Ionian Equinox 4 – Dun I and the Healing Waters

Towards the end of the first day on Iona we walked to the northern end of the island to climb the hill known as Dun I (‘Dun-ee’). It was only a short distance from the abbey’s grounds, and according to the signposts there was only a 600m walk to the top. I was determined to go because there are so few sacred places on this small island that I wanted to see them all, and with no rain in sight this was a perfect opportunity to do such a climb. It was my belief that somewhere up on top of the hill there was a healing pool, and I was keen to find it and use it. Besides, this would be a great place for me to find out what the quest was for the next part of the Wheel of the Year. I was hoping this would be the place to find that information. So it turned out to be,

There are few signposts on Iona. Locals know where they’re going. Visitors should have the time to find what they need without needing direction. There was one small, and I mean small, concession to this rule and that was the inch-high sign pointing out the footpath to the mountain/hill of Dun I, and the sign on the gate alongside it re-iterating the route. Frankly, you’d be hard-pressed to miss it anyway, even in fog! It’s only five minutes walk north from the Abbey.

As we stepped onto the smooth grassy path something ached in my feet – a longing to be free of the shoes that I had spent all day walking around in. I set my feet free. They practically sighed at the coolness of the mossy grass path and delighted in the cooling dew and occasional crossing rivulet of water. This lasted for about two minutes, then they began to get cold. My brain chimed in with a gentle reminder that this was September, and that I was in Scotland. Thanks, Rational Mind – you’re always useful, never superfluous! Another minute and the climb up the hill began – it was slippery, muddy, rocky and cold. Was this a wise decision now? No, but I continued anyway. Sometimes hardship leads to a better insight. Reward comes through effort, as they say (Who says this? They need a smack!).

The climb was easy compared to many that I’ve done, but with Kal’s fragile state we had to be careful. He did not bound up the hill like he used to. I was going slowly anyway, having to pick out a careful gravel-free path and reminding myself why human beings now wore shoes to do certain tasks like climbing hills. By the time we had reached the top I could no longer feel parts of my feet, so I stopped near to the top to warm them in the sun. When the sun was on them they were fine, but in the shade they nearly cramped with the cold. A kind of spirituality arose from the ordeal – a realisation of how disconnected we usually are from our ancestors and their ways.

At the top we went our separate ways again. Kal went off to face the Atlantic Ocean from the tip of a peak on the western face of Dun I. He looked like one of those buddhist monks in precarious positions on mountain tops in old eastern paintings. Where did his fear of heights go, I wondered? How he’s changed. As for me, I went in search of the healing pool that was reputed to be somewhere up near the top. Heading for the north face I found it, and put my stuff down in the remaining evening sun before preparing myself for whatever might happen next.

Tobar na H-aoise – The Well of Age

Many special places have a protective spirit. Often, when I encounter such places I know as soon as I approach that there is something there. I therefore often approach such places on two levels. Firstly, I ignore the spirit (deliberately not looking at where I think it is located) and I pretend I am a tourist, taking photos, examining the layout, and experiencing the place as a simple visitor. Then I come back again, this time with a different mindset – one that is focused on integration, communication and respect for the site. In this instance I washed my feet in the freezing cold water, then returned to try to warm my feet up by putting shoes and socks back on before returning to the water in a different way.

This seems to deliver results. It’s like, if you go to a place as a tourist the spirits of that place largely overlook you because you’re in a vibrational state that is not close to them. Then, when you deliberately change your intentions, your approach and your energy state, then they are more available and interested in working with you. Or, to put it in a psychological form, you allow yourself access to the deeper reaches of your consciousness and you reflect that out into Nature through a form of projection. I don’t actually believe that, but I sometimes feel that people need to hear it. it’s a kind of escape route to rationality.

I gathered three of the local flowers that could be found on the hill, asking for permission to pluck them before doing so, and waiting for a response. If I didn’t feel I was allowed to, I moved on. I then bound the three flowers together into a posy and brought them to the water to sit a while where I could see the sun reflected on the surface. It was like a cosmic glitterball! Usually, dappled sunlight sets me off into trance, but here it wa ridiculous – I only had to glance at it and I was whisked away into a deep restful state on no-thought.

I pulled myself back out a little in order to feel for any Spirit of Place. Oh yes – there ‘she’ was – a water spirit, an Undine, hovering by the rock whose shadow brushed the pool. I threw the flowers onto the waters where they separated and span in the spray of molten light, adding colour to the overwhelming whiteness. This Undine felt small in size, and curious of me. I sent out loving warm vibes towards her and introduced myself telepathically and with a smile. We both warmed to this despite the cool wind and I could feel a positive response. Positive enough for me to venture a request from her.

NOTE: Remember, rational brain fans, all reflections are internal. All spirit is projection. Simply suppressed unresolved psychopathy.

Your Future’s In The Stars

I asked this Undine if she could help me determine the next part of my year’s quest. I had just completed a quest to release the spirit of Merlin, and now I was ready for another. What would it be? I stared at the water’s sparkles in a mixture of admiration and no-mindedness. I emptied my head of thought. As I looked towards the Undine I began to see flashes of sunlight on the water attracting my focus, and then a wonderful thing happened. I saw the reflections of stars, pointed stars of light, fanning out across the dark surface of the pool like seeds being sown by hand. They rushed, danced and disappeared into the inky blackness to be replaced by another swathe of glittering dancers just moments later as the wind gathered them and blew them across the surface. Then a voice….quiet, female, kind….

“See how the water captures the stars? You must bring your stars down to the water. Bring your stars down into the water.”

I came around a little and felt the now cold bite of the evening breeze high up on the hill’s exposed sides. The sparkling light was just reflected sunlight again. The magic spell had worn off. I was left to contemplate what this riddle could mean. As I sat there in contemplation the Undine offered more information to me:

1. What is this thing about water, I asked? Water reflects and represents emotion and I needed to understand how stars affects emotions.
2. Which ones, I asked? Ones important to me, she responded.
3. Why? To gain control of emotions in myself and to help others understand their emotions too.
4. Couldn’t I just dowse for these answers? Finding which stars influence me must be done by FEEL and not by dowsing or research, I was told. I will learn to see the filaments of energy that link me to certain stars.

Sounded a bit “touchy feely” for my liking. What a curious quest! Why would I need to find out what governed my emotions? Why would that be particular stars?  Nevertheless, if that was what I was being asked to do, I would do it. Even if I couldn’t “cheat” using dowsing. I thanked the Undine for her gracious help, and for allowing me to partake in the experience of this truly magickal pool of water. The views…the sunlight on the water…the setting….it was all inspirational. Emotional?

I gathered my things in a patch of remaining sunlight and noticed that Kal was wandering around on the hilltop. Seems he was ready to leave at exactly the same time as me. I took off the three necklaces that I had worn all day and bathed them in this clear water. A fresh start, that’s what this quest needed. A clear focus to find the new way on the path. Now we could rest up in the hotel and see what was left to be done tomorrow. Anything? Oh yes – lots!

Gwas.