The Hedge Druid

Posts Tagged ‘tree’

The Llangernyw Yew : April 19th 2010

After our visit to The Druid’s Circle at Penmaenmawr we sidled off into the sunset heading inland cross-country to Llangernyw. I had a few random items on my agenda to work on, whereas I knew that for Kal this was the main reason for his visit. He was at an important juncture in his life and was looking to his old friend the archetypal “Tree” for some guidance. Having made contact with this helpful entity via the ancient yew tree at Llangernyw before, he was confident that he could do so again.

Late evening yew

For me, I had been guided recently to carve a symbol into my staff. I knew not why, yet. I’m sure that will become clear soon enough. For now, I wanted to confirm which symbol that should be before I started carving. On previous occasions when I had dowsed for this information it had been indicated that it should be the Dinas Bran sigil. This evening, as the sun was setting, I approached the ancient yew tree with respect and asked if I might dowse for some answers. I got a positive response and so began to do some dowsing.

I dowsed at the edge of the tree’s canopy, on a flat section of ground indicated as a good place by the dowsing rods. I asked which symbol I should carve and began to follow a spiral pattern around from one side to another, in a familiar pattern. Was this like the ‘Bran the Blessed’ sigil? It was like that but the head was upside down! In fact it resembled the Arbor Low sigil too.I asked the rods if this was correct several times and they repeatedly said yes. When I sought an answer to this I got the impression that it was a symbol that was personal to me yet a reflection of both places, even literally a reflection in the sense of being upside down in parts.

Inside the mighty yew

You may remember from my recent posts that I had been trying to draw together the four elemental forces of Nature in order to assist me with my coming work this year? There was one that I had not managed to re-engage with and that was the fire element. On this lovely sunny evening as the great fireball dropped slowly over the hills of Penmaenmawr I decided to try to resolve that oversight. I walked to the side of the church where I knew 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. to be, but oddly I walked straight past it without a second glance, and went to stand before the two pillars of stone that seemed like an entrance or exit portal for something. I began to dowse…

Were these stones and entrance or an exit? An exit. Were they for some form of energy (thinking back to Druid’s Circle) to be directed through? Yes. Was that energy spirit energy? Yes. Was it earth energy? No. Was it the energy of the yew tree? Sort of – the rods came together slightly, but not firmly. Was it the spirit of the place that passed through this portal? Yes. Was this a good place for me to regain my fire energy? A strong yes.

With that affirmation I went to go and sit on the flat tombstone behind the two stones, and immediately got a sharp pain in both kidneys. I took this as an indication that this was not a good place to sit! I stood between the portal stones, looking due west, and drew down the fire of the setting sun, as the saying goes in such circles. The rods confirmed what I felt – that this had been done successfully. Now I felt more ‘complete’ – like I had access to all the powers of Nature (except spirit, or aether, the fifth element).

An energetic exit portal

Whilst I was stood between the two energetic stones I felt like I could use that energy to get another burning question answered. I had one that was uppermost in my mind., The final task of the time between Spring and Beltane was to learn how to connect to the earth’s own energy grid. So far I had not one clue how this could be done, other than perhaps to be stood somewhere that neutral energy may naturally emerge, or something like that. I decide to seek some guidance, any clue at all.

I asked the yew tree to help me to imagine what I should do to link to the neutral earth grid – and I was shown several places very quickly that I couldn’t make out because they were too quick. Then I was shown an image of me nestling into the bosom of the earth – literally two small humps of grass between which I was curled in a foetal position, soothed and sleepy. I was to find a place where I felt that comfortable and then bathed in warmth and comfort I could connect to the earth’s own energy system and draw upon the neutral energy – the pure energy of the earth. I was amazed at the wonderfully intuitive way the information was given to me, and extremely grateful to have been shown this vision. Now, all I had to do was to find such a place….

The warning place

I thought I was finished for the evening – hey, hadn’t I got everything I came for and more? I certainly had. Kal popped around looking pleased with himself and his exploits, which I intended to ask him about as soon as we were on the road again. “Have you finished?” he asked me. “Let’s ask the rods!” I quipped, expecting a ‘yes’ response. I got a ‘no’. Apparently, there was more! I asked the rods to take me to the place where I could find out about this other information, and soon I was walking along the side of the graveyard, past gravestones, until the rods swung back on themselves to point to a grave close to the edge of the path the surrounds the lower site.

There was an inscription on the gravestone. I read, “Oft in danger, oft in woe“. i thought this was very unusual inscription, as I had never seen anything like it before! It was the inscription that was important. It took me several minutes of narrowing down the field before I hit upon the relevance of these words: it was to do with me not putting up energetic protection when I visited sacred sites. I had become too complacent and trusting, relying on my intuition to warn me of potential problems. So far I had been lucky and had visited sites when no-one else was around which has prevented problems so far (apart from one episode that really stuck in both our minds of an encounter at Llandrillo). Now, as I moved into the warmer lighter months I was being warned that other people may cause me problems unless I protect myself appropriately when I go out in the near future. Memories came flooding back and I felt I knew what was being suggested.

