The Hedge Druid

Posts Tagged ‘wands’

It was late Thursday evening and I had questions on my mind. The foremost being where to find the answers to the questions posed in this post.

Since I was currently located in the South-West of the UK, my personal preference was for something local-ish. Glastonbury? Avebury, Cornwall site? So I began my dowsing quest by asking whether a suitable site was South, East or North of here (West is the ocean).

I got a good indication for North. I then asked whether the site was one I had visited before? Yes. This was followed by me dowsing all the sites that where North of my position (which is most of the visited sites!) Finally and almost literally, finally. I got to Llangernyw Yew tree and the rods flew inwards. I sighed! I hadn’t planned to go North this coming weekend. But in anticipation of finding some answers, I managed to get out of work slightly early to make the five hour trip to the 4,500 thousand year old Ancient Yew tree.

I arrived at the church around 10.30 and was glad to just sit by the river that runs along the side and take a stretch and a rest. The view of the clear night sky with half moon glowing was, as always a wonder to behold. After some minutes of rest I climbed back up the stairway to go and be with the Yew tree. It is an amazing experience to be in the company of such a peaceful and knowledgable tree.

Dowsing suggested that lighting some incense would be auspicious and so I lit five sticks and placed them as directed by the rods. Standing amongst them, I asked the questions that had had my mind wandering:

Rosicrucians and Templar:

• Do I need to research these? No, not yet but I would after I had done some more work
• Rosicrucians or/and Templars? Neither, at the moment see above
• Do I need to visit some of their sites in Cornwall? Yes, and the first of these should be Temple

Green Knight myth:

• Was it just a pointer to Luds church? Yes, but there is more
• Do I need to create and go on a pilgrimage following his path? Yes
• When and through what sites? You will be given a sign

Holy Grail:

• Is there a relationship between this and the phoenix? Yes – transformation 
• And my book? Yes it represents your personal quest
• How can I believe this answer? How can you believe you’re talking to a tree?

Wand:

• Do I have to make this? Yes you should have done so already
• By when? Learn now!
• What to use? Start the journey and you will know

As always the Yew didn’t disappoint with its answers. I quite liked the chide in that “you are talking to a tree” quite amusing.

I also got a curious piece of knowledge…”Someone is coming to challenge you?” Me? No. Gwas!…interesting…and also this… “Destiny is not how the world sees you, but is how you see the world”

Although I am a very spontaneous person. I also know the value of setting up expectations. So here are some expectations for 2011:

• Abbeys and Cathedrals

As you know new religions replace old ones often by taking over the old ones places of worship and ceremony. So it wouldn’t be surprising to find sacred energies at such places. Couple to this the notion that energy and thought are closely tied then such places would have any energies there enhanced. Well lets find out. So in 2011, I (we) hope to visit some newer (from the perspective of Megalithic sites) locations and divine there energetic states and value.

• House Dowsing and Energy Transformations

Ok, I have experimented with this over the last couple of years and have had a lot of success. Specifically I will be hoping to explore energies in homes and how to transform them to make the places energies more in line with the wishes of those who live there. Whether this be for healing, creativity, prosperity, etc. Gwas, I believe maybe looking at a similar type of thing but from the perspective of spirit/shadeA shade is the energy body of a human being that has become transfixed at a geographical location. The shade retains many of the qualities of the human that it was attached to (memories, character traits, a level of sentience, movement between places known in life)./death (we have to get our naming conventions sorted) energies. My area of investigation/work will be more in line with what is called Feng Shui (using intuition and dowsing rather than the – various – laws of Feng Shui).

• Signs and Synchronicities

This is a difficult one really, because it is not so much doing anything but reading them. Although (at the moment) I don’t believe that there are any hard and fast rules to this, I do want to see if I can get really good at reading omens and determining what they are and why they exist? For example, are they here to show us our destined path? Or to help us avoid certain dangers? I have been interested in Synchronicity for many years through my Paranormal investigation/studies so I know there are any number of reasons (which I will explore later in the year) as to why of these.

