Wales is based upon a pentacle,or five-sided shape. I have found that this is linked to specific “deities”, but more importantly, that these deities are actually one of the planets. The pentacle therefore is associated with Venus, which itself describes a five-sided geometrical figure around the earth in its annual travel.

2-6. Power centres are the central point of two cones of energy- one going up into the air, the other going down into the ground. Also confirmed by Viktor Schauberger’s research.

2-7. Avenues or rows of standing stones have male and female energies intertwining, and travelling the length of the line of a stone rows of standing stones.

2-8. Tumuli can provide a terminus pointfor energy to sink back into the earth. As an example, I found this double mound pictured below was a terminus point for the energy running through the Kermario avenues of standing stones at Carnac in France.

2-9. Cup-marked stones often provide a rising point, a focal point or source of earth energies entering into sacred sites. Some standing stones that are cup-marked are a map of the energy power centres nearby.

2-10. “Hand spread” patterns of energy fields can be dowsed on the side of circles where energy is being dispersed out of the area. They indicate areas of high fertility energy.

2-11. Many neutral 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. leys travel the length and breadth of lands, and have accumulated sacred sites and churches along them. I suggest this is similar to the geometirc patterns that many dowsers and researchers have discovered overlaying the British Isles, and some say, the whole of Earth (cf. John Michell)

2-12. “Martin”, “Margaret” and “Anne” are other synonyms for the male and female energy lines surrounding national leylines, as well as the better-known “Michael” and “Mary” energies. This year I traced what I call The St.Martin Line running from South-West England through France and into Italy.

These findings should be viewed in the context of the complementary section coming soon on our findings at Ancient Sites. I hope next year to concentrate on water dowsing, or rather, dowsing the energetic properties of water, sap and blood. Next in the series – Part 3 – I will be summarising our findings relating to tree energies, elemental spirits and death energy.

Gwas.

The complexities of life often catch me by surprise. The mix is so varied, meaningful and relevant that it is difficult to describe where a particular chapter (of your life) begins. For me it seems quite common that the web of life interweaves multiple phenomena, experience and whatever was left over from last night’s cooking into the mix to create a new day that seems unique and individual and yet if one takes but a single thread and follows it (down the rabbit hole) it leads to truly unexpected and to what I original thought of as unrelated phenomena.

Humbling is a word that begs for deeper meaning when I traverse such tunnels of thought and speculation. I am not going to enter the debate of intelligent design, god, gods or indeed evolution. I am certain of one thing, if you think you know anything (and I mean anything) think again!

Today, being the third day in the trinity (for me) of Samhain, the festival of fire (see Gwas’s post here) traditionally marks the end of harvesting and the beginning of a period quietude and reflection. Alas, as is my wont I am going to have to differ somewhat with the traditional view of this dividing day. This leap of (semi) rationality can be forgiven I hope since we (most of us) do not reside in the world of harvesting (fantastic though it may have seemed a hundred years ago) technology has given us the ability to have any harvested product at any time of the year.

A new interpretation of Samhain may be that it is a period of flux (I love that word). A time that can be utilised by any who have the means, belief, understanding and (the essential ingredient) desire or intent.

For me (please note that ‘for me’ bit) Samhain festival was divided into three components. You may ask, why three? I can only answer that it was a mix of intuition and divine (by this I mean divination using the rods) answers. So it was an event(s) that encompassed three days Saturday 31st, Sunday 1st and Monday 2nd. Furthermore – an indication of each days activities was that it would follow the pattern of:

1. Preparation
2. Transformation
3. Confirmation

The promise (or result) was that should I not mess it up (the divine indication was that it was highly likely that I would – cheers!) Anyway the promise was of invisible blocks to be released and pathways cleared of obstructions.

A strange promise to honest, because at this present time in my life I am feeling that anything and everything is possible. Indeed and therein lies (or rather lay) the rub!

Spirit

Gwas and I had planned to be out together on Sunday and so I was left in the preparation phase to my own devices. Now, very recently my dear mum passed away, and whether it is real or a method of comforting myself (what does it matter which?) I have been in commune with her of and on as the days have waned into weeks and months. Strange it seems to me that such energetic commune seems more effective and solid(?) when at her graveside.

As an aside, you must realise that my belief in life after death wanders from believing to not believing constantly – this paradox doesn’t really bother me – in fact it’s refreshing.