I asked if that was all? No, there was more. Again I let the rods take me on a little wander, this time only ten or fifteen feet away from where I was. The rods swung dramatically again to point at what seemed like an ordinary grave of a couple. Again it took me several minutes to divine the answer through a series of questions and response. The couple had been “energetically aware” people, but had died due to some misfortune brought about by an encounter with some form of deviant spirit energy. This was a stronger re-enforcement if I needed it, and I will heed the warning and will be more careful from now on, especially in the presence of other people, whether they mean harm intentionally or not!

All in all, a strange end to the evening for me. For Kal, however, the evening had been highly positive. He had received advice from the yew tree that he should ride out his current issues without trying to resolve them for himself. They would all, apparently, be taken care of – despite how impossible that seemed at that time. A week later everything righted itself against impossible odds and in quite incredible circumstances. Never would we doubt the power of this tree, or its influence over this churchyard!

Gwas.

Continuing on from my recent (yesterday) visit to the Ancient Yew tree in North Wales.

Ancient Yew

It was night time and the stars were out. The day had been cold but in the evening it had mellowed to a comfortable warmth. I had been sitting (looking at the picture above) about the center of the picture and slightly to the left of the trunk for some time happily 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 this marker of times passage. 4000 years! That still impresses me so much.

Many topics filtered in and out of my consciousness as I sat and mused the time away. A few times I wished Gwas was there. It seems natural for me to be out with him rather than on my own. Strange…

Here I was though, wanting to visit with this marvelous tree rather than needing to or being called to – it was a unique experience as on almost all other occasions of me going out on my lonesome it has been in response to some kind of “calling”.

Odd it is

“Odd it is” as Yoda would say, that we need to find some higher purpose and meaning when walking a more spiritual path. In “normal” cases we look for approval from some Guru or from some spiritual text. In less normal cases we look for approval from “the universe”. We wait for a sign or for “when the time is right” In the parlance of a personal development coach (which is what my day job is) this is referred to quite simply as an avoidance tactic (or to put it less mildly an excuse not to do anything).

As my commune continues with the ancient yew, I asked for any guidance as to where I was going and what I should do and when I should do it? You have already seen that the Trickster was at work – see previous post – where I was admonished for deriving meaning from the meaningless. I would like to elaborate on that as there was much more wisdom to go with it.

You are very strange, you do not know what you have inside of you. You walk around asking for help and understanding from rock, branch and water when they can only give to you what you give to them.

This telling of had stopped me in my musing and made me pay attention…What are you saying? That I should be leaving more gifts? Offerings?

Tch, I am a mirror, a reflection, why do you think it is that all who come to me see a different persona, a different feeling, a different experience? Co-creation!

Yes, I know that already. This is a path of co-creation as determined by both off us.

No, it isn’t!

Okaaaayyyyy…???

The path is of “your” creation, I am the world in which you walk it.

Ah…Er…What?

Paths

It’s quite simple. Are you dense?

Hmmm Trickster? Yes, I am dense (as per usual) explain.

You come to me looking for meaning and purpose. I am a reflection…I will reflect back that very question “What is your purpose and meaning?” I cannot give your life meaning, just as much as you cannot give me meaning.

You have meaning inside of you, you cannot ever have no meaning and purpose, should you sit here and do nothing ever again, every breath you take will be as meaningful as if you went out and explored the world, indeed…(smile) if you saved the entire world.

Wow, that is deep to be sure I am going to have to muse on that for – a life time.

Let me ask you…What is the meaning of your life?

The commune went totally strange now because, before I could get an answer in, the question was repeated again and again, kind-of hauntingly until it wasn’t even a question or words any more but a deep sound, like a drum beat that, with every beat, dug deeper inside of me. Now that I think back to it, it was like the Earth Song I had heard in Alderley Edge forest. See this post.

I think it was trying to get deep inside of me so that I could feel the “meaning” inside of me, but I fluffed it I fancy because intellectually I understood it – but didn’t get a “feeling” from it.

The beat had also knocked me out of commune and I settled back against a gravestone (ooops) and took in the smell of incense – did I mention I had lit some?

One of the most fantastic things about this old (I assume its old) churchyard is the wonderful backdrop to it. Again if you look at the picture above…Behind the Tree it goes into a slope (which incidentally has  power center on it) and then into a graveyard that is sectioned off by a couple of paths.

Walking along this path is a wonderful way in which to garner further insights into any meditation. The use of the dowsing rods with this musing provides mental (questioning) paths to follow. Quite remarkable.

One day Gwas and I will go there during the day and with Gwas’s new camera take some more revealing pictures.

Anyways stay tuned for the final part of this “Yew” post which is tantalisingly entitled – “Spirit Walk” – oooh!

Fin,

Kal

Revolution

A new phase of the spiral began Friday 20th Feb 2009. To be even more accurate, I have been able to pin down the time to 6pm on this particular Friday. Why can I pin it down to this time? Well, it was on this day that I returned home from work and for the first time brought my dowsing rods into my home.

