A new beginning
Gwas had dowsed the premium location for Imbolc celebrations and it turned out, much to both our chagrin as Anglesey. We had been to this rather bleak isle a few weeks ago and would have preferred any place – and I mean any – in the country. However who are we to argue with dowsing rod direction?
As perhaps has been mentioned before, this year both Gwas and I are following a more co-creative line when it comes to visiting sacred sites. By this we mean to be heading out with a particular purpose in mind.
A difficult task it is proving to be for the moment. However upon setting of from home I had two things in mind.
- The first being ~ what the heck was all this “wand making” business about?
- How important was this “wand making” business
I find it extremely funny that we seem to “need” to be out at some site to be able to ask these questions, when I am quite sure we could safely ask them at our homes too.
Since I seem to be entwined with these Celtic reflections I suppose I should learn some more about them…
Though now I think of it – my heritage for want of a better word is surely more Eastern perhaps I should hark back to those lands and mysteries
Anyways…Following Gwas’s ever present plan of action (please recall again that I am the amiable side-kick on this venture). We arrived after a slight error in mapping to the first sight of the day and quite appropriately named Ty Newydd – translated to mean The New!
Following Gwas’s 2010 plan of action, i.e. to map out the energies of the sites we visit, we began to do this as soon as we arrived. Well, I confess Gwas did most of it. I helped with the odd “energetic” comment.
One of the first things I “felt” upon arriving at this site was that the central “brick” column that had been cemented in to keep the structure stable was destabilising the energies of the place. Some quick dowsing confirmed this and also that the energetic aura around the site was displaced (or rather mis-shapen) also.
If you ever wonder why two (or even more) accounts of a trip to these sites is better than one then it will become abundantly clear from these posts. It is my (our) belief that oour individual reactions to the sites we visit creates a unique experience for each of us. Thus needing seperate accounts.
I dowsed for a favourable position and wasn’t surprised when I was shown a place that was in direct sunlight. A male energy center as Gwas later determined. Whilst Gwas fought with his lighter to light some incense sticks I sat quite happily enjoying the sun. I am after all a Solar guy!
It was during this meditative state that I got a “start date” in mind for beginning the creation of my Wand – or atleast for finding the Beech that would form it. The date was August. At the time the only connection that came to mind with August was that it was last August that my dear mum passed away, is this what was meant? Hmmm. However, wiki provided another interesting correlation with August…
Interesting! Wiki tells me that Lughnasadh festival marks the beginning of the Harvest season. I wonder what further revelations await? O by the way friend Gwas, note the name of the next festival “Ostara”, ringing any bells?
Actually a thought just occured to me and honest it only just occured to me whilst I was musing over this post.
- Getting a Start date for creating my wand
- That date being the Start date for harvesting
- Ty Newydd being the place of “The New”
Am I the only one with shivers down his spine? Well, well, well…
Gwas will no doubt tell of his little ceremony to get the energy flowing again at this site. I will just add that whilst he was in the process of doing so, I had the urge to get up and walk away from the site. I found myself walking about 30 feet away from the site and then in a parabola around it, stopping by a metal fence. When Gwas had finished his work we noted two things.
- I had walked to the edge of the sites aura – I didn’t know that at the time
- The metal fence that had stopped my walk was difusing the aura of the site.
Not for the first time that day we had to ask…”Why do they use metal?”
So before I leave Ty Newydd can I just point out that in the picture above Brigid (whom Imbolc signifies) is thought to have two sisters, one of which is a Smith i.e. one who creates things? Thought i’d just mention that.
Walking the long walk
Ok, I don’t know what “pilgrimage” means to you, but having done a lot of travelling globe-wise my personal take on pilgrimages is to take all the encounters along it as significant – just cause you can’t see it doesn’t mean its not there!
Our next stop along the road was at the River Briant
and its wonderfully non-slip stones. As Gwas mentions in his post. He was wondering if I would be slipping into the river – as the side-kick on these journeys I often provide the comic relief. I don’t mind it’s good for my ego. As it happens I didn’t, and even though the other side was rather boggy we decided to continue on on foot than return to the car.
The walk through the marshes was fun and since my “non-water proof, guaranteed to fill instantly with any available water” trainers were instantly covered in mud and drowned in water I had no worries after about 5 minutes. You can’t get wetter than wet.