Prior to my visiting my mum’s graveside I had no notions of the above trinity or anything else on the matter of Samhain.  However whilst in meditation at the graveside (I’m not really a prayer-for-the-dead kind of person, and frankly on the days that I believe in life-after-death I don’t really think the departed need it). I digress. So there I was meditating with some incense burning away. When I got the message that the following two days could be utilised to great effect should I not dawdle and make a mess of it.

Okay, you may be asking where this message came from – I will be honest, it was my mum. Now, you may think it was just my imagination – and if it helps you any, I will think that too. Again, who cares what and where it came from? Surely its reality is only defined by whether you do anything about it? And since I did, the message was real, even if the originator is unknown or suspect.

The day this occurred was Saturday, A nice, warm and pleasant early afternoon. After receiving it I consulted the oracle of the divine i.e. the rods for further information and was given to understand that a visit to the sea would be of great advantage as the Preparation phase of the Trinity.

Water and Wind

A random point along the coast of Wales had me sat in between some boulders watching and listening to the music of the waves rolling in. A few months ago I had an very humbling experience with, what I am going to call Poseidon, but you may as well call it the sea, ocean or water, I guess.

Poseidon conjures up a nice vision for me and perhaps we create our reality based on our beliefs and thus my containing whatever I was connected with into that image, that is what it became.

On this particular occasion I was very humbled by Poseidon, it is something that is not to be messed with – I guess one might say the traditional view of the sea as being a tempestuous spirit was coming to truth for me. Or…tempestuous is wrong, it was…”beyond approachable”. My attempts at being recognised where in vain.

After a while, the wind slowly rose and I pondered whether there was any significance to the winds change?

How does intuitive knowledge come to you? One particular means for me is just a gentle pondering, answers come when beckoned. To trust or act on these answers is the prerogative of the listener I fancy.

My answer was that it was the element of Air combining with that of Water. I sent out a thought to the Sea “Will you come with me tomorrow and help?” I got back an echo of the question. I had to laugh – I was so far down the scale of things that I wasn’t even something that would (or indeed could) be acknowledged. Still I felt from the combined wind/water a sense of…yes.

Divine (this word is going to get popular) knowledge said that preparations were complete for part one of Trinity. It also added an addendum – that my Solar plexus and Crown chakra energies would be worked on in the coming day.

Wind and Water Companions

Sundays arrival was marked with rain and wind. As I went for milk in the morning I remarked to myself that a sliver of Poseidon was in that air. I arrived at Gwas’s in the early afternoon with a gentle breeze and a few raindrops in tow.

A long drive filled with discussions about Gwas’s adventures in gathering spirit forms had us arrive at Nine Stones Close. As we walked through the fields Gwas’s intuition decided on a different path than normal and we found ourselves climbing up a rocky hill. As id often the case we split up and followed our own energetic paths through this new territory.

I am often surprised at our ability to go-off and do different activities at these sites and then return with individua tales to tell.

My path led to a place where the boulders had fallen in such a way as to create a cave like structure. I sat in it for a while feeling its shape before pointing it out to Gwas. Once we moved away from the cave we walked further around the hill only to have to come back on ourselves a little so as to find a path to the Stone circle.

Often we have foundthat recapitulating upon experiences results in little connections that were at the time missed. For example – upon reflection – it seems to me that the deviation in our path was to find that cave and for me to sit in it, Gwas didn’t. Which becomes meaningful in a moment.

As we approached Nine Stones Close the wind was a surprising gust and my spirits rose. I am really connected to that site because of a beautiful Oak tree that is there. Fortune had a particular smile for us today as the neighbouring field was devoid of its usual cows. Cows are the bane of dowsers! This absence allowed me to climb into the next field and become more acquainted with the Oak tree.

Divine knowledge guided me to the best place to stand and I stood with my back to the tree, my hands were positioned with palms facing the tree and behind me. As I stood there for many moments the wind whipped up into a strong breeze continually changing direction. Even though it was quite cold, I found my hands warming up behind me. It was as if the tree was warm.

Fire

After a while I felt myself filling up with warmth from the tree. But it was more than just inside of me, it seemed that it was my aura filling with orange flame. CommuningAn interaction with an invisible and natural sentient force that is independently identifiable, even if it cannot be named or classified. The interaction takes place at the level of a subtle amalgamation of the mind of the perceiver such that a dialogue or transference of feelings may occur between the two sentient parties. The interaction that is ‘communing’ is purposefully initiated by the perceiver for the express purpose of learning or simply to transfer feelings in a sympathetic manner. with the tree gave me to understand that the winds frenzy was necessary to ensure that my aura would contain the flame otherwise it would be released. It was also at this time that two other realisations dawned on me.