Until this time both Gwas and I had thought to dowse inside our houses but for some reason where reluctant to do so. It was as if some force just flipped our minds in another direction when we thought about doing home dowsing. In Jedi terms… “this is not the place you should dowse”

These are not the droids you are looking for

As to why I was able to bring the rods in and dowse my home on this day? I have no idea. There was no particular circumstances that I can describe other than the will to do was stronger than the resistance to forget.

That eventful Friday evening I dowsed my house completely and thoroughly. So much so that for the first time since I had moved into it, I felt that I knew it well. In my mind and indeed on paper I was intimately familiar with its energetic flows, ebbs and powers.

I was able to discern what and how things were imbalanced and, indeed how to correct them. For this post it doesn’t matter what and how it was done. It suffices to say that the spiral began then.

When I named this chapter Revolution my thoughts where of the energy revolution that had been re-birthed at that time.

Evolution

Since that fateful Spring day my work in the domain of energies has taken quantum leaps. I would be remiss if I said it had only taken a quantum leap for I believe and sense that it has shifted (or evolved) several times over the Spring ~ Summer ~ Autumn of this year.

It seems to me that the more one works with energy the more sensitive one gets. That makes sense really since such a phenomenon is applicable to any field. However my point here is that dowsing energies and following the questioning path that is laid out by intuition on an almost daily basis starts to bleed (and has bled) into all facets of life. Now for example, energies are more detectable and traceable without the use of dowsing rods (still, though it is useful to confirm with the rods) also intuitive hints are more discernible to.

To some extent, last year was a time of measurement and exploration of the energies. This year is (has been) about deriving meaning, purpose and usage of those energies. For instance manipulating the energies that flow through home environments is a skill that I have explored on several occasions this year. To create an environment suitable to the purposes of use has been the objective of these exercises.

Healing trees and other external areas is another path that I have travelled this year. The mentioning of this is relevant to the topic of evolution because last year you wouldn’t have seen me being so interested in trees.

Crow Totem

An interesting development and completely un-anticipated at the beginning of the year was a commune evolution. It began with the auspicious signs of Crows. Which according to shamanism is the totem that guides one along magical paths. In hind sight this seems to have been an apt totem for me.

Although I still feel drawn to Crows, I quickly became enamoured by the Tree totem (was this an evolutionary step?) And so since late Spring I have been very much involved in 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 Tree.

Knowledge, wisdom, sustenance, beauty, fruitfulness, solidity, unity, faith, interconnectedness, understanding, protection, good health, wonder, happiness, endurance, creativity, nurturing instincts, and the power of giving.

According to this site, the above are a selection of characteristics associated with the Tree totem. The bold ones are ones that I have personally experienced this year from my Tree communes.

Tree Totem

It was a visitation to a 4000 year old Yew tree that led me to my next and current phase in evolution. That of spirit commune. As yet I have not embraced this idea fully however it keeps drawing my attention. What form it will take and how it will manifest itself is going to be interesting, since both Crow and Tree have garnered behavioural changes, particularly Tree.

spirit

This evolution has manifested emotional, mental and energetic changes. These have been personal to the extreme, for instance the mental understandings that I have drawn from this year are personal truths that are only applicable to me and only at this time.

I have a feeling that next year will see the inclusion of the physical domain. Where lies the spiritual domain? I’m going to leave that one un-answered (for the moment).

Revelation

The keenest revelation that I will report here is that of coming to the understanding that, far from going into the wilds (of knowledge) and seeking a path. That lesson was there simply because I wanted it to be there.

Going forth looking for a path to follow in and of itself created that path. Does that sound esoteric and weird? Be that as it may. Intuitive Dowsing (this is a new term which I will define later) has led me to conclude that we are co-creators of the world that surrounds us.

This understanding (or revelation) has culminated in the need now to discern a path that I wish to create and follow. Once I have knowledge of this then dowsing and energy work will take on a new facility…that of showing me how I can co-create the path that I wish to follow.

See how subtly the balance has shifted? Whereas before I was looking for a path from without i.e. shouting to the heavens to “show me a way”. The heavens has shouted back the very same question “show me a way”. So now I am going to show “it” a way.

2009 passed silently away under the auspicious eye of a blue full moon, for those who saw the sign was there. The next turn on the spiral has begun. New pastures await…

“Like a scholar on his first day at class. I open a new page for the day to write upon”

The Silent Flute film.

Waking to a cold and frosty morning. I reckoned that the sun was going to be out before long and so opted for a trip to Delamere forest for a walk and general closeness to nature. Wayne Dyer recommends this kind of stuff as ‘wilderness therapy’ although exactly what I was being therapised for in this instance was unspecified. Perhaps it is like going to the gym and more of a ‘maintenance therapy’? Hmmm!

Delamere Forest

So it was that some time in the morning I found myself walking amongst the last of the Autumn leaves and enjoying the sense of treeness that has been my companion throughout this year.