• Energy therapies

Having had my own complementary therapies practice for a few years I know the value of such. Over the past year or two I have done the odd experiment with dowsing and therapies. However I would like to do a lot more with them. The healing modalities I am speaking of are of course, Reiki, Bach Flowers, Homeopathy, Blessing Water, Water Crystals. No promises with this one, but it should be fun to explore.

• Wand making

This has been left, sadly, by the wayside. However I really want to see if I can make some progress with this this year. It is a task that really caught my imagination when I was presented with it at Alderley Edge (The Wizards Forest) at the beginning of 2010. Being given the name of Wand Maker was also a good indicator (and sign?)

• Tarot

In the background of the last four years or so I have been studying Tarot and it’s uses. Although on several occasions I have been shown that future prediction is a non-sense-ical endeavour. Using the Tarot for getting a perspective on situations is brilliant and since it is a bit of an arm chair activity you can play with it anytime. So expect more of this to be cropping up. And that is just on the Edge Wizardry front. The other fronts of my life are going to be spectacular this coming year too!

Kal Malik – Co-Creating the Future

Interesting…since my last visit to Alderley Edge and my experience regarding creating a wand, it (the wand making) has been on my mind, almost constantly. To be honest it has been getting annoying – because it has been distracting me from other activities that I am keen on pursuing.

Full Moon

Dowsing rods are useful for exploration of ideas and other musings that pop along the intuitive tract. And this week has been full of them. Fortunately, I have been taking note of these intuitive interruptions and have garnered a list of, hmmm, I don’t know what to call it - knacks maybe?

For instance one particular one that came to me whilst walking along the beach this last week was…

Taking water from the middle (not depth-wise) of the pacific ocean in some test-tube and boiling the water away until only the salt remains. Placing this salt within a glass ampule and then placing this ampule within the core of the wand.

Although this particular knack will not be utilised in my first wand creation I found it an interesting side thought.

Anyways I am writing this post more to point out that tonight’s near full moon was so bright and spectacular that I just had to wander out into the night for some exploration and since my mind has been pre-occupied with wands and wand making I decided to meditate further on this particular ‘venture’ and what a surprising set of results were garnered.

Curious? Alas you’re going to have to wait a bit because this is blooming into a bigger project than I could ever have imagined. So for a list of:

• Skills that I need to learn
• Knowledge that I have to acquire
• Intuitive journeys that I’m going to have to go on

You are going to have to wait a bit and look in a new place that I am creating for this project…

Would it surprise you to learn that the domain name www.TheWandMaker.comis actually available to buy? I was absolutely convinced that it would be – tonight’s full moon energies combined with intuitive dowsing ascertained that.

It’s not up yet – but please watch out for The Wand Maker at the above address as I learn the art and intuitive skills used in creating my wand and…

Kal – The Wand Maker

From the mouth of…

In my previous post, here, I was led to understand that a trip to Alderley Edge forest would bring fruits of wisdom and music. Dowsing had suggested that a sunny – male energy – day would be the most auspicious time for the visit. So, ignoring this advice completely I decided to visit the forest of Wizards this cold, cloudy Saturday.

Alderley Edge

Why we make decisions should be explored as well as what decisions we make. This decision came about whilst I was in converse with a friend over coffee on Saturday morning and he happened to ask, what I was up to that afternoon. I had no plans at the time and it just came out“I think I will visit Alderley Edge forest. On my way home from the cafe I was reconsidering and wondering why I had said that and before I knew it my car was facing eastwards and off I went.

Earth Song

Sounds of Earth Song

Arriving at the Edge some 50 minutes or so later I was pleasantly surprised by the magical mist that lay about the place. I quickly got out my dowsing rods and began weaving in and out of the misty wood. I asked the rods whether today was an appropriate day to listen to “Earth Song”. Yes came the answer, which surprised me because it wasn’t a sunny day.

Next I directed the rods to show me where to go to receive this gift. And I was off! In between trees, up and down mounds, scraping and scratching as I went. Which I now know to be a good thing. It felt great to be wandering in the forest – aimlessly? Not!