First, was that the Solar plexus chakra is associated with Fire and second, that my understanding of the use of cave structures is to shape the aura. Thus only a few minutes ago I was shaping my aura and now it was being filled with flame. Of course these are all coincidences right?

Upon completion of this filling, I was given a small seedling from the tree, which I transferred to my pocket and minutes later we were done and moving off upon our normal path back to the car (completing ‘the’ circle). Upon the return walk to the car I found a white feather which I also pocketed. White feathers are rare – I’m usually a Crow feather man.

Addition: Just to note that Gwas’s and I checked the trees aura and found it to be a healthy size. And again – why do I do this? I decided to follow the shape of the aura around the tree and found that it had some strange shape and twist to it. Further divination revealed that several head sized rocks had fallen of the wall and were interfering with the aura of the tree. Gwas and I quickly divined that this was not a good state for the tree and returned the rocks to the wall.

A ten minute drive later we arrived at the Nine Ladies circle just as dusk was approaching. Clouds were ominously covering the full moon. Again as we approached the circle we divided off into our own little projects. I went and greeted the Oak whilst Gwas meditated on the circle.

With the wind howling away and Gwas’s news that he had to wait until complete darkness before his work could begin. We spent a leisurely hour or so watching the moon rise.

Earth

When the time came Gwas and I entered the circle and began to do our individual work. I was only moments in when it became clear that the power-center in the circle was Gwas’s area. I was told to embrace the wind. Who am I to argue? So I was up and off, following the wind to its source. I was led to the King-stone and sat down upon it. I’ve never actually sat on it before and found that it has a comfortable little niche in it.

A few minutes of quite reflection and the wind quieted down followed a few seconds later by the clouds clearing and the full-moon’s spotlight felt like it was falling directly on me and the King-stone. As I sat there wondering what would happen next I felt the Orange flame seep out of me into the King-stone and follow the energy tracks down to the stone circle, flow around it once and dissipate into the ground. I felt deflated and was wondering whether the activities of the night were completed when I felt that a blue flame was filling me up, but not from the ground up at before but from the top down. It was coming from the Moon! Blue moon energy?

The blue flame filled me up and again it filled my aura to the brim (my aura was about 2 feet outside of the physical me – or so it seemed).

The right way

I knew then that it was complete and stood up from the stone. As I looked down to the circle I knew I had to come down and walk once around the circle (widdershins as Gwas had divined earlier). So I walked back to the circle and completely forgot to walk around it!! Instead I headed for the Oak tree and a second later – Wham! a branch had hit me straight in the right eye!

Funny isn’t it, as Gwas noted later “I didn’t hear you cry out” – it’s because I didn’t. As soon as my senses returned I stepped back andheaded around the circle! Point – literally taken! The funny thing is that I didn’t have the usual “kicking the tree” reaction that one might expect – instead I thought “Hey how lucky is that – I could have had my eye out!”

Thanking the Genius LociGenius Loci means 'spirit of the place' and refers to the geological/gaian spirit of place. It is transfixed to a place – being an embodiment of the collective intelligence of the place. of the place we both felt that the nights adventures were complete and I wondered whether Monday’s divination would reveal success/failure.

Sunny kinda guy!

It is unquestionable that I am a “sun” aligned guy! Although I love the moon and its creative juices. I just love the sun energies. Which I have to say doesn’t have anything to do with lying on a beach any place – definitely not!

As an aside I have to say that I am a star person too – which kind-of makes sense to me because they after all are suns too!

Upon returning home on Sunday night I was shattered! I came in and went straight to sleep, which is definitely unlike me, I am a midnight at least person.

Monday, I awoke and wow! The sun was shining and the sky was blue and the wind was gone. There was only one element around this day. Sun.

I got up and changed and hit the outside – I just walked and walked taking in all that sun energy. I sat in my garden in the lunch time sun meditating upon the Trinity. What puzzled me was why I was filled with Blue – the colour for the Crown which is what I would have expected – if I had expected anything is Violet.

But divination revealed that I had it right. I was filled with blue flame. Now my intuition took me in this direction:

• Blue -> Throat Chakra -> Understanding and Communication

Then in my meditation I got the urge to go and write something on my computer and before I knew it the words were flowing like – well – like they used to before I lost my muse when my mum passed away. I wondered…was that the block that had been removed? The divine answer…one of the smaller ones. Just wait til you re-alise (re-align) one of the bigger ones that is gone! I’m still figuring out what that one is!

And so it is that that the following was also released into the world today!

Kal