As ever, the clanking of the dowsing rods stuffed in my utility belt – or in this instance the whole in the back pocket of my jeans – suggested that I should do some dowsing.

Gwas and I have done some dowsing in this forest before, concerning tree auras etc. So I didn’t really fancy that kind of investigation.

Tree aura work is interesting exercise however at the moment we have no understanding as to how it relates to anything – for example is a small aura mean the tree is ill or well? What do the aura colours mean? Only once have we encountered an aura that gave us more information and that was when a tree had no aura. So until we know what we can correlate aura information with – it remains interesting knowledge only.

Well, with the winter solstice approaching I thought that it might be good to see if I can garner any information about what to do, where to go, any preparation work etc. On these lines I began walking around following the rods to find a suitable location to ask these questions. After a suitable amount of random wandering the rods swirled and indicated a nice comfortable spot.

I would add a picture of the spot – but since these spots tend to be highly personal what would be the point?

So there I was sitting on the frost harden floor – fortunately way outside of the walkers paths and trying to commune with nature…and failing miserably?

What was going on? Usually I am really good with trees (see all my tree posts) but here I was getting a non sequitur response.

Another shot of Delamere

Okay… I double checked that I was in a good spot? Yes I was. I checked that it was a good time of the year to meditate and/or ask for answers – it was. I asked whether all conditions were suitable to commune with nature. Yes – go for it came the dowsing response.

Indeed, I am going for it but not getting anywhere I thought! Trickster? Is you about? If the dowsing rods could laugh, they would have. So I had a bite to eat (note to self – get a thermos for hot drinks!) and refreshed had another bash at 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..

Nil Point! Ok, whatever! I got up and said to no one in particular, “fine, be like that” and stomped off! I had got about ten feet when I tripped and fell on my face! Lovely!

As I was pushing myself up, a thought occurred to me…was this the place to meditate, was this a sign? Hmmm…So I sat where I tripped and tried again to commune and lo and behold…Nothing!

Now I was puzzled…why? Why was I getting nothing when the dowsing, the spot, the trees where all in place. O and no it wasn’t because of the season (see the above bit of dowsing).

Shot of the forest

More dowsing was required…was i missing some ingredient to todays work? Yes. Ahh now we are getting somewhere…Did I need to ask permission or give some offering? No…You’re a welcome guest…Aw…Aren’t trees nice? Did I need to focus on something? Kind of.

For those who are new to dowsing – or indeed old to it – a “kind-of” response is indicated by a very lame “yes” response.  Perhaps next year we will do some youtube videos of dowsing responses. Then again we’re not here to teach but rather to describe.

So, some kind of focus was needed. What kind though? A question? Yes came the rods response “I needed a question”. This is strange because in previous communes I happily sat with a “I wonder what I’ll get attitude” and now it seemed that things had changed. Or had they? So I asked whether this was a one-off thing where I needed a question? No, well sort of No.

Ok to cut a long session of dowsing short here is how the results mounted up. Before I was semi-directionless and so that was a reflection of the commune. It provided ways in which to find direction rather than direction itself. Now that I had direction it provided knowledge and wisdom based on the questions that I asked.

Interesting isn’t it. As Gwas indicates its a two way street. Here is another set of interesting responses that I got – don’t know what put me on this track of questioning but…

Nature is nature…sounds weird at first but here is a thing…if you have bad energies in an environment and someone with no intent in mind puts a plant into that environment the negative energies will flourish and/or the plant will die. Life grows and intends other things to grow too. A tsunami swept away hundreds of people a few years ago on the coast of Sri Lanka and India. Earthquakes happen and kill humans, animals and plants. Nature is what it is. Sometimes if all the conditions (or enough of them) are favourable then the interaction proves fruitful.

Pardon that little interlude, once you get into this questioning and dowsing spiral you can end up in really strange places (and thought proving as above).

Getting back to the forest. Now I was casting about for a question and came up with the one I had gone there in the first place with Doh!

Doh

In a end of year post that I will be putting up I named the upcoming Winter Solstice as the twilight of the year and so I sat there in the spot asking whether there was any preparation required for the coming twilight of the year? It was quite a while before images and sensations crept into my thoughts. The first was…

It isn’t the twilight of the year. More accurately this time is the sunrise of the year when those that have slept begin to yawn and stir. For you who have tried to buck this trend by keeping active, the preparation will be to still yourself up to this time and so you will see some benefit.

Otherwise it will be like you going into a warm place and not taking your coat off, and so you will not feel the benefit of the coat when you return to the cold. So if you choose to stop for this short period of time you will see the rewards of starting again after the solstice. But if you don’t the rewards will still come but you they just won’t be so obvious (or seen). Just like the coat will keep you warm when you return to the cold but you don’t notice that it does.