The rods took me to a orange leaf tree (which was later identified by Gwas as a Beech). I asked whether this was the place to meditate? No. Then why bring me here??? Anyway, my intuition said that it was a energetic interesting place for me to have seen, ok. So I carried on and came to another leafy tree. Again it was to be an interesting place but nothing more. This happened two more times so that I had been taken to four orange leafed trees (I have to say most of the rest of the forest was barren of trees).  Hmmmm…

Finally I was led to a kind of ravine with a 30 foot high rock edge to one side and this was the place to meditate, with my back against the face. Just above me I noticed a wonderful tree growing out of the wall face.

There I was closing the internal talk and listening for the Earth Song. The place was devoid of people and sounds except for the occasion plane passing over head. The mist was settling about the place quite nicely I have to say and it seemed ideal in all regards.

Chimes

After some time I heard/felt a soft boom. I thought at first it was another plane in the distance but then it happened again and I realised it was coming from underground, rather like as if someone was hitting the ground near my feet with a sledge hammer – but there was no sound of the hammer just a feeling of the vibration it made. Then it came a few more times and I knew its rhythm. it was five beats and a space then repeated. This happened for quite a while until a new sound entered the mix. This sound was added to the “space” in between the five beats. It’s hard to describe, the best I can do is – it sounded like the noise from wind-chimes if they were being hit by rain. So it was a kind of splish-ping.

These sounds five bass-ey beats and then a splish-ping stayed with me for a few minutes – to the point that I could feel that the beats were being played in my abdomen and the splish-ping travelled up to my chest and back too my abdomen.

The experience in total must have been around 15-20 minutes after which both sounds faded away leaving me with a bit of a butterfly-stomach but on the whole good. I dowsed as to whether that had been Earth Song and it was confirmed. I then asked whether it had done anything to me, yes. What? I didn’t feel anything different. Had it had a healing effect? No, Transformational? No, Spiritual? No But something? Yes. A few other questions came up with “No” too and I left it at that for the moment!

So, a confirmation that all was done at that spot left me wondering what to do next, So I asked as to whether anything else was to do here? Yes. Excellent – and off I was following the Rods again…Deeper and deeper into the wood.

The special branch

I wandered and walked in a kind of zig-zag away from where my mind was telling me my car was. Still perseverance is the key, so I carried on walking.

At one point I was walking along some half way up a hill but horizontal to it and the rods were asking me to carry on, but I noted a path further below me and tried to make for it – ooops – I slipped some twenty foot and ended up with mud all down my left side. A word to the wise – follow your guide! – Oooh that rhymes.

Anyway, after straightening my rods out (they got bent in the fall) I carried on, rather bemused at my own lack of faith. Then at one point along this trip (no pun intended) I felt the rods twitch to the left. Pardon? I asked and walked back and got the same response again. ‘Non Comprende‘ I said to them as this was the first time I had had such a response. So I decided to follow this twitch – curiosity after all only kills cats. The rods led me to a branch on the floor. How do I know it was the branch rather than the spot on the ground, You got it – I asked.

I looked down at the branch and asked whether this piece of wood, some 20 inches in length, was significant? Kind-of (Note - must do a post on dowsing rod responses).

Some questions:

• Should I pick up this piece of wood - you can if you want to
• Should I take it with me - no
• Is it important - kind of
• Is it symbolic? – yes
• Is the type of wood important?  – yes

My intuition kicked in at this point and I asked…

• Is this wood the same as the wood from the leafy trees? – yes

You know something, even writing about this adventure 3 days later, my hair stood on end when I wrote the above bullet point. I turned over the piece of wood and it had a “V” shaped groove going along its length. So I asked is that groove in the branch significant? – yes.

Again my intuition was kicking into high gear and I asked whether the whole branch, groove, size, type of wood was significant, and got an almighty YES. Ahhhh.

Note: A friend I was telling this to the other day asked me, “Well, how did you know which questions to ask?” Phew! My answer I don’t know – it has gotten to that stage where just picking up the dowsing rods generate the questions to ask…it’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack with the advantage of a small magnet or metal detector.

