I had a chain of sites in mind for Imbolc this year. Kal and I had already gone through the list and dowsed an order or preference based upon the energetic requirements of the people who would be there – Kal, Mike and myself. For Kal the important sites would be Lud’s Church and St Helen’s Well. For myself and Mike the important site would be The Bridestones. In addition I wanted to show Kal Clulow Cross too, but then I sprung a surprise on everyone. Marton Chapel near Congleton, Cheshire would be our first site.
For some reason I needed to go to Marton Chapel. I didn’t know why but something about it appealed to me. I don’t even remember how I came across the name of this church. Somehow, in some research one evening, the name appeared. The name had been written down on a piece of paper for several weeks now, but Imbolc felt like the time to pay the place a visit. I dowsed some possible reasons for going, using educated and intuitive guesses to get the questions. The result was that I believed I might meet with the shade (the emergetic remainder) of someone who wanted to speak with me. How odd! Really? I was curious, but also cautious, and checked to see whether this was a good idea. The dowsing rods told me it was. OK – let’s do it and see what happened!
Grounding and smiling
As we pulled into the churchyard I could see that this was at least going to be a wonderful photograph. The clear blue Winter sky formed a perfect backdrop for the quaint timber-framed church building. It was delightful and the moods of the assembled companions – Mike, Kal and I – could not have been merrier. I wandered for a moment but then felt like I was being drawn to one of the yew trees near the rear end of the church – it’s eastern end. I found a clear spot beneath the tree and knew this was the position. I got my dowsing rods out and walked back a few paces. In all innocence and with the most objectivity I could muster I asked for the best place for me to be right now – I was led in a tight curl back to the place I had been standing. This was the strongest energy point for me.
Seconds later Kal turns up and confirms the spot as the strongest, but says that all the shades have been drawn into the tree by its incredible strength. Already I knew what he was talking about. I could feel the pulling momentum of the tree as it was drawing energy into its trunk and down through its roots. To say that Yew trees are excellent at energy grounding is akin to saying that the sky was blue. Mike was also interested in the tree, offering a different perspective on proceedings by confirming the strength of the attractive power, and adding that it is generating a “happy”, “laughter” energy. It did feel good to stand beneath its branches, that was undeniable. We all were smiling just by being close to it. We were being grounded and cleansed, and that felt good.
A Promise To Mary
I begin to commune with the tree, simply asking it why I have been drawn to this place? What is it that it wants to communicate to me on this special day? As I stand on the spot beneath the yew tree embraced in its energies I become aware of a momentary reversal of flow. The tree releases one of the captured energies that it has drawn into its base. The shade re-forms into the shape of a lady in out-dated clothing, whose sandy-coloured hair is tied neatly in a ‘bun’. I only see her briefly because soon she is occupying the same space as I am, only she seems more ethereal, whereas I am quite real. I recognise her as an energetic shroud or shade, and sensing that it is alright to do so, I allow her to communicate to me telepathically.
The shade reveals itself as the energy of Mary Hodges. She says that she was a follower of Brigid, and that if I perform my Imbolc ritual in her name, then she will reveal some information to me. I agree to have a good old think about whether I want to do this, which should buy me some time to consider whether this is a sensible thing to do, or not. Perhaps it would bind me to some Otherworldly contract? Is this a pact with a demonic force? What might be the result if I accept? What is on offer if I do this? All these thoughts race through my mind in sudden succession and they break the link I have with the shade, whom I can feel is once more drawn into the tree’s base, pulled by its unvarying attraction.
Lest Ye Forget
I consider the proposition, and reflect upon it for the rest of the day.At the end of the day so much else occurs that distracts me from the memory of this promise that I completely forget about it! At home I panic. Have I broken the bond? Did I accept the promise or not? Does the deal still hold for the next day if I do a similar ritual to Brigid in Mary’s memory, and with the protection of home energies? I turn to the rods for an answer as I get a spare moment at home. It seems that the energies of Brigid and Imbolc bleed into the 2nd February too. I have one last opportunity to make good on my promise to Mary.
I select my spirit-working crystal set and ask for the best placement of the crystals in order to work with the energies of Brigid. I get a rough pentagon shape formed in my room. I light the special candle that I inscribed for myself (see Bridestones post to come soon for details) and place it in the window facing the sunset. With some sandlewood incense lit I begin to ground and centre myself. This comes easily and quickly now, each time more powerful than the last. Connected, I begin by dedicating the ritual to Mary Hodges. Then I begin to call in the forces that I wish to work with for the year. One by one I imagine their significance to me, and I call them to me to work with me in this coming year.
When all of my spiritual guidance is assembled and willing I call upon the essence and energy of Brigid herself to being her guiding light to shine on my path for the coming year. I seek the opening” energy, the “light”, the “revelation” she brings with her presence. In return I dedicate myself to do my work in her name, to enhance the light, stay on the path that I am guided to.
I blow out the candle and remove the crystals. At the end I once again dedicate the ritual to the memory of Mary Hodges. I hope I have done enough for her to be content, whoever she is, and wherever she is. That’s a good point – where IS she now, I wonder. Out come the dowsing rods. After a number of questions with varying responses I come to the following conclusion:- the ritual offered her the energy she needed for her spirit to release itself from the ties of the yew tree and the Earth in general. Her spirit form, whatever form that might be, gained enough energy through my intention, dedication and ritual, to move itself on. For this act I have been left something that I now have to collect. I know where from. I will let you know what that is when I find it, and how I collect it.
Stay tuned for the next part of the story, and coming up next is the next part of the Imbolc celebrations, as we all head towards Lud’s Church, or Ludchurch as we have come to believe it is called.
MARY HODGES research:-
“Mary Hodges of Congleton buried August 27, aged 70 – entry from the 1812 section of the The Reades of Blackwood Hill – a source text for register information for Cheshire. It doesn’t say where she was buried, but she was married to Rev.Thomas Hodges who was a vicar in Church Hulme, Cheshire.
Dowsing indicates to me that this information correlates with the shade that I was contacted by”.
Gwas.