Wow! what a piece of wisdom! Sunrise of the year! How is it that it makes sense after you see it? “So will there be anything in particular that I need to do on the Solstice itself” is the question I put out there…

The solstice is inevitable (I knew that!) it is a doorway that you can use to connect with spirit should you choose (ok…not spirit again). You’re best times is in the summer sun. You should work towards that time being the peak of your activities then they will be most fruitful. The Solstice marks the turning point. For all, it is the time of the New. It all begins then. Or rather the spiral starts its new orbit then. The energy that is released on that day is that…of beginnings…of starts…of rebirths. Use it to that effect.

Ok useful, but not as directed as ‘go here and do that’ which I was rather hoping for. The doorway to spirit stuff…I wasn’t to sure about. Note to the universe or its local representative…please refrain from all this spirit malarkey.

Next bit of meandering thought I had in mind was, what would the after effects of the Solstice be?

None, I got this in mind…before the solstice – work and eat – after the solstice – work and eat

OK, I guess GIGO applies to this kind of query too…Garbage In Garbage Out although I felt that the ‘work’ part wasn’t referring to work work.

Was all this of value? Value is a strange concept in this world and can only be defined from a personal perspective. I found the above knowledge to be profound in some instances, valuable in others. But that is me.

I did do a lot of other little bits of dowsing after to clarify a few things and search for the meanings behind others. But that information was personal to me and it’s not that I don’t want to share it here – there would be no point…

It’s like me saying I like vanilla flavoured ice-cream. Why would you want to know that?

O and I will leave you with this juicy note…Often Gwas and I have wondered why we don’t dowse more often at home…surely distance doesn’t matter? Surely I should be able to connect with the spirit of tree from anywhere? Why do we need to go out to sacred places for such communes…Here is an answer…

When 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 places or ‘things at places’ we still have to go there. We can connect to these places/trees/whatever from another location. But that connection still means that we go there in a non physical way.

If we go there in a non-physical way we lose that part of the commune. My dowsing around this area tells me that we are and we are not a trinity. The trinity is Mind, Body and Energy. The bit that makes us not a trinity is our Spirit. I’m not going to go into what I think each of these are here – because its only my view. But in terms of visiting a place here is what dowsing tells me happens…

When we visit a place our mind, body and energy are interacting with the place/tree/whatever. However when we distance connect it is only our energy that connects with the place – our mind gets a secondary input and our body a tertiary one. So when we go out there and visit sacred places we get a holistic experience. When we distant connect we get a translated experience.

Does that sound kooky? Again, my caring gene seems to be faulty on that score. However I dowsed the truth and for me that is what it came up with.

Speculate via the comments section below!

Kal

Not California

It was a beautiful late summers evening when Gwas and I decided to visit one of the oldest trees in the world. Recently I had been speculating on setting off on a journey somewhere in the world and thinking of combining this with some energetic exploration I thought I would visit, what I thought would be the oldest trees in the world, those giant red-woods in California.

Red-woods

Blessed be the Internet as a swift Google search took me to a wiki which suggested that one of the oldest tree’s in the world was but a an hour or so away from where I lived, in North Wales.

And so it was that Gwas and I set off to visit this wonderful 4000 year old yew tree.

4000 year old yew

We arrived at the churchyard in darkness and were pleasantly surprised to find the gates unlocked – which precluded the need for Guerilla dowsing. As is quite normal for us now, we both went off on our seperate ways looking for meaning that was individualistic and personal.

As you look at the above picture you can see a path to the right which leads beyond the magnificent tree. Well, following this path leads to a gentle slope down into the major part of the graveyard (which we will visit during the day sometime to get some pics). This part of the graveyard has a path around and through it which will be of import later. As another aside there is a lovely river that flows along the right side of the church too. Please look out for my next post regarding some of the energies of this particularly fabulous site.

Meditation Spot

Almost upon arrival I wanted to do a meditation with this age old wisdom and so after minimal exploration I dowsed for the best place to sit whilst meditating and came up with a spot just beneath the canopy of the tree facing towards the camera in the above picture.

I sat cross-legged and let my mind and thoughts relax. In no time at all I felt the warmth of the Yew settle around me and visions flowed. To begin I saw this really large trunk of a tree in front of me. It was huge and as I looked up at it, either I shrank or it grew bigger, I don’t know which but this tree was at least sky-scraper tall.

Triple Split

As I examined this huge tree I realised that is trunk was split into two. Not all the way to the ground but perhaps half to three quarters its length it was split. As I wondered about this splitting and what its significance might be my perception changed and suddenly I was looming over the tree, which now seemed to be the size of a small plant. Now I could clearly see the split and it looked like the tree was almost cloven in two. This view was presented for a few moments before my perception switched again and I was some small insect-like creature attached to the trunk of the split tree.

Now that I think back to the event it was like I was being given different perspectives of the situation. But what each of these mean is lost to me now as it was then or at least the greater detail of it is lost.

This reminds me of a tale from Carlos Castaneda’s work. At one time Castaneda went to visit a Brujo (shaman) without his Mentors permission and knowing. The Brujo saw that Castaneda had the power and so gave Castaneda a powerful gift. Unfortunately the truth of it was that Castaneda only seemed to have the power and so the Brujo’s gift was totally wasted.