I sat on the muddy ground for a while puzzling over this branch, waving it around into my hand and musing. Have you ever had that sensation of watching yourself doing something? It was like that and I saw myself waving the branch doing a “Expeliarmus” When a thought came to me.

Wand

Was this representing a wand? Wow!

The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter. It’s not always clear why.” ~ Ollivander

Was I to make a wand out of this branch? No, now that was well disappointing. Still further perusal via the dowsing rods resulted in the assertion that I would at some point this year be making a wand from beech wood

I always take anything magicalon the web with several pinches of salt, however for the purposes of investigation, here are a couple of things:

Beech Wood:
Male Energy and because it produces nuts it is closely related to the Oak. Associated with the Greek God Apollo and the Elves Sun Lord Obraash. The Celts used the nut of this tree to fodder the sacred swine. Norse tradition says that tablets of Beech were used to make the very first writing tablets for the runes, strong magick for working with the Nordic runes.
Magical Properties: Beech wands are used in the magick of divination. Reduces swellings and skin inflammations. Helps to balance mental health. Aspiration, desire, and victory are all key elements of this wood. Used while working with ancestors, old wisdom, and magickal research. Beech is a sacred wood of the summer solstice.

Source

And some more information:

Beech (Sultan)

Sacred to Obraash the Sun lord, whom the Elves call Alba, Beechwood is closely related to Oak. The Beech tree is a large and spreading tree that bears edible nuts. It was particularly valued by the ancient Celts — and the Elves — as a nut used to fodder animals, especially the sacred swine. Beech is the family of trees to which Oak belongs, thus is Beech sometimes called Atarya Dwyrion, “Grandfather of Oaks.” The name Beech relates to the Germanic word for Book and tradition tells that beech wood was used to make the first writing tablets for the runes. Hence, Beech is deeply associated with learning and lore, and with the divinatory power of the runes. Like Greek Apollo, the Elvish Alba drives his sun-ship across the sky each day and passes to every world of manifestation, sources of light, beauty, and life.

Apollo is also considered to be a spirit of youth, archery, and prophecy, the latter because of his conquest of the Pythian serpent at Delphi and subsequent assumption of the powers of the Delphic oracle. In Celtic tradition many gods are associated with the sun’s light, among them Ogma Sunface, god of eloquence who created the ogham letters, and Oenghus mac Og, god of love and youth. The wood of the Beech has a superb grain that finishes most beautifully.

The Elvish rune Sultan is the same as the Norse rune Sol, the solar rune which has also been interpreted to mean “victory.” Magical operations especially applicable to Beech include: spells of information, especially seeking old wisdom; invocation of ancient guardians or Ancestors; research into old writings and the runes; magick of the Summer Solstice, culmination of desires; magick of victory.

Source

Ok for those Jimmy Randi fans – how many boxes does this tick? Let us see…

• Male energy – so am I
• Sun energy – o me too!
• Book connection – I am writing a book at the moment
• “Finishes beautifully” – great for wand making then
• Aspiration, desire and victory – did I tell of the aspirations that I have? And see the next chapter too!
• Learning and lore – er this is my middle name!
• “ogham letters” is the language of Tree – and who have I been 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 all the while?

My point being – can you have that many hits by random chance? I think not!

Beech Leaf

I will post more on this wand making when I have explored the idea more. Almost certainly it will be investigated deeply. After this interlude I continued on following the rods, wondering about wands and such.

A self-value examination

Due to the aforementioned slippage I was unable to retrace my steps back to the car, also the rods were egging me onwards so, mud covered but excited I carried on. After about fifteen minutes I could see the trees thinning and here the sound of traffic. I knew I had reached the other side of the forest!

The rods however were still playing a part in directing  me so I continued following them. They led me down the road towards Alderley Edge village, along the side of a tennis court. Reason had already informed me that I had at least an hours walk ahead of me, but what the heck! Wands man!!

Anyway, I was walking past these fantastically expensive pads to my left, all set back and gleaming $$ signs.