From the minimal pictures of me on this blog you must realise one important point about all my expeditions. I never, ever wear “the appropriate” gear. In my opinion the universe should compensate for my stead-fast belief that everything I need will be provided (quite often by Gwas, thanks for the coat mate!) O and thanks Universe for the consistently good weather when we go out!
We trudged on enjoying “that sinking” feeling every so often until we reached move civilised (or rather tarmaced) path. We then attempted to get to our secondary target but realised that time was against us and decided to turn back and reclaim our car before proceeding on.
Note: the road back was a long long road and it was at several points we noted that it would have been quicker, more pleasurable and soggier if we had returned via the marshes.
Still, I have to say, the sun was shining and once we got to the car I had to strip off to shirt and t-shirt level and my trainers had dried out!
An empty field – er – I mean castle
My knowledge of all things Celtic or Ancient whichever you want to describe it as adds up to one word “google” So when Gwas tells me that we are going to some-strange-welsh-name, my assumptive brain kicks in and translates it as “some sacred site with large boulders in it”.
To this date I think it has only been two or three times that I have been incorrect in this assumption – not bad going eh? Anyway the next site on the pilgrimage was…
Castle? Hmmm couldn’t they have put a little “Ex” infront of that statement? Anyways…taking care not to “injure” the site we explored the energetic nature of this site. Gwas is going to give the details of that I will say that there were three entrances to the site. A Solar, Lunar and Stellar entrance. I think this is the first time we have encountered a Stellar entrance. Perhaps because we have never looked for one before – still we hadn’t this time either.
I had just walked along the edge of the – er castle – and marked of the entrances and came up with three. Further dowsing had revealed their polarities.
I think it was me that dowsed the Sigil for the site first, followed by Gwas who got the same as me. Interesting! Gwas will post the image from his notes. We found some other interesting energetic anomalies at this site. An alter place for one.
O and one other thing comes to mind. I had found a rock earlier on in the day and had pocketed it – in the long tradition of “moving rocks from one place to another”. So I had placed the rock down in an energy point in this – er castle – and intended to leave it there. Then as Gwas and I headed towards the next site on the pilgrimage I had what I can only describe as a “call” – and this is really weird I know – but it was the rock calling me back to pick it up and take it with me. Mad right?
Signs
We got in the car and headed of towards the next stop. As we got close we saw a black dog in the road infront of us. In all our travels we have never encountered a dog just sitting in the road. Then as we navigated around that one we came across another “black dog” in the road again. Following this up with a bunch of crows.
I was convinced that this was a sign and that we should be wary of our next target, rightly so it proved to be. Our next “stone” was…
We had been this was on a previous visit and had made some changes to the energies. In our in-experience these had not been advantageous and thus it seems we had been called back to correct our mistake. Gwas left the work to me which essentially consisted of returning some outlier stones back to the centeral rock. A quick dowse or two – with accompanying ache in head due to negative energies, the work was done and we swiftly left this place.
Lambing
Our final stop was at Bodowyr Cromlech…
Guess what Cromlech means?
This was a lovely site to finish on I thought as we approached it and saw the baby lambs being protected by their parents. Within the chamber a few baby lambs had been sleeping but were awakened by our approach and weren’t able to climb out of the “metal fence” which surrounded the chamber.
Without hesitation I climbed over the fence and lifted the remaining kids out of the play pen – it was our turn!
As per usual Gwas did most of the energy discovery dowsing, with me helping out in my own rather free-lance way. We discovered the sigil of the site as well as astrological symbol. Furthermore we found that our personal “entrance and exit” from the chambers were different. If I recall, mine was Solar aligned i.e. East-West.
Gwas attended to five incense sticks – marking a completion of the circle since it was five at Ty Newydd also. And so we both sat in this chamber watching the sky go red in the distance.
As I mused over the days events sitting cross-legged in a burial chamber I wondered about wand making in the context of other things going on in my life. It came to me that I should look back on how I came across this “side-line” quest in the first place. As I recall it was an adjunct, an “add-on” quest. Not something that was on the “main” path. This being the case I felt more clearly that it was something to pursue at leisure and at a pace that is respective of “its” position as “side-line”.
Further reflection brought other insights. The day had been enjoyable, warm and with the best of company. It had had its twists and turns – but on the whole it turned out to be a fine day. Destinations are mere sign posts along the path. It was and is the journey that should be enjoyed. Yes, this was the message of Imbolc 2010.
Fin,
Kal