- smile – perhaps I seemed to whatever was presenting the vision to have the power but in actuality I didn’t or don’t?

Whichever the case I was being shown (from several perspectives) a tree that had been split assunder. As time (I don’t know how much, how can you tell?) passed further illuminations came.

Paths

Some sense came to me to tell me that I was the tree or perhaps that the split tree represented two paths for me. I was told that I could either take the left path and become a spirit walker or I could become a worldly person.

My confusion over this decision was compounded by my lack of understanding as to what was meant by the paths description. Ever helpful? I was further shown – or rather this was a kind of feeling – that the spirit walker path was a lonely path. It was a path that would be and allow me to walk amongst spirits. To be honest I was scared by the proposition that it was a lonely path. Although the devil-may-care attitude along with a good dose of curiosity was somewhat compelling. The other path was one in which I would live a worldly life, materialistic and semi-normal.

What a decision to be faced with? Talk about the red pill vs the blue pill dilemma?

Red or Blue?

Even as this musing was going on my sense of perspective was still going through the trinity of views. It was at this time that another piece of tree wisdom came to my mind. Am I not the “Magician who creates his own worlds?” surely that must weigh into the equation? As you can see I wasn’t fond of either of the alternatives – hmmm whilst in the meditation I believed that these paths were real for me. In hindsight I could have just chalked them up to an interesting visualisation.

magician of Alderley Edge

Healing

Ok, again I dont know how much time elapsed in the above dilemma but after some time I decided to become an active part in this visualisation.

As a side note – ever since I can remember I have had the ability to change my dreamscapes. By this I mean whilst in the middle of a dream I have been able to consciously create things I needed or change the aspects of a dream to my favour.

So, I said out loud but still in meditative (commune) state. Can I not have a combination of both of these – have my cake and eat it – is I guess what I was asking. I was then taken to the view of me standing over the tree and seeing it cloven. Then I (or something) took some rope and bound the two halves together, also as this was happening some green sludge like liquid was being poured down the crack and I saw the tree become slowly whole and one. Also I could sense that I was peerring into the future now, meaning that the process of healing had started but that it would be completed in the future. I was given to understand that I had to bring the two paths together myself – and that because I was a “Magician who creates his own worlds” I could do this.

I know it sounds really corny or whatever you want to see it as – to be honest I wouldn’t bother revealing this whole episode because of what you the reader might think – but then I realised – I don’t really care anymore – it stands as it does!

Corny

After seeing the tree become whole, I wondered whether that was the point of the vision from the start i.e. that it was a duality that needed to become whole rather than two paths that could have been chosen? I don’t know – but I am a believer in co-creation and self-determination and that it seems is what I did.

If you think that was weird what about this…

My vision hadn’t finished with me it seemed as then I was taken on another one. This began with this world, the world we live in with all the strange para-normal stuff that it encompasses. I then somehow grew or expanded out of this one and into what I can only say was the world of the afterlife – stay with me  – my sense of understanding was that the dimensions were layered. The Earth plane was an inner plane (like onion layers) and the spirit one contained it, or was an outer layer or sphere. I could see the differences between the two – but I cannot remember them now.

But…whilst I was expanded to the outer realm I knew or could sense that there was a sphere beyond even that one. So I tried to expand myself higher into this third realm. But couldn’t even though I tried a few times. When I gave up I got a kind of answer…you can only expand to the third sphere from the second not from the first. (below image taken from here)

dimensions

Yes, I know cloud cuckoo land? Maybe I don’t know I am just reporting what I experienced. If your asking whether I think this latter vision was true? Well, today being Monday I will say, yes. Tomorrow however is a different day!

Paths of the dead

With that final vision it seemed that the connection was done and I was left to ponder what I had experienced. The latter sphere vision had and has me confused as I dont know what it means or what relevance it has to me. Nil point!

The first however had lots of intriguing answers and so I was off to the aforementioned path at the bottom of the churchyard to walk and dowse some meaning out of the visions. My conclusions came to the following:

• That I have a choice – you dont have to accept what you are given
• That I had decided to opt for a combined world rather than a singular more focused path
• That the tree was symbolic of me and that I needed to work out how to synergise the two halves.

Notes:

I love that churchyard, with its Yew and its Graves and its flowing river and for the two times we have been there – its wonderfilled starlit sky. Although it being a graveyard – there is absolutely no sense of badness about it. We have dowsed in other graveyards and felt uncomfortable as if we disturbed the rest of those therein. But here we were welcomed and befriended by spirit and tree, water and earth, moon and star.

Where has the matter been left?

This visit to the Yew was around early September, if not late August of 2009 and since that time – although it has only been 3 months – ha – who says time flows fast?? Much work has been done on myself – in particular see this post from Samhain – and there is, as always much more to do. I am welcoming the transformations and journey everyday!