Alderley Edge House

Then the rods took a 90 degree shift and pointed at one of these houses. From the look of it, it was the most expensive of the bunch. I looked puzzled at the rods?

• Does someone significant live here?
• Is there any important energies here?
• Is this area/land significant?
• Should I climb over the fence and explore more?

All reveled a “No”. So I should pay attention to this house? Yes. Why? I stood there looking at this house for a while and a thought popped into my head, “this must be 2/3 million pounds at least, I could not see myself ever owning something like that” With that thought in mind I instantly returned to the rods. Is this why your showing me this house? Yes.

Now this is a weird and rare scenario. Why? Because I hadn’t asked the rods to show me anything of the kind…so where was the question that led to this answer…indeed one might ask a similar question for the “Wand” experience above.

Usually our rods respond to directed questioning:

• take me to…
• show me where…
• is this…

But what is going on here? Something to explore for sure!

Ok, this house then, your showing me something that I can’t envisage? Yes. Why? Because I need to change my view of myself so that I can envisage it? Yes.

Self-help from dowsing rods? That has got to be a first surely? As a life-coach I understand that we all have limits defined by our beliefs about ourselves. It was interesting to be introduced to one of mine that I didn’t even know I possessed. Watch this space because I have a feeling that although, this was the least magical of today’s experiences I have a feeling that the opposite will hold true! You heard it here first.

Kal ~ Wand Maker

The phrase, “You shoudn’t judge a book by its cover” has never been more starkly brought into focus for me as when I received a copy of Philip Heselton’s “Secret Places of the Goddess: Contacting the earth spirit (1995)“. Bless Capall Bann publishing, their repertoire is excellent, but the covering artwork and styling of the book leaves a lot to be desired and made me feel quite nauseous!

Capall Bann have a range of fantastic books that I have already picked several titiles from and will continue to do so, for they seem to support pagan ideas and have a largely sensible and useful catelogue. A worthy pursuit, but please, ditch the toffee brown washed artwork!

At various points in the book Heselton refers to the possibilities of dowsing as a viable method of discovery of earth energies and of validating the presence of unseen forces in general. It wa only when I came to research Mr Heselton that I dscovered this excerpt on the Controvescial web site:

“In 1962, together with Jimmy Goddard and other UFO enthusiasts, Philip founded The Ley Hunters Club, a revival of The Straight Track Club (1927-1948) first founded by the earlier pioneer of leys … Alfred Watkins.  In 1965 to support growing interest in the club’s activities and findings, they also founded:  The Ley Hunter magazine.  Philip edited the first few issues of magazine from 1965-66, before handing it over to other members so he could concentrate on his University studies.”

Source: Controverscial web site

In “Secret Places” Philip Heselton takes the reader through a structured introduction to the fundamental naturalistic elements that form the basis of pagan understanding of the world around them. I won’t spoil the book, but instead I will urge you to read it. Whether a dowser or a druid the book has lots to offer in terms of explaining the power of place, the spirit of nature, and the ways in which anyone can begin to acknowledge, then work with those energies. Depending on how far you wish to take it there is something here for anyone interested in rediscovering the landscape around them, wherever that may be.

To give you a flavour of what you can expect I have reproduced the chapter headings, but thy do little justice to the uality of the material within them, and the very easy-to-read style that Heselton has adopted for his work. The chapter headings are:-

1. The Magic of Place
2. The Earth Spirit
3. The Wild Wood
4. The Body of the Earth Goddess
5. The Waters of Life
6. Spirit Paths and Holy Hills
7. Finding Our Place
8. Entering The Presence
9. Inbreath – Experiencing the Sacred Space
10. Outbreath – Responding to the Spirit
11. Embracing the Site

I hope that has whetted your appetite. If you regularly read this blog then I am confident that you will find that this book is an indespensible guide to your interests. It is also a good waymarker for where my own studies are heading, and accurately matches my own thoughts at every turn of the page. In many ways, this is the book I always wanted to write!

Gwas.

Guided by masters.