I realise that I have used the term ‘nemeton’ without giving it much of a definition. For me the nemeton of something is the energy that it projects. I have found that projection can take many shapes: a complete sphere is common, but also with trails of energy bursting out of that sphere, or perhaps it’s an ellipse shape, or some other organically smooth and bulbous shape.
It is more than shape though. It is an energetic field, a boundary of force or subtle energy that can be tuned into by adjusting and un-focusing the mind, like twisting the eye’s kaleidoscope. In this state of mind the energy can be felt, sensed, or for some, seen in the mind’s eye – that evanescent show-reel that projects misty-lensed images in your own private theatre. When overlaid on normal sight this can appear like a waking daydream, but carries an immense sense of being real.
I first encountered the word in one of Emma Restall-Orr’s books. She described it like this:-
“…it is often possible to sense the edge with fingertips or hands, feeling a slight pressure, a change in temperature or light in the air. Simply by using our mind, pure intention and openness, a blend of imagination and sensitive vision we can trace the edge, not forgetting the area to either side and behind us.” (‘Living Druidry‘, Emma Restall-Orr, Piatkus, 2004)
Emma goes on to reveal more qualities of this field’s edge, and makes it sound like the classic description I used to read as a curious boy about people’s auras. They have colour, display weaknesses, and can be interacted with opening an emotional connection, or sympathetic vibration.
I now use this term to describe these fields as I have found them around trees, and standing stones. They have different extents depending upon their purpose. Trees seem to develop a nemeton roughly spherical and in line with their size and shape, perhaps only extending a few feet beyond that. Larger trees have nemetons that can be sensed some fifty feet or more away. This is the majestic feeling we have when we walk down a long avenue of large trees – we feel their nemetons if we adopt an appreciative air. It is uplifting, certainly. Rejuvenating to our flagging soul.
Standing stones and stone circles have such a field too. Stone circles are again spherical and usually tied in size to the size of the circle of stones. Standing stones have nemetons that are usually proportionate to the power of the energies at the site, and to the size of the stones. The Bryn Gwyn stones of Anglesey, for example, emit a strong and easily detected nemeton from each of the huge stones. The edges of these elliptical nemetons can be felt without using dowsing rods. You can feel their character just by standing near to the stone for a minute in silence.
When you stop feeling the object’s presence, or attraction, then that’s the edge of it’s nemeton. Emma R-O asks that we treat this edge with respect, as we are invading something’s ‘space’, and we know how upset we get when someone comes too close, and ‘invades our space’! I guess she’s right, but often we can’t help being in something’s space – that’s the way parks and roads are made! It becomes especially important to adopt a good attitude, however, when we switch to attempting to interact with these energetic fields. Then I feel it is right to ask permission to do so.
Recent dowsing has shown me that the nemeton of a stone circle is composed of three concentric circles, and that those circles flow in two directions: the male energy flows anti-clockwise and the female flows clockwise. When the male energies are in the ascendancy (e.g. the sun is shining) then the nemeton flows anti-clockwise, but if the moon’s influence is stronger (the sun has gone down, the moon is full or close) then the flow will go clockwise.
Whichever way it is flowing in a stone circle the energy always enters the circle to spiral around inside into a single point, which is usually what we term a “power centre”, but which mainstream dowsing likes to call a “blind spring” – a point where two underground streams of water cross.
The Nemeton vs. The Aura
There is a lot of cross-over between the concepts of the nemeton and the aura of a living thing, not least that they literally overlay each other. Recently we spent some time dowsing these two fields and determined that they were categorically distinct energy fields. They may have many points in common – for example, they occupy most of the same space, and they can both be controlled in terms of their extent and their properties, yet they have differences too, some of which we are only just understanding.
One of the major differences is in the nature of the energy. In the nemeton field the energy dowsed as a different frequency to that of the aura. The aura is composed of rainbow colours that map onto the human chakra points, but the nemeton is not split into bands of different frequencies, but is instead a whole field of a single energy type.
The purpose of the nemeton is something we are only beginning to get to grips with. What we have found so far is that it seems to be related to inter-connectedness. It seems to be the field that defines the region or sphere of influence that a living entity generates. This field of inter-connectedness can be opened or closed (softened or firmed up) to permit or block a connection with other nemeton fields (of which there are many inter-lacing fields from all living entities). When a connection is made then emotion, meaning and intent can be shared between co-operative entities, such as between a human and a tree. The overlapping of the respective nemeton fields provides the connection between the two, and permits the transport of “vibes”, intuitive thought patterns and imagery.
So, I hope that’s piqued your interest in the idea of a nemeton. I am learning that becoming sensitive to these fields is immensely rewarding and fulfilling, and I hope to learn more so that I can work with them more efficiently. I would dearly like it to become second nature! Oh dear, “pun hell”!
Gwas
Find your nemeton