Kal

PS – here are the notes I took the night I returned:

• beautiful moonlit night
• finding the meditation spot
• a tree splitting down the middle
• size perception going weird – from something small clinging to the bark of the tree to something huge and the tree being as small as a plant
• the two paths – spirit and wordly – choosing one path
• binding the split tree and pouring healing fluid down its center – the fluid was a green sludge
• combining the two paths (parts of the tree)
• secondary vision of the afterlife
• seeing life as being more than the living world
• going to the next sphere that encompassed the “spirit” world
• knowing that there was another sphere beyond the spirit one
• trying to “grow” beyond this third sphere and not being able to
• wandering along the “paths of the dead” whilst (dowsing) and trying to put all of it together
• coming to an understanding that “i have a choice”
• choosing to merge the two paths (heal them) rather than become a spirit walker
• postulation: was the tree symbolic of me and did/do i need to synergise my spirit and non spirit halves?

PPS – speculation: was this just imagination. I would have taken it as quite possible exept for one point…why wasn’t i able to grow beyond the third sphere – if it was just imagination I should have been able to.

It’s funny – sometimes when you look back on things you realise there was information there that was just waiting for you to recognise what it was. This has begun to happen a lot recently, since the turning of the year from the Light Half to the Dark Half at Samhain especially. Anyway – here I recount an episode from a visit to Alderley Edge, just before the trees lost all their leaves, and the Winter began to impose itself.

On this particular evening the forest was bathed in autumn sunlight as we left, but on arrival was drizzly and typically British dull weather. We walked amiably through the forest heading nowhere in particular, but ended up at a familiar place – on a ridge just near to the main view of the Edge where the trees open out to a stunning view of Cheshire and Manchester’s distant skyline. We camped ourselves on the ridge, on a slope behind a tree and cave (male and female symbolism there) and we began our individual meditations, without really having an agenda or prior purpose. Just because it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

As I have been coming to expect, my meditation was helped along by the sparkle of sunlight filtering through the tree branches and dappling my vision. I recognised where I would go next, so began to formulate my purpose, state it, and begin a meditation sequence that connected my to the earth, the planets, and the tree that I was sat in front of. I asked to be informed of how I could know that I was in the right state of mind to be able to cross into The Otherworld. This had been a subject that was on my mind at the time. I wanted to ask Nature to help me understand how I could know I was in the right state of mind to interact with her.

As I gazed out along the branches of the tree, out over the Cheshire countryside, I felt our energy fields merge. I had been given permission to “enter” this tree’s world and my vision began to change. Staring with un-focused eyes I saw a bundle of leaves on the end of the branch begin to re-formulate into the shape of an owl’s feathered body with two bright spots of sunlight exactly where the eyes of an owl should be. I knew that I must not be surprised by this, as it would cause me to come back into everyday consciousness, so I relaxed further into the feeling of being wrapped up in the tree’s nemeton.

My vision now moved from being three dimensional to what I can only imagine it would be like to be fourth dimensional! I could simultaneously see, in my mind’s eye, all angles of the “owl” at the same time – I only needed to direct my attention to a point in space to see the owl from that angle. Most incredible! I could also apprehend its shape from many angles at the same time! This fourth-dimensional feeling grew stronger until I could see the owl shaped leaves as an owl from all angles at the same time. I knew something profound was happening to my perception, so I chose this moment to ask my question again, “How will I know that I am in the right state of mind to cross into the Otherworld?” I said to myself.

The answer came almost immediately. I felt an up-swell from the ground upon which I was sat which travelled up the base of my spine until it reached the level of my heart, at which point it changed direction and burst out of my chest, flooding the spherical nemeton “bubble” that I had formed with the tree’s energy field. I sat there noticing the flow, the feeling, how connected I felt, the pang of emotion I felt, how much more aware I was of sensory information coming in, and feelings of energy pouring out from this point too. I knew this to be the heart chakra that I had worked with before (see the Glastonbury Solstice post, for example).

As I emerged from the meditation and my focus returned the leaves that had formed the owl shape became just leaves again – like when Bagpuss went to sleep, ”the mice were ornaments on the mouse-organ“. The sparks of light that had been its eyes had faded and moved. Three dimensions were restored to their usual order.

I began to reflect upon what I had seen and felt. The owl was a classic symbol of wisdom – associated with Minerva and Moloch, and in the Welsh Mabinogion tales it is associated with Blodeuedd – Lady of the Flowers. For me, it felt like a sign that some form of wisdom was being dispensed, and that I was on the right track with asking such a question. I also felt an association with learning – I was about to be taught something, and the owl was the form used that was perfectly in keeping with the time of dusk when the light was fading and night was emerging. It was all these things and more.

The owl also reminded me of the Alan Garner connection that Alderley Edge has. Garner had written a book that I read as a youngster called “The Owl Service” in which the ancient tale of the romantic triangle of Blodeuedd, Llew Llaw Gyffes and Gronw Pebyr, but as re-enacted in a modern context through the discovery of a set of plates that have the disguised image of an owl imprinted on them in the form of leaves. The resonances of this story were something that I felt very strongly. Garner, in my youth, had excited me with his tales that brought the ancient worlds of magic into the modern world with dramatic consequences. Here in Alderley Edge, spiritual home of many of Garner’s stories (but not ‘The Owl Service’, oddly) I had felt that crossover happen.

I gav my usual thanks for the infromation provided, the question answered, and the wisdom transferred, and Kal and I left the forest, heading into the last rays of the evening thoroughly satisfied with an evening’s profitable work done. Another episode that defied explanation. Another question inexplicably answered by an unknown source. More philosophical questions generated than answered. Every episode as amazing as the last. Alderley Edge is indeed an magical place.

Gwas

Feeling my way towards wisdom.

The Gauntlet

A discussion broke out with a friend. I was telling him how Kal and I had dowsed for death energies and he became intruiged by the idea. He mentioned that a fellow had committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree in the field just behind his house in Macclesfield. He wondered if I could locate which tree it was. He knew, and was about to describe some of the surrounding circumstances but I asked him not to. Let’s see if I could find out which tree – a dowsing challenge, and an opportunity to try out a neglected aspect of my dowsing – location. Talking of location, I asked my friend to provide me with the postcode for this place, and I would find it from that. To save me some time he let slip – “It’s in the left hand side as you go into the field.” I didn’t want any more details. Let’s see if I could locate it from that much alone.

Evening expedition

I checked Google Earth for an arial map of the field. Lots of fuzzy trees. Loads of them. ‘The left side’ barely narrowed much down, but I was grateful to at least be sure I was heading in a particular direction! It seemed like half a mile square, this field. One evening several days later I was pulling on a light rain jacket and thinking of taking gloves because a bitter wind still blew. There was jjust enough cover in the field to fend off the wind. There were hawthorn bushes, lots of small trees in a bank surrounding the field, and the occasional large ash and other varied deciduous trees and shrubs. I was going to be picking a tree out of about fifty that I could make out on this blurry map.

Head down I marched off left along the path with the clear request to locate a tree that had been the location of a recent human hanging. I thought that was specific enough until I got something. The rods just swung very gently to and fro in synchrony for a few minutes of walking. By now I was half way across this half of the field and nothing yet. I wondered of the distant boom-boom bass from some boy racer’s boot was baffling a response. I get my head down and tried to un-focus and yet focus at the same time - Wei-No-Wei. Zanshin.

A minute later a large tree loomed for the first time on the right-hand side of the path. As I walked past it the rods both swung quite deliberately in a sharp arc to point towards the large trunk of the tree. I stated my intention again and the rods held firm to their new course until I touched the trunk with the copper tips. No doubting now – this was the one. I stood back to see what it was like. Gnarly, and complex. And very black. I know it was a dull early evening in Spring, but this tree;’s trunk was blacker than the other trees in the area.

Snuff Clip

I took some pictures as evidence of finding the place. Then I asked to find the exact spot where he had swung at his death and was able to find a spot just a couple of feet away from the trunk near to the sturdy and accessible branches. Then I did a stupid thing. I wanted confirmation so I leaned against the tree and slowed everything down a bit. Moments later I was asking to see the man’s death, and I got myself ready for it. But I wasn’t ready. Not ready for seeing a thin, gaunt, pale face and neck snap upwards against the black knotted frame of the tree, and then I pulled away. Well, I literally asked for that! I don’t think I’ll be exercising that particular connection any time soon.

The Squidgy Bit

I spent a minute or two more with the tree, trying to absorb or let in some of the energy that it had stored from that traumatic event. I imagined my chakras opening up to draw out the memory and to dissipate it on the breeze, apologising all the while quietly to the tree for it having to endure (and then re-live) the experience of the hanging man’s distress. Minutes later I dowsed as to whether I had had any effect. YES - the black energy was neutralised. A little shiver went through me, and this was a sign that I should clean myself down too, so I did just that quickly, dissipating any accumulated energies. All clear? The rods said so.

I need to be sure that there wasn’t any other tree that I might have got mixed up with, so I asked the rods if there was any other tree that had hosted a human hanging? NO. Any other deaths in this vicinity (wooly, I know). YES. OK (if it’s not too far) could I be shown the way to that place? The rods pointed off down the slope, so I followed them, away from the path across some lower-lying ground that was marshy. I skirted it, picking up the trail again as it led to a simple wire fence standing four feet high with a railway line at the top. It was easily climbed but I thought I knew what was about to be revealed and I didn’t want to follow in their footsteps so I packed up and headed off. I’m guessing someone was killed by a train there once. I had enough information to meet the challenge, so I packed up and headed home.

The Payoff

When I met my friend again he wanted to know if I’d been to the field. I certainly had, and here were the pictures to show him which tree I had picked out. He smiled. “Yeah, that’s the one. Definitely.” OK. Interesting. Not going to make a habit of that, but it was interesting. The bounds of possibility keep extending for this skill. “Why don’t you see if there’s any information about it?” he asked me later. Tonight I went online and found this BBC bulletin about it: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2795391.stm

Gwas

Following someone’s directions